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You shouldn't be asking. Suppose YC had an official "don't trust nobody over 30" policy. Would that stop you? Build it on the nights and weekends. If you need to keep your day job, do so. If you've never run a business before, start at least a small one. You don't have to go whole hog in a bet the farm type situation... if your wife stays at home, a small home base business might just be the ticket (software or not...) The reason I advise this is a business, any business, will put you thru the business school of hard knocks... and it might be easier to learn those lessons on a venture that has a lower risk of failure rate. Despite the admonition against single founder businesses, there's nothing to stop you from building something on your own. Don't wait for a co founder to show up (or build the lower risk business while you're waiting.) I think finding a cofounder is like finding a wife- you can't order one thru the mail. Your deterimination is a bigger factor than any of the pluses or negative you listed (well, and you can program.) For what its worth, I'm 38, have been working for startups since 1991, started my first company (and online service that was also a franchise) in 1994, and sold it in 1997. That was my MBA. And for a programmer, dealmaking may seem weird or too "social"... but doing it helps you develop a taste for it, and doing it in any form makes it easier. So you absolutely, positively should start a business, any business. I think you might be too late for YC this summer, so finish the year with a working prototype of a product... I'm sure that helps in your application for the next round of YC. But if not that, start something. |