✨ Hey! Louis here, founder and CEO@Upstream. This blog post is part of our Startup & Company Building stories, in which Jonathan and I share learnings from our founding journey with Upstream (YC S23). None of this would be possible without our early (dream) team: shoutout to our stars Joseph, Ben, Kostya, Sarah, Patryk.✨
I often get asked why my cofounder and I chose to go through YC even though we had the experience and network to raise without.
I’ll be clear: I don’t get the question. It was a non-brainer for us, something I’ll expand on in this article.
TL;DR: Yes, even seasoned founders benefit from Y Combinator. We chose to go through it after building successful products and teams, and we’d do it again in a heartbeat.
In summary, YC isn’t just for first-time founders:
The YC brand is a go-to-market weapon when you’re starting out
YC by design gives you access to fundraising opportunities you’ll never get elsewhere
The alumni network is insane- and advice quality is unmatched, which saves precious mental space for execution
The network and pressure-cooker accelerate focus and clarity
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📍Before we dive in
Want help thinking through YC? If you're considering applying, I’m happy to share our experience. or reach out directly at louis@upstream.do. I try to personally answer any reachouts.
💣 1. YC’s brand is a go-to-market weapon
YC's brand is stronger than ever. The association opens doors with:
Investors
Early hires
Beta customers
Press and distribution channels
In particular, when you launch your company, customers don’t know anything about you. Association with YC is a strong signal for them and builds trust that you have all the cards in hand to last.
💰 2. YC opens fundraising access you could only dream of otherwise
One thing you need to understand is that many investors treat YC as its own ETF.
Think about it: YC backed some of the most successful companies worldwide.
Their market exposure and talent access is unmatched: top talent from all over the world applies to get in. And YC companies tend to do well in fundraising, reassuring investors that an early bet will eventually pay off.
YC still signals quality, urgency, and access. Whatever dilution you take, the post-Demo Day step-up in valuation makes up for it (and then some).
🧠 3. The alumni network is insane
One thing I didn’t realise before YC was how much of a gamechanger access to the top 1% advisors is. It’s simple: there are so many decisions for you to make as a founder. When you’re at YC, there is always someone who’s seen the problem you are tackling many times before- they know what worked, and what didn’t. So when they give you advice, it’s grounded in factys and expwrience. I don’t lose time second guessing the advice I’m given in these cases, and that saves me precious time to execute on all strategic and day to day decisions.
Also- YC doesn’t end after Demo Day.
We tap into the network weekly: from warm intros to peer debugging
YC internal docs, tools, and channels are second to none
Just remember you’re always one DM away from a founder who’s seen your problem before
🤒 4. Momentum is contagious, and constraints create claerity
Even experienced founders drift early on: too many ideas, too little urgency.
Being surrounded by 200+ other teams sprinting alongside you creates energy that’s hard to replicate. YC manufactures urgency with tight weekly goals, feedback, and cadence:
Everyone is shipping
Everyone is learning
Everyone is fundraising at the same time
This accelerated us in ways we could never have imagined beforehand.
Even Parker Conrad (after Zenefits!) went through YC again for Rippling. That tells you everything you need to know.
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👉 Sign up for our waitlist and be the first to try Upstream
🧠 FAQ
Q: Is YC worth it for experienced founders?
Absolutely. The question isn't whether you're experienced enough to skip it but whether you can afford to build without the unfair advantages YC provides. Even Parker Conrad (post-Zenefits exit) went through again for Rippling.
Q: Won't I look like I need training wheels?
The opposite. YC is a go-to-market weapon, not a training program. When customers don't know you, YC association builds instant trust that you have "all the cards in hand to last." That's credibility you can't buy.
Q: I can already raise money. Why give up equity for access?
Because many top investors treat YC like an ETF. They know the talent pipeline and success rates. You're not just getting 6-7% dilution, you're getting access to investors who might never take your call otherwise. The post-Demo Day valuation bump typically more than covers it.
Q: Can't I just leverage my existing network for advice?
Your network gives you opinions. YC gives you answers from founders who've solved your exact problems before. When someone who's been there tells you what works, you don't waste time second-guessing. You execute. That mental space savings alone is worth it.
Q: What if I'm already past the idea stage?
Perfect. YC works best when you can focus on acceleration rather than education. The 200+ teams sprinting alongside you create momentum that's impossible to replicate solo. You'll ship faster, learn faster, and fundraise faster.
Q: Isn't the time commitment too much when I could be building?
YC doesn't slow you down. It forces you to move faster. The weekly goals and peer pressure eliminate the "drift" that kills early-stage companies. Too many ideas become focused execution.
Related Reads
Do Things that Don't Scale - Paul Graham's foundational essay on early-stage startup strategy
The Pmarca Guide to Startups - Marc Andreessen's comprehensive startup building framework
Zero to One - Peter Thiel's contrarian thinking on building monopolistic businesses
