Always Apply
Apply on Y Combinator's application (opens in a new tab)

For founders of every background

Always apply.

If WIRED's “Inside the Gay Tech Mafia” left you unsure whether to send an application, the article does not say the door is closed. Y Combinator is one of several top programs with a public application. This page is not from YC. It reports what the article actually said, what's never OK, and how to look after yourself while you build.

Always apply on Y Combinator's application (opens in a new tab)Know your red lines

Source: Zoë Bernard, “Inside the Gay Tech Mafia,” WIRED, Feb 19, 2026 (opens in a new tab).

From the WIRED article

51
people the reporter spoke with, 31 of them gay men1, source note 1
9 of 31
gay men said they'd had unwanted advances from other men in the industry7, source note 7
~0.5%
of startup venture funding went to LGBTQ+ founders, 2000–20224, source note 4

About this initiative

Independent, and not from YC

Always Apply is a voluntary, independent educational initiative. It is written by a seasoned founder who has also been a venture capitalist and an angel investor, and who has sat on both sides of the table. No personal name is attached to it.

It is not affiliated with Y Combinator, and the person behind it is not a fan of YC. YC is one of several top programs founders ask about. This site reports what the WIRED article actually said, and what those programs publish about applying. It does not speak for any of them.

The aim is to take bias out of the way: equal treatment, and a better chance, for founders everywhere. Being gay is not the problem. Abusing power is.

Factual claims are numbered and quoted in Sources. For a short briefing, see the press page.

The footnotes

What the article actually found

Headlines travel faster than footnotes. So here are the footnotes, taken straight from the piece itself. Choose a side of each card.

  • The reporter writes that she was unable to substantiate darker allegations2, source note 2. What she did find was messier and more ordinary: friend groups, parties, group chats3, source note 3. In other words, a network, a lot like the PayPal, Airbnb and OpenAI “mafias” the piece also mentions.
  • The data says the opposite. Between 2000 and 2022, only about 0.5% of startup venture funding went to LGBTQ+ founders4, source note 4. The piece also notes that plenty of queer people, lesbians among them, are left out of these circles too5, source note 5.
  • Garry Tan, YC's president, told WIRED some founders came over for dinner and asked to try his sauna and cold plunge, and that YC “rejects” manufactured the meme that it was anything more6, source note 6.
  • Not quite. 9 of the 31 gay men interviewed described unwanted advances7, source note 7, from annoying hot-tub invitations to unwanted touching8, source note 8. Several sources said explicitly that this shouldn't be normalised9, source note 9. Note who's describing the problem: mostly gay men, who are often the ones on the receiving end.

All figures and quotes on this page come from the WIRED article (opens in a new tab). The numbered notes, with the words we checked, are in Sources. We deliberately don't repeat rumours about specific people. That's kind of the point.

One program among several

What YC's public pages say about applying

YC is one of several top programs. The lines below repeat what its own pages say about its application. They are not YC speaking through this site. Other programs are listed further down, on their own pages.

  1. 01

    It's online, and open to anyone.

    YC's FAQ says: “We have an application process that's open to any startup, anywhere in the world.” You submit it online.12, source note 12 YC FAQ (opens in a new tab)

  2. 02

    You don't need to know anyone.

    YC's FAQ answers “Do we need to know someone at YC to get in?” with: “No. One of YC's core principles is considering all applications equally. We don't rely on introductions the way many investors do.”13, source note 13 YC FAQ (opens in a new tab)

  3. 03

    Written answers + a 1-minute founder video.

    YC says the video should be 1 minute long and contain nothing except the founders talking: introduce yourselves, explain what you're doing and why. Use bullet points, not a written script. A product demo goes in a separate place in the application.14, source note 14 YC video guidelines (opens in a new tab)

  4. 04

    What they look at: founders, idea, progress.

    Paul Graham's public guide says he looks first at “What is your company going to make?”, then at “something impressive that each founder has built or achieved,” then at the insight behind the idea.15, source note 15 YC's FAQ says progress since a previous application “is a strong signal.”16, source note 16 How to Apply (opens in a new tab)

  5. 05

    Early is fine. Re-applying is normal.

    YC's FAQ says that on average 40% of the companies it funds in each batch are “just an idea,”17, source note 17 that in a typical batch about half applied more than once before getting in,18, source note 18 and that it regularly accepts solo founders.19, source note 19 YC FAQ (opens in a new tab)

  6. 06

    Interviews are mostly by video call.

    For the Winter 2027 batch, YC's apply page lists an on-time deadline of Nov 2 at 8pm PT, decisions by Dec 11, and says most interviews happen by video conference. Late applications are still considered.20, source note 20 YC Apply page (opens in a new tab)

Always apply on Y Combinator's application (opens in a new tab)

Dates and details change between batches, so always check ycombinator.com/apply (opens in a new tab) for the current ones. Application questions: apply@ycombinator.com21, source note 21 (the contact YC lists on that page, for application questions, not a misconduct hotline).

