Y Combinator Startup School is a free, self-paced online course that teaches the fundamentals of starting and growing a startup. Created by Y Combinator — a startup accelerator whose portfolio includes Airbnb, Stripe, and Dropbox — the curriculum is taught by YC partners and notable founders.
What you'll learn (~7 weeks, 1-2 hours/week):
- How to develop and validate an MVP
- Startup funding and fundraising strategy
- User acquisition and growth tactics
- Team building and leadership
- How to launch (press, product launches)
- The Y Combinator application process
Instructors include: Michael Seibel (Twitch co-founder, YC partner), Carolynn Levy (SAFE inventor), Gustaf Alstromer (former Airbnb Head of Growth, YC partner), and other YC partners. Guest speakers sharing founding stories have included Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook) and Anne Wojcicki (23andMe).
Additional features:
- Co-founder matching platform (100,000+ matches made)
- Weekly progress tracking tool
No selective course application is required. Enroll for free at startupschool.org using a YC account; YC’s Terms of Use prohibit account registration under age 13. The course is available worldwide and self-paced with no fixed deadlines.
Verified November 4, 2026 against the official course homepage, FAQ, and YC Terms of Use, Registration Obligations. The approximate seven-week duration is a suggested self-paced commitment, not a dated cohort or application window.