Y Combinator vs Iterative
How Y Combinator and Iterative compare on investment, equity, format, stage and timing. Every figure comes from the programs' own sites, verified November 4, 2026.
| Y Combinator | Iterative | |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $500K | $500K |
| Equity | 7% | Not published |
| Deal terms | $500K: $125K post-money SAFE for 7% + $375K uncapped MFN SAFE; pro rata rights; no fees | US$150K to $500K invested in full on admission for roughly 10-15% equity; no milestones, clawbacks or program fees. Instrument and valuation not published. |
| Format | In-person | Hybrid |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, United States | Singapore |
| Stage | pre-seed, seed | idea, pre-seed, seed |
| Sectors | general, ai, b2b saas | general |
| Duration | 3 months | 3 months (12 weeks) |
| Application cycle | 4 batches a year (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall) | 2 batches a year (Winter: February-May; Summer: mid-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
Iterative
Iterative is a Singapore-based accelerator that invests in early-stage startups across Southeast Asia and South Asia. It invests US$150K to $500K upfront, with no program fees, and runs two 3-month batches a year that end with a Demo Day for investors. It is sector-agnostic and takes companies at any stage, including ideas.
Notable alumni: CoderSchool, GoZayaan, Ferne Health, 1Export
Key differences
Y Combinator or Iterative?
- Do I need to relocate for Y Combinator or Iterative?
- Y Combinator runs in person (headquartered in San Francisco, United States); Iterative runs hybrid (headquartered in Singapore).
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