Is Y Combinator worth the money (equity)? Brutally honest review of W22 batch experience. Due to the fact that the entire program was remote, the founders are at different stages, and there is no dependency on each other in any way—no relationship or a sense of community is formed. Due to the fact that there are not 20, but 400 companies, it will be difficult to sell even within the batch, because other members are already overloaded with unique offers from other YC companies. YC does not have any industrial partners, and YC partners themselves will not do external intros to clients/investors for you! (Maybe investors, in rare cases, but under the table).

Is Y Combinator worth the money (equity)? Brutally honest review of W22 batch experience. Due to the fact that the entire program was remote, the founders are at different stages, and there is no dependency on each other in any way—no relationship or a sense of community is formed. Due to the fact that there are not 20, but 400 companies, it will be difficult to sell even within the batch, because other members are already overloaded with unique offers from other YC companies. YC does not have any industrial partners, and YC partners themselves will not do external intros to clients/investors for you! (Maybe investors, in rare cases, but under the table).

Months after the program I still find answers to my questions there and I’m nowhere near exhausting it. This is a very useful and really ground-breaking resource. You, the founders, should only build a product and talk to customers, everything else is superfluous and waste of time. Demo day is where YC generates its main value, and what people go to YC for. Undoubtedly, YC companies receive extra attention from investors and the very fact of their pre-selection by YC makes the deal hotter and increases its valuation. Now this trend is fading, and the valuations of YC startups do not go very far from the valuations of outside companies. Undoubtedly, a large number of companies in the batch and dilution of the YC brand work against it.

Where the benefit of YC really feels is: publicity, more inbound from small funds, more opportunities to find an intro to anyone, and never again write cold emails, a slightly higher valuation. Don't expect big players to reach out to you after the demo day. They know about you, if they haven't reached out yet it means they're not interested. My subjective opinion is that it makes sense to do if you: A) A super young team of 2-3 people, with burning eyes, a crazy idea, but without experience and resources, and you want someone to give you a kick and help build up the moment. B) Sell your product to startups and see a lot of benefits from gaining access to the YC network. Remember: accelerators and their help are temporary but the equity you give away forever YC teaches you one thing well—startups are all about growth, and if you didn’t grow today, it’s on you to find out how to grow tomorrow.

"Glasp vs. Matter: Which Highlighter App Should You Use?" Thank you Nic for writing this! Glasp lets you highlight all kinds of web articles on the spot. It does not use a reader view which allows it to preserve the original article’s formatting. In addition, you can also highlight PDF files from the web and YouTube transcripts. Glasp lets you import highlights and notes from Kindle. This process involves importing either all highlights or a selected book from the Notes & Highlights on Kindle Cloud Reader. For exporting, Glasp allows you to export highlights and notes from individual web content or as a batch. You have the option to export in the following file formats: .txt, .csv, .html, .md, and .png.

Matter also has the option to sync your highlights and notes directly to the following apps: Roam, Obsidian, Notion, and Readwise. Glasp combines aspects from social media apps and highlighter apps, giving it a community-focused experience. All highlights and notes are public, which encourages users to share what they learn and in turn, gain insights from like-minded people. Let's share your learning and find interesting content from like-minded people :) An exclusive feature in Glasp is the ability to pile-on highlights. This is when your follower highlights through the web content that you also read and highlight. You will receive a notification in your Glasp feed whenever someone pile-ons your highlights.

In a content management workflow, Glasp is the temporary area between content discovery and permanent place. If you prefer a social component to your highlighting experience, allowing you to share insights with others, Glasp is a great option.

Based on the above discussion, here are three actionable pieces of advice:

1. Consider your startup's stage and resources before deciding to join an accelerator program like Y Combinator. If you have a young team with a crazy idea but lack experience and resources, an accelerator program can provide the necessary kickstart. However, remember that accelerators and their help are temporary, while the equity you give away is forever.

2. When choosing a highlighter app, such as Glasp vs. Matter, consider your specific needs and preferences. Glasp offers the ability to highlight various types of web content, import highlights from Kindle, and export them in multiple file formats. It also has a community-focused experience, allowing users to share and gain insights from like-minded individuals. On the other hand, Matter offers seamless sync with popular apps like Roam, Obsidian, Notion, and Readwise. Evaluate the features and integrations offered by each app to find the one that suits your workflow best.

3. Prioritize building a product and talking to customers in your startup journey. YC's main value is generated during Demo Day, where YC companies receive extra attention from investors. However, don't solely rely on big players reaching out to you. Focus on growth and finding ways to grow your startup, whether through YC or other channels. Remember, startups are all about growth, and it's up to you to drive that growth.

In conclusion, the decision to join an accelerator program like Y Combinator or choose a highlighter app like Glasp or Matter depends on your specific needs and circumstances. Evaluate the benefits, resources, and long-term implications before making a decision. Remember to prioritize building your product, talking to customers, and driving growth in your startup journey.