[chii]

> YC was mostly seen as a place anyone could get funding and build a great company whether or not they had a great network.

that's likely because before the success, there was no way anyone with the network would come to YC as a first port of call. And with technical partners able to judge the incoming seed company on the merits the founders themselves, YC managed to pick the successful ones (mostly - obviously there are failures).

When the success of YC's model became so prominent that it is a culture all on its own, the technical partners no longer work the same way as the old way. I don't think it's possible. So network, and human capital is used as a filter, rather than deal with the massive amounts of no-name people.

[dannyw]

I mean, your explanation makes sense, but fundamentally YC felt a lot more meritocratic and open back in the smaller days.