See here http://ycombinator.com/apply.html Why not Winter 2011? Because the batch will start in December 2011 I would have thought it should be called winter 2011 funding? If I had applied to grad school this year, I would be joining in Fall 2011 and not Fall 2012, right? Is this a cultural thing with the US or is there any specific reason why its called Winter 2012? Have previous funding rounds been named similarly? Surely, you don't believe the world is going to end in Winter 2012 to move Winter 2012 a year earlier!