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YC would be nice, but it certainly isn't the end of the world. Keep hacking, keep working, etc. Too many startups equate being rejected from YC with failure.

YC would be nice, but it certainly isn't the end of the world. Keep hacking, keep working, etc. Too many startups equate being rejected from YC with failure. That's stupid.

edanm 16y ago
Do many startups really do that? I haven't seen much evidence of that, actually.
- endlessvoid94 16y ago
  I guess it's an assumption, but I remember seeing lots of posts awhile back basically complaining that it was time to "move on" because of YC rejection.
- csallen 16y ago
  In the chat room someone posted a few nights ago, there were more than a few people who hinted at that being the case for them and their companies. I'd consider any number > 0 to be "too many". I guess they see validation from YC as an absolute guarantee that they'll reach their end goal, or even as the end goal itself. Really, it's neither. There's a mountain of evidence showing that startups face cold, dark, and lonely times whether they're big or small, YC-validated or obscure, well-funded or strapped for cash. If you can't survive without YC, you probably can't survive with YC. I've been rejected 2 or 3 times now, and I'm still going at it.
  - fredex 16y ago
    Any lessons you can share after your 2nd or 3rd time? What would you have done differently?
    - csallen 16y ago
      Don't apply while you're still in school, and don't apply late haha. Sorry, nothing too insightful.
- bl4k 16y ago
  I personally know of two teams who were rejected from YC and ended up not working on the startup because of it. I know of one other that probably would have fallen apart had they not been accepted. It is really disingenuous on their part. There is no foolproof way to filter it, though an suggestion would be that those with little or no product would be more likely to throw everything away upon rejection.
StavrosK 16y ago
They don't equate it to failing, just to not succeeding.
acgourley 16y ago
There are a few situations where getting accepted into YC is really the only chance a founding team has. A combination of young kids with financial hardship and being new to the tech market. They have no connections to work, no contracting jobs to support themselves with, and taking a full-time job is a 1-2 two year commitment. Other seed funding providers are popping up, sure but if you're short on money you might not have time to wait for their next deadline.

YC would be nice, but it certainly isn't the end of the world. Keep hacking, keep working, etc. Too many startups equate being rejected from YC with failure. That's stupid.

edanm 16y ago

Do many startups really do that? I haven't seen much evidence of that, actually.

endlessvoid94 16y ago
I guess it's an assumption, but I remember seeing lots of posts awhile back basically complaining that it was time to "move on" because of YC rejection.
csallen 16y ago
In the chat room someone posted a few nights ago, there were more than a few people who hinted at that being the case for them and their companies. I'd consider any number > 0 to be "too many". I guess they see validation from YC as an absolute guarantee that they'll reach their end goal, or even as the end goal itself. Really, it's neither. There's a mountain of evidence showing that startups face cold, dark, and lonely times whether they're big or small, YC-validated or obscure, well-funded or strapped for cash. If you can't survive without YC, you probably can't survive with YC. I've been rejected 2 or 3 times now, and I'm still going at it.
- fredex 16y ago
  Any lessons you can share after your 2nd or 3rd time? What would you have done differently?
  - csallen 16y ago
    Don't apply while you're still in school, and don't apply late haha. Sorry, nothing too insightful.
bl4k 16y ago
I personally know of two teams who were rejected from YC and ended up not working on the startup because of it. I know of one other that probably would have fallen apart had they not been accepted. It is really disingenuous on their part. There is no foolproof way to filter it, though an suggestion would be that those with little or no product would be more likely to throw everything away upon rejection.

StavrosK 16y ago

They don't equate it to failing, just to not succeeding.

acgourley 16y ago

There are a few situations where getting accepted into YC is really the only chance a founding team has. A combination of young kids with financial hardship and being new to the tech market. They have no connections to work, no contracting jobs to support themselves with, and taking a full-time job is a 1-2 two year commitment. Other seed funding providers are popping up, sure but if you're short on money you might not have time to wait for their next deadline.