Could the YCombinator idea submissions be shared with potential competitors?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=154455

by jagjit • 18 years ago

1 4 18 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

I personally do not feel ideas belong to anybody. They are more of a starting point to build products.

But just wondering if there is a possibility of the ideas that people apply with being shared with other ycombinator startups working in the same fields.

raghus2• 18 years ago

There's no formal pledge of secrecy but you have their word that they won't share your app with anyone outside of YC - and that includes other YC startups. It says so on the first para of the app.

cperciva• 18 years ago

You should take that with a grain of salt. Sure, the YC crew will try to not share your ideas -- but they're humans, and after reading five hundred applications, I'm sure there are ideas which stick in their skulls but which they don't remember came from a YC application.

In the end, the same rules apply to YC as apply everywhere else: If you have something which absolutely MUST remain secret, don't tell anyone.

raghus2• 18 years ago

True - but that's enough for most people. It is for me.

yawl• 18 years ago

It is answered in the FAQ: http://ycombinator.com/faq.html 'Will you sign an NDA? How do I know you won't steal my idea?'

Could the YCombinator idea submissions be shared with potential competitors?

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