My co-founder, Jacob Hess, and I share our experiences in applying and interviewing with the most famous startup accelerator in the world – Y Combinator (NexGenT Inc. YC Winter 2018 Batch). Y Combinator is the HARVARD of startup accelerators. Every 6 months, over 10,000 companies apply to participate and they typically have a 1.5% – 2% acceptance rate; Harvard has a 5% acceptance rate. Let that sink in. But what exactly is Y Combinator? Y Combinator (YC) is a startup fund and program, based in the heart of innovative technology, Silicon Valley. Since 2005, YC has invested in nearly 3,000 companies including Airbnb, DoorDash, Stripe, Dropbox, and Coinbase. YC works intensively with founders as they build their product, talk to their customers, and raise funding. Why should I apply to Y Combinator? As of January 2022, YC has set a standard deal for all their investments. They invest $500,000 in every company, as compared to the $125,000 we received three years ago. This increase in investment will give you plenty of time to create an amazing MVP and hit milestones in order to raise a proper seed round. Essentially, you can take your time without the pressure. If you are in the midst of your startup journey, persevere through! Do not shy away from applying to startup funding programs, such as Y Combinator – their resources and network will get your footing in the startup game.