The final stretch of the 30 Days 100 Demos challenge brought surprises and fresh perspectives. This week's presentations ranged from AI-powered health companions to platforms democratizing algorithmic trading, each demonstrating unique approaches to solving complex problems.
Let’s goooooooooo…….
1. Korgi
Market: Productivity Tools, Project Management
Mission: To be A home base for your work and life
My PoV: Korgi is streamlining workflow management by creating a centralized hub that leverages the familiarity and ubiquity of Google Workspace.
Demo Superstar: DMA Anderson
Why this demo was awesome:
- Deep Google Workspace integration: Leverages existing tools that many businesses already use
- Versatile functionality: Combines task management, note-taking, and project planning in one interface
- Customizable templates: Offers pre-built boards for various industries and use cases
- Export capabilities: Allows easy conversion of boards into other formats like Google Docs or Slides
2. Octo
Market: HR Tech, Recruitment
Mission: To unleash talent acquisition potential
My PoV: Octo is tackling significant pain points in the hiring process by streamlining pre-screening while also focusing on improving candidate experience and providing actionable feedback.
Demo Superstar: C Guz
Why this demo was awesome:
- Data-driven approach: Built on insights from studying candidate experience for seven years
- Dual focus: Aims to improve efficiency for recruiters while also enhancing the experience for candidates
- Innovative features: Provides personalized, actionable feedback to candidates after interviews
- Compliance-aware: Incorporates location-specific compliance checks to prevent illegal or unethical questions
3. SuperNova
Market: Health Tech, Mental Health
Mission: To help people take control of their health journey and break free from the cycle of overwhelm and isolation
My PoV: SuperNova is addressing a critical need in chronic condition management by offering personalized, AI-driven support that acts as a gentle caregiver, potentially improving quality of life for millions.
Demo Superstar: Aditi Joshi
Why this demo was awesome:
- Personal experience-driven: Founded from Aditi's own struggles with fibromyalgia, bringing deep empathy and understanding to the product
- Innovative approach: Uses AI to provide gentle nudges and personalized support, acting as a virtual caregiver
- User-centric design: Focuses on making condition management less overwhelming through small, actionable steps
- Potential for broad impact: Addresses a widespread need for better chronic condition management tools
4. Sharksigma (by Invsto)
Market: Algorithmic Trading, Retail Investing
Mission: To build a platform for retail investors to create and execute trading strategies across various asset classes and markets.
My PoV: Sharksigma is democratizing algorithmic trading by providing a user-friendly platform that allows retail investors to build, test, and deploy sophisticated trading strategies without extensive coding or financial expertise.
Demo Superstar: Sarang Ananda Rao
Why this demo was awesome:
- Versatile platform: Supports multiple asset classes (equities, crypto, forex) and markets (currently focusing on US and India)
- Developer-friendly: Provides a coding environment similar to popular IDEs, with plans to add a GUI-based strategy builder in the future
- Simulation capabilities: Offers paper trading and backtesting features to test strategies before live deployment
- Scalability: Allows running strategies on multiple instruments simultaneously, potentially across entire exchanges
From the YCombinator archives
5. Career Karma
Market: Job training and career transition services, focusing on coding bootcamps
Mission: To help job training programs find qualified applicants, starting with coding bootcamps
My PoV: Career Karma is addressing a crucial need in the rapidly evolving job market by connecting career switchers with appropriate training programs, particularly in the tech industry
YC Demo Day Superstar: Ruben Harris
Why this demo was awesome:
- Clear problem-solution fit: Addressing the needs of 375 million workers expected to switch careers by 2030 due to automation
- Strong early traction: Placed over 150 people in job training programs in six months
- Promising revenue model: Earning $1,000 per placement, with $13,000 monthly revenue in February
- Massive market potential: Targeting a $16 billion market by working with all job training programs in the US
6. Dripos
Market: Fintech, SaaS
Mission: To be the only piece of software a coffee shop needs to run their business, offering point of sale, employee scheduling, mobile ordering, and more to the 100,000 cafes in the United States.
My PoV: Dripos is streamlining operations for coffee shops by providing an all-in-one software solution that covers every aspect of running their business.
YC Demo Day Superstar: Jack Pawlik
Why this demo was awesome:
- Rapid GMV growth: Increased from $10,000 to $600,000 per month within just two months (June to August)
- Profitability: Achieved profitability in an industry hit hard by COVID
- Proven market fit: Sold to both the highest volume coffee and pizza chains in the same city
- Significant revenue potential: Can net 2.5% of processed funds, representing a $6B opportunity
7. Alinea
Market: Artificial Intelligence, Education, Fintech, Social
Mission: To provide automated investing for the next generation, offering a team of investment experts in an app designed for new investors.
My PoV: Alinea is empowering Gen Z to invest responsibly in the stock market by providing transparency on companies' financials and ESG values.
