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On September 13, 2024
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[1]
Y Combinator Expands to 4 Batches a Year
Garry Tan, President & CEO of Y Combinator, took to X to announce this expansion and also lauded the partners for making this happen. "@daltonc, @harjtaggar, @snowmaker, and all the YC partners worked very closely with me to make this happen -- we're trying to be as responsive as possible to all the future founders in the world," he said. Built on the vision of making something people want, the SF based startup accelerator runs between June-September (summer session) and January-April (winter session), but from 2025, a spring session will follow the winter one. Last month, AIM noted that the reason behind this expansion is to keep up with the influx of ideas and developments happening in AI. Jared Friedman, Partner at Y Combinator, shared the company's philosophy behind this expansion. For one, it would increase the access and availability of the YC community to more founders. "Previously, if you quit your job in June and wanted to start YC right away, you'd have to wait until January for the next batch," he added to this. Secondly, this would enable YC to make the batch size smaller, and more personalised, while also maintaining its vast network which is one of its strengths. Thirdly, it aims to spread out the batches to avoid attention concentration, especially for the press and the seed funding ecosystem. This change has been in the works for a long time, but owing to operational constraints, it didn't materialise. "This is an exciting change. Progress in AI is happening so fast that 4-6 months between batches is an eternity; and the batches also get better because YC itself gets more batch iteration cycles. This is like shipping more often," said Jimmy E. Chan, Founder of Dropbase AI and YC W20, weighing in on this change. Founded in 2005, the San Francisco-based Startup School is one of the foremost places for entrepreneurs across the world. Sam Altman's first venture, Loopt, was also part of the YC program in 2011. Even OpenAI originally began at YC Research, before Elon Musk and Altman chose a different path. Since its inception, YC has invested in over 4,500 companies, including Airbnb, Meesho, Zepto, Dropbox, Stripe, Reddit, among others. Recently, AIM wrote about the strategies to get into YC. As of early 2024, YC has funded over 4,500 startups with a combined valuation of more than $600 billion. For context, in the Winter 24 batch, 260 companies were chosen from over 27000 applications. A singular reason for its popularity is perhaps how YC programs do not require formal degrees, and are contingent on the founders and their ideas. Contrary to traditional college applications, Garry recently shared on X how they are working towards incubating those who "desire the outcome of a great startup." With the surge of AI-based startups in the past few years, it is interesting to note that YC24 batch was filled with Indian AI startups, focused on LLMOps, AI agents, AI coding, and cybersecurity. YC also experienced a 45% increase in applications from India between the Winter 2020 and the Winter 2022 batches. Notable startups like Zepto, Meesho, Razorpay, and Groww - have all hit unicorn status - and are backed by YC.
[2]
YC Moves to 4 Batches a Year -- Biggest Shift Since 2005, and Here's Why it Matters
Garry Tan, President & CEO of Y Combinator, took to X to announce this expansion and also lauded the partners for making this happen. "@daltonc, @harjtaggar, @snowmaker, and all the YC partners worked very closely with me to make this happen -- we're trying to be as responsive as possible to all the future founders in the world," he said. Built on the vision of making something people want, the SF-based startup accelerator runs between June-September (summer session) and January-April (winter session), but from 2025, a spring session will follow the winter one. Last month, AIM noted that the reason behind this expansion is to keep up with the influx of ideas and developments happening in AI. Jared Friedman, Partner at Y Combinator, shared the company's philosophy behind this expansion. For one, it would increase the access and availability of the YC community to more founders. "Previously, if you quit your job in June and wanted to start YC right away, you'd have to wait until January for the next batch," he added to this. Secondly, this would enable YC to make the batch size smaller, and more personalised, while also maintaining its vast network which is one of its strengths. Thirdly, it aims to spread out the batches to avoid attention concentration, especially for the press and the seed funding ecosystem. This change has been in the works for a long time, but owing to operational constraints, it didn't materialise. "This is an exciting change. Progress in AI is happening so fast that 4-6 months between batches is an eternity; and the batches also get better because YC itself gets more batch iteration cycles. This is like shipping more often," said Jimmy E. Chan, founder of Dropbase AI and YC W20, weighing in on this change. Founded in 2005, the San Francisco-based Startup School is one of the foremost places for entrepreneurs across the world. Sam Altman's first venture, Loopt, was also part of the YC program in 2011. Even OpenAI originally began at YC Research, before Elon Musk and Altman chose a different path. Since its inception, YC has invested in over 4,500 companies, including Airbnb, Meesho, Zepto, Dropbox, Stripe, Reddit, among others. Recently, AIM wrote about the strategies to get into YC. As of early 2024, YC has funded over 4,500 startups with a combined valuation of more than $600 billion. For context, in the Winter 24 batch, 260 companies were chosen from over 27000 applications. A singular reason for its popularity is perhaps how YC programs do not require formal degrees, and are contingent on the founders and their ideas. Contrary to traditional college applications, Garry recently shared on X how they are working towards incubating those who "desire the outcome of a great startup." With the surge of AI-based startups in the past few years, it is interesting to note that YC24 batch was filled with Indian AI startups, focused on LLMOps, AI agents, AI coding, and cybersecurity. YC also experienced a 45% increase in applications from India between the Winter 2020 and the Winter 2022 batches. Notable startups like Zepto, Meesho, Razorpay, and Groww - have all hit unicorn status - and are backed by YC.
