Which startup accelerator was co-founded by Paul Graham?

Which startup accelerator was co-founded by Paul Graham? Y Combinator was the startup accelerator co-founded by Paul Graham.

Y Combinator began in 2005 with Paul Graham, Jessica Livingston, Robert Tappan Morris, and Trevor Blackwell. Its early model offered selected startups seed funding, advice, and an intensive period of development culminating in a public Demo Day. The organization initially ran programs in both Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Mountain View, California.

The accelerator became known for backing companies at very early stages, often before they had a finished product or significant revenue. Notable alumni include Airbnb, Dropbox, Reddit, Stripe, and Coinbase, which helped make Y Combinator one of the best-known institutions in the startup ecosystem.

A common mistake is to treat Y Combinator as a venture-capital firm in the traditional sense. It does invest in startups, but its defining feature is its structured accelerator program and founder-focused educational support. Paul Graham later stepped back from daily leadership, while the organization continued expanding its batches and programs.