Examples

Please tell us about the time you, {founder name}, most successfully hacked some (non-computer) system to your advantage.

Please tell us in one or two sentences about the most impressive thing other than this startup that you have built or achieved.

Describe what your company does in 50 characters or less.

What is your company going to make? Please describe your product and what it does or will do.

This video is an important part of the application.

Who writes code or does other technical work on your product? Was any of it done by a non-founder? Please explain.

How long have the founders known one another and how did you meet? Have any of the founders not met in person?

How far along are you?

How long have each of you been working on this? How much of that has been full-time? Please explain.

Are people using your product?

Do you have revenue?

If you are applying with the same idea as a previous batch, did anything change? If you applied with a different idea, why did you pivot and what did you learn from the last idea?

Why did you pick this idea to work on? Do you have domain expertise in this area? How do you know people need what you're making?

Who are your competitors? What do you understand about your business that they don't?

How do or will you make money? How much could you make? (We realize you can't know precisely, but give your best estimate.)

Where will most of your initial users be located?

Which category best applies to your company?

Have you formed ANY legal entity yet? This may be in the US, in your home country or in another country.

Have you taken any investment yet?

Are you currently fundraising?

If you had any other ideas you considered applying with, please list them. One may be something we've been waiting for. Often when we fund people it's to do something they list here and not in the main application.

What convinced you to apply to YC? Did someone encourage you to apply? Have you been to any YC events?

How did you hear about YC?