Why Indian founders join
- Free, no equity. No application, no $500K dilution. Just sign up at startupschool.org.
- India-friendly cohorts. Group office hours are scheduled by timezone — most Indian founders are placed with APAC peers.
- Bridge to the main YC batch. Most Indian YC founders (Razorpay, Khatabook, ClearTax) shipped MVPs while in Startup School before applying.
- $1M+ in deals. AWS, Stripe, HubSpot, Google Cloud — usable from India.
Notable Indian YC alumni
- • Razorpay (S15)
- • Meesho (S18)
- • Cred (—)
- • Khatabook (S19)
- • ClearTax (S14)
- • Zepto (S21)
- • Groww (—)
- • GrowthBook (W22)
Full list: our YC company database.
Path from Startup School → YC batch
- Months 1–2: Enroll in Startup School. Ship an MVP. Get 10 real users in India.
- Months 3–4: Iterate based on user feedback. Show weekly growth (even tiny — 10% week-over-week beats flat).
- Month 5: Apply to the next YC batch. Reference your Startup School cohort and traction.
- Month 6: If interviewed, prep using our interview guide.
FAQ
Can Indian founders join YC Startup School?
Yes. YC Startup School is fully open to founders in India — there's no geographic restriction, no application, and no cost. You join the same global program as US founders at startupschool.org.
Is YC Startup School in India different from the global program?
No. The curriculum and platform are identical. But group office hours are scheduled by timezone, so Indian founders typically get placed in an Asia-Pacific or India-friendly cohort with peers in nearby time zones.
How many Indian startups are in YC?
As of 2026, over 250 Indian-founded companies have been through Y Combinator, including Razorpay, Meesho, Cred, Khatabook, GrowthBook, and ClearTax. Around 8–12 Indian companies join each batch.
Does Startup School help Indian founders get into the YC batch?
Many Indian YC founders did Startup School first to sharpen their idea and traction before applying to the main batch. It's not a fast-track, but it builds the muscle.
Do Indian founders need to relocate to SF for YC?
For Startup School: no, it's online. For the main YC batch: yes, you're expected to be in the Bay Area for the 3-month program. After Demo Day, founders typically return to India or stay in the US.