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Comment by brentxphillips | Hacker News Reader

So how would YC classify passing over interviewing former United Nations staff working on reducing the turnaround time and effort it takes aid groups to raise funds to develop, launch and sustain operations responding to the worst humanitarian crises the world has seen in an era? Does this fit in the mistake category or the we’re just naively stupid and don’t have the time to bother spending 5 minutes hearing about your project category?

Aid groups are choking on sheltering and feeding millions of refugees streaming out of Syria and Iraq but who gives a fuck?

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That's the problem you're trying to solve. There are many possibilities for why that didn't result in a successful application. For instance:

1) your solution might not seem viable

2) your solution might seem viable but you don't seem like you can pull it off

3) your solution might be great and you might have a great team, but there were stronger teams in the round

I think your overreaction of being denied reflects precisely why you were denied.

YCombinator isn't the only way to start a business. Don't let bitterness cloud your goal.

As always with things like YC, it isn't black and white. Sometimes the rejection is not because they didn't like you or think the idea isn't important, but rather someone else was better in their opinion. And as the title of the post says, they understand their opinion can be wrong.

Your space is in international humanitarian aid. Politics drives what can and can't happen much more than any technological barriers. They might have thought that though your objectives are worthy, the solution is not to be found in software.

They've got much more interest than they can deal with, such that even very good teams can be passed over. Just try again next time, and try not to take it personally. And in the meantime, keep on working on it.

As an East Coast located start up there is the feel of being on the outside looking in. There seems to be obstacles to overcome...be it culturally and geographically. As a startup in an growth industry (UAV/UAS)that happens to focus more on the service delivery and hardware side, how do you overcome the software centric focus of YC?

There are other accelerators and investors. Y Combinator can pick and choose anything. Your startup sounds very important but also incredibly challenging for any investor to get involved with. People in Silicon Valley may be pretty afraid of that kind of goal.

I would also be angry if they wouldn't give me five minutes, but that's not how their process works (imagine how hard that would be to personally say no to hundreds or thousands of people).

I hope you will continue to pursue other avenues for funding.

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