Earlier quoted context omitted.
Luke is actually in the current YC batch. There will be a YC alum working with hardware companies in the next batch - announcement coming in the next month or so.
$100 says it is Eric Migicovsky
I will second that.
Michael Seibel, CEO of YC, is doing an AMA
191–200 of 317 posts
Re: Michael Seibel, CEO of YC, is doing an AMA
#192Earlier quoted context omitted.
(edited for tone) PG and Jessica are currently on sabbatical in the UK - after running YC for 10+ years they are taking a little break spend more time with their kids
> after running YC for 10+ years they deserve a little break no? With all due respect what is so special about running YC that means you deserve a sabbatical? They are taking a sabbatical not because they deserve it but because they can afford to do so financially and have left their organization in what they feel are very capable hands. It is actually atypical in most professions in the US (at least outside of teach…
>what is so special about running YC that means you deserve a sabbatical?
I missed where this was claimed to be "deserved"?
>It is actually atypical in most professions in the US (at least outside of teaching or academics) to be able to step away other than for a somewhat short vacations[...]but most people can't do something like this.
I'm trying to figure out how this is relevant? Would you elaborate? I don't care about disrespect, but ignorance (i.e. lack of of knowledge) and illogical claims are problematic for me. "Special"?
I missed the parent comment before it was "edited for tone," but your comment comes across with a bit of undue animosity.
Re: Michael Seibel, CEO of YC, is doing an AMA
#193Earlier quoted context omitted.
> after running YC for 10+ years they deserve a little break no? With all due respect what is so special about running YC that means you deserve a sabbatical? They are taking a sabbatical not because they deserve it but because they can afford to do so financially and have left their organization in what they feel are very capable hands. It is actually atypical in most professions in the US (at least outside of teach…
With Graham, taking a break (or 'hammock time' as Hickey might phrase it) appears to be a pattern if one can draw a pattern from two data points. After selling Viaweb and working a Yahoo for a bit, Graham wrote and painted and created a new dialect of Lisp for several years before the experiment that led to YCombinator (there may have been consulting and investing in there too, it wouldn't surprise me but since I've…
It takes 3 points to confirm a pattern. :) Otherwise, it is nice and fortunate to be able to take time off (if you choose) to raise your kids, especially as a family. Especially when they are young and before school starts.
Re: Michael Seibel, CEO of YC, is doing an AMA
#194Does YC have any evolving thesis as it comes to particular technologies, such as Blockchain or Quantum technologies? For example, are there attempts to achieve internal consensus on the use of Ethereum? (Full disclosure: I applied with an Ethereum wallet one year ago and got an interview but was told that the path to market wasn't clear enough. The project was ultimately absorbed into a different incubator. )
At YC we don't have strongly held opinions on exactly how technology will develop over the next 10 years. We simply want to fund the strongest teams and help them accomplish their goals.
Is that equally true of the incubator side and Research?
Re: Michael Seibel, CEO of YC, is doing an AMA
#195Hi Michael, is it a good idea to apply to YC to find quality co-founders? or in other words what is the right way for a single founder to apply? thanks.
It is not a good idea to apply to YC to find co-founders.
Re: Michael Seibel, CEO of YC, is doing an AMA
#196Sam Altman wrote about the current make up of YC founders based on their gender and ethnicity. If I recruit two co-founders of color and one woman primarily for the purpose of getting into YC is that shunned upon?
> If I recruit two co-founders of color and one woman primarily for the purpose of getting into YC is that shunned upon?
Only if you're naive enough to admit it.
Re: Michael Seibel, CEO of YC, is doing an AMA
#197How does YC feel about funding seed stage projects that have to test market before actual growth? I'm currently CTO of a new distributed entertainment platform, and the investors we're talking to all want us to grow now. Conservatively, we feel if we seek growth now we'll be in some minima of quality that is too similar to competing products and not actually different enough to be sustainably disruptive. We ideally want a year of experiments before we commit to attempting explosive growth. Thoughts?
PS. We are raktor.org, working on telepresence participatory theatre, which we believe is the future of entertainment. Currently in VR, though whether it's VR or not is not relevant to our long term goals of being an Uber-for-theatre-performers.
Re: Michael Seibel, CEO of YC, is doing an AMA
#198Does YC typically invest on startups that may possibly have overlapping market segments?
For example Boom Aero focused on supersonic and another startup applies to YC with subsonic aircraft.
From what I read typically VC firms usually don't fund two companies as such example.
Re: Michael Seibel, CEO of YC, is doing an AMA
#199Re: Michael Seibel, CEO of YC, is doing an AMA
#200How does the $120k get allocated to the startup? Can cofounders take a tiny piece as a monthly income?
That's exactly what the $120k is for.
From the YC FAQs: "Half (maybe more) of the startups we fund don't need the money. And in fact the money is a only a small part of what YC does. The money we invest works more like financial aid in college: it ensures that the people who do need money can cover their living expenses while YC is happening."