8 ms·

Dear Y Combinator, we bet you we can solve a problem of yours in 72 hours.

194 points by littlegiantcap 15y ago

GuiA 15y ago
Ambitious, risky, and likely to be ignored by YC, but I like the spirit :) Would be fun to see them play this game with you though (I'm quite curious to see how you guys work things out if they challenge you to send an iPhone to Mars and back, for one example of many, many problems they could ask you to solve that you couldn't really take care of in 72 hours).
- cheath 15y ago
  Solving the problem of interplanetary travel would indeed be a tough one. Especially in 72 hours. :)
  - beebs93 15y ago
    Heh, not for Levar Burto....whoa, did Levar Burton write this?
- littlegiantcap 15y ago
  Thanks, we hope they'll at least give us something. Even if it is to send an iphone to Mars :)
- vecter 15y ago
  Their offer is specifically for problems that YC itself faces. Give us a problem, a painpoint, anything that annoys you in day to day life, and we’ll hack it in 72 hours. Sending a phone to Mars and back isn't one of them, and is missing the entire spirit of the problem.
  - GuiA 15y ago
    I don't know about you, but for me not being able to explore space by myself is a daily painpoint ;)
    - 46Bit 15y ago
      There's some really interesting hacks, or at least concepts, around non-tackily doing that. Hmm.
  - AndrewNCarr 15y ago
    "Give us a problem, a painpoint, anything that annoys you in day to day life, and we’ll hack it in 72 hours." Perhaps one of their painpoints is people begging for acceptance with the argument "gosh, we really are worthy, honest!". Maybe they could solve that one by coming up with a way to demonstrate their value beyond a plea for compassion.
    - vecter 15y ago
      I didn't say I thought it was a good approach. I was just clarifying the GP's misunderstanding.
- nullflux 15y ago
  Cocky, rash, and likely to be burned by YC is more likely the thing here. If you want YC to pay attention to what you're doing, why confront it and ask for a challenge? If you're starting your own company why are you asking for a challenge at all? As an entrepreneur it is your job to challenge yourselves and the status quo. This is like going to an NFL referee and asking them for a football game. Why not start the football game and make the referees take notice at how great you are? Being hungry gives you the ambition to improve. Being good is remembering and executing on what you've learned.
harryh 15y ago
I don't think that YC is trying to identify teams that can create the maximum amount of value in 72 hours. They're looking for teams that will create the maximum amount of value over thousands of hours (or more). It's not at all clear that the former correlates with the latter.
- proexploit 15y ago
  I think you're correct a long-term push is different from a 72 hour scramble but they're only looking to "win" an interview, not a place in a starting class. I think it's reasonable a team could be unsuccessful at filling out an application (which previously required an idea) but still be extremely strong candidates. I hope YC accepts, they don't stand to lose anything (save time) and there's no obligation to accept similar copycat offers in the future. They might also get a problem solved.
  - harryh 15y ago
    Ya, I'd tend to think it's at least worth pg sending them a challenge. That being said, I don't think that what successful YC applicants are doing should be characterized as "filling out an application." The application just captures their past work in a form. It's the actual past work that matters, not the simple transcription. I think my larger point is that an awesome 72 hour hack session probably isn't as good of an indicator of future success as a track record of successful medium to long term work in the past.
    - dfc 15y ago
      Why would he limit the number of potential solutions to one? If they wanted to try this it seems like it would better to put the challenge to everyone.
- coopdog 15y ago
  Getting a prototype out in 72 hours is a pretty good start, from there you can validate whether the approach is good, and if it is go into greater resolution about specific parts of the pain point and solve those too in the next iterations And if the basic business premise is just plain wrong you've you've only lost a few days of dev time rather than months
ig1 15y ago
You'd be better off building something awesome in 72 hours and using that to show your awesomeness.
- zeppelin_7 15y ago
  True that, build something amazing in 72 hours. You are not just idea implementation and realization machines.
  - littlegiantcap 15y ago
    We'd be in for that too. We have tons of ideas waiting on deck so to speak.
    - apgwoz 15y ago
      Then go and build one of them in 72 hours, live blog it, and post it here. If it's interesting, surely it'll get upvoted, and then at least some of the YC partners will take notice.
vm 15y ago
I love the creativity, though I have to admit, I'm a little confused. YC already does a great job of releasing great startup ideas (see links below in the off chance that you haven't read them already). And it seems like everyone I met who got in was accepted because of the awesome things they created. So if you're short on ideas, read the lists, and then get to work and have something to show for it by application time! Whether or not you get in will probably matter less and less once you're cranking away at a company you're really into. http://paulgraham.com/ambitious.html http://paulgraham.com/ambitious.html http://ycombinator.com/ideas.html http://ycombinator.com/ideas.html
- vibrunazo 15y ago
  Good point. If you wanna show you're capable of executing, just pick one of the well known pain points. Build something cool. Then use that as a proof of your abilities. Investors look for good teams. There's no better curriculum for your team than a track record of great projects. Instead of telling us that you can build something, just build something. :)
- littlegiantcap 15y ago
  Our team has been talking, and we've decided that even if we don't hear back from anyone at Y Combinator we're doing a 72 hour hackathon sometime in the next week using something on one of those list. :)
  - corkill 15y ago
    Yep just do it. Everyone can talk a good game. Solve something then come back and show everyone.
lachyg 15y ago
Database connection error... Cached: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?ix=acb&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=cache%3Awww.seedlauncher.com%2Fblog%2F2012%2F04%2F03%2Fdear-y-combinato-we-bet-you-one-interview-that-we-can-solve-a-nagging-problem-for-you-in-the-next-72-hours%2F http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?ix=acb&sour...
- j45 15y ago
  Thanks for the link, didn't expect to see an error
aaronblohowiak 15y ago
> Our dream has, for a while, to get our startup off the ground English..
- rubergly 15y ago
  I was going to point this out for them. It's particularly harmful because it's in the second sentence...
  - littlegiantcap 15y ago
    Oops I accidentally a word there. Fixed :)
patrickod 15y ago
They should solve their hosting issues first. Google's cached version for those looking for a copy http://bit.ly/HM9HHg http://bit.ly/HM9HHg
snikolov 15y ago
I admire the hustle, but in this case, you are asking the people of YC to do extra work to come up with something for you to solve. I think they are very busy and unlikely to do that.
moe 15y ago
You know what works better? Build something nice and polished (anything) and show them that. Big claims work better when you're not coming empty handed.
j45 15y ago
Being able to ship a proof of concept (a precursor to an MVP) is a pretty core skill that will happen many times in that thousands of hours. Other fun questions in the perpetual proof of concept game: Will it work this way? Will it work that way? I don't know. How long will it take? Can we quickly try it out somehow to see if it gets us what we need? Who can jump on this?
