I applied to AlphaLab in Pittsburgh but didn't get in. My start-up is a better approach to what I have been doing for years. In fact, the project was suggeste

I applied to AlphaLab in Pittsburgh but didn't get in. My start-up is a better approach to what I have been doing for years. In fact, the project was suggested to me by quite a few customers. It's a small business system (order processing, inventory, accounting, ecommerce, CRM, etc.) that can easily be modified to handle the company's special needs. I had been (and continue to) work on this. I don't need the money but there were several compelling reasons to want to be part of the program: - access to advice where I am weak - possibilities for collaboration - better access to new ideas - better access to more funding - office space (a nice perk for a single founder) - Hacker News has opened me to the possibilites for a program like yc - I would LOVE to be more involved with the start-up community - I am committed to Pittsburgh for family reasons The funding is also provided by taxpayers, so I figured it would be nice to get something back. The staff was extremely helpful with feedback and office hours. I completed my application and got a little help from friends from Hacker News (rms & SteveKlabnik). I made it to the presentation round, but was rejected. I focused on the technology, but my audience was more interested in the business plan. Since my own customers were pushing for this, I didn't see the need. Big mistake. The feedback I got was that there wasn't a business case. No one would buy it. I know they're wrong, but I didn't convince them otherwise, so I just moved on. Ironically, at the exact moment I was being told that no one would buy it, one of my biggest customers texted me, "do they get it when do u start" How I wish my phone was turned on. Eight words from a customer said more that I could say in 30 minutes.