from Paul Graham | by Paul Graham

The application deadline for the Winter 2023 YC batch is this Monday. You have all weekend to work on your application!

Are you ready yet to apply to YC? If you have an idea, the answer is yes. That's all you need. Now that YC has become more established, a lot of people feel they need "traction" before they apply. But that's false.

YC prefers good founders without traction to bad founders with. So if you're a good founder, just apply.

You know what's the most important thing your application can be? Clear. After reading ten applications full of vague marketing-speak about disrupting x and platforms for y, the partners are delighted when they see one that simply gets to the point.