Ask HN: 3 Ideas (with slides) for YC W10 - What do you think?

http://ycombinator-w10-cofounder-search.tumblr.com/

by YCW10 • 17 years ago

64 35 17 years ago

ycombinator-w10-cofounder-search.tumblr.com

YCW1011• 17 years ago

My main interest is combining the web with custom manufacturing technology to help people build anything they can imagine. I'm also interested in ideas usually discussed under the banner of "Web Meets World" "Internet of Things".

In short I really like the internet and plastic. I'd like to combine those two things in satisfying ways.

moe• 17 years ago

I like how you think beyond the usual social network web stuff. I also like how you identify problems in existing markets, sexy or not - way to go, imho.

YCW1011• 17 years ago

Thanks moe, I love twitter and music as much as the next guy, but I think there are hundreds of other cool uses for technology. Especially things like the CNC paper cutters that you can get at Hobby shops for $250. One of the founders of MakerBot has a cool line that went "Steve Wozniak couldn't have predicted 4Chan in his wildest dreams when he was building the original Apple" I think we are at a similar stage with these devices. Will be interesting to watch, even more interesting to build!

joez3• 17 years ago

I like your ideas. The back of the napkin math is a little excessive sometimes: I can do the math that if your averaging the same amount per user and your users increase by 10x, then your revenue does as well. I don't need to see what 100x would mean, or 500x.

The excessive use of the handle YCW10 loses credibility in my book and adds an air of pretentiousness.

YCW1011• 17 years ago

joez,

re: back of envelope math, I concur, but I showed it to some people who were fairly bright and they commented that the rev potential wasn't called out, when it actually was more modestly. People tend to flip though these quickly so its spelled out a bit pedantically.

re: name - just wanted something generic that also referenced the goal. Happy to change it if pg or anyone else has a problem. No pretensions intended.

joez3• 17 years ago

Just got home, took a deeper look and had a few more thoughts.

I think the greatest part about these products is the "viral" (for lack of a better word) ability. Someone with a new necklace will have all their friends asking about it... show their 10 BFFs. Same goes for cutbot and name tags. (See: http://blog.businessofsoftware.org/2009/07/seth-godins-talk-...) This is something that will be worth noting to people.

I noticed you were pretty specific with what you wanted in a co-founder on cutbots. Did you ever consider that you'd want someone with negotiation/supply chain management skills who has done deals [possibly in China] before? Or if you have before personally, even better. Just throwing that out there.

Lastly, a good way to get some attention and hype when your more finalized would be via http://www.kickstarter.com/. These seem like projects people would want to fund (in return for something... maybe first dibs?).

Good luck!

YCW1011• 17 years ago

http://www.Syllabee.com looks pretty cool btw.

terpua3• 17 years ago

Nice homepage but all the links are 404s.

diN0bot• 17 years ago

i like your style. very curious to know if this pans out for you.

i'm looking for a co-founder, too. my current project may not overlap with your interests, but i recently showed off a neat diy CNC mill at Maker Faire. maybe the networking and idea exchange would be useful for both of us. i will shoot you some email.

YCW1011• 17 years ago

thanks diN0bot. Please shoot me an email, would love to hear about the CNC.

npk• 17 years ago

Great ideas. I'm particularly impressed with the term "web 3d". The PR will just roll in -- especially in "today's economy" -- press will love to discuss Americans who actually (1) make things and (2) sell those things.

I've had a very nebulous idea that's been percolating in my mind: software designed for small machine shops to organize their work. It never occurred to me to organize hobby folk. awesome.

YCW1011• 17 years ago

Yeah I see a lot of reporters going gaga over Web 3.D because of the physical production aspect and the way it fits in with the whole numbering scheme. I see as many readers of this site rolling their eyes though.

patio112• 17 years ago

I am going to pull this out because I feel it might not get seen otherwise:

http://www.slideshare.net/YCW10/cutbots-presentation-1946585

Read this presentation. It is, far and away, the best pitch I have ever seen.

I have sold to, approximately, these customers for the last 3 years. Once a little blog none of you have ever heard of got the notion "Hey, gals, lets have a scrapbooking competition with a bingo theme, hey, this guy does bingo" and that one mention sold a week's worth of software.

Passionate customers. Willing to spend money. On IP. With zero cost of reproduction. On a recurring basis. With the added benefit that the hardware integration poses a competitive moat, and increases customer lock-in, not that you'll need it because they are a fiercely loyal tribe if you treat them right.

If I had $25k burning a hole in my pocket, I would be contacting you to discuss angel terms as we speak.

