
Snapchat Pitch Competition - jdkanani
http://justinkan.com/snapchat-pitch-competition
======
educar
This is silly. Sad to see that startups are being thought as some sort of
game/entertainment. Nobody who is serious about building a company needs to
actually go through all this.

I cannot imagine YC's own employees will go through this process should they
start a company of their own. I thought the previous experiment was borderline
amusement but this has totally crossed the line.

Has YC somehow convinced itself that it's all a lottery and there is no point
trying to evaluate start ups using normal methods?

~~~
sheehantoufiq
Snapchat got social vlogging right.

The amount of friction a user goes through to start documenting their life is
extremely low, and since the stories get deleted there's no real commitment to
be an active vlogger. It's easy to see why Justin is so active on it.

It's a powerful platform that an entire generation uses, and it seems like the
applicants will still go through formal interviews. So it's simply a way to
bring attention to YC.

Would a YouTube video pitch 10 years ago be silly?

Would applying over email in 1995 be silly?

Maybe back then, but think about how applying to incubators is done now.

Maybe Snapchat will never reach the level of popularity of either of those,
but it never hurts to experiment, because it's experimentation that turned YC
into one of the top incubators.

~~~
educar
First you use a powerful phrase like 'documenting their life' and then you say
'stories get deleted'.

Snapcat is about entertainment and connection and not about documenting your
life. Let's call it as what it is.

~~~
bennesvig
It's about capturing/documenting the moment.

------
ewbokisBos0
If there was one thing that I wish I had had drilled into me in college it
would be regular expressions. If I could have had two things drilled into me
I'd choose regexes and importance of likability.

I've watched a lot of very talented people languish just because they weren't
"likable" enough. Not because they were bad people, but because they weren't
interested in blogging, networking at meet ups, getting thousands of Twitter
followers, or in making an email any less terse than it absolutely needed to
be.

I've also seen people with terrible ideas or lackluster execution get massive
amounts support because they approached likability as a skill and mastered it.

I couldn't imagine doing this at the YCF stage.

Effectively pitching over SnapChat requires a type of media training that most
early stage founders won't have. It's hard to pitch in person, even harder to
pitch when you're using a medium you've only used to send dumb stuff to your
friends. I know I'm much better in person than I am on video so I don't even
bother trying to raise money from firms that require a video upfront.

Likability and presentation are massively important, but I'd rather spend my
early days building a product that works well than anxiously grasping at
likability on SnapChat. There are so many great writers and media people out
there, build something great, then bring them in to help you sell it.

------
birken
Guys, this isn't about finding a new funnel for YC to attract new companies,
this is about entertainment. Look at the success of the startup podcast [1],
which is very high on the itunes charts and not coincidentally just featured a
very entertaining story about the early years of Justin.tv. People not
involved in startups are very interested in how the whole startup scene works,
and this is just another way to give them a glimpse into it.

Is this a good thing to do if you are a startup? Probably not. Any time you
are spending preparing or participating in this event is time you aren't
spending actually making your company better, not to mention how large a
distraction it would be.

1:
[https://gimletmedia.com/show/startup/](https://gimletmedia.com/show/startup/)

------
minimaxir
Apply HN, which was also an experiment from YC, just finished. The results
were _highly_ contested due to ambiguous rules and vote brigading.

This experiment is doing the _same thing_ , with a preselection process and
communication medium with _zero transparency_. And the end result is a
_chance_ at an interview instead of guaranteed admission!

This seems like an experiment that is quirky for the sake of being quirky.
That is never good. (I had to research "Snapfam" since I've never heard of the
term: the only influential account that uses the term is Justin).

~~~
dyarosla
I wholeheartedly agree. It almost sounds like a pitch for a reality TV show.
Honestly, I think it reflects poorly on YC's brand image to run experiments
that seem to add nothing to the typical startup vetting process; this one more
so than the last.

~~~
pj_mukh
I don't understand. The very nature of experimentation is to figure out
whether it adds anything to the process. It's impossible to sit and gestate
about all the possible ramifications.

I'm not a snapchatter (snapper?), but hey, crazier things have worked
swimmingly. Go Justin!

------
JohnLamb
To those calling this "JUVENILE":

Is it widely considered mature to leave a fortune 500 to start up a company
with some friends??? Perhaps some of you have forgotten what this field is all
about. Off the beaten path. I hate that the start up community is now being
diluted by these gold rush khaki wearing know it alls that I knew back in the
acct department...

Lastly, and this goes for anyone or anything you're being critical of. Please
state your accomplishments/accolades prior to your negative spiels so as to
save us time.

~~~
kough
> Lastly, and this goes for anyone or anything you're being critical of.
> Please state your accomplishments/accolades prior to your negative spiels so
> as to save us time.

You think it's better to judge ideas by the mouths from which they come than
their actual content? This seems like the wrong attitude.