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Y Combinator, the renowned startup accelerator, announces a significant change in its program structure, moving from two to four batches per year. This shift aims to provide more opportunities for startups and adapt to the evolving entrepreneurial landscape.
Y Combinator (YC), the prestigious startup accelerator known for nurturing companies like Airbnb and Dropbox, has made a landmark decision to expand its program from two to four batches per year 1. This move marks the most significant change in YC's operations since its inception in 2005, reflecting the accelerator's commitment to adapting to the rapidly evolving startup ecosystem.
Under the new format, YC will run four batches annually, each lasting ten weeks. The batches will be scheduled as follows:
This restructuring aims to provide more frequent opportunities for startups to join the program, potentially increasing the number of companies that can benefit from YC's mentorship and resources 2.
The shift to four batches a year is expected to have several positive impacts on the startup ecosystem:
Increased accessibility: More frequent batches mean more opportunities for startups to apply and participate in the program.
Reduced waiting times: Startups won't have to wait as long between application periods, allowing them to join the program at a more optimal time for their business.
Smaller batch sizes: With four batches, each cohort is likely to be smaller, potentially leading to more personalized attention for participating startups [1].
Year-round engagement: Investors will have more frequent opportunities to connect with YC startups, fostering a more dynamic investment landscape.
YC's decision to increase the frequency of its batches is a response to the evolving needs of modern startups. The accelerator recognizes that the pace of innovation and market changes has accelerated, necessitating a more flexible and responsive program structure [2].
This move also aligns with YC's recent efforts to streamline its operations, including the introduction of a standard deal and the shift to smaller batch sizes. These changes reflect YC's commitment to maintaining its position as a leading force in the startup ecosystem while adapting to new challenges and opportunities.
The expansion to four batches will undoubtedly require significant operational changes within Y Combinator. The accelerator will need to scale its mentorship, resources, and support systems to accommodate the increased frequency of programs. This may also lead to changes in how YC structures its famous Demo Days and investor networking events [1].
As Y Combinator embarks on this new chapter, the startup world will be watching closely to see how this change impacts the quality and success rate of the companies emerging from the program. The move to four batches a year represents a bold step forward for YC, reaffirming its commitment to innovation not just in the startups it supports, but in its own operational model as well.
Reference
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[2]
Analytics India Magazine
|YC Moves to 4 Batches a Year -- Biggest Shift Since 2005, and Here's Why it MattersAccel, a leading venture capital firm, has announced the fourth cohort of its pre-seed programme, Atoms 4.0. The programme aims to invest in early-stage startups focusing on AI, fintech, and e-commerce sectors in India.
2 Sources
Accel, a leading venture capital firm, has announced the launch of Accel Atoms 4.0, a pre-seed funding program aimed at supporting early-stage startups focused on AI and the Bharat opportunity. The program will invest up to $1 million in selected startups.
4 Sources
Chiratae Ventures, a leading Indian venture capital firm, has announced the launch of its 2024 Sonic Program. This initiative aims to support and accelerate early-stage technology startups in India, offering funding and mentorship opportunities.
3 Sources
A comprehensive look at the venture capital and startup ecosystem in mid-2024, highlighting key trends in M&A, chip industry, AI, and the overall state of startups in Q2 2024.
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AI industry sees leadership changes as founders move between companies. Meanwhile, defense tech startup Anduril raises a massive funding round, highlighting the growing interest in military technology.
2 Sources