We help founders make something people want. The Y Combinator Podcast is where builders talk about building. From the earliest days of an idea to scaling a company that changes the world, YC partners and founders share real stories, lessons, and tactics from the frontlines.
This episode explores the underrepresentation of designers as startup founders and how designers can leverage their skills to build successful companies. Against this backdrop, the interview features Raphael Schaad, founder of Cron (later Notion Calendar), who transitioned from designer to founder. More significantly...
This episode explores the journey of Tony Xu, founder of DoorDash, from its inception to becoming a market leader in food delivery. Against the backdrop of initial project failures, the pivotal moment arrived when observing a macaroon store owner's unmet delivery demand, revealing a significant market opportunity. Mo...
This podcast features an interview with Josh Reeves, co-founder and CEO of Gusto, a payroll and HR software company. The conversation traces Gusto's journey from its initial, unsuccessful idea (an expert advice platform) to its pivot to payroll software, highlighting the challenges and decisions involved in this proce...
This podcast features an interview with Dylan Field, Figma's co-founder and CEO, discussing the impact of AI on design and the evolution of Figma. The conversation covers AI's current role as a design tool, the importance of human agency and judgment in design, and the future of design interfaces. Field shares Figma's...
This podcast interviews Aravind Srinivas, co-founder and CEO of Perplexity AI, a search engine valued at over $9 billion. The conversation traces Srinivas's journey from AI research to founding Perplexity, highlighting key decisions like focusing on a "dumb" approach leveraging improving LLMs and prioritizing user exp...
This podcast features an interview with Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic, focusing on the development of supersonic passenger air travel. The conversation covers the history of supersonic flight, Scholl's journey from a software engineer to aerospace entrepreneur, and the technological and economic cha...
This podcast episode discusses startup finances, focusing on how founders should approach spending money at different stages of company growth (pre-seed, seed, Series A, and beyond). The panelists advise against unnecessary spending before achieving product-market fit, emphasizing that early-stage funds should primari...
This interview podcast features Bob McGrew, formerly Chief Research Officer at OpenAI, discussing the evolution of AI, particularly large language models (LLMs). The conversation begins with McGrew's background and early work at OpenAI, focusing on projects like teaching a robot to solve a Rubik's Cube and OpenAI's ap...
This panel discussion on the Y Combinator podcast "Office Hours" centers on how startups can leverage the current AI boom. The hosts and guests, experienced investors, discuss the strategic use of LLMs in startups, emphasizing that simply incorporating AI isn't enough; foundational elements like customer value and ma...
In this podcast, Parker Conrad, the founder of Rippling, shares his entrepreneurial journey, reflecting on his early days in computer repair, the founding of SIGFIG, and the swift rise and fall of Zenefits. He discusses his strategic, product-driven approach with Rippling and highlights the significance of creating a "...
In this podcast, Rujul Zaparde, a seasoned entrepreneur and two-time founder, shares his insights from his entrepreneurial journey. He kicks off the conversation with an overview of Zip, his current success in the procurement software industry, which boasts 350 employees, $370 million in funding, and a valuation of $2....
David Lieb's journey from creating the unsuccessful app Bump to developing Google Photos illustrates the unpredictable nature of building meaningful products. He stresses the vital role of user feedback, the necessity of iterative development, and the importance of persistence in overcoming challenges. His personal bat...
This podcast explores how to launch a developer tools company. The speaker, a partner at Y Combinator and former CEO of Algolia, highlights the significance of having a developer-focused founding team. He advocates for quickly iterating on a minimum viable product (MVP) based on user feedback and employing a smart go-t...
In this podcast episode, the hosts delve into the transformation of X (formerly Twitter) under new ownership, particularly the shift from a chronological feed to an algorithm-driven one that emphasizes engagement over user satisfaction. They explore how the relentless chase for engagement metrics, such as dwell time, h...
Sam Altman explores the current tech landscape, pointing out the unique opportunities for startups arising from rapid AI advancements. He stresses the need for strong conviction and focus when chasing ambitious goals, even amid doubt. Drawing from his journey with OpenAI, Altman recounts the initial hurdles and key bre...
In this episode of Y Combinator's Office Hours, the discussion centers on the key traits and paths of successful startups. Surprisingly, even well-known companies like Airbnb and Stripe started off with uncertainty and faced numerous challenges, including product failures and the need for constant adjustments. The pane...
In this podcast, Katie Dill, Stripe's Head of Design, shares insights on how design plays a vital role in the success of companies like Airbnb, Lyft, and Stripe. She stresses that focusing on user needs and paying attention to even the smallest details fosters trust and confidence, which in turn enhances the product an...
This podcast explores the vital role of co-founders in startups, highlighting that achieving success alone is extremely challenging. The speaker outlines three main reasons why finding the right co-founder is essential: they can share the workload and enhance the quality of work through their complementary skills, prov...
In this podcast episode, the focus is on crafting cold emails that actually convert. The speaker highlights the value of warm introductions but also shares effective strategies for reaching out cold. Key points include mapping out a conversion funnel to determine the right email volume, enhancing targeting to boost ope...
In this podcast episode, the focus is on cohort retention as the most effective way to gauge whether a startup has created a product that resonates with users. The speaker, a partner at Y Combinator, explains how to measure cohort retention by tracking groups of new users over time. This involves defining cohorts based...
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