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Y Combinator Releases Request for Startups for Spring 2026

YC is looking for "AI-native" companies and tools for government agencies to combat AI-generated spam.

🚀 Y Combinator has published its Request for Startups (RFS) for Spring 2026.

I always keep a close eye on RFS - it’s a great indicator of where the tech world is heading and where YC sees the next wave of opportunities.

What’s interesting in this list:

AI is penetrating everywhere - from hedge funds to government agencies. YC is looking for "AI-native" companies that are built around AI from the ground up, rather than tacking it onto existing processes.

Stablecoins are moving out of the crypto ghetto into real financial services - yield, tokenized assets, cross-border payments.

The physical world is not forgotten - "Modern Metal Mills" with AI planning, AR systems for training workers on-site, Large Spatial Models for working with geometry and physical objects.

I want to highlight "Cursor for Product Managers" - an AI system that analyzes feedback and usage data, suggests features, and breaks tasks into actionable items. PMs, it’s your turn.

And unexpectedly relevant: tools for government agencies to combat AI-generated spam applications and to investigate fraud under the False Claims Act.

🔗 Source: https://www.ycombinator.com/rfs

Y Combinator Releases Request for Startups for Spring 2026 — illustration