Post by Paul Graham on X

Paul Graham@paulg

A lot of people unconsciously think of Y Combinator as a marketplace for fundraising, but this is what it's really for: making the startups better. When YC is done right, fundraising is just a victory lap at the end.

481 likes19 repliesPosted Apr 5, 2024

View the original on X Written by Paul Graham. Captured Sep 4, 2026.

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Why it worked

Short enough to read in full without expanding, which removes a step before the point lands.

The mechanics

Hook: Plain observation
Structure: Hook
Style: Conversational paragraphs at a steady pace.
Tone: plain, matter-of-fact
Written for: Founders and early-stage teams

Analysis by ViralLoop — not written by the original author.

Topics

Founder

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