Y Combinator commands the top position on Gemini with a 22.9% Brand Share - 3.9x the category average - and holds a strong #2 position on ChatGPT at 18.8%, 2.6x the average across 21 competing brands. Across 150 high-value prompts covering startup funding, accelerator selection, and early-stage investment, Y Combinator generated 240 total mentions, consolidating its role as the default AI reference point for founders navigating the venture landscape. The Discovery stage is a particular stronghold, with Brand Share of 38% on ChatGPT and 38.5% on Gemini - numbers that reflect genuine category dominance.
The citation picture reveals a significant growth lever: owned content at ycombinator.com accounts for just 1% of all citations (8 total), while 99% of citations flow through third-party sources. This means Y Combinator's AI visibility is almost entirely driven by earned media - a strong foundation, but one that can be reinforced by expanding owned content coverage. The dual-lever strategy ahead is clear: deepen owned content to cover more prompts directly, while protecting and extending the third-party citation network that currently powers the brand's AI presence across both platforms.
Brand Share - Rank #2 of 21
114 mentions - 2.6x average
Strong Discovery stage at 38.0%
Brand Share - Rank #1 of 21
126 mentions - 3.9x average
Strong Discovery stage at 38.5%
| # | Brand | ChatGPT | Gemini | Competitive Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Techstars | 29.1% | 20.8% | Broadest geographic footprint drives strong ChatGPT share and regional prompt dominance |
| 2 | Y Combinator | 18.8% | 22.9% | Category-defining accelerator with dominant Discovery-stage AI visibility across both platforms |
| 3 | Sequoia Capital | 10.1% | 7.5% | Prestige brand recognition anchors consistent mid-tier visibility across research-stage prompts |
| 4 | 500 Global | 8.4% | 7.3% | High mention volume signals broad international coverage across AI-generated startup lists |
| 5 | Andreessen Horowitz | 5.0% | 10.5% | Deep content publishing engine earns outsized Gemini share relative to accelerator positioning |
| 6 | First Round Capital | 3.9% | 5.9% | Strong hands-on support narrative earns outsized share on founder-experience research prompts |
| 7 | LAUNCH Accelerator | 6.6% | 2.0% | Punches above its weight on niche decision-stage prompts with stipend and cohort framing |
| 8 | MassChallenge | 3.9% | 3.6% | Regional and social-impact positioning drives concentrated visibility in specific geographic prompts |
| 9 | Alchemist Accelerator | 1.2% | 4.3% | |
| 10 | Founders Fund | 2.6% | 2.1% | High-conviction brand identity captures niche decision prompts around crypto and female founders |
🔍 Discovery
"What is...?" / "Tell me about..."
ChatGPT: 38.0%
Gemini: 38.5%
📊 Research
"Which is best for...?" / "Compare..."
ChatGPT: 9.7%
Gemini: 15.4%
✅ Decision
"Where can I buy...?" / "Should I get...?"
ChatGPT: 22.8%
Gemini: 21.5%
Y Combinator already achieves 38% Brand Share on ChatGPT and 38.5% on Gemini at the Discovery stage - the highest figures across the entire funnel. This dominance is proof that when AI models are asked broad, foundational questions about startup funding and accelerators, Y Combinator is the default answer. The protect-and-extend strategy applies this same logic to Research and Decision stages, where the brand's share is lower and the growth opportunity is greatest.
Y Combinator's AI visibility is driven by two levers: owned content (ycombinator.com library, application pages, and founder resources) and earned presence (third-party accelerator directories, startup media, and VC community publications). Currently, 99% of citations flow through earned channels - a strong signal of brand authority that can be amplified by expanding owned content depth and protecting the third-party narrative that AI models rely on most.
| Priority | Action | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | Defend ChatGPT Research-stage visibility | Create targeted owned content addressing sector-specific and geography-specific research prompts - such as seed funding for AI, logistics, and climate tech - where Y Combinator's ChatGPT share is currently zero and competitors like Sequoia Capital and Techstars are capturing the conversation. |
| High | Grow earned media citations on key directories | Prioritize placement and narrative accuracy on openvc.app, failory.com, and visible.vc, which collectively appear across dozens of gap prompts. Ensure Y Combinator is featured prominently in their accelerator and seed fund roundups to extend the earned media engine that currently powers 99% of citations. |
| High | Expand owned content for Decision-stage prompts | Develop content that addresses location-specific and cohort-specific decision prompts - covering cities like Chicago, Seattle, Austin, and Los Angeles - where founders are actively choosing programs and Y Combinator has no current AI visibility on ChatGPT. |
| Medium | Monitor Techstars' rising ChatGPT momentum | Track Techstars' geographic and sector-specific prompt coverage on ChatGPT, where it currently leads at 29.1% Brand Share. Identify the content formats and third-party sources driving their visibility and ensure Y Combinator's narrative is present in the same channels. |
Publish owned library content covering Y Combinator's track record and thesis across verticals like AI, climate tech, logistics, and insurtech - directly addressing the research-stage prompts where visibility is currently zero.
