TRACK A — PROBLEM CATALOGUE
Pick a real problem. Build a working MVP.
Choose from a curated collection of high-impact problem areas inspired by Y Combinator’s Fall 2026 Requests for Startups. Rather than starting with a vague brainstorm, pick a genuine market pain point, speak with stakeholders, and build one working core feature.
The Primer
Personalized, interactive AI tutors that adapt in real time to how any individual learner absorbs concepts, moving beyond static curricula into dynamic dialogue.
The Future of American Defense & Resilience
Software-defined sensing, critical infrastructure logistics, and resilient mesh communication networks designed for supply-chain integrity and disaster response.
A Cloud for Small Software
Zero-configuration hosting and instant deployment pipelines tailored for hyper-focused micro-tools, internal scripts, and single-purpose team utilities.
Multiplayer AI
Collaborative human-AI workspaces where multiple team members and autonomous AI co-workers interact simultaneously on a shared canvas or document in real time.
Compute at Sea
Software management, remote orchestration, and energy-aware distributed computing architectures for offshore, maritime, or floating data systems.
AI-Powered Consumer Products for 1 Billion People
Mass-market consumer applications that deliver unmistakable daily utility to everyday non-technical users in their local languages and cultural contexts.
AI for the Aging Population
Empathetic, voice-first companion software, medication management systems, and cognitive longevity assistants tailored for seniors and their caregivers.
New Operating Systems for the Physical World
Unified software platforms and fleet orchestration layers that connect drones, autonomous mobile robots, smart lockers, and physical warehouse hardware.
The Best Time to Build in Crypto
Practical, non-speculative decentralized infrastructure focusing on stablecoin cross-border remittances, verifiable on-chain receipts, and micro-payments.
Data for the Real World
Real-time automated data synthesis, computer-vision tagging, and synthetic sensor training pipelines for unstructured physical-world environments.
Proving You’re Human
Frictionless, privacy-preserving proof-of-humanity verification tools that protect communities and elections from AI bot swarms without collecting invasive biometrics.
AI-Native Compliance Infrastructure
Continuous automated auditing engines that monitor codebases, cloud infrastructure, and operational logs to guarantee regulatory compliance (HIPAA, SOC2, GDPR).
Self-Maintaining APIs
Autonomous code agents that detect third-party breaking API changes, generate adapted client SDKs, and auto-submit pull requests before production crashes.
Have your own original startup idea?
You do not have to select from this catalogue. In Track B, your team can propose any original problem, target user, and core feature.