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Y Combinator

PAYPAL   |  Comment

Inside Stripe, The PayPal Competitor Backed By PayPal Founders Peter Thiel, Elon Musk

Patrick and John Collison, brothers in their early 20s from Limerick, Ireland, have a decidedly bold mission: to become the next PayPal.READ»

Startup Vimessa Would Like You To Enjoy Video Messaging, Already

Vimessa launches today as "the world's first video voicemail app for any mobile device," into a complex market of personal messaging where Google and Apple are already trying to own your attention. READ»

Wait, Who Am I Meeting Now? Noteleaf Won't Let You Forget

About to get coffee with someone, but can't remember who this "Jake" guy on your calendar is? A new web-based service mines your calendar, email, and LinkedIn contacts to build a quick cheatsheet before your meeting.READ»

The Elevator Pitch: Want to Make a Point? Just Be Yourself

One incubator has this to say about making a pitch: "We advise you not to read from a prepared script. Just talk spontaneously as you would to a friend. People reading prepared scripts seem dumb."READ»

Y Combinator, TechStars: Investor Mentorship and Leverage Outweigh Capital

Has investor mentorship, leverage, and brand value become more important to start-ups than seed money?READ»

APP STORES   |  Comment

Why App Stores Are Not the Business Model for the 21st Century

Apple's App Store has been a runaway success, but Farhad Manjoo warns its growing rank of copycats that it's not the business model for the 21st century.READ»

iFive: Facebook Surrenders, Pepsi Lightens Up, and Boxee Opens Pandora's Box in Today's Innovation News

While you were sleeping, innovation obsessed about, well, everything. Here are today's top stories: Facebook to Whiners: Enough already! The social network's director of product Christopher Cox fell on his sword last night ...READ»

BUSINESS   |  Comment

How Y Combinator Schools Tech Startups

Jessica Livingston along with Trevor Blackwell (center), Paul Graham, and Robert Morris, cofounded Y Combinator, which trains early-stage tech startups for a "semester" to help them navigate companyhood.READ»