How Instacart (YC S12) Hacked YC
I've talked with a lot of startups who got in YC in the past several years, and none of them got a call or an interview without having connection inside or using some kind of a hack.<p>Still, it's sadden me a little bit. You send the best possible application you can create, you're refused. You contact the YC team, you're refused. You send beer to one of them, oh you get the chance to have an interview.<p>If they liked the idea so much to admit Instacart so late with a single founder, it's hard to believe they're doing a great job at screening the applications.<p>IMO, every (no-spam) applications should at least have a 2 minutes skype call with one of the YC members. I know it takes time but it's in <i>their</i> interest.