2 ms·

I agree that the sales cycle is long, but that could only be the start of bigger problems. From what I've seen in the news and discussions on e-learning, the b

I agree that the sales cycle is long, but that could only be the start of bigger problems. From what I've seen in the news and discussions on e-learning, the biggest problem facing startups is being sued by blackboard http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2006/08/blackboard_lawsuits_wikis_oh_m.html http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2006/08/blackboard_... just for fun: http://www.google.com/search?q=blackboard+patent+suits http://www.google.com/search?q=blackboard+patent+suits. Please show me otherwise if I'm wrong.

callmeed 17y ago
No, you're definitely not wrong ... I'm curious what PG's thoughts are on this. Does YC consider things like potential patent litigation when choosing startups? Have they ever faced issues like this after funding a startup?
- altano 17y ago
  PG's thoughts _were_ that this is a bad idea because 90% of the problems being solved in this area of software aren't technical but rather bureaucratic. At least, that's what he said to me and my co-applicant to explain our rejection in the first YC round back in the day. Perhaps he was just being nice, though.