For new startups hoping to make their mark in Silicon Valley, your opportunity has arrived. San Francisco based startup incubator Y Combinator has just announcedvia Twitterthat applications for winter 2012 funding are now open.

Y Combinatorhas funded over 300 startups since 2005 including hitsLoopt,Reddit,Dropbox, andAirbnb. From investing twice a year into a large number of startups, they work extensively with those companies in order to refine their funding pitches to investors while also providing an environment that encourages coworking.

Applications are being accepted in Mountain View, California from January through March 2012.

How do we choose who to fund? The people in your group are what matter most to us. We look for brains, motivation, and a sense of design. Experience is helpful but not critical.

As usual, Y Combinator will be scouringHacker Newscomments and submissions for smart individuals who have already built a solid reputation with the incubator. Y Combinator states, “The ideal company would have two or three founders. We’ll consider those with four or five. We’re reluctant to accept one-person companies, though we have funded a couple.”

The deadline for winter 2012 applications is October 10th. For those of you interested in applying now or finding out more about the process,head on over to the Y Combinator website for more information.

Calling all Scaleup founders! Join the Soonicorn Summit on November 28 in Amsterdam.

Meet with the leaders of Picnic, Miro, Carbon Equity and more during this exclusive event dedicated to Scaleup Founders!

We’re looking forward to seeing what sorts of innovative products and services this new semester at Y Combinator will bring.

Story bySherilynn Macale

Sherilynn “Cheri” Macale is based in San Francisco, CA. You’ll probably find her tucked away in her apartment blogging, playing video games,(show all)Sherilynn “Cheri” Macale is based in San Francisco, CA. You’ll probably find her tucked away in her apartment blogging, playing video games, or immersing herself in geek culture. You can follow her onTwitter,Facebook,Google+

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