deleted 15y ago
[deleted]
robryan 15y ago
You guys should post about your startup here while you have some attention. Sounds interesting (I am assuming you are applying with the seed launcher idea?). Without being an expert in startup financing I'd imagine there would be some fairly significant regulation challenges in the idea? Anyone successfully using the platform currently? It is also interesting that your idea itself if it comes off might be solving a YC problem (How best to connect pitching startups with the right investors and generate the best valuations).
- littlegiantcap 15y ago
  Seedlauncher.com is a crowdfunding for equity site that is based around investing in small businesses within your own local community. With crowdfunding becoming legal we're creating a platform to enable both accredited and unaccredited investors to become part owners in their local businesses.
  - MortenK 15y ago
    Maybe distill that into: Seedlauncher is crowdfunding for small, local businesses. That actually sounds like a really good idea. Why not just do this without waiting for yc?
    - littlegiantcap 15y ago
      We are doing it. We've been working hard for months. We're just waiting for the SEC to write the regulations for crowdfunding following the passage of the JOBS act.
      - lrvick 15y ago
        If it existed today, I would almost certainly be using it. This needs to exist, and with the JOBS act passing it will. The race is on to see who gets a user base first, or before someone like angelist does it with their existing user base. If I were in your shoes I would spend 72 hours getting a full profiling system up and online with the vision, get THAT on hackernews, and start building a user base. By the time you actually finish the integration of backends to allow for micropayments, tracking users, and equity allotments, you already have users and are that much further ahead of anyone else working on something similar when you turn those features on. YC is awesome, but they only are one of many options available to you. From where I sit, there is nothing about this project that _needs_ a lot of funding to get a prototype built, an a prototype will be what you need to prove you guys have the chops to take this all the way. The prototype just needs a few weekends of time, infrastructure knowledge and programming skill. The only thing I really see you needing some cash for early, is legal counsel to build solid terms of service and investment agreements carefully written to make sure you are fully protected and acting within the JOBS act. Feel free to contact me if you want to discuss this further.
goronbjorn 15y ago
> This is the second time we’ve applied to Y Combinator. Our dream has been, for a while, to get our startup off the ground I don't mean to be crass, but 1) This seems to imply that doing Y Combinator entails success, which is backwards. 2) What has the startup been doing since when it was last rejected? Why try to showcase a random thing you can do in 72 hours instead of showcase how you can build your startup in the months in between YC sessions?
- littlegiantcap 15y ago
  1. You're absolutely right, it dosen't guarantee success. However, getting into Y Combinator would definitely help. 2. This is actually our pivot. We've been together as a team for a year. Also, the reason we haven't launched is because we've been waiting on the crowdfunding law to pass. We've been working and are continuing to work on seedlauncher.com, applying to Y Combinator is a very small part of what we've been up to.
baseh 15y ago
hey guys getting database error on your blogs.
motti_s 15y ago
I have an idea. Within 72 hours you have to hack into the Y Combinator servers and mark your application as "invite to interview". Do that and you get an interview :) Disclaimer: if you're not sure what :) means, please google it before proceeding with the above suggestion. Anyway I'm just joking. Your post is a nice way to get noticed. Good luck with your application!
- saraid216 15y ago
  Have you ever tried googling for an emoticon...?
  - deleted 15y ago
    [deleted]
  - waterlesscloud 15y ago
    "Your search - :) - did not match any documents. Suggestions: Try different keywords." Which is a pretty unsatisfactory result, really. If I came across :) and didn't know what it meant, Googling for just that is a natural action.
  - robryan 15y ago
    http://insidesearch.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/search-quality-highlights-50-changes.html http://insidesearch.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/search-quality-h... Based on the second item of that list, might soon get some emoticon love on Google search.
jack-r-abbit 15y ago
I've got a problem for you to solve. This is not a complete sentence. Solve that. ;) In the spirit of showing you that we can thrive at Y Combinator, and that we are more than who we are on paper.
- dfc 15y ago
  Awesome, free grammar advice from someone who writes: "I have got a problem" Thanks for the LOLz...
  - jack-r-abbit 15y ago
    I've got something for you to read. http://bit.ly/HcYIJS http://bit.ly/HcYIJS Edit: Also, while I stand by the correctness of my first statement, me being right or wrong wouldn't make that fragmented sentence a complete one. However, unlike the OP, my comment was not intended to catch the attention of Y Combinator to get an interview with the hopes of getting my start-up kick started. So I would tend to give posts like mine a little more leeway than a challenge like the OP. Perhaps grammatical errors like that resulted in the rejections.
    - dfc 15y ago
      What am I looking for? Formal written usage or informal spoken usage of the two phrases? Clear and succinct or acceptable?
      - jack-r-abbit 15y ago
        Look for whatever category you think a comment on a thread on HN would fall into. I don't think that would be "formal" anything. You didn't specifically mention "informal written" but that is probably what I would classify it as since this is an informal setting and it was written not spoken. The top few results certainly put it in the "acceptable" category. General usage of the phrase in similar situations leads me to believe I don't really need to defend my usage of it.
    - dfc 15y ago
cseric 15y ago
make it a competition and the best team wins the interview.
jessedhillon 15y ago
Even if PG gave you such a task, how would that demonstrate anything relevant? You getting a task and a deadline is the opposite of being entrepreneurial; that's called having a job and a boss and showing that you are an adequate or better employee. Being entrepreneurial involves you 1) generating ideas, 2) using your intuition to pick a good one, 3) testing it out to see if your intuition is correct (iterate if not), and 4) then execute that idea (and again, iterate as needed) Or, in short: discovering and exploiting an opportunity Edit: minor.
- javajosh 15y ago
  Oh, I don't know. Having a team that can solve any arbitrary difficult problem in three days could be quite useful in a startup. The (technical) execution of a startup idea can be cast as a series of arbitrarily difficult problems, after all.
  - EwanG 15y ago
    Arbitrary huh... My two long term pet peeves for which I would be most happy to help lobby to get them a hearing: 1) Faster than light travel 2) Create a robot that carries it's own power supply, communication device, and webcams that would allow me to traipse up and down any path in Rocky Mountain National Park in real time so that I can take a hike for 20 minutes when I need a break without the requisite plane travel and hotel bill I suspect pg would be willing to pay for at least number 1 :-)
    - javajosh 15y ago
      Well, I'd settle for a teleportation device or ability that could take me anywhere in the universe instantaneously, and far, far greater physical durability (maybe in a Culture-level gel suit). They better get cranking, because 72 hours is just not a lot of time to develop either of these things.
