- Y Combinator seeks founders with fringe, society-impacting tech ideas.
- Values innovators who think from first principles.
- Applications open to all.
Y Combinator’s president and CEO, Garry Tan, has revealed the “secret sauce” for getting accepted into the iconic accelerator.
In a recent interview, Tan shed light on what the prestigious program looks for in potential founders.
Geeks wanted: fringe ideas welcome
According to Tan, Y Combinator seeks founders who can create new markets and envision technologies that others haven’t yet imagined.
Citing Coinbase’s Brian Armstrong as an example, Tan highlighted the accelerator’s interest in “fringe ideas” that deeply technical people are obsessed with and have the potential to impact society profoundly.
Think outside the sandbox
Moreover, Tan emphasized that Y Combinator values “first principles thinkers” – individuals who not only believe in groundbreaking concepts but also possess the ability to execute them.
These founders understand the necessary steps to build and validate their solutions, ensuring they solve the original problem they set out to address. Notably, Tan stressed that anyone can apply to Y Combinator through their website, without the need for personal connections.
The accelerator’s partners thoroughly review applications, focusing on the applicants’ potential customers and their past accomplishments, before conducting interviews with top candidates.
In a world where innovation is the driving force, Y Combinator’s approach to identifying and nurturing fringe innovators and first principles thinkers sets the stage for the next generation of transformative technologies.
