Ask HN: YC vs TechStars | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: YC vs TechStars

24 pointsgbelote15 comments

I couldn't help but notice that the TechStars/Boston deadline is approaching (Jan 11). TS looks and sounds a lot like YC, but I'm wondering how it compares. As far as I can tell it looks like a wonderful alternative for east coast residents.

Has anyone had an experience with TechStars? Is anyone in the position to compare the two?

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I think this community might be a little biased, just a little.

I think the amount of people not in either program far outweighs the number actually connected with either. And founders who have gotten into both regularly post here, although I think there are more YC people. So I don't think it's actually quite so biased.

The alum network of other founders is helpful for technical expertise, startup advice, introductions, morale boosts, and idea exchanges; so consider in your decision the number of alums and where they ultimately reside.

In YC's case, there are 9 sessions of alums and a big handful who stay in the Bay Area (even when the sessions were in Cambridge).

Maybe some of the other programs form strong alum powerhouses in Boulder, DC, Philadelphia, Boston, or Seattle.

I think both are equally difficult to get into. I think that TS does not impose as many ideas from above as YC. The YC companies all seem to have very similar names and designs when they first publicly announce, while the TS companies seem more diverse.

A good technical team with poor marketing and biz skills should go to YC, and good biz people should go to TS.

YC definitely does not dictate company / domain / product names "from above."

There is not much mandating or micromanagement at all, or else it would feel more like an incubator.

Why do all the names seem so similar, and a lot of the designs follow similar philosophies?

A lot of YC companies have trendy names and designs, but the phenomenon is in no way limited to YC. You see that all over the valley.

I work at TS and have a lot of friends that have been through YC. You can debate about this a lot but at the end of the day both can be fantastic for your team. There is a style to the Valley, Boulder, Boston and Seattle that will be better depending on your company and team. All have their strengths.

I'm jumping on a flight, wish I could expand. We have a ton of respect for YC.

To me YC is more of a first stringer compared to Techstars. They've proven their stuff. They've had plenty of exits. You know they can get stuff done.

Take techcrunch for example, a ton of YC startups get their own stories. Meanwhile Techstars just gets a single big "here are some techstar companies" with a list of their top 5 companies.

Given the choice, go for YC.

Think of Techstars as your safety school. It's a great school, but deep down you know that the only reason you are going there is because you got rejected by the school of your dreams.

I love YC, but this is false.

TechStars, actually, has a better track record of exits when compared to YC. YC has some bigger companies that are still growing, but the TechStars scorecard right now is looking pretty good.

Are you going by percentage of companies to exit? What data are you using?

Here's a data point: YC took some investment money, which could be indicative of a lot of things. How is TechStars funded? Has that changed lately?

Not much of a data point, for sure, but to really know anything, you'd have to talk to the people involved and get them to reveal information they may well not want to reveal.

I disagree. In terms of exits I don't think either have a really distinct advantage-- it's just too early to tell. They are both great programs that will get you plugged in with mentors and investors and you're not going to regret it either way. If you fail it won't have anything to do with the program you chose.

That said, I think TS has done a better job of driving the community side of things. I can't really speak to the Boston/Seattle programs since they are so new, but you'll be hard pressed to find a better community than Boulder. Go to the valley to get rich, go to Boulder to get a life. :)

It's worth examining if a TechCrunch article is more likely to be indicative of success or failure. A lot of the products and services they write about can be somewhat braindead from a consumer or client perspective, but I'm sure that the hype and buzz as a result of being featured could lead a company further astray from solving any actual problems or filling any real needs.

That's a pretty big claim to be implying - that TS has less exits than YC and are second string. Do you have the numbers in front of you, or was it a guess? I've heard otherwise, so wonder where you get your information from.

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