Essay · Long-form essay / talk

How to Apply and Succeed at Y Combinator

Dalton Caldwell · YC Startup Library Free Intermediate

A YC partner who has read thousands of applications tells you plainly what separates the founders who get in from the ones who don't. It doubles as a masterclass in pitching and self-evaluation that applies to any accelerator or pitch competition, not just YC.

  • In interviews, winning founders show mastery of their own business, they can explain what they're building and know their own numbers cold.
  • Filling out the application is valuable in itself: it forces you to confront differentiation, competitors and why-now.
  • Avoid 'tar pit' ideas, the well-worn concepts (e.g. music discovery) that tens of thousands of founders have already attempted.
  • Be concrete and specific; vague, buzzword-filled applications get filtered out fast.
Open on ycombinator.com ↗

It answers 4 questions

  1. How do I get into YC or a top accelerator, what do they actually look for?
  2. Are pitch competitions worth my time, and how do I win one?
  3. I keep hearing 'why you' matters to investors. What are they actually looking for when they ask it?
  4. I'm still at the idea stage with no team, am I too early for any of this?

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