It’s not that easy, even in SV and within my batch at 500 startups (arguably one of the better credentials a startup can have at an early stage) the struggle to raise was real. And then back in the Midwest a lot of startups I’ve advised have had a hell of a time raising.
If you aren’t well connected or hyper credentialed (or if you’re a minority founder), raising capital is very hard. It’s easier than it’s ever been, but it’s not « easy »
I don't want that capital though. All it's doing is ossifying the power structures that are the cause of the major problems we are facing. It's a trap.
Sure, democratize capital. Then it will be decided by a few thousand voters in swing states, with “who are you and why should you get to decide” problems that put VC to shame.
A lot of VC capital is democratized: an elected official appointed a pension fund manager who decided to allocate some funds to a particular VC firm.
But how much capital do you need to get in front of YC in the first place?
It's a genuine question. Who's the poorest YC founder? Least family wealth, least angel/seed investment. Who genuinely managed to get YC funding without putting in any money of their own?
If you aren’t well connected or hyper credentialed (or if you’re a minority founder), raising capital is very hard. It’s easier than it’s ever been, but it’s not « easy »