In 2008 there was a great discussion ( <a href="http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=250704">http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=250704</a> ) and a list of startup ideas that YCombinator would like to fund ( <a href="http://ycombinator.com/ideas.html">http://ycombinator.com/ideas.html</a> ).<p>Do you think that it can be updated today? There are a lot more YC funded companies today.. maybe some of the problems are gone?
Not sure if you're only looking for input from the funders themselves? Well in any case here's a fun idea I'd like to see implemented:<p>A music-making marketplace. What do I mean? Somewhere online that lets people sell simple musical components (like melodies, beats, lyrics, chord progressions /backing tracks) and musical services (like singing parts, mixing, playing, sequencing, arranging). Whole songs could be assembled in this entrepreneurial fashion.<p>How would the transactions work? Let people set there own terms (maybe support auctions), but one idea I had was everyone involved in the final track gets a cut of the songwriter royalties. If it's a hit, everyone could get rich! And sell the finished products on the front page, obviously (unless people opt to take it offsite).<p>If nothing else, it'd be something a bit different. Songs are often made like this anyway... Like the latest Eminem song was a beat from Alex Da Kid, probably using samples of something else, which Eminem put verses to, then a hook from an unknown singer was added, which was then rerecorded by Rihanna, etc
There is also a list called "request for startups", which is located at <a href="http://ycombinator.com/rfs.html" rel="nofollow">http://ycombinator.com/rfs.html</a>. It's slightly newer.
Another idea, this one a bit more serious:<p>Solve the non-programming programmer problem. More specifically, solve the problem of obscenely padded CVs swamping the HR department with the result that incompetent candidates fill the interview spaces.<p>How? Codility.com already made a start on this with online coding tests. But the way it's structured, it'd likely come after the time-consuming resumé inspection. Could there not be a site that handles job listings, applications, AND coding tests? Like the employer posts the job and the site provides an appropriate test. Applicants can send their CV to the employer <i>after</i> they've sat the test.<p>The cost-saving of not reading all those useless CVs and conducting fruitless interviews should add up to quite a bit for most businesses. I suppose one of the harder implementation challenges would be how to cook up lots of appropriate tests.
Two ideas that have serious commercial value:<p>- Decent document management (i..e handles word/excel, versioning inc. placing version info into docs, web based editor, audit log).<p>- ISO auditing.<p>auditing/tracking is a seriously lucrative field right now
Would it be safe to assume you found that link via the Hacker Newsletter from last week? If so, that is great as my hope was it would rekindle some of the great talks on here from the past.
An iPhone or Android app that uses DSP to help people learn to make music. Recognizing notes from instruments should be fairly easy, and it should also be easy to time those and line them up to pieces of music that are internal to the app.<p>The idea being, that you take your piano or gutair, and pluck away, while the phone gives you feedback. You could do this with voice as well, with the phone telling you when you're off-pitch.<p>If this exists already, let me know -- I'd love to not have to nag my buddy's fiancee for voice lessons. :)