Foundry is a premium business intelligence publication featuring 551 articles from the best founders and investors. Topics cover leadership, strategy, fundraising, growth, AI, and more.

What topics does Foundry cover?

Foundry covers leadership, investing, AI and technology, product development, founder stories, mindset and career, marketing, hiring, fundraising, strategy, and more. Articles feature insights from founders like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Sam Altman, and Jensen Huang.

Can I submit a story to Foundry?

Yes. You can submit a story at thefoundrybrief.com/submit. Foundry publishes articles featuring insights from founders and investors across all industries.

Sam Altman: His Two Biggest Mistakes When Starting Y Combinator

By Sam Altman · Startup Growth · 1 min read

Altman ran YC for years. He made two mistakes early on that he wishes he could take back.

Key Points

Mistake 1: not being opinionated enough about which companies to fund
Mistake 2: not spending enough time with the best companies in the batch
The best companies need MORE attention, not less

I should have spent more time with the best companies and less time trying to save the worst ones.

Not Opinionated Enough

Early on, Altman tried to be open-minded about every application.

He funded companies he was unsure about, hoping they would surprise him.

Most did not. The money and time would have been better spent on the ones he was excited about.

Wrong Time Allocation

Altman spent equal time with every company in the batch.

The struggling ones got as much attention as the thriving ones.

That was backwards. The best companies deserved more time, not equal time.

Spend more time with the best. Less time saving the worst.

The Fix

Altman: Now we try to be more opinionated. I should have said no to some of the companies I didn't feel excited about.

And we spend disproportionate time with the best companies — the top 10 or 20 or 30. That's where the time really matters.

More opinionated. Disproportionate time with the best companies.