YC remains the highest-signal accelerator in the world. It's not right for every founder. Here's a plain read of what you get and what you give up.
YC's 7% for $500K works out to a $7.1M post-money valuation on the standard deal. That's low relative to what you might raise otherwise. The value is not the check — it's the network, the demo day, and the credibility.
$500K on standard terms (SAFE post-money). 3 months of programming with partners. Access to 8,000+ alumni founders (Bookface, weekly office hours). Demo Day exposure to essentially every seed investor. A YC "stamp" that opens 90% of investor doors for the following year.
7% dilution (high compared to other seed dilution at the same stage). 3 months of relocation or heavy time zone overlap with Bay Area. Founder brand shifts to "YC company" — some investors specifically prefer or avoid YC companies. Post-YC pressure to raise quickly at high valuations.
First-time founders without existing investor networks. International founders needing US credibility. Technical founders without commercial/GTM background. Solo founders or founding pairs pre-product. Anyone building in a space where YC has strong alumni concentration (fintech, dev tools, AI infra).
Founders with existing strong VC relationships and clear term sheets. Companies past $500K ARR (the value of YC's stamp diminishes as your own signal grows). Founders unwilling to relocate to the Bay Area for the batch. Companies that need >18 months before revenue.
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