[ktom]

The network of alum really helps. Having access to so many startups that have already optimize the hell out of the steps needed to start a company is a big value add.

The reality is that if you want/need PG's time you can get at any point during YC.

[wheels]

I think the really interesting thing about the alumni network is that it's not only growing in size, but experience. At this point there are companies inside of YC that have grown larger and been around longer than Viaweb was, so not only are you able to get advice from folks other than the YC founders, there's an emerging set of people who are in some aspects more experienced. (Though, naturally none who have seen more early phase startups up close.)

That's one of those surprising emergent properties that I think will be of increasing import as the trend continues upwards and also has an effect of distributing the load on the YC founders.