Complete Y Combinator Companies Database (2026)
Search 5,000+ YC startups by batch, status, industry, and location — with founder contact info.
Y Combinator is the most influential startup accelerator in the world. Since 2005, YC has funded over 5,000 companies with a combined valuation exceeding $600 billion. For investors scouting the next big deal, sales teams targeting high-growth companies, and recruiters looking for top startup talent, having access to a comprehensive YC companies database is not optional — it's essential.
This guide covers everything you need to know about Y Combinator's portfolio: what makes YC companies uniquely valuable, how to search and filter the full database, and how to access founder contact information for direct outreach. Whether you're looking for current batch companies or researching active YC startups, we'll show you the fastest way to find what you need.
VCBacked maintains the most complete and actionable Y Combinator database available, with verified founder emails, advanced filtering, and data updated regularly. You can explore the full YC database here.
Contents
What Is Y Combinator and Why Does It Matter?
Y Combinator (YC) is a startup accelerator founded in 2005 by Paul Graham, Jessica Livingston, Trevor Blackwell, and Robert Tappan Morris. Based in San Francisco, YC invests $500,000 in early-stage startups twice a year through its Winter and Summer batch programs. In exchange for a small equity stake (typically 7%), YC provides funding, mentorship, and access to one of the most powerful alumni networks in tech.
What makes YC uniquely important is its track record. YC alumni include some of the most valuable private and public technology companies ever built: Stripe (valued at $95 billion), Airbnb (NYSE: ABNB, $75B+ market cap), DoorDash (NYSE: DASH), Coinbase (NASDAQ: COIN), Instacart, Dropbox, Reddit, and Twitch. The combined valuation of all YC companies exceeds $600 billion — making YC's portfolio more valuable than most venture capital firms combined.
For professionals who work with startups, YC companies represent the highest-signal pipeline in the industry. A YC acceptance is a strong quality filter: acceptance rates hover around 1-2%, meaning every company in the database has been vetted by one of the most selective accelerators in the world. This makes YC companies disproportionately attractive to investors looking for deal flow, sales teams targeting companies with traction and funding, and recruiters searching for fast-growing teams.
Y Combinator by the Numbers
Understanding the scale of YC's portfolio helps illustrate why this database matters:
Notable YC Alumni
YC's alumni list reads like a who's-who of the technology industry:
- Stripe (W09) — Payment infrastructure, valued at $95B. Founded by Patrick and John Collison.
- Airbnb (W09) — Home-sharing marketplace. NYSE: ABNB, $75B+ market cap.
- DoorDash (S13) — Food delivery platform. NYSE: DASH, $50B+ market cap.
- Coinbase (S12) — Cryptocurrency exchange. NASDAQ: COIN, $40B+ market cap.
- Instacart (S12) — Grocery delivery. NASDAQ: CART.
- Dropbox (S07) — Cloud storage. NASDAQ: DBX.
- Reddit (S05) — Social platform. NYSE: RDDT.
- Twitch (W07) — Live streaming platform. Acquired by Amazon for $970M.
- Zapier (S12) — Workflow automation. Valued at $5B+.
- Brex (W17) — Corporate credit cards and spend management. Valued at $12B+.
These companies represent just a fraction of YC's portfolio. Every batch produces dozens of companies that go on to raise significant follow-on funding and scale rapidly. You can explore the complete list in the VCBacked YC database.
How to Use the VCBacked YC Database
The VCBacked YC database is designed for professionals who need to quickly find, filter, and reach out to Y Combinator companies. Here are the key ways to search:
Search by Batch
YC runs two batches per year: Winter (W) and Summer (S). Each batch is labeled by season and year (e.g., W25 for Winter 2025, S24 for Summer 2024). You can browse any specific batch to see all companies that participated.
Filter by Company Status
Not all YC companies are still operating. The database lets you filter by status so you can focus on active companies that are currently building and growing. Status categories include Active, Acquired, Inactive, and Public.
Filter by Location
While YC is based in San Francisco, its companies come from all over the world. Filter by location to find YC companies in specific cities, states, or countries. This is especially useful for investors with geographic mandates or sales teams with regional territories.
Search by Industry
YC companies span dozens of industries: AI/ML, fintech, healthcare, B2B SaaS, developer tools, biotech, climate tech, and more. Filter by industry vertical to find companies relevant to your investment thesis, product, or hiring needs.
Explore the Full YC Database
Search 5,000+ Y Combinator companies with founder emails, batch details, and advanced filters.
Browse YC Companies →Current and Recent Batches: W25 and S24
The most recent YC batches are where the highest-value opportunities live. Companies fresh out of YC are actively raising follow-on rounds, hiring aggressively, and purchasing their first enterprise tools. This makes them ideal targets for multiple audiences.
YC W25 (Winter 2025)
The W25 batch is Y Combinator's most recent cohort. Like recent batches, W25 features a strong concentration in AI and machine learning, along with representation across fintech, healthcare, developer tools, and enterprise SaaS. These companies are in the earliest stages of growth, making them especially relevant for:
- Investors: Seed-stage deal flow with YC's stamp of approval. Many W25 companies are actively raising their seed rounds right now.
