128 YC Hard Tech Startups

128 Y Combinator companies carry the Hard Tech tag in YC's own directory, across every batch since 2005. Each row shows what the company does, its batch, HQ and status, and links to its YC application reconstructed in the real form, so a founder building a Hard Tech startup can read how accepted companies answered the same questions.

Companies
128
Top industries
Industrials, B2B and Healthcare
Top locations
San Francisco, London and Los Angeles
YC top companies
1
128 reconstructed applications

Read the YC application of all 128 companies

  • Every company's YC application, reconstructed in the real form
  • Filter every batch by industry, country and team size
  • Then find the investors who fund startups like yours

The first 100 companies, top companies first

1
Proxy
ProxyTopSmart ring digital wallet
Summer 2016San Francisco, CAAcquired
5
Aerogen Systems
Aerogen SystemsModernizing Chip Manufacturing Infrastructure
Summer 2026Ann Arbor, MIActive
7
Airthium
AirthiumDecarbonized heat and power cheaper than fossil fuels
Summer 2017Paris, ĂŽle-de-France, FranceActive
8
Alba Orbital
Alba OrbitalWe make satellites to image everywhere on Earth, every 15 minutes
Winter 2021Glasgow, Scotland, United KingdomActive
9
Albedo
AlbedoFull-stack VLEO satellite missions
Winter 2021Denver, COActive
10
Andromeda Surgical
Andromeda SurgicalAutonomous surgical robots
Summer 2023San Francisco, CAActive

That is 10 of 128.

Every company below has its YC application reconstructed in YC Insights. Create a free account to read them all.

Read all 128 applications
11
Andson Biotech
Andson BiotechEmpowering Mass Spec for Biotech and Beyond
Winter 2022Atlanta, GAActive
13
Ardis AI
Ardis AITransform your text data into a searchable knowledge graph
Winter 2020Mountain View, CAInactive
15
AstroForge
AstroForgeWe Mine Asteroids
Winter 2022Los Angeles, CAActive
16
Atomarine
AtomarineFloating nuclear powered data centers at sea.
Summer 2026San Francisco, CAActive
19
Atum Works
Atum WorksGigascale Nanomanufacturing
Spring 2025San Francisco, CAActive
21
AutoPallet Robotics
AutoPallet RoboticsWe make robots that move boxes in warehouses
Summer 2024San Francisco, CAActive
22
Avea Robotics
Avea RoboticsTeleoperate your robots from anywhere in the world
Spring 2026San Francisco, CAActive
23
Baud
BaudAI chips for ultra-fast training and inference
Summer 2026San Francisco, CAActive
24
Baud Labs
Baud Labssomething new
Summer 2023New York, NYActive
25
Biocartesian
BiocartesianConverting biology into digital molecular maps
Summer 2024San Francisco, CAActive
27
Cactus
CactusLow-latency AI engine for mobile devices & wearables
Summer 2025San Francisco, CAActive
29
Cascade Space
Cascade SpaceDeep space communications as a service
Spring 2025San Francisco, CAActive
30
CircuitHub
CircuitHubOn-Demand Electronics Manufacturing
Winter 2012London, England, United KingdomActive
33
Cosmic Robotics
Cosmic RoboticsAutonomous construction on Earth and beyond
Summer 2026San Francisco, CAActive
34
Daqstra
DaqstraAI-native test infrastructure layer for hardware companies
Summer 2026San Francisco, CAActive
37
Dipole Labs
Dipole LabsAI-controlled optical switching for AI clusters
Summer 2026Boston, MAActive
38
Edgerun
EdgerunMilitary exoskeletons
Summer 2026San Francisco, CAActive
39
Ekho Labs
Ekho LabsWorld Model for Freight
Summer 2026New York City, NYActive
40
Elodin
ElodinUnified flight software and hardware for the mission of tomorrow
Winter 2024San Francisco, CAActive
41
Enlightra
EnlightraMulticolor lasers for ultrafast data transmission
Winter 2022Ecublens, VD, SwitzerlandActive
42
EPIC AEROSPACE
EPIC AEROSPACELast-mile delivery for satellites.
Summer 2019Buenos Aires, CABA, ArgentinaActive
44
Flux Auto
Flux AutoGeneral Autonomy for Controlled Spaces
Winter 2021Bengaluru, IndiaActive
45
Forge Automation
Forge AutomationSoftware Enabled CNC Parts Supplier
Winter 2025Toronto, ON, CanadaActive
46
Frontier Computing
Frontier ComputingFrontier grows scalable biological brains as an ML training substrate
Summer 2026London, England, United KingdomActive
48
General Aviation
General AviationFix ATC by connecting aircraft to the internet
Spring 2026New York City, NYActive
49
Godela
GodelaAI Physics Engine to replace simulations and prototypes
Spring 2025San Francisco, CAActive
50
Greywing
GreywingThe Operating System for Maritime
Winter 2021Singapore, SingaporeActive
52
Helion Energy
Helion EnergyBuilding the world's first fusion power plant
Summer 2014Seattle, WAActive
53
Hemlock
HemlockForce-sensing wristband for training robotic AI
Fall 2026San Francisco, CAActive
55
Hubble Network
Hubble NetworkBluetooth to Space
Winter 2022Seattle, WAActive
58
Induction Labs
Induction LabsBuilding intellectually curious AI
Summer 2026San Francisco, CAActive
59
Industrial Next
Industrial NextTesla autonomous manufacturing for everyone
Winter 2022San Francisco, CAActive
60
InLoop Robotics
InLoop RoboticsStaff your warehouse with robotic employees today
Spring 2026San Francisco, CAActive
61
Integrated Reasoning
Integrated ReasoningFaster processors for solving NP-complete problems
Summer 2022San Francisco, CAActive
62
Inversion Space
Inversion SpaceTurning space into a transportation layer for Earth
Summer 2021Los Angeles, CAActive
63
Kilobaser
KilobaserDesktop DNA Printer. The Nespresso Machine for DNA.
Winter 2021Graz, Styria, AustriaActive
66
Lightberry
LightberryThe social brain for robots.
Fall 2025San Francisco, CAActive
67
Luminate
LuminateWe make cancer care at home possible.
Summer 2021Galway, County Galway, IrelandActive
68
Lumius
LumiusFast, smart, accessible 3D ultrasound for everyone
Spring 2026Durham, NCActive
69
Maquoketa Research
Maquoketa ResearchThe intelligence layer for drones
Spring 2026San Francisco, CAActive
70
Maritime Fusion
Maritime FusionFusion reactors for ships
Winter 2025San Francisco, CAActive
71
Mass Magnetics
Mass MagneticsUSA-made magnetics for robotics and defense.
Summer 2026Boston, MAActive
73
Meticulous
MeticulousAutomated e2e screenshot testing without writing or maintaining tests
Summer 2021London, England, United KingdomActive
74
Micro Meat
Micro MeatTechnologies for scaling up cultured/clean meat production
Summer 2021Monterrey, N.L., MexicoInactive
75
Moving Atoms
Moving AtomsWorld Models (Virtual Reality) for training robots
Summer 2026San Francisco, CAActive
76
Ndea
NdeaBuilding AGI that can innovate.
Winter 2026RemoteActive
78
NetworkOcean
NetworkOceanWe build and operate underwater data centers.
Summer 2024San Francisco, CAActive
79
Neuromorphic
NeuromorphicBuilding robots to automate wetlabs
Summer 2026San Francisco, CAActive
80
Nori
NoriThe most capable American-made humanoid robot for $1,688
Summer 2026San Francisco, CAActive
81
Observant AI
Observant AIiPhone-based driver monitoring for commercial fleets.
Winter 2018San Francisco, CAActive
83
Optifye.ai
Optifye.aiAI performance monitoring for factory workers
Winter 2025San Francisco, CAActive
84
Ornadyne
OrnadyneWe're building robot birds for surveillance.
Spring 2026Los Angeles, CAActive
85
Palitronica Inc
Palitronica IncDetect cyber attacks on critical physical infrastructure
Winter 2022Kitchener, ON, CanadaActive
86
Photonium
PhotoniumAI-Powered Optical Consulting & Software
Spring 2025New York City, NYActive
87
Polymath Robotics
Polymath RoboticsGeneral Autonomy for Industrial Vehicles
Summer 2022San Francisco, CAActive
88
Potion
PotionAI for product formulation
Summer 2021San Francisco, CAActive
89
PowerMatrix
PowerMatrixEfficient and compact power supply for AI hardware
Spring 2025London, United KingdomActive
90
Praxis Robotics
Praxis RoboticsTurns real businesses into robotics data vendors
Summer 2026San Francisco, CAActive
91
Reditus Space
Reditus SpaceReusable Satellites for zero-g manufacturing
Winter 2025Atlanta, GAActive
92
rex.fit
rex.fitAutomating nutrition tracking.
Winter 2023San Francisco, CAActive
94
Robocurve
RobocurveEvals for robots
Summer 2026San Francisco, CAActive
97
Seabound
SeaboundCarbon capture equipment for ships
Winter 2022London, England, United KingdomActive
98
Sensei
SenseiRobotic Training Data at Scale
Summer 2024San Francisco, CAActive
100
Silver
SilverLow cost consumer device for toxin detection.
Winter 2016Cupertino, CAInactive

