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Product, Ambition, Leverage: How Y Combinator companies raise money
- dpapathanasiou 16y agoThe first two (product & ambition) make sense, but leverage is a different story. While a low burn rate helps, a VC firm has more staying power over time than a startup.
- amirmc 16y agoGeneral advice I've heard is that you should be out looking for money well before you need it. Sometimes several months before.
- tptacek 16y agoIt's going to take many months to go from zero to funded. Deals exist to fall through.
- tptacek 16y agoGet profitable. You can do this before taking money.
- ryanhuff 16y agoI am interested in hearing more from YC companies on how they balance the point about stacking meetings (10-20 per week) with being product focused. To me, these two objectives seem to be in conflict, and I don't understand how somebody can stay focused, and lean, while constantly chasing meetings. What is the secret?
- rantfoil 16y agoYou stack meetings so that you can get your fundraising done fast. If you're doing it right, you'll get enough people ready to go that you'll be done in a few weeks of hardcore meetings. Then you go back to product. This is win-win for you and your investors. One buyer equals a ripoff. Many buyers equals a market, and a fair value for your startup's equity.