Investor
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…
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
| Ranking | Edition | Position | Since last edition | Trust | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Most active VC investors in AI agents | 2025 | #1 | No prior edition | B | Activity |
 Most active fintech investors (Crunchbase News) | Q2 2026 | #1 | No change | B | Activity |
 The most active startup accelerators and where they're investing | 2023 | #2 | No prior edition | C | Activity |
 The most active venture investors in Germany (Dealroom) | H1 2026 | #3 | No prior edition | C | Activity |
 America's Best Incubators and Accelerators | 2026 | #4 | No prior edition | D | Performance, Prestige |
 Europe's most active investors (Sifted) | H1 2025 | #7 | No prior edition | B | Activity |
 Seed Accelerator Rankings Project | 2018 | Listed | No prior edition | C | Performance, Prestige |
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 CombinatorFrom public sources
What the sources say about Y Combinator
PitchBook's public Y Combinator preview lists Clueso with deal date 2026-10-13.
Source: Y Combinator investment portfolio | PitchBookPitchBook's public Y Combinator preview lists Molagri with deal date 2026-10-14.
Source: Y Combinator investment portfolio | PitchBookPitchBook's public Y Combinator preview lists Rebill with deal date 2026-10-20.
Source: Y Combinator investment portfolio | PitchBookPitchBook's public Y Combinator preview lists Pennant (Business/Productivity Software) with deal date 2026-10-20.
Source: Y Combinator investment portfolio | PitchBookPitchBook's public Y Combinator preview lists Greptile with deal date 2026-10-21.
Source: Y Combinator investment portfolio | PitchBookPitchBook describes Y Combinator as based in Mountain View, California.
Source: Y Combinator investment portfolio | PitchBook
Similar investors
Organizations that do similar work to Y Combinator.
Investor
InvestorConnecting Harvard alumni to early-stage investment opportunities.
InvestorFounders Fund is a venture capital firm based in the United States, founded in 2005. It invests in technology companies across various sectors and stages.
Investor500 Global is a venture capital firm based in Silicon Valley, focusing on early-stage and growth-stage technology companies worldwide. It has backed over 3,000 startups and manages $2.3 billion in assets.
Superscout Pro
Find faster. Show up verified. Keep your deals private.
$99a year, or $12 a month
Get Pro- Search that narrowsInvestors, programs, accelerators, incubators and studios, by stage, sector and place.
- A verified profileThe people you reach know you are who you say you are.
- A private deal vaultThe startups you are watching, with your notes and your reasons. Nobody else's eyes.
Is this page right?Reviewed · How the research works