YC gives every accepted startup a standard $500K investment and three months of hands-on guidance from partners who have built and funded top companies, ending in a Demo Day in front of leading investors. Its alumni network is among the most valuable in tech.
- The offer:
- $500k per company
- Location:
- San Francisco, United States
- Duration:
- 12 weeks
Why this could be a strong fit
Best for ambitious, fast-moving founders who want the strongest brand, network, and investor access to raise a large seed round right after Demo Day.
What you need to qualify
- YC funds companies at every stage. On average 40 percent of the companies funded in each batch are just an idea, and most have no revenue.
- Solo founders are regularly accepted, though YC advises that one-person startups are tough.
- Having already raised money is not disqualifying. Each batch has many companies that have already raised over $1M, and 7 percent of recent batches had more than $50k in monthly revenue when accepted.
- You do not need to be incorporated before you apply. A company already incorporated outside the United States, Canada, Singapore or the Cayman Islands must create a parent company in one of those four jurisdictions to participate.
- The batch is run in person in San Francisco, opening with a three-day in-person kick-off.
Eligibility
- Eligible stages
- All stages
- Countries
- Global, subject to the provider’s eligibility and approval
How to apply
- 1
Create an account on the YC application portal
Applications are submitted at apply.ycombinator.com/home. You need an account before you can start the form, and you can save and return to a part-finished application.
- 2
Submit the application for a specific batch
The on-time deadline for the Fall 2026 batch was July 27 at 8pm PT. YC is still accepting late applications for that batch, and the same portal lets you apply to the Winter, Spring and Summer batches now.
- 3
Interview by video conference if invited
Most interviews for the Fall 2026 batch are held by video conference in August and September. YC typically makes decisions the same day as the interview and gives everyone who interviews detailed feedback on the decision.
- 4
Restructure your holding company if you are incorporated elsewhere
If your company is incorporated outside the United States, Canada, Singapore or the Cayman Islands, you must create a parent company in one of those jurisdictions before you can take YC's investment. Start this early because it involves counsel and takes time.
- 5
Take the investment and join the batch
YC invests on acceptance rather than at the start of the batch. Each company is assigned a dedicated General Partner for the batch, which runs October to December in San Francisco for the Fall 2026 cycle.