What the new Y Combinator cohorts reveal about the next phase of AI - Startups

▤ Summary

Y Combinator’s latest batches show a clear shift away from pure SaaS toward physical AI, robotics, energy, and space infrastructure. Many selected startups are building agents, autonomous systems, chips, drones, and industrial hardware rather than traditional software apps. The article highlights how AI demand is pushing new companies into data centers, power systems, and specialized infrastructure. It also points to a growing wave of space-focused startups, from lunar habitats to orbital manufacturing and reentry vehicles. Overall, the batches suggest the next phase of AI will be defined by machines and physical-world operations as much as by software.

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