Yes, though I'd express it as YC funding startups earlier, before they're proven, when they need less funding. YC experimented with pushing it back even earlie

Yes, though I'd express it as YC funding startups earlier, before they're proven, when they need less funding. YC experimented with pushing it back even earlier in the gestation process, to pre-idea (pre-conception, if you will), and just backing team-quality. But that didn't work out well. Perhaps not being able to come up with an idea is a crucual indicator of team-quality? A start-up isn't just one idea, but requires thousands of ideas along the way, like a movie. Or maybe passion for a specific idea rallies people round.