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targeted at teams that are very, very early. How about a version of this for companies which have been around for a while? Seriously, it doesn't sound like Ta
by cperciva 11y ago
targeted at teams that are very, very early.
How about a version of this for companies which have been around for a while?
Seriously, it doesn't sound like Tarsnap would fit into this program at all, but I'd love to be able to participate in something "lighter-weight" than YC -- something which, like the YC Fellowship, would allow me access to advice and contacts without taking funding or relocating.
Of course, I'm guessing the YC Fellowship are largely a recruiting tool for YC ($12k is a small price to pay for the opportunity to extensively vet candidates prior to offering them a YC investment), so it wouldn't make sense for YC to invite me into that particular structure; but I'm not looking for money and I'd like to think that I could help YC by being "part of the family" and being someone companies could be pointed at to help with questions relating to my areas of expertise.
- pilingual 11y agoQuora being invited into YC at a late stage was a single company experiment, so I don't see why your company couldn't be a new experiment as well.
- danieltillett 11y agoIs Tarsnap a good fit for the VC industry? It is a great product, but it looks to be a much better fit for a bootstrapped lifestyle business? Why would you want to take VC money given all the problems that come with outside investors?
- cperciva 11y agoI don't intend to ever take VC money for Tarsnap. But that doesn't mean that YC can't offer me any useful advice.
- robzyb 11y ago> But that doesn't mean that YC can't offer me any useful advice. But what can you offer them? It's clear what YC Fellowships offer to companies, but I suspect there's also some not-as-obvious benefits to YC. Would Tarsnap bring these benefits to YC?
- detail3 11y agoWell, the benefit to YC is that they can get a better feel for companies which may fully apply to a class for a somewhat nominal fee. Stronger branding, bigger presence, and just doing some cool shit to boot. I agree that people need to be aware that their company should offer some benefit to YC as well, just simple business...exchange of value.
- danieltillett 11y agoI think you are in a similar situation to me. I have no need for VC money and no interest in taking in outside investors (why sell a golden goose). By the same token I understand that no VC (or anyone from YC) would want to waste their time talking to me or giving me any advice. I would just be abusing YC’s time for me to apply for one of these fellowships - they give me more than I deserve by allowing my posts on HN :)
- rattray 11y agoIs "advice" really what Tarsnap needs? It got a lot of it (really terrific advice, too) from patio11. Looking at the home page, it doesn't appear any of that advice has been taken.
- cperciva 11y agoPatrick's advice (both in that article and otherwise) has been very useful to me. But when I said "access to advice", I meant in a pull sense rather than a push sense: Patrick (and other people who I consult from time to time) is great within his area of expertise, but he doesn't know everything -- whereas I get the impression that at YC, for every problem there is someone who has relevant expertise and can offer advice.