A short guide

Am I ready to apply?

Four questions, answered only from what public pages and the WIRED piece already say, or from this initiative's own guidance. This is not an admissions decision, it is not legal advice, and it does not speak for YC or any other program.

1 of 4

Do you need to know someone at YC before you apply?

Never OK

Red lines: what's never OK

None of this is a “culture quirk” or a “grey area.” It's unhealthy, it's an abuse of power, and nobody, founder or investor, gay or straight, should tolerate it or encourage it.

  • Sexual advances tied to funding

    Any hint that money, intros or a term sheet depend on sex, dating or “being close” is quid-pro-quo. Full stop.

  • “Let's discuss your fund in my hot tub”

    Pitch meetings don't happen in hot tubs, bedrooms or someone's house with the clothes optional. If the venue is weird, the agenda probably is too.

  • Unsolicited explicit messages

    Nudes, suggestive DMs, “winky face” follow-ups after a pitch. Not flirting, not networking. Harassment.

  • “Whatever it takes” pressure

    Being made to feel that your dignity is part of the price of a round, or offering it yourself. Neither side should ever go there.

  • Unwanted touching

    Hands where they weren't invited, in a meeting, at a party, anywhere. The article describes unwanted touching, and also a straight founder putting a hand on an investor. It's wrong in both directions.8, source note 810, source note 10

  • Exclusion by gender or orientation

    Deciding who gets a fair hearing based on who someone is or who they love, whether that shuts out women, straight people, queer people or anyone else. Judge the company.

Anyone with power over capital has a duty not to put founders in compromising or unfavourable situations. Founders, likewise, should never trade on sex to get ahead. No deal is worth your dignity.

YC has said this publicly too: it has “a zero tolerance policy for inappropriate sexual or romantic behavior from investors toward founders” (YC blog, 2014 (opens in a new tab))22, source note 22.

Look after yourself

Protect yourself: a practical checklist

Most investors are professional. These habits cost almost nothing, and they help a lot on the rare occasion you meet one who isn't.

  • Meet in professional settings

    Offices, cafés, video calls. Daytime beats late night. Coffee beats a hot tub. Always.

  • Keep it in writing

    Follow up meetings with a short email recap. Save messages and screenshots, with dates. Future-you will be grateful.

  • Bring your cofounder

    Two founders in a meeting is normal, and it changes the room. You can also loop in an advisor.

  • Check references with other founders

    Before taking money, quietly ask founders that investor has backed what they're like. Back-channelling works both ways.

  • Know your exit line

    “That's not something I'm comfortable with. Let's keep this professional.” Then leave if you need to.

  • You can walk away

    From a meeting, a party, a term sheet. There's always other money. You only get one reputation and one self-respect.

  • Don't drink your due diligence

    Social events are fine. Making big decisions, or getting “alone time” with someone who controls your round, after a few drinks isn't.

  • Trust the weird feeling

    If something feels off, it probably is. You don't owe anyone an explanation for being careful.

No deal is worth your dignity. Good investors know that, and they'll respect you for it.

If it already happened

Where to get help, and how to report

If something has already happened: it's not your fault, and you're not overreacting. Some options:

  1. 01

    Write it all down

    What happened, when, where, who was there, what was said. Keep the original messages, emails and DMs. Notes written soon after are especially useful.

  2. 02

    Talk to people you trust

    A cofounder, a founder friend, a mentor. You don't have to handle this alone, and other founders may quietly know of a pattern.

  3. 03

    If you're in YC: report it

    YC says it has a confidential system inside Bookface (its founder site) for reporting inappropriate behaviour by investors, and you can report “at any time, even years after the incident took place.” YC blog, 2018 (opens in a new tab)23, source note 23

  4. 04

    Get legal advice

    An employment or civil lawyer can explain your options, including before you sign anything such as an NDA or settlement. Many offer a free first consultation.

  5. 05

    Crimes are for the police

    Unwanted sexual contact, assault, threats or coercion can be crimes. You can report to local police. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.

  6. 06

    Look after yourself

    This stuff is heavy. A therapist or a local sexual-assault support service can help, whether or not you ever report anything.

We only link to pages we've checked actually load. YC's application contact is apply@ycombinator.com21, source note 21. That address is for application questions, not a dedicated misconduct hotline.

A note on fairness

Being gay is not the problem. Abusing power is, in any network, straight, gay or otherwise.

People cluster. College friends invest in each other, ex-colleagues hire each other, and “the PayPal mafia” has been a phrase for decades. A group of gay founders and investors who hang out and back each other is, structurally, the same thing. Networks being cliquey is worth talking about. Networks existing at all isn't a scandal.

