Deadline: March 25, 2019
Y Combinator is accepting applications from startups for the Summer 2019 funding cycle. It will take place in Mountain View, CA from June–August 2019.
They’ll fund companies from anywhere in the world. They fund companies doing everything from building mobile apps to diagnosing cancer.
They’ll happily fund companies that just started and have nothing more than an idea. And they’ve funded companies that had over $20M in annual revenue and over 50 employees.
If you want to apply, please submit your application online by 8 pm PT on March 25. Startups that submit early have a small advantage because we have more time to read their applications. And you can submit after the deadline – though keep in mind that the later you apply, the harder it is to get in.
On April 16, by 10PM, they’ll invite the startups that seem most promising to meet us in Mountain View either in late April, May, or early June.
They decide what startups to fund after each day of interviews.
If they invest in your startup, your company’s founding team is expected to move to the Bay Area for June–August 2019. You can of course relocate the company afterward if you want, but it’s a good place for a startup to be.
Y Combinator doesn’t supply office space. They have space your company can use if you need to, but they expect your startup to work out of wherever you find to live. It is no coincidence that so many successful startups have started this way; it’s the ideal setup for the initial phase.
During the 3 month cycle they’ll have dinners every Tuesday for all the founders. At each dinner they’ll invite an expert in some aspect of startups to speak.
They have regular office hours year round for startups who want to talk about what they’re building, or get advice on dealing with investors. They also have occasional events at YC.
During and after the 3 months they introduce startups individually to people who could help them. The founders of other YC-funded companies tend to be especially helpful. Today the YC alumni network is probably the most powerful network in the startup world.
About 11 weeks in, they organize an event called Demo Day at which the startups present to a carefully selected, invite-only audience.
YC doesn’t really end after 3 months; only the dinners do. They continue to give advice and make introductions as long as their startups need—-and so does the informal network of YC-funded companies.
Funding:
They’ll reimburse reasonable travel expenses.
International founders should note:
- If your company is already incorporated as a non-United States company (other than China), to participate in YC you will need to convert your foreign company into a United States corporation (usually with a foreign subsidiary). While lawyers will drive this process, it will require a significant effort on your part.
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You must have at least 10% equity in the startup to be considered a founder by Y Combinator. Only founders can come to interviews if invited or attend batch events if accepted.
