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You're right that $15,000 is easy to find. But what you don't realize is that hardly anyone here is applying to the YC program for the $15k... I saw more VC

You're right that $15,000 is easy to find. But what you don't realize is that hardly anyone here is applying to the YC program for the $15k... I saw more VCs at the last YC demo day than I have in my entire life. And, from talking to the YC founders, I'm not alone. I'm not claiming that high VC interest predicts success. However the number of VCs interested in your startup is a good proxy for the overall interest in your startup, since VCs want to invest in what's popular.

jdavid 19y ago
I agree, 15k is something my parents will give us or money i could raise selling my 350z. The real victory is winning the prize, and the attention of VC you get.
- thomasptacek 19y ago
  It seems like your odds of "winning" this contest are not great, and your odds of "converting" that win to an A round are also not great. I like the YC idea and have little more specifically to say about it than that, but if you're investing 10 full time months, the quality of your execution will dominate your chances, not Paul Graham's imprimatur.