Harassment is a different thing. It's wrong whoever does it and whoever it happens to. The piece quotes a source worrying that readers won't separate “some bad men being gay” from “all gay men being bad.”11, source note 11 Please do separate them. Don't let a viral rumour turn into suspicion of gay colleagues, gay investors or gay founders. Most of them are just trying to build things, same as you.

And if you're not in a particular network? Welcome to being a founder. Most people aren't in most networks. That's one reason YC, among other programs, publishes an open, online application.12, source note 12

Beyond one application

Other Bay Area programs

YC is one program this page walks through, because its public application is the one founders ask about after the article. These organizations also publish their own pages. Always Apply is not affiliated with them, and it does not speak for them. Deadlines and requirements are on their sites, not here.

Not written yet

Coming soon

These are placeholders only. Nothing below is a finding, a statistic, or a guide.

  • Coming soon

    Data on who gets funded

  • Coming soon

    International founder toolkit

  • Coming soon

    Founder voices

Questions

FAQ

The questions people ask after reading the article, usually around 1am.

I'm straight. Will that hurt my YC application?

YC's FAQ says it considers all applications equally and doesn't rely on introductions. Paul Graham's public guide looks at what the company will make, at something impressive each founder has built or achieved, and at the insight behind the idea. Spend your energy there. That is what those pages say, not a prediction.13, source note 1315, source note 15

Did WIRED prove there's a “gay tech mafia”?

No. The reporter writes that she was unable to substantiate darker allegations. She describes real social networks and unwanted advances from 9 of the 31 gay men she spoke with, not a secret cabal running funding.2, source note 27, source note 7

Isn't the sauna photo proof that something's going on?

According to the article, Garry Tan said some founders came over for dinner, asked to use his sauna and cold plunge, and that YC “rejects” manufactured the meme from there. A photo of nerds in swim trunks is not evidence of anything.6, source note 6

Do I need to go to the “right” parties to get funded?

For YC's own application, its pages describe an online form, a one-minute video, and interviews mostly by video call. YC is one of several programs. For other investors, warm intros can help, but you can get them through other founders, customers and your own work. You never need to put yourself somewhere you feel unsafe.12, source note 1214, source note 1420, source note 20

An investor made a pass at me. Should I just laugh it off to protect my round?

You get to decide how to respond, and protecting yourself comes first. But don't feel you have to normalise it. Write it down, tell someone you trust, and know that walking away is a legitimate option. If you're a YC founder, YC's 2018 post says you can report it confidentially through Bookface.23, source note 23

Is it OK to date someone in the industry?

Adults date. The line is power: when one person controls the other's funding, job or deal, “consensual” gets complicated fast. If romance and money get mixed up, separate them, or step back from the deal.

Doesn't talking about this feed homophobia?

Talking about harassment doesn't. Blaming a whole group for it does. Call out behaviour, not identity. The article quotes a source worried that readers will not separate “some bad men being gay” from “all gay men being bad.” Many of the people raising the alarm in the piece were gay men themselves.11, source note 117, source note 7

I got rejected before. Is it even worth trying again?

YC's FAQ says about half the companies in a typical batch applied more than once before getting in, and that progress since your last application is a strong signal. That is their page, not a promise of admission.18, source note 1816, source note 16

Where the claims come from

Sources and methodology

A numbered note sits beside each factual claim. The note is a short quotation copied from the linked page, plus the date we checked it. The same number is reused when a later sentence rests on the same quotation.

Advice on this site, including the red lines and the checklist, is the initiative's own guidance. It is not a finding from WIRED and it is not a statement by Y Combinator or any other program. Those passages are not numbered.

We do not add allegations about named people. Garry Tan appears only where WIRED already published his on-record comment. YC is one of several top programs. When we describe its application, we are quoting its public pages, not speaking for it.

  1. 1

    “In conversations with 51 people—31 of them gay men, many of them influential investors and entrepreneurs—a portrait emerged”

    Zoë Bernard, “Inside the Gay Tech Mafia,” WIRED, Feb 19, 2026 (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  2. 2

    “while I was unable to substantiate darker allegations, parts of the story still resonate.”

    Zoë Bernard, “Inside the Gay Tech Mafia,” WIRED, Feb 19, 2026 (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  3. 3

    “There's the founder group of gays who all hang out with each other, because the gays always cluster together.”
    “There's the so-called OpenAI mafia and the Airbnb mafia, and before those the PayPal mafia—alumni of moonshot companies who bankroll the next wave of startups.”

    Zoë Bernard, “Inside the Gay Tech Mafia,” WIRED, Feb 19, 2026 (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  4. 4

    “Between 2000 and 2022, the years for which data is available, only 0.5 percent of startup venture funding went to LGBTQ+ founders.”