    - lwat 15y ago
      What about simply 'Make something that will make lots of money.'
patio11 15y ago
Life skill for you: putting a message into a bottle and then flinging it onto the Internet could get it read, but that isn't the way to bet. Here's a hypothetical for you: how many people do you think have social permission to contact a YC partner and say "X is awesome and deserves a look." I'd ballpark that in the hundreds to low thousand range. Many of them are accessible on the Internets and less overwhelmed with suitors than the YC partners are. How about solving a meaningful problem for one of them and having the next application say "We built a $WHATEVER for $SOMEONE which increased their customer base by 10%, like they told you over email earlier." P.S. This advice had wide application beyond YC and beyond "applications." Indeed, part of me thinks that applications (in general) are a backup filtering mechanism for people who haven't figured out a more effective way to get what they want yet.
- endlessvoid94 15y ago
  > applications (in general) are a backup filtering mechanism for people who haven't figured out a more effective way to get what they want yet. It blows me away how many people don't get this.
  - _delirium 15y ago
    The flipside is that there are a surprising number of organizations with lots of money that haven't figured out a better way of distributing it, so applications can still be a good way of getting funds. One of my acquaintances, for example, just got $100k in seed funding (with no equity in return) entirely based on a 15-page application sent to a funding body, having had no previous contact with the funder.
    - davemel37 15y ago
      Having painstakingly gone through the process of writing 35 page Grant Proposals for a hospital and getting funding from the government on all three occasions, I can assure you that the application process was just a formality and legal requirement. The funding came through because the grantor had a relationship with the department heads that received the funds. Obviously, you need to meet the required criteria, and a perfectly crafted application is a requirement, but all things being equal it boils down to relationships.
sachingulaya 15y ago
I saw a similar post on nuclearphynance.com a few years ago. A young unemployed developer offered to code forum members' models for free. He was swimming in interview invitations because people admired the tenacity. The biggest difference between what he did and what you're doing is that he made it an open offer. If you chopped off "dear y combinator," and released the challenge to HN members in general I think your post would have attracted a much more positive response. Also, I'm not sure if you guys have been paying attention but pg and paul have been vocal about YC painpoints recently. Search their comments. The one I've heard the most is "everyone is exhausted after demo day".
playhard 15y ago
can you guys do this? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3795607 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3795607
dfc 15y ago
He gave a couple at the pycon conference. Why don't you pretend they responded with killing email and come up with the better solution for task inbox...
alaskamiller 15y ago
Maybe you can try building a search engine for Hacker News.
- chucknthem 15y ago
  That already exists, scroll down.
davemel37 15y ago
Question: Did you spend 72 hours straight doing everything you can to make your application reflect who you really are and what you have to offer? Want to solve a pain point? why not start with your own. Clearly, getting noticed and recognized by YC Partners is a pain point for you and many others. Almost 100 years ago Napolean Hill offered a solution. Spend a few weeks researching your target, and approach them with a real value proposition, an offer they can't refuse. Or work on the problem of getting noticed by YC partners by hacking the application process, identifying all the entry points to reach them, create a platform for incubators to crowdsource out their problems and pain points to their applicants, or just find a way to become friends with their mothers. If there is a will, there is a way goes both ways. If you really had a burning desire, you would have found a way, and if you haven't found a way, your will isn't up to the task.
danielpal 15y ago
Why don't you just build something other people want? Don't focus too much on what YC partners want, focus on what other people want(conversely if you do that YC partners will want you, not vice-versa).
- macspoofing 15y ago
  >Why don't you just build something other people want? HA.
- Vaismania 15y ago
  The problem with "building something for others" rather than solving your own problems is you may not be passionate/persistent enough to survive the low's to get to the next milestone
davemel37 15y ago
I would venture to say the application process worked like clock-work. YC is looking for people to mentor, educate, and smooth out the bumpy road ahead for, to discover modest people, who acknowledge their weaknesses and are willing to humble themselves and learn from everyone around them.
- littlegiantcap 15y ago
  Ouch. We never said, or even meant to imply we were somehow better than the awesome people at Y Combinator, or frankly better than anyone else. All we're trying to do here is show that we're worth a second look and maybe a conversation.
jasonhitchcock 15y ago
Apply to StartEngine.com
tstegart 15y ago
Do it PG! Do it! I want to see a slam dunk! I want to see EPIC failure! I want to see if they're all talk or can walk the walk. This is like the reality tv episode of entrepreneurship. Just once, I want to watch and wait with baited breath as the challenge is issued, the gauntlet is thrown down, the problem put out and the solution successfully solved! Don't make it easy, make it tougher than any problem one of your own companies can solve. Make it so tough people will look around and wonder, can it be even done? Also, make them play dramatic music at their office constantly for all 72 hours.
- waterlesscloud 15y ago
  A reality show of this nature actually is a pretty good idea.
  - dgunn 15y ago
    Techstars created a reality show out of their program and I think it was widely regarded as a pretty bad decision in hindsight...
    - tstegart 15y ago
      Right, but this won't be filmed, it will just be watched in our minds until the moment of failure or triumph, at which point we will pepper the internet with generally useless comments.
- mirsadm 15y ago
  As tempting as it sounds I don't think there is any way to release the negative results without looking evil :).
jasonhitchcock 15y ago
Hey guys, the list of problems to solve is up: http://paulgraham.com/ambitious.html http://paulgraham.com/ambitious.html
dkrich 15y ago
"You're actions speak so loudly that I cannot hear what you say." One of my favorite quotes of all time, by Ralph Waldo Emerson. If you are really more than what comes across on paper, you should have things to show that extend beyond what is on paper. Claiming you are smart and can execute will get you nowhere. I'd venture to guess that everybody who applies believes that they have that in spades. But the larger question I have, and continue to have, is why people continue to view entrepreneurship as an elite club to which you must be allowed entrance. No offense to Y-Combinator or any other startup incubator, as I'm sure the experience is fantastic. I just think anybody approaching this as some kind of bridge that you must cross to achieve success is misguided. Successful startups were born long before incubators and they were built by people who knew how to execute and had the wherewithal to do so. The very fact that you have to plead to make the case that you can execute shows in many ways that you can't. An incubator should be viewed as one avenue to ramp up traction and execution, not a permission slip to do so.
