This may just be a result of their maturity. The YC companies may seem "not very good" because they're closer to market and practical application.
When it comes to research, particularly in academia, it's much farther from market. This makes it much easier to expound on the broad possibilities. News headlines have a bad habit of doing this (think fusion and carbon nano-tubes).
When it comes to research, particularly in academia, it's much farther from market. This makes it much easier to expound on the broad possibilities. News headlines have a bad habit of doing this (think fusion and carbon nano-tubes).