------
argonaut
Let me go against the grain here and say: there's nothing wrong with this
idea! Sounds like a fun way for several startups to get visibility (more power
to them), Justin to broaden YC's visibility, and to encourage a few startups
to be visually creative in a way that they wouldn't be able to on a normal
application. YC doesn't have a quota for its current programs, so it's not
zero-sum.

There are tons of mature adults that use Snapchat for normal communication
with friends.

And the "lack of transparency" criticism is just looking for anything to
criticize YC for. _If anything, there 's more transparency than the normal YC
process_ because the runners-up are publicly known and exposed to community
comments.

------
aresant
I understand the negative sentiment around these experiments from YC at some
level.

But YC lives & dies by the quality of their "funnel", so to speak.

If they miss the next Airbnb because they overlook them or don't have a broad
enough funnel in the first place that will cripple YC's ability to grow.

These experiments are part of YC's inevitable scaling challenges that are
analog to any successful startup -> your platform is tested & proven, your
current growth engine is reliable but you want to keep going faster.

So what do you do?

Find new marketing channels, experiment with new products (line extension),
test new "funnels" to drive through a higher ratio of succesful outcomes.

Good on yah YC for eating the dogfood you're selling :)

(1) [http://paulgraham.com/airbnb.html](http://paulgraham.com/airbnb.html)

------
andymoe
Have the naysayers actually watched Justin on Snapchat? There is quality
content and everyone could learn a thing or two from him about marketing and
consistent content creation. This is basically how JTV got traction and press.
Also, regular YC apps require a video anyway so this fits well with the model
they are used to.

Edit: Down votes have answered my question :O

~~~
StephenCanis
You can even learn how to get other people to create free content for your
channel!

I don't disagree that Juatin knows how to market and create quality content.
What I don't understand is why someone who wants to start a successful company
would spend their time doing this. Why not spend time building the company?

The snaps also get posted online after the contest - doesn't that defeat the
purpose of Snapchat?! It's not a good medium for this.

~~~
wj
My understanding is that finding any sort of funding and mentoring requires
some time commitment. This is no different.

------
alttab
The winner is the startup who can build a stable version of Snapchat that
doesn't freeze, crash, or drain your phone on a regular basis.

------
Kela
I am just going to be pretty blunt.

\- For those who say that good founders should spend their time working on
their startup and nothing gimmicky like this; If you get to appear on this
snapchat and it takes your 6 hours to prepare for it (way too long in my
opinion). Justin has over 7500 views per snap, that's 7500 people that learn
about your startup and a couple thousand that may be directed to you website,
it's them up to the credibility of your website/app to convert them to
signups. What else would you do to gain an audience of 7500 ardent tech fans
in those 6hrs? My project was once featured on his channels months ago and we
got hundreds of new users because of that.

\- someone mentioned shitty ideas getting attention because of likable
founders and good ideas not getting attention because of unlikebale founders.
I'd say it's in the best interest to have a good idea and be likable, startups
are a very competitive market, you should look for every edge you can have
over the next guy. Not fair buts that's the way it is.

\- YCF provides lots of value for very early startups, it's only fair that
they get some value back immediately considering it's a risky bet and their
stake only converts at a $100 million event. If the value is entertainment
that gets them more exposure (good for sourcing deals), I'd say it's a fair
trade off.

\- For those who say it's a waste of time, I think that's pretty pessimistic.
Any oppurtunity to get funded by a reputable entity is never a waste of time.
You are a startup, you are unconventional. The odds are not in your favor, if
you have to shine shoes to get the attention of what/who you want, I say do
it. Lots of successful people have done so. It's the type of "I am too good to
do this" hubris that makes some people frown on SV culture being cultivated in
some founders

I can go on, but I'd rather work on my startup or get some rest, that way I
can free up time to apply. Good luck!

------
scotchio
No idea how this will go. But I used to watch his Snap stories. They're a
pretty good balance of insight and various personal things he does. Overall, I
kind of just enjoyed how positive and motivated he seemed to be. Seems like a
genuinely good dude.

If you didn't read the post, you can follow him [here](1). I definitely
recommend checking it out at least. Nice to see the optimism when you're doing
your batshit crazy start-up thing and need a bit of healthy validation.

[1]:
[https://www.snapchat.com/add/justinkan](https://www.snapchat.com/add/justinkan)

------
hmerzin
I'm going to start off by saying that I'm only 16 so in no world am I an
expert on what I'm saying... I feel that what Justin is doing is a brilliant
way to make receiving funding more approachable to small startups without them
having to get up on stage in front of a couple hundred people or sit in a dull
boardroom. If you think about it, putting someone on a stage at tech crunch
disrupt isn't too different from what Justin is doing. TCD is just more nerve-
racking. Does everyone suddenly hate that now? Speaking from first hand
account, being a small start-up with a super young person in charge (I refer
you to where I mentioned where I'm 16) it's pretty hard to be taken seriously
and approach VCs. This makes the process a little more relaxed an a little
less stressful for people like me. Also who's to say you can't have fun in
some parts of your job? Tech is already total lala land anyway... What other
industry has ping pong meetings and free Starbucks all the time? I really see
no downside to this venture except for it being "unconventional" which we in
the startup wornow all know to be pre-greatness. (I kinda loosely stole that
pre-greatness part from silicon valley). Thanks for hearing me out. -harry

------
bennesvig
It's a fun idea. I'm looking forward to watching the pitches. Even the
startups that don't win will get free publicity. I've downloaded apps because
of Justin's ProductHunt reviews. I give it 5/5 Klausses.

