YC Issues New "Requests for Startups"

Y Combinator's latest RFS is a market signal for founders, pointing toward complex systems over simple tools. The 2026 list emphasizes AI-native hedge funds, modern metal mills, and AI-driven agencies, signaling a demand for startups that can reshape entire industries, not just automate workflows. This is a shift from augmenting human tasks to building systems that replace entire processes. For founders tackling these ideas, early customer discovery is paramount and starts with finding users where they already congregate. This means immersing yourself in niche subreddits, Slack communities, and industry forums related to your target market to listen and engage authentically before ever pitching your product. The goal is to identify people who are not just users, but "true believers" with a burning need for a solution. YC Partner Michael Seibel advises that your first ten customers should ideally come from your personal network—people who viscerally feel the problem you're solving. These early adopters are often willing to work with an MVP and provide sharp, valuable feedback precisely because they are paying for a solution. Frame initial conversations around their problems, not your idea, asking questions like, "What's the hardest part about doing X?" to extract specific, actionable insights. When you have no network, structured cold outreach is a necessary skill. Personalization is key; research your prospects on LinkedIn and reference their specific company challenges or recent achievements in your outreach. YC Partner Gustaf Alströmer recommends keeping emails short, clear, and focused on the customer's problem, while also including social proof to build credibility. A multi-channel approach to outreach often proves most effective for building a consistent pipeline of conversations. Warm up leads by engaging with their content on social platforms before sending a cold email or making a call. Following up is crucial, but always with the intention of adding value, not just "checking in." The objective of these early conversations is not to sell, but to learn and validate. Founders should be like anthropologists, studying their first users to understand their motivations and decision-making processes. This deep understanding, gained from direct and consistent user interaction, is what transforms an idea into a product people actually want.