[subfay]

This is normal, people come and go and Sam is a superb guy.

The communication about his leaving though, was subpar (to use a polite wording) and seems just off. No strong appreciation/thanks for his time neither from YC's LPs nor Graham. Also his next challenge sounds not like something significant, rather like a rushed filler.

So, this feels like an overnight decision from whomever and doesn't leave a good taste on YC either. That's just not the way to say goodbye (after five years of being together).

However and again: this happens everyday but Sam should have had a communication pro on his side framing the situation properly.

Sam, I wish you all the best and hope to hear from you soon again!

[jamestimmins]

Given that Sam has acknowledged that he spends most of his time on OpenAI already, and this article mentions that he hasn't been involved with the operations at YC for a while, this sounds like a case of the org chart catching up with the existing structure.

I wouldn't be surprised if this indicates few, if any, changes other than formally removing the CEO title. In light of that, it's possible that they tried to downplay the public message because internally not much has changed and it truly isn't a big deal.

This is pure speculation, of course.

[JumpCrisscross]

> people come and go

Given the murkiness of GP-level VC economics, it’s often tough to evaluate departing managers. Altman, by running YC more like a company or institution than traditional VC firm, offers a unique opportunity to examine that part of Silicon Valley.

I also think his tenure raises valid questions of what early-stage investing should look like and aspire to be. Operationally limited and difficult to access but de-centralised, i.e. friends & family and angels? Or involved and more accessible but centralised?