Can you promote in r/ycombinator?
News and discussion around startups and applying to Y Combinator. In 2005, Y Combinator created a new model for funding early stage startups. We invest $500,000 in every startup and work intensively with the founders for three months. For the life of their company, founders have access to the most powerful community in the world, essential advice, later-stage funding and programs, recruiting resources, and exclusive deals.
The short answer
Participate as a regular member without mentioning or linking your product; if you need feedback use designated megathreads and follow stickied guidance.
What works here
- general discussion about YC and startups
- participate in megathreads for feedback or applications
- helpful non-promotional comments and advice
What gets posts removed
- posting about your product, service, or startup (self-promotion)
- soliciting customers, surveys, DMs, or external groups
- posting hiring or co-founder requests
- unapproved promotional links or AMAs
Where this comes from
View the current official rules on RedditNo self promotion
Rule 5 explicitly forbids self-promotion, which covers vendor/product outreach.
No solicitation
Rule 8 bans solicitation of surveys, DMs, external groups — prevents lead generation or requests for customers.
No hiring or co-founder posts
Rule 6 forbids hiring or co-founder searches, so recruitment or customer-recruiting posts are not allowed.
Use megathreads
Rule 4 requires feedback/application discussion to go in megathreads; promotional outreach should not be posted elsewhere.
Official rules of r/ycombinator
- 01Read the stickied post at the top of the sub.
- 02Don't be a jerk.
- 03Use the search before making a new post.
- 04Use the megathreads for feedback and application discussions.
- 05No self promotion.
- 06No hiring or co-founder search posts.
- 07No memes, politics, or shitposts.
- 08No solicitation of surveys, DMs, external groups, etc
- 09No unplanned AMAs.
- 10No discussions about VCs or other accelerators.
Based on the community’s official rules, analyzed July 8, 2026. Rules change; the official rules page is always the source of truth.
Read the Intoru research and correction methodology.
Intoru follows these rules for you.
It finds people in r/ycombinator and hundreds of other communities who are looking for what you sell, and drafts replies that fit each community’s rules, so you help first and never read as spam.
Find your buyers on Reddit