YCInsight Tools
Free tools for YC applicants.
Every tool is built around a real decision point in the YC application, interview, or fundraising process. No signup required.
Personalised
Startup Matcher
Describe your startup and get matched to the YC databases, answers and tools that fit your stage.
Apply
YC Application Answer Generator
Draft tight, specific answers for every YC application question using the good-answer formula.
Interview
YC Interview Simulator
Practice the 10 questions partners ask with a 60-second timer and instant feedback.
Pitch
YC Pitch Deck Builder
Outline a 10-slide Demo Day deck with word counts and investor-ready structure.
Fundraising
YC SAFE & Valuation Calculator
Model post-money SAFE dilution, the MFN note, and your cap table after YC.
Equity
Co-Founder Equity Split Calculator
Split equity fairly by contribution, then generate a 4-year vesting schedule.
Finance
Startup Runway Calculator
See your zero-cash date based on burn, revenue, and monthly growth.
Finance
Burn Rate Calculator
Gross vs net burn, annualised burn, and how your burn compares to stage benchmarks.
Timeline
YC Batch Deadline Countdown
Live countdown to the next YC batch deadline and key 2026 dates.
Apply
One-Minute Video Script Generator
Generate a 60-second founder video script that fits the YC application format.
Ideas
YC Startup Idea Generator
Spin up a concrete startup idea from any YC Request for Startups category.
Strategy
Lean Canvas Generator
Fill the 9 boxes of a Lean Canvas tailored to an early-stage YC company.
Apply
YC Application Scorecard
Score each application question 1–5 and get a verdict plus improvement plan.
Equity
Cap Table Calculator
Build a startup cap table with founders, option pool and every funding round.
Equity
Startup Dilution Calculator
See what each round does to your ownership — and to the value of your stake.
Strategy
TAM SAM SOM Calculator
Size your market bottom-up and get a paste-ready market paragraph.
Finance
SaaS Metrics Calculator
MRR, ARR, churn, LTV, CAC and burn multiple against YC growth benchmarks.
Equity
Vesting Schedule Calculator
Model 4-year cliff vesting and see vested vs unvested equity month by month.
Equity
Option Pool Calculator
Size your employee pool and see what the pool shuffle costs founders.
Fundraising
Pre-Seed Valuation Calculator
Back into your valuation from raise size and dilution, plus SAFE cap scenarios.
Fundraising
Startup Valuation Calculator
Dilution math and ARR multiples, checked against stage benchmarks.
Research
YC Startup Directory
Search YC companies by batch, year and industry — every entry links to a verified story.
Free database previews
Learn from the sample. Upgrade when you need the full evidence.
Explore the scope, questions, and evidence behind every upcoming paid database. Every preview is free and requires no signup.
Free sample · Core Databases
See When and Why Successful YC Startups Pivoted
500+ YC Companies. One Pivot. One Spreadsheet.
View free preview →Free sample · Core Databases
Learn Why 300+ YC Startups Shut Down
300+ YC Companies That Died. Here's Exactly Why.
View free preview →Free sample · Core Databases
Find the Channels That Won Their First 1,000 Customers
How 300+ YC Companies Got Their First 1000 Customers.
View free preview →Free sample · Core Databases
Compare YC Application Ideas With What Companies Became
What They Applied With vs What They Became.
View free preview →Free sample · Core Databases
See What YC Founders Did Before Starting Up
What 500 YC Founders Did 12 Months Before Founding.
View free preview →Free sample · Batch Packs
Discover the Strongest Ideas and Teams in YC W25
Every W25 Company. Every Founder. One Pack.
View free preview →Free sample · Batch Packs
See Which YC S24 Startups Gained Traction
The S24 Batch. Fully Decoded.
View free preview →Free sample · Batch Packs
Learn What Happened to YC W24 Startups
W24 With Full Hindsight.
View free preview →Free sample · Vertical Packs
Learn What Works in YC Fintech Startups
Every YC Fintech Company. One Pack.
View free preview →Free sample · Vertical Packs
See Which YC AI Startups Won After ChatGPT
Every YC AI Company. Pre and Post ChatGPT.
View free preview →Free sample · Vertical Packs
Learn How YC SaaS Startups Reach Product-Market Fit
300 YC B2B SaaS Companies. The GTM Playbook.
View free preview →Free sample · Vertical Packs
Learn How YC Consumer Apps Grow and Retain Users
150 YC Consumer Apps. Viral, Retention, Monetization.
View free preview →Free sample · Vertical Packs
Learn How Indian Founders Navigate YC and Fundraising
Every Indian Founder In YC History.
