Did you know that over 20,000 startups apply to Y Combinator every year, but only about 1.5% get in?

Y Combinator (YC) is one of the most competitive and prestigious startup accelerators in the world. If you’ve ever dreamed of building the next Airbnb or Stripe, getting into YC could be your first big break.

But here’s the truth: the application questions can be surprisingly tricky. They look simple, but they’re designed to dig deep into your startup, your thinking, and your potential.

In this article, we’ll walk you through what YC really wants to see, how to approach the application process with confidence, and what makes an application stand out. You’ll also get access to a free, downloadable list of the top YC application questions to help you prepare like a pro.
 

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Why Y Combinator Still Matters for Startups in 2025

Y Combinator is where some of the world’s most successful startups got their first big push. Since launching in 2005, YC has helped over 4,000 startups get off the ground. Collectively, YC companies are now worth more than $600 billion.

When a startup gets into YC, it’s like getting stamped with a seal of approval that says: this company has serious potential. YC doesn’t just offer $500,000 in funding—they also provide mentorship, networking, product advice, and access to a powerful alumni network.

To show just how far YC companies can go, let’s look at three of their biggest success stories and how they were able to hack YC application questions.
 

1. Airbnb: From Air Mattresses to Millions of Hosts

Airbnb started as a small idea by renting out air mattresses in a living room. But after going through Y Combinator in 2009, the company grew into one of the biggest names in travel.

Today, over 4 million hosts have listed properties on Airbnb across more than 220 countries. The company went public in 2020 and now has a market cap of over $85 billion.

In 2023, Airbnb earned more than $9.9 billion in revenue.

YC helped Airbnb refine their pitch, grow fast, and raise money early. Now, it’s a global brand used by millions of travelers.
 

2. Stripe: Powering Online Payments Behind the Scenes

Stripe, another YC success story from 2010, makes it easy for businesses to accept payments online.

You may not always see their name, but they’re working behind the scenes for companies like Amazon, Shopify, and Instacart.

Stripe processes hundreds of billions of dollars in payments every year and is valued at around $50 billion as of 2024. It’s used by millions of businesses in over 100 countries.

The founders, Patrick and John Collison, were accepted into YC when they were just in their early 20s. YC helped them polish their idea, connect with investors, and launch fast. Today, Stripe is one of the most valuable private tech companies in the world.
 

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3. Brex: The Startup Credit Card for Startups

Brex is a newer YC alum, accepted in 2017. They built a credit card and financial system designed specifically for startups and fast-growing companies.

In just a few years, Brex grew into a company serving tens of thousands of businesses, offering not just cards but also expense tracking, bill pay, and financial management tools. By 2022, Brex was valued at over $12 billion.

YC gave Brex the early support and network it needed to raise money fast, test its product with real users, and scale quickly.

These three companies show what’s possible with the right idea, the right team, and the right support. And that’s exactly what Y Combinator offers.
 

More Than Just Money: The Real Value of Y Combinator

YC application questions are just the start. While the $500,000 investment from Y Combinator is helpful, the real magic of YC goes far beyond the money.

What makes YC truly powerful is the network, support, and reputation you gain by being part of the program.

Let’s look at four key things YC offers every startup founder, none of which involve cash.
 

1. Mentorship from People Who’ve Built Billion-Dollar Startups

When you join YC, you don’t just get advice from random business people—you learn directly from startup veterans who’ve actually built successful companies. YC partners include founders of companies like Gmail, Wufoo, and Twitch. These are people who’ve made the mistakes, solved the problems, and raised millions.

During the program, you get weekly group office hours, one-on-one check-ins, and direct feedback on your product and pitch. This kind of mentorship can save you months (or years) of trial and error.
 

2. A Community That Feels Like a Startup Family

Founding a startup can feel lonely, but not at YC.

You’ll be in a batch with hundreds of other founders, all building companies just like you. You’ll swap ideas, help each other out, share resources, and maybe even become friends for life.

Many YC founders say the relationships they built during the program are just as valuable as the funding itself.

After the program, you’ll also get access to the YC alumni network, a private group of over 9,000 founders who are happy to help each other with hiring, fundraising, product feedback, or anything else.
 

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3. Press and Investor Attention, Without You Chasing It

Getting press or investor meetings as a new startup is hard. But YC helps make it easier.

At the end of the program, you’ll get to present your startup on Demo Day, an invite-only event where top investors come to discover new startups.

Many YC startups raise their seed or Series A rounds within days of Demo Day.
Being in YC also helps your startup get attention from journalists, podcast hosts, and other media outlets who regularly cover YC batches.

This is why you want to make sure you nail those YC application questions.
 

4. Instant Credibility, Even If You’re Just Getting Started

Just saying “We’re a YC company” opens doors.

