Oh getting paired with locals is very cool! I did it a couple years ago, and it was worth it -- but I wish some in my group had been from around my city, Austin. My project ended up shipping (https://www.currentkey.com), and it was nice to be accountable to a few other people through an important stretch and have regular reality checks. I'd strongly consider doing this again for my next project (a mobile game), especially if I could be paired with locals.
If I had one regret, looking back on the experience, it would be a mistake I made: forming an LLC far before I needed to, largely to be seen as a 'company' by YC. You can (and I'd say in some cases should) validate your project, esp. if you're a solo founder - by launching an app as an individual developer vs a company account. I know YC itself is only interested in companies, but they should appreciate that if this school is open to all -- all people don't need a company to have a profitable project.
I think it’s more of creating a LLC is such a low threshold that it shows you haven’t seriously thought about your business and the liability that can occur if you release without a corporate entity for your own protection.
Yup. That was of course a big reason I incorporated, but Apple's EULA on its own (and probably the play store's too) is likely sufficient protection for many indie devs. (Many thousands of indie devs launch profitable apps without incorporating.) Anyway, I'm not blaming anyone, I just think that step of mine may have been premature.
If I had one regret, looking back on the experience, it would be a mistake I made: forming an LLC far before I needed to, largely to be seen as a 'company' by YC. You can (and I'd say in some cases should) validate your project, esp. if you're a solo founder - by launching an app as an individual developer vs a company account. I know YC itself is only interested in companies, but they should appreciate that if this school is open to all -- all people don't need a company to have a profitable project.