About Orange Collective
YC founders backing YC founders
50+ YC alumni co-investing in each batch
Not a YC alum? Get in touch about the Access Fund.
Our investments
We invest in 10% - 15% of every YC batch, voted on by alumni
Why Orange Collective
Walking in the shoes of founders
YC founders have a unique journey filled with highs, lows, and everything in between. We understand this journey intimately because we've lived it ourselves.
Orange Collective is not just about co-investing; it's about creating a supportive ecosystem where YC alumni can thrive together while helping the next generation of YC founders.
🦄~5% of Y Combinator startups become unicorns
"An est. 4.5% of the startups that have gone through Y Combinator since 2010 have become billion-dollar companies. Between 2010 and 2015 [the rate] was even higher, at approximately 5.4% of all startups. 2/3 of total value has come from its unicorns."
"Sometimes people think Y Combinator has big ideas about themes. But really, YC just funds the best startups."
"At YC, we were challenged to do things that don't scale -- to start with the perfect experience for one person, then work backwards and scale it to 100 people who love us. This was the best piece of advice we've ever received."
"I doubt that Stripe would have worked without YC. It's that simple. Acquiring early customers, figuring out who to hire, closing deals with banks, raising money -- YC's partners were closely involved and crucially helpful."
"YC is the most successful investment firm that has ever existed in the history of investing—just by pure numbers, period... what YC has created has never existed before, and maybe never again will exist elsewhere besides YC."
Frequently asked questions
For YC alumni, Orange Collective operates as an investment club (as opposed to an SPV, syndicate, or traditional VC).
We pool together our funds once a year, and vote on all investment decisions encompassing both Winter and Summer batches.
We have a private WhatsApp group and a shared workspace to collaborate on each batch. We use PIN to help manage and administer the investment club, including voting.
Note: the investment club is limited to YC alumni only—apply here to join. For non-YC alumni, get in touch to learn more about the Access Fund.
Your involvement is flexible. You can actively participate in pitch meetings and discussions, or passively invest and follow along.
All experience levels are welcome, from novice angel investors looking to learn and expand their portfolio within the YC community, to founders-turned-VCs and fund managers. Several members have their own scout funds or angel funds, etc.
"If you can recognize good startup founders by empathizing with them—if you both resonate at the same frequency—then you may already be a better startup picker than the median professional VC."
PG, How to be an Angel Investor
For YC alumni, there is a $15K minimum contribution. This gives you exposure to all Orange Collective investments for the year (i.e. across both YC Winter and Summer batches).
For non-YC alumni, please inquire about the Access Fund.
Yes, through the Access Fund. Schedule a call to learn more.