Applications open for summer 2009 YC funding

http://ycombinator.com/s2009.html

by pg • 17 years ago

131 78 17 years ago

pclark6• 17 years ago

PS: Video Applications now required, interesting: http://ycombinator.com/video.html

> In the video please introduce yourselves, explain what you're doing and why, and tell us anything else you want to about the founders or the project.

pg14• 17 years ago

We'd been meaning to do this, but it required me to add support for uploading videos. Fortunately Posterous appeared and solved the problem way more thoroughly than I would have.

pclark6• 17 years ago

I've used Posterous for a very similar purpose. It's great when startups solve a genuine problem.

(pity the application form isn't wufoo!)

johnrob3• 17 years ago

It seems like any service that lets you post a video and access it from a fixed url would be sufficient (so long as the video is as private as the submitter wants it to be). S3 could work just fine, if you made the file public and put it on an obscure path.

siong19872• 17 years ago

"If you want to apply, please submit your application online by 10 pm PST on March 18, 2009. Groups that submit early have an advantage because we have more time to read their applications."

Do we have the chance to update the submitted video with our latest video? For instance, if we decide to submit the application with the video before the deadline, then, decide to update the video later. Can we do so?

martythemaniak• 17 years ago

It'd be interesting to see how many applications YC gets compared to this time last year (as a % change).

On one hand, people might be pretty worried about taking a risk like this now that the economic turmoil has really started to hit the labour market and not apply as much. OTOH, recently laid-off people might flood YC with applications, even if they would not consider it before.

steveplace2• 17 years ago

From a personal anecdote, it's much easier to start a business than it is finding a job. Less hassle, only have to grovel half as much for money.

c00p3r2• 17 years ago

and even much easier to start it in so-called emerged markets (India/Nepal/Thailand etc.)

palish3• 17 years ago

It seems like there will be a sharp decline in the number of applications because of the effort required to produce a video introducing the founders, even if it's a simple video. That is a Good Thing though because it will probably filter out most of the low-quality apps (a 13-year old single-founder applicant probably wouldn't take the time to make the video, for example).

On the other hand, if you ever wanted to Goatse PG, here's your chance.

menloparkbum• 17 years ago

?! Outside of setting world records for texting, pretty much the only thing 13 year olds do these days is post videos of themselves to the internet. The effort required to make a sub-minute intro video has almost reached zero.

albertsun• 17 years ago

How many applications did YC get last year?

Edit: Scratch that, guess I should've searched first. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=336635

pg14• 17 years ago

A couple new things this cycle:

It's going to be in Silicon Valley, not Boston, in case anyone still hasn't heard about that (http://ycombinator.com/ycca.html). Fortunately the Mountain View office is much bigger. We were pretty much at the limit in Cambridge.

Also, we're asking applicants to submit videos introducing themselves this time. Thanks for Posterous for saving me from having to write code to deal with submitted videos!

dpapathanasiou• 17 years ago

I suppose that also means no more Startup Schools in Cambridge as well?

zach• 17 years ago

Well, Langley Steinert and Olin Shivers, who both gave great presentations, were nonetheless the only local speakers apart from VC and law firm partners, right? Everyone else was flying in anyway.

Good question, though. I went to the Harvard Summer School in high school, so I'm still infatuated with the area -- I'd love to have an excuse to go back to Cambridge again. I traveled from California to Startup School '05 with a 10-month-old, so I know it can be done!

pg14• 17 years ago

Probably not, but there probably wouldn't have been anyway. Only the first was in Cambridge. The three since have all been in the Valley, because it's so much easier to get speakers here.

cperciva4• 17 years ago

we're asking applicants to submit videos introducing themselves

I'm glad I'm not applying this time.

Never mind the irritation of figuring out how to create a video (I'm sure it's easy, but why spend time figuring that out when I could be hacking?) -- I simply don't video well, especially in artificial-seeming situations. And I don't think a video would tell you anything useful about me anyway; my most natural voice is the written voice, so that's what you should listen to if you want to learn anything about me.

I can see a couple of potential advantages to requiring an introductory video -- first, it allows you to detect some fraudulent applications; and second, it raises the bar for entry, thus removing some of the less serious applications -- but my impression from everything I've read here is that neither of those are particularly problematic even without videos. I'll admit that some people speak better in video than in writing -- although I think this applies more often to business people than to hackers -- but surely the right solution to deal with such people is to make an introductory video optional, not to make it mandatory. I know there's a lot you can see when you engage a candidate in conversation which you can't see on a written page; but a unilateral video doesn't tell you how well someone can carry on a bilateral or multilateral conversation either.

I'm sure you guys have some reason for this... but I certainly can't see it. Why?

pclark6• 17 years ago

how were you going to give your pitch & demo?

chris11• 17 years ago

I'm guessing it gives pg an easy, low cost way to see how applicants present themselves and sell their ideas. It seems like he's trying to come as close to an actual vc pitch without having to meet everyone in person.

johnrob3• 17 years ago

The real world requires verbal communication. You definitely aren't the only person whose been annoyed by this (I'm one of them). However, it's essential and YC probably wants to see some ability/willingness to do it.

RKlophaus• 17 years ago

Here's my take on it:

VC money is drying up. Without VC money, your runway is short. It's now much more important to get a lot of users excited quickly.

The best way to do this online is with video, hands down.