- Sales teams: These companies have $500K from YC and are making their first purchasing decisions on tools, infrastructure, and services.
- Recruiters: W25 companies are building founding teams and hiring across engineering, sales, and operations.
YC S24 (Summer 2024)
The S24 batch companies are 6-9 months post-Demo Day. Many have closed seed rounds and are beginning to scale. They're actively hiring, onboarding customers, and investing in growth. This is the sweet spot for sales teams: companies with funding, product-market fit signals, and active buying intent.
For a deeper dive into the current batch, read our complete guide to YC W25 companies.
How to Access YC Founder Contact Info and Emails
One of the biggest challenges with YC companies is getting in touch with founders. The official YC directory lists companies but doesn't provide contact details. LinkedIn profiles are often incomplete or don't include email addresses. This is where VCBacked adds the most value.
What VCBacked Provides for Each YC Company:
- Founder names and roles — Know who the CEO, CTO, and other co-founders are
- Verified email addresses — Direct founder emails for outreach
- Company details — One-liner description, batch, industry, and status
- Location data — Where the company is headquartered
- LinkedIn profiles — Quick access to founder professional profiles
- Website and social links — Company website and social media presence
This makes VCBacked the fastest path from "I want to reach a YC founder" to actually having their email in your outbox. Whether you're an investor requesting a meeting, a sales rep offering a relevant product, or a recruiter presenting an opportunity, verified contact data eliminates the guesswork and dramatically improves response rates.
For detailed strategies on outreach, see our guide on how to find and contact YC founders.
VCBacked vs Other YC Databases
There are several places to find YC company data. Here's how VCBacked compares:
| Feature | VCBacked | YC Official Directory | YCDB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete company list | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Founder email addresses | Yes | No | No |
| Filter by batch | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Filter by status | Yes | Limited | Yes |
| Filter by location | Yes | No | Limited |
| Filter by industry | Yes | Limited | Limited |
| Export to CSV | Yes | No | No |
| Funding data | Yes | No | Partial |
| Price | Free + Pro | Free | Free |
The official Y Combinator directory (ycombinator.com/companies) is a good starting point for basic company information. It lists companies by batch and industry, but lacks contact data, export functionality, and advanced filtering — making it difficult to use for outreach at scale.
YCDB is a community-maintained database that adds some filtering options on top of the official data. It's useful for quick lookups but similarly lacks founder emails, export capabilities, and detailed company intelligence.
VCBacked is built for professionals who need to take action on YC data. Verified founder emails, CSV exports, advanced filtering by batch, status, location, and industry, and integration-ready data make it the tool of choice for investors, sales teams, and recruiters.
Who Uses a YC Companies Database?
Venture Capital Investors
VCs use the YC database to source deal flow, especially from the current and most recent batches. YC companies are pre-vetted for quality, making them high-signal targets for seed and Series A investments. Filter by industry and location to match your investment thesis, then reach out to founders directly.Learn more about VCBacked for investors →
Sales and Business Development Teams
YC companies receive $500K in funding and often raise millions more within months. They're actively buying tools and services to scale. Sales teams use the database to identify companies in their ICP, access decision-maker emails, and run targeted outbound campaigns.Learn more about VCBacked for sales teams →
Recruiters and Talent Partners
YC startups are hiring machines. Post-batch, most companies are urgently hiring engineers, marketers, and operators. Recruiters use the database to identify growing teams, connect with founders, and place candidates at the fastest-growing companies in the world.Learn more about VCBacked for recruiters →
Frequently Asked Questions
How many companies has Y Combinator funded?
Y Combinator has funded over 5,000 companies since its founding in 2005. These include Stripe, Airbnb, DoorDash, Coinbase, Instacart, and Dropbox. YC runs two batches per year (Winter and Summer), each accepting around 200-250 companies.
Where can I find a complete list of Y Combinator companies?
VCBacked maintains a comprehensive Y Combinator database at vcbacked.co/yc with all YC companies searchable by batch, status, location, and industry. You can also find founder contact information and emails for outreach.
What is the most recent Y Combinator batch?
The most recent Y Combinator batch is W25 (Winter 2025). You can browse the full list of W25 companies with founder details at vcbacked.co/yc/batch/w25.
How can I contact Y Combinator founders?
VCBacked provides verified founder email addresses for Y Combinator companies. Search for founders by batch, company status, industry, or location and access their contact information directly from the database. For outreach tips, read our guide on how to find and contact YC founders.
What is the success rate of Y Combinator companies?
Y Combinator has an exceptionally high success rate compared to the startup ecosystem at large. The combined valuation of YC companies exceeds $600 billion, with notable exits including Stripe ($95B valuation), Airbnb ($75B+ market cap), DoorDash ($50B+ market cap), and Coinbase ($40B+ market cap).
How does VCBacked compare to the official YC directory?
While the official YC directory lists companies, VCBacked adds founder contact information (including emails), advanced filtering by batch/status/location/industry, and export capabilities. VCBacked is designed for investors, sales teams, and recruiters who need actionable data.
Start Exploring Y Combinator Companies
Access 5,000+ YC companies with founder emails, batch details, and powerful search filters. The fastest way to find, research, and contact YC startups.
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