Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 6 days ago

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At Together Toronto, Myra Arshad, Co-Founder & CEO of ALT TEX (YC S22), opens her talk with a bold statement: “Why you shouldn’t apply to Y Combinator.”

From there, she unpacks what YC is really like, who it is (and is not) for, and how she navigated building a sustainability-first fashion startup inside one of the world’s most competitive accelerators. Myra shares honest insights on founder readiness, trade-offs, and what it takes to scale a mission-driven company without losing focus.

This talk is a must-watch for founders considering YC, especially those building climate, fashion, or impact-driven startups.

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