I did Y Combinator in 2016 and 2025. The first time felt more 'family-style.'

Quang Hoang, the 37-year-old co-founder and CEO of Vybe, shares his experience of participating in Y Combinator (YC) twice, once in 2016 and again in 2025. His journey began a decade ago when he and his co-founders, fresh out of college, sought to address a personal challenge: the hassle of managing expense reports without losing receipts during their internships. Initially inspired to create a mobile app similar to Expensify, Hoang capitalized on emerging tools like Slack's API to pitch the idea of a Slack bot to YC. During their 2016 interview, the bot was installed on the spot, instantly engaging the YC community and leading to their acceptance into the program. Hoang recalls the differences between his two experiences. In 2016, the atmosphere felt more intimate and less structured, characterized by family-style dinners and a smaller cohort of around 100 participants. Back then, YC was still in Mountain View, with partners like Sam Altman actively involved, cooking for the attendees. He noted that the core principles of YC remained unchanged, but the experience today is far more streamlined. Having moved from France to San Francisco for his second stint, Hoang observed how the dynamics shifted with an influx of younger founders, often first-time entrepreneurs. This demographic change, he noted, has led to a willingness to take risks and ship products quickly, with less hesitation over technical details. The focus of the program has also evolved. While the 2016 batch emphasized mobile apps and cloud technologies, the current wave is dominated by AI startups. Hoang reflects on how the YC brand has grown significantly stronger, now serving as a vital asset for startups to secure investment. Looking back, Hoang expresses gratitude for his return to YC, stating that the experience was invaluable and affirming his path forward in the rapidly changing tech landscape. "Are you happy that you went back to YC?" he muses, "The answer is super straightforward. It's 100% yes."