Y Combinator W2011 application (my rejection email)

We're sorry to say we couldn't accept your proposal for funding. Please don't take it personally. The applications we receive get better every funding cycle, and since there's a limit on the number of startups we can interview in person, we had to turn away a lot of genuinely promising groups.

Another reason you shouldn't take this personally is that we know we make lots of mistakes. It's alarming how often the last group to make it over the threshold for interviews ends up being one that we fund. That means there are surely other good groups that fall just below the threshold and that we miss even interviewing.

http://ycombinator.com/whynot.html

We're trying to get better at this, but it's practically certain that groups we rejected will go on to create successful startups. If you do, we'd appreciate it if you'd send us an email telling us about it; we want to learn from our mistakes.

Y Combinator team

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My pitch was WikiTorrents.org, which is user-created lists of downloadable videos.

If you want to help me with some seed money, regardless of amount, maybe I can turn this whole thing into a positive. Email me at citizenkeys AT gmail DOT com .

Here is the WikiTorrents.org collection of YCombinator applicant videos: http://wikitorrents.org/wiki/ycombinator_applicants

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 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! :)

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

I know getting rejected brings disappointment. Hope this quote can cheer you guys up:

Don’t worry about failure; you only have to be right once. - Drew Houston, co-founder, Dropbox (@drewhouston)

http://startupquote.com/post/604060576