Besides funding, what core resources and support does joining Y Combinator provide?

Let's put it this way: the money YC provides is merely a "ticket"; the real value lies in what's behind that ticket.

Imagine what you gain by joining one of the world's most elite clubs for entrepreneurs:

1. A "Priceless" Network: This is the most crucial resource. YC has an internal social network exclusively for its alumni and partners. If you encounter any problem, such as "How do I land my first major client?" or "How do I solve a specific technical challenge?", post it, and you'll immediately receive advice from experienced individuals (perhaps even the founder of a unicorn company). Need an introduction to a VP at a large corporation? Chances are, a YC alumnus can connect you. This network itself is a goldmine.

2. "Rocket-Fueled" Growth Guidance: YC partners are battle-tested, successful entrepreneurs. During the incubation period, they'll meet with you regularly, acting like personal coaches, pushing you to focus only on what truly matters: building products users love and achieving user growth. Their advice is often incisive, helping you avoid countless pitfalls that novices encounter, allowing you to accomplish in three months what might otherwise take a year or even longer to figure out.

3. A Golden Stamp of Approval (Credibility): Being selected by YC is, in itself, a significant endorsement. This prestigious brand is incredibly useful when you're seeking investment, recruiting early employees, or even dealing with the media. Many top-tier investors specifically track projects graduating from YC because they know these projects come with a guarantee of quality. It's fair to say that YC status gives you a massive head start.

4. An Efficient Fundraising "Express Lane" (Demo Day): At the end of the incubation period, YC hosts an event called "Demo Day." You can think of it as a super pitch event held exclusively for you, with hundreds of the world's top investors in the audience. You only need to present for a few minutes, and you could potentially secure multiple investment offers in a short amount of time, which is far more efficient than knocking on doors yourself.

5. A Plethora of "Money-Saving" Perks: YC collaborates with many major companies (such as Amazon AWS, Google Cloud, Stripe, etc.) to provide YC startups with hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of dollars in free services or discounts. For early-stage companies, this means saving a substantial amount of money, allowing you to extend your runway with fewer expenses.

Therefore, while the funding merely enables you to kickstart your project, these resources are truly what will help you take your company from 0 to 1, and even from 1 to 100.