Are startup accelerators still worth it in 2025?
Lately there’s been a growing wave of skepticism around VCs, Y Combinator, and accelerators in general. And to be fair: I get it.
We now live in an age where almost everything you need to learn can be found online. The gatekeepers are fewer, the knowledge is everywhere, and solo builders have never been more empowered.
But I think a lot of these takes overlook what I see as the real value of accelerators:
– The people. You’re not just learning: you’re entering an alumni network filled with top-tier founders who are open to helping others from the same ecosystem. That network alone can change the trajectory of your startup.
– The pressure. Being in that environment creates external momentum. You feel the push to build, iterate, and ship fast. That kind of accountability is hard to replicate on your own.
– The signal. It might be a “soft” benefit, but having YC or another respected accelerator on your resume still opens doors. Investors, partners, and press take notice.
So yeah: information is free. But context, accountability, and community still matter. A lot.
What’s your take? Have accelerators lost their edge or are they just evolving with the times?👇
Replies
Is Y Combinator still worth it in 2025? For me — yeah. 100%.
Since 2017, it’s been my dream to apply to @Y Combinator But I was always too scared to submit anything — What if they laugh at my idea? What if my pitch fails because my English is bad? 😂
Still, I never let go of the dream. And maybe one day I will apply — if they still accept remote founders from Ukraine.
Right now, I’m building an AI fitness trainer platform. Big vision. No launch yet. MVP in progress. Honestly? I’m scared it’ll flop. That no one will care. That I’ll waste time and money chasing something that only makes sense in my head.
What I miss the most isn’t funding or knowledge — It’s people. A team. A community. Someone to ask for advice. Someone to push me when I stall. Someone who just gets what it’s like to build something alone.
I don’t know if accelerators still have the same weight as they used to. But I know I’d give a lot to feel that support, to have that network, to get that little kick in the ass when I need it.
So yeah — I still believe.
Even in 2025.
@ideaxton Nice to meet you Tom!
Love your approach!
It's great to try to achieve your dreams!
@ideaxton
I feel you so much, I built two product with "Big Vision" and in my case it was a waste of time because no one care when I launched.
Then decided to launch many products fast and test what works, and we ended up doing YC with a product we launched fast, with a short vision. And it was definitely worth it.
RN: I'm still afraid of launching publicly, and I'm on "Launch therapy", challenging myself by launching a product every 2 weeks again.
@ideaxton @bengeekly Great that you’re sharing personal experience again.
What do you see as the main mistakes you made with those first two products you mentioned here?
100% agree, accelerators give you more than just information, I don't agree with that view that all they are is funding and information: they give you others' belief. The internal networks, tailored resources, and just being surrounded by others building at that pace is hard to replicate.
Not to mention, in a world where someone's brand is increasingly important, their vote of confidence makes a world of difference to your branding too
@dheerajdotexe I absolutely agree.
A lot of people have a negative opinion about these programs.
“Oh, they take a percentage from me.”
Okay, but your chances of building a successful company increase drastically.
Having a strong brand behind you naturally comes with a price and in most cases, that price is low.
Let me share a statistic from my last Subtsack article. It seems that VC-funded companies are no longer glorified. The game is turning and everything is in favor of boostrapped solo founders, which I personally like because it seems like a more arduous path.
And given that VCs sometimes fund unpromising projects and it looks like throwing money away, I have less respect for them.
@busmark_w_nika Could you provide more information about the infographic? It’s quite abstract.
Also, it covers quite a few years before the AI era.
@byalexai There the originals: https://www.saastr.com/carta-38-of-bootstrapped-start-ups-have-solo-founders-but-only-17-of-vc-backed-ones-do-and-10-12-of-ones-that-ipo/ + this one: https://carta.com/data/founder-ownership/ (it requires downloading the pdf)
@busmark_w_nika Honestly, I took a look at the articles, but maybe a more in-depth report is needed.
Plus, what’s interesting to me is the period from 2023 onward.
Because realistically, the last 2–3 years might have brought a paradigm shift.
2015 is a completely different world compared to now.
From my experience:
While at YC, I was virtually surrounded by the smartest people I've ever met.
They were adventurous, and suddenly making bold, crazy ideas felt simple.
The partners have such extensive experience and are so accessible, they can help you move faster in so many ways.
All that being said:
I believe we should play the cards we have and not waste too much time chasing VCs.
