

Copying Y Combinator - Why and How - pchristensen
http://blog.jedchristiansen.com/2009/09/21/copying-y-combinator-why-and-how/

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jacquesm
Copying Y combinator is pointless.

For one to 'copy' it you need the people that make up Y combinator, and even
if you could you'd just be diluting the soup, not contributing to it

Don't copy, innovate!

Besides that, the world is a lot larger than just silicon valley, if you can
put together a team with 'star attractor' power for would-be founders then you
may have a possibility. But without HN (which really is just the top of the
feeder of the funnel leading to YC startups) you're going to have a hard time
to get the same exposure and mindset in the founders of the start-ups that
approach you.

And HN is also a pretty good way to measure the quality of the people
approaching you. You're going to have to find alternative solutions to those
problems too.

Without a quick 'triage' stage it is very hard to run a seed fund, by making
an end run around the process YC has a distinct advantage here. Basically the
HN ecosystem is what provides YC with both the start-ups and a quick way to
judge the ones that are probably run by level headed people.

edit: funny moderation on this reply, up/down/up/down come on moderators, if
you don't agree with it that's fine with me but do me a favour and point out
_why_ you don't agree with me.

I did read the article, I think it makes a good point but I really don't think
'copying' a concept that relies uniquely on a few key people is a winning
model. Even in principle.

Do your own thing, and do it better. So that way you don't need to think about
copying.

~~~
jedc
> Do your own thing, and do it better. So that way you don't need to think
> about copying.

This is the exact point I'm trying to make in the paper. Accelerator founders
need to look hard at themselves, be innovative, and create their own niche.
Trying to just copy YC will simply lead to a sub-standard clone.

~~~
trapper
The idea that anyone would setup a "clone" without wanting to be better is
kind of strange.

~~~
mseebach
No, that's pretty basic.

"It works there and is a success, if I copy it bit by bit I'll get success
without trying"

Also, it oftentimes works: studivz.de blatantly ripped off Facebook (to the
point where they didn't even change the name of the stylesheet files) for the
German market in 2006 and was hugely successful (for exactly the same reasons
Facebook was in the US). They were sold for EUR 100 mln to a publisher.

Eventually, obviously, you'll have to innovate your own way, if for no other
reason than that someone else copies you and does it.

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leelin
Maybe MBA candidates and "seed accelerator" founders aren't so different after
all!

Replace the top founder reasons below:

    
    
      Connections to future capital: 8.51
      Brand/Alumni connections: 7.83
      Business support: 7.42
      Product support: 7.13
      Pre-money valuation: 5.25
      Level of funding: 4.14
    

with the analogous reasons to go (or not go) to business school?

    
    
      Connections to finance/consulting interviews: 8.51
      Branding from prestigious degree / alum network: 7.83
      Learning and honing crucial soft skills: 7.42
      Technical Learning in the classroom: 7.13
      Opportunity cost: 5.25
      Level of tuition: 4.14
    

Disclaimer: I have never gone to bschool.

~~~
jedc
So I'm the OP and author of the paper. I figured I might get criticized for it
because it was for my MBA, and there are a ton of stereotypes around MBA's.
(Many for good reason, unfortunately.)

But I have my degree in aerospace engineering, have designed and built solar-
powered road cars, and used to operate a nuclear reactor. So don't think I
don't have my fair share of geek cred.

I understand the sarcasm, but would personally appreciate honest feedback on
the content.

Disclaimer: I _have_ gone to bschool.

~~~
immad
I don't think he was being sarcastic.

~~~
jedc
Perhaps not... I'm probably a little sensitive to MBA stereotypes.

~~~
jacquesm
As long as you wear your MBA badge front and center you will probably continue
to be so.

Hot tip: Your education level is a good indicator of what you are capable of,
but not the only indicator and probably not even the best indicator.

So, if instead of trying to 'leverage the title' and looking at yourself as an
'MBA', you'd change that into 'serious professional that is out to make a
difference' your sensitivity will melt away and you'll realize that those that
use their MBA as a means to differentiate themselves are exactly where the
problem lies.

I could say the same thing about my self, "I'm sensitive to people being
negative about high school dropouts", because I'm a high school drop-out.
Instead, I don't care. You can judge me by who I am, what I've done and how
well I've done it. Some of my buddies have PhDs, all kinds of fancy degrees, I
wouldn't trade with them for any money (or title) in the world.

Be good at what you do, be excellent if you can and if you're not try harder.
And don't let your MBA hold you back ;)

------
pclark
outcome: copying doesn't work, innovate and iterate and you'll be better.

that rule applies to pretty much everything in a startups life.

~~~
jedc
The only difference is that it takes much longer to iterate a program like
YC... on the order of months instead of weeks. It means that more thinking is
necessary before you start.

~~~
jacquesm
Compared to most other possible ventures an iteration time of months is
peanuts. Some industries have iteration times of decades!