Goal: Extend owned content coverage into the sector-specific research prompts where competitors currently hold the conversation.
Create location-anchored content for cities like Austin, Seattle, Chicago, and Los Angeles - covering how founders in those markets can access Y Combinator - to capture decision-stage prompts tied to geography.
Goal: Make Y Combinator's owned pages the authoritative answer for location-specific founder decision prompts on both platforms.
Secure featured placement and accurate narrative representation on openvc.app, failory.com, and pitchwise.se - the highest-traffic third-party sources cited across gap prompts - to extend earned media reach.
Goal: Ensure the earned media engine that drives 99% of citations is reinforced on the directories most frequently cited by AI models.
Syndicate Y Combinator portfolio founder stories and program outcomes to startup media outlets like medium.com and stripe.com-adjacent communities, reinforcing the brand narrative in third-party content AI models actively cite.
Goal: Protect and extend the third-party narrative by ensuring high-authority startup media reflects Y Combinator's leadership position.
Techstars currently holds a 29.1% Brand Share on ChatGPT - more than 10 points ahead of Y Combinator on that platform - and dominates a wide range of geographic and sector-specific prompts where Y Combinator has zero visibility. On Gemini, Andreessen Horowitz has climbed to 10.5%, nearly double its ChatGPT share, signaling an active content investment. Third-party directories like openvc.app and failory.com are already shaping AI responses across dozens of gap prompts. Every month without a presence in those sources is a month competitors consolidate their narrative in the channels AI models trust most.
The Brand Share data on pages 1-2 shows where Y Combinator stands. This page shows why - the specific web pages AI assistants cite when making recommendations.
These Y Combinator pages are being cited by AI assistants - they're your strongest AI assets.
| Y Combinator Page Being Cited | Platform | Cited in Answers To |
|---|---|---|
| https://www.ycombinator.com/library/4A-a-guide-to-seed-fundraising | Gemini | "What are the common equity requirements for seed funds in the United States?" · "Why do tech founders in Silicon Valley look for seed-stage investment?" |
| https://www.ycombinator.com/ | Gemini | "Where can I find venture capital firms in the US that offer mentorship?" |
| https://www.ycombinator.com/apply | Gemini | "Where can I find application deadlines for top accelerators in the United States?" |
| https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/industry/Satellites | Gemini | "Best startup accelerators in the United States for e-commerce brands?" |
| https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/industry/retail | Gemini | "Comparison of tech incubators in the United States for retail tech?" |
Y Combinator's owned citations are concentrated on just three URLs - the seed fundraising guide, the homepage, and the apply page - covering approximately 6 distinct prompts. This means owned content is doing very little of the heavy lifting. Third-party directories and startup media are responsible for 99% of citations, and those sources are being cited across dozens of prompts where Y Combinator has no owned presence to reinforce the narrative.
These competitor pages drive their AI recommendations - the content your team needs to match or outperform.
| Competitor | Their Most Cited Content | Cited in Answers To |
|---|---|---|
| MassChallenge | https://www.pitchwise.se/blog/top-10-accelerators-for-us-early-stage-startups-in-2025 | "Where can I access application forms for early-stage startup incubators in the US?" · "Best startup accelerators in the US for hardware companies?" · "Best startup accelerators in the United States for tech founders?" |
| MassChallenge | https://www.esparkinfo.com/blog/best-startup-accelerators | "Which startup accelerators in the US have the best alumni networks?" · "Should I apply for a non-profit or for-profit startup accelerator in the US?" · "Which startup accelerators in the US have the best track record for exits?" |
| Techstars | https://www.pitchwise.se/blog/top-10-accelerators-for-us-early-stage-startups-in-2025 | "Where can I access application forms for early-stage startup incubators in the US?" · "Best startup accelerators in the US for hardware companies?" · "Best startup accelerators in the United States for tech founders?" |
| Techstars | https://www.esparkinfo.com/blog/best-startup-accelerators | "Which startup accelerators in the US have the best alumni networks?" · "Should I apply for a non-profit or for-profit startup accelerator in the US?" · "Which startup accelerators in the US have the best track record for exits?" |
Pages 1-3 identified the strategy. This page maps the specific third-party channels that drive 99% of all AI citations in this category.