Spend a little time filling out the YC form each batch, but mainly focus on building and selling.
@bengeekly Absolutely agree. And I’m really glad that someone who’s actually been there is sharing personal experience. Because the people who’ve been through the program can offer the most accurate insights.
How long did you apply before you got accepted?
@bengeekly Super cool. I hope to read more stories like this here!
Trufflow
Accelerators main goal is to strap rockets to our startup that is already starting to take off (i.e. ready to fundraise). Though which one you join can definitely have an impact on how you do. Some interesting research from those that participate in accelerators:
"...accelerator- and incubator-supported startups had revenue that was 13 per cent higher than other firms. But that advantage was short-lived, with startups generating no more revenue than a typical company within a year after participating in an accelerator or incubator program." (Source)
Around 45% of YC companies raise a Series A with startup success typically higher with YC (Source)
Founders with a higher level of education benefit more from accelerators (Source)
Like you said, the community becomes the main driving force to why one should join an accelerator. Also, it should help free up time for you by providing you resources to services like legal and accounting so that you can focus on growing the business. The ultimate deciding factor should be the quality of the accelerator because there are quite a large variability in accelerators out there...
@lienchueh I completely agree. There’s a real difference between accelerators and the higher the quality, the more advantages you get if you’re part of one.
Can you share some advice for people who are thinking about applying? Which 5–10 accelerators would you recommend they focus on?
CTO.ai
the community of founders and mentors surrounding you is priceless imo
@pollock exactly.
You've been there?
My cofounder and I recently were accepted into the Antler residency for the fall, and just from coworking in their office we have gained some amazing feedback and advice. The environment is infectious of wanting to build and be the best version that we can be.
I also strongly believe that community is a key cornerstone of building a brand and business which is an integral part of being in an accelerator/residency.
@enoblesala Hey, tell me more about the program! I see it’s based in Singapore. Any tips for the application process?
@byalexai - they actually have a bunch of different locations! I'll be based here in NYC. Most of the information is found here https://www.antler.co/residency
One major tip is to try to actually meet some of the Antler team or portfolio companies in person to convey why you'd even want to join a residency/accelerator program.
@enoblesala Аwesome! Thank you!
btw when is your launch?
@byalexai it's happening next week August 19th!
Dereference
Absolutely, couldn't recommend them more! Always give it a shot
@adi_singh5 Did you apply already?
What accelerators still do really well is compress time. You get rapid feedback, real deadlines, and access to a network that would take years to build on your own. One warm intro from the right alumni or mentor can save you months of cold outreach.
That said, founders today are more resourceful than ever. The bar is higher accelerators need to offer more than generic advice or a badge. The best ones now act more like co-builders: connecting you to customers, shaping your GTM, pressure-testing your deck, etc.
So no, I don’t think they’ve lost their edge they just have to keep evolving fast, like the startups they serve.
@kate_pozh have you ever being part of a program?
I’ve started to become more skeptical about accelerators and VCs, especially VCs.
In my country, VCs often require startups to already have strong growth, solid revenue, and even be close to breaking even. But I wonder, if a startup is already growing well and generating solid revenue, why would they even need a VC?
It’s similar with accelerators. They tend to look for outstanding individuals in the crowd, but the truth is those exceptional founders could likely succeed without an accelerator. Meanwhile, more average teams, who could truly benefit from the support, often don’t get it.
@hwiidg Very interesting. Don’t they provide funding based on just an idea, or do they already require traction?
When is your launch btw?
@byalexai They still fund based on ideas, but mostly bet on the founder’s capability rather than the idea itself.
Honestly, their ability to evaluate ideas isn’t great, and they usually stick to certain theses.
My launch got delayed to Aug 23 due to a major technical issue.
Completely agree. People are the real multiplier.
At Ticmint, we believe that being surrounded by the right people is a key driver of the right mindset. Accountability, momentum, and access to strategic partnerships make all the difference, especially in the early stages.
That’s why we’re actively looking to join an accelerator program that can help us sharpen our execution, expand our network, and push toward the next phase of growth.
Information is everywhere. But the right ecosystem is still a game changer.
@omar_sarieddine Great. I really like your mindset.
Which accelerator are you looking to join?
@byalexai Programs like Techstars, Hub71, Seedcamp, and a couple of region-specific accelerators in the UAE and UK are currently on our radar. Always open to recommendations.