The other 28 companies

Every remaining company in this list, A to Z. Each link opens the company's public page.

Applying to YC? Study these applications first.

YC Insights holds the reconstructed application of every company on this page, filterable by batch, industry and country, next to 60,000+ investors who fund startups like yours.

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About this list

This list is part of Round Funded, an investor database and outreach platform for founders. It covers 60,000+ active VCs, angels, family offices and accelerators with verified contacts, lets you send pitches from your own Gmail, and includes a free Data Room for your raise. How this data is built.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Y Combinator companies are in tagged Hard Tech?

This directory lists 128 YC companies in tagged Hard Tech, out of 6,207 across every batch since 2005. The count updates when the directory is refreshed, and every one of them is on this page with a link to its public profile.

Are the YC applications on these pages real?

No. YC keeps submitted applications private. Every application linked from this list is a reconstruction: the real YC form questions, answered from the company's public data. The Company section is free on each page; the rest opens in YC Insights.

Which companies on this page are best known?

Proxy lead the table above. YC marks 1 of the 128 companies here as top companies, its own list of the highest-valued and highest-revenue alumni.

How do I use this list when applying to YC?

Pick five companies on this page whose product is closest to yours, read their reconstructed applications side by side in YC Insights, and note how each answers the same question. Then write your own answers to that standard.

Where does this data come from?

From YC's public company directory, refreshed by batch, with each company's status, industry and location as YC reports them. Round Funded adds the reconstructed application and the founder profiles; nothing private is published.

What is Round Funded?

Round Funded is an investor database and outreach platform for startup founders. It lists 60,000+ active investors with verified contacts, filtered to recent investment activity, and lets founders send personalized pitches from their own Gmail, track replies, and share a free Data Room. Round+ starts at $99 per month with a 3-day trial.