List of Y Combinator Backed Indian Startups (2026 Updated)
- Startup Booted
- Mar 10, 2025
- 8 min read
Y Combinator has funded over 156 startups headquartered in India as of 2026. This list of Y Combinator backed Indian startups covers 50+ active companies organized by sector — from fintech and SaaS to AI, healthcare, and edtech.
Scope note: This list covers startups headquartered in India per YC's own directory. It does not include companies founded by Indian-origin founders but headquartered outside India. Companies appear across all stages — from 2-person early-stage teams to scaled, publicly listed businesses.
What Is Y Combinator and Why Do Indian Startups Apply
Y Combinator is a US-based startup accelerator founded in 2005. It runs two batches per year, investing in early-stage companies in exchange for a small equity stake. Beyond the initial funding, what founders typically value more is access to YC's network, alumni community, and the credibility that comes with being a YC-backed company.
For Indian founders specifically, getting into YC has historically meant easier access to global investors, faster fundraising cycles, and a signal that travels well internationally. In practice, many Indian startup teams report that the YC badge meaningfully changes how institutional investors engage with them — particularly for B2B and fintech companies trying to raise beyond the seed stage.
What YC is not — and this is worth clarifying — is a traditional venture capital firm writing large Series A cheques. The accelerator model involves a standardized early-stage deal. Later funding rounds come from separate investors. Indian startups in Y Combinator range from companies that raised only their YC batch funding to those that have gone on to raise hundreds of millions from global VCs.
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List of Y Combinator Backed Indian Startups by Sector
The 50+ companies below are drawn from YC's official directory, filtered by India HQ. They span batches from W2015 through S2024 and F2025. Status and employee counts reflect publicly available YC directory data as of April 2026.
Fintech and Payments
Fintech is the single largest sector for YC-funded Indian startups. The problems being solved range from payment infrastructure and lending to wealth management and insurance distribution. Several of these companies now serve millions of users.
Company | YC Batch | HQ | What They Do |
Razorpay | W2015 | Bengaluru | Full-stack payments and banking platform for Indian businesses |
Groww | W2018 | Bengaluru | Stock broking and mutual fund investing platform |
Cashfree Payments | S2017 | Bengaluru | Payment gateway and payout infrastructure for businesses |
Karbon Card | S2021 | Bengaluru | Corporate credit cards and spend management for Indian companies |
Gullak Money | S2022 | Bengaluru | Automated savings app investing in digital gold |
AlgoTest | S2022 | Delhi | Algorithmic options trading platform for retail traders |
Coupl | S2022 | Bengaluru | Neobank with joint digital accounts for couples |
GoSats | W2022 | Bengaluru | Bitcoin rewards app for everyday shopping in India |
PayCrunch | W2022 | Bengaluru | Pay Later on UPI for underserved credit segments |
SaveIN | W2022 | Delhi | Buy-now-pay-later for healthcare expenses |
Infinity | W2024 | Bengaluru | Cross-border banking and payments for Indian businesses |
Paasa | S2024 | Gurugram | Global equity investing platform for wealthy Indians |
Yenmo | W2024 | Bengaluru | Loans against investments for Indian retail investors |
ClickPe | W2023 | Surat | Daily loan repayment product for small shop owners |
Koshex | S2021 | Bengaluru | Wealth management and savings automation for Indian millennials |
GroMo | W2021 | Gurugram | Financial products distribution network via agent platform |
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B2B SaaS and Developer Tools
This is the second-largest cluster of Indian YC startups. Most are solving operational problems for Indian SMEs or building developer infrastructure. Teams here tend to be small but product-focused.
Company | YC Batch | HQ | What They Do |
Swipe | S2021 | Hyderabad | Billing and payments app for small businesses via WhatsApp |
SalaryBook | S2021 | Bengaluru | Payroll and attendance management app for Indian SMEs |
SalaryBox | S2021 | Gurugram | Payroll processing app reducing manual work for small businesses |
Craze | S2022 | Mumbai | Integrated payroll, HR, and IT management platform |
CompUp | S2022 | Bengaluru | Real-time compensation benchmarking tool for HR teams |
RDash | W2022 | Gurugram | AI-powered construction management software |
Cone | S2022 | Hyderabad | AI work OS unifying accounting workflows for firms |
Fieldproxy | W2022 | Chennai | No-code platform to manage field teams via mobile apps |
Kaagaz | W2022 | New Delhi | Mobile-first office suite for smartphone-only businesses |
DrDroid | W2023 | Bengaluru | AI agents for platform and infrastructure engineering teams |
Mantys | W2023 | Bengaluru | ARR forecasting and SaaS metrics tool |
SuperAPI | W2023 | Chennai | Programmable API gateway with caching to reduce response time |
BusinessOnBot | W2021 | Bengaluru | WhatsApp commerce and customer acquisition for D2C brands |
W2022 | Bengaluru | Promotions and loyalty engine for consumer apps | |
Weekday | W2021 | Bengaluru | Talent sourcing platform with outbound recruitment campaigns |
Edtech and Learning
India's edtech segment in YC skews toward personalized learning, coding education, and career development tools — reflecting both the country's student population size and the demand for employable skills.