YCW1011• 17 years ago

Wow Patio, thanks for the kind words! I agree, it is a fantastic market filled with passionate customers. I hope I can find a cofounder with half as much enthusiasm!

aaronblohowiak2• 17 years ago

I know your bingo card creator is your baby.. but.. have you considered applying with him? When all is said and done, the upside seems larger in the physical goods space.

patio112• 17 years ago

The upside you speak of can't offer me anything that I value which I don't already possess, but the changes in my life I would have to make to have a shot at it would cost me dearly.

pchristensen• 17 years ago

I'd throw my hypothetical $25K on top of that, if I had it, for all the reasons you just said.

terpua3• 17 years ago

I love your Joolme idea (great name, too). Teenage girls are an underserved market (online, at least) and I can see its potential. I have 2 sisters that used to buy costume jewelry all the time. Even as adults, they still do.

The potential problem I see is the social aspect of trying on the jewelry physically and "chatting / giggling / discussing" it. You alluded to some aspect of social design but will it be enough?

P.S. - you might want to do a private registration on your domain names, unless you used a pseudonym or a friend's name :) [edit: since you want to remain anonymous]

YCW1011• 17 years ago

Good call, I doubt many people would go to the trouble of checking that out, but better safe than sorry.

Radix2• 17 years ago

Ever heard of candy? My cousin has a big zip lock completely filled with brightly colored beads. She and my brother would sit and make herself, him, or their friends bracelets. This can be time consuming, but she clearly enjoyed it.

My point is that making can be more social than shopping.

ps: That paper cutting slide show it great. I'm sure I'll imitate the style next time I need to create one.

terpua3• 17 years ago

Making something together physically is fun but online? Not so sure.

YCW1011• 17 years ago

Beading is another HUGE hobby worth billions of dollars per year. Go to a Michael's craft store and you will see hundreds of square feet devoted to it. Part of the thought with the jewelry was that you could order the whole thing complete OR get components and assemble it yourself.

alaskamiller• 17 years ago

This is a great way to go about getting cofounders. Love it. Good luck.

callmeed• 17 years ago

Here's the deal: I really like your ideas ... what bothers me, however, is that I can't tell much about you from this blog.

It's curious that you're hiding your name (I guess if you're worried about losing your current job, that's understandable). A little more personal data (maybe even a picture) would be nice.

If I was going to get in bed with a co-founder (figuratively speaking), I would need to know more than those bullet points. I'd even go so far as to say that it's more important than the idea itself.

YCW1011• 17 years ago

Callmeed, I completely agree. The quality of the cofounder is paramount. My goal is to find people who are interested in the concepts and then share more info about myself. As I mentioned on the site, my current job is awesome and I'm trying to fly under the radar a bit. Great point though.

darien• 17 years ago

Your cut-boxes idea is best. I would suggest removing the other two slideshows/presentations because I feel they weaken your overall pitch. Investors want to know you're focused, confident and dedicated to your idea. They wont necessarily get that impression if you're offering a download of your brain. But good luck!

ricree• 17 years ago

The YC application does specifically have an entry for alternate ideas, so at least in this case it's probably a plus if anything. Plus, pg makes a big point of the way startup ideas change over time, so I doubt that being focused on one idea is too much of a point for him.

tomsaffell• 17 years ago

I'd find #3 more interesting if it were the 'Threadless Tees of Jewelry'

falsestprophet• 17 years ago

I think esty.com may already have become that.

wensing• 17 years ago

You have a comma out of place on slide #10. Just saying. :-)

tezza• 17 years ago

Hi. I'm formerly of both startups and Artwork Automation tech. Your idea sounds great & good luck with finding a co-founder.

@YC W10 I have a few comments

1. CutBots :: Installed base of cutting machines

Can you offer a service to post the results to your customers who don't have a cutter? Frequent or On Demand customers may still want a discreet device but experimenters may be prepared to wait for the post.

2. Established Competition

Shapeways.com and others. Their big trade is vanity bracelets.

3. Suggested Reading

Crossing the Chasm - Moore. Specifically this book details the difficulty of going from the Hackers who search for your "Hack CriCut" to the Early Majority who do scrap-books. The Early Majority will need specialist tactics and Moore's Whole Product solution.

4. Business to Business

My Artwork Automation tech was B2B rather than your B2C focus. I would say that you should consider refocussing away from customer facing to White Label provision.

Consider that anyone can now have Nike shoes made with your own name on them[1], and lots of people have heard of Nike versus whoever did their implementation for them.

Try to imagine selling your tech to say a Crafts Magazine where the magazine can promote their cutter tool and you provide the technology & delivery and take a cut of any transactions.

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[1] http://missgeeky.com/2008/04/03/nike-id-design-your-own-shoe...

Ask HN: 3 Ideas (with slides) for YC W10 - What do you think?

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