"... it's a lot easier to set up a Kickstarter post than apply to YC..."
Perhaps. But let's not shortchange what an achievement having a blockbuster Kickstarter round really is. To get to $200,000 on Kickstarter, you have to work for it. You have to promote the hell out of yourself. You have to guerilla-market like a pro. The most successful Kickstarter projects -- the ones with the giant rounds of funding, well beyond their own targets -- have been the ones who got out there and drummed up interest, then brought the interest back to Kickstarter. (In contrast to the folks who simply sat back and expected interest to generate on Kickstarter).
It is a total myth that you can "set it and forget it" on Kickstarter, and that having a cool premise will rake in the donations on its own accord. It takes legitimate hustle.
I don't think we disagree. The partial failure mode of Kickstarter, say $5800 of the $10k you wanted; which is easier to accept than a flat "no" from YC.
Let's remember that these are pretty young kids. It's pretty easy to be intimidated.
"The partial failure mode of Kickstarter, say $5800 of the $10k you wanted; which is easier to accept than a flat "no" from YC."
True, although we should keep in mind that partial failure on Kickstarter = total failure. You don't receive any money from the round if you don't meet your target. If I set $10,000 as my bar, and I raise anything south of $10,000 (even $9,999), I don't see a penny.
I agree with you that this is probably not as emotionally devastating as being told "no" by some of the preeminent experts in the field of startups. (And I agree with you by and large, btw; I'm just spelling this out for others reading the thread who might not know how KS works).
Comments
"... it's a lot easier to set up a Kickstarter post than apply to YC..."
Perhaps. But let's not shortchange what an achievement having a blockbuster Kickstarter round really is. To get to $200,000 on Kickstarter, you have to work for it. You have to promote the hell out of yourself. You have to guerilla-market like a pro. The most successful Kickstarter projects -- the ones with the giant rounds of funding, well beyond their own targets -- have been the ones who got out there and drummed up interest, then brought the interest back to Kickstarter. (In contrast to the folks who simply sat back and expected interest to generate on Kickstarter).
It is a total myth that you can "set it and forget it" on Kickstarter, and that having a cool premise will rake in the donations on its own accord. It takes legitimate hustle.
I don't think we disagree. The partial failure mode of Kickstarter, say $5800 of the $10k you wanted; which is easier to accept than a flat "no" from YC.
Let's remember that these are pretty young kids. It's pretty easy to be intimidated.
"The partial failure mode of Kickstarter, say $5800 of the $10k you wanted; which is easier to accept than a flat "no" from YC."
True, although we should keep in mind that partial failure on Kickstarter = total failure. You don't receive any money from the round if you don't meet your target. If I set $10,000 as my bar, and I raise anything south of $10,000 (even $9,999), I don't see a penny.
I agree with you that this is probably not as emotionally devastating as being told "no" by some of the preeminent experts in the field of startups. (And I agree with you by and large, btw; I'm just spelling this out for others reading the thread who might not know how KS works).