Did any Berlin startups enter Y Combinator this year?

Y Combinator’s Winter 2026 batch, announced in March 2026, featured 196 startups in total. Did any Berlin startups enter Y Combinator this year? The answer is no. Among the selected startups, only one startup from Germany was accepted—and it was not from Berlin, but Munich-based sitefire.ai, a company focused on AI-driven enterprise solutions.

This continues a trend where Berlin’s startup ecosystem, despite its global reputation, has had limited representation in recent YC cohorts. While cities like Munich and other German tech hubs have seen some YC success, Berlin’s absence remains notable as the city positions itself as a leading European startup destination.

The batch’s focus on AI and enterprise software highlights the growing demand for scalable, tech-driven business models, but Berlin’s startups are yet to break through in this cycle.

The Winter 2026 batch is one of the most competitive in YC’s history, with acceptance rates below 1%. Despite this, Berlin’s lack of representation stands out, especially as the city’s ecosystem boasts a high density of early-stage startups and strong investor interest.

The inclusion of sitefire.ai underscores Munich’s growing role as a key player in Germany’s startup scene, having only outpaced Berlin in startup funding in 2025.

For Berlin, there's still hope, as there are hot new AI startups in the city that could get in next batches of Y Combinator.