To my understanding the point of going to YC is to earn the connections, getting hooked up with really good business lawyer, free PR from TechCrunch, and maybe finding a capable tech co-founder.
$15,000 is just too little money to make fuss about. The free PR alone is probably as valuable as the $15K.
It's also a pedigree, the web/Internet/startup industry equivalent of a Harvard degree. Even if your startup fails, the fact that you got accepted by a program known for screening quality of talent more than quality of the initial idea is valuable.
$15,000 is just too little money to make fuss about. The free PR alone is probably as valuable as the $15K.