Company | YC Batch | HQ | What They Do |
SuperKalam | W2023 | Bengaluru | AI-powered personalized learning platform for students |
Codingal | W2021 | Bengaluru | Live coding and AI education for kids and teens globally |
MySivi | W2022 | Bengaluru | AI-powered English speaking app combining AI and human tutors |
Clueso | W2023 | Bengaluru | AI tool that converts screen recordings into instructional videos |
AlgoUniversity | S2021 | Hyderabad | Live cohort-based tech education with income-sharing agreements |
Hiration | W2020 | New Delhi | AI resume and job application platform for active job seekers |
Healthcare and Wellness
Healthcare in India is a sector with significant access gaps, and several YC-funded Indian startups are addressing this through telehealth, diagnostics, and insurance innovation.
Company | YC Batch | HQ | What They Do |
Clinikally | S2022 | Gurugram | Digital health platform for dermatology, nutrition, and wellness |
DocVita | W2020 | Bengaluru | Telehealth in 11 local Indian languages with concierge support |
Neodocs | S2021 | Mumbai | Smartphone-based instant lab tests for health optimization |
IMT Care | W2022 | Mumbai | Insurance products and agent network for underserved segments |
Inito | W2019 | Bengaluru | Fertility and hormone tracking device for women |
Morphle Labs | W2020 | Bengaluru | Medical hardware and robotics for diagnostics |
Coulomb AI | S2021 | Bengaluru | AI-driven battery management software for EVs and climate tech |
Consumer and Marketplace
Some of India's most recognizable YC alumni sit in this category — consumer apps and marketplaces that scaled to serve millions of Indian users.
Company | YC Batch | HQ | What They Do |
Meesho | S2016 | Bengaluru | Social commerce marketplace for small businesses and resellers |
Zepto | W2021 | Mumbai | 10-minute grocery delivery via dark store network |
FamPay | S2019 | Bengaluru | UPI and card payments for minors without a bank account |
Betterhalf | W2021 | Bengaluru | Matrimony app for urban Indian professionals |
Material Depot | W2022 | Bengaluru | Design-forward home interior materials direct from manufacturers |
FlatX | S2022 | Bengaluru | AI-powered rental platform for young urban renters |
Binks | S2019 | Bengaluru | Made-to-measure clothing with home fitting and doorstep delivery |
Cityfurnish | W2019 | New Delhi | Furniture and appliance rental subscription for urban renters |
AI and Emerging Tech
This is the fastest-growing cluster in recent YC India batches. Most of these companies are early-stage, founded post-2022, and building on top of large language models or voice AI infrastructure.
Company | YC Batch | HQ | What They Do |
Bolna AI | F2025 | Bengaluru | Voice AI orchestration platform for Indian enterprise call automation |
Raven | S2022 | Bengaluru | AI assistants for manufacturing plant operations |
Maya Labs | S2022 | Bengaluru | Applied research building self-programming machines |
SigmaMind AI | S2022 | Bengaluru | No-code conversational AI for voice, chat, and email agents |
Mindbase | W2022 | Gurugram | AI influencer platform growing virtual creators on social media |
Sei | W2022 | Delhi | AI platform for CX and compliance teams |
Landeed | S2022 | Hyderabad | AI-native property intelligence and verification platform |
Harmoney | W2022 | Mumbai | Agentic AI for fixed income research and credit analysis |
Infrastructure, Logistics, Climate, and Others
A smaller but distinct cluster — covering physical infrastructure, logistics, clean energy, and communication tools.
