Y Combinator vs a16z speedrun
How Y Combinator and a16z speedrun compare on investment, equity, format, stage and timing. Every figure comes from the programs' own sites, verified November 4, 2026.
| Y Combinator | a16z speedrun | |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $500K | $1M |
| Equity | 7% | 10% |
| Deal terms | $500K: $125K post-money SAFE for 7% + $375K uncapped MFN SAFE; pro rata rights; no fees | Up to $1M: $500K for 10% upfront on a SAFE, plus up to $500K in the next qualifying round ($2M+) within 18 months |
| Format | In-person | In-person |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, United States | San Francisco, United States |
| Stage | pre-seed, seed | pre-seed, seed |
| Sectors | general, ai, b2b saas | general |
| Duration | 3 months | 12 weeks |
| Application cycle | 4 batches a year (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall) | 2 cohorts a year |
Investment is the full standard package; where part of it is an uncapped SAFE, the equity stake covers only the fixed part (see deal terms). Terms change; confirm on each official site before applying.
About
Y Combinator
The largest and best-known startup accelerator, founded in 2005, which now runs four batches a year (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall) in person at its San Francisco campus. It funds very early founders in any sector, increasingly AI companies, with the same standard deal for every company and no fees, and ends each batch with a Demo Day for investors.
Notable alumni: Airbnb, Stripe, DoorDash, Coinbase, Dropbox
About
a16z speedrun
Andreessen Horowitz's accelerator: a 12-week residency in San Francisco, run twice a year with 70 to 80 companies per cohort. It accepts fewer than 0.4% of applicants and asks for pro rata rights and an option pool, but no board seat.
Key differences
Y Combinator or a16z speedrun?
- Does Y Combinator or a16z speedrun invest more?
- a16z speedrun invests more: $1M against $500K from Y Combinator.
- Which takes less equity, Y Combinator or a16z speedrun?
- Y Combinator takes 7%, against 10% for a16z speedrun.
More comparisons: Y Combinator vs Techstars · Y Combinator vs PearX · Y Combinator vs Neo Residency · Y Combinator vs South Park Commons Founder Fellowship · Y Combinator vs Entrepreneur First · Y Combinator vs Antler · Y Combinator vs 500 Global · Y Combinator vs HF0 · Y Combinator vs Iterative · a16z speedrun vs PearX · a16z speedrun vs Conviction Embed · All comparisons
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