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Jan 5, 2018

01/05/2018: How does a tech accelerator work?

In the world of startups, getting venture capital funding isn’t exactly easy. It’s sort of a business of who-knows-whom. And getting in front of investors can be key. Enter the accelerator. These are for-profit business incubators that invest in groups of startups, give them advice and mentoring, and connect them with other investors. One of the biggest tech accelerators is Y Combinator. It has funded companies including Airbnb, Instacart and Dropbox. Marketplace Tech host Amy Scott talks with Michael Seibel, who leads Y Combinator’s accelerator program.

“What's amazing about YC is ... you don't have to know anyone, so there isn't some type of old boys' club," says Michael Seibel, a Y Combinator partner.
“What's amazing about YC is ... you don't have to know anyone, so there isn't some type of old boys' club," says Michael Seibel, a Y Combinator partner.
Photo by Steve Jennings/Getty Images for TechCrunch

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In the world of startups, getting venture capital funding isn’t exactly easy. It’s sort of a business of who-knows-whom. And getting in front of investors can be key. Enter the accelerator. These are for-profit business incubators that invest in groups of startups, give them advice and mentoring, and connect them with other investors. One of the biggest tech accelerators is Y Combinator. It has funded companies including Airbnb, Instacart and Dropbox. Marketplace Tech host Amy Scott talks with Michael Seibel, who leads Y Combinator’s accelerator program.