HN Explorer

Ask HN: Passed the first selection for YC 2009? Share your joy and your project

11 points by durdn ↗ HN
Have you been one of the lucky and skilful ones invited to the interviews for YC 2009?

Please share your excitement and share what you can tell publicly about your project.

We're curious even if we're depressed because we didn't make it. :)

20 comments

[ 18.4 ms ] story [ 112 ms ] thread
satyajit
Nope, we didn't make it. Just saw the email. But we are NOT depressed. We still are believers!
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greg_helfer
Did you get any questions from YC during the process?
ktom
Didn't make it,

kind of crushing. I'll admit I am depressed.

Hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow

gqwu
Our group submitted 4 apps. We got a PG question on two of them. Still got rejected on all 4, sucks...
nolanbrown23
We got a question and thought we offered a pretty sufficient response but no joy.
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bigthboy
Didn't make it but we're still moving forward. I mean, its not like PG and Ycombinator is the ONLY way to make a start-up work. What about those billions of them that came before YC existed?
rodmaz
We didn't make it. We seriously believe we have a strong aplication: experienced people (developers), revenue model, an advanced demo, and already very very good reviews from other people. I am sure now that YC looks at two things basically: -a team larger enough to have at least 2 guys working full-time until Demo Day (we had only one) -younger coders (20-28) at most. We are 29, 31 y.o.

If you don't have those two things, you probably didn't make it in this round, since it was more competitive, even if you had a demo and your solution was very interesting.

Needless to say, we will move forward faster than ever now. Most of the negative things I got in life turned out to be positive later if I look backwards. I hope it's true with YC rejection too. :)

icey
A lot of people have been funded who were older than you guys; so I seriously doubt that's part of their criteria.
green
I am afraid I have to agree with rodmaz's "findings" as for the criteria of selection.
stevexd
I applied knowing my company didn't fit the profile and that my chances were slim (one founder, a couple decades out of college, family, not based in MV or Boston.) Rejection is never pleasant, but the experience was positive overall and I take my hat off to Y Combinator for pioneering this unique approach to helping startups. I know other investors are watching closely and some are beginning to emulate them. All good. It would be most helpful if YC could provide statistical profiles of companies that applied and those that made it to the next round. Would also be interesting to know how many YC is planning to fund (given the current economic stituation.)
satyajit
If you think 29/31 is old - what about me? 37? I am doomed, LOL! Somewhere in his essays, PG mentioned that startups are achievable within 21 to 38 yrs of age. So I was thinking this is my last chance - what the heck? I will still do it, because I believe in it and my users do!
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fernyb
How do we know if we made it? I didn't receive any email. Though I did receive a call from a blocked number last night, but I didn't hear it ring and no voice mail was left. Maybe... I doubt it though.
thorax
Be sure to check your spam box for the email. Mine went there, strangely.
durdn
mine went there too, on gmail.
fernyb
yeah I didn't make the cut, and thats where it ended up in my spam!