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Problem is, by that point YC have already filtered out the founder who is naturally inclined towards product over ponzi. Yes, it's still not entirely a gamble b

Problem is, by that point YC have already filtered out the founder who is naturally inclined towards product over ponzi. Yes, it's still not entirely a gamble but remember that a person who has enough self-awareness of her product potential will still prefer to bootstrap over getting into YC, so one might suspect that's not inherently a low bar. (Or else the partners would not have such a distracting job in the first place) What should YC do then? I'd say, demonstrate to a producteer how willing and able YC are to help her explore side markets, a bit like HN's commitment to curiosity :)

dang 3y ago
I'm a bit confused - YC doesn't filter out founders, it champions them. That's been the underlying principle the entire time. But perhaps I misunderstood you?
- vinnyvichy 3y ago
  I meant that a founder who is already confident of her product or her ability to grow her business without the YC cachet, or, more substantially, a founder who is already acutely aware of the dangers of premature (fundability) optimization, would naturally not feel the need to apply to YC. If she does not apply, then by virtue of YC's positioning, she has been filtered out in favour of founders who prioritize looking impressive.
  - dang 3y ago
    I don't think that logic quite works. YC funds quite a few amazing repeat founders. Having been around a lot of the batches, I don't think the majority prioritize "looking impressive". It's true that such types exist, and that they try to get into YC, but YC's application and interview process is designed to filter them out. If they get in anyhow, that's considered a failure on YC's part. But you're right in the sense that some first-time founders who want to build a great product can be lacking in confidence, or aren't clear on some of the steps they need to take, and those are areas where YC can help a lot. For seasoned repeat founders, those presumably aren't the urgent issue anymore.
    - vinnyvichy 3y ago
      I'm guessing the repeat founders ought to feature more prominently in the branding :)

dang 3y ago

I'm a bit confused - YC doesn't filter out founders, it champions them. That's been the underlying principle the entire time. But perhaps I misunderstood you?

vinnyvichy 3y ago
I meant that a founder who is already confident of her product or her ability to grow her business without the YC cachet, or, more substantially, a founder who is already acutely aware of the dangers of premature (fundability) optimization, would naturally not feel the need to apply to YC. If she does not apply, then by virtue of YC's positioning, she has been filtered out in favour of founders who prioritize looking impressive.
- dang 3y ago
  I don't think that logic quite works. YC funds quite a few amazing repeat founders. Having been around a lot of the batches, I don't think the majority prioritize "looking impressive". It's true that such types exist, and that they try to get into YC, but YC's application and interview process is designed to filter them out. If they get in anyhow, that's considered a failure on YC's part. But you're right in the sense that some first-time founders who want to build a great product can be lacking in confidence, or aren't clear on some of the steps they need to take, and those are areas where YC can help a lot. For seasoned repeat founders, those presumably aren't the urgent issue anymore.
  - vinnyvichy 3y ago
    I'm guessing the repeat founders ought to feature more prominently in the branding :)