Garry Tan in fireside chat with Anastasia Ntracha at Stanford University

SIER Distinguished Lectureship 2026 - Garry Tan

In this candid fireside chat, Y Combinator President & CEO Garry Tan shares how self-reflection, resilience, and well-being habits lead to better decisions and more successful startups.

Featuring

Garry Tan

Garry Tan
President & CEO
Y Combinator

Anastasia Ntracha

Anastasia Ntracha (Moderator)
SIER Co-Lead
Stanford Biodesign

Video

The views expressed by speakers are their own and do not represent Stanford University. If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support, visit our mental health resources page.

The second annual SIER Distinguished Lectureship featured Stanford alum Garry Tan (Y Combinator) in conversation with Anastasia Ntracha (Stanford Biodesign). Tan is President & CEO of Y Combinator, which he rejoined after founding the venture fund Initialized Capital. Before that, he co-founded Posterous (acquired by Twitter) and was an early employee at Palantir.

Dr. Lloyd B. Minor, Garry Tan, and Anastasia Ntracha pose on a terrace.
From left: Dr. Lloyd B. Minor, Garry Tan, and Anastasia Ntracha
Dr. Alan Yeung speaking at a podium
Dr. Alan Yeung gave the welcome at the second annual SIER Distinguished Lectureship.
Dr. Lloyd B. Minor at a podium
Dr. Lloyd B. Minor, dean of the Stanford School of Medicine, introduced Garry Tan.
Anastasia Ntracha conducting the fireside chat with Garry Tan
Anastasia Ntracha, SIER co-lead for Stanford Biodesign, moderated the conversation with Garry Tan.
Ashlea Wallington presenting a plaque to Garry Tan as Anastasia Ntracha looks on.
Ashlea Wallington, executive director of STVP, thanked Garry Tan and presented him with a plaque acknowledging his lectureship.
Douglas Rait
Douglas Rait, director of team learning and design, Stanford Biodesign
Professor Tom Byers and Dr. Alan Yeung
Professor and STVP Faculty Director Tom Byers (left) and Dr. Alan Yeung
Andréas Ward
Andréas Ward, SIER co-lead for Stanford Biodesign
Chloe Yeung
Chloe Yeung, SIER program coordinator
Students in audience
STVP Mayfield Fellows
Audience members
The event drew a full house to the Mackenzie Room at Stanford's Jen-Hsun Huang Engineering Center.
Ashlea Wallington, Anastasia Ntracha, and Garry Tan pose with a plaque
From left: Ashlea Wallington, Anastasia Ntracha, and Garry Tan