Y Combinator

Y Combinator is a San Francisco-based startup accelerator and seed investment programme founded in 2005 by Paul Graham, Robert Morris, Trevor Blackwell, and Jessica Livingston, the most successful and influential startup accelerator in the world, having backed more than 4,000 companies that have collectively generated more than $600 billion in combined value. The programme provides each accepted batch of startups with $500,000 in seed investment in exchange for 7% equity, alongside three months of intensive mentorship, a world-class network of alumni founders, and a demo day. Airbnb completed a Nasdaq IPO in 2020. Stripe is a Y Combinator alumni. Coinbase completed a Nasdaq direct listing in 2021. Reddit completed a NYSE IPO in 2024. Dropbox completed a Nasdaq IPO in 2018. Beyond its original investments in Airbnb, Stripe, Coinbase, Reddit, and Dropbox, the Y Combinator portfolio includes Instacart, DoorDash, OpenAI, Twitch, Gusto, Brex, and more than 4,000 additional technology companies globally.