Skywing 15y ago
Yes, but relating to and understanding the problem that you are trying to solve is the difficult part. You may create a solution to the problem, but any programmer can do that. I always viewed YC as being difficult to get into because you had to do this part prior to applying. If PG does give these guys something to make, then maybe that'd be a good answer to the question on the application that asks what your greatest hack ever was - it'd be turning the tables on PG and getting him to give you something to solve! Clever. :)
aestetix 15y ago
I think it's really funny that all the comments telling people they won't get noticed are actually boosting it to the top where they are very likely to get noticed. Humanity ftw!
K2h 15y ago
Not getting picked should not necessarily reflect poorly on you... But if you try much harder you will just show that they were correct to avoid you. You do have spirit though, so do something useful with it instead of ranting about not being picked at the dance.
furyofantares 15y ago
I will be surprised if YC even has any pain points that are well enough understood to be concisely communicated to an external source and can be solved in 72 hours. Usually the reason you have a pain point is either that you don't understand the underlying problem yet, or the solving it will take time. But I suppose that just means any pain points YC may be able to convey are things where these guys are expected to fail, which I guess is the whole spirit of the challenge.
grokaholic 15y ago
Rather than naysay your efforts, I prefer to support. pg has opened up YC to people without ideas, so contrary to other comments here, I don't think you're violating the spirit of YC to request an interview without an idea. But your open-ended way of asking might give pg too much to think about. So that could be a reason why he hasn't got back to you yet. One idea: pg wants to invest in more entrepreneurs who don't have ideas yet, and in some cases, perhaps even people without much history of success on paper. Applicants like yourselves need ideas to build. Create a system that makes it easy for YC's problems to be discovered by applicants, so applicants can use these problems as product ideas. Another tip: think beyond YC's problems to the problems of YC companies. The problems of YC companies are also YC's problems. Another idea. I read that YC has trouble scaling their demo days each year. One article quoted a guy saying that the growing lunch line is actually one of Demo Day's bigger problems. Make YC Demo Day food service better for guests. Or instead, make it easier for YC to coordinate. I'm sure pg doesn't like thinking about it.
deleted 15y ago
[deleted]
acoyfellow 15y ago
If you are so talented and innovative, do you really need YC? Just because one road closed down, doesn't mean you can't reach the destination.
cottonseed 15y ago
Why don't you spend the 72 hours prototyping your startup?
- littlegiantcap 15y ago
  So Seedlauncher.com is a crowdfunding for equity site focused on investing in small businesses within your local community. So, we're pre-launch because we're waiting for the SEC to write the regulations regarding crowdfunding. We'd open up our site to a closed beta, but we don't want to jump the gun and fade into obscurity by launching 4 or 5 months before we can actually operate legally.
littlegiantcap 15y ago
Just in case anyone is curious about what we're working on I thought I'd give a quick description. Seedlauncher.com is a crowdfunding for equity site that focuses on investing in small businesses within your own community. If anyone has any questions I'd be more than happy to answer them.
JohnnyFlash 15y ago
If you an idea or expertise to do something like this I don't know why you need to wait for Y Combinator to pick you up before you get started. Making something profitable from day 1 is difficult but profitable from day 30 is less so. Yes the profit may just about buy your team a round of coffee's but at least you got off your mark. Your ball is rolling. Waiting for seed funding before building your product seems somewhat counter-intuitive to me.
- littlegiantcap 15y ago
  We aren't waiting for seed funding. We pivoted to seedlauncher back in December, and have been working on it since. We're prelaunch while we wait for the SEC to write the regulations surrounding crowdfunding so we can operate.
akennberg 15y ago
Start here: http://www.paulgraham.com/ambitious.html http://www.paulgraham.com/ambitious.html
Fando 15y ago
Cool bold approach. Props. I'd like to see YC respond with a challenge. Everyone should stop being so skeptical. Maybe the guys are incredible geniuses. In fact I think they are being modest by throwing in that third 24 hour period. I bet they could do any challenge in 48 ;)
mad44 15y ago
Any problem, I don't think so. A problem, sure... I am sure there exists a problem of YC that you can solve in 72 hours.
forgottenpaswrd 15y ago
You speak desperation language. This is like a woman that rejects you on a date and you take it too seriously: " I will do whatever you wish to test my love". It does not work that way because you are putting her in a high pedestal and yourself in a lower status.(And you could be sorry for making commitments to people you don't really know yet, "may you get what you wish for" is a curse on China). Maybe it is not the point that you could do something in 72 hours, but what you could do in 720 or 1000 or 3000. Sometimes you need to do marathon instead of 50 meters. I believe PG wants people that won't abandon on the hard moments of a startup, people that will "find a way" over difficult circumstances. You don't need Y Combinator to success.
- Steko 15y ago
  I guess one man's "desperation" is another's marketing/self-promotion. Maybe nothing comes of this directly but many more people are already talking about them then say 24 hours ago. In that it's already a huge success for a promotion that has cost them all of 15 min.
  - noahc 15y ago
    I disagree. They could have gone and shot a bunch of dogs and posted pictures on the internet. By your measurement 'many more people are already talking about them...'. Is this example extreme? Sure, but the point is that the measurement is not if people are talking about them, but if they get closer to their goals. How can they take advantage of this to help them? The first step is do a 72 hour hackathon on any problem and produce results. Then come back, and say, "Show HN: We did the PG challenge anyway!"
    - littlegiantcap 15y ago
      We actually are doing that. We're in the process of looking at PG's list of ambitious startups/Y Combinators list of ideas for startups. Even if they don't get back to us over the next few days we're going to mull these over then execute.
rman666 15y ago
If you'd rather not leave the Midwest, consider Chicago. They have a great entrepreneurial community at: http://www.builtinchicago.org/ http://www.builtinchicago.org/
shin_lao 15y ago
The arrogance and desperation... If you can solve a problem in 72 hours, it's not a very difficult problem. Building a company takes years.
deleted 15y ago
[deleted]
marknutter 15y ago
Here's a crazy idea: start working on your startup now and try to gain traction. Apply for YCombinator again next season and show them that you've actually hit on something that's becoming popular. This is actually how a lot of the most successful Y-Combinator alums got in themselves.
ojr 15y ago
I wouldn't use it equity is valuable
skimmer 15y ago
Ballsy. I like it.
msbii 15y ago
Finding good solution to a given problem is what most of the engineers do day-to-day at work. Real entrepreneurs identify opportunities (problems) and provide solution. Remember, a problem well stated is a problem half solved.

