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Y Combinator W2011 application (my rejection email)

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Re: Y Combinator W2011 application (my rejection email)

#21

Post by DevX101 »

jlm382 wrote: post #11

inDinero saw rejection many times before getting into Y Combinator... We applied (and got rejected in the first round) from the U.C. Berkeley Business Plan competition first in spring of 2009, then again in the spring of 2010. We also got turned away from TechStars during Spring 2009. We also tried raising angel money in the summer of 2009 and couldn't get a single commitment. It's not all fun and roses. This kept us…

Did the product improve between TechStars and YC? Or did the YC team see something in you that the others didn't 'get'?

Re: Y Combinator W2011 application (my rejection email)

#23

Post by ecargnfx »

dmix wrote: post #3

I don't know about you guys, but I'm still in a pretty good mood despite being declined. I quit my job yesterday and I'm going to be working on my (3rd) startup full time. It's liberating to become completely dependent on your own ability. Bootstrapping: "a self-sustaining process that proceeds without external help"

I just quit yesterday too!! I feel happy and stupid, because in my situation I'm the only bread winner in my family, so they're really dependent on me for money (even though I'm only 21).

But I was getting miserable at work because all I wanted to do was work on my startup. I'm looking for other seed funding now since I can't afford to bootstrap. Let's see how this turns out. And let's hope my family doesn't starve.

I'm available to freelance as a UX/Mobile designer for anyone hiring in nyc! Money to tide us over as I work on my startup would be nice :)

Re: Y Combinator W2011 application (my rejection email)

#24

Post by follower »

nuweborder wrote: post #12

I received the same exact letter lastyear for my music related startup. Word for word. You can email them directly to get more detailed info on exactly why they rejected you. I did it and got some good feedback.

Oh, really? I didn't know asking for more feedback was an option earlier this year. (In fact for some reason I thought they specifically said they wouldn't do that--maybe I'm thinking of something else.) Was that a one off or have other people had the same result?

Re: Y Combinator W2011 application (my rejection email)

#25

Post by ecargnfx »

stevenp wrote: post #5

I just got my rejection letter too. I have to say, though, that the whole experience has been great. Filling out the application really made me think a lot about my business, and what my pitch is. It's amazing the clarity that comes from writing the answers to those questions down and making that video. Good luck to everyone who hasn't been rejected yet! :)

Yup I agree, same here!

Re: Y Combinator W2011 application (my rejection email)

#26

Post by Nate75Sanders »

RaySharma wrote: post #7

Hey folks, we are looking for co-founders, and would love to get with like minded people to shoot the sh*t. I have an email going around for a potential meetup in SFBayarea. Let me know if any of you are interested. rahulsharma2001@gmail.com www.ikonblvd.com

2 pieces of advice:

1) Do not make me watch a video to see what you're doing. Write some text -- you should be able to explain it in one sentence and then have some supporting text if you want/need to clarify things.

2) If you really only have 2 employees and one of you is the CEO and one of you is the President, You're Doing It Wrong. Ditch those titles and just go for "founder" at most.

Re: Y Combinator W2011 application (my rejection email)

#27

Post by codeslush »

citizenkeys wrote: post #6
dabent wrote: post #4

If getting rejected by YC is going to stop you, consider that you might not have the determination needed to found a startup. I'm considering putting together a friends-and-family round for my startup now. The YC email was just one data point on the path.

The secret about rejection is... succeed in spite of the people that rejected you! :-)

Agree with first sentence, not so with the second!

Re: Y Combinator W2011 application (my rejection email)

#28

Post by jlm382 »

DevX101 wrote: post #21
jlm382 wrote: post #11

inDinero saw rejection many times before getting into Y Combinator... We applied (and got rejected in the first round) from the U.C. Berkeley Business Plan competition first in spring of 2009, then again in the spring of 2010. We also got turned away from TechStars during Spring 2009. We also tried raising angel money in the summer of 2009 and couldn't get a single commitment. It's not all fun and roses. This kept us…

Did the product improve between TechStars and YC? Or did the YC team see something in you that the others didn't 'get'?

we learned nothing from our rejections (other than the willpower to withstand rejection), and continued building our product.

I think we didn't get into TechStars because we were still wrapping up school. YC probably would have rejected us too.

Re: Y Combinator W2011 application (my rejection email)

#29

Post by skbohra123 »

jlm382 wrote: post #11

inDinero saw rejection many times before getting into Y Combinator... We applied (and got rejected in the first round) from the U.C. Berkeley Business Plan competition first in spring of 2009, then again in the spring of 2010. We also got turned away from TechStars during Spring 2009. We also tried raising angel money in the summer of 2009 and couldn't get a single commitment. It's not all fun and roses. This kept us…

Why didn't you apply to YC in first place ? Or any specific reason to apply to others first ?

Re: Y Combinator W2011 application (my rejection email)

#30

Post by [deleted] »

DevX101 wrote: post #21
jlm382 wrote: post #11

inDinero saw rejection many times before getting into Y Combinator... We applied (and got rejected in the first round) from the U.C. Berkeley Business Plan competition first in spring of 2009, then again in the spring of 2010. We also got turned away from TechStars during Spring 2009. We also tried raising angel money in the summer of 2009 and couldn't get a single commitment. It's not all fun and roses. This kept us…

Did the product improve between TechStars and YC? Or did the YC team see something in you that the others didn't 'get'?

[deleted]
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