Y Combinator

Overview

Regarded as the most well-known and successful startup accelerator, Y Combinator is an organization focused on helping early-stage companies achieve rapid growth through a combination of funding and structured mentorship.

Many companies that would later become household names and change the way we live today got their start at Y Combinator, or YC, including Airbnb, Reddit, DoorDash, and more.

The accelerator has funded more than 5,000 startups, which it claims are now worth more than a combined $800B. Over 90 of those startups now have valuations of $1B or greater, and at least 11 were publicly traded as of August 2025.

As many as 90% of startups fail on average—but Y Combinator startups only have about a 20% failure rate. Some argue that these portfolio companies may achieve higher valuations due in part to the brand recognition and subsequent investor access stemming from the association with the program.

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