The Y Combinator experience was invaluable; the community of motivated individuals and guidance from partners like Paul Graham helped us stay on course and saved us years of effort.

Getting into Y Combinator was a turning point for us, as it validated our idea and pushed us to fully commit to the startup.

Y Combinator was a lifeline for us; without it, we wouldn't be alive today.

Stripe never formally went through Y Combinator, but YC invested in us, which helped us connect with a community of entrepreneurs.

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.

The first batch of Y Combinator was magical, filled with people who genuinely wanted to start startups, making it one of the most enjoyable times of my life.

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.

We were initially hesitant to apply to Y Combinator, but an advisor encouraged us to go for it, leading to an unexpected interview and acceptance.

Our first customer was a VC who ended up investing in us, and being part of Y Combinator helped us get meetings with many interested VCs.