YC Winter 2027 deadline is November 2: dates, deal and how to apply

The on-time application deadline for Y Combinator's Winter 2027 batch (W27) is Monday, November 2, 2026, at 8pm Pacific Time. Founders who apply by then get a decision by December 11, and the batch runs from January to March 2027 in San Francisco, according to YC's application page.

For founders outside the US, 8pm PT on November 2 is 04:00 UTC on November 3: that is 05:00 in Berlin, 06:00 in Kyiv, 09:30 in Bengaluru and 12:00 in Singapore. US daylight saving time ends on November 1, so the deadline falls on Pacific Standard Time.

YC W27 key dates

• Applications: open now; the on-time deadline is November 2, 2026, 8pm PT.
• Interviews: November and December, mostly by video call.
• Decisions: by December 11, 2026, for on-time applicants.
• Batch: January to March 2027, in person in San Francisco, opening with a three-day kickoff.
• Late applications: YC still reviews them but does not promise when it will reply.

What YC invests

YC's standard deal is $500,000, split into two SAFEs. The first is $125,000 on a post-money SAFE for 7% of the company. The second is $375,000 on an uncapped SAFE with a most favored nation (MFN) clause, so it converts on the best terms the company later gives other SAFE investors. YC's own example: if those later SAFEs carry a $15 million post-money cap, the $375,000 converts into 2.5% of the company.

YC says it commits to the investment on the day a company is accepted, the money is not tied to milestones, and it charges companies no fees. Accepted startups also get what the application page describes as more than $12 million in credits and deals from partners including OpenAI, Anthropic, AWS, Google Cloud, Azure and Stripe.

What the application asks for

The form covers the company, the product, progress so far and the founders. YC's guide How to Apply tells founders to describe what they are building in plain, matter-of-fact terms, keep every answer short and leave out marketing language. A few rules from YC's own pages are worth checking before you submit:

• Founder video. One minute, with every founder on camera, introducing themselves and the project. YC asks founders not to read a script and not to send a demo or promotional clip here.
• Idea-stage companies qualify. According to the YC FAQ, on average 40% of the companies it funds in each batch are just an idea, and most have no revenue.
• Solo founders can apply. YC says it regularly accepts them, while noting that one-person startups are harder. It also runs a free co-founder matching service for founders looking for a partner.
• No need to incorporate first. The FAQ says founders do not have to set up a company before applying, and YC connects accepted founders who need a US visa with immigration attorneys.
• Reapplying is normal. In a typical batch, about half of the companies applied more than once before being accepted. YC asks founders not to send two applications for the same batch.

Interviews and decisions

If an application looks promising, YC invites the founders to interview. For W27, interviews run in November and December, mainly over video. YC says it usually decides on the day of the interview and gives feedback to every team it interviews.

If W27 is the wrong timing

YC now runs four batches a year: Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. Its application page lets founders apply to a later batch now through Early Decision, which suits students and anyone who cannot start in January. As of October 5, 2026, the application page lists dates only for W27, so check it for the deadline of any later batch.

Founders comparing accelerators can also look at a16z speedrun, whose next cohort (SR008) starts in early 2027. Its priority application window runs from October 12 to November 1, 2026, closing one day before YC's deadline.

We cover accelerator batches, demo days and early rounds in our Funding section, with founder interviews and playbooks under Founders.

Frequently asked questions

When is the YC Winter 2027 deadline?

The on-time deadline is November 2, 2026, at 8pm Pacific Time, which is 04:00 UTC on November 3. Later applications are still reviewed, without a promised reply date.

When does YC send W27 decisions?

On-time applicants get a decision by December 11, 2026. Interviews take place in November and December, and YC usually decides the same day.

How much does Y Combinator invest?

YC invests $500,000: $125,000 for 7% on a post-money SAFE and $375,000 on an uncapped MFN SAFE.

Do I have to be in San Francisco for YC?

Yes. The Winter 2027 batch runs in person in San Francisco from January to March 2027, starting with a three-day kickoff and followed by regular meetups.