AI Commercial Open Source Software (AICOSS)

Open source tends to produce companies that sell support around it. YC wants startups that help businesses adopt and run open-source AI.

YC points to a recurring pattern: proprietary Unix, then Linux, then Red Hat; BitKeeper, then Git, then GitHub and GitLab. YC's point is that commercial companies followed each open-source wave.

YC sees the same opening in open-source AI. The organizations that release open-source code often don't want to focus on commercial support. Google and Facebook, for example, have open-sourced tools without always being in the business of supporting companies that use them, which leaves room for startups.

YC expects many winners in open-source AI, and says the launch of DeepSeek opened up new ground for founders.

The ask: startups offering support and services that help businesses, especially enterprises, use open-source AI.

Read the full request on YC →