Investors take you more seriously. Potential hires are more likely to join your team. Customers and partners trust you more. Even if you’re brand new, YC’s name acts like a stamp of approval that says: this startup is legit.

This kind of credibility can take years to build on your own, but with YC, you get it instantly.

Together, these four benefits: mentorship, community, press, and credibility—create a powerful foundation for startup success. It’s why so many founders say that YC was the turning point for their company.
 

Understanding the Y Combinator Application Process

YC application questions are not the only important things when getting into YC.

Getting into Y Combinator starts with filling out an online application, but timing matters. YC runs two main batches every year: one in the Winter and another in the Summer.

Each batch has its own schedule, deadlines, and timeline for interviews and program start.

Let’s take a closer look at how each batch works.
 

The Winter Batch (W Batch)

The Winter batch is YC’s first program of the year, usually starting in January and ending around March or April.

 

• Applications open around September of the previous year.
• Deadline to apply is typically in mid-October.
• If you’re shortlisted, YC will invite you for an interview in November.
• If accepted, you’ll start the program in January.

 
Winter can be a great batch for startups that want to hit the ground running early in the year. It’s also perfect if you want to be ready to raise funding or launch by spring.
 

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The Summer Batch (S Batch)

The Summer batch starts in June and wraps up around August or September.

• Applications open in late January or early February.
• Deadline to apply is typically in late March.
• Interviews happen in May.
• The program kicks off in June.

 
Summer is a popular batch because it lines up well with academic calendars (great for student founders) and gives you momentum going into the end-of-year fundraising season.

However, no matter which batch you apply to, the process is the same: fill out the online form, record a short video, and if selected, attend a 10-minute virtual interview with YC partners.
 

YC Application Questions: What YC Is Really Looking for in Applicants

Y Combinator receives thousands of applications, but only a small percentage make it through. So what makes one startup stand out over another?

It’s not just about the idea. YC cares even more about the founders and how they think.

Here are three key traits YC reviewers look for in great applicants:
 

1. Founders Who Are Obsessed with the Problem

YC loves founders who are deeply connected to the problem they’re solving. This doesn’t mean you need a polished product or millions in revenue.

What matters most is that you truly care about what you’re building, and you’ve thought about it more than anyone else.
 
Ask yourself:

• Have you experienced this problem firsthand?
• Can you talk about your users in detail?
• Do you light up when explaining why this matters?

 
Obsessed founders tend to keep going, even when things get tough. YC wants to back people who aren’t in it just for money or fame—but because they have to solve this problem.
 

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2. Clear Thinking, Early Traction, or Deep Insight

The best YC applications are clear and direct. No fluff, no buzzwords. If you can explain what you’re building in one sentence, you’re already ahead.

 
But beyond clarity, YC also looks for some kind of traction or insight:

• Maybe you’ve already built a prototype or launched an MVP.
• Maybe you’ve talked to 100 users and found a pattern others missed.
• Or maybe your team has unique experience in the industry.

 
YC isn’t expecting perfection—they just want signs that you understand your space and can think deeply about it.
 

3. Gritty, Resourceful, and “Cockroach Resilient” Founders

YC often uses the term “cockroach mode” to describe founders who won’t give up, even when things are falling apart.

Startups are messy. Things break. Plans fail. YC wants to fund people who can figure things out, adapt, and survive through chaos.

You don’t need to be loud or flashy, you just need to be tough, creative, and unstoppable.
 
Signs of this include:

• Building something with no money.
• Teaching yourself to code to solve a problem.
• Pivoting fast when the original idea didn’t work.

 
If your story shows grit, YC will notice.

Together, these three traits: obsession, clarity or insight, and resilience, form the foundation of a strong YC application. If you have them, even a “small” idea can stand out in a big way.

Let me know if you’d like a checklist or summary graphic for these traits!
 

YC application questions: How to Approach the Application Questions Like a YC Insider

The Y Combinator application might look short, but don’t be fooled, it’s deceptively deep.

Every question is designed to reveal how you think, how well you know your startup, and whether you’re the kind of founder YC wants to back.

While we’ve put together the full list of top questions in the downloadable guide, here’s how to think like a YC insider when answering them.
 

Focus on Clarity Over Hype

One thing to keep in mind when preparing for YC application questions is that YC loves clear, honest answers.

They read thousands of applications, so if you’re vague or full of buzzwords like “revolutionizing” or “disrupting,” they’ll tune out fast.

 
Instead:

• Get to the point.
• Use simple, direct language.
• Write like you’re explaining your idea to a smart friend—not pitching a startup competition.
   

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Highlight Your Team and Why You’re the Right People

A lot of weight is placed on the founders, your background, your motivation, and your dynamic. YC wants to know:

• How did your team come together?
• Why are you uniquely suited to solving this problem?
• Can you actually build the thing you’re describing?
  You don’t have to be perfect, but you do need to show that you’re serious, committed, and scrappy.
   

