Latest Interviews

We fund smart founders, irrespective of what they want to work on.

Although a prevailing public perception suggests Y Combinator prioritizes AI startups through a dedicated investment thesis, YC partners clarify that selection criteria actually center on founder intelligence rather than specific subject matter. This reality explains why approximately 50% of the Summer 2023 batch focuses on large language models, a trend partners characterize as an emergent phenomenon driven by the interests of the most qualified applicants rather than institutional bias. Consequently, the high concentration of AI ventures reflects the specific capabilities and ambitions of the founders who applied, not a strategic shift in funding priorities.

RFS: Spatial Computing

I'm convinced that spatial computing is the next platform. I spent the last decade working on it. I started a augmented reality SDK that was cross-platform for game developers. Then what is spatial computing? It's really a combination of augmented reality, virtual reality, and the ability to really understand the real world and render digital content. And now we're finally getting closer with the hardware, especially with the release of the Apple Vision Pro and the meta quest 3 founders can build interesting applications where content can fit in infinite screens in the real world or interact with 3d content or perhaps working immersively with others or any other applications that are beyond gaming that founders may come up if you're excited about the space and want to be at the frontier on it apply to yc to work on spatial computing

Drawing on a decade of experience founding an AR SDK for game developers, the speaker defines spatial computing as the convergence of augmented and virtual reality systems capable of rendering digital content within the physical world. Citing the Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest 3 as critical infrastructure catalysts, the presentation highlights how founders can now build applications with infinite virtual screens and immersive multi-user environments that extend far beyond gaming into yet-to-be-defined markets. The speaker explicitly invites interested developers to apply to Y Combinator to lead innovation in this emerging computing platform.

Founder burnout happens a lot. A good co-founder can help shoulder the load.

Co-founder relationships inherently rely on offsetting transient low-energy periods through operational balance, yet the designation of burnout indicates a shift to persistent fatigue requiring targeted investigation. Because underlying causes for this condition are unique to specific individuals and ventures, generic mitigation strategies fail to resolve the issue without first identifying the precise root source. Successful recovery therefore demands a context-specific diagnosis and solution to the singular factors driving the sentiment rather than blanket advice.

Career trajectories are non-linear.

Startup founders often mistakenly view their journeys as career derailments compared to peers in traditional roles, yet their experience solving complex, simultaneous problems is recognized by major companies as a highly transferable asset. Airbnb exemplified this perspective in 2012 by staffing its tiny product management team primarily with former founders, thereby validating the strategic value of entrepreneurial backgrounds. This approach fundamentally reframes founding a company as a unique career accelerator that offers distinct professional advantages rather than a setback in professional progression.

It’s much easier to build when you’re optimistic.

The speakers challenge the perceived appeal of cynical critique by arguing that effective change requires a "default optimistic" mindset, a trait shared by historical revolutionaries who invested themselves in viable solutions. They distinguish these constructive agents from snarky detractors, asserting that meaningful progress is only possible when individuals focus on tangible accomplishments rather than destructive inaction. Ultimately, the narrative concludes that building a better future is more fruitful when directed toward personal agency instead of a "burn it all down" philosophy.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Former Twitter CEO Dick Costolo's philosophy on management is highlighted as the most impactful advice, specifically focusing on the leader's responsibility to ensure their team fully understands their perspective. The speaker attributes past career failures to unspoken assumptions and context gaps, emphasizing that leadership requires the continuous ability to explain ideas clearly. This approach enables colleagues to execute concepts independently without needing constant clarification from their supervisors.

Startups take on the personality of its founders, so work on getting yourself right.

Founder therapy often requires years of intensive work, yet the case of the failed startup Posturus demonstrates that neglecting underlying psychological issues allows unexamined personal trauma to dictate organizational strategy. This alignment between leader and company created an inability to make critical decisions at scale, a flaw that proved impossible to correct after the business had already expanded. Consequently, the speaker urges entrepreneurs to invest in early therapeutic intervention, noting that founders frequently waste resources on external fixes while ignoring the core emotional voids that ultimately undermine their ventures.

