Y Combinator Winter 2027 Batch

Y Combinator’s Winter 2027 batch is a three-month, in-person startup accelerator running from January through March 2027 in San Francisco. YC invests in accepted companies immediately rather than waiting for the batch to begin. Each company works with a dedicated YC General Partner and joins a smaller group of startups within the wider batch.

• Any startup from any country may apply.
• Solo founders are eligible.
• A company does not need revenue or an incorporated entity before applying.
• YC accepts companies from any sector and at different levels of progress.
• Founders are expected to work full-time on the company during and after the batch.
• Companies already incorporated outside the United States, Canada, Cayman Islands or Singapore must establish a parent corporation in one of those jurisdictions if accepted.

• USD 500,000 investment through two simultaneous SAFE agreements.
• USD 125,000 post-money SAFE converting into 7% equity.
• USD 375,000 uncapped SAFE with a Most Favored Nation provision.
• No program fee.
• More than USD 12 million in partner credits and deals from providers including OpenAI, Anthropic, AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure and Stripe.
• Weekly interaction with a dedicated YC General Partner.
• Smaller peer group within the wider batch.
• Access to YC’s founder and alumni community.
• Startup speakers, regular founder meetups and problem-solving support.
• Fundraising assistance and introductions to YC’s investor network near the end of the batch.
• Continuing support after the three-month program.
• YC retains a pro-rata participation right in subsequent financing rounds.

• Applicants submit an online application by 2 November 2026 at 8:00 PM Pacific Time for on-time consideration.
• On-time applicants are scheduled to receive a decision by 11 December 2026.
• Promising applicants are invited to interviews, primarily conducted through video conference during November and December.
• YC typically communicates its decision on the same day as the interview.
• Late applications remain eligible for consideration, but YC does not guarantee a response date.