YC Night Helsinki: Deep Tech

Deep tech builder curious about Y Combinator?

YC has increasingly backed companies solving genuinely hard problems from satellites to fusion reactors and new kinds of hardware. And they are on the lookout for more. Whether you're a researcher, a hardware hacker, or just a YC-curious builder with deep technical edge, we're bringing you two fireside chats packed with tactical, no-fluff tips from founders just like you who've been through YC.

The YC 2026 fall batch applications are closing soon, and this night is meant to give you the clarity, motivation, and insider perspective to take the next step towards the best startup program in the world.

1️⃣ YC for hardware startups w/ Leo Kankkunen, Divein! (YC W26) Hear from an electrical engineer building tankless dive gear what it's like to get in as a hardware founder and what's the true value of the program.

2️⃣ From PhD to YC w/ Rami El Geneidy, Kapacity.io (YC S21) Hear from a PhD who went from research to the best startup program in the world and all the way to an exit.

These chats go deep into: Turning research or a hard technical edge into a startup How to think about ideas, markets, and "being early" What actually matters in a YC application Common mistakes Nordic founders make What surprised the alumni after getting in, and what comes back to Finland

Doors open at 18:00 and program starts 18:20. Attendance is limited, with priority given to deeply technical founders, researchers, and hardware builders.

A big shoutout to our host Verda for letting us use their office for the event