| Channel | Top Sources | Prompts | Strategic Implication |
|---|---|---|---|
| Startup & VC Directory Platforms | openvc.app, visible.vc, qubit.capital | 69 | High-frequency citation sources for accelerator and seed fund discovery prompts - the most direct channel for extending AI visibility across gap prompts. |
| Startup Media & Editorial | pitchwise.se, failory.com, medium.com, thetopvoices.com | 76 | Roundup articles and editorial content on these platforms are the primary format AI models cite when answering research-stage accelerator comparisons. |
| Founder Tools & Fintech Platforms | carta.com, stripe.com, rho.co, cakeequity.com | 31 | Trusted founder infrastructure brands whose content earns AI citations - co-appearing here signals credibility to both founders and AI retrieval systems. |
| Tech & Software Review Sites | esparkinfo.com, bitcot.com, ellty.com | 21 | Emerging tech review and comparison sites that surface in niche sector and tool-specific prompts, representing an early-stage earned media opportunity. |
openvc.app - openvc.app appears across 16 gap prompts and 40 total prompts with 60 citations - the single highest-volume third-party source. Securing a prominent Y Combinator profile and featured placement here would directly extend visibility into the most AI-cited directory in the category.
failory.com - failory.com covers 16 gap prompts and 34 total prompts with 46 citations, making it the second-highest gap opportunity. Its editorial roundups on accelerators and seed funds are frequently cited by AI models answering research-stage founder questions.
visible.vc - visible.vc appears across 9 gap prompts and 15 total prompts with 22 citations. Its investor-focused content and fund comparison tools make it a high-credibility source for research-stage prompts where Y Combinator currently has zero visibility.
qubit.capital - qubit.capital co-appears with Y Combinator across 2 prompts, signaling an existing earned presence. Maintaining and deepening this relationship ensures the brand remains visible in qubit's accelerator and seed fund content as it scales.
carta.com - carta.com co-appears with Y Combinator across 2 prompts. As a trusted founder infrastructure platform with strong AI citation authority, ensuring Y Combinator is consistently referenced in Carta's educational content protects this earned channel.
everythingstartups.com - everythingstartups.com co-appears with Y Combinator on 1 prompt. Monitoring and nurturing this relationship ensures the brand retains visibility in startup community editorial content as the site's citation footprint grows.
With 99% of Y Combinator's citations flowing through third-party sources, earned media is not a supplementary channel - it is the primary engine of AI visibility. Investment in earned media outreach to high-traffic directories like openvc.app (60 citations, 40 prompts) and failory.com (46 citations, 34 prompts) delivers compounding returns: each new placement has the potential to influence AI responses across multiple prompts simultaneously. Protecting and extending this third-party narrative is the highest-leverage investment available for consolidating Y Combinator's category leadership in AI search.
These prompts have the weakest incumbents. One authoritative content piece per topic could capture meaningful share.
| Target Prompt Topic | Platform | Current Leader | Share | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How do American VC firms help startups with hiring their first employees? | Gemini | Sequoia Capital | 26.4% | Medium |
| Which US-based pre-seed funds provide the best hands-on support? | ChatGPT | First Round Capital | 26.7% | Medium |
| Which early-stage venture capital firms in the US have the best reputation? | ChatGPT | Sequoia Capital | 27.2% | Medium |
| Where can I find seed funding for healthcare startups in the United States? | Gemini | General Catalyst | 29.3% | Medium |
| What does a typical seed funding round look like for a startup in the US? | Gemini | First Round Capital | 33.8% | Medium |
| Top-rated seed funds in the US for logistics startups? | ChatGPT | Sequoia Capital | 35.2% | Medium |
Techstars leads ChatGPT with a 29.1% Brand Share - outpacing Y Combinator by more than 10 points on that platform. Its strength is geographic breadth: it dominates city-specific and regional prompts across Austin, Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles, and the Midwest, capturing decision-stage founders at the moment of application. Action: Develop location-anchored content and pursue placement on regional startup directories to reclaim visibility in the geographic prompts Techstars currently owns.
Andreessen Horowitz has climbed to 10.5% Brand Share on Gemini - its highest platform share - driven by a prolific content publishing operation that earns third-party citations across sector-specific research prompts in gaming, insurtech, marketplaces, and social impact. Its content engine is actively building Gemini visibility in categories where Y Combinator is absent. Action: Prioritize sector-specific owned content and earned media placements to defend Y Combinator's Gemini leadership before a16z's content advantage compounds further.
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