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YC: Requests for Startups

ycombinator.com

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Re: YC: Requests for Startups

#91

Post by gavmor »

gavinhoward wrote: post #77

I am building a company that falls under two categories (commercial Open Source and developer tools based on internal tools), but I would never take YC money for it. Because of that stake, they want an "exit" in some form, and the drive to that exit will pave the road to user-hostile software and make it the path of least resistance.

You don't think you're cutting off your nose to spite your face? Maybe all those user-hostile features are a small price to pay for the resources to ship the "vital few" that are positively game-changing for your customers. For me, it's an open question.

Re: YC: Requests for Startups

#92

Post by renewiltord »

itsdavesanders wrote: post #87

I find it strange that they would write "The hollowing out of US manufacturing has led to social and political division and left us in a precarious place geopolitically." And then suggest the answer to that is robotics and ML, which does nothing but exacerbate the social and political divisions - unless government and enterprise make the hard choices to provide a real safety net. And then, if we do that, it doesn't m…

Well, the point isn't to stop the social and political division. The point is stop the geopolitical precariousness.

> My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that.

Re: YC: Requests for Startups

#94

Post by gavinhoward »

fakedang wrote: post #82
gavinhoward wrote: post #77

I am building a company that falls under two categories (commercial Open Source and developer tools based on internal tools), but I would never take YC money for it. Because of that stake, they want an "exit" in some form, and the drive to that exit will pave the road to user-hostile software and make it the path of least resistance.

I don't know, I would argue that YC might be the best place for Open Source and Dev Tools, because you start along with a large cohort of former and current YC startups who will be willing to try out your product. Plus the YC partners actually have experience in working with successful companies in this space, so that's actually equity that they would deserve. That being said, dev tools is one of the sectors they hav…

I actually agree with you that YC is a good value for their founders. That network and experience are worth their weight in gold.

I am just different; I don't want gold. I want:

* Sufficient money for my needs and no more.

* To change the industry towards professional standards. [1] [2]

[1]: https://gavinhoward.com/2023/11/how-to-fund-foss-save-it-fro...

[2]: https://gavinhoward.com/2022/10/we-must-professionalize-prog...

Re: YC: Requests for Startups

#95

Post by quadcore »

APPLYING MACHINE LEARNING TO ROBOTICS

Exactly what I thought would be absolutely terrific: a robot commanded by voice that poses floor tiles. That's v1. V2 builds a house.

I can't think of any "toy" as exciting as this atm. Plus you pose the first tile of this and you're a trillionaire.

Re: YC: Requests for Startups

#96

Post by candiddevmike »

fakedang wrote: post #82
gavinhoward wrote: post #77

I am building a company that falls under two categories (commercial Open Source and developer tools based on internal tools), but I would never take YC money for it. Because of that stake, they want an "exit" in some form, and the drive to that exit will pave the road to user-hostile software and make it the path of least resistance.

I don't know, I would argue that YC might be the best place for Open Source and Dev Tools, because you start along with a large cohort of former and current YC startups who will be willing to try out your product. Plus the YC partners actually have experience in working with successful companies in this space, so that's actually equity that they would deserve. That being said, dev tools is one of the sectors they hav…

For good reason: most of the dev tools companies have been commercial duds. Lots of traction/GitHub stars maybe, but none of those amounted to real sales.

Re: YC: Requests for Startups

#97

Post by herpdyderp »

gavinhoward wrote: post #90
hipadev23 wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Because of that stake, they want an "exit" in some form Every single entity who invests in your company wants an exit.

You are absolutely right. I am bootstrapping. I own 100% of the company.

Morally I agree with you.

My wallet unfortunately does not.

Re: YC: Requests for Startups

#99

Post by throwaway4good »

throwaway4good wrote: post #76

New defense technology Bring manufacturing back to America New space companies Careful not shooting yourself in the foot there …

YC has a solid brand that enables it to get capital and talent from all over the world - venturing into areas that are deeply divisive for a hot dollar may just cut that off.

Re: YC: Requests for Startups

#100

Post by gavinhoward »

herpdyderp wrote: post #97
gavinhoward wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are absolutely right. I am bootstrapping. I own 100% of the company.

Morally I agree with you. My wallet unfortunately does not.

And I don't blame you!

Bootstrapping is hard, and I know that I am lucky to be able to...thus far.

If the world would still be net better off with the VC-backed software, and it wouldn't get made any other way, I don't think it would be immoral to take it, so long as effort is made to follow the harder path.

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