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    YC: Requests for Startups

    (www.ycombinator.com)
    514 points sarimkx | 15 comments | 14 Feb 24 16:31 UTC | HN request time: 1.104s | source | bottom
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    Animats ◴[14 Feb 24 19:59 UTC] No.39374469[source]▶
    Most of those take a lot more time and money than YC usually offers.

    There are some opportunities in "New Defense Technology". Something like a low-cost replacement for the Javelin anti-tank missile based on off the shelf phone camera parts ought to be possible. Of course, once that's out there, every insurgent group will have some.

    "Explainable AI" is really important.

    "Stablecoin finance" is mostly how to make sure the issuers don't steal the collateral. Maybe the people behind the stablecoin have an explosive collar welded around their neck. If the price drops, it detonates. That might work.

    "Applying machine learning to robotics" has potential. Get bin-picking nailed and get acquired by Amazon. Many people have failed at this, but it might be possible now.

    "Bring manufacturing back to America". Is it possible to build a cell phone in the US?

    "Climate tech" - think automating HVAC and insulation selection, installation, and analysis. Installers suck at this. See previous HVAC article on HN. A phone app where you walk around and through the building with an IR camera is one place to start. Map the duct system. Take manometer readings. Crunch. That's do-able on YC-sized money.

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    1. skrbjc ◴[14 Feb 24 20:27 UTC] No.39374844[source]▶
    "Bring manufacturing back to America". Is it possible to build a cell phone in the US?

    I think we should start more basic and work our way up. For example, there isn't a real reason we can't produce all of our domestic iron and steel needs in the USA, but we end up importing a lot right now. Same with aluminum, etc. But this isn't something YC is really going to help with unless they are funding manufacturing and industrial tech that makes it easier/cheaper to set-up and run these types of facilities.

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    2. ipaddr ◴[14 Feb 24 20:41 UTC] No.39375031[source]▶
    Cost. I don't think America should focus on mining raw materials that can be sent elsewhere so cellphones can be made which America will import back at high costs.
    3. Animats ◴[14 Feb 24 21:01 UTC] No.39375270[source]▶
    The US currently imports only 17% of its steel, mostly from Canada and Mexico. The US also exports steel, but imports are about 4x exports. So the US steel industry is doing OK.

    60% of US steel consumption is now from recycled steel. Nucor became the largest US steel manufacturer by making that work.

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    4. jaredmclaughlin ◴[14 Feb 24 21:48 UTC] No.39375973[source]▶
    We import a lot but we make a lot. I made a living supervising the manufacturing of the rolls used to roll steel in mill. We weren't exporting even the majority of the product.
    5. bozhark ◴[14 Feb 24 22:06 UTC] No.39376232[source]▶
    US Steel is now Japanese, btw
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    6. lkbm ◴[14 Feb 24 22:17 UTC] No.39376353{3}[source]▶
    Depending on the specific concern, I assume what mostly matters is where the facilities are, not who owns the company. (At least so long as it's an ally.)
    replies(1): >>39382291 #
    7. reaperman ◴[14 Feb 24 22:45 UTC] No.39376633[source]▶
    It takes (up to) 456.23% import tariffs[0] to achieve that 17%.

    So you pay china $1 million for some amount of steel (via vietnam) and then pay the us gov $4.56 million for a total cost of $5.56 million.

    It’s amazing that so many steel companies are still underperforming in the USA seemingly in spite the intense protectionism.

    0: https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-us-vietnam-steel-trad....

    replies(1): >>39377600 #
    8. 542458 ◴[14 Feb 24 23:09 UTC] No.39376886[source]▶
    You can do advanced electronics manufacturing in North America, it just has tradeoffs - primarily cost and process availability. I work for a company that builds high-end electronics over in Canada; Opinions are my own.
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    9. whatshisface ◴[15 Feb 24 00:34 UTC] No.39377600{3}[source]▶
    So, essentially, we can all become factory workers if we're willing to accept a drastic decrease in our standard of living.
    10. ricardobeat ◴[15 Feb 24 00:43 UTC] No.39377679[source]▶
    Is the percentage of steel imports relevant, when most of the metal consumer products are coming from abroad?

    Simple stuff like pots and pans, cutlery, potato mashers. Then industrial parts. Farm equipment. Eventually, cell phone frames and more sophisticated stuff. I think this is what the parent comment is alluding to.

    replies(1): >>39386010 #
    11. HWR_14 ◴[15 Feb 24 04:43 UTC] No.39379198{3}[source]▶
    Not yet. The federal government could still block it or the acquisition could fall through for other reasons.
    12. shiroiushi ◴[15 Feb 24 10:33 UTC] No.39381075[source]▶
    Advanced electronics manufacturing never left the US. The problem is that all the consumer-grade stuff left, and what's left is all really high-end military stuff, and is stupidly expensive. It's great if you're a defense contractor building some state-of-the-art weapons system that really needs the performance offered by those process technologies, but if you want to build a simple prototype for your small business, or you want to build some not-so-cutting-edge electronics in high volume for consumers, it just isn't feasible.
    replies(1): >>39391584 #
    13. pas ◴[15 Feb 24 13:16 UTC] No.39382291{4}[source]▶
    it should be irrelevant who owns it. regulations ought to be robust enough anyway. technology export controls, worker protections (OSHA, business continuity, financial integrity, audits), market protection (no abuse of market power, ie. no dumping no Apple/platform/gatekeeper shenanigans, etc.)
    14. skrbjc ◴[15 Feb 24 18:02 UTC] No.39386010{3}[source]▶
    Ywes, but if we have cheap materials here, it makes it more enticing to manufacture here as well.
    15. 542458 ◴[16 Feb 24 00:49 UTC] No.39391584{3}[source]▶
    We’re not military, but I hear what you’re saying. Generally when I look at the costs of doing stuff onshore vs offshore it’s typically ~2x more expensive to do it here. That blows out any ambitions of competing purely on price pretty quickly for most types of product.