Y Combinator has opened applications for its Winter 2027 batch. The accelerator invests $500,000 in each selected company in exchange for equity, making this an investment rather than a grant. Startups from any country, including Kazakhstan, can apply.
On-time applications are due by November 2, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. US Pacific Time. US daylight saving time ends on November 1, so the deadline is in PST (UTC−8). In Kazakhstan, that is November 3 at 9:00 a.m. Astana time.
What participants receive
YC’s standard deal has two components. A $125,000 post-money SAFE gives the fund a fixed 7% of the company. Another $375,000 is invested through an uncapped SAFE with an MFN provision, giving YC terms no less favorable than those the company subsequently offers other investors through comparable instruments.
YC’s final ownership share is not known in advance. The equity arising from conversion of the $375,000 is added to the initial 7%, depending on valuations in subsequent rounds. The fund also retains pro rata rights, allowing it to buy additional equity in later rounds to maintain its ownership percentage.
YC commits to invest on the day a company is accepted and does not tie the money to performance milestones. The accelerator charges no participation fee. Participants also receive more than $12 million in partner credits and discounts, including from OpenAI, Anthropic and AWS. These are service benefits, not cash payments.
Who the program is for
Selection is open to startups worldwide. According to YC, around 40% of companies in each batch arrive with only an idea, and most have no revenue. Incorporation is not required before applying. The fund also accepts solo founders, although it acknowledges that building a startup alone is harder.
Conditions and limitations
The three-month batch runs from January to March 2027 in person at YC’s San Francisco campus. It starts with a three-day off-site kickoff, followed by regular meetings in the city. For a founder from Kazakhstan, this means moving to the United States for at least the program’s duration.
Immigration lawyers working with YC assist with visas. The fund says they have helped hundreds of founders move to or remain in the United States. The appropriate visa is considered individually after acceptance; organizers do not guarantee approval.
YC invests only in corporations registered in the United States, Canada, Singapore or the Cayman Islands. A startup already operating as a Kazakhstani LLP would need to establish a parent company in one of those jurisdictions, a restructuring often called a “flip.” YC’s official pages do not specify its timing or cost.
How selection works
The application asks for a concrete description of the company’s product, each founder’s achievements, how the startup will compete and what other ideas the team considered. YC’s application advice recommends including a founder video and a working product demo.
If the partners are interested, the team is invited to an interview. Most interviews will take place by video in November and December, with decisions usually communicated the same day. On-time applicants are promised a response by December 11.
Late applications are also considered, but after on-time submissions and without a guaranteed response schedule. The FAQ says responses usually arrive within a month and that every batch includes companies that applied after the deadline.
Winter 2027 timeline
- November 3, 9:00 a.m. Astana time: on-time application deadline;
- November and December: video interviews;
- December 11: decisions for on-time applications due;
- January 2027: program begins in San Francisco;
- March 2027, program finale: Demo Day presentations to investors.
YC has not yet published the exact Winter 2027 Demo Day date. For comparison, the Winter 2026 batch presented on March 24.
Program profile in RAEM’s grants directory
Terms checked on September 26, 2026.