Company | YC Batch | HQ | What They Do |
ODWEN | S2021 | Delhi | Integrated warehouse and 3PL network for Indian SMEs |
Wifi Dabba | W2017 | Bengaluru | Low-cost distributed Wi-Fi infrastructure for underserved areas |
Enerjazz | S2021 | Delhi | Battery swapping network for commercial electric vehicles |
Kalam Labs | S2021 | India | High-altitude UAVs deployable from balloons for reconnaissance |
Zuddl | S2020 | Hyderabad | Modular events and webinar platform for B2B marketers |
Explorex | S2020 | Bengaluru | Full-stack cloud software for the Indian restaurant industry |
Vahan | S2019 | Bengaluru | AI-powered platform for blue-collar job matching |
Helloverify | W2018 | Noida | Technology-driven background verification platform |
Notable YC-Funded Indian Startups That Have Scaled
Most companies in YC's India directory are early-stage. A handful, however, have grown to significant scale and are worth understanding separately — not because they are "the best," but because they represent different trajectories a YC-backed Indian startup can follow.
Razorpay (W2015) started as a payment gateway and evolved into a full-stack financial solutions company. As reported by TechCrunch, it reached a valuation of $7.5 billion after its Series F round — more than doubling from $3 billion just months prior.
For founders tracking how financial modeling and budgeting decisions shape a startup's trajectory from seed to unicorn, Razorpay's growth arc is one of the more instructive examples in the Indian startup ecosystem.
Groww (W2018) went from a mutual fund distribution app to India's largest stock broker by active NSE clients. It is now publicly listed — one of the few YC-backed Indian companies to reach that stage.
Meesho (S2016) built a social commerce marketplace targeting small businesses and resellers across India, with a focus on markets that larger e-commerce platforms had not prioritized. According to Bloomberg, Meesho became India's top-performing major IPO of 2025 after surging approximately 95% post-listing — a notable milestone for any YC-backed company outside the US.
Zepto (W2021) scaled a 10-minute grocery delivery model across Indian cities, reaching hundreds of millions of dollars in annual sales within a few years of founding — a notably fast trajectory even by YC standards.
Cashfree Payments (S2017) quietly became core infrastructure for thousands of Indian businesses, processing payments across multiple categories including marketplaces, lending platforms, and gig economy apps.
What's often overlooked is that these five companies came from very different batch years — W2015 through W2021. The YC India story isn't a single moment; it built gradually over nearly a decade.
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Y Combinator India Batch Trends
Indian startup representation in YC has grown steadily since the mid-2010s. The table below gives a rough picture of when Indian companies started appearing in meaningful numbers, based on YC's public directory data.
YC Batch Period | Approx. India HQ Companies | Notable Company |
W2015–S2017 | 3–5 | Razorpay, Cashfree Payments |
W2018–S2019 | 5–8 | Groww, Meesho, FamPay |
W2020–S2021 | 10–15 | Zepto, Codingal, Karbon Card |
W2022–S2022 | 25–30 | Landeed, Clinikally, AlgoTest |
W2023–S2024 | 15–20 | Bolna AI, Infinity, Paasa |
The W2022 and S2022 batches appear to represent the highest concentration of India-headquartered companies in a single cycle — roughly 25–30 companies across both. This aligns broadly with the post-pandemic surge in Indian startup funding activity globally.
Interestingly, the more recent batches (W2023 onward) show a clear tilt toward AI-native companies — a shift visible across YC globally, but particularly pronounced in the India cohort.
Conclusion
India now has over 156 YC-backed startups, with fintech and B2B SaaS forming the strongest clusters. A few have scaled to unicorn status or gone public — but most are still early-stage. The batch data suggests India's YC presence will keep growing, particularly in AI.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Indian startups has Y Combinator funded?
As of April 2026, YC lists 156 startups headquartered in India in its official directory. This does not include Indian-origin founders whose companies are headquartered outside India.
Which Indian YC startup has the highest valuation?
Razorpay is publicly reported to have reached a valuation of $7.5 billion as of its last disclosed funding round. Exact current valuations for private companies are not always publicly confirmed.
Does Y Combinator only fund India-headquartered startups from India?
No. YC funds startups globally regardless of founder nationality. Many Indian-origin founders have gone through YC with companies headquartered in the US or elsewhere — those companies are not reflected in the India-specific list.
Which sectors do most Indian YC startups come from?
Fintech and B2B SaaS are the two dominant sectors, followed by edtech, consumer apps, and healthcare. AI-focused startups have grown rapidly in batches from 2022 onward.
How can an Indian startup apply to Y Combinator?
Applications are submitted through YC's official website at ycombinator.com. YC runs two main batches per year and accepts applications from early-stage startups globally, regardless of location.
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