------
justin
Responded to these comments on my Snap Story! :)

@justinkan

~~~
doctorcroc
The dog filter was a nice touch

P.S. followed you on snapchat because of this thread. Your stories are
endearing, and agree with you getting the message out through whatever medium.
HN and snapchat may be orthogonal though

------
Disruptive_Dave
As an ardent snapchat user, I can tell you that there's this upcoming swell
from the VC world to be "cool" on the app, mostly driven by Justin and Mark
Suster. FWIW, I think we all need a little more entertainment in our daily
lives ("why so serious?"), though this probably isn't the best expression of
that. Then again, aren't we supposed to "disrupt" and "innovate" and "do shit
that scares you" and all that jazz?

------
6stringmerc
I thought ApplyHN was an interesting experiment. Had some issues, of course,
but at least fundamentally sound. Lessons could be learned, and if tried
again, the process will likely improve.

When I read through this summary of the concept, I was struggling to think of
a word to describe my generally negative impression, and I think I finally
found it: Juvenile. This souds so very, very juvenile. Good luck to whomever
wants to go this route. Pass.

------
kkhire
it's hilarious to me how many people are upset with YC experimenting with
snapchat. what are pitches about? explaining your startup/idea in a easy to
understand manner.

What do snaps do? force content to be valuable in a constrained amount of
time, making it a great way to practice your elevator pitch. if it's not
interesting, next snap.

Will justin and co solely base their decision on the snap story? of course
not. it's just a fun way to try something new.

------
gadders
Seriously? Does the VC world need such pointless gimmicks? Or is it a way to
drive up SnapChat followers?

------
taytus
I always try to control myself about posting negative comments, but man... I'm
getting tired of this glamorization about entrepreneurship, and sadly YC is
having more and more responsibility on this.

------
taytus
You are a much nicer person than me. Under my eyes, this is just plain stupid.

~~~
dang
This comment adds no information, and breaks the HN guidelines by calling
names. Please post civilly and substantively, or not at all.

[https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html](https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html)

[https://news.ycombinator.com/newswelcome.html](https://news.ycombinator.com/newswelcome.html)

We detached it from
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11678617](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11678617)
and marked it off-topic.

~~~
taytus
I wasn't calling him names, I was calling the Snapchat Pitch Competition
stupid. He called the same thing Juvenile, how is that adding information.
Again, read my comment.

------
alttab
"Let's use a frat-boy's penis-pic sharing app to fund the next Silicon Valley
Unicorn!"

</bubble>

~~~
BinaryIdiot
While I agree with you to be funny the truth is Snapchat is the new, hip way
many youngsters are communicating. Many celebrities and personalities are
gaining huge followings on it and even generating revenue based on their
audience.

Look at Gary Vee or really half the VCs / angels in silicon valley. They're
all on it. It's huge!

~~~
sotojuan
The "Snapchat is for nudes!!!" joke is really an outsider thing. It really
isn't used for those kinds of pics much more than text or even Facebook.
Either way people will screenshot so it's the same as those two.

~~~
alttab
An "outsider" thing? I've used it quite extensively and understand its nuanced
differences from other offerings. That said, its a fancy messenger app that is
a huge battery hog, and crashes and lags constantly. It's not really deviating
from the image that it's built by frat-boys.

One thing I do admire about it is that it deletes the content. This allows me
to be more "free" and take shitty pictures of myself just to utilize the fun
parts (videos, stories, object tracking / emojis, and lenses).

But in the end, I find myself wanting to create content I'd want to share with
my Facebook network. Sure, it's ephemeral nature allows me to communicate
freely with closer friends than on Facebook, and in a more immediate sense,
but I don't see how this is any different than any other messaging app with
fancy "message format" features.

Except it deletes content. It feeds into the insecurities of today's youth,
and shelters them from consequences of their own actions. Of course it would
spread like wild fire. It's the safe space that college students thought
Facebook was before people realized everything stuck around forever.

So outside of the funny lenses and stories, the main attraction is deleting
content. So either your insecure, or you're sending dick pics.

I expect to be outspoken about this, but its simply my take. If you disagree,
you can respect my opinion by not down voting me for it.

~~~
BinaryIdiot
Honestly I agree with most of your opinion. I do disagree however with this
portion:

> So either your insecure, or you're sending dick pics.

While deleting is a big draw I think you're presenting a false choice.
Deleting content creates scarcity and a more live experience. Granted it's
artificial and to me it's frustrating because I like to keep all content I
create, even if it sucks.

I think that coupled with the lack of discoverablity creates more intiment
experiences and people are eating it up regardless of the app problems.

