At YC, we followed the principle of treating founders like family, which was easier in the early days when there were fewer founders to manage.

The best part of the Y Combinator network is the willingness of alumni to help each other, making it a supportive community for founders.

Building relationships with batch mates in Y Combinator can lead to future opportunities, as the startup journey is not a zero-sum game.

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.

Joining Y Combinator turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made, especially as we faced severe financial challenges before receiving their support. Starting and running a company as a founder can be a very lonely experience, where you often feel responsible for everyone's future and only you know the reality of the low times.

We continue to filter for character in our interview process, even with multiple tracks now in place. When you meet a Y Combinator founder, you can trust them; they embody the culture of YC, which reflects the founders' values.

The experience in the Y Combinator batch has exceeded expectations, proving to be life-changing and transformational for the founders' perspectives on their business.

Co-founders typically collaborate to develop ideas together, sharing excitement and inspiration, which is vital for a successful partnership. If you're applying to Y Combinator, it's better to have a co-founder because single founders are disproportionately unlikely to get accepted.

In early-stage investing, the ability to evaluate founders effectively is a significant advantage, and this skill has been crucial to Y Combinator's success.