- Y Combinator's Accelerator is introducing a new request for startups called Government 2.0
- They are looking for startups that address societal problems that governments should solve but haven't
- Silicon Valley investors are interested in supporting founders with a social mission
- Startups should be for-profit and leverage software
- Previous examples include startups helping with food stamps, healthcare, and mass incarceration
- Y Combinator is interested in funding startups that aim to make the world or their community a better place

Y Combinator CEO and Partner Michael Seibel on our latest request for startups: Government 2.0. Read the post here: https://blog.ycombinator.com/request-for-startups-government-2-0/

Here are the other requests for startups: https://www.ycombinator.com/rfs

https://twitter.com/mwseibel

Y Combinator invests a small amount of money ($150k) in a large number of startups (recently 200), twice a year. 

Learn more about YC and apply for funding here: https://www.ycombinator.com/apply/

Hello, my name is Michael Seibel, and I'm the CEO of Y Combinator's Accelerator.

Today I'm here to introduce a new request for startups.

Requests for startups are a project that we do to inspire founders to apply to YC with new and interesting ideas.

Today's request for startups is Government 2.0.

Specifically, we're looking for startups that are helping address problems in society that you would expect government to solve, but they clearly are not.

Why it's important for us to publish this RFS is because I think a lot of people believe that Silicon Valley is actually not interested in making the world a better place.

And what we've learned through experience is that investors here are actually ridiculously excited to support founders who have a larger social mission.

And to be clear, you have to be building a real business.

It has to actually be a for-profit business.

Because we invest in tech companies, you should be leveraging software in an important way.

We have many examples of this in the past that have come through YC, including startups that help give people access to food stamps, that help give people access to healthcare, that help with mass incarceration, and many more.

If your sole goal is not to get rich or to build a big company, but to actually make the world a better place or your community a better place, we are interested in funding you.


Speaker 0: Hello, my name is Michael Seibel, and I'm the CEO of Y Combinator's Accelerator. Today I'm here to introduce a new request for startups. Requests for startups are a project that we do to inspire founders to apply to YC with new and interesting ideas. Today's request for startups is Government 2.0. Specifically, we're looking for startups that are helping address problems in society that you would expect government to solve, but they clearly are not.

Why it's important for us to publish this RFS is because I think a lot of people believe that Silicon Valley is actually not interested in making the world a better place. And what we've learned through experience is that investors here are actually ridiculously excited to support founders who have a larger social mission. And to be clear, you have to be building a real business. It has to actually be a for-profit business. Because we invest in tech companies, you should be leveraging software in an important way.

We have many examples of this in the past that have come through YC, including startups that help give people access to food stamps, that help give people access to healthcare, that help with mass incarceration, and many more. If your sole goal is not to get rich or to build a big company, but to actually make the world a better place or your community a better place, we are interested in funding you. Thank you

See all Y Combinator transcripts on Youtube

Request for Startups: Government 2.0 - Michael Seibel