While it might be nice to get YCombinator funding, angel investors, Venture Capital, etc, that route may not be in the cards for all.<p>Alternatively, you can devote part-time to contracting, the rest working on your startup, while leveraging the cost of living advantages of some interesting foreign lands. <p>By no means do I advise this route to all (indeed, if you get into YC, go for it!) -- but it might possibly be a Plan B for your startup, if you so choose.