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The group is very substantial this time around. Developing things like a database optimized for solid-state drives involves non-trivial technology. I'm impresse

The group is very substantial this time around. Developing things like a database optimized for solid-state drives involves non-trivial technology. I'm impressed. I wonder what kind of background these guys had to convince YCombinator that they could pull it off? Many of them aimed quite a bit higher than yet another web app.

10ren 17y ago
It's great to see a technology-based startup like RethinkDB. It is a wonderful opportunity they are targeting, and their marketing looks great. I can see them getting bought out for $100 millions by Oracle etc. It sounds like a sustaining technology because it sells into existing infrastructure; but because the initial uses of SSD are in devices like iPhones (rather than data centers), that might make it disruptive. But I agree that actually solving this problem is the difficult part! OTOH, all they need do is achieve some of the potential benefits in a product that actually works, to be wildly successful. Oh, and be the first. One problem is that everyone else is aware of this opportunity, so it comes down to execution... One advantage they have over Oracle and so on is they don't have to worry about existing customers. Their long-term view is exactly right: http://www.rethinkdb.com/learn-more/ http://www.rethinkdb.com/learn-more/ > As data centers switch to solid-state drives, RethinkDB will be ready to let customers take advantage of these upgrades.
pg 17y ago
It wasn't their background that convinced us. It was just talking to them. They clearly knew what they were talking about. You can't let yourself care too much about "background" when you're investing in startups, because some of the best startups are done by outsiders.
- jacoblyles 17y ago
  I guess a person sounding as if he knows what he is talking about is a good indicator that he actually knows what he is talking about.
  - andreyf 17y ago
    It certainly depends on who's listening. The catch-22 is the Dunning and Kruger effect. If a person sounds like they know what they're talking about, it's either because (1) they know what they're talking about or (2) you're an idiot. But there's a range of ignorance in which the more confident you are in (1), the more likely (2) is.
- pclark 17y ago
  reminds me of a quote a VC friend used about overly pompous team slides "we care less about where you're from, and more about where you're going"

10ren 17y ago

It's great to see a technology-based startup like RethinkDB. It is a wonderful opportunity they are targeting, and their marketing looks great. I can see them getting bought out for $100 millions by Oracle etc. It sounds like a sustaining technology because it sells into existing infrastructure; but because the initial uses of SSD are in devices like iPhones (rather than data centers), that might make it disruptive. But I agree that actually solving this problem is the difficult part! OTOH, all they need do is achieve some of the potential benefits in a product that actually works, to be wildly successful. Oh, and be the first. One problem is that everyone else is aware of this opportunity, so it comes down to execution... One advantage they have over Oracle and so on is they don't have to worry about existing customers. Their long-term view is exactly right: http://www.rethinkdb.com/learn-more/ http://www.rethinkdb.com/learn-more/ > As data centers switch to solid-state drives, RethinkDB will be ready to let customers take advantage of these upgrades.

pg 17y ago

It wasn't their background that convinced us. It was just talking to them. They clearly knew what they were talking about. You can't let yourself care too much about "background" when you're investing in startups, because some of the best startups are done by outsiders.

jacoblyles 17y ago
I guess a person sounding as if he knows what he is talking about is a good indicator that he actually knows what he is talking about.
- andreyf 17y ago
  It certainly depends on who's listening. The catch-22 is the Dunning and Kruger effect. If a person sounds like they know what they're talking about, it's either because (1) they know what they're talking about or (2) you're an idiot. But there's a range of ignorance in which the more confident you are in (1), the more likely (2) is.
pclark 17y ago
reminds me of a quote a VC friend used about overly pompous team slides "we care less about where you're from, and more about where you're going"