Y Combinator

Y Combinator (YC) is an American seed accelerator started in March 2005 by Paul Graham, Jessica Livingston, Trevor Blackwell, and Robert Tappan Morris. It interviews and selects two batches of companies per year. The companies receive seed money, advice, and connections in exchange for 7% equity. The program includes "office hours" where startup founders meet individually and in groups with Y Combinator partners for advice. Founders also participate in weekly dinners where guests from the Silicon Valley ecosystem (successful entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, etc.) speak to the founders. The goal of all these activities is to help founders further develop their product, team and market, refine their business model, achieve product/market fit, and scale the company into a high-growth business. The culmination occurs at Demo Day, where startups present their business to a selected audience of investors.  Since 2005, Y Combinator has funded over 3,500 startups with a combined valuation nearing $1T.