Y Combinator is an incubator for startups but that description doesn’t quite capture it’s influence. It’s one of the world’s largest and most successful incubator in the world launching companies like Dropbox, AirBnB, and Reddit. For a while, this secret enclave was only passing out its billion dollar secrets to a select few, but then Y Combinator did something crazy. They decided to give away their secrets online for free. Prepare to unleash your inner hoodie because I’m going to give you their top 18 tips to launch your startup into the stratosphere.

1. Billion $ Startup Advice from the
Best Tech Incubator in the World

2. Don’t think of
startup ideas to
start a startup.

3. You want an idea that people think is a bad idea
but is really a great idea.

4. Be
an
expert
in
your
user.

5. Better to make something
a few people
LOVE
than a lot
of people
Like

6. Competition is for losers

7. Get a co-founder

8. Model your
co-founder after
James Bond

9. Youshould be able to summarize your startup
in one sentence.

10. Delight and Surprise your Customers.

11. Create a tight
feedback loop.

12. Work Harder

13. Forging a company is harder than
forging a product.

14. Hire people so talented
they intimidate you.

15. When
hiring
your
first 10
employees If you
don’t get
that right
you’re
screwed.

16. “Would you work here if you only had
one more year to live?”
Ask applicants,

17. Your job as CEO is to
Simplify

18. Your Culture is Your Brand

19. Don’t claim to change the world
until you’ve changed it …but do try!