Many hard tech founders mistakenly believe they need large amounts of funding upfront, but Y Combinator encourages them to think like software companies and find ways to progress with less money.

At Y Combinator, we often help startups clean up their cap tables and convince previous investors that their current setup is detrimental to the company.

Founders at Y Combinator are often independent-minded and determined, willing to hustle despite skepticism from others about their ideas.

At Y Combinator, we emphasize the importance of not dying as a startup, which means confronting the beliefs that could lead to failure.

At Y Combinator, we invest in founders at the idea stage, understanding that it may take over a decade to see if their concepts are viable, so short-term valuations are less critical.

Young founders often come into Y Combinator expecting to go from the first line of code to a million dollars in annual recurring revenue in just a couple of months. When that doesn't happen, they can feel distraught. It's important to set realistic expectations to help you win.

As Y Combinator partners, we often see founders become overly focused on their competitors, which can lead to fear overshadowing their excitement for their own company.

During the Y Combinator batch, founders often become super focused on growth and scaling, but they can get distracted by numerous tasks that don't contribute to their core goals.

If hard tech founders can establish a habit of operating efficiently during Y Combinator, it can lead to long-term success in their ventures.