2016: Rejected again
2017: 3rd attempt - still a NO
2018: Applied one more time and…
Finally, WE GOT IN 💃
It felt like a dream come true :)
Every year, ~40,000 startups apply to YC.
Only 1.5% make it.
It’s brutal.
Here’s a tried & tested guide for you to get accepted into YC - so you don’t have to learn it the hard way:
1️⃣ Don’t beat around the bush. Say NO to jargons. Keep your answers to the point & concise. Think of it as you are explaining to a 5 year old child.
2️⃣ Prioritise deep metrics instead of vanity metrics. 100 users who love your product >>> 10000 users who just like it.
3️⃣ Share a “user- transformation story”. Talk about a story that highlights the impact your product had on the user’s life.
4️⃣ Don’t fake anything. Be real & open about the risks your company has.
5️⃣ Know someone who has been to YC before? Ask for a referral. A warm referral goes a long way.
Send this to someone thinking of applying to YC.
And if that someone is you - bookmark this and go all in.
Rejections sting.
But regret stings more.
Keep building. You’re closer than you think.
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