Ask HN: What is the truth about VCs and SV?
I have put in the time and my product is near launch. Simultaneously I have worked to give my start-up the best chances of success I tried everything I could to network, make the SV connections, applied to SXSW Accelerator, LVFunding and YC,and I even succumbed to sending cold emails to VCs (despite most blogs saying VCs wont even respond to cold emails, I did get a nice form rejection from Sequoia). Of course all my efforts on the business side have been fruitless, failing to get into SXSW, YC or make any connections to the VCs much less secure funding.
The VCs, SV, SXSW, YC and all the other acronyms seem to have this impenetrable wall where you are either in or out. If you are in, then you don't even need an idea much less product and you are all but promised funding, start-up competitions, incubators, and all the media exposure and growth opportunities that naturally follow all as a result of a magical "introduction." However, if you are out, then no matter how good or original your actual product, you are still out and good luck succeeding without funding.
Realistically is there any point in going out to SV like everyone suggests? The general rational is SV is "where the connections, VCs and money are". But would it be different? I might be closer geographically, but I still will not know anyone or have any connections, and I do not think you can just walk up to Sequoia without an appointment and expect to get anywhere. So am I missing something? Is it worth it to take my start-up to SV, is so why? What would you do in my position to connect with VCs? Are you in a position to "introduce" me to a VC?