I did Y Combinator in 2016 and 2025. The first time felt more 'family-style.'

Quang Hoang did Y Combinator twice, with almost a decade between his experiences.

Quang Hoang

• Quang Hoang went through Y Combinator twice: In 2016 for Birdly and in 2025 for Vybe.
• He told Business Insider that much stayed the same for the accelerator, though his first experience was more "family-style."
• You didn't see any employees, Hoang said, and "some of the partners were cooking sometimes."

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Quang Hoang...