It's one of those awkward late stage career things but I have a friend and colleague who is applying to Y-Combinator and wants me as a co-founder. We are both 53. Yeah I know it's illegal to discriminate on age but we all know it happens or it's enforced and they bring on someone mediocre to fulfill requirements. (I am an older person of color who has been through this kind of reception before. I wish people would look at my ability to do not my colour when hiring me.You are hiring me to do things not fill a colour quota.)
I've just turned 50, though I've applied to YC many times before, even in my 30s.<p>It would be nice to know the answer to who was the oldest person, but at the same time, why does it matter?<p>We can't deny that ageism exists in the industry, you're not going to let that stop you from building your business, right?<p>Is there a benefit you get from age that younger people don't have? How are you going to leverage that to your advantage?
The truth is there's <i>massive</i> ageism throughout this industry. It's everywhere --not just SV/SF/west coast, but it's much worse in that region relative to others.<p>I feel it would be best to give you the truth directly.
The answer is on the homepage of ycombinator.com.<p>> We help founders at their earliest stages regardless of their age.<p>> 52% of YC's billion dollar company founders were under 28 years old and the oldest founder was in their 50s
You should do it anyway. Not because it's easy -- it won't be -- but because it will inspire other people after you to try. People who are facing their own barriers -- sometimes the same barrier you're facing, but sometimes ones that you never even imagined.<p>HN loves to crap on DEI efforts, but, point-in-fact, not going with the flow (when the flow washes you away from capital, away from opportunity) is almost always an act of defiance and resistance. The endlessly-circulating idea that HR departments are handing things to you because you're 'diverse' is simply one more raindrop on your umbrella. Shake it off.
YC appears to be interested in 1) new technology that 2) is valuable (something people want), with 3) unicorn potential (value in billions) and 4) founders that can devote >80 hrs a week getting it there before someone else does.<p>If you fit this model, I don't see why age would matter.<p>FTR, 4) tends to eliminate people over ~30. Also, my observation is that 1) favors the young who seem to have time to identify and play around with new tech in a way that older people typically do not, which would explain the median age of YC applicants, but not necessarily exclude applicants by age.
I seriously doubt that YC discriminates on age deliberately.<p>My understanding is that you're expected to do 3 months in San Francisco and that would stop most people with a family. Which is like most people over 30.
1. You and your co-founder might have a lot of relevant industry expertise or a productive Rolodex to accelerate sales.<p>2. Have you built anything or validated the idea in any way?