The two key ingredients to apply to Y Combinator are a founding team and an idea that excites you.

94% of the top Y Combinator companies have co-founders, and they typically meet at school or work; an equal equity split is highly valued in these partnerships.

It's important to find a co-founder with complementary skills but the same moral compass, as this balance was key to the success of Y Combinator.

The quality and quantity of technical talent on the founding team is a major factor in determining whether someone is selected for an interview at Y Combinator. Having at least one technical founder significantly improves your odds of getting into Y Combinator, as teams with technical talent have five times better chances than those without.

It's crucial to talk to others about your startup idea and find co-founders who can help you refine and develop your concept, as collaboration is essential for success. You want to start having conversations with people you respect and who are technical, as this can help you come up with an idea together, leading to a sense of ownership among the team.

Having the support of the Y Combinator community is invaluable, as it connects you with other founders willing to collaborate and help each other out.

You only need two key ingredients for a successful Y Combinator application: a founding team and an exciting idea.

Finding a co-founder is essential because it allows you to share the workload and responsibilities of building a startup.

I applied to Y Combinator as a single founder and was advised by Paul Graham to find a co-founder within three weeks, which felt like a daunting task.