Y Combinator

People often ask what happens at Y Combinator. Here is an overview of what happens during the YC program and the benefits you get as a YC founder. You can read more about why you should apply to YC here.

THE YC PROGRAM
YC is a three-month program. Y Combinator now runs YC four times a year, in the winter, spring, summer, and fall. Here’s what happens during the three months of YC:

The Goal
The overall goal of YC is to help startups really take off. They arrive at YC at all different stages. Some haven’t even started working yet, and others have been launched for a year or more. But whatever stage a startup is at when they arrive, the goal of Y Combinator is to help them to be in dramatically better shape 3 months later.

For most startups, better shape translates into two things: having a better product with more users and having more options for raising money.

Startups at all stages benefit from the intensity of YC. That’s probably the best word to describe the atmosphere. For 3 months, it’s all startup, all the time. Everyone around you—Y Combinator, the other founders in your batch, the alumni, the speakers, the investors—wants to help your startup succeed. In that atmosphere, it’s hard not to be highly motivated. And that kind of extraordinary motivation is what one needs to do something as difficult as starting a startup.

Many founders describe the 11 weeks leading up to Demo Day as the most productive period in their lives. Though YC continues after the 3-month cycle, and the alumni community is an increasingly valuable resource, those 11 weeks are still the most important thing. You can’t make people something they’re not, but the right conditions can bring out the best in them. And since most people have way more potential than they realize, they’re often surprised by what they’re capable of.

To apply to Y Combinator, submit your application online.

Applicants who apply before the regular deadline will receive a response by March 12. If you apply after the deadline, Y Combinator will still review your application, but they can't guarantee when you will receive a response. It is recommended that you submit your application as soon as you are ready.

If your application shows promise, Y Combinator will invite you for an interview. Most interviews are conducted via video conference in February and March. Decisions are typically made on the same day as the interview, and Y Combinator provides detailed feedback to all interviewees on their decision.

Y Combinator invests in startups as soon as they are accepted, without waiting for the batch to begin.

About the Batch
The batch will be held in person at Y Combinator's campus in San Francisco. It kicks off with a 3-day, in-person event and includes weekly meetups in San Francisco. For more details, refer to the FAQs.

During the batch, Y Combinator invites prominent figures from the startup ecosystem to speak. Founders of well-known companies like Airbnb, Stripe, Doordash, and Reddit often share their experiences and lessons from the early days of their startups.

Each startup is paired with a dedicated YC General Partner who becomes deeply familiar with the company and provides guidance on a wide range of challenges. Every YC General Partner is an accomplished startup founder and has mentored hundreds of startups. They work closely with a select group of startups they personally choose each batch. Y Combinator companies stay in direct contact with their General Partner via a dedicated Slack channel and meet weekly throughout the batch.

Similar to the house system in some universities, each YC batch is divided into smaller, independent groups of startups. You go through the program with this smaller group, sharing weekly dinners and building both personal and professional connections. Many founders form lifelong friendships with others in their group.

During and after the batch, Y Combinator introduces founders to people who can help with any challenges they face. Often, this includes founders from other YC companies. Today, the YC alumni network is one of the most influential communities globally, and its members are deeply committed to supporting one another.

Towards the end of the batch, Y Combinator assists startups in raising additional funding by connecting them with its extensive network of investors.

Ongoing Support
Y Combinator’s support doesn't end after the 3-month batch. They continue to assist founders throughout the life of their company and beyond, with ongoing help from the YC alumni community.