I’ve never done YC, but we were part of a smaller accelerator in Singapore during the early days of our first pharmacy product and I think what you said about context and pressure is spot on.
In hindsight, we didn’t need help with “what to build” the product ideas were already validated with real pharmacies and doctors (my parents being our first testers). But what the accelerator gave us was a sharper sense of speed and story how to talk about the problem in a way that resonated beyond our niche, and how to move faster without burning out the team.
That said, I do think the role of accelerators has changed in 2025. If you're building something truly niche or infrastructure-heavy (like healthtech, compliance, or internal automation tools), generic startup advice doesn’t always apply. You need deep operator networks not just pitch decks and demo days.
So maybe the real question isn't “are accelerators worth it?” but which accelerators are still built for builders not just investors?
@priyanka_gosai1 Hey, it’s great that you’re sharing your personal experience and you’re actually confirming the value of accelerators.
Oh, since we’re also building a product in the health (data) space, and our company is also based in Singapore, could you share which accelerator you participated in?
The idea of an Accelerator is not just getting questioned, it's (rightly) getting hammered by cities and policy makers. This has been building for about 5 years now, since the boom of "Accelerators" throughout the country picked up right after the boom of "coworking" about 10 years ago.
And why? Because Accelerators are full of s*** for the most part. Glorified coworking with events, panel discussions, and office hours. That's not an Accelerator, that's... what literally everything startup related offers.
Local Stakeholders (city, companies, law firms, etc.) are burned out that they helped launch or support these Accelerators, because nothing is accelerated but some networking: no PR, no Sales, no substantial partners, and no measurable impact on rate of success.
The name was used by people wanting to sell communities to founders, because it's as sexy as calling everyone an entrepreneur, and startups gobbled it up to the glee of city leaders.
And then sponsors didn't renew. VCs stopped showing up as much. The events remained popular, because heck, everyone is looking for some networking and the local microbrew, but the mismatch between "Accelerator" with accelerate has every scratching their heads what they're meant to be.
Worldwide, I'm getting a TON of demand to explain the Venture Studio model, and Incubators are still a big deal since those that can teach founders well, and do, are a hell of a lot more valuable to such people than a 4 year degree for $100k
@seobrien I agree. In recent years, there’s been a devaluation of many things. Accelerators are also suffering from this. Their work has been greatly devalued due to the emergence of hundreds of them, which in turn makes the genuine ones stand out even more.
Dereference
Completely agree. Accelerators offer far more than funding or information. What they really provide is belief. Being surrounded by others building at that speed, with access to tight internal networks and tailored support, creates momentum that’s hard to build alone.
Their endorsement also carries real weight. In a world where reputation matters, that early vote of confidence boosts your brand more than most people realize.
ROSEBUD AI
I don't think accelerators are outdated, just evolving: in addition to disseminating knowledge, they also provide real connections, pressure-driven motivation, and brand endorsement. While information is readily available, the integration into high-quality circles, passive promotion, and recognition that fragmented online learning cannot match.
Went through YC (W22) and here are a few more reasons that I think YC (particularly) invaluable.
1) Work at a start up - YC has their own hiring job board - and after we were accepted, hiring great people became...I don't know - like 10X easier. It was a true hiring cheat code - and this alone makes it worth it imo. After hiring our first 20 people by just grinding - hiring through work at a startup felt like going from running up hill to skate boarding down one.
2) Bookface - the internal intranet and forum and startup library built by Michael Siebel and team are full of things you can't find on the internet. Its more real, its more direct, its way more valuable.
3) Partners - they will take your call well after your batch - and they are global level experts - and those calls are free.
There are lots more (YC company discounts, massive help fundraising, etc.) - but yeah - is like a 10/10 deal imo. Highly recommend. I'm not getting paid to say this.
Johnny Wolff - www.livehomeroom.com YC22
@johnny_wolff Wow, great post!
Could you share some of the resources? I mean what did they include, what topics did they cover?
How often did you meet?
Funny you mentioned the momentum accelerators create—I totally agree that accountability and that intense push to ship fast can make or break early startups. I’ve seen solo founders struggle with endless planning but joining a cohort forced them to focus and actually launch. Also, that network effect is huge; it’s not just about learning but having real access to founders who’ve been there and can open doors you didn’t even know existed.