A complete guide to applying to Y Combinator from Africa - what YC looks for, how to structure your application, and what to do after submitting.
Confirm your startup fits YC’s thesis: software-enabled, scalable, with a global or large regional market.
Form a team of 2-3 co-founders - YC strongly prefers teams over solo founders.
Ensure your company is incorporated or plan to convert to a Delaware C-Corp after acceptance.
Write your application. The most important field is ‘Describe what your company does in 50 words or less.’ Be specific. Avoid jargon.
Record a 1-minute product demo video showing the real product working. No slides.
In the ‘Why us?’ field: be direct about your African market insight and your unique positioning.
Submit and wait 4-8 weeks. If invited for interview, book a mock interview session with a YC alum.
After acceptance: convert to Delaware C-Corp, open Mercury, and prepare to relocate to San Francisco for the 3-month batch.
Accept mobile money, cards, and online payments in Ghana with a properly tested settlement flow.
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