Free online courseStartup School: How to Build, Launch, and Fund a Startup

Course Description

Startup School: How to Build, Launch, and Fund a Startup is a free online course in Entrepreneurship within Business and Marketing, created by Y Combinator to help founders move from idea to a real, growing company. It brings together practical guidance on choosing a problem, validating demand, and turning early insights into a product people want.

You will learn how successful startups think about product market fit, how to build and iterate quickly, and how to measure progress with the right metrics. The course also explores user acquisition and growth strategies, positioning and storytelling, and how design and content can support traction from the earliest stages.

On the company-building side, it covers essential operating topics such as selling, hiring and organizing an engineering team, and running day-to-day execution as the company scales. You will also get exposure to specialized perspectives including hard tech, biotech, and crypto, helping you understand how foundational startup principles adapt across industries.

Fundraising is addressed in a clear, founder-friendly way, including how investor conversations work, what to expect in meetings, and how common financing instruments function. Legal and structural basics are included to help you avoid early mistakes and make informed decisions as you form and grow the business.

This course is a strong fit for first-time founders, builders, and small teams who want a structured overview of startup fundamentals, with actionable lessons you can apply immediately to launching, finding traction, and preparing to raise capital.