Make the Problem and Solution Real

YC wants to back people who understand their users. That means you should:

• Be specific about the problem.
• Explain how you discovered it.
• Describe what your solution actually does, and how it helps.

 
Tip: Don’t talk in big, dreamy generalizations. Be real and concrete. Instead of “we’re making communication better,” say “we help remote teams share updates with fewer meetings.”
 

Show Evidence of Growth or Learning

Even if you’re early-stage, one of the top YC application questions asked is your progress or momentum. That could be:

• Customer feedback
• A working prototype
• Early revenue
• Lessons learned from a failed version

 
It’s not about being “big”. It’s about showing that you’re moving, learning, and improving fast.
 

Avoid Generic Answers or Over-Polished Pitches

YC can spot a copy-paste pitch a mile away. If your answers sound like they came from a marketing deck or a startup buzzword generator, you’re in trouble.
Instead:

• Be human.
• Be honest.
• Tell your story the way you would explain it to another founder over coffee.
   

Bottom line? YC doesn’t want perfect—they want real. Show that you’ve done the work, that you think clearly, and that you care deeply. That’s what makes an application stand out.
 

✅ How to Approach YC Application Questions: Do’s & Don’ts Cheat Sheet

✅ Do’s	❌ Don’ts
Be clear and direct. Use simple words to explain what you do.	Don’t use buzzwords like “revolutionary,” “AI-powered synergy,” or “next-gen.”
Show traction or progress. Even a small win counts.	Don’t pretend you’re further along than you are. YC values honesty.
Explain the real problem and your connection to it.	Don’t speak in vague generalizations about market trends.
Highlight why your team is the right one. Mention unique skills or past experiences.	Don’t overlook team dynamics. YC cares a lot about the people behind the product.
Write like a smart friend is reading it. Be human, not robotic.	Don’t copy-paste pitch deck language or investor jargon.
Share lessons learned. YC loves founders who are reflective and gritty.	Don’t make it sound like everything is perfect. They know it never is.
Be specific with numbers, examples, or user stories.	Don’t write long essays. Get to the point in every answer.
Let your passion show. If you’re obsessed with the problem, say so!	Don’t try to sound impressive. Aim to sound real instead.

 

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Bonus: What Happens After You Apply (Whether You Get In or Not)

Here’s the truth: applying to Y Combinator is worth it, no matter the outcome.
Yes, getting in is amazing. But even if you don’t, the process of applying can push your startup forward in ways you might not expect.

Let’s talk about the upsides, even if YC says “no.”

 

The Application Forces You to Think Clearly

YC’s questions are sharp and specific. To answer them, you have to:

• Explain your startup in plain terms
• Get clear on your users and problem
• Reflect on your traction and goals

Just going through the application helps you understand your business better. Many founders say it helped them tighten their pitch, clarify their product, or even uncover flaws they hadn’t noticed before.
Think of it as a free business coaching session.

 

Plenty of Successful Startups Got Rejected by YC

Getting rejected by YC doesn’t mean your startup is doomed. In fact, lots of big-name companies didn’t get in, at least not the first time.

 
Here are a few famous examples:

• Chartboost got rejected by YC, but it went on to become one of the largest mobile ad platforms in the world, powering monetization for over 300,000 apps. It was eventually acquired by Zynga for $250 million.
   
• SendGrid got a “no” from YC, but that didn’t stop it from becoming a go-to email delivery service for developers and startups. It went public in 2017 and was later acquired by Twilio for $3 billion.
   
• LightSail didn’t make it into YC, but it turned that rejection into fuel. The edtech startup found traction with personalized literacy tools and was acquired by Scholastic, the global publishing giant, helping it scale across schools in the U.S.
   
• DoorDash applied more than once before finally getting accepted.
   
• Zapier never got into YC at all, but today it’s worth over $5 billion.

 
The lesson? A “no” today isn’t a no forever, and it’s definitely not the end of your story.

 

Reapply or Use Your Answers Elsewhere

Just because you didn’t nail your YC application questions doesn’t mean you can’t apply again. YC actually encourages reapplying. If you’ve made progress or learned something new, apply again. Some of their best founders didn’t get in on the first try.

Also, many of the answers you write for YC, about your team, problem, solution, traction, can be reused in other applications:
 

• Other accelerators (like Techstars, 500 Global, or Antler)
• Grant or pitch competitions
• Investor outreach emails or pitch decks

So the effort is never wasted, it sets you up for future wins.

In short, applying to YC is more than just a shot at $500K but a smart move for clarity, growth, and momentum, no matter what happens next.

 
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Download the list of Top Y Combinator Application Questions

Ready to nail your Y Combinator application?

Download the full list of top YC application questions now and get one step closer to joining the next batch!