Y Combinator

Y Combinator is the world's most prominent startup accelerator, providing seed funding, mentorship, and a powerful alumni network to early-stage companies through biannual cohort programs (Winter and Summer batches). Since 2005, YC has funded over 5,000 companies — including Airbnb, Stripe, Dropbox, and Coinbase — with a combined valuation exceeding $600 billion. It also operates Hacker News, a widely-read technology news and discussion community, and runs Startup School, a free online program for founders worldwide.