View free preview →Free sample · Vertical Packs
Learn How YC Health Startups Win Hospitals and Approval
100 YC Health Companies. FDA, Hospitals, GTM.
View free preview →Free sample · Vertical Packs
See What Makes YC Edtech Startups Survive
YC Edtech: Before, During, and After COVID.
View free preview →Free sample · Playbooks
Get Your First 1,000 B2B SaaS Customers
50 YC B2B Companies. Week By Week.
View free preview →Free sample · Playbooks
Get Your First 1,000 Consumer App Users
50 YC Consumer Companies. The Tipping Point.
View free preview →Free sample · Playbooks
Recognize Product-Market Fit in Fintech
30 YC Fintech Founders. The PMF Metric.
View free preview →Free sample · Playbooks
Reach $1M ARR Without Paid Ads
40 YC B2B Companies. $1M ARR. Zero Ad Spend.
View free preview →Free sample · Playbooks
Grow a Consumer Startup Without Paid Ads
40 YC Consumer Companies That Went Viral Free.
View free preview →Free sample · Playbooks
Learn When an AI Pivot Works—and When It Fails
50 Companies That Pivoted Into or Away From AI.
View free preview →Free sample · Deep Reports
Learn How YC Unicorns Survived the Years to $1B
20 YC Unicorns. The Series A to $1B Years.
View free preview →Free sample · Deep Reports
Spot the Warning Signs That Kill Former Unicorns
YC Companies That Hit $500M+ Then Collapsed.
View free preview →Free sample · Deep Reports
Understand When an Acqui-hire Is a Good Outcome
50 YC Companies Acquired For Their Team.
View free preview →Free sample · Deep Reports
See the Milestones That Took YC Startups to IPO
Every YC IPO. Batch Day to Bell.
View free preview →Free sample · Founder Files
Prevent Founder Burnout Before It Breaks the Company
40 Founder Mental Health Stories.
View free preview →Free sample · Founder Files
Handle a Cofounder Split Without Losing the Company
30 Documented YC Co-founder Splits.
View free preview →Free sample · Founder Files
Learn How YC Founders Survived Their Lowest Point
35 YC Founders On Their Lowest Moment.
View free preview →Free sample · Founder Files
Protect Your Relationship While Building a Startup
25 YC Founders On Relationships Under Pressure.
View free preview →Free sample · Deep Reports
Learn How YC Founders Closed Their Funding Rounds
50 YC Companies. Real Numbers. Real Stories.
View free preview →Free sample · Annual Reports
See Which YC 2024 Bets Worked—and Which Failed
The Annual Report YC Never Publishes.
View free preview →Free sample · Annual Reports
Learn From YC’s 2023 Winners and Misses
2023 With The Hindsight 2024 Provides.
View free preview →Free sample · Annual Reports
Learn What Worked for Indian YC Founders in 2024
Built Specifically For Indian Founders.
View free preview →Free sample · Master Playbooks
Grow From Zero to Your First $1M in Revenue
First 1000 + PMF + First $1M ARR. One Doc.
View free preview →Free sample · Master Playbooks
Raise From Seed to Series A With Proven YC Lessons
Seed to Series A. Real Founder Stories.
View free preview →Free sample · Master Playbooks
Survive Burnout, Cofounder Conflict, and Runway Crises
Burnout + Co-founder + Runway + Almost Quit.
View free preview →Free sample · Deep Reports
See When YC Actually Improves Startup Outcomes
50 Matched Pairs. The Honest Comparison.
View free preview →Free sample · Deep Reports
Find Which YC Batches Produced the Most Unicorns
Which Batches Produced The Most Unicorns. Why.
View free preview →Free sample · Deep Reports
See How Solo YC Founders Replace a Cofounder
Every Solo Founder In YC History.
View free preview →Free sample · Deep Reports
Learn What Second-Time Founders Do Differently
40 Founders On Their Second Company.
View free preview →Free sample · Subscription
Get the Latest YC Startup Trends Every Month
5 Deep Dives. 1 Database Update. Every Month.
View free preview →Keep reading
Questions
YC Application Questions →
Every question on the YC application, what reviewers want, and good vs bad answers.
Interview
YC Interview Questions →
The 10 questions partners ask, and what each one is really testing.
Deep dive
The YC SAFE, Explained →
Post-money SAFE mechanics, cap tables, and what founders actually sign.
Ideas
YC Request for Startups →
All 15 RFS ideas YC actively wants funded in 2026.
New here? Start on the YCInsight homepage — every YC database, founder story and Q&A in one place. Or jump straight to the free YC databases.