

Ask YC: Publish the bubble list? - hotpockets

I was hoping YC might be interested in an experiment.  The idea being to publish a list of runner-ups to YC, and have them be adopted by HN.  A primary goal being to increase the number companies which have some form of “YC approval”.  Since picking winners out of a stack of excellent applications is such an imperfect process, these companies that just miss the final cut are probably just as good as the ones who make the final cut.  By publishing a bubble list (the top 10 or 20 companies that just missed the cut), these companies gain the YC seal-of-approval, and a level of recognition.  I’d like to propose that they then become adopted by HN, where they can lean on the HN community for strategic advice, constructive feedback, and  networking---many of the things YC provides.  This could foster some friendly competition with YC, where the HN crowd supported companies and the YC supported companies race to the finish.<p>Obviously, there would need to be some form of permission granting process so that the bubble list companies agree to take part.<p>Some of the benefits I see: 
1. Good will towards entrepreneurs; you double the number of “winners“.  Less rejection letters.
2., Winnowing that last pile of 40 applications to 20 becomes easier, perhaps enjoyable.  Its not “which great team do we have to reject” but “which great team will go to the bubble list”.
3. Friendly competition.  HN vs. YC.
4. Fun (At least for me :), hopefully for others)
5. Learn about “crowd wisdom” as applied to biz-dev. (Nothing like a good experiment)
6.  Motivation and support for the entrepreneurs involved means more completed companies.
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DotSauce
Was waiting to receive word from Y Combinator before commenting here! Just
received the email, was not accepted. I run a web based magazine,
DotSauce.com, an authority site in the domain name industry. Additionally
DotSauce reaches out to front-end developers, WordPress enthusiasts and the
online marketing crowd.

My hope in applying was really to be involved in the experience of Y
Combinator. The funding would have been well received bonus and used to propel
DotSauce to the next level, along the lines of SmashingMagazine.

I'm going to pursue private funding from contacts in the industry now that
I've been inspired to do so!

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unalone
If you have to _self_ -describe yourself as an authority, that's a bad sign.
So is self-advertisement on a forum of people who all have a product to shill
but have learned when's good and bad to speak up.

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DotSauce
I was simply providing insight into the status of my established site. I also
happen to be the direct subject of the topic, so why not speak up?

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unalone
Because it suggests to me a lack of strategy. You're not pitching your product
to us. From what I've seen of your site it's not something that would appeal
to most of us. So it's a tad misguided to be making your sales pitch here
rather than in a forum where you're more needed.

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DotSauce
My apologies. It was not my intention to make a sales pitch.

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unalone
It's all cool. :-)

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ashishk
This would be interesting, but I'm not sure if I would be comfortable
discussing private business matters in a public forum.

That said, for issues I am comfortable discussing in public, I would just post
them here (which I often do).

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hotpockets
The benefit (if you were in the bubble list) being that your startup would
have more recognition when posting.

