Ask YC: submit an application a second time? | Hacker News Reader

Ask YC: submit an application a second time?

6 pointsTichy12 comments

My problem: no demo yet, co-founder shaky... I suppose I will try to get at least something visible up until 10/11, on the other hand, perhaps I should rather wait for the next round? Or would it be OK to submit the same startup idea again for the next round, only with much improved state/presentation?

Maybe it sounds stupid, because ideally, I should get the thing off the ground within 6 months anyway. This particular idea, however, is something I would probably only tackle together with YC. "Alone", I would most likely chose one of my other, smaller projects to focus on.

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I submitted an idea for Winter 06 that PG didn't like. I applied again for Summer 07 and was accepted. So I don't think you should be worried about applying twice, it shouldn't hurt your chances.

You applied again with the same idea he didn't like, or with a different one?

I wonder if my age (32), the fact that I am the sole creator(my friends are not geeks) and that is now in private alpha beta status(since 9/5/07 - much still needs to be done) will hurt my chances?

I am SO open to working with a coder/co-founder(I'm a web & graphic designer), as a main reason for establishing this startup was to get to work with like minded individuals; individuals in which I learn from.

Do you receive any notification if you are not chosen by Y Combinator?

yeah you'll receive email. hopefully this round we at least get to the interview stage... regardless I think based on past stats, you have a 5% chance of being accepted; decent odds =)

Just say it- you are looking for a cofounder to apply with for this round. Get rid of your shaky co-founders. If you can't convince them this is the one idea they should work on maybe you need to change your idea.

I wouldn't mind to find a cofounder here (please contact me - I am located in the south of Germany). The problem with my friends is that they are not living in a startup culture. Where I live, everybody has a well-paying job, and startupping isn't the norm. Basically, my friends somehow haven't read enough of Paul Graham's essays yet :-(

My best friend would probably come along as a co-founder, and he is a very good coder, whom I worked with on several projects before. But he works as a freelancer and just got an interesting offer for a new project. It might be a close chase...

Now about the idea: it is true that most of my friends didn't get overexcited when I told them about it. I think that is because it deals with a relatively new thing: build on demand hardware. It is only just starting off (Ponoko, eMachineShop, Apple and Dell online shops...), and people are simply not used to the idea. They think it is exotic and weird, but I think there is a fair chance that in relatively short time it will be really, really big.

Edit: I'll probably be at BarCamp Munchen tomorrow, in case any prospective co-founders want to talk...

"build on demand hardware" - it means build funny electronic devices(in Ponoko way)? Or it would be something serious HW stuff like PCB for custom device?

Do you mean building on demand hardware something like assembling pcs with 4 gb memory OR building fpgas (or asics) that solve your client's problems in hardware?

Hm, let's say I want to take a slightly different approach from Ponoko and the likes.

Maybe in a week I will talk more about it ;-) Anyway, definitely serious stuff, not just a niche market.

Update: for the record, I now consider applying with another idea instead, which I have already done more work on than the build on demand stuff. It is not as ambitious, but at least I might have something to show for.

I feel for you.

I lived in Germany for a little while a few years ago. It has a very conservative culture when it comes to career paths.

My (German) girlfriend was quite talented in the area of hospitality management, but found it very difficult to get a job in hotel management due to not having her degree in the field (she'd had great marks in her international business degree though). Self taught skills were regarded negatively compared to a degree in the field.

In Australia, I'd worked as a journalist for the largest magazine and newspaper publishers in the country, and was training RHCAs and RHCEs for Red Hat, despite having neither a journalism nor computer science degree.

My girlfriend's mother never really understood how I could either not have gone to university, or changed careers. I doubt they'd understand why anyone would leave a job for a startup with a high likelihood of failure either.

When I read your post, I was reminded of a similar article about Asian students, who despite high marks, often exist in a culture that pushes them away from the unknown.

There are, however, always exceptions. Best of luck.

If you can't convince them this is the one idea they should work on maybe you need to change your idea.

Not necessarily. You can have a great idea and still have shaky cofounders. It doesn't automatically mean your idea sucks, cofounders can have any number of outside concerns that may prevent them from throwing their full weight behind your project. Job, wife, SO, children, mortgage, bills, school, etc.

And even then, your partners may not realize what a big idea you're sitting on. I think Robert Morris had little faith in Viaweb from the beginning. I guess that's how he ended up getting his ear pierced.

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