Gene Inspector F26 invite calendar

F26 Interviews Timeline

A homemade estimate from another applicant. No inside info - just public dates and too much inbox refreshing.

32 days from deadline to decision

Our best guess, not YC's schedule

Deadline / decision Quiet reading Possible early invites Busier stretch Second reads Long-shot tail
  1. 27Jul 27
  2. Quiet
  3. Early 30–9Jul 30–Aug 9
  4. Main 10–17Aug 10–17
  5. 2nd 18–20
  6. Late 21–27Aug 21–27
  7. 28Aug 28
  1. 27
    Deadline8pm PT · apply on time
  2. 28
    Quietreading, silence normal
  3. 29
    reading, silence normal
  4. 30
    Earlyfirst invites may land
  5. 31
    first invites may land
  6. 1
    first invites may land
  7. 2
    first invites may land
  8. 3
    first invites may land
  9. 4
    rolling review
  10. 5
    rolling review
  11. 6
    rolling review
  12. 7
    rolling review
  13. 8
    rolling review
  14. 9
    rolling review
  15. 10
    Busier stretchour best guess
  16. 11
    more invites likely
  17. 12
    more invites likely
  18. 13
    more invites likely
  19. 14
    more invites likely
  20. 15
    more invites likely
  21. 16
    more invites likely
  22. 17
    more invites likely
  23. 18
    Second readsstill very possible
  24. 19
    still very possible
  25. 20
    still very possible
  26. 21
    Long-shot tailgetting quieter
  27. 22
    getting quieter
  28. 23
    getting quieter
  29. 24
    late invites happen
  30. 25
    late invites happen
  31. 26
    late invites happen
  32. 27
    final possible invites
  33. 28
    Decisionyes or no by today
  34. 29
  35. 30

Silence is normal. We're waiting too.

What each stretch means

Early stretch

Jul 30–Aug 9 · days 3–13

Early invites can land here, especially when an application is read soon after the deadline. They are the exception—not a sign that everyone else is out.

Main wave

Aug 10–17 · days 14–21

Founder reports suggest this is the busiest stretch. Invites may arrive in clusters rather than on a neat schedule, so one quiet day does not mean much.

Second reads

Aug 18–20 · days 22–24

Some applications may get another look after the main stretch. An invite is still possible here; silence still does not tell you why.

Late trickle

Aug 21–27 · days 25–31

Late invites do happen, but public reports thin out as Aug 28 gets closer. Hope is allowed. Refreshing every two minutes is optional.

Decision day

Fri Aug 28 · day 32

YC says on-time applicants should hear by this date. Until then, this page is only our estimate—not a verdict on anyone's application.

Deadline and decision date from the YC application page. Wave timing inferred from founder reports and a recent timeline analysis. Gene Inspector is another applicant, not affiliated with YC.