Mine is to launch by the end of next week after four months of work.
Also, don't forget that the Google Android deadline is this coming monday! =)
So the plan still is make something people want and ship!
How hard can it be?
If you're already there then you're pretty well off and with some networking your chances are good. The Boston groups move to SV afterward anyway because the investors there move quicker and are less risk-averse.
Where do these startupshingdigs happen, should I be reading Valleywag more?
Right now I'm bootstrapped, but I have friends in the area who work with VC/Angels when the time is ready. Needing advice more than money right now.
Huzzah, nothing like a couple of my guy friends doing it alongside me to get me moving.
I seem to have a competitive streak...
You just find the trail as you go.
I think that's the right way to think about it. So far everyone here has a great attitude, that's great. But, how many folks needed YC for the money? will not having financial backing stop anyone from moving forward?
2) Present to VCs.
3) ???
4) Exit.
Just kidding about the "???" part, by the way. We have at least two of those question marks figured out.
For us in particular, that does mean looking for opportunities to interest venture capital funds. As our time-to-market(s) decreases, our profit-potential increases correspondingly.
One of the main things we're going to do is get early reactions from potential customers. Letting them know what we're trying to build, and what it would offer them, should be a great way to get good guidance, and possibly even some proof of value we can take to investors.
Other than that, we're building, iterating, and talking. #startups on irc.freenode.net is a great place to find smart people with similar interests, in YC and out. Hope to see you there!
My co-founder and I are moving forward regardless, since our only real expense is server fees and advertising costs. We've also joined both LinkedIn and Doostang and I've begun trying to tap all of my friends who are either smart, connected, or entrepreneurial to get together over lunch and discuss things. As a younger founder, it's great to still have the parents to fall back on for expenses. :$
To me, the overwhelming benefit of getting into YCombinator would have been the interaction among other founders and advisors. It is less about the money and publicity as it is the access to experience and ideas. I do believe, though, that the community on news.ycomb serves this same role in a less direct way.