How to get into YC: * Be young, about to finish college, or just finished college and working on your startup * Go to a name-brand school like MIT * Done some open source project that may or may not be popular * Done something a bit impressive * Be able to write very good english * Be U.S based * Have a co-founder from a similar background as yours, and who you've known for a while * Do something that sounds simple *…
How To Get Into Y Combinator
11–18 of 18 posts
Re: How To Get Into Y Combinator
#12How to get into YC: * Be young, about to finish college, or just finished college and working on your startup * Go to a name-brand school like MIT * Done some open source project that may or may not be popular * Done something a bit impressive * Be able to write very good english * Be U.S based * Have a co-founder from a similar background as yours, and who you've known for a while * Do something that sounds simple *…
Have a co-founder from a similar background as yours, and who you've known for a while While your message is quite tongue-in-cheek, there is some truth to it and I wanted to follow-up on this comment. From anecdotal experience, it seems that YC favors a team of technical founders. Whereas in a blog post today on VentureHacks, the authors recommend the tech/business pair. So which is better? Two techies, or a slick bi…
Re: How To Get Into Y Combinator
#13How to get into YC: * Be young, about to finish college, or just finished college and working on your startup * Go to a name-brand school like MIT * Done some open source project that may or may not be popular * Done something a bit impressive * Be able to write very good english * Be U.S based * Have a co-founder from a similar background as yours, and who you've known for a while * Do something that sounds simple *…
Honestly, this is sufficiently bad "advice" that the exceptions far outnumber the occurences.
Re: How To Get Into Y Combinator
#14Earlier quoted context omitted.
Have a co-founder from a similar background as yours, and who you've known for a while While your message is quite tongue-in-cheek, there is some truth to it and I wanted to follow-up on this comment. From anecdotal experience, it seems that YC favors a team of technical founders. Whereas in a blog post today on VentureHacks, the authors recommend the tech/business pair. So which is better? Two techies, or a slick bi…
There is no right answer. Startup advice seems to only make sense in aggregate: you collect all of the opinions and try to map those to your situation.
The real question is this : will you guys be able to see the money when it comes? I, being an outsider, would not, but sometimes you can be so much of an insider that you don't see it either. You both seem pretty focused, and that's the big problem I see.
The final problem I see is this: you care about people liking you. I have the feeling pg likes you like he used to like sama. But the difference is that sama is ruthless and focused on making money - would you ever be able to? Can you bite the hand that fed you for the sake of the money?
Your recommendations system is small business and you will change it at some point. The new thing you build will be more interesting, I think.
That's my prediction! Let's see how many years I have to wait!
Re: How To Get Into Y Combinator
#15Earlier quoted context omitted.
There is no right answer. Startup advice seems to only make sense in aggregate: you collect all of the opinions and try to map those to your situation.
By the way, I've been wanting to make a prediction on your success, since I've been following your work with interest for a while: I think you will be successful, but not in the sense that YC or investors want from you. I just don't see you breaking out of the lifestyle-business loop. I believe that your technology will be your undoing - it will become so attractive to some outside entity that you will get swallowed…
Re: How To Get Into Y Combinator
#16How to get into YC: * Be young, about to finish college, or just finished college and working on your startup * Go to a name-brand school like MIT * Done some open source project that may or may not be popular * Done something a bit impressive * Be able to write very good english * Be U.S based * Have a co-founder from a similar background as yours, and who you've known for a while * Do something that sounds simple *…
Have a co-founder from a similar background as yours, and who you've known for a while While your message is quite tongue-in-cheek, there is some truth to it and I wanted to follow-up on this comment. From anecdotal experience, it seems that YC favors a team of technical founders. Whereas in a blog post today on VentureHacks, the authors recommend the tech/business pair. So which is better? Two techies, or a slick bi…
"The seller doesn't have to be a "salesman" or "business guy". He can be technical, but he must be able to wield the tools of influence. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs aren't salesmen, but they are sellers."
Re: How To Get Into Y Combinator
#17How to get into YC: * Be young, about to finish college, or just finished college and working on your startup * Go to a name-brand school like MIT * Done some open source project that may or may not be popular * Done something a bit impressive * Be able to write very good english * Be U.S based * Have a co-founder from a similar background as yours, and who you've known for a while * Do something that sounds simple *…
Re: How To Get Into Y Combinator
#18Earlier quoted context omitted.
Have a co-founder from a similar background as yours, and who you've known for a while While your message is quite tongue-in-cheek, there is some truth to it and I wanted to follow-up on this comment. From anecdotal experience, it seems that YC favors a team of technical founders. Whereas in a blog post today on VentureHacks, the authors recommend the tech/business pair. So which is better? Two techies, or a slick bi…
We weren't clear about the definition of a "seller" in the Venture Hacks post. I'll revise to say something like, "The seller doesn't have to be a "salesman" or "business guy". He can be technical, but he must be able to wield the tools of influence. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs aren't salesmen, but they are sellers."