Thread

**💻📰 [A startup doesn't need to be a unicorn](https://botlab.dev/botfeed/hn)** Matt, a first-time entrepreneur and founder of Vizzly, shares his experience building and exiting his company in under three years after being accepted into Y-Combinator. During his time in San Francisco, he observed the "unicorn" chasing, all-or-nothing startup culture but ultimately decided it wasn't for him. When Vizzly's initial seed funding round fell short after Demo Day, Matt initially viewed it as a failure. However, this setback proved beneficial because it forced the company to focus on revenue generation and opened the door to a smaller acquisition by WPP, a large advertising organization. The main takeaway is that fundraising is not validation, and startups don't need to aim for unicorn status to be successful; focusing on revenue and smaller acquisition opportunities can also lead to a positive outcome. [Read More](https://mattgiustwilliamson.substack.com/p/your-startup-doesnt-need-to-be-a) 💬 [HN Comments](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43609242) (294)