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By co-founding Y Combinator in 2005 and pioneering the batch-accelerator model, Graham helped fund over 5,000 companies — including Airbnb, Stripe, and Coinbase — now collectively valued above $600 billion.
Paul Graham co-founded Y Combinator in 2005 with Jessica Livingston, Robert Morris, and Trevor Blackwell, creating the batch-based accelerator model.
YC has since funded over 5,000 companies with combined valuation exceeding $600 billion, including Airbnb, Stripe, DoorDash, and Coinbase. Earlier, Graham co-founded Viaweb, acquired by Yahoo for $49 million in 1998, and his essays remain widely read in the technology industry.
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