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Hey I think your intentions are in a good place but I think you're placing the onus on the wrong party. @ericabiz is very open, transparent and direct about wha

Hey I think your intentions are in a good place but I think you're placing the onus on the wrong party. @ericabiz is very open, transparent and direct about what she has seen and heard. It sounds like she's quite talented and had a choice available to her in the marketplace. Based on her market research she went with what she believed to be the better option for her situation. It's possible that she may have decided to go against her instincts and research and go with YCombinator anyway but it's odd to argue that she should have taken the risk and done it over her preferred solution. These are very big decisions involving where you live in the short term and how your life turns out in the long run. The onus really is on YC to address the perceived or real notion in the marketplace (that it's not female founder friendly) to continue to attract the best startups. That is, if there is an onus on any party here it's not on the buyer but rather the seller to address these issues. If these notions are false and unfounded it won't be too hard to clear them up. If they're based on something that does have a grain of truth then go tackle that. (Female founders focus FTW!) I just think it's unfair that you have a somewhat lecturing tone in your comments. It's a little bit of shooting the messenger.

argumentum 13y ago
> had a choice available to her in the marketplace Well, that's not actually true, because she didn't apply to yc to begin with, so we don't know whether or not the choice would have been available. Oddly enough, I think I met ericabiz (hello ;), she briefly stayed at my house through airbnb. I totally agree that she is talented, and that if people like her are not even applying because of such a perception, it is a problem. I feel it's a false perception, but not well-addressed by statistics trying to prove or disprove a lack of bias (as she had suggested). But, really, it's a one page form and it was designed to be useful for founders whether or not you are accepted. The worst outcome (which 95%+ of applications receive) is not getting an interview. So apply! (erica and every other female, male, white, black, green, 40-something etc in this thread). Fear of rejection (not just from YC) is simply a dumb fear if you think about it, particularly if your doing a startup. Because you are going to be rejected over and over anyway, and ultimately no one can save you from building something no-one wants (the only rejection that means anything in this context).
- mtrimpe 13y ago
  The worst thing that could happen is not being rejected. Just one hypothetical worse case scenario is: 1. Being accepted, signing over equity and giving up on the chance to move to another accelerator. 2. Getting to YCombinator and realising that all of the group bonding indeed happens over heavy late-night boozing sessions. 3. Trying to find a way to remain part of the group experience without participating in the boozing, but failing and becoming disillusioned and demoralised. 4. Abandoning your startup because you can't join another accelerator anymore and are afraid having to explain why YCombinator didn't work for you.
reallyseriously 13y ago
"@ericabiz is very open, transparent and direct about what she has seen and heard." Really? Sounds like she just sat around with some friends who all agreed with each other without any knowledge of anything. Erica: "I've talked to many female founders and YC does have a reputation as a "frat house" "Genuine question: Did you reach out to any female founders who went through YC to ask about their experience?" Erica: "The straight answer is no. Here's a slightly longer version of the story..." goes on to ramble about unrelated bs.
- ericabiz 13y ago
  Those statements don't conflict. Not surprisingly, the female founders I talked to who felt that YC is a "frat house" did not apply or go to YC.
  - argumentum 13y ago
    What does YC being a "frat house" have to do with applying though? I can understand why that perception may discourage someone from participating in YC, but the acceptance rate is so low that it seems like premature optimization to think beyond the application.
    - aetimmes 13y ago
      It affects the opportunity cost.
    - jusben1369 13y ago
      Why would you apply for something when you've determined that you're not going to accept even if you get in? Also, it seems irrational to spend time completing a form when you know there's a very small chance you'd be accepted and even if you were you would decline it? If the chances were very high, say 80%, you could say "Well, I have no intention now but I'll apply anyways just in case circumstances change and I do want to go" You can't even rationalize wasting time on a form when you know there's a small chance you even get the option of changing your mind. (just to get more tangled the fact that she was accepted into a well known accelerator probably means she's not in the 'so low" category of acceptance)

argumentum 13y ago

> had a choice available to her in the marketplace Well, that's not actually true, because she didn't apply to yc to begin with, so we don't know whether or not the choice would have been available. Oddly enough, I think I met ericabiz (hello ;), she briefly stayed at my house through airbnb. I totally agree that she is talented, and that if people like her are not even applying because of such a perception, it is a problem. I feel it's a false perception, but not well-addressed by statistics trying to prove or disprove a lack of bias (as she had suggested). But, really, it's a one page form and it was designed to be useful for founders whether or not you are accepted. The worst outcome (which 95%+ of applications receive) is not getting an interview. So apply! (erica and every other female, male, white, black, green, 40-something etc in this thread). Fear of rejection (not just from YC) is simply a dumb fear if you think about it, particularly if your doing a startup. Because you are going to be rejected over and over anyway, and ultimately no one can save you from building something no-one wants (the only rejection that means anything in this context).

mtrimpe 13y ago
The worst thing that could happen is not being rejected. Just one hypothetical worse case scenario is: 1. Being accepted, signing over equity and giving up on the chance to move to another accelerator. 2. Getting to YCombinator and realising that all of the group bonding indeed happens over heavy late-night boozing sessions. 3. Trying to find a way to remain part of the group experience without participating in the boozing, but failing and becoming disillusioned and demoralised. 4. Abandoning your startup because you can't join another accelerator anymore and are afraid having to explain why YCombinator didn't work for you.

reallyseriously 13y ago

"@ericabiz is very open, transparent and direct about what she has seen and heard." Really? Sounds like she just sat around with some friends who all agreed with each other without any knowledge of anything. Erica: "I've talked to many female founders and YC does have a reputation as a "frat house" "Genuine question: Did you reach out to any female founders who went through YC to ask about their experience?" Erica: "The straight answer is no. Here's a slightly longer version of the story..." goes on to ramble about unrelated bs.

ericabiz 13y ago
Those statements don't conflict. Not surprisingly, the female founders I talked to who felt that YC is a "frat house" did not apply or go to YC.
- argumentum 13y ago
  What does YC being a "frat house" have to do with applying though? I can understand why that perception may discourage someone from participating in YC, but the acceptance rate is so low that it seems like premature optimization to think beyond the application.
  - aetimmes 13y ago
    It affects the opportunity cost.
  - jusben1369 13y ago
    Why would you apply for something when you've determined that you're not going to accept even if you get in? Also, it seems irrational to spend time completing a form when you know there's a very small chance you'd be accepted and even if you were you would decline it? If the chances were very high, say 80%, you could say "Well, I have no intention now but I'll apply anyways just in case circumstances change and I do want to go" You can't even rationalize wasting time on a form when you know there's a small chance you even get the option of changing your mind. (just to get more tangled the fact that she was accepted into a well known accelerator probably means she's not in the 'so low" category of acceptance)