Overview
Tan serves as President & CEO of Y Combinator [4], an organization that funds hundreds of companies annually through web-based application with an acceptance rate below 1% [2]. Tan previously founded Initialized Capital in January 2012 and served as its Managing Partner through December 2022 [6], before transitioning to a Board Partner & Advisor role at the firm beginning in January 2023 [1][5]. Tan cofounded Posterous.com in January 2008 [9] and later cofounded Posthaven in March 2013, remaining with the latter organization [7]. Earlier career experience includes a position as Lead Engineer and Designer at Palantir Technologies from September 2005 to October 2007 [10]. Tan holds a BS in Computer Systems Engineering from Stanford University, completed in 2003 [11].
Profile introduction
President & CEO of Y Combinator. Y Combinator funds hundreds of companies per year via web-based application and has an acceptance rate of less than 1%, lower than any other selective process of its kind. YC has funded 90 companies worth a billion dollars or more, each at the earliest possible stage (usually a few people even before launch), and about 10 to 20 companies per year that go through the program will go on to product market fit and become a Unicorn. Over $800B in market value has been created so far, and counting. Before becoming CEO, I was a partner at YC 2011-2015 and built major…
Career history
- FounderJan 2026 to presentGarry's List
- President & CEOJan 2023 to presentY Combinator
- Board Partner & AdvisorJan 2023 to presentInitialized Capital
- Founder & Managing PartnerJan 2012 to Dec 2022Initialized Capital
- CofounderMar 2013 to presentPosthaven
- PartnerDec 2010 to Nov 2015Y Combinator
- CofounderJan 2008 to Jan 2011Posterous.com
- Lead Engineer, DesignerSep 2005 to Oct 2007Palantir Technologies
Education
BS, Computer Systems Engineering1999 - 2003Stanford University
In the news
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