Could the YCombinator idea submissions be shared with potential competitors?

[jagjit]

I personally do not feel ideas belong to anybody. They are more of a starting point to build products.

But just wondering if there is a possibility of the ideas that people apply with being shared with other ycombinator startups working in the same fields.

[raghus]

There's no formal pledge of secrecy but you have their word that they won't share your app with anyone outside of YC - and that includes other YC startups. It says so on the first para of the app.

[cperciva → raghus]

You should take that with a grain of salt. Sure, the YC crew will try to not share your ideas -- but they're humans, and after reading five hundred applications, I'm sure there are ideas which stick in their skulls but which they don't remember came from a YC application.

In the end, the same rules apply to YC as apply everywhere else: If you have something which absolutely MUST remain secret, don't tell anyone.

[raghus → cperciva]

True - but that's enough for most people. It is for me.

[yawl]

It is answered in the FAQ: http://ycombinator.com/faq.html 'Will you sign an NDA? How do I know you won't steal my idea?'