Would Steve Jobs have applied to Y Combinator?
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Would Steve Jobs have applied to Y Combinator?
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Re: Would Steve Jobs have applied to Y Combinator?
#2An important factor between Web 2.0 startups and "change the world" startups is the size of investment required. Web 2.0 startups are very cheap. Starting Tesla Motors on Y Combinator funding would be impossible. Apple was also started on a very small budget at a time when electronics was in a similar position cost-wise as the web is now.
What is different between most web 2.0 startups and Apple, though, is that Apple expanded an existing enterprise market to the general public. Cloud computing is having similar effects, but otherwise I don't see many similarities.
Re: Would Steve Jobs have applied to Y Combinator?
#3Interesting circlejerk post
Re: Would Steve Jobs have applied to Y Combinator?
#4Empirically, the way to do really big things seems to be to start with deceptively small things. Want to dominate microcomputer software? Start by writing a Basic interpreter for a machine with a few thousand users. Want to make the universal web site? Start by building a site for Harvard undergrads to stalk one another.
Re: Would Steve Jobs have applied to Y Combinator?
#5Empirically, the way to do really big things seems to be to start with deceptively small things. Want to dominate microcomputer software? Start by writing a Basic interpreter for a machine with a few thousand users. Want to make the universal web site? Start by building a site for Harvard undergrads to stalk one another. http://paulgraham.com/ambitious.html
> Empirically, the way to do really big things seems to be to start with deceptively small things.
Well, to really pursue that argument, you'd also want to look at how many "deceptively small things" stayed small and never amounted to much of anything.
Re: Would Steve Jobs have applied to Y Combinator?
#6The article states: "I think the problem is rooted in the business model that seems to be preached by Y Combinator: build a great product, choose investment over income, and exit as quickly as possible."
I'm pretty sure I've heard the first point mentioned before by the partners of YC, but I'm not sure I've seen evidence of the others. Is there actually evidence of YC telling its classes to exit as quickly as possible? My guess is any quick exits are more likely as a result of founders being offered a chance at a payout rather than YC pushing them to exit.
Re: Would Steve Jobs have applied to Y Combinator?
#7An important factor between Web 2.0 startups and "change the world" startups is the size of investment required. Web 2.0 startups are very cheap. Starting Tesla Motors on Y Combinator funding would be impossible. Apple was also started on a very small budget at a time when electronics was in a similar position cost-wise as the web is now. What is different between most web 2.0 startups and Apple, though, is that Appl…
While Apple as Jobs and Woz hocking Apple I kits was started on almost no budget is true, Apple as an actual company was started with a $250K loan from Mike Markkula. Hardly a small budget when you consider those were 1976 dollars. Steve wanted to do big things, and he understood it took big dollars to do so.
I think the point of the OP boils down to: Steve (like Zuck now) wanted to build a company that changed the world, not build a company that he could flip.
Re: Would Steve Jobs have applied to Y Combinator?
#8The article states: "I think the problem is rooted in the business model that seems to be preached by Y Combinator: build a great product, choose investment over income, and exit as quickly as possible." I'm pretty sure I've heard the first point mentioned before by the partners of YC, but I'm not sure I've seen evidence of the others. Is there actually evidence of YC telling its classes to exit as quickly as possibl…
To add to your last point pg stated more than once that the best outcomes for YC will occur if companies can make it to IPO. That's not a short-term play.
edit: here's a link where he says as much http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=265623
Re: Would Steve Jobs have applied to Y Combinator?
#9Empirically, the way to do really big things seems to be to start with deceptively small things. Want to dominate microcomputer software? Start by writing a Basic interpreter for a machine with a few thousand users. Want to make the universal web site? Start by building a site for Harvard undergrads to stalk one another. http://paulgraham.com/ambitious.html
> Empirically, the way to do really big things seems to be to start with deceptively small things. Well, to really pursue that argument, you'd also want to look at how many "deceptively small things" stayed small and never amounted to much of anything.
Apparently the key is in being a "deceptively" small thing, not plain small...
Re: Would Steve Jobs have applied to Y Combinator?
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Empirically, the way to do really big things seems to be to start with deceptively small things. Well, to really pursue that argument, you'd also want to look at how many "deceptively small things" stayed small and never amounted to much of anything.
Apparently the key is in being a "deceptively" small thing, not plain small...
And the best way to tell is to look back from 20 years hence and see...