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Best YC Application Advice from YC Alums
A 17-point checklist for writing a stronger Y Combinator application.
This note gathers 17 actionable tips from Y Combinator alumni on how to prepare and submit an effective accelerator application. It focuses on clarity, demonstrable shipping velocity, realistic metrics, and founder dynamics. It serves as a practical pre-submission review list for early-stage startup founders.
The list
YC application advice from YC alums:
1. Make sure your idea is clear and concise, don't use fancy words
2. Mention how big the market is
3. Add specific dates and timelines to show that the team can ship
4. For the tech stack question, specify the programming language or hardware used
5. If you have even a prototype ready, get feedback ASAP and put it in the application
6. Show that you are in this 100% — you shouldn't be 50% in your startup and 50% somewhere else
7. Connect with YC alums and try to get their referral
8. Be yourself and don't exaggerate your metrics
9. Be specific on why other companies can't replicate your work
10. Make sure you know your moat
11. You and your co-founder should be complementary to each other's skills
12. If you are doing hardware, prove the market wants your product
13. Mention your expertise in the area you are building your startup
14. Mention backup startup ideas
15. Any co-op experience?
16. If you applied before, show your progress (they check your past apps)
17. Lastly: just apply.
Author's own submission: YC Fall 2025 batch, startup named GlucoSense, co-founders Tenzin and Justin.
What it's for
- Review an accelerator application before submitting it to Y Combinator
- Structure answers regarding market size, tech stack, and defensibility
- Identify gaps in founder commitment, co-founder balance, and user feedback
Key points
- Prioritize plain, concise language over jargon when describing the core idea
- Demonstrate execution speed by including specific shipping dates and timelines
- Include early prototype feedback and clear tech stack details
- Emphasize founder commitment, domain expertise, and complementary skill sets
- Address moats, defensibility against copycats, and backup concepts
- Track and highlight progress made since any prior applications
Pricing
Free
Details
- Type
- List
- Category
- Business & Money
- Topic
- Startup Advice
- Open source
- No
- Platforms
- other
- For
- Early-stage startup founders applying to Y Combinator or similar accelerators
- Tags
- y combinator, startups, fundraising, accelerators, application advice, founder tips
Why it was saved
- @_tenZdhon_: Concrete, actionable advice for anyone filling out the YC application, sourced from people who went through it.
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