YC Winter 2027 Deadline: Nov 2, 8pm PT (Toronto, Sydney)

The YC Winter 2027 on-time deadline is Monday 2 November 2026 at 8pm Pacific Time: that is 11pm the same night in Toronto, and 3pm on Tuesday 3 November in Sydney. Apply by then and YC promises a decision by 11 December 2026. The batch itself runs January to March 2027, in person in San Francisco (YC).

For Canadian and Australian founders, the bigger questions come after acceptance: does your company need to become a Delaware C-corp, how much equity the $500K deal takes, and how you get to San Francisco for three months. This guide answers each from YC’s own pages and US government sources, checked 31 Oct 2026.

This is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Confirm with a lawyer and a CPA (US) or your Canadian or Australian accountant for your situation.

YC Winter 2027 deadline and dates

Sources: YC apply page, YC FAQ. Time conversions assume US daylight saving has ended (it ends on 1 November 2026, so 8pm PT on 2 November is UTC-8). Perth is 12pm on 3 November.

A few details that matter if you are cutting it close:

• 8pm PT is the cutoff, not midnight. For anyone in Australia, the deadline lands on Tuesday afternoon, not Monday night.
• Late is not dead. YC says it still considers late applications and that “most late applications will get a decision within a month,” without a guarantee. It will not mark a late application as on time, whatever the reason (YC FAQ).
• You can apply for a later batch now. The apply page says applications for future Spring, Summer and Fall batches are open through Early Decision.
• One application per batch. If your co-founder started the application, only they can edit it.

When does YC Winter 2027 start?

YC’s page says the batch “will take place from January to March in San Francisco” and starts with a 3-day, in-person kick-off, followed by regular meetups in the city. It did not list an exact first day when we checked. YC’s FAQ says it has run the program in person since 2022 and that after the three months “you can go wherever you want” (YC FAQ).

What happens between applying and the batch

If your application is promising, YC invites you to interview, mostly by video, in November and December. YC “typically” makes decisions the same day as the interview and gives everyone who interviews detailed feedback. Crucially for non-US founders, YC invests as soon as a company is accepted; it does not wait for January (YC). That means incorporation or a flip, if you need one, starts in December, not in the batch.

YC Requests for Startups for Winter 2027

YC’s Requests for Startups page for Winter 2027 lists ideas including space startups in a world of cheap launches, AI that turns ordinary workers into experts, US-made robots and their supply chain, LLMs that write well, a “Plaid for government benefits”, financing for the physical AI buildout, vertical foundation models, AI for city hall, the data center supply chain, AI for air-gapped environments, and helping companies own their models. YC says these are a fraction of what it funds and that you do not need to work on them to apply.

The YC standard deal in 2026: what it costs you

YC’s standard deal is the same for every accepted company: $500,000, split into two SAFEs signed at the same time (YC deal):

The 7% is calculated after all SAFEs convert in your priced round, including any existing option pool. The priced round and any new or larger option pool then dilute YC like everyone else (YC deal).

Worked example: how much equity does YC take?

YC’s own example: you later raise SAFEs at a $15M post-money cap. The MFN SAFE takes that cap, so:

• MFN SAFE: $375,000 ÷ $15,000,000 = 2.5%
• Fixed SAFE: 7%
• YC total before the priced round: 7% + 2.5% = 9.5%

If your next SAFEs are at a $10M cap instead: $375,000 ÷ $10,000,000 = 3.75%, so YC holds 7% + 3.75% = 10.75%. At a $25M cap: $375,000 ÷ $25,000,000 = 1.5%, for 8.5%. The lower the cap you set after YC, the more the MFN piece is worth to YC. Our post-money SAFE explainer walks through how SAFEs stack and then dilute in a Series A.

YC’s FAQ frames the decision this way: ask whether YC can improve your outcome by at least 7%. It also notes that many companies in each batch have already raised at higher valuations than the YC deal implies.

Do Canadian or Australian founders need a US company for YC?

No incorporation is needed to apply. YC’s FAQ says you do not need to incorporate in the US, get visas or business licenses before applying; if accepted, YC helps with visas and incorporation (YC FAQ).

After acceptance, the entity rule is specific. YC’s deal page says: “We invest in US, Canada, Cayman, and Singapore corporations.” If you are already incorporated somewhere else, you must “flip” so that a parent company in one of those four sits on top, and the original company usually becomes a subsidiary that keeps operating in your home country. IP can sit in either the parent or the subsidiary (YC deal).

