(Context: Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur, but advisor to several Middle Eastern startups, a couple of which have been through YC) I have mixed feelings abou

(Context: Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur, but advisor to several Middle Eastern startups, a couple of which have been through YC) I have mixed feelings about this article. On one hand, yes, YC gives startups in these markets a stamp that creates a sort of cult. Most of the startups/founders they pick are awesome, but YC invests without a ton of local context or diligence and so they definitely can get it wrong. But, they also get it wrong here in the US, and that's the nature of early-stage startups, but because the volume in the US is so high, it's not that big a deal. Anyway the most important benefit I see is that local startups get access to YC knowledge and network. That's way more important than any amount of credits. The YC-alumni email list (Bookface) is especially valuable. There's just so much tactical knowledge in there. What email provider to people use? What should you use for mobile ads attribution? If you're based in the US ecosystem, you just ask your entrepreneur friends or your investors. If you're abroad, there aren't people to ask. There just aren't a lot of startups around, and even fewer that are further along to learn from. YC is facilitating a huge transfer of knowledge to new ecosystems. EDIT: another massive facilitator is 500 StartUps