Decacorn.VC

I just found my notes from PG from opening day of my Summer 2009 YC Batch (April 20th 2009 - the last day of interviews, 5 weeks before the batch began) My notes from PG's talk: Most important advice: Start now.   You are now part of the YC mafia--they will help you.  ask them.  The network is also protection.  No one will mess with you out of fear of pissing off the network. You don't have to do anthing though--it's your company. Dinners are often tuesday night but not always if there is a superstar CEO. Prototype day is in ~1 month, where you show everyone your progress. Rehearsal day is a week before demo day Second most important advice:  it's all about the product.  Build something that people want and focus on nothing else fo rnow. Start-ups die of suicide, either by building something people don't care about--the back button kills you or by squabbles amongst founders Don't be surprised if you have some disasterous problem.  We're used to it. Office hours with us last forever--only the dinners stop. Don't raise money now.  You simply can't focus on the product and raising money.  You'll have plenty of opportunities at demo day. Investors are definitely still investing in YC companies.  it's like there's no recession for us.  Valuations were lower, but everyone that should've been funded got funded in the last batch.   Given the recession, if you can say you're profitable on demo day, even Ramen profitability, do it.   You should read everything on my website.  Those essays are for you.  It's like my FAQ.  Don't ask me questions that are there. You'll get Founders at Work on the first dinner You're the 9th batch.  140 companies now. Every dinner is super confidential. Email any yc company and get their stuff for free. Everyone should live in a house in Mountain View Everyone had really, really tough interviews.  Very few had interviews over 10 minutes. 830 applications, 27 companies accepted.