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Y Combinator

Y Combinator is a prominent startup accelerator based in San Francisco, California, that provides funding and support to early-stage startups through a…

Founded
2005
Recorded stages
Pre Seed, Seed
Recorded regions
United States, Global

Online destinations

Find Y Combinator online

Where to find this organization online, grouped by who runs each page. A link here does not mean the organization controls it.

Official links

Pages the organization runs itself.

Third-party rankings

Where Y Combinator ranks

Rankings that list Y Combinator
RankingEditionPositionSince last editionTrustWhat it measures
Most active VC investors in AI agents2025#1No prior editionBActivity
Most active fintech investors (Crunchbase News)Q2 2026#1No changeBActivity
The most active startup accelerators and where they're investing2023#2No prior editionCActivity
The most active venture investors in Germany (Dealroom)H1 2026#3No prior editionCActivity
America's Best Incubators and Accelerators2026#4No prior editionDPerformance, Prestige
Europe's most active investors (Sifted)H1 2025#7No prior editionBActivity
Seed Accelerator Rankings Project2018ListedNo prior editionCPerformance, Prestige
Positions come from each publisher's edition. Open a ranking for its method and trust notes, or an edition for the full list.

Overview

Y Combinator (YC) is an organization that provides funding and support to startups. Founded in 2005, it is based in San Francisco, California. YC operates a three-month program that helps startups improve their products and business strategies, culminating in a Demo Day where they present to investors.

Focus

Y Combinator invests in early-stage startups across various sectors. The organization provides a standard investment of $500,000 in exchange for equity, structured through two separate safes. YC runs four funding cycles each year, focusing on helping startups at different stages of development.

Support

Y Combinator offers a comprehensive support system including a private alumni network, weekly dinners with guest speakers, one-on-one and group office hours with partners, and access to a curated investor network during Demo Day.

Questions

What is the acceptance rate?

1-2%.

How many applicants do you receive?

Over 20,000 applicants per batch.

When is the next application deadline?

Rolling applications with on-time deadlines per batch.

Check your startup’s fit

Check your startup’s fit with Y Combinator

From public sources

What the sources say about Y Combinator

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