One inconsistency to know about: YC’s FAQ answer on this topic names a “new United States, Singapore or Cayman parent”, while the deal page lists Canada too. Treat the deal page as the current rule and confirm with YC’s lawyers if you are a Canadian corporation.

YC also warns that the flip, while common, “will require a significant effort on your part,” even though YC introduces you to lawyers who drive it. For Australians that means real legal work in December and January, plus advice on the Australian tax side of moving shares under a new parent. Start early.

Delaware C-corp or keep it local?

If you are incorporating fresh, the usual choice is a Delaware C-corp, because it is what US seed investors know. Our Delaware C-corp vs LLC guide explains why venture-backed startups use a corporation rather than an LLC. Our guide to a US company for Australian founders covers the Australian-side questions, and Stripe Atlas vs doola vs Firstbase compares formation services if you set it up yourself.

A Delaware corporation brings yearly obligations: an annual report and franchise tax due by 1 March, a $50 report fee, and a minimum tax of $175 (authorized shares method) or $400 (assumed par value method). Missing it costs a $200 penalty plus 1.5% interest per month (Delaware). Put the date in your calendar the day you incorporate.

Visas for the batch in San Francisco

The batch is in person, so every founder needs a lawful basis to be in the US from January to March. YC’s FAQ says it works with immigration attorneys who have helped hundreds of founders get visas, and that accepted founders are connected with one to build an individual plan (YC FAQ).

What US government pages say about short visits:

• Canadians: “Citizens of Canada and Bermuda generally do not require visas to enter the United States, for visit, tourism and temporary business travel purposes” (State Department).
• Australians: Australia is in the Visa Waiver Program, which allows tourism or business stays of 90 days or less with an approved ESTA. VWP stays cannot be extended, you cannot change status, and employment is not permitted (State Department).
• Both: permitted business activities on a visitor entry include consulting with business associates, attending conferences and negotiating contracts; employment is not permitted (State Department).

A January-to-March batch sits close to the 90-day VWP limit, and a visitor entry is not a work authorization. Do not guess at what you can do while in San Francisco: ask the immigration attorney YC assigns, before you book flights.

83(b) elections for non-US founders

When you receive founder shares that vest over time, US tax law lets the recipient elect to be taxed on the shares’ value at the time of transfer instead of as they vest. The election must be filed no later than 30 days after the shares are transferred (pushed to the next business day if day 30 is a weekend or holiday), it cannot be revoked without IRS consent, and you must give a copy to the company (IRS Form 15620).

You can use the IRS’s Form 15620 or a written statement meeting the Treasury regulations, filed with the IRS service center where you file your return (IRS). The April 2025 form’s instructions say to mail it; the form asks for your taxpayer identification number.

Whether a Canadian or Australian founder needs an 83(b) depends on whether they are, or will become, subject to US tax on those shares, for example by moving to the US. Because the 30-day window is strict, raise it with the company’s lawyer the day the shares are issued, not after the batch. Your home country’s tax treatment of the same shares is a separate question for your local accountant.

Practical checklist for Canadian and Australian founders

1. Submit before 8pm PT on 2 November. In Australia, that is Tuesday afternoon.
2. Do not incorporate just to apply. YC says it is not needed.
3. Know your entity path. Canadian corporation: no flip required by YC. Australian Pty Ltd: plan for a flip if accepted.
4. If you incorporate in Delaware, diarize 1 March for the annual report and franchise tax.
5. Founder shares and 83(b): ask counsel within days of issuing shares.
6. Banking: you will need a US-dollar account to receive the investment and pay US vendors. Our guide to Mercury for non-US residents covers eligibility and documents.
7. Travel: Canadians check visitor rules; Australians get an ESTA and talk to YC’s immigration lawyer about the 90-day limit.

Who should and shouldn’t apply this round

Apply now if you have a founding team and an idea you are excited about. YC says about 40% of each batch is just an idea, most companies have no revenue, and waiting for traction is “a mistake” (YC FAQ). Applying again is normal too: about half of a typical batch applied more than once.

Think twice about Winter 2027 if you cannot be in San Francisco from January to March, or an Australian flip during December and January would collide with a launch. In that case, apply for a later batch through Early Decision rather than skipping YC entirely.

More founder guides live in our Founder Playbooks hub.