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Ask HN: Alternatives to Y Combinator?

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Ask HN: Alternatives to Y Combinator?

#1

Post by swilliams »

I have an idea for a startup, and would love to submit it to the YC program. However, I also have a wife and an infant daughter and the move to either Cambridge or Mountain View would just be too much of a burden.

So, is there a similar program but without the move? Or perhaps a little closer to home (Phoenix, AZ)? Or should I pursue a more traditional seed/angel funding route? The biggest attraction of YC to me is the cumulative experience and knowledge of the founders, and I worry that I wouldn't get that with a standard VC path.

Re: Ask HN: Alternatives to Y Combinator?

#3

Post by beaudeal »

My first piece of advice would be this: don't bank on YC funding. Sure, it would be great if you got accepted, but that shouldn't stop you from pursuing your idea. Especially if it is still just an idea - work on it at home, in your spare time, and then evaluate your options once you have done everything you possibly can do on your own.

If you decide that you need outside funding, and even Mountain View is too far, then your options for YC (or a similar program) become more limited. The next YC round will be in Cambridge, but there is TechStars in Boulder, Colorado which is obviously much closer, but may still be too far. The only other programs I have heard of are in the Philly / DC areas.

Like you said though, there are more traditional routes. A Google search for 'arizona angel network' brings up over 2m hits. My point is that, I'm sure there are options, you just need to look for them, and then evaluate.

First things first, though: start hacking!

Re: Ask HN: Alternatives to Y Combinator?

#4

Post by cperciva »

So, is there a similar program but without the move? [...] The biggest attraction of YC to me is the cumulative experience and knowledge of the founders, and I worry that I wouldn't get that with a standard VC path.

How do you expect to get a "similar program" without moving? The cumulative experience and knowledge of YCers isn't something which can be conveyed remotely.

My google-fu is failing at the moment, but I remember seeing a comment from pg here a while ago to the extent that YC once tried funding a team remotely, but it didn't work due to the lack of frequent contact. Don't look at YC's move-across-the-country requirement as a roadblock they're putting up -- look at it as them trying to maximize the chance that the companies they fund will succeed.

(That said, I submitted a YC application in spite of not being able to move -- but I wasn't really expecting to be accepted, and if I had been accepted, it would have taken sitting down and trying to figure out exactly how YC could help a non-local startup before I would have accepted.)

Re: Ask HN: Alternatives to Y Combinator?

#5

Post by swilliams »

davidw wrote: post #2

You could do cambridge / mountain view for the three months that you're required to be there, then leave - I don't think there's anything in the rules against that.

We talked about that, and it would mean bad things all around for my family. Background: She's a PhD student and will graduate in May or August.

Option 1) She continues what she's doing right now, research and lab work, and occasionally pick up a shift at a "real" job. However, we wouldn't have health insurance, and that is crucial (pre-existing conditions and baby).

Option 2) She gets a full time job, with benefits. The downside is that we would then need full time daycare for the baby, which is something I am against. Yes, it would only be for a few months, but I think it would be too much for her, since she would essentially be a single mom.

Crazy Option 3) We pick up and move to Cambridge/Mountain View. This would keep the family together, but the logistics of figuring that out while starting a company make my head hurt just thinking about it.

Ultimately, a 3 month separation would be an incredible stressor on our marriage, and that is something I'm not willing to sacrifice.

Re: Ask HN: Alternatives to Y Combinator?

#6

Post by swilliams »

beaudeal wrote: post #3

My first piece of advice would be this: don't bank on YC funding. Sure, it would be great if you got accepted, but that shouldn't stop you from pursuing your idea. Especially if it is still just an idea - work on it at home, in your spare time, and then evaluate your options once you have done everything you possibly can do on your own. If you decide that you need outside funding, and even Mountain View is too far, t…

Thank you. That's pretty much what we've concluded: continue at my current job and hack at it on nights and weekends until a prototype is ready.

I hadn't heard of TechStars, and will check them out.

Re: Ask HN: Alternatives to Y Combinator?

#7

Post by markessien »

You probably have a day job, right? Put aside a certain amount everymonth and hire people on elance to create your product for you. In a few months it will be done and you can test it on the market. It's risk free, and it's the sensible solution for someone with a wife and children.

Re: Ask HN: Alternatives to Y Combinator?

#8

Post by swilliams »

cperciva wrote: post #4

So, is there a similar program but without the move? [...] The biggest attraction of YC to me is the cumulative experience and knowledge of the founders, and I worry that I wouldn't get that with a standard VC path. How do you expect to get a "similar program" without moving? The cumulative experience and knowledge of YCers isn't something which can be conveyed remotely. My google-fu is failing at the moment, but I r…

...pg here a while ago to the extent that YC once tried funding a team remotely, but it didn't work due to the lack of frequent contact

It's on the faq (http://ycombinator.com/faq.html). I understand the reasoning behind it completely, and agree that being local is the best way to go.

I may just end up submitting an application anyway, just to see if it would be accepted.

Re: Ask HN: Alternatives to Y Combinator?

#9

Post by jaydub »

cperciva wrote: post #4

So, is there a similar program but without the move? [...] The biggest attraction of YC to me is the cumulative experience and knowledge of the founders, and I worry that I wouldn't get that with a standard VC path. How do you expect to get a "similar program" without moving? The cumulative experience and knowledge of YCers isn't something which can be conveyed remotely. My google-fu is failing at the moment, but I r…

The cumulative experience and knowledge of YCers isn't something which can be conveyed remotely.

I would definitely agree with that. I think another reason might be simple "peer pressure." When everyone around you is working on a startup, and when you start to see some of those people succeed -- it lights a fire under you. (Or at least me)

I'm in a "live-and-learn" entrepreneurial program at my university. Everyone on the first two floors of my building is in the same program, working on their own ideas. It's pretty neat. One of the alums of this program founded Squarespace, another guy a floor above me runs Invisionfree/ZetaBoards. The immersive experience is what makes the program. My co-founder lives next door (about five feet away). I don't know that a YC-like experience can be had remotely.

Re: Ask HN: Alternatives to Y Combinator?

#10

Post by davidw »

swilliams wrote: post #5
davidw wrote: post #2

You could do cambridge / mountain view for the three months that you're required to be there, then leave - I don't think there's anything in the rules against that.

We talked about that, and it would mean bad things all around for my family. Background: She's a PhD student and will graduate in May or August. Option 1) She continues what she's doing right now, research and lab work, and occasionally pick up a shift at a "real" job. However, we wouldn't have health insurance, and that is crucial (pre-existing conditions and baby). Option 2) She gets a full time job, with benefits.…

All sounds rather familiar...

"research and lab work" - are you another tech guy with a biotech/chem girl? You have no information in your profile, BTW.

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