The article literally only gives high star rating to demo day, predicated on the prestige factor of YC

It’s not like an Ivy League, it’s more like joining a frat, but for startups. Except, it used to be more fun, when all companies worked at the same location and you could bump into people in halls and then go do keg stands after work or sleep on couches, etc.

Now it’s just remote webinar garbage, talk to some people on Zoom, etc.

I think it would have always been the same for overseas companies - I've had several YC-founder friends, and the experience is vastly different if you're YC-in-the-Bay versus YC-elsewhere.

FYI, YC is now back to primarily in person (although there is a remote option, it's strongly encouraged to be in SF).

> It’s not like an Ivy League

The Ivy League is talked about and well known all over and public knowledge your neighbor your aunt, your wife, your mother, the guy who owns the local bakery etc. It's an international brand.

YC known in the startup community. Most likely the guy who runs the local 200 person wholesale operation wouldn't even know about it unless he read about it in the WSJ he reads print edition. Go to sell to that company and they will say HUH what's that mean 'YC'.

double that, most of the people in the e-commmerce don't have any idea what is YC

In my experience, even most people in tech don't know what YC is (I am based in Kenya, so this probably skews the results).

I actually like the YC as Ivy League school comparison - it has many parallels. Highly selective, has a set regimen ("world view"), has a somewhat high cost of entry ($500k for 7%, not bad tho), and has a fairly exclusive clique that provides value by association that's difficult for outsiders.

Given that, is it harder to get into Harvard or YC based on admission numbers?

> Given that, is it harder to get into Harvard or YC based on admission numbers?

I always find it laughable (sorry not directed at you in particular) when people make that type of comparison. Probability of something occurring for unrelated events ... why in the world does that matter at all? I could say it's harder to get accepted to a certain health club than Harvard or YC.

I am reminded of a restaurant in my city that opened and the local press talked about how hard it was to get a reservation. In fact this particular chef decided to open that restaurant both because he didn't have any experience and also the fact that it had a limited amount of tables would always make it seem more valuable in some way than it was. 'So hard to get a table harder than WONDERFUL RESTAURANT IN SAME CITY where it's hard to get a reservation HARDER THAN THAT EVEN!' Additional point in that restaurant was it took over the location (another PR win) of an old established and very famous restaurant in the same city. The press ate that up as a story angle. As if it mattered at all. It didn't only it made a good story angle. Otherwise why should it make any difference at all?

Purely based on numbers YC is more selective ;)

What are the numbers? Are they disclosed?

Here, https://www.ycombinator.com/investors

1.5 - 2%

Harvard: 4%

> $500k for 7%

$125k is for 7%. The other $375k SAFE causes extra dilution when next round or sale occurs.

> Ivy League school comparison

One difference: Harvard graduates 98%, but YC founder’s success rate is say 33% - http://paulgraham.com/die.html - and actual financial success is power law (average $ returns good, median return for founder rounds to $0).