The application I used to get into YC as a solo founder and no revenue, AMA

[james_conor]

@derekb

• Submitted application on March 25
• Got the interview email on April 16
• Interview was conduced on April 22
• Received acceptance call same night (April 22)
• Kickoff/orientation April 25
• Program start June 5

 

[kikelomo]

@james_conor Was the office hours with someone who initially interviewed you?

 

[james_conor]

@kikelomo Our group had four partners. Two of those partners had been on my interview panel.

 

[cantur]

@james_conor Is showing revenue potential of 100M enough? Is it not necessary to show revenue potential in billions?

 

[james_conor]

@cantur This question normally comes from folks who don't understand valuations. Here are some publicly listed tech companies that made less than $1B in 2022:

• Cloudflare (devtools)
• Box (B2B SaaS)
• Lending Tree (fintech)
• NETGEAR (hardware)
• Squarespace (B2C SaaS)

Cloudflare is worth $22B; a 22x multiple. If your startup could command a 22x multiple, at $100M ARR it'd be worth $2.2B, well past the "unicorn" marker.

 

[cantur]

@james_conor Thank you. True, I don't have much idea about how valuations work.

 

[writergirlrs]

@james_conor I feel like they had no reasonable reason to reject your application

• You were committed to it
• You are a tech founder (They want a tech founder)
• You are clear about your business

I guess these 3 are most important things to get into YC. ( Commitment, Skill, Vision & Knowledge )Nothing else.

 

[james_conor]

@writergirlrs Yeah I don't think there are any guarantees here, but you're in a really good position if you can check off those 3!

 

[dsg01]

@james_conor Thanks for sharing! Was wondering if you did not get into YC do you think you would be at the same stage?

 

[james_conor]

@dsg01 Tbh this is unknowable.

I think YC absolutely helped accelerate us, but I don't believe it was strictly necessary (in a "would've failed without it" kind of way).

 

[dsg01]

@james_conor got it, thanks for sharing

 

[chris1000000]

@james_conor Thanks for sharing, I am applying late for YC, would you be open to give review on my application?

 

[crystalfaith2]

@james_conor Which YC tips helped you the most?

 

[devonevents]

@james_conor How were you able to quit your job to go full time on this with no revenue and no investors?

Edit: pre YC I mean

 

[scriptureunited]

@james_conor Maybe it's the right time to ask,what did you answer to the question "What's the most impressive achievement you have?" Or something along the lines of it.

I know YC asks something like that.

 

[james_conor]

@scriptureunited TBH I don't recall (I'm not even sure if that was on the application when I went through). It was like 4 years ago now so tough to remember specifics like that...

 

[james_conor]

@enliven No, they did not ask me to find a co-founder.

 

[venezdivinmessie]

@james_conor Everyone has a 'but you have X' and yours is being the ex-CTO of a publicly listed company. Yeah i can see why they funded you. Still, wildly helpful. Are you open to people DMing you about questions? much appreciated?

 

[james_conor]

@venezdivinmessie I was the CTO of a small non-YC startup, not a publicly listed company.

Happy to field questions via DM.

 

[venezdivinmessie]

@james_conor Gotcha, sent your a DM!