
YC Demo Day: What Happens Off-Stage
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Founders closing rounds before lunch. Investors making handshake commitments in the hallway. A startup with $9M+ ARR and another with $15M ARR lighting up the room. YC Demo Day isn’t a show; it’s a marketplace where speed and execution decide everything.
In this fast, founder-first debrief, we break down what actually happened at the latest YC Demo Day: the subtle format changes (that matter), why the one-minute pitch is only the opener, and how deals really get done. We cover the batch’s AI/devtools tilt, the contrarian bets in defense and hardware, and why early traction remains the single best predictor at seed. We also unpack portfolio construction, conversion-rate dynamics inside YC, and what support looks like after the cameras stop.
You’ll learn:
- The real Demo Day mechanics: tranches, chat apps, long breaks for dealmaking
- Why some hot rounds are already full and what to do about it
- How to win YC deals: first-meeting decisions, 24–48h timelines, and prep work
- The $9M+ ARR investment we made—and why traction beats narrative
- Why we’re now backing deeptech/hardware (missiles vs drones, autonomous excavators)
- Portfolio strategy: aiming for the fund returner, not spray-and-pray
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Demo Day Overview
00:15 Behind the Scenes of Demo Day
01:03 Changes and Improvements at YC Demo Day
03:11 Investor Insights and Strategies
04:23 Engaging with YC Startups
06:35 The Importance of Early Traction
09:49 Demo Day Pitch Dynamics
13:42 Fundraising Conversations and Strategies
18:07 Lobster Capital's Investment Approach
21:54 Portfolio Construction and Future Prospects
27:02 AI and Dev Tools: A Crowded Space
27:39 Challenges in Identifying Winners
28:48 Customer Acquisition: The Key to Success
29:57 The Importance of Traction
33:32 Investing in Deep Tech and Hardware
39:24 Evaluating Flywheel's Potential
45:46 Supporting Startups Post-Demo Day
50:09 Looking Ahead: The Never-Ending Cycle
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