Usually the idea gets discussed, than the team and competition. I think it is telling that the top comment on this post doesn't need to validate the idea and demand. That alone should count for considering in the YC Fellowship.
Sorry but if this is the first experience the team has with building or maintaining data stores then I would definitely not invest. There is so much to learn from experience.
Having said that, I imagine it's not, so it should be an easy question to answer one would hope.
> first experience the team has with building or maintaining data stores then I would definitely not invest.
To that point, while admittedly I don't know enough about building and maintaining data stores, I think it is a mistake to pass on founders because they lack the experience needed to know what they are up against. Often it is that very quality of being too naive to know what they are up against that allows them to take on a massive project and completely change the world or disrupt an industry.
I think the questions are fair and important to answer, I just think that great things are done all the time by people who have no clue what they are doing or up against going into the challenge...as long as they have the perseverance and resourcefulness to deal with whatever gets thrown at them, I would bet on them.
I was only pointing out that the idea itself seems to resonate enough with the voters on HN that they don't question the validity of the idea, only the ability of the team to deliver.
That's why this comes up.
It simply not as much of a question of is the idea great, it's we have been here before (and if not exactly this idea, there is a lot of overlap with other new databases), and it's quite hard to pull off.
Not everyone can be the tesla of databases, and there is a plethora of new options in the space. So answering this question seems to weigh a bit heavy in the discussion for good reason.
Brodlist stems from several years of private research with two PhD students (check kayia.org for more details) that was lucky enough to wind up being able to be the Tesla of databases. Most of this is implemented (what's left is mechanical) and I'm happy to do a TDD with HN. I definitely understand your concern and I'm saying I don't know if we qualified to do this job but I can assure you that we qualified by doing this job.
Tesla has hired the brightest minds in the business, _plenty_ coming from years and years and years of deep experience building cars, supply chains, and more.
You can believe that he didn't get funding without having the team in place to build his company, even if he is the fire starter.
I should have never thought I could try to do something so disruptive and during the long process till now there were many times I wished I could have killed the muse that started it all. It was the hardest thing I've ever done and yet, still, looking back, I don't regret a thing.
I think if you could look at what it took to bring it to this point, you would never doubt if it has what it will take to go the rest of the way.
But it's still early -- I know. A YC Fellowship is for prototype stage companies and that kind of funding isn't for everyone -- I get that. And I get your concern for exactly what it is: concern. It's valid, really, and I appreciate it. But if I could have done the smart thing and walk away, I would have done it a long time ago.