    Zoë Bernard, “Inside the Gay Tech Mafia,” WIRED, Feb 19, 2026 (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  5. 5

    “Much of the queer spectrum is conspicuously absent from events geared toward gay founders.”
    “Lesbians tend to be sidelined”

    Zoë Bernard, “Inside the Gay Tech Mafia,” WIRED, Feb 19, 2026 (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  6. 6

    “some founders were over for dinner and asked to use his recently installed sauna and cold plunge. From there, Tan says, “rejects” of Y Combinator “manufactured this meme that it was somehow more than that.””

    Zoë Bernard, “Inside the Gay Tech Mafia,” WIRED, Feb 19, 2026 (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  7. 7

    “Of the 31 gay men I spoke to for this story, nine tell me they experienced unwanted advances from other gay men in the industry.”

    Zoë Bernard, “Inside the Gay Tech Mafia,” WIRED, Feb 19, 2026 (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  8. 8

    “Some of these advances were mild but annoying: repeated invitations to soak in hot tubs or explore wine cellars. Others involved unwanted touches.”

    Zoë Bernard, “Inside the Gay Tech Mafia,” WIRED, Feb 19, 2026 (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  9. 9

    “It shouldn't be normalized.”

    Zoë Bernard, “Inside the Gay Tech Mafia,” WIRED, Feb 19, 2026 (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  10. 10

    ““I have seen straight men do untoward things,” says a gay investor.”
    “this guy put his hand on the GP's leg under the table. It is so inappropriate.”

    Zoë Bernard, “Inside the Gay Tech Mafia,” WIRED, Feb 19, 2026 (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  11. 11

    “I don't think readers can draw the distinction between some bad men being gay and all gay men being bad.”

    Zoë Bernard, “Inside the Gay Tech Mafia,” WIRED, Feb 19, 2026 (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  12. 12

    “We have an application process that's open to any startup, anywhere in the world.”

    Y Combinator FAQ (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  13. 13

    “No. One of YC's core principles is considering all applications equally. We don't rely on introductions the way many investors do.”

    Y Combinator FAQ (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  14. 14

    “The video should be 1 minute long and should contain nothing except the founders talking.”
    “In the video please introduce yourselves, explain what you're doing and why”
    “Do not recite a written script: Use bullet points instead.”
    “If you have a demo for your product, there is a separate place in the application for that.”

    Y Combinator, “The Application Video” (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  15. 15

    “The first question I look at is, “What is your company going to make?””
    “Please tell us in one or two sentences about something impressive that each founder has built or achieved.”
    “what we look for in ideas is not the type of idea but the level of insight you have about it.”

    Paul Graham, “How to Apply to Y Combinator” (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  16. 16

    “Having made progress since your last application is a strong signal to us.”

    Y Combinator FAQ (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  17. 17

    “On average, 40% of the companies we fund in each batch are just an idea.”

    Y Combinator FAQ (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  18. 18

    “In a typical YC batch, about half the companies applied multiple times before being accepted.”

    Y Combinator FAQ (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  19. 19

    “Yes. We regularly accept solo founders.”

    Y Combinator FAQ (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  20. 20

    “Y Combinator is accepting applications for the Winter 2027 Batch funding cycle.”
    “The deadline to apply on-time is November 2 at 8pm PT; if you apply before the deadline, you will get a decision by December 11.”
    “Most interviews will be held by video conference in November and December.”
    “If you apply after the deadline, we will still consider the application but can't promise exactly when we'll get back to you.”

    Y Combinator, Apply page (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  21. 21

    “If you have other questions, reach out via email (apply@ycombinator.com).”

    Y Combinator, Apply page (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  22. 22

    “Y Combinator has a zero tolerance policy for inappropriate sexual or romantic behavior from investors toward founders.”

    Jessica Livingston, “A Reminder to Investors,” Y Combinator, August 12, 2014 (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  23. 23

    “If you are a YC founder who wishes to report inappropriate behavior by an investor, we have reporting system inside of Bookface (our website for YC founders). You can report at any time, even years after the incident took place. The report will remain confidential.”

    Y Combinator, October 15, 2018 (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  24. 24

    “Apply to Alchemist | Silicon Valley Startup Accelerator”

    Alchemist, official application (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  25. 25

    “AngelPad is a seed-stage accelerator program based in NYC and San Francisco.”

    AngelPad, official site (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  26. 26

    “380 Brannan St, San Francisco, CA”

    South Park Commons, official application (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  27. 27

    “in San Francisco”

    a16z speedrun, official application (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

  28. 28

    “at Fort Mason in San Francisco”

    Founders, Inc., official site (opens in a new tab). Checked Oct 14, 2026.

Corrections

October 14, 2026. We removed a line saying the YC application does not ask about sexuality. That sentence was not on a public YC page we could quote. No other corrections have been issued. If a quotation here no longer matches the live page, write to contact@alwaysapply.org. We will correct the page and record the change in this note.