194 points by littlegiantcap 15y ago

GuiA 15y ago

Ambitious, risky, and likely to be ignored by YC, but I like the spirit :) Would be fun to see them play this game with you though (I'm quite curious to see how you guys work things out if they challenge you to send an iPhone to Mars and back, for one example of many, many problems they could ask you to solve that you couldn't really take care of in 72 hours).

cheath 15y ago
Solving the problem of interplanetary travel would indeed be a tough one. Especially in 72 hours. :)
- beebs93 15y ago
  Heh, not for Levar Burto....whoa, did Levar Burton write this?
littlegiantcap 15y ago
Thanks, we hope they'll at least give us something. Even if it is to send an iphone to Mars :)
vecter 15y ago
Their offer is specifically for problems that YC itself faces. Give us a problem, a painpoint, anything that annoys you in day to day life, and we’ll hack it in 72 hours. Sending a phone to Mars and back isn't one of them, and is missing the entire spirit of the problem.
- GuiA 15y ago
  I don't know about you, but for me not being able to explore space by myself is a daily painpoint ;)
  - 46Bit 15y ago
    There's some really interesting hacks, or at least concepts, around non-tackily doing that. Hmm.
- AndrewNCarr 15y ago
  "Give us a problem, a painpoint, anything that annoys you in day to day life, and we’ll hack it in 72 hours." Perhaps one of their painpoints is people begging for acceptance with the argument "gosh, we really are worthy, honest!". Maybe they could solve that one by coming up with a way to demonstrate their value beyond a plea for compassion.
  - vecter 15y ago
    I didn't say I thought it was a good approach. I was just clarifying the GP's misunderstanding.
nullflux 15y ago
Cocky, rash, and likely to be burned by YC is more likely the thing here. If you want YC to pay attention to what you're doing, why confront it and ask for a challenge? If you're starting your own company why are you asking for a challenge at all? As an entrepreneur it is your job to challenge yourselves and the status quo. This is like going to an NFL referee and asking them for a football game. Why not start the football game and make the referees take notice at how great you are? Being hungry gives you the ambition to improve. Being good is remembering and executing on what you've learned.

harryh 15y ago

I don't think that YC is trying to identify teams that can create the maximum amount of value in 72 hours. They're looking for teams that will create the maximum amount of value over thousands of hours (or more). It's not at all clear that the former correlates with the latter.

proexploit 15y ago
I think you're correct a long-term push is different from a 72 hour scramble but they're only looking to "win" an interview, not a place in a starting class. I think it's reasonable a team could be unsuccessful at filling out an application (which previously required an idea) but still be extremely strong candidates. I hope YC accepts, they don't stand to lose anything (save time) and there's no obligation to accept similar copycat offers in the future. They might also get a problem solved.
- harryh 15y ago
  Ya, I'd tend to think it's at least worth pg sending them a challenge. That being said, I don't think that what successful YC applicants are doing should be characterized as "filling out an application." The application just captures their past work in a form. It's the actual past work that matters, not the simple transcription. I think my larger point is that an awesome 72 hour hack session probably isn't as good of an indicator of future success as a track record of successful medium to long term work in the past.
  - dfc 15y ago
    Why would he limit the number of potential solutions to one? If they wanted to try this it seems like it would better to put the challenge to everyone.
coopdog 15y ago
Getting a prototype out in 72 hours is a pretty good start, from there you can validate whether the approach is good, and if it is go into greater resolution about specific parts of the pain point and solve those too in the next iterations And if the basic business premise is just plain wrong you've you've only lost a few days of dev time rather than months

ig1 15y ago

You'd be better off building something awesome in 72 hours and using that to show your awesomeness.

zeppelin_7 15y ago
True that, build something amazing in 72 hours. You are not just idea implementation and realization machines.
- littlegiantcap 15y ago
  We'd be in for that too. We have tons of ideas waiting on deck so to speak.
  - apgwoz 15y ago
    Then go and build one of them in 72 hours, live blog it, and post it here. If it's interesting, surely it'll get upvoted, and then at least some of the YC partners will take notice.

vm 15y ago

I love the creativity, though I have to admit, I'm a little confused. YC already does a great job of releasing great startup ideas (see links below in the off chance that you haven't read them already). And it seems like everyone I met who got in was accepted because of the awesome things they created. So if you're short on ideas, read the lists, and then get to work and have something to show for it by application time! Whether or not you get in will probably matter less and less once you're cranking away at a company you're really into. http://paulgraham.com/ambitious.html http://paulgraham.com/ambitious.html http://ycombinator.com/ideas.html http://ycombinator.com/ideas.html

vibrunazo 15y ago
Good point. If you wanna show you're capable of executing, just pick one of the well known pain points. Build something cool. Then use that as a proof of your abilities. Investors look for good teams. There's no better curriculum for your team than a track record of great projects. Instead of telling us that you can build something, just build something. :)
littlegiantcap 15y ago
Our team has been talking, and we've decided that even if we don't hear back from anyone at Y Combinator we're doing a 72 hour hackathon sometime in the next week using something on one of those list. :)
- corkill 15y ago
  Yep just do it. Everyone can talk a good game. Solve something then come back and show everyone.

lachyg 15y ago

Database connection error... Cached: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?ix=acb&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=cache%3Awww.seedlauncher.com%2Fblog%2F2012%2F04%2F03%2Fdear-y-combinato-we-bet-you-one-interview-that-we-can-solve-a-nagging-problem-for-you-in-the-next-72-hours%2F http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?ix=acb&sour...

j45 15y ago
Thanks for the link, didn't expect to see an error

aaronblohowiak 15y ago

> Our dream has, for a while, to get our startup off the ground English..

rubergly 15y ago
I was going to point this out for them. It's particularly harmful because it's in the second sentence...
- littlegiantcap 15y ago
  Oops I accidentally a word there. Fixed :)

patrickod 15y ago

They should solve their hosting issues first. Google's cached version for those looking for a copy http://bit.ly/HM9HHg http://bit.ly/HM9HHg

snikolov 15y ago

I admire the hustle, but in this case, you are asking the people of YC to do extra work to come up with something for you to solve. I think they are very busy and unlikely to do that.

moe 15y ago

You know what works better? Build something nice and polished (anything) and show them that. Big claims work better when you're not coming empty handed.

