(Usually I put an "Apply to YC" thing in the HN footer [1] but I forgot this time, so here is my pitch to make up for it.)
If you've ever thought about applying to YC, here's a tip: just do it. It doesn't take long and could change your life, like it did for me and many others.
In particular, if you have either of these two bogus thoughts, ignore them pronto and just go to https://apply.ycombinator.com and apply:
(1) "probably not good enough / won't get in" - you'd be surprised at how many people feel that way, whether because of impostor syndrome, lack of credentials, whatever—and often they turn out to be among the best founders. So this a terrible reason not to apply!
The nice thing is, it's YC's job to evaluate that, not yours. They're looking for aptitude which doesn't look like what most people (probably including you) assume. You needn't look impressive, and you don't have to be a competent founder—you learn that from doing YC. Just be yourself as you are, fill out the application and don't worry about it.
(2) "too early" - there's no such thing. YC looks for good potential founders—meaning anyone who can learn what they teach—and nothing else. You're already yourself, which is all you need.
Some of YC's big successes start off as last-minute applications on a whim; and many start with totally different ideas than what ends up succeeding. It's YC's job to teach you how to play the startup game, and that can start at any time.
("Too far along already" is another bogus notion but I'll stick with the top 2 for today.)
If you know the game Snakes and Ladders [2], YC is a massive ladder in an area where there are no snakes. Sure it's a dice roll, but what reason do you have not to? If you're uninterested in the game, no problem—but if you have any impulse to participate, do it! If you're the "out of nowhere" type of founder YC loves to fund, your chances are likely a lot better than you imagine.
Apply by 8pm PT on Monday 4/22 to get a decision by May 29: https://apply.ycombinator.com.
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[1] like last October - https://web.archive.org/web/20231011022307/https://news.ycom...
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakes_and_ladders
I found that filling in the application, without even sending it, is a useful exercise. It makes you think hard about what it is you are trying to achieve with whatever it is your building. It's very helpful when you come to talk with clients.
You know how they say launch fast, launch early? That's part of it, because launching means talking about it to other people. Those people will have questions or objections or an incomplete understanding of pre-existing solutions. A lot of the application is about this kind of stuff.
Personally, I wanted to fill the application irrespective of YC. I figured, if I'm serious about building something useful, I shouldn't just build it and que sera, sera. I should know what to focus on. And since they've learned a bunch about building companies, if they care about something enough to ask about it, that's a good pointer that I should care enough about it to be able to answer it.
For example, I filled it in when a solution was just an idea, as if it were already built. So it made me set expectations, and clarify what I want this thing to be. Then, once it was built, the first thing that happened when that solution met with clients was this: I'd give them the short description I've written in the application, and they'd ask - Oh, but does it have to do just that?
Without the application, there wouldn't have been the short description, without which there wouldn't have been the useful client feedback...So, again: do it for yourself, not for the approval.