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Ask PG: Increase in growth rate of YC applicants

14 points by smg ↗ HN
In your latest essay you mention that

"We take applications for funding every 6 months. Applications for the current funding cycle closed on October 17, well after the markets tanked, and even so we got a record number, up 40% from the same cycle a year before."

to indicate that enthusiasm for starting new startups has not dried up. I think the absolute number will not tell us the true picture about new startups. The more interesting number might be the difference in the application growth rates. Did the number of applicants grow more between Winter 06 and Winter 07 or between Winter 07 and Winter 08.

Thanks

9 comments

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cperciva
Don't get your hopes up too much -- PG has said in the past that he doesn't like to publish numbers because it leads to comparisons against YC clones.
smg
I am not looking for exact numbers. An indication of the change in growth rates even whether the growth rate increased or decreased would be enough
bigbang
I believe PG has published absolute numbers in the past. Giving the growth rates would give the whole picture.
mechanical_fish
I looked at the title and thought "Wow, are they applying before they stop growing? Is YC targeting middle-school students now?"
stcredzero
What we really need is technology to let people read Hacker News while still in the womb.
SwellJoe
Gives new meaning to "early stage" funding.
ojbyrne
I guess the question I have to ask -- is this just people with no job prospects looking for a job? $1500 a month for 2 months is probably reasonably attractive right now, even if you just walk away at the end of it. As compared, to, oh, starving.