Y Combinator
Managing $600B in AI investments
$600B
Awaira Score
out of 100
Y Combinator focuses on AI, Enterprise, Consumer, Dev Tools. They typically invest at the Seed stage. With $600B under management, they've got the firepower to write big checks. They've backed 6 AI companies so far.
Investment Strategy Analysis
Y Combinator operates a thesis-driven portfolio concentrated in AI, Enterprise, Consumer, Dev Tools, with a geographic base in USA. By concentrating on Seed deals, the firm has developed pattern recognition and network advantages at that particular stage of the funding lifecycle. Managing $600B across 6 known investments suggests a concentrated, high-conviction approach to AI investing. Awaira rates Y Combinator in the top tier of tracked AI investors based on portfolio performance, deal activity, and market presence.
Score
94/100
AUM
$600B
Portfolio Size
6
Founded
2005
Stage Focus
Seed
Country
🇺🇸 USA
Assets Under Mgmt
$600B
Total capital managed
Portfolio Companies
6
Companies backed
Stage Focus
Seed
Preferred investment stage
Focus Areas
About Y Combinator
Y Combinator is a seed-stage venture capital firm founded in 2005, headquartered in USA, managing approximately $600B in assets under management. The firm concentrates on AI, Enterprise, Consumer, Dev Tools, deploying capital primarily at the seed level. Notable AI portfolio companies include OpenAI, Stripe, Airbnb, DoorDash, Cruise, Instacart. Y Combinator has participated in 1 funding round tracked by Awaira, deploying capital across AI, Enterprise, Consumer sectors. The firm's investment strategy emphasizes enterprise software and B2B AI applications. Awaira assigns Y Combinator an investor score of 94/100 based on portfolio strength, AI sector exposure, and market activity. The firm investment thesis centers on identifying AI companies that demonstrate strong technical moats, clear paths to revenue, and potential for category leadership within their respective segments. Y Combinator evaluates opportunities based on team quality, market timing, technology differentiation, and capital efficiency. Portfolio companies including OpenAI, Stripe, Airbnb, DoorDash, Cruise reflect the firm emphasis on backing founders who combine deep technical expertise with commercial execution capability.
Founded: 2005
Investment Focus
Portfolio Companies(1)
Portfolio Metrics
Companies
1
Categories
1
Top Sector
AI Dev Tools (1)
Avg Score
60/100
Frequently Co-Invests With
Notable Deal
Y Combinator is a seed-stage venture capital firm founded in 2005, headquartered in USA, managing approximately $600B in assets under management. The firm concentrates on AI, Enterprise, Consumer, Dev Tools, deploying capital primarily at the seed level. Notable AI portfolio companies include OpenAI, Stripe, Airbnb, DoorDash, Cruise, Instacart. Y Combinator has participated in 1 funding round tracked by Awaira, deploying capital across AI, Enterprise, Consumer sectors. The firm's investment strategy emphasizes enterprise software and B2B AI applications. Awaira assigns Y Combinator an investor score of 94/100 based on portfolio strength, AI sector exposure, and market activity. The firm investment thesis centers on identifying AI companies that demonstrate strong technical moats, clear paths to revenue, and potential for category leadership within their respective segments. Y Combinator evaluates opportunities based on team quality, market timing, technology differentiation, and capital efficiency. Portfolio companies including OpenAI, Stripe, Airbnb, DoorDash, Cruise reflect the firm emphasis on backing founders who combine deep technical expertise with commercial execution capability.
Key Partners
Garry Tan, Jared Friedman, Diana Hu
Investment Track Record
AUM
$600B
Notable Deal
Y Combinator is a seed-stage venture capital firm ...
Founded
2005
Stage
Seed
With $600B under management, Y Combinator maintains a focused allocation strategy in the AI sector.
Portfolio News
How enterprises are scaling AI - OpenAI
How a Job at OpenAI Became the Greatest Lottery Ticket of the AI Boom - WSJ
Students receive $10,000 prizes from OpenAI for innovative use of artificial intelligence - Fast Company
OpenAI adds AI pets to its Codex coding tool - Mashable
Musk v. Altman week 1: Elon Musk says he was duped, warns AI could kill us all, and admits that xAI distills OpenAI’s models - MIT Technology Review
ChatGPT Became So Obsessed With Goblins That OpenAI Had to Intervene - WSJ
Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI seen as a ‘test case’ for AI ethics - The Christian Science Monitor
Musk vs. Altman: Tech CEOs head to court Monday over fate of OpenAI - NPR
Explore More