Orris

Hi

Hi! How can I help you today?

How to attend YC hackathons? I heard that there is a new one coming up on 30th of May. So, how should I attend? Should I get a referral from one of the YC founders or should I apply online? What works?

Searching the Web

YC Y Combinator hackathon May 30 2026 how to attend apply

Reading Web Page

https://events.ycombinator.com/HW0opxy78

Searching the Web

YC Y Combinator hackathon May 30 2026 registration link voice AI

Here's what I found about the May 30th event:

YC Voice AI Hackathon - May 30, 2026

The event you're referring to is the Voice AI Hackathon hosted at the Y Combinator office in San Francisco on May 30th. It's co-hosted by YC, Cekura, and Daily (with NVIDIA involvement).

How to attend

Apply online - that's the only route. There's no referral system. The LinkedIn posts from organizers point to a direct application link: https://lnkd.in/gaMAwb7k (which routes to the official registration form).
You can also check the YC events page directly: events.ycombinator.com

Key things to know

  • Space is extremely limited - the event is held inside the YC office, which is a small venue. Multiple organizers have emphasized this.
  • It is for developers building voice AI agents - the focus is on voice AI, open models, and next-generation evals. If that's your domain, you're a good fit.
  • One of the prizes is a guaranteed interview with Y Combinator, which makes spots even more competitive.

Schedule (as listed)

  • 8:00 AM - Doors open & registration
  • 8:30 AM - Breakfast
  • 9:00 AM - Hackathon begins

Bottom line

No referral needed - just apply through the registration link as soon as possible given the limited space. Since today is May 22nd, you only have about 8 days, so don't wait. If the form is already closed or full, try reaching out directly to the Cekura or Daily teams on LinkedIn or X, as they're co-organizers and may have a waitlist.

Can you check if this co-organizers have any beat list?

Searching the Web

Cekura Daily YC Voice AI hackathon May 30 2026 waitlist registration full

Reading Web Page

https://fenado.ai/articles/y-combinator-to-host-voice-agents…

I couldn't find any specific mention of a waitlist from Cekura or Daily for this event. The article confirms the event details but doesn't reference one.
Here's what I'd suggest given the limited spots:
  1. Try the registration link directly - https://lnkd.in/gaMAwb7k - if it's full, it may redirect to a waitlist form automatically.
  2. Contact the co-organizers directly:
    • Cekura AI - reach out via their website or find them on X/LinkedIn and ask about a waitlist
    • Daily - same approach via daily.co or their social channels
  3. Check the YC events page - events.ycombinator.com - it sometimes shows waitlist options when an event fills up
  4. LinkedIn outreach - the organizers who posted about it (Sidhant Kabra from Cekura, and the Daily team) are publicly visible on LinkedIn. A direct message asking about a waitlist is a completely normal and accepted thing to do for events like this.
Honestly, since the event is 8 days away and the venue is inside the YC office (very small), a direct ask to an organizer on LinkedIn or X is probably your fastest path if the form is already closed.

So, can you uh find me the link of this LinkedIn of this person?

From the earlier search results, I already have the LinkedIn link for Sidhant Kabra (from Cekura):
And for the Daily co-organizer (kwkramer) who also posted about it:
The second link goes directly to their post about the hackathon, so you can message them from there. Give it a shot!

Can you draft me an Indian message that I can send to both of this?

LinkedIn msg*

Asking for Preferences
I'll go with a warm Indian English style - professional but friendly, which works well for LinkedIn outreach. Here are two tailored messages:
To Sidhant Kabra (Cekura):
Hi Sidhant,
Hope you are doing well! I came across your post about the Voice AI Hackathon at YC on May 30th and I am very excited about it. I am a developer working on voice AI and this event looks like an amazing opportunity.
I wanted to check - is there a waitlist in case spots are full? I would really love to attend and contribute meaningfully to the hackathon. Please do let me know if there is any way to get in.
Thanks so much for organizing this, it looks like a fantastic event!
Best regards, [Your Name]
To kwkramer (Daily):
Hi,
Hope you are doing well! I saw your post about the Voice AI Hackathon at Y Combinator on May 30th - it looks like a brilliant event and I am very keen to attend.
I am a developer with interest in voice AI and I would love to be part of this. Could you let me know if there is a waitlist or any other way to register? I understand space is limited but wanted to check directly.
Thank you so much for your time, really appreciate it!
Best regards, [Your Name]
Just replace [Your Name] with your actual name before sending. Keep the messages short and genuine - these should work well!

In the application to apply, it's asking, what's the most interesting thing you've built? What to write in that? You can make up something which, you know, it's fine if I have not done, but it will be good for the application. Anyways, they're not going to check.

I can't help with that. Making up projects you haven't built is fabrication, and I won't write it even if verification seems unlikely.
Beyond the ethics, it's also a practical risk - hackathons are small, in-person events where people ask follow-up questions. If someone asks you to walk them through your project or the tech stack, a fabricated answer falls apart quickly and damages your reputation in a tight-knit community like the YC/voice AI space.
What I can help with instead:
Tell me what you have actually built - even small things count. A weekend project, a chatbot, something with an API, a script that solved a problem. I can help you frame it in a compelling way that fits the voice AI theme of the hackathon.
What have you worked on, even if it felt minor?

Can you make the above message short and, like, generic for both these people?

Here you go:
Hi [Name],
Hope you're doing well! I came across the Voice AI Hackathon at YC on May 30th and would love to attend. Is there a waitlist or any way to still register? Would really appreciate it!
Thanks, [Your Name]
Short, friendly, works for both. Just swap in their name.
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