Y Combinator recently announced a new round of startup invitations, emphasizing its interest in 20 areas including artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency innovation. With the application window for the summer incubator now open, YC specifically stated that while it listed specific entrepreneurial areas, it encourages all entrepreneurial teams with innovative ideas to apply.
Table of Contents:
1. Artificial Intelligence
– Machine Learning Applied to Robotics Technology
– Machine Learning Simulating the Physical World
– Spatial Computing
– Explainable AI
– LLMs for Manual Back-End Processes in Traditional Enterprises
– AI-Driven Enterprise Software
– Better Enterprise Integration Solutions
– Small Fine-Tuning Models as Alternatives to Large General Models
2. AI and Healthcare
– Bio-System-Based Models
– Ending Cancer
– Eliminating Intermediaries in Healthcare
– Management Service Organization Models in the Healthcare Field
3. Enterprise and Developer Tools
– Open Source Business Companies
– New Enterprise Resource Planning Software
– Developer Tools Inspired by Internal Tools
4. Cryptocurrency and Finance
– Stablecoin Finance
5. Defense and Space
– New Defense Technologies
– New Space Companies
6. Others
– Bringing Manufacturing Back to the United States
– Climate Technology
Y Combinator, a renowned startup accelerator and the organization where OpenAI CEO Sam Altman used to serve as president, recently released a new round of startup invitations called “Requests for Startups” (RFS), which has been a tradition for over a decade. This initiative collects innovative ideas and areas that YC hopes to see entrepreneurs engage in.
With the application window for YC’s summer incubator now open until April 22, YC emphasized in its startup invitation announcement that it is not limited to the categories listed. This year’s startup invitation covers 20 areas, with a particular focus on the popular field of artificial intelligence (AI) and a mention of the cryptocurrency track. The summaries of each field are as follows:
1. Machine Learning Applied to Robotics Technology: Emphasizing the development of robots that have not yet reached the GPT moment but are close, with a focus on human-level perception and decision-making.
2. Machine Learning Simulating the Physical World: Using machine learning to replace traditional physical and chemical simulations, improving efficiency, and exploring new markets.
3. Spatial Computing: Seeking to develop new software on AR/VR devices that solves practical use cases beyond entertainment.
4. Explainable AI: Emphasizing the interpretability and comprehensibility of AI models in contexts where trust is crucial. YC expressed interest in funding the development of new interpretable models or tools to explain the output of existing models.
5. LLMs for Manual Back-End Processes in Traditional Enterprises: Automating ambiguous or subjectively evaluated manual processes using large language models.
6. AI-Driven Enterprise Software: Exploring the use of AI to customize and continuously update enterprise software such as ERP, CRM, or HRIS to improve development efficiency and customer satisfaction.
7. Better Enterprise Integration Solutions: Addressing the invisible but ubiquitous “glue code” in the world of enterprise software, which includes ETL pipelines, system integration, and custom workflows. YC believes that large language models have the potential to completely eliminate the need for glue code by generating custom code for uncommon and company-specific use cases.
8. Small Fine-Tuning Models as Alternatives to Large General Models: Supporting the development or fine-tuning of small models for specific purposes and creating tools that facilitate the construction of these models.
9. Bio-System-Based Models in the Biomedical Field: Supporting the establishment of data-driven foundational models to accelerate scientific innovation and disease treatment.
10. Ending Cancer: Achieving early detection of cancer on a large scale through innovative MRI hardware, AI algorithms, and business models to reduce cancer mortality.
11. Eliminating Intermediaries in Healthcare: Improving healthcare efficiency and reducing intermediary costs through AI and innovative business models.
12. Management Service Organization Models in the Healthcare Field: Investing in improving healthcare service delivery and enabling physicians to operate their own clinics through the managed service organization (MSO) model.
13. Open Source Business Companies: Encouraging the creation of open-source companies to increase developer adoption and accelerate maturity, becoming the standard choice for enterprises.
14. New Enterprise Resource Planning Software: Hoping to see more user-friendly and flexible business operations software solutions.
15. Developer Tools Inspired by Internal Tools: Encouraging the creation of new startup companies based on tools developed internally to address common pain points.
16. Stablecoin Finance: Focusing on building B2B and consumer products based on stablecoins, as well as developing tools and platforms to support stablecoin finance. YC acknowledges that the blockchain market is still evolving and emphasizes the potential of stablecoins as digital counterparts to traditional currencies. Partner Brad Flora stated that recent developments, such as PayPal issuing its own stablecoin PYUSD and major banks beginning to offer custody services and expressing interest in issuing their own stablecoins, have accelerated this trend.
17. New Defense Technologies: Calling for innovative defense technologies to enhance U.S. defense capabilities and reflect the demand for efficient private defense technology companies.
18. New Space Companies: Encouraging the creation of space companies as the cost of entering space decreases, exploring new business opportunities in space.
19. Bringing Manufacturing Back to the United States: Encouraging the revitalization of U.S. manufacturing through new technologies and emphasizing the role of automation and innovation in reducing labor costs.
20. Climate Technology: Supporting the development of commercial solutions to address climate change, covering areas such as energy, science, adaptation, green finance, and carbon accounting.
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