j45 15y ago

Being able to ship a proof of concept (a precursor to an MVP) is a pretty core skill that will happen many times in that thousands of hours. Other fun questions in the perpetual proof of concept game: Will it work this way? Will it work that way? I don't know. How long will it take? Can we quickly try it out somehow to see if it gets us what we need? Who can jump on this?

deleted 15y ago

[deleted]

robryan 15y ago

You guys should post about your startup here while you have some attention. Sounds interesting (I am assuming you are applying with the seed launcher idea?). Without being an expert in startup financing I'd imagine there would be some fairly significant regulation challenges in the idea? Anyone successfully using the platform currently? It is also interesting that your idea itself if it comes off might be solving a YC problem (How best to connect pitching startups with the right investors and generate the best valuations).

littlegiantcap 15y ago
Seedlauncher.com is a crowdfunding for equity site that is based around investing in small businesses within your own local community. With crowdfunding becoming legal we're creating a platform to enable both accredited and unaccredited investors to become part owners in their local businesses.
- MortenK 15y ago
  Maybe distill that into: Seedlauncher is crowdfunding for small, local businesses. That actually sounds like a really good idea. Why not just do this without waiting for yc?
  - littlegiantcap 15y ago
    We are doing it. We've been working hard for months. We're just waiting for the SEC to write the regulations for crowdfunding following the passage of the JOBS act.
    - lrvick 15y ago
      If it existed today, I would almost certainly be using it. This needs to exist, and with the JOBS act passing it will. The race is on to see who gets a user base first, or before someone like angelist does it with their existing user base. If I were in your shoes I would spend 72 hours getting a full profiling system up and online with the vision, get THAT on hackernews, and start building a user base. By the time you actually finish the integration of backends to allow for micropayments, tracking users, and equity allotments, you already have users and are that much further ahead of anyone else working on something similar when you turn those features on. YC is awesome, but they only are one of many options available to you. From where I sit, there is nothing about this project that _needs_ a lot of funding to get a prototype built, an a prototype will be what you need to prove you guys have the chops to take this all the way. The prototype just needs a few weekends of time, infrastructure knowledge and programming skill. The only thing I really see you needing some cash for early, is legal counsel to build solid terms of service and investment agreements carefully written to make sure you are fully protected and acting within the JOBS act. Feel free to contact me if you want to discuss this further.

goronbjorn 15y ago

> This is the second time we’ve applied to Y Combinator. Our dream has been, for a while, to get our startup off the ground I don't mean to be crass, but 1) This seems to imply that doing Y Combinator entails success, which is backwards. 2) What has the startup been doing since when it was last rejected? Why try to showcase a random thing you can do in 72 hours instead of showcase how you can build your startup in the months in between YC sessions?

littlegiantcap 15y ago
1. You're absolutely right, it dosen't guarantee success. However, getting into Y Combinator would definitely help. 2. This is actually our pivot. We've been together as a team for a year. Also, the reason we haven't launched is because we've been waiting on the crowdfunding law to pass. We've been working and are continuing to work on seedlauncher.com, applying to Y Combinator is a very small part of what we've been up to.

baseh 15y ago

hey guys getting database error on your blogs.

motti_s 15y ago

I have an idea. Within 72 hours you have to hack into the Y Combinator servers and mark your application as "invite to interview". Do that and you get an interview :) Disclaimer: if you're not sure what :) means, please google it before proceeding with the above suggestion. Anyway I'm just joking. Your post is a nice way to get noticed. Good luck with your application!

saraid216 15y ago
Have you ever tried googling for an emoticon...?
- deleted 15y ago
  [deleted]
- waterlesscloud 15y ago
  "Your search - :) - did not match any documents. Suggestions: Try different keywords." Which is a pretty unsatisfactory result, really. If I came across :) and didn't know what it meant, Googling for just that is a natural action.
- robryan 15y ago
  http://insidesearch.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/search-quality-highlights-50-changes.html http://insidesearch.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/search-quality-h... Based on the second item of that list, might soon get some emoticon love on Google search.

jack-r-abbit 15y ago

I've got a problem for you to solve. This is not a complete sentence. Solve that. ;) In the spirit of showing you that we can thrive at Y Combinator, and that we are more than who we are on paper.

dfc 15y ago
Awesome, free grammar advice from someone who writes: "I have got a problem" Thanks for the LOLz...
- jack-r-abbit 15y ago
  I've got something for you to read. http://bit.ly/HcYIJS http://bit.ly/HcYIJS Edit: Also, while I stand by the correctness of my first statement, me being right or wrong wouldn't make that fragmented sentence a complete one. However, unlike the OP, my comment was not intended to catch the attention of Y Combinator to get an interview with the hopes of getting my start-up kick started. So I would tend to give posts like mine a little more leeway than a challenge like the OP. Perhaps grammatical errors like that resulted in the rejections.
  - dfc 15y ago
    What am I looking for? Formal written usage or informal spoken usage of the two phrases? Clear and succinct or acceptable?
    - jack-r-abbit 15y ago
      Look for whatever category you think a comment on a thread on HN would fall into. I don't think that would be "formal" anything. You didn't specifically mention "informal written" but that is probably what I would classify it as since this is an informal setting and it was written not spoken. The top few results certainly put it in the "acceptable" category. General usage of the phrase in similar situations leads me to believe I don't really need to defend my usage of it.
  - dfc 15y ago

cseric 15y ago

make it a competition and the best team wins the interview.

jessedhillon 15y ago

Even if PG gave you such a task, how would that demonstrate anything relevant? You getting a task and a deadline is the opposite of being entrepreneurial; that's called having a job and a boss and showing that you are an adequate or better employee. Being entrepreneurial involves you 1) generating ideas, 2) using your intuition to pick a good one, 3) testing it out to see if your intuition is correct (iterate if not), and 4) then execute that idea (and again, iterate as needed) Or, in short: discovering and exploiting an opportunity Edit: minor.

javajosh 15y ago
Oh, I don't know. Having a team that can solve any arbitrary difficult problem in three days could be quite useful in a startup. The (technical) execution of a startup idea can be cast as a series of arbitrarily difficult problems, after all.
- EwanG 15y ago
  Arbitrary huh... My two long term pet peeves for which I would be most happy to help lobby to get them a hearing: 1) Faster than light travel 2) Create a robot that carries it's own power supply, communication device, and webcams that would allow me to traipse up and down any path in Rocky Mountain National Park in real time so that I can take a hike for 20 minutes when I need a break without the requisite plane travel and hotel bill I suspect pg would be willing to pay for at least number 1 :-)
  - javajosh 15y ago
    Well, I'd settle for a teleportation device or ability that could take me anywhere in the universe instantaneously, and far, far greater physical durability (maybe in a Culture-level gel suit). They better get cranking, because 72 hours is just not a lot of time to develop either of these things.
  - lwat 15y ago
    What about simply 'Make something that will make lots of money.'

