[forgotmysn]

So you feel that the ROI is greater for companies going through YC now than it was 10 years ago? I suppose it's true that the network of founders has grown significantly, but it's hard for me to imagine that a founder in the class of '17 becoming the head of the YC Accelerator.

[mwseibel]

Wow - I'm not sure what you are basing that on but it can't be any knowledge of the current class.

[forgotmysn]

It has nothing to do with the current class. You're missing my point. You could have the next Elon Musk or Marc Andreessen in the current class, and given that you guys are YC, you probably do.

My point is this: for every person added to a network of individuals, the opportunity to create strong bonds with each person in the network is reduced, even while the value and strength of the network itself is increased.

A larger network means more opinions, more expertise and more connections (every person added to the network brings their own network of connections). Thus making the network more valuable to each individual member. However, once networks reach a certain size, that value is often extrapolated indirectly. Someone asks someone else to ask a third person a favor, because the second person knows the third better than the first. Thus, the likelihood or ability for each member to form strong relationships with everyone, or the more VIP members of the network, decreases.

This not a knock on YC or the current cohort. I'm a big fan of YC and I'm fully confident the W17 class is as quality as every other class that's gone through, but network dynamics shift as quantity increases.