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So you didn’t get a YC invite, what next?

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So you didn’t get a YC invite, what next?

#1

Post by actraub »

I think its fair to say that YC only wants founders and businesses that will succeed without YC. With thousands of applications, hundreds of invites and tens of acceptances they can’t invite everyone. Not getting an invite does not mean you won’t succeed, anymore than getting an invite means you will.

For those that are soul searching, ask yourself a few questions.

Is our team credible; can we really execute? Do we have enough people with the right skills. Engineers are just more appropriate than english majors.

Will we see the project through… there will be lots of rough spots, will we give up?

If no, fix the problem and apply again.

Am I more than one founder? Solo founders are a risk. Something happens and YC’s effort and money is wasted. But probably more important, being a team is an effort multiplier and a barrier against stupid mistakes.

Find a cofounder or realize that you are probably not right for YC.

Is our idea unique? If yes, is it really something people want? If no, is it sufficiently better than what's out there. 10X improvement?

If you don’t have a good idea, get one.

So you have a good idea and you can build it. Can you get users? Where is the evidence? Passion for your project can blind reason.

Can it make money?

There are plenty of companies out there that are perfectly viable who received rejections. Who knows why - you didn't fit the YC mold, you didn't submit your application early enough, you’re a solo founder, you were too busy programming to correct your grammar mistakes…

if you were rejected because you can’t execute, have a bad idea, can’t get users or won’t make money, then you should really rethink your startup.

Re: So you didn’t get a YC invite, what next?

#2

Post by lettergram »

My recommendation is that you should start with a problem you are passionate about. Quite literally, I keep a notebook of stuff that annoys me. Then, every night I review it and try to coalesce it down to the essence of a problem. Youll find that youre probably passionate about 5 or 6 of the problems you come accross.

Fix one of these problems for yourself and 99 times out of 100 someone will be willing to pay for it.

Re: So you didn’t get a YC invite, what next?

#3

Post by juniorexplorers »

As someone who didn't get invited either, I feel like this is a great opportunity to look at the business objectively and check off the boxes that as a founder sometimes you don't think much about. Doing the application started it for me and already we are making changes and decisions we probably would not have focused on since we have been focused on execution.

Markets are dynamic so ideas need to be dynamic as well in how we adapt to stay within the framework of the vision but be able to optimize the probability of success. Taking a step back and evaluating team, technology, opportunity and current execution plan takes a lot of time and effort which this process forced us to do.

It all starts with confirming that the idea is good and there is a real problem here to solve but once that is checked off, there are so many variables that come into play. My approach is to try and not dwell as much on why YC did not invite me but focus on what else I can do to fulfill the potential of the idea.

If we get this right, we might not need to apply again and should be on our way. If not we either come back bigger and better or will have decided that this is not the business we want to be in. All good outcomes right?

Re: So you didn’t get a YC invite, what next?

#4

Post by robertandy »

Here is a great sum of your post in one line:

“If you’re absent during my struggle, don’t expect to be present during my success.” - Will Smith

In my view the way YC has been openly crushing morale of solo-founders for years is simply pathetic. Is it a crime to be a solo-founder? Despite equal number of successful startups from solo-ists, they continue to snub the potential and rather host even those who would easily rip-off ideas and interface from others.

Given that they are almost a monopoly and monopsony "middleman" of all things startups and nearly control other movements (media/VCs/other stakeholders) I see this as a dangerous precedent for startups in general.

Last thing we want is an Amazon-like agent that controls our destiny.

Re: So you didn’t get a YC invite, what next?

#5

Post by [deleted] »

robertandy wrote: post #4

Here is a great sum of your post in one line: “If you’re absent during my struggle, don’t expect to be present during my success.” - Will Smith In my view the way YC has been openly crushing morale of solo-founders for years is simply pathetic. Is it a crime to be a solo-founder? Despite equal number of successful startups from solo-ists, they continue to snub the potential and rather host even those who would easily…

[deleted]

Re: So you didn’t get a YC invite, what next?

