Petals @ YC in London

Last month, Y Combinator (YC) came to London for the first time, hosting YC Startup School in the UK. It was an incredible event, with a room packed full of 1,000 tech enthusiasts, innovators, and founders. In this post, we’ve summarized three key takeaways from the event that stood out to us.

1. Work on Hard Problems

Tom Blomfield, founder of Monzo and now a YC partner, emphasized the importance of working on hard problems. He explained that tackling challenging problems attracts top talent and drives meaningful progress.

At Petals, we also believe that working on hard things pushes the boundaries of innovation and unlocks what’s possible. But “hard” doesn’t always mean technical. For example: designing human-centric applications is hard. Making something perceived as boring, exciting and engaging is hard. Building a company from scratch and competing against industry giants is hard.

The takeaway? Embrace the difficulty, it’s where real impact lies.

2. Don’t Be Boring

James Hawkins, founder of PostHog, shared an important lesson: don’t be boring. He explained how, despite PostHog facing stiff competition, their strong brand identity helped them stand out. James highlighted that a brand identity should be rooted in your ideal customer profile. This echoed a recurring theme throughout the event: talk to your users, understand their needs, and provide value. Building a brand that resonates with your audience isn’t just marketing—it’s about creating a connection that cuts through the noise.

3. The AI Wave Will Be Bigger Than the Last Two

Paul Graham, the legendary co-founder of YC, made a bold prediction: the AI wave will surpass both the internet revolution and the silicon chip era (the very invention that gave Silicon Valley its name). While it’s easy to dismiss AI as another hype cycle— Paul argues that this is different. At Petals, we’re seeing this firsthand. The pace of AI advancements is dizzying, with major developments every month. Paul’s perspective got us thinking: if we were back in the pre-internet era, what would we want to be working on? Reflecting on this question might help guide your approach to the AI wave.

Want More Insights?

We’ve also gathered deeper learnings from speakers like Paul Graham, Tom Blomfield, James Hawkins, and Raza Habib. If you’d like us to share more of these insights in future newsletters, let us know! 🪴