We applied to YC and were rejected, which was probably good for us (less dilution, etc.). That said, you get some pretty unfair advantages being a YC company.

We applied to YC and were rejected, which was probably good for us (less dilution, etc.). That said, you get some pretty unfair advantages being a YC company. My cofounder has 20 years in the industry and I have a solid tech background with a track record of success. We had leads at the time; a demo product, etc. We raised without YC and have been doing well. One of competitors (little experience, no product, no customer leads) got into YC. Immediately they were considered credible. They are getting effectively the same interest with nothing and that’s what YC offers. They are good at branding and offer you their brand, advice and network. All of which is well worth the cost if you have nothing to start with. Now ultimately the best product will win and I’m confident in ours. That said, for someone starting out with little network or connections it’s worth YC.