

Ask HN: Most successful startup that applied but never got into YC? - pshin45


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Sakes
This might need to be an Ask PG. I wonder if there is a startup that he
recalls passing on that influenced the way (minorly or majorly) he evaluates
startups.

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aegiso
Recalling PG's previous answers to this question: there are several instances
of successes that YC didn't accept, but it's not PG's place to disclose who
did and didn't apply.

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ig1
It's too early to say (remember it typically takes 7-8 years to reach a major
exit event). But SendGrid and LightSail Energy are probably the two that have
raised the most money and are public about being rejected from YC.

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kevando
Ask me in 6 months :)

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rfnslyr
What's your startup? Any name? Clues? Or do I have to sign an NDA because it's
the next Facebook+dropbox+instagram?

Easy on the downvotes there kids, it was just a joke.

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kevando
It's actually more like linkedin+4sq but for dogs.. So you're fine but I'd
need a video of your dog barking a response to the NBA I would need him/her to
read.

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chimeracoder
> I'd need a video of your dog barking a response to the NBA

So the pitch is, "We're like patent trolls, but for breach-of-contract
entrapment lawsuits?"

I'd invest! ;)

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noodle
sendgrid, iirc

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timhargis
Were they TechStars?

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noodle
I _think_ they were YC rejects who then went to TechStars.

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Baadier_Sydow
I actually this could be quite a fascinating question.

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TallboyOne
Wasn't it AirBnB?

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jonny_eh
They're YC alum.

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TallboyOne
What was the company then that had a Cheerios box in their office because they
turned down AirBnB and that was their guerrilla marketing prop?

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jonny_eh
That was Union Square Ventures, in NY.

[http://www.avc.com/a_vc/2011/03/airbnb.html](http://www.avc.com/a_vc/2011/03/airbnb.html)

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codybrown
art.sy

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larrys
This is pure HN porn. Entertaining and satisfies curiosity but no significance
whatsoever.

Edit: Noting somewhat predictable downvotes so I would ask that someone reply
with what the significance of a single data point is other than satisfying
curiosity? Note also I didn't say it didn't belong on HN or "hey why is this
on the front page" etc.

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namenotrequired
I'm neither the OP nor one of the downvoters (I don't have enough karma for
that anyway) but isn't satisfying (or in PGs words, gratifying) curiosity
exactly what's asked for in HN submissions by the guidelines?

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larrys
Sure and I've acknowledged that by what I said.

