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Is this FAQ still valid as of 2018? In particular, is the following still true? > Q: Can you apply to YC with just an idea? > Yes. We accept companies at a w
by capocannoniere 9y ago
Is this FAQ still valid as of 2018?
In particular, is the following still true?
> Q: Can you apply to YC with just an idea?
> Yes. We accept companies at a wide range of stages into the batch. Cruise, for example, had been working on their idea for just two weeks when they applied to YC.
and
> Q: Can you apply if you haven’t launched?
> Yes. Fewer than half of the companies we fund have launched before they apply.
Looking at the list of YC companies in the recent batch, it seems like many of those companies have significant traction by demo day, significantly more so than YC companies in batches from a few years ago. Obviously, there are many factors that may contribute to this:
1) Advances in development tools as well as SaaS for startups: e.g. Stripe, Stripe Atlas, Clerky, etc.
2) YC's brand name / perceived value has gone up + YC's deliberate outreach efforts. This could mean more and better companies are applying to YC so the bar has gone up.
But even controlling for those factors, it seems like many of the current companies are still further along by demo day compared to previous batches. Are there any examples of YC W18 companies that applied pre-traction or at the idea stage?
I guess the more common question than
> Q: Is YC just for early stage companies?
is probably
> Q: Is YC just for companies that have already found product market fit / have shown traction?
- Mononokay 9y agoIt was posted March 19, 2018, no?
- capocannoniere 9y agoYou're right. I had seen similar FAQs in previous years and thought this was a repost
- pb 9y agoYes, we absolutely fund companies at the idea stage, and often companies will pivot mid-batch -- in fact, one of our fastest growing startups from last year did exactly that. One of the things I hear most often from our founders is that they accomplished more in their 3 months at YC than they did in the entire year before. Also, keep in mind that press is selective, and some companies wait years before publically launching as a YC company.
- ronilan 9y agopb. That’s “new”. Congrats.
- cvaidya1986 9y agoHi we have been working on our idea for two weeks so we probably won’t have time for actual users by March 24th and our application with stripe is still pending.Is it still ok to apply with an incomplete demo of an app?
- GFischer 9y agoI think they only fund companies at the idea stage if a partner is enamored with it and/or the founding team is amazing. Otherwise they'll glimpse at your submission, see no traction and dismiss you. I was very disappointed when my last submission was rejected without them even clicking on the demo link. I remain a believer in the idea but I have to put food on the table so it's on the backburner for now :(