patio11 15y ago

Life skill for you: putting a message into a bottle and then flinging it onto the Internet could get it read, but that isn't the way to bet. Here's a hypothetical for you: how many people do you think have social permission to contact a YC partner and say "X is awesome and deserves a look." I'd ballpark that in the hundreds to low thousand range. Many of them are accessible on the Internets and less overwhelmed with suitors than the YC partners are. How about solving a meaningful problem for one of them and having the next application say "We built a $WHATEVER for $SOMEONE which increased their customer base by 10%, like they told you over email earlier." P.S. This advice had wide application beyond YC and beyond "applications." Indeed, part of me thinks that applications (in general) are a backup filtering mechanism for people who haven't figured out a more effective way to get what they want yet.

endlessvoid94 15y ago
> applications (in general) are a backup filtering mechanism for people who haven't figured out a more effective way to get what they want yet. It blows me away how many people don't get this.
- _delirium 15y ago
  The flipside is that there are a surprising number of organizations with lots of money that haven't figured out a better way of distributing it, so applications can still be a good way of getting funds. One of my acquaintances, for example, just got $100k in seed funding (with no equity in return) entirely based on a 15-page application sent to a funding body, having had no previous contact with the funder.
  - davemel37 15y ago
    Having painstakingly gone through the process of writing 35 page Grant Proposals for a hospital and getting funding from the government on all three occasions, I can assure you that the application process was just a formality and legal requirement. The funding came through because the grantor had a relationship with the department heads that received the funds. Obviously, you need to meet the required criteria, and a perfectly crafted application is a requirement, but all things being equal it boils down to relationships.

sachingulaya 15y ago

I saw a similar post on nuclearphynance.com a few years ago. A young unemployed developer offered to code forum members' models for free. He was swimming in interview invitations because people admired the tenacity. The biggest difference between what he did and what you're doing is that he made it an open offer. If you chopped off "dear y combinator," and released the challenge to HN members in general I think your post would have attracted a much more positive response. Also, I'm not sure if you guys have been paying attention but pg and paul have been vocal about YC painpoints recently. Search their comments. The one I've heard the most is "everyone is exhausted after demo day".

playhard 15y ago

can you guys do this? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3795607 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3795607

dfc 15y ago

He gave a couple at the pycon conference. Why don't you pretend they responded with killing email and come up with the better solution for task inbox...

alaskamiller 15y ago

Maybe you can try building a search engine for Hacker News.

chucknthem 15y ago
That already exists, scroll down.

davemel37 15y ago

Question: Did you spend 72 hours straight doing everything you can to make your application reflect who you really are and what you have to offer? Want to solve a pain point? why not start with your own. Clearly, getting noticed and recognized by YC Partners is a pain point for you and many others. Almost 100 years ago Napolean Hill offered a solution. Spend a few weeks researching your target, and approach them with a real value proposition, an offer they can't refuse. Or work on the problem of getting noticed by YC partners by hacking the application process, identifying all the entry points to reach them, create a platform for incubators to crowdsource out their problems and pain points to their applicants, or just find a way to become friends with their mothers. If there is a will, there is a way goes both ways. If you really had a burning desire, you would have found a way, and if you haven't found a way, your will isn't up to the task.

danielpal 15y ago

Why don't you just build something other people want? Don't focus too much on what YC partners want, focus on what other people want(conversely if you do that YC partners will want you, not vice-versa).

macspoofing 15y ago
>Why don't you just build something other people want? HA.
Vaismania 15y ago
The problem with "building something for others" rather than solving your own problems is you may not be passionate/persistent enough to survive the low's to get to the next milestone

davemel37 15y ago

I would venture to say the application process worked like clock-work. YC is looking for people to mentor, educate, and smooth out the bumpy road ahead for, to discover modest people, who acknowledge their weaknesses and are willing to humble themselves and learn from everyone around them.

littlegiantcap 15y ago
Ouch. We never said, or even meant to imply we were somehow better than the awesome people at Y Combinator, or frankly better than anyone else. All we're trying to do here is show that we're worth a second look and maybe a conversation.

jasonhitchcock 15y ago

Apply to StartEngine.com

tstegart 15y ago

Do it PG! Do it! I want to see a slam dunk! I want to see EPIC failure! I want to see if they're all talk or can walk the walk. This is like the reality tv episode of entrepreneurship. Just once, I want to watch and wait with baited breath as the challenge is issued, the gauntlet is thrown down, the problem put out and the solution successfully solved! Don't make it easy, make it tougher than any problem one of your own companies can solve. Make it so tough people will look around and wonder, can it be even done? Also, make them play dramatic music at their office constantly for all 72 hours.

waterlesscloud 15y ago
A reality show of this nature actually is a pretty good idea.
- dgunn 15y ago
  Techstars created a reality show out of their program and I think it was widely regarded as a pretty bad decision in hindsight...
  - tstegart 15y ago
    Right, but this won't be filmed, it will just be watched in our minds until the moment of failure or triumph, at which point we will pepper the internet with generally useless comments.
mirsadm 15y ago
As tempting as it sounds I don't think there is any way to release the negative results without looking evil :).

jasonhitchcock 15y ago

Hey guys, the list of problems to solve is up: http://paulgraham.com/ambitious.html http://paulgraham.com/ambitious.html

dkrich 15y ago

"You're actions speak so loudly that I cannot hear what you say." One of my favorite quotes of all time, by Ralph Waldo Emerson. If you are really more than what comes across on paper, you should have things to show that extend beyond what is on paper. Claiming you are smart and can execute will get you nowhere. I'd venture to guess that everybody who applies believes that they have that in spades. But the larger question I have, and continue to have, is why people continue to view entrepreneurship as an elite club to which you must be allowed entrance. No offense to Y-Combinator or any other startup incubator, as I'm sure the experience is fantastic. I just think anybody approaching this as some kind of bridge that you must cross to achieve success is misguided. Successful startups were born long before incubators and they were built by people who knew how to execute and had the wherewithal to do so. The very fact that you have to plead to make the case that you can execute shows in many ways that you can't. An incubator should be viewed as one avenue to ramp up traction and execution, not a permission slip to do so.

