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I'm sure many groups better than YC will spring up, barring a major market collapse. It's hard to even look at YC in a positive light anymore. They've gotten t

by imsteve 19y ago

I'm sure many groups better than YC will spring up, barring a major market collapse. It's hard to even look at YC in a positive light anymore. They've gotten too greedy in just choosing the most ideal cookie-cutter groups that follow their rigid profile of the ideal founders. It just always seemed that YC had a bigger vision than making lots of cash. No longer. This is not unique to YC, many successful people admit later in their careers that they would never, today, hire themselves. I just wonder if YC will continue down this path or reach a point where they will turn around, stop trying desperately to prove themselves and make a more meaningful difference.

dshah 19y ago
You're suggesting that greed (YC acting in their financial interests) is a bad thing. I don't think it is. What makes investors successful, is the same thing that makes startups successful: Figuring out a pattern that works. What YC is doing is betting that lots of small investments in hackepreneur types is better than what VCs and other early-stage investors are doing. Also, I don't see much evidence of them "desperately trying to prove themselves". Looks like they're doing what any smart investment group should do: Trying to attract great entrepreneurs that they think they can help. If Paul and company were good at detecting and promoting talent in the life sciences sector, that's what they'd do. But they aren't, and so they don't.
- imsteve 19y ago
  This is really just a very early prediction on my part of where YC may be headed. I, personally, feel very little animosity towards YC or their current methods but have become more wary of their direction. But yes, placing _too large_ of a priority on financial interests is always bad. Finding a pattern that works is a good strategy, but what's their fitness function? This seems like an easy way to fall into the trap of only looking at the short term. With the volatility of software startups, I can't blame them too much for that. It would serve their publicity greatly to show that they are still interested in improving the situation for us regular hackers and startup founders who are still at the bottom than appearing to just focus on their bottom line. This does not require lots of money or diving into unnecessarily risky investments.
  - jamiequint 19y ago
    Its not really clear how you are suggesting YC change. What are you suggesting they do?

by imsteve 19y ago

dshah 19y ago

You're suggesting that greed (YC acting in their financial interests) is a bad thing. I don't think it is. What makes investors successful, is the same thing that makes startups successful: Figuring out a pattern that works. What YC is doing is betting that lots of small investments in hackepreneur types is better than what VCs and other early-stage investors are doing. Also, I don't see much evidence of them "desperately trying to prove themselves". Looks like they're doing what any smart investment group should do: Trying to attract great entrepreneurs that they think they can help. If Paul and company were good at detecting and promoting talent in the life sciences sector, that's what they'd do. But they aren't, and so they don't.

imsteve 19y ago
This is really just a very early prediction on my part of where YC may be headed. I, personally, feel very little animosity towards YC or their current methods but have become more wary of their direction. But yes, placing _too large_ of a priority on financial interests is always bad. Finding a pattern that works is a good strategy, but what's their fitness function? This seems like an easy way to fall into the trap of only looking at the short term. With the volatility of software startups, I can't blame them too much for that. It would serve their publicity greatly to show that they are still interested in improving the situation for us regular hackers and startup founders who are still at the bottom than appearing to just focus on their bottom line. This does not require lots of money or diving into unnecessarily risky investments.
- jamiequint 19y ago
  Its not really clear how you are suggesting YC change. What are you suggesting they do?