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Drew Houston applied as a single founder with no product or traction, so yes :)

by paul 12y ago

zaguios 12y ago
Several years ago when there were less applications and he got turned down initially...
- paul 12y ago
  And also fewer partners reviewing applications. He was turned down for a previous batch because he applied with a bad idea (SAT test prep), not because he was a single founder. If we would now pass on DropBox, something has gone very wrong. I can't believe I have to argue this point...
  - WillNotDownvote 12y ago
    Certainly my impression of everything that pg has said is that solo founders have the odds stacked heavily against them when it comes to YC acceptance. I'm surprised that you're surprised that's what we all believe.
    - paul 12y ago
      Everyone has the odds stacked against them. Successful founders are by definition outliers. If we didn't accept solo founders, we wouldn't bother having them apply.
      - stevenjohns 12y ago
        My group was rejected last time (I'm assuming) because the founders hadn't physically met and because of a lack of prototype. Now the founders have met (the group of founders has actually received an addition of an elec. eng) but we still don't have a prototype. Hopefully it works out this time around.
  - jsonchen 12y ago
    With all due respect, the reason you might have to argue the point is probably because even back in 2007 the application page said: The people in your group are what matter most to us. [...] Your idea is important too, but mainly as evidence that you can have good ideas And Drew was passed up because his idea was bad (not given a "we like you more than your idea" option). It seems like a skating to where the puck is and not where it's going kind of thing. YC probably won't miss out on a DropBox that looks like a DropBox, but you might miss out on a Drew Houston that eventually creates a DropBox.
    - deleted 12y ago
      [deleted]
  - daniel_levine 12y ago
    It's Dropbox, the "b" is lowercase :)
    - paul 12y ago
      OoPs :) I would fix, but the edit link is gone :(
haky_nash 12y ago
Apply and show them how you will make things work out no matter what. Also, the idea shouldn't be a 'barbershop' idea like PG says. It should have a large TAM. I think that is all that really matters.

Drew Houston applied as a single founder with no product or traction, so yes :)

by paul 12y ago

Drew Houston applied as a single founder with no product or traction, so yes :)

zaguios 12y ago

Several years ago when there were less applications and he got turned down initially...

paul 12y ago
And also fewer partners reviewing applications. He was turned down for a previous batch because he applied with a bad idea (SAT test prep), not because he was a single founder. If we would now pass on DropBox, something has gone very wrong. I can't believe I have to argue this point...
- WillNotDownvote 12y ago
  Certainly my impression of everything that pg has said is that solo founders have the odds stacked heavily against them when it comes to YC acceptance. I'm surprised that you're surprised that's what we all believe.
  - paul 12y ago
    Everyone has the odds stacked against them. Successful founders are by definition outliers. If we didn't accept solo founders, we wouldn't bother having them apply.
    - stevenjohns 12y ago
      My group was rejected last time (I'm assuming) because the founders hadn't physically met and because of a lack of prototype. Now the founders have met (the group of founders has actually received an addition of an elec. eng) but we still don't have a prototype. Hopefully it works out this time around.
- jsonchen 12y ago
  With all due respect, the reason you might have to argue the point is probably because even back in 2007 the application page said: The people in your group are what matter most to us. [...] Your idea is important too, but mainly as evidence that you can have good ideas And Drew was passed up because his idea was bad (not given a "we like you more than your idea" option). It seems like a skating to where the puck is and not where it's going kind of thing. YC probably won't miss out on a DropBox that looks like a DropBox, but you might miss out on a Drew Houston that eventually creates a DropBox.
  - deleted 12y ago
    [deleted]
- daniel_levine 12y ago
  It's Dropbox, the "b" is lowercase :)
  - paul 12y ago
    OoPs :) I would fix, but the edit link is gone :(

haky_nash 12y ago

Apply and show them how you will make things work out no matter what. Also, the idea shouldn't be a 'barbershop' idea like PG says. It should have a large TAM. I think that is all that really matters.