IMHO, this is not a college application. The biggest barrier is not "getting in". Your CV will not be improved by a failed attempt to start a company for 15k.

IMHO, this is not a college application. The biggest barrier is not "getting in". Your CV will not be improved by a failed attempt to start a company for 15k. If you are serious about offering the product of your work to the world, the application for ycombinator should not be intimidating and should be the least of your worries. Quit "thinking hard" and attack that application.