Y Combinator helps startups in funding on the earliest stage of their ventures, by providing seed funding and paying their expenses while you’re getting started.

Overview:

Y Combinator aims to get entrepreneurs through the first phase when starting their businesses. That means getting them to the point where they have built something impressive enough to raise money on a larger scale. They can also be introduced to later stage investors—or occasionally even acquirers.

How does it work?

Through the program, Y combinator:

• makes small investments in return in return for small stakes in the companies they fund.
• work with startups on their ideas
• help founders deal with investors and acquirers

Funds:

We’ll fund companies from anywhere in the world. We fund companies doing different things in various fields.

From companies that just started to those who have nothing more than an idea, Y combinator is willing to offer you funds.

We’ve funded companies that had over $20M in annual revenue and over 50 employees.

Format:

• There are two batches per year – one from January through March and the other one from June through August.
• During the batch, weekly talk at Y Combinator will be hosted, where experts in some aspect of startups will be invited to speak.
• About ten weeks in, we host Demo Day where all the startups can present their products and services to a specially selected audience of investors and press.
• Y Combinator is occasionally described as a boot camp, which is not really true. It is basically called that as we fund a lot of startups at once, and most have to move to participate.

Duration:

• The YC program lasts for three months. During those three months, founders participate in group office hours every two weeks and can meet with partners for office hours as often as needed.

Application and Process:

Y Combinator is accepting applications from startups for the Winter 2021 funding cycle. It will take place from January–March 2021.

Note: Due to the COVID-19 situation, the Winter 2021 batch may be fully or partially remote.

1. To apply, please submit your application online by 8 pm PT on September 23.
   Startups that submit early have a small advantage there will be more time to read their applications. 
   
2. On October 21 by 11:59 PM PST, startups that seem promising will be to talk to us either in late October, November, or early December.
   
3. There is a chance that this batch of Y Combinator may be remote due to COVID-19. In any situation, same benefits of networking, advice, and fundraising will be ensured and provided by YC.
   
4. During the 3 month cycle, there will be speakers every Tuesday to talk about their startup and what they learned.
   
5. Every week or two, you’ll have group office hours, where you’ll talk with 5-8 companies and your YC partners for an hour.
   
6. During and after the 3 months we introduce startups individually to people who could help them.
   
7. About 11 weeks in, event called Demo Day will be organized at which the startups present to a carefully selected, invite-only audience.
   
8. After 3 months, the YC program does not really end. There will be continuous advice given and introductions made as long as our startups need—-and so does the informal network of YC-funded companies.

You can read more about how to apply, insights, and application examples here.

Source: Y combinator

Last updated: April 2020