from Hacker News

YC S12 Single Founders Wanted

by xiaomei on 2/21/12, 1:42 AM with 17 comments

Applications for YC S12 are due in five weeks. I suspect there are many great people here wanting to start a venture. However many of us may lack an idea or prototype to apply with. Others may be in need of a founding partner. I know that it is risky to apply with someone you barely know but marriages do follow from speed dating, after all. The best example of founder speed dating I can think of is Drew Houston and Arash Ferdowsi deciding to apply to YC after meeting twice to start Dropbox [1]. So, who is in need of a product idea or a cofounder before applying to YC?

Please tell what you can offer to your founder match.

[1] http://www.forbes.com/sites/victoriabarret/2011/10/18/dropbox-the-inside-story-of-techs-hottest-startup/

  • by dirkdeman on 2/21/12, 9:40 AM

    I’m fearing this will going to look like a personal ad, but here we go anyway.

    Who am I? I’m Dirk, a 32 year old Dutch jack-of-all-trades. I have a background in communications/PR, taught myself to hack (PHP mainly, Python OK too) some 7-8 years ago. I’m not the best designer in the world, but I know when something ‘works’ or not and know my way around photoshop/illustrator et al.

    Our family dog (I have a wife+2 young kids) is a lab. As with most dogs, his owner has similar personalities: easygoing, playful, more intelligent than you’d say at first sight, and a puppy-like naivety well into adulthood. Oh, I’m housebroken, too.

    About my project: No paint just pixels Two years ago I started No paint just pixels: a project that will disrupt the art world. A lot of media have made the transition from analog to digital, from offine to online. This is clearly not the case with art. I made an online marketplace where digital artists and art lovers can buy, sell and display their art. The project is written in PHP and is about 75% finished. Check my YCW11 appliation pich here: http://dirktheman.posterous.com/private/oDCxnvrzme

    Who am I searching for? I’m looking for someone who is a jack of all trades like me: part hacker, part design guy/gal, part marketer, part sysadmin. If you have strong coding skills but lack a sense of design or marketing that’s okay, but coding skills are a must. Personalitywise: if you’re easy going, love art and/or photography, want to make the world a better place and have a sense of humor contact me! The one thing I can do without is a big ego though. If you’re already based in California that’s a plus, but by no means a prerequisite.

    What’s the deal? For sake of equality, 50% of the company and its proceedings.

  • by crawfordcomeaux on 2/21/12, 5:20 AM

    Generalist developer seeking biz or designer cofounder to launch AudienceAmp, an app to make attending presentations/conferences more enjoyable & meaningful via realtime interaction. Core features include standard stuff usually available as single services, like polling or surveying. Few apps/platforms consolidate them & the ones that do have a lot of pain points.

    My team & I won Startup Weekend Baton Rouge in November with this idea. The long-term roadmap is pretty solid, too. Hint: loosen your definition of presentation/conference, but we can discuss that later. There's been a lot of interest expressed in the idea & I've got a plan for launch, but nothing's set in stone, of course.

    Ask away if you've got questions!

  • by xiaomei on 2/21/12, 3:07 AM

    I think it's important that founders match primarily on personality compatibility and not on the project idea. The idea will most likely change. In a way, the project application idea is a means to get past the YC judges.

  • by iglinksy86 on 2/21/12, 1:44 AM

    ME! iglinsky86@gmail.com iglinsky86@mail.ru facebook.com/igor1glinsky. I have 3 brilliant ideas: 1 incredibly complex but written in such detail with so many connecting points --you'll love it. The other so effing simple that it's got EASY capability of making around 4 billion a year.. by the second year. This is not a joke. And the third one I'm still mulling over in my mind, once I figure out the mechanics it also will be pretty freakin awesome

    So for idea one and two, need developer/engineer, coders

  • by evanmarks on 2/21/12, 2:36 AM

    Interesting forum for finding like minded individuals. I have been near applying to YC several times, but never pulled the trigger due to the fact that I have no partner to bounce ideas off of. Would be interested in applying this round.

    I am a great generalist. Currently work in marketing and fundraising at a nonprofit (an orchestra), hack on side projects (just launched on the app store), and have a degree in classical music and an MBA.

    Contact info is in my profile.

  • by chris_dcosta on 2/21/12, 3:51 PM

    I think the main issue here is that probably everyone has an idea/project.

    How do you match two founders who both want someone to work on their own idea? Maybe we should be looking for someone who is prepared to agree to give both ideas a go, equally.

    I know it's a tall order, and I see (ego) trouble ahead, but think of it this way : surely it doesn't matter which idea succeeds if you're both sharing the profits?

  • by mirsadm on 2/25/12, 10:46 PM

    I'm not sure the best idea would be to apply because you simply want to get in. Surely it would advantageous for you and the application if you were passionate about something and want it to come to life.

  • by mgallivan on 2/21/12, 3:56 AM

    I'm looking for a co-founder (assuming we match). I have a project idea/WIP but am fairly flexible. I'm a programmer.

    Reach me at gallivan.matt@gmail.com

  • by dwwoelfel on 2/21/12, 2:26 AM

    You may get more replies if you put your contact details in your profile. The email field is only visible to admins.

  • by mrkmcknz on 2/21/12, 2:16 AM

  • by keeptrying on 2/21/12, 4:04 PM

    Anyone interested in the publishing industry? Email me, contact is in my profile.