3 ms·

Great info. Thanks a lot for this, pg. You've pretty much told us exactly what you are and are not looking for in the application.

by kyro 17y ago

icey 17y ago
It will be great info for everyone who decides to read it and pay attention. I bet you that over 80% of the applications will still be garbage. Of course, I see this as a good thing for everyone who applies who has some clue as to what they're doing.
- jacquesm 17y ago
  Are you privy to the applications ? 80% would seem to be a fairly high number. I think that there is a nice benefit from applying to YC for many small start-up companies, which is that for the first time (on that level of funding I'm assuming it's the first time) you have to get precise about stuff. So even if you do not get selected you're still going to be a big step further.
  - icey 17y ago
    I'm not privy to anything, as the only thing I have to do with YC is posting here. However, I acted as a technical adviser to some investors during the first dotcom boom in the 90s. Even in the face of specific requests, there were a shocking number of people who started their responses clearly intending to go into detail, and ending up with a heavy dose of hand-waving. Having since moved on, I still do hiring and see similar problems with people being unable to read and comprehend simple instructions. There is a shocking amount of _bad_ out there; it just gets worse when people are looking for money. As an aside, I was being generous with the 80% guess. Anywhere else I would have figured the garbage submissions to have crossed the 90% barrier.
    - LogicHoleFlaw 17y ago
      A friend of mine was a sound, power, and lighting technician for some pretty prestigious concert venues. According to him, the "green m&m clauses" of certain bands' touring agreements were a test specifically to see if someone from each venue had actually read the band's technical specification requirements. If you got to the concert location and the green m&ms were not ready, it was time to panic and start finding out where the power was going to cut out when you turned on all the kit...

Great info. Thanks a lot for this, pg. You've pretty much told us exactly what you are and are not looking for in the application.

by kyro 17y ago

Great info. Thanks a lot for this, pg. You've pretty much told us exactly what you are and are not looking for in the application.

icey 17y ago

It will be great info for everyone who decides to read it and pay attention. I bet you that over 80% of the applications will still be garbage. Of course, I see this as a good thing for everyone who applies who has some clue as to what they're doing.

jacquesm 17y ago
Are you privy to the applications ? 80% would seem to be a fairly high number. I think that there is a nice benefit from applying to YC for many small start-up companies, which is that for the first time (on that level of funding I'm assuming it's the first time) you have to get precise about stuff. So even if you do not get selected you're still going to be a big step further.
- icey 17y ago
  I'm not privy to anything, as the only thing I have to do with YC is posting here. However, I acted as a technical adviser to some investors during the first dotcom boom in the 90s. Even in the face of specific requests, there were a shocking number of people who started their responses clearly intending to go into detail, and ending up with a heavy dose of hand-waving. Having since moved on, I still do hiring and see similar problems with people being unable to read and comprehend simple instructions. There is a shocking amount of _bad_ out there; it just gets worse when people are looking for money. As an aside, I was being generous with the 80% guess. Anywhere else I would have figured the garbage submissions to have crossed the 90% barrier.
  - LogicHoleFlaw 17y ago
    A friend of mine was a sound, power, and lighting technician for some pretty prestigious concert venues. According to him, the "green m&m clauses" of certain bands' touring agreements were a test specifically to see if someone from each venue had actually read the band's technical specification requirements. If you got to the concert location and the green m&ms were not ready, it was time to panic and start finding out where the power was going to cut out when you turned on all the kit...