AI Startup Founders Debate the Creation of Artificial General Intelligence

Robert and a fellow speaker debated the definition and timeline of Artificial General Intelligence, with estimates ranging from four years to two decades while highlighting current models' limitations in reasoning and sentience. Skeptics argue that existing systems merely perform pattern matching rather than true cognition, prompting calls to redefine AGI milestones based on research breakthroughs rather than calendar dates. The discussion concluded by emphasizing the necessity of human-centered governance and ethical frameworks to manage the profound societal shifts expected as AI capabilities continue to evolve along a continuous spectrum.

50 Founders Share Why They Applied To Y Combinator

Founders from the Middle East and North Africa applied to Y Combinator to leverage its brand for recruiting, fundraising, and rapid product iteration within its structured three-month framework. The cohort specifically sought intense mentorship and accountability from partners capable of providing honest scrutiny, which they view as essential for navigating the region's nascent SaaS ecosystem. By joining this global network, these entrepreneurs aim to access critical validation for female leaders in fintech and construction while building a localized version of major platforms like Gusto.

50 Founders Share How They Got Their First Customers

Founders validated their personal finance and ag-tech concepts through aggressive outbound strategies and viral inbound channels, generating nearly 1,000 waitlist sign-ups and converting early users into paying customers within days. By leveraging diverse acquisition tactics ranging from door-to-door pitches to Reddit launches, teams achieved significant metrics such as a 50-to-10,000 follower surge and immediate revenue from non-coded solutions. These early adopters now serve as the foundation for a demo day strategy, with founders actively pivoting job offers into sales opportunities and preparing targeted outreach to major industry executives.

60 Startup Founders Share How They Met Their Co-Founder

Diverse founder pairs established their startups through a wide array of pre-existing connections, ranging from long-term personal bonds and professional histories at companies like Airbnb and Bolt to modern matchmaking platforms and chance encounters during the pandemic. These teams strategically aligned complementary technical and non-technical skill sets, often leveraging decades of friendship or shared professional passions in sectors like decarbonization to overcome the risks of leaving stable employment. The resulting ventures, which span from formalizing side projects to launching full-scale decarbonization initiatives, were ultimately driven by mutual trust and verified operational delivery tracks that facilitated critical decision-making moments.

Ignore the haters, and keep on building cool stuff.

The speaker argues that successful ventures must solve customer problems in an "amazing way" rather than relying on superficial "thin wrapper" strategies or cargo cult behavior around existing infrastructure. While acknowledging that some projects begin as simple toys, the advice warns founders to ignore backlash from critics if their model is merely a trend-chasing wrapper, emphasizing that genuine innovation is the only viable path for growth. This perspective frames the current market climate as an opportunity for optimism and building cool products, provided they evolve beyond weekend-build claims to offer real value rather than serving as mere capital-raising vehicles.

What they forget to mention about "overnight success" is the years of work it took to get there.

Startup founders must navigate an extended period of public indifference by executing repeated launches, a strategy that starkly contrasts with the intense but fleeting attention typical of movie premieres. This fundamental difference in trajectory means that while film releases secure immediate press coverage that vanishes within two months, startups often rely on a decade-long buildup to generate significant public interest. Consequently, the core work of a startup involves sustaining momentum through these prolonged cycles of obscurity rather than expecting instant viral success.

How do you balance optimism and pessimism while building your company?

Michael

Successful founders must balance optimism and pessimism, as deviating toward either extreme leads to failure. Excessive pessimism triggers an urge to quit or pivot dramatically after a single negative event, while excessive optimism initially generates excitement before revealing a lack of tangible value or actionable insights. This imbalance results in a fundamental deficit of competence that ultimately convinces observers that the founder lacks direction.

Tracy Young on the importance of representation and recognizing unconscious bias.

Tracy Young

The speaker addresses the impostor syndrome stemming from a lack of visible female and Asian founders in Silicon Valley, which fueled a belief that their identity was incompatible with leadership. This self-doubt was rooted in systemic biases formed through childhood representation and gendered language, leading to a mistaken assumption that they had deceived others into accepting their role. After recognizing these misconceptions as factually incorrect, the speaker has corrected their internal narrative to acknowledge their rightful place as a founder.