
Welcome, Ali - sama
http://blog.ycombinator.com/welcome-ali
======
Cyranix
> Though we've traditionally focused on helping very early-stage companies,
> our successful companies have asked for help on topics like scaling
> operations, managing hypergrowth, building out management teams, etc.

This makes a lot of sense given the blog post a few days ago from `sama [0] —
the evolution of YC from incubator to "meta-company" or network facilitator
could only be helped by having more late-stage expertise on hand, so nodes
don't drop out of the network.

[0] [http://blog.samaltman.com/why-silicon-valley-
works](http://blog.samaltman.com/why-silicon-valley-works)

~~~
illumen
Sounds like they're copying Rocket. Delicious irony. Nom nom nom.

~~~
ericd
I don't know anything about Rocket, but I think the reason that it might
actually work in YC's case is the size and success of its alumni network.

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jonnathanson
Makes a lot of sense. YC is evolving into what I'd call, for lack of a pithier
phrase, a company-development firm. It's no longer just about kickstarting
your company; it's about ensuring your company's ongoing success.

A more hands-on, operational focus helps YC's portfolio companies. It also
protects YC's investments when they reach their adolescent stages, where a lot
of startups can ordinarily run into trouble.

~~~
jbranchaud
Is there a similar trend in other incubators of adjusting to help ensure
long(er)-term success of companies or is YC really the first to do this?

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bdcs
Other incubators/accelerators have focused on companies at different stages,
but none that I know of are expanding, as YC is doing, from beginning to
middle (to end?). This makes sense from YCs perspective because anything with
network effects increases with more people/cos. Additionally to borrow a
phrase from a16z, YC is becoming a full-stack or bundled company: Go to YC to
get your start, your growth, and perhaps in the future, your IPO, who knows.

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alimoeeny
:D My name is also Ali, I opened the page and saw it says: "Welcome, Ali" I
thought huh, they must have added a new feature that greets you or something!

~~~
kapitalx
I had the same reaction. at the time it was a top post and I had a double
take.

~~~
mi3law
My reaction: I thought I had just gotten into YC!

~~~
solistice
Congratulations man.

Edit: For gods sake, that was a joke.

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baldajan
This is one step towards Altman's YC, which has only been pushing the envelope
further and further on what an incubator is. Interested too see how this pans
out :)

~~~
jbranchaud
I don't always follow what is going on with YC that closely, what are some
other ways that he has been pushing the envelope?

~~~
2arrs2ells
* teaching a Stanford class / MOOC on startups

* taking more "hard science" companies in YC (fusion, biotech, etc)

* taking later stage companies (Quora, others?)

* getting aggressive about scaling YC #s

I'm sure I'm missing some as well

~~~
yurylifshits
Also, a push for more international teams. E.g. Startup School and office
hours in Europe.

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JacobAldridge
Exciting times for YC and Alumni. I've always been much more excited in
businesses "After the Startup Curve", although "scaling operations [and]
managing hypergrowth" is an incredible specialty when compared to just moving
the needle from the first million to the first fifty million.

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peterjs
I think it's a macro. A company that builds companies.

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swah
Read "Welcome, All" and thought "finally YC is opening up" :P

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afshinmeh
Look guys, Ali was born and brought up in Iran. Good job Ali jan, keep going.

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tkinom
I wonder if Ali found a next Twitter from the YC batch, does he allow to jump
into that opportunity?

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bla2
Does YC publish a diversity report card of their partners?

~~~
2arrs2ells
You can calculate it yourself:
[https://www.ycombinator.com/people/](https://www.ycombinator.com/people/)

~~~
easytiger
Amazing reading that how we consider these people a success because they sold
their companies but for many of them almost everything they built has been
decommissioned. Would we still revere Brunell if his bridges were taken down
after 3 years?

~~~
Perdition
Success isn't the same as reverence. Making money makes you a success,
becoming revered requires building something that lasts.

