What Really Happens During Y Combinator?

Embarking on a startup journey is no small feat, and being part of Y Combinator adds an extra layer of intensity and growth to the experience.

As the Co-founder and CEO of Mito Health (YC S24) , part of the YC S24 batch (currently ongoing), and with over 11 years of startup experience, I've applied to YC five times over that same time period with three different startups.

My journey includes a failed hardware wireless charging sleeve startup in 2013, growing Seedly into Singapore's largest personal finance community and exiting it, and finally making it to YC with Mito Health.

Here's a peek into what really happens during YC and some tips for aspiring applicants.

Application Tips

YC has recently expanded its intake to include fall batches in addition to summer and winter batches, making this piece more timely.

Here are some key takeaways from my application experiences:

1. Just Apply: You never know what will happen. Don’t discount yourself before even trying. Each application teaches you something new and helps you get better.
2. Commit to a Big Market: Our second application with Mito Health succeeded because we committed to a significantly larger market, especially focusing on AI. Building out of San Francisco, where the US market is the center of gravity for talent and ideas, was crucial.
3. Perseverance Pays Off: Our journey saw many rejections, but each attempt was a step closer to success. Persistence is key.

During the Program

The YC experience is a whirlwind of learning, launching, and building.

Here's what it entails:

1. Kickoff Retreat: The batch starts with a retreat in Sonoma, where we spend three days mingling and learning from unconference topics led by other founders and group partners like Michael Seibel, Dalton Caldwell, Tom Blomfield, and Harj Taggar. This sets the tone for the rest of the program.
2. Peer Learning: The level of intellect and sharpness among the founders is incredible. Everyone is conversational and smart, creating an environment where potential is palpable.
3. Iterative Process: The mantra is to launch early, iterate, talk to users, serve clients, grow, stall, and grow again. It's a cycle of continuous improvement and learning. Check out our launches here , here and here all in the span of 2 weeks.
4. Founder Bonding: Our team rented a hacker house in the heart of SF for three-months, working, eating, sleeping, and gymming together for about 16 hours each day. This intense environment fosters strong bonds and an unmatched level of productivity.
5. Office Hours: Group office hours involve discussing problems and updates with other batch startups. We also had 1-1 office hours with our group partner, Tom Blomfield, the co-founder and ex-CEO of Monzo, one of the largest neobanks in the UK.
6. Amazing Speakers: Every week, we have the privilege of hearing from incredible speakers, including Brian Chesky, Greg Brockman, Brian Armstrong, Aaron Levie, Paul Graham, Andy Jassy, and other YC alumni. These sessions are private and founder-only, offering invaluable insights and inspiration.

End of Program

I'm writing this on a plane mid-way through the batch, heading home to see my family—my wife and son. If there's one big thing, being away from family and loved ones is really hard. You have no more social life during these months.

Everything is still very fresh in my mind, and there's so much more to experience and push towards. The program culminates with investor calls and a Demo Day where we pitch to a ton of qualified investors.

However, this is not the end but rather the start of all our journeys.

Conclusion

YC works because of the mimicking behavior and healthy peer pressure it fosters.

As Garry Tan , the current YC President, aptly puts it, "You are the average of the five people around you." Being surrounded by smart, highly motivated individuals in a high-pressure environment pushes everyone to their limits and beyond.

It's a classic case of investing in intelligent people and putting them into a pressure cooker and seeing what comes out the other side. If they are smart and determined, they will more than likely figure it out.

So far, YC has truly been a transformative experience that accelerates growth, fosters deep connections, and prepares startups for the challenges ahead.

If you're considering applying, just do it. The journey is worth every effort.