Everyone in this thread keeps bringing up the same argument about these catagories: "The problem is not something amenable to a startup company."
Isn't that the point of these requests? To inspire new and innovative ways of addressing a small (or, a chance at a larger) piece of these huge problem spaces?
It doesn't matter if you don't think these are realistic requests. YC is just trying put out an image that it wants to invest in historically "hard" market startups.
(As an aside, I'd say that bikes are not a 99% solution until the majority of people aren't afraid of riding them around cars.)
Isn't that the point of these requests? To inspire new and innovative ways of addressing a small (or, a chance at a larger) piece of these huge problem spaces?
It doesn't matter if you don't think these are realistic requests. YC is just trying put out an image that it wants to invest in historically "hard" market startups.
(As an aside, I'd say that bikes are not a 99% solution until the majority of people aren't afraid of riding them around cars.)