Y Combinator provides seed funding for start-ups. Twice a year, the start-ups move to Silicon Valley for three months. During that time, Y Combinator works extensively with them to help develop their ideas and, ultimately, fine-tune their pitch to investors. Demo Day, the completion of the program, is when the start-ups present their companies to groups of investors who are part of the Y Combinator program, whose alums include Dropbox, Stripe, and Airbnb. Go to the Y Combinator website and watch the video to learn more about the company's benefits and application process.

Explain the long-term benefits of why a start-up might hope to be selected for the program.

http://www.ycombinator.com