Y Combinator turned a sports arena into AI's biggest pep rally
Y Combinator hosted its 2026 Startup School at the Chase Center, drawing over 6,000 attendees for a high-energy event focused on AI entrepreneurship. The conference featured prominent industry figures like Sam Altman and Jensen Huang, emphasizing the current boom in AI-driven startups.
Why it matters
The event underscores the massive cultural and economic influence of Silicon Valley accelerators in shaping the trajectory of the global AI industry.
Y Combinator chose the Chase Center for its 2026 Startup School. Screenshot via Y Combinator Y Combinator filled the Chase Center with aspiring founders for its Startup School . Attendees heard talks from AI leaders, got lots of free products, and chatted with artificial YC partners. Some online commentators compared the event to a megachurch. The CEOs walked out of the light-up tunnel like they were preparing to wrestle. A cameraman walked ahead of them, broadcasting their entrances to a San Francisco arena. Rather than trading jabs, executives like Sam Altman , Jensen Huang, and others traded advice. They were at the Chase Center this weekend for Y Combinator's Startup School, a two-day conference for "technical builders" looking to make it big in entrepreneurship. Startup School had everything: light-up headphones, AI versions of the YC partners, and freebies upon freebies. Here's a quick look at the spectacle.
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