The 3 Questions We Ask When Reading Applications | Summary and Q&A
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TL;DR
Learn how to craft a concise and clear Y Combinator application that highlights your idea, team expertise, and progress.
Key Insights
- 🔍 Be concise and clear in the beginning of your application, providing a clear picture of your product or idea in the first few sentences.
- 💡 Emphasize why your product should exist and how it solves a problem.
- 💪 Highlight why your team is the best fit to build the product, showcasing expertise or a track record of accomplishments.
- 🚀 Demonstrate progress by sharing what you have already done, such as whether the product has been built, if it is being used, or if there are paying customers.
- 📚 YC reads applications differently, so tailor your application to make it easy for reviewers to understand your idea quickly.
- ️ Focus on using the fewest words possible to convey your message effectively.
- 🤝 Domain expertise or a strong history of achievement can increase your chances of being seen as the right team to build the product.
- 🌱 Show evidence of progress by sharing any developments or milestones reached so far, such as building, usage, or revenue generation.
Transcript
everyone reads applications a little differently at yc but here's how i read applications and how i train others too i try to understand your idea very quickly so you should make it easy for me to have a clear picture of what you do ideally in the first three sentences be concise and clear about how your product works and why it should exist please... Read More
Questions & Answers
Q: How can I make my Y Combinator application easier to understand?
The key to making your Y Combinator application stand out is to be concise and clear about your product's purpose and functionality in the first few sentences.
Q: What does Y Combinator look for in a team?
Y Combinator wants to see that the team is the right fit to build the product, whether it's through domain expertise or a track record of impressive achievements.
Q: What evidence of progress should I include in my Y Combinator application?
Y Combinator is interested in knowing if you have started building the product, if anyone is using it, and if you have any paying customers.
Q: How important is it to highlight past accomplishments in the Y Combinator application?
Showcasing past accomplishments can help demonstrate to Y Combinator that your team has a proven track record of getting things done, increasing the chances of your application being successful.
Summary & Key Takeaways
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When reading Y Combinator applications, it's important to clearly understand the idea and purpose of the product in just a few sentences.
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The application should also demonstrate why the team is the right fit, showcasing expertise or past accomplishments.
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Y Combinator looks for evidence of progress, such as the development stage, user engagement, or revenue generation.
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