So if you can't produce a reasonably good video, you are at a distinct disadvantage, and your company is much less likely to be successful.

pg14• 17 years ago

We've found that someone talking live is a much higher bandwidth form of communication than words typed into a form. As well as words you get gestures, intonation, the vibe between a group of cofounders, etc.

But people shouldn't worry that they "video badly." We're not (I hope) so dumb that we'd be taken in by people who are merely smooth presenters. We come from the world of people who video badly ourselves. If we'd been applying for Viaweb, I'd have had to negotiate with Rtm how many words he'd say, and I'd be lucky if I got it as high as 10.

jwilliams• 17 years ago

Take a look at http://ycombinator.com/video.html

Gives more context - They explicitly state they don't want to make it into a video making contest.

icey2• 17 years ago

Out of nothing more than pure curiosity, what do you gain (perceived or otherwise) from the new video requirement?

Does it just raise the bar of entry enough that you receive fewer applications; or is there something to be gained by the determination as to whether or not someone is comfortable in front of a camera?

Applying for a YC cycle is not on my to-do list for the foreseeable future, but if there is some kind of insight to be gained from video applications, I'd love to hear about it.

pg14• 17 years ago

I ended up explaining this to cperciva (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=474457).

Basically we just want to see what people are like. When we do interviews we always feel that we know more about a group after 30 seconds in person than from reading their whole application. We were hoping that video would give us some of that a step earlier.

toisanji• 17 years ago

I am applying this year, it is definitely going to be a challenge for me since I am camera shy, but hopefully it weeds out a lot of non serious people.

unalone4• 17 years ago

Can we do anything other than video at Posterous? My cofounder and I are distance-separated, and I don't know how we'd make a video like that. Could we do a two-person audio conference, for instance? And if it turns out we're not able to submit something like that, would you say that puts us at a disadvantage versus somebody that's sending in a good relaxed video?

I've waited a year to apply, though, and this is an utter thrill! I got such a such seeing the applications open this morning.

gravitycop2• 17 years ago

a two-person audio conference, for instance?

How about a Skype video-conference? http://www.skype.com/allfeatures/videocall Some angel investors use it to attend far-away board meetings from home.

anuraggoel• 17 years ago

"(c) Half or more of your group can't move to the Bay Area for the winter. (d) One or more founders will keep their current jobs during the winter."

Shouldn't this be summer?

pg14• 17 years ago

Oops, yes, will fix. Edit: fixed.

lionheart• 17 years ago

So what should I do if I want to be a part of this but don't have an idea or any partners?

This is hypothetical right now, but I am very seriously considering applying next summer.

alain94040• 17 years ago

[shameless plug - read all before modding down] find another community of people interested in starting software/online businesses. I launched http://fairsoftware.net almost 6 months ago at TC50. We host a bunch of projects, most private, but some public. Join an existing project or put a call out there for ideas.

My motto: "Succeed Together". The team is the solution, not the problem. Once you got your team of passionate people, apply to YC!

[before you mod me down, feel free to contribute other places on the web where people can find partners that would qualify to start a YC-funded business. If you have a decent list, then mod me down. If you can't come up with more places, then accept that my plug really is informative :-) ]

c00p3r2• 17 years ago

Read as much as possible. If You want to become a writer you must become a reader first. btw, there are many useful skills from non-IT world. Short stories writing is a good example.

arien2• 17 years ago

Are applications from outside America accepted? How are they handled if they were selected?

I'm somewhat new to the YC funding process, not sure if I can find this info somewhere (a link would be appreciated if that's the case).

Thank you!

webwright2• 17 years ago

http://ycombinator.com/faq.html

arien2• 17 years ago

Woops, I actually read that FAQ a long time ago, guess I forgot about it... Thank you :)

paulsb• 17 years ago

What if you have already registered your company in another country, i.e. a limited company in the UK?

nopassrecover• 17 years ago

Why does the "March 18" link on PaulGraham.com go to a PollEverywhere site?

pg14• 17 years ago

Oops, fixed. (Polleverywhere was in the summer 2008 cycle, and I used to have a link to them there.)

Haskell3• 17 years ago

I don't know if this already has been answered before, but how do you evaluate if a candidate has a sense of design?

pg14• 17 years ago

By things they've made, either in the past, or the project they're applying with.

Haskell3• 17 years ago

Thanks. Maybe it was lost in translation, but by Design do you mean appearance (like in graphical, interface, industrial design) or architecture (like operating system design)?

If it's the former, I hope you don't get offended by it, but I think, looking at HN and your website, that you wouldn't be accepted. :) Nor would Sergey and Page.

maxer2• 17 years ago

my idea would be really good but flights to silicon valley from ireland arnt cheap and im the only founder, not going to bother applying

maxer2• 17 years ago

thought i had a valid point, $600 wouldnt cover my costs

helveticaman2• 17 years ago

Will applying now affect future applications?

kbrower• 17 years ago

Is there any place to get YC like advice and connections without the requirement of moving to Mountain View for 3 months?

pclark6• 17 years ago

the internet

helveticaman2• 17 years ago

Does a weak application hurt applications in later rounds?

minalecs• 17 years ago

Do All founders need to submit a separate application ? couldn't find it in the FAQ?

unalone4• 17 years ago

No. You submit one for your team. However, each member needs a Hacker News username.

Good luck!

Applications open for summer 2009 YC funding

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