

Ask HN: Can incubators like Y Combinator identify the next Steve Jobs? - diminium

Places like YCombinator are very good at identifying the multimillion dollar startups.  That's no problem.<p>Let's take this to the next level.<p>If the next Steve Jobs walks in the door of YCombinator or similar incubator tomorrow, could they identify they were looking at someone so different and unique that they are the next Steve Jobs?  Or would they call security to escort this strange guy out?
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coryl
I'd guess that its unlikely anyone can pick out the next Steve Jobs. I don't
think even Steve Jobs could have predicted how successful he would have been.
There's just no consistent or solid enough data that can help in predicting
how successful a person can be.

When you judge someone, the best indicator that they can be successful is that
they have past successes. Hence the criteria that all VCs, employers, and YC
look at is skewed towards previous achievements. Ie. university, previous
companies, current traction, etc. I doubt even a young Steve Jobs could have
shit talked his way into a YC meeting without a prototype and traction.

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27182818284
I don't think there can even be another Jobs just like there can't be another
Rockefeller. The best is that there is someone Jobs-like in the future. Even
if there was a Jobs, I don't think he'd choose Y Combinator, he'd probably
find a good cofounder (the Woz) and they'd do it on their own for as long as
possible.

Assuming there is another Jobs, he doesn't walk in the door he applies and
gets his interview with Woz. I think they'd be funded, yes. I don't know that
the YC panel would recognize them as being any bigger than any other good
looking team of founders, though.

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benologist
I don't think they can. If you look at the giant successes so far they're a
collection of companies our grandchildren will probably never hear about
because they'll be long gone.

I think it's far more likely the NSJ will come from a country where nobody
cares about incubators and startup buzzwords. China, Africa, Brazil or
India... they have the immense populations and they're hungry.

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MojoJolo
I don't like comparing to famous people. Like in basketball, the next Michael
Jordan, or the next Kobe Bryant. Maybe the qualities maybe the same, but he is
unique in some way.

And to the topic, I think no one can determine it but yourself.

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xackpot
I guess there is no success without failures. So if the next Steve Jobs walks
in he/she must have had great many failures under the belt. One can't expect
people to be greatly successful just by the way they walk/talk.

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loceng
It takes time to prove yourself, and any idea, and the value of you and your
idea. I don't think this can be done in a short period.

