This winter 2023 cohort for Y Combinator was special for a variety of reasons, mainly for the size of the cohort where 282 of the 20,000 applicants were accepted. As the first batch to offer an in-person element since the pandemic began, over 86% of the founders participated in the three month program from January-April at the its San Francisco headquarters, which hosted events such as weekly happy hours, dinners, and meetups with successful Y Combinator alumni. It was a huge benefit for those who made the journey and the founders Insider spoke with all emphasized how important it was to be in the city.
AI startups made a huge jump in the cohort’s makeup as well, with Vellum, Truewind and Zenfetch being just a few examples of the many tech companies that have returned to San Francisco. This shift has even caused one neighborhood to be known as ‘Cerebral Valley’ in the tech world.
The founders mentioned that their most important lesson from the program was to move quickly, launch products and gain feedback from customers as soon as possible. Akash Sharma, CEO of Vellum, shared with Insider the importance of cataloguing more events and networking meetups specific to generative AI and ‘makeing something people want’ as Y Combinator’s unofficial slogan.
This cohort of startups came from all over the world and showcased the potential of Y Combinator as a popular destination for startups to dramatically improve their products. While the program was intense and competitive, the founders all agreed that the experience was invaluable and made them better equipped to make a successful impact in their respective industries.
Y Combinator is one of the most well-known startups accelerators in the world, investing over $18 billion in companies. It provides its startups with mentorship, advice and of course, venture funding. It has also established itself an alumni network of over 6,000 founders which are invested in each others’ successes. For founders looking to take the leap and start their companies, Y Combinator is an excellent choice.
