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I like the last one the most. I think it captures the spirit of Silicon Valley very well. When one company in YC does well, the whole community benefits. Beca

I like the last one the most. I think it captures the spirit of Silicon Valley very well. When one company in YC does well, the whole community benefits. Because YC has such a strong track record, early adopters, investors and press are often more willing to take a look at YC founders, even if they’re first time founders. To maintain the strength of the community as it grows, we developed a set of principles that YC founders are asked to live by.

flubert 11y ago
It does seem like that wording could potentially cut two ways though. "We're the good-old-boys network, and if we like you, we will show you the secret handshake to get into the club, and our club has made-men in the investor and media communities." Undoubtedly I am way off base here, but I wonder if others got a similar vibe from that statement, and if there would be a good way to reword that.
- rfrank 11y ago
  It's how vague the word "community" is in context. What community? Y-Combinator founders/alumni? The startup community? The tech community at large? The Bay Area? America? The global community?
- mathattack 11y ago
  I view it as, "You're getting the benefit of the YC brand, so there are some principles you should follow to make it better for the next batch."
- api 11y ago
  Over the long run, this eats itself. It would result in a lot of low-quality but highly connected 'juiced' companies getting too much of a boost from brand but then flopping by failing to actually deliver on their hype. In the end this dilutes the brand, and is self-correcting. YC would end up with a reputation as an over-hyped old boy network past its prime, etc. Sure you can ride into town on a big white horse but if you can't handle your gun... :) It can take a while to manifest. Like a bank account, large pools of goodwill and brand equity take a long time to drain. But eventually the draining happens. The tech industry is so fast that 'a while' might be 'a few years.'
  - mathattack 11y ago
    Is it that different that a Harvard or MIT alum taking a call from a student looking for an internship? They take the call because someone took their call years before. Are they over-hyped old boys networks? I'll leave that to others.
    - rhizome 11y ago
      It's the original affirmative action program.
- Mz 11y ago
  I honestly wish YC and HN handled a few things better (wrt "old boys network" vibe in specific), but I think it is pretty ridiculous to interpret their position that way. They are helping lots of people start new companies. If anything, they are a threat to The Old Guard, not its defenders.
  - goldbrick 11y ago
    Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
    - deleted 11y ago
      [deleted]
bobby_9x 11y ago
Why is this a good thing? Shouldn't we be striving for a merit based system and not a system that benefits the few people that are able to get through the YC interview process?
- mathattack 11y ago
  I am not an insider, but I view this as, "Starting something is hard. We make it a little easier for you. You make it a little easier for the next group." There are so many random things that can befall a startup, that any support network is great. This is no different than Steve Jobs mentoring people, because others mentored him.
- Kinnard 11y ago
  I don't think the two are mutually exclusive.
- bobby_9x 11y ago
  Seriously? Getting down voted for merely asking a question and trying to provoke actual thought? I've come to realize that the HN community is void of intellectual thought and discussion and is mostly an echo chamber. I feel like I've already outgrown it and I haven't even been a part of it that long. Eternal September?
  - staunch 11y ago
    From the HN guidelines https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html > Getting down voted for merely asking a question and trying to provoke actual thought? Please resist commenting about being downvoted. It never does any good, and it makes boring reading. > I feel like I've already outgrown it and I haven't even been a part of it that long. If your account is less than a year old, please don't submit comments saying that HN is turning into Reddit. It's a common semi-noob illusion, as old as the hills.
    - sroussey 11y ago
      How do things get down voted? I never see that as an option...
smalter 11y ago
What are those principles?

flubert 11y ago

It does seem like that wording could potentially cut two ways though. "We're the good-old-boys network, and if we like you, we will show you the secret handshake to get into the club, and our club has made-men in the investor and media communities." Undoubtedly I am way off base here, but I wonder if others got a similar vibe from that statement, and if there would be a good way to reword that.

rfrank 11y ago
It's how vague the word "community" is in context. What community? Y-Combinator founders/alumni? The startup community? The tech community at large? The Bay Area? America? The global community?
mathattack 11y ago
I view it as, "You're getting the benefit of the YC brand, so there are some principles you should follow to make it better for the next batch."
api 11y ago
Over the long run, this eats itself. It would result in a lot of low-quality but highly connected 'juiced' companies getting too much of a boost from brand but then flopping by failing to actually deliver on their hype. In the end this dilutes the brand, and is self-correcting. YC would end up with a reputation as an over-hyped old boy network past its prime, etc. Sure you can ride into town on a big white horse but if you can't handle your gun... :) It can take a while to manifest. Like a bank account, large pools of goodwill and brand equity take a long time to drain. But eventually the draining happens. The tech industry is so fast that 'a while' might be 'a few years.'
- mathattack 11y ago
  Is it that different that a Harvard or MIT alum taking a call from a student looking for an internship? They take the call because someone took their call years before. Are they over-hyped old boys networks? I'll leave that to others.
  - rhizome 11y ago
    It's the original affirmative action program.
Mz 11y ago
I honestly wish YC and HN handled a few things better (wrt "old boys network" vibe in specific), but I think it is pretty ridiculous to interpret their position that way. They are helping lots of people start new companies. If anything, they are a threat to The Old Guard, not its defenders.
- goldbrick 11y ago
  Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
  - deleted 11y ago
    [deleted]

bobby_9x 11y ago

Why is this a good thing? Shouldn't we be striving for a merit based system and not a system that benefits the few people that are able to get through the YC interview process?

mathattack 11y ago
I am not an insider, but I view this as, "Starting something is hard. We make it a little easier for you. You make it a little easier for the next group." There are so many random things that can befall a startup, that any support network is great. This is no different than Steve Jobs mentoring people, because others mentored him.
Kinnard 11y ago
I don't think the two are mutually exclusive.
bobby_9x 11y ago
Seriously? Getting down voted for merely asking a question and trying to provoke actual thought? I've come to realize that the HN community is void of intellectual thought and discussion and is mostly an echo chamber. I feel like I've already outgrown it and I haven't even been a part of it that long. Eternal September?
- staunch 11y ago
  From the HN guidelines https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html > Getting down voted for merely asking a question and trying to provoke actual thought? Please resist commenting about being downvoted. It never does any good, and it makes boring reading. > I feel like I've already outgrown it and I haven't even been a part of it that long. If your account is less than a year old, please don't submit comments saying that HN is turning into Reddit. It's a common semi-noob illusion, as old as the hills.
  - sroussey 11y ago
    How do things get down voted? I never see that as an option...

smalter 11y ago

What are those principles?