@sama If you had yourself and your startup Loopt apply now for YC, would it win?
I am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator – AMA
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Re: I am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator – AMA
#62I've been watching the SF startup scene from afar. In the midwest (Cincinnati, OH) we have growing scenes, but my biggest problem is finding true senior engineers and real technical mentorship. Do you think this is something one needs to be in SF to attain or are there other ways?
Re: I am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator – AMA
#63@sama - Based on my friends who have previously applied to YC .. it seems as if applications submitted in the last 3-4 days before the deadline, don't really get reviewed. When submitted early, they would notice YC related views to their website and Youtube video. Unfortunately, when submitted close to the deadline, there were no views.
The YouTube counter has never seemed to work well with our reviewing software, so I'd ignore that.
That said we do get to spend more time on applications that get submitted early (as we've always said) so there is a slight advantage to submitting early.
Re: I am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator – AMA
#64@sama What are some things that you have approached differently from PG?
Re: I am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator – AMA
#65What would be the right time for an idea that involves some technical depth to apply to YC?
In other words, hypothetically, if YC had existed during the 90s, at what stage should Google Guys have applied to YC (Between 1995-1998, A) when the idea struck (mid 1995) B) When it started crawling the web (around 1996), or C) when they bought the domain (1998). Thanks!
Re: I am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator – AMA
#66I've been watching the SF startup scene from afar. In the midwest (Cincinnati, OH) we have growing scenes, but my biggest problem is finding true senior engineers and real technical mentorship. Do you think this is something one needs to be in SF to attain or are there other ways?
I certainly don't think you need to be in SF for it, though it is easy to find here.
If I had no family ties and wanted to be in tech, I'd still move to the bay area even with the cost of living being what it is. But I don't think it's as critical as e.g. moving to LA to be in movies or moving to DC to be in politics.
Re: I am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator – AMA
#67Very broadly speaking, fundamental research can be divided into two categories: (1) developing techniques to accomplish some very difficult, but useful task; and (2) answering questions which are intrinsically interesting.* Research in fusion and developing self-driving cars are examples of the first category. Finding exoplanets and the Higgs boson are examples of the second. Will YC Research be funding research in both categories, or just the first?
* (I know some people like to call the second category "pure" research, but I think that betrays a bias against working on more practical problems.)
Re: I am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator – AMA
#68Hey Sam, what's the status of the YC Fellowship? Are you going to do another round?
Re: I am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator – AMA
#69Hey @sama. Are there any emerging technologies or research areas you think are in peril at this time, due to lack of funding, political climate, or diverted focus? How will YCResearch identify the fields to support basic research in?
Re: I am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator – AMA
#70What's the most important question on the application?