Ask HN: Am I tool old to apply for YC?

1 nisthana 3 6/19/2025, 3:40:54 PM

I have been in tech industry for past 20 years, worked on some of FAANGs. Now have a product being used by customers+traction. Thinking of applying to YC but the app starts by asking my age and when did I attend school. Feels like they are biasing towards 20 year olds I guess? Am I done with YC?

PS: I got rejected from YC few years back. But I was younger then and the idea was not solid. Now I feel like I have something, but maybe too old for them?

Comments (3)

dang · 1h ago

You aren't too old! and if you can demonstrate customers+traction, that's significant.

toomuchtodo · 5h ago

Applying is free. If you don't ask, the answer is always no. Shoot your shot, lots of folks who have gone on to be successful without YC.

JohnFen · 4h ago

> Now I feel like I have something, but maybe too old for them?

Do it. Don't worry about age... either it's a problem or it's not, but either way if you let that worry affect your decisions, then you're making it an issue where it may not otherwise have been.

Just go for it.

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Ask HN: Am I tool old to apply for YC?

Comments (3)