Hello folks! I've been applying to YC for the past 2 years (i.e. 4 batches), but unfortunately, we've been unsuccessful each time. We also applied for this Winter 2024 batch and recently got a rejection.
Over these years, our startup has grown, we've raised money from other VCs, and have also shown traction. We are a game studio that develops mobile games, which I feel might not be a primary interest area for YC, and hence despite our progress (which I agree has not been exponential, so not the best progress to show), I've always had a feeling that our gaming focus might limit our chances with YC.
Recently, however, we've wrote an AI tool that made GTM and finding PMF a breeze for one of our mobile games. And we think this could actually be big as a stand alone tool. Based on our experiences and background in game development and it's GTM and PMT, we think we are a great team to be building this.
In the long term - this AI tool seems promising not just for gaming companies but potentially for any software firm looking to work on their GTM and PMF. Our current investors are supportive of pivoting our focus to this tool from building games.
With our recent rejection for this batch, I was planning to apply in the next cycle with this new AI tool as our primary product. But then I came across this article that says that YC is now opening the batch to more companies: 'https://www.ycombinator.com/blog/new-year-new-company', and given YC's interest in AI and the market being super bullish on AI right now, I do not want to wait. I'm considering applying with this new concept from a new different account for the same batch.
My question for everyone here: How stupid is this? Would creating a new account to apply with this different idea for the same batch be acceptable? I've reviewed the FAQs and T&Cs and couldn't find any explicit rules against it, but I want to avoid any potential issues with YC, like being blacklisted.
