Fundamentally, Y Combinator is a startup accelerator. They provide funding, advice, and resources to early stage startups. In addition to the monetary investment, Y Combinator also offers access to their network of successful entrepreneurs and investors.
The program typically lasts for 3 months, during which time startups work on their product and business full-time. At the end of the program, startups pitch their business to a room full of investors in the hopes of securing additional funding.
Y Combinator has helped launch some of the most successful startups in recent years, including Airbnb, Dropbox, and Reddit.
