YC W13 Applicants
docs.google.com
docs.google.com
Definitely use a less douchey description in your actual YC app. Or at least name your company Devil's Deuce Interactive.
Protip, add a + to any bit.ly url to see stats:
Hi everyone -
Startups are hard. I hope you'll keep going in the face of adversity.
If so, Mixpanel is here to help. Forward a copy of your YC rejection email to free@mixpanel.com and we'll hook you up with our $150/month Startup plan, free forever.
Oh and a request? I sign up for the betas of a lot of these out of interest, to see if anything looks like it will take off. I am constantly getting notifications and updates, which is fine, but without mentioning what your service is - don't make me go to your website to remind myself what you do and find out if I want to stay subscribed: please just put a quick paragraph in your email footer.
Do you really want TechCrunch/etc looking through this list and writing your fundraising articles without your involvement?
It's not going to ruin anyone, but it's not optimal, and there's no reason to fill it out other than pride.
Because YC hires primarily based on team/commitment/skill/fortitude/enthusiasm and potential, I'm guessing that reviewing the demo is done after there is some belief that the first properties are present.
[edit: I checked your site - the first two questions that come to my mind are, "What is the potential for this growing into $10B enterprise" and "What is their unfair competitive advantage in building this interface system?
PS - with a bit of work, this would be the start of an awesome Kickstarter. Then you don't have to give any equity away, which, if you really believe in your prospects, should also be attractive)
Feel free (anyone else too) to contact me if interested in a demo. We're in Mountain View.
Whatever. I'll apply for the next cycle.
(A) Got 4/5 video views from YC/partners and even as late as November 11th.
(B) If there were no video hits at all.
Looking for some postmortem but shouldn't stop me from continuing my work.
It will help us know which axes to improve up on for the next time.
So for example, if we have had video hits and got rejected, does it mean the idea sounded good but they were not convinced with the team? Helps one learn...
Such clinical sincerity. I would have preferred a simple no, than something so transparently calculated.
I believe YC is an awesome opportunity and even I we'll be rejected the project will be launched.
Good luck everyone to get to the ready prototype and go on to the big things from it ;)
I have read every single email very carefully today.
From http://ycombinator.com/howtoapply.html :
One good trick for describing a project concisely is to explain it as a variant of something the audience already knows. It's like Wikipedia, but within an organization. It's like an answering service, but for email. It's eBay for jobs. This form of description is wonderfully efficient. Don't worry that it will make your idea seem "derivative." Some of the best ideas in history began by sticking together two existing ideas no one realized could be combined.
Would love to see more of the application videos (it might be embarrassing to put yourself out there, but I'm sure everyone here's a supportive bunch and just wants to learn).
Hang in there.
[edit] Looks like people are just having fun. Look at the "ShareBNB" (boxers and briefs one). Even if serious, that's a very limited audience and CL can take care of that audience already. I think many are just decoys.
Mobile based hacker-to-hacker platform used to infiltrate CIA database with content gathering and storing- market potential: Iran, N. Korea, China, Cuba, Russia...this will redefine the black market. All i need is a little startup cash
Edit for the prepositionally focused: It's so HNers and other applicants can check out some of the other companies that applied.
They just launched a successful campaign on Indiegogo and were on TC yesterday.
luck everyone!