I agree, I'm concerned that this will make the threads a bit of a mess... As another (unsolicited) idea, how about having them overwhelm the main page and let

I agree, I'm concerned that this will make the threads a bit of a mess... As another (unsolicited) idea, how about having them overwhelm the main page and let the voting system sort it out -- but also add a top-level tab for "Meet the Batch" to give a bit more visibility and longevity. This seems like an appropriate use of HN for YC, and if anything increases the value given to the batch companies, rather than (slightly) diluting it.