Welcome, Ali | Hacker News Reader

Welcome, Ali

blog.ycombinator.com

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> Though we've traditionally focused on helping very early-stage companies, our successful companies have asked for help on topics like scaling operations, managing hypergrowth, building out management teams, etc.

This makes a lot of sense given the blog post a few days ago from `sama [0] — the evolution of YC from incubator to "meta-company" or network facilitator could only be helped by having more late-stage expertise on hand, so nodes don't drop out of the network.

[0] http://blog.samaltman.com/why-silicon-valley-works

This takes the concept of a "value added" investor to a whole new level! There's a reason so many start-ups, even those that don't need the investment want into YC.

Sounds like they're copying Rocket. Delicious irony. Nom nom nom.

I don't know anything about Rocket, but I think the reason that it might actually work in YC's case is the size and success of its alumni network.

Makes a lot of sense. YC is evolving into what I'd call, for lack of a pithier phrase, a company-development firm. It's no longer just about kickstarting your company; it's about ensuring your company's ongoing success.

A more hands-on, operational focus helps YC's portfolio companies. It also protects YC's investments when they reach their adolescent stages, where a lot of startups can ordinarily run into trouble.

Is there a similar trend in other incubators of adjusting to help ensure long(er)-term success of companies or is YC really the first to do this?

Other incubators/accelerators have focused on companies at different stages, but none that I know of are expanding, as YC is doing, from beginning to middle (to end?). This makes sense from YCs perspective because anything with network effects increases with more people/cos. Additionally to borrow a phrase from a16z, YC is becoming a full-stack or bundled company: Go to YC to get your start, your growth, and perhaps in the future, your IPO, who knows.

There's definitely a trend, at least among newer VC firms, towards full-service support. Operational guidance, marketing, knowledge bases, best practices, etc. These firms are attempting to differentiate themselves by offering value-added services, and not just capital.

I wouldn't necessarily put YC in the same bucket, given that it's been successful on its own terms for years now. This move feels more like an "vertical" expansion through the lifecycle of existing investments, and less like a "horizontal" expansion into whole new services and models.

Business Development Companies are actually a thing [0]. They're consulting firms that take equity. So... yeah. You're pretty much right on.

That said, YC is a fantastic way for a young company to identify what's really important and to be reminded weekly (if not daily) to ignore everything else.

P.S. Good luck to all those interviewing for the upcoming batch.

[0] http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_Development_Company

Sounds like easy money to me. Vague elastic definitions of success are what consultancy is all about.

:D My name is also Ali, I opened the page and saw it says: "Welcome, Ali" I thought huh, they must have added a new feature that greets you or something!

I had the same reaction. at the time it was a top post and I had a double take.

My reaction: I thought I had just gotten into YC!

Congratulations man.

Edit: For gods sake, that was a joke.

It's always nice to see another Iranian around here. For example, only an Iranian would understand what I mean when I say "I'm not an Ali, but I like Ali's"

This is one step towards Altman's YC, which has only been pushing the envelope further and further on what an incubator is. Interested too see how this pans out :)

I don't always follow what is going on with YC that closely, what are some other ways that he has been pushing the envelope?

* teaching a Stanford class / MOOC on startups

* taking more "hard science" companies in YC (fusion, biotech, etc)

* taking later stage companies (Quora, others?)

* getting aggressive about scaling YC #s

I'm sure I'm missing some as well

Also, a push for more international teams. E.g. Startup School and office hours in Europe.

Exciting times for YC and Alumni. I've always been much more excited in businesses "After the Startup Curve", although "scaling operations [and] managing hypergrowth" is an incredible specialty when compared to just moving the needle from the first million to the first fifty million.

I think it's a macro. A company that builds companies.

Read "Welcome, All" and thought "finally YC is opening up" :P

Look guys, Ali was born and brought up in Iran. Good job Ali jan, keep going.

I wonder if Ali found a next Twitter from the YC batch, does he allow to jump into that opportunity?

Does YC publish a diversity report card of their partners?

You can calculate it yourself: https://www.ycombinator.com/people/

Amazing reading that how we consider these people a success because they sold their companies but for many of them almost everything they built has been decommissioned. Would we still revere Brunell if his bridges were taken down after 3 years?

Success isn't the same as reverence. Making money makes you a success, becoming revered requires building something that lasts.

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