
Applications open for winter 2009 YC funding - pg
http://ycombinator.com/w2009.html
======
maxklein
For all those applying, I have some advice: I live well. I live very well, and
all I do is sell software online. I got rich the moment I stopped chasing the
startup dream.

I used to think that I could become a millionare by having one big software
hit that would get bought by Microsoft and I'd never have to work on it again.

After a series of disappointments, I decided to stop chasing this dream, and
instead just sell software online. Now I work very little, and I work on
things I enjoy doing, and I earn way more money monthly than I can spend.

I'm pointing out that you don't need to create a calender widget or some time
monitoring software to become rich. You can also just make a normal product
that people want (for example Tax entry software), and sell it for a price
that people are willing to pay ($300), and you'll make good money.

Play the lottery, but don't give up your entire life in the hope of a better
life.

~~~
fleaflicker
If you don't have a family to support, my advice is to ignore the above
advice.

~~~
semigeek
I really do hate that type of statement - why do people feel they can't have a
family in order to make it in the startup world? I'm married, have a mortgage,
have car payments, pets, etc. My income is the sole income of our household at
the moment and my wife is excited every time I start a new project, regardless
of the risk.

If we lost our house, cars, etc on a gamble and had to rebuild, we'd still be
alive and do what we have to do to rebuild. BFD.

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colinplamondon
To anyone on the fence about applying, I suggest going for it- after
interviewing with the folks at Y Combinator I walked way incredibly impressed
with each and every one of them, from the intellect brought to the
conversation to their flexibility with the odd circumstances we brought to the
interview.

All of the YC founders I've met speak highly of their experience and wouldn't
trade it for the world- with every founder I've met and asked if they found it
was worthwhile, the answer was an unequivocal yes. Give it a go and see what
happens, the worst that can happen is you're no worse off than you are today.

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staticshock
I'd like to apply, but i don't want to apply as a sole founder. Is anyone else
in the same position? Shoot me a message, maybe we can work something out.

~~~
ambition
Similar position, but here's the thing:

    
    
        How long have the founders known one another and how did you meet? Have any of the founders not met in person?
    

I think "cofounder" is in the same zone as "wife" in terms of trust required.

Would someone with experience in the area comment on the merits of "marriages
of convenience" in the cofounding of startups?

When I asked jl at startupschool where most people met their cofounders, she
said friends at school.

~~~
SwellJoe
_I think "cofounder" is in the same zone as "wife" in terms of trust
required._

Now would be the time to start building the relationship for the next funding
cycle. It'll give you time to try out working together and build a prototype
to show off. Maybe you'll click immediately, and maybe you'll have a kickass
weekend of coding together (remotely together is fine, too...Open Source
projects often exist for years with the developers never meeting in person--my
co-founder and I had worked together for about five years before meeting) and
produce some sort of prototype. Sometimes things Just Work.

 _Would someone with experience in the area comment on the merits of
"marriages of convenience" in the cofounding of startups?_

It's happened, but nobody is going to recommend you start a business with a
total stranger. But, if the choice is "start working with a stranger today to
find out if we click as a team, or wait indefinitely until I know someone well
enough to start a company with them" the answer is, obviously, try working
together. If it works, great! If it doesn't, you're out a couple of months,
and you've found out that this person isn't right for you. Make sure you
establish some ground rules when code begins showing up, so you can divide or
give up on the spoils and move on without animosity, but otherwise, digging in
and working is the only way to know if you'll work well with someone.

You'll never know until you try, and if you can build a working demo and get
along great, having a "wrong" answer to that one question will not prevent you
from getting into YC.

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seiji
"Do any founders have other commitments between June and August 2008
inclusive?" -- probably not relevant to the January to March 2009 cycle.

Also, it's nice to see the weed-out question added: "Are any of the following
true?"

~~~
pg
Thanks, fixed.

(We added that question last cycle. There are no changes to the questions this
time.)

~~~
mrtron
One or more founders will keep their current jobs during the summer.

Shouldn't that be winter?

~~~
pg
Argh, fixed, thanks.

~~~
mrtron
The Apply button on the footer still goes to S2008 too :)

~~~
pg
Repl that.

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samosman
Hey

PG, we've built a product similar to a product you have already funded. Whats
your policy on issuing funding to a similar services, albeit marginally.

~~~
ivankirigin
I was meeting with some guys that funded both XM and Sirius. Others were
confused why they invested in both, in a space with only two real players.
Their logic was clear: we will be invested in the winner. It paid off greatly.

~~~
joeter
a hedge?

~~~
eru
Sort of. But more like an index-fund for the whole - but very small - market.

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Alex3917
I've never liked that the product description comes before the pain statement.
If the product description makes the pain statement obvious then it isn't
needed at all, but if not then it seems like the problem with the status quo
should come first to put the product into context.

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rokhayakebe
If possible, maybe YC could do a third session per year with a smaller batch.

~~~
vlad
And a fourth, during the fourth of july weekend. :)

~~~
rokhayakebe
:) YC is an idea that is hard to scale.

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chris_l
That seems really early... is it normally around this time?

~~~
pg
People were sending us a lot of emails asking about applying. The deadline's
still around the same time.

