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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

23% of the startups that applied to Y Combinator for this batch had a female founder, and we accepted the same percentage of startups with female founders as we had applicants.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

If we want to fund more women in Y Combinator, we need more women to apply.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

The type of founder Y Combinator accepts is anyone who is determined and has a potentially big idea.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

Company culture starts when it's just two people working on an idea, and founders who care about their culture early tend to build the best companies.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

Y Combinator has never offered office space to founders because the culture of individual startups needs to grow organically in their own space, and its culture was largely my creation, and I didn't want to seem to be bragging about it.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

Y Combinator is not just an investment firm; it's a collection of people, both founders and partners, curated over the past decade.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

My co-founders are excellent at judging technical ideas, but I'm the one who assesses character, which has been crucial for Y Combinator's success.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

During interviews, I focus on how applicants respond to questions rather than the technical details, which allows me to gauge their character.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

I filter for character as well as knowledge and determination, as I have a strong reaction to people with bad character.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

Y Combinator has grown to value its alumni network, which now includes over 2,000 members who are nurturing and trustworthy.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

Starting a startup can be lonely, but having 2,000 alumni who will come to your aid makes a significant difference.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

We continue to filter for character in our interview process, even with multiple tracks now in place. When you meet a Y Combinator founder, you can trust them; they embody the culture of YC, which reflects the founders' values.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

The atmosphere at Y Combinator dinners is distinct, described as cheery, collegial, supportive, and energizing, creating a buzz that founders feel when they gather.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

The atmosphere at YC dinners today is a direct descendant of the very first dinners held in 2005, which felt like inviting friends over to our house for dinner.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

YC's growth has diluted the intimate feeling of those early dinners, but it still feels more personal than one might expect for an event with 116 companies.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

The architect of our first headquarters has designed every space since, maintaining a family feeling that makes the new building feel both magnificent and homey.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

At YC, we followed the principle of treating founders like family, which was easier in the early days when there were fewer founders to manage.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

We did not expect the first batch of startups to make money; it was an experiment for us to learn how to be investors, which shaped our approach to supporting founders.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

Our investment terms were designed to be founder-friendly, avoiding the typical demands investors make, which reflects our commitment to supporting founders' best interests.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

One key to startup success is not being overly driven by immediate financial gain; Mark Zuckerberg's decision to decline a billion-dollar acquisition offer from Yahoo exemplifies this principle.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

Recognizing the benefits of founders having colleagues, we decided to invest in batches, which has become a core part of YC's approach. At Y Combinator, we treat founders like family and prioritize their interests, fostering a strong sense of community even among over 2,000 alumni.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

YC continues to support startups long after demo day, providing advice for years as they navigate various challenges, from product development to social issues.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

Many startups face hidden challenges, including co-founder disputes, which are often more dangerous than technical issues, and I help founders address these problems.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

Having worked with hundreds of startups, I can quickly assess problems and reassure founders that many issues are just normal growing pains.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

YC has always emphasized sharing knowledge and resources, hosting free events and creating open-source investment documents to support startups.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

Culture at YC is defined not just by our mission statement but by the people we have and how we interact, which is crucial to our identity and success.

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Jessica Livingston

02/24/15

@ Y Combinator

The unique culture and people at YC are what set us apart and cannot be easily replicated by others in the startup ecosystem.

Jessica Livingston Speaks at Female Founders Conference 2015

Takeaways