#6

Post by logicallee »

robertandy wrote: post #4

Here is a great sum of your post in one line: “If you’re absent during my struggle, don’t expect to be present during my success.” - Will Smith In my view the way YC has been openly crushing morale of solo-founders for years is simply pathetic. Is it a crime to be a solo-founder? Despite equal number of successful startups from solo-ists, they continue to snub the potential and rather host even those who would easily…

Robertandy, YC is incredibly encouraging at stages that nobody else is. They have open lectures on how to start a startup. You can watch them for free right now.

I feel your frustration that they don't fund certain things, but this should not be called crushing morale.

Please remember one thing: the reason YCombinator is a monopoly is that others are cowardly, don't know how to invest at the seed stage and help founders build huge, scalable businesses with a community of awesome people around them. This community is a hallmark of YC, and one of the obvious things that must be true about any founding group that has at least 2 members is that by definition they are social enough to keep a group of at least 2 cofounders together.

If you feel YCombinator is a monopoly you have to please by having a cofounder, why don't you get a cofounder?

Re: So you didn’t get a YC invite, what next?

#7

Post by qaiserhabib »

we didnt' get an invite from YC. We have a great idea, an excellent team of 5 (1 hustler 4 engineers) and a great "plan". What are the effects of this rejection on us?

None. We never took YC seriously. We believe in our idea and we are very close to alpha launch and we don't need YC to succeed. We only applied to YC so we could have that media boost or the YC title attached to us. We understand why we got rejected, we had alot of plans and zero traction (because of how we built our strategy to get product market fit).

My advice to other founders: YC is just an incubator, they can only give you advice and introduce you to other founders and investors and give you ~100k in seed funding. You can get all of these things without YC. Infact, it's much easier outside. YC won't make you magically succeed if you don't have a great team or a great product, there's only so much they can fix about you in 3 months. So don't ever let that rejection get to you and keep focused on what you're building and keep evolving until you have product market fit!

Re: So you didn’t get a YC invite, what next?

#8

Post by Alex3917 »

A lot of the startups YC doesn't fund aren't necessary bad, just too early. And while not getting into YC will never destroy your company, getting in too early actually will -- if you start the clock on your company while you are still missing some basic skills, if your founder and you later break up, if there are still too many technical/product uncertainties, etc.

If your idea isn't inherently bad then just peel away away some layers of risk and try again.

Re: So you didn’t get a YC invite, what next?

#9

Post by robertandy »

logicallee wrote: post #6
robertandy wrote: post #4

Here is a great sum of your post in one line: “If you’re absent during my struggle, don’t expect to be present during my success.” - Will Smith In my view the way YC has been openly crushing morale of solo-founders for years is simply pathetic. Is it a crime to be a solo-founder? Despite equal number of successful startups from solo-ists, they continue to snub the potential and rather host even those who would easily…

Robertandy, YC is incredibly encouraging at stages that nobody else is. They have open lectures on how to start a startup. You can watch them for free right now. I feel your frustration that they don't fund certain things, but this should not be called crushing morale. Please remember one thing: the reason YCombinator is a monopoly is that others are cowardly, don't know how to invest at the seed stage and help found…

Disagree!

The entire process is rigged against solo-founders and you CANNOT deny that fact. Even your own last sentence in the end contradicts you.

> why don't you get a cofounder.

Dude what about this: I don't want to marry. I do not want to own a house. I do not want a co-founder.

Re: So you didn’t get a YC invite, what next?

#10

Post by [deleted] »

robertandy wrote: post #4

Here is a great sum of your post in one line: “If you’re absent during my struggle, don’t expect to be present during my success.” - Will Smith In my view the way YC has been openly crushing morale of solo-founders for years is simply pathetic. Is it a crime to be a solo-founder? Despite equal number of successful startups from solo-ists, they continue to snub the potential and rather host even those who would easily…

[deleted]
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