YC Fellows 2026
YC Fellows is an invite only community of exceptional technical students. It’s for people who want to build ambitious things and do great work. You can be interested in doing any type of work, not just startups
We’re looking for intellectually curious and technical students who are not interested in a conventional career path. We expect Fellows will go on to do great things in research, open source and some will become founders. Fellows will get:
Mentorship from a YC Partner. Your YC Partner will invite you into the Fellows community and give you advice on specific projects you’re working on or general advice on how to do great work..
A peer group. Fellows are an elite group of students selected from across the world for their ability and ambition. Being a part of this community will help you build great things.
Special events. We’ll special events for Fellows throughout the year to meet each other and learn from YC Partners, alumni and special guests — like AI researchers and builders.
A fast track to opportunities at YC startups — intros for internships and roles at the fastest growing YC startups.
Optional grant funding — Fellows are eligible for a YC Summer Grant to work on their own technical project over the summer in San Francisco.
FAQ
Who are you looking for?We’re looking for intellectually intense and highly technical students who want to do great work. Some of the typical things we look for are:
You’ve built something technically difficult (software, hardware, ML, robotics, bio, etc.)
You have unusually high output for your age
You have sharp opinions and can explain them clearly
You care more about truth and progress than prestige and status
What is the selection process?
Fellows can only be invited into the community by a YC Partner.
A YC Partner nominates you for a Fellowship interview, which will be a 15 minute discussion about the most interesting technical project you’ve worked on. The interview will be with at least two YC Partners who will decide whether to invite you to become a Fellow.
What events will there be?
Most of the events will be in San Francisco during the summer of 2026. Planned summer programming includes:
Kickoff retreat: June 12–14, 2026 (SF area)
Alternate weeks: Fun community events (the goal is real friendships, not networking) occasionally with guest speakers to learn from.
Optional demo day at the end of August: for Fellows who choose to spend the summer building their own projects
Do I have to be based in SF to be a Fellow?
No you can be based anywhere but we strongly encourage you to be in San Francisco during the summer. It’s where all the most ambitious builders in the world are and it’s an especially unique moment in time to be here during the AI revolution. Also the Fellows events will all be in San Francisco.
Will you provide working space for me during the summer?
YC won’t provide a dedicated office. Many Fellows end up working from apartments, hacker houses, cafés, or shared spaces. We’ll help you find great places to live and work and connect you with other Fellows who want to co-locate.
Is this a startup program? Do I need a company?
No. Fellows don’t have a company yet and are just exploring ideas in different spaces.