Skywing 15y ago

Yes, but relating to and understanding the problem that you are trying to solve is the difficult part. You may create a solution to the problem, but any programmer can do that. I always viewed YC as being difficult to get into because you had to do this part prior to applying. If PG does give these guys something to make, then maybe that'd be a good answer to the question on the application that asks what your greatest hack ever was - it'd be turning the tables on PG and getting him to give you something to solve! Clever. :)

aestetix 15y ago

I think it's really funny that all the comments telling people they won't get noticed are actually boosting it to the top where they are very likely to get noticed. Humanity ftw!

K2h 15y ago

Not getting picked should not necessarily reflect poorly on you... But if you try much harder you will just show that they were correct to avoid you. You do have spirit though, so do something useful with it instead of ranting about not being picked at the dance.

furyofantares 15y ago

I will be surprised if YC even has any pain points that are well enough understood to be concisely communicated to an external source and can be solved in 72 hours. Usually the reason you have a pain point is either that you don't understand the underlying problem yet, or the solving it will take time. But I suppose that just means any pain points YC may be able to convey are things where these guys are expected to fail, which I guess is the whole spirit of the challenge.

grokaholic 15y ago

Rather than naysay your efforts, I prefer to support. pg has opened up YC to people without ideas, so contrary to other comments here, I don't think you're violating the spirit of YC to request an interview without an idea. But your open-ended way of asking might give pg too much to think about. So that could be a reason why he hasn't got back to you yet. One idea: pg wants to invest in more entrepreneurs who don't have ideas yet, and in some cases, perhaps even people without much history of success on paper. Applicants like yourselves need ideas to build. Create a system that makes it easy for YC's problems to be discovered by applicants, so applicants can use these problems as product ideas. Another tip: think beyond YC's problems to the problems of YC companies. The problems of YC companies are also YC's problems. Another idea. I read that YC has trouble scaling their demo days each year. One article quoted a guy saying that the growing lunch line is actually one of Demo Day's bigger problems. Make YC Demo Day food service better for guests. Or instead, make it easier for YC to coordinate. I'm sure pg doesn't like thinking about it.

deleted 15y ago

[deleted]

acoyfellow 15y ago

If you are so talented and innovative, do you really need YC? Just because one road closed down, doesn't mean you can't reach the destination.

cottonseed 15y ago

Why don't you spend the 72 hours prototyping your startup?

littlegiantcap 15y ago
So Seedlauncher.com is a crowdfunding for equity site focused on investing in small businesses within your local community. So, we're pre-launch because we're waiting for the SEC to write the regulations regarding crowdfunding. We'd open up our site to a closed beta, but we don't want to jump the gun and fade into obscurity by launching 4 or 5 months before we can actually operate legally.

littlegiantcap 15y ago

Just in case anyone is curious about what we're working on I thought I'd give a quick description. Seedlauncher.com is a crowdfunding for equity site that focuses on investing in small businesses within your own community. If anyone has any questions I'd be more than happy to answer them.

JohnnyFlash 15y ago

If you an idea or expertise to do something like this I don't know why you need to wait for Y Combinator to pick you up before you get started. Making something profitable from day 1 is difficult but profitable from day 30 is less so. Yes the profit may just about buy your team a round of coffee's but at least you got off your mark. Your ball is rolling. Waiting for seed funding before building your product seems somewhat counter-intuitive to me.

littlegiantcap 15y ago
We aren't waiting for seed funding. We pivoted to seedlauncher back in December, and have been working on it since. We're prelaunch while we wait for the SEC to write the regulations surrounding crowdfunding so we can operate.

akennberg 15y ago

Start here: http://www.paulgraham.com/ambitious.html http://www.paulgraham.com/ambitious.html

Fando 15y ago

Cool bold approach. Props. I'd like to see YC respond with a challenge. Everyone should stop being so skeptical. Maybe the guys are incredible geniuses. In fact I think they are being modest by throwing in that third 24 hour period. I bet they could do any challenge in 48 ;)

mad44 15y ago

Any problem, I don't think so. A problem, sure... I am sure there exists a problem of YC that you can solve in 72 hours.

forgottenpaswrd 15y ago

You speak desperation language. This is like a woman that rejects you on a date and you take it too seriously: " I will do whatever you wish to test my love". It does not work that way because you are putting her in a high pedestal and yourself in a lower status.(And you could be sorry for making commitments to people you don't really know yet, "may you get what you wish for" is a curse on China). Maybe it is not the point that you could do something in 72 hours, but what you could do in 720 or 1000 or 3000. Sometimes you need to do marathon instead of 50 meters. I believe PG wants people that won't abandon on the hard moments of a startup, people that will "find a way" over difficult circumstances. You don't need Y Combinator to success.

Steko 15y ago
I guess one man's "desperation" is another's marketing/self-promotion. Maybe nothing comes of this directly but many more people are already talking about them then say 24 hours ago. In that it's already a huge success for a promotion that has cost them all of 15 min.
- noahc 15y ago
  I disagree. They could have gone and shot a bunch of dogs and posted pictures on the internet. By your measurement 'many more people are already talking about them...'. Is this example extreme? Sure, but the point is that the measurement is not if people are talking about them, but if they get closer to their goals. How can they take advantage of this to help them? The first step is do a 72 hour hackathon on any problem and produce results. Then come back, and say, "Show HN: We did the PG challenge anyway!"
  - littlegiantcap 15y ago
    We actually are doing that. We're in the process of looking at PG's list of ambitious startups/Y Combinators list of ideas for startups. Even if they don't get back to us over the next few days we're going to mull these over then execute.

rman666 15y ago

If you'd rather not leave the Midwest, consider Chicago. They have a great entrepreneurial community at: http://www.builtinchicago.org/ http://www.builtinchicago.org/

shin_lao 15y ago

The arrogance and desperation... If you can solve a problem in 72 hours, it's not a very difficult problem. Building a company takes years.

deleted 15y ago

[deleted]

marknutter 15y ago

Here's a crazy idea: start working on your startup now and try to gain traction. Apply for YCombinator again next season and show them that you've actually hit on something that's becoming popular. This is actually how a lot of the most successful Y-Combinator alums got in themselves.

ojr 15y ago

I wouldn't use it equity is valuable

skimmer 15y ago

Ballsy. I like it.

msbii 15y ago

Finding good solution to a given problem is what most of the engineers do day-to-day at work. Real entrepreneurs identify opportunities (problems) and provide solution. Remember, a problem well stated is a problem half solved.