Y Combinator is now accepting applications for Winter 2024 funding cycle ($500,000 funding)

Startups have the opportunity to apply for Y Combinator’s Winter 2024 investment cycle. The cycle is scheduled to take place from January to March 2024. Although the deadline for timely applications was October 13, we are still accepting applications until the batch begins in early January.

If you’re interested in applying, please submit your application online. The cutoff date for applications received on time was October 13, but we are still reviewing applications received after the deadline.

For those who applied before the cutoff date, you can expect to receive a response by November 17. However, please note that we cannot guarantee a response time for applications received beyond the deadline.

We encourage you to apply as soon as you’re ready. Early submissions may have the opportunity for an early interview, as we review applications on a rolling basis. Even after submitting your application, you can still make updates to it.

If your application shows potential, we will invite you for an interview. Interviews will primarily take place by video conference from late October to early December. We aim to make decisions on the day of your interview and provide thorough feedback to each candidate.

At Y Combinator, we don’t wait for the batch to start before investing in startups. As soon as a startup is accepted, we begin our investment process.

Regarding the batch itself, it will be held in person in San Francisco. It starts with a three-day retreat and continues with weekly meetings in San Francisco. If you have any further questions, please refer to our FAQs for more information.

During the batch, we invite notable figures from the startup community to share their insights. Founders from successful companies like Doordash, Airbnb, Stripe, Ginkgo Bioworks, and others often return to provide behind-the-scenes details of their early successes.

Each business that joins YC is assigned a personal YC Group Partner who provides assistance on a range of matters and takes the time to get to know them well. Our YC Group Partners are successful startup founders themselves, with experience advising hundreds of businesses. They work closely with a select number of startups that they personally handpick for each batch. Throughout the batch, YC startups have the opportunity to meet with their group partner once a week in a dedicated Slack channel.

Similar to the model used by many institutions, each YC batch consists of multiple small, independent startups. As a member of this exclusive group, you have the chance to socialize with fellow founders every week over dinner, building both personal and professional connections. Many founders form lasting friendships with others in their organization.

We also connect founders with individuals who can provide assistance during and after the batch, often fellow YC alumni. The YC alumni community is one of the most influential communities in the world, and its members are dedicated to supporting one another.

Additionally, we help companies raise additional funding by introducing them to our wide network of investors towards the end of the batch.

YC is a program that lasts for over three months, and just like the YC alumni community, we continue to support founders throughout their journey and beyond. Our main objective is to help startups achieve true success. Whether they have been in operation for a year or are just starting out, we aim to make them even better three months later.

Being in better shape means more opportunities to raise capital and a better product that attracts more consumers.

The energy of YC is incredibly valuable for startups at every stage. It’s the perfect word to describe the atmosphere. For three months, it’s all about startups, all the time. Everyone around you, including us, the other entrepreneurs in your batch, alumni, speakers, and investors, is invested in seeing your startup succeed. It’s hard not to be incredibly motivated in that kind of environment. And it takes a special kind of determination to achieve something as challenging as starting a startup.

For many founders, the 11 weeks leading up to Demo Day are the most productive time they’ve ever had. Even if YC doesn’t end after the three-month cycle and the alumni network becomes a more valuable asset, those eleven weeks are still crucial. People can’t change who they are, but the right environment can bring out the best in them. Plus, most people are often surprised by their own abilities because they are capable of more than they realize.

Finance

Every firm receives a standard term investment of $500,000 from YC. We invest $500k in two different safes:
In exchange for 7% of your business, we invest $125,000 in a post-money safe called the “$125k safe.”
We allocate $375,000 to an uncapped safe known as the “MFN safe” that includes a Most Favored Nation (“MFN”) provision.

Teams

Startups in the batch are divided into four groups. Each group has partners who provide founders with individual and group office hours advice. Within each group, there are 12–14 sections, each consisting of 6–10 companies. This structure creates a more intimate environment within the larger group for founders.

Application – For more information and to submit an application, please visit the official website.