YC Demo Day Superstar: Eve Halimi
Why this demo was awesome:
- Rapid development: Designed, built, and launched a Robinhood competitor on the App Store in less than 8 weeks
- Unique value proposition: First to provide full transparency on companies' financial, environmental, social, and workplace values
- Significant market potential: Targeting 86 million Gen Zs in the US, representing a $10B+ opportunity
- Experienced team: Founders from Citi, Credit Karma, and Contentsquare who are also their own target customers
8. Telmai
Market: Analytics, AI, ML
Mission: To provide automated data observability and quality monitoring for data lakes, ensuring high-quality data pipelines by detecting anomalies at the record level in real-time.
My PoV: Telmai helps data owners quickly identify and investigate data quality issues, bringing together data, business, and technology teams to achieve high-quality data.
YC Demo Day Superstar: Mona Rakibe
Why this demo was awesome:
- Rapid issue detection: Pilot customers identified data quality issues across millions of records within minutes instead of hours or days
- Strong early traction: Launched in June with 3 pilot customers, one committing to a $120K annual contract
- Experienced founders: Max has a PhD in databases and was director of engineering at Signal Effects and Refinitiv, while Mona was director of product management at Reltio
- Significant market opportunity: Targeting a $19B market in data quality monitoring
9. Novatr
Market: Education, eLearning
Mission: To offer online cohort-based courses for architects, engineers, and designers in the AEC industry to advance their professional growth.
My PoV: Novatr is addressing the growing demand for skilled designers by providing high-quality, project-based online courses that lead to job placements.
YC Demo Day Superstar: Harkunwar Singh
Why this demo was awesome:
- Rapid growth: Achieved $35,000 in monthly revenue within 6 months of launch, growing at 42% month-on-month
- Global reach: Serving paying customers from 27 countries with an average course ticket price of $900
- Significant market opportunity: Targeting a $10B market with a 21% year-on-year growth in demand for designers since 2015
- Industry-leading instructors: Courses delivered by professionals from global firms like Autodesk, BIG, Google, UNStudio, and AECOM
10. Queenly
Market: Marketplace, Sustainable Fashion, E-commerce
Mission: To be the leading online marketplace for the formalwear industry, empowering women to feel confidently beautiful by providing cutting-edge technology, seamless logistics, and unique expertise.
My PoV: Queenly is revolutionizing the formalwear industry by offering a comprehensive marketplace and search engine for dresses, catering to women of all ages and sizes.
YC Demo Day Superstar: Trisha Bantigue Tsao
Why this demo was awesome:
- Impressive inventory: Dress inventory worth $10M, surpassing that of Macy's and Rent the Runway
- Strong financial performance: On track for $97,000 in GMV for March, growing 83% month-over-month, and already profitable
- Significant market opportunity: Targeting a $13B market with 100 million women in the US needing a dress at least twice a year
- Experienced founders: Strong female founders from Uber and Pinterest, with the CTO building web, iOS, Android, and ML pipeline
11. Asher Bio
Market: Biotech
Mission: To develop precisely targeted immunotherapies for cancer and other diseases, enabling selective activation of specific immune cell types while addressing the limitations of pleiotropic immunotherapies.
My PoV: Asher Bio is developing highly selective immunotherapies that activate the right immune cells to fight cancer without severe side effects.
YC Demo Day Superstar: Ivana Djuretic and Andy Yeung
Why this demo was awesome:
- Groundbreaking selectivity: Built drugs over 1,000 times more selective for the correct immune cells than state-of-the-art drugs in just three months
- Impressive preclinical results: One of their earliest drugs outperformed a state-of-the-art drug in treating one of the hardest-to-treat cancers in mice, with no side effects observed
- Experienced team: Co-founders were directors at Pfizer, leading a group at the forefront of this research, and have already attracted five former team members to join Asher Bio
- Accelerated development: Went from ideas on paper to working drugs in just three months, demonstrating their ability to develop life-saving drugs faster than the glacial pace of Big Pharma
12. inFeedo
Market: Generative AI, SaaS, HR Tech, Enterprise Software, AI
Mission: To make 100 million employees heard and valued by helping engage employees, predict attrition, and answer FAQs with conversational AI that people love.
My PoV: inFeedo AI's Amber bot empowers HR teams to uncover hidden gaps in their culture, managers, and employee experience by chatting with employees at the right moments.
YC Demo Day Superstar: Tanmaya Jain
Why this demo was awesome:
- Impressive customer base: 46 large enterprise customers, including TATA, GE, Puma, and Coca-Cola, with 26 to 60,000 employees using the product every year
- Strong financials: Scaled to $1.6M ARR while remaining cash flow positive, having raised only $100K to date
- Significant market opportunity: Targeting a $1.3B market with 26,000 companies in APAC, charging $50,000 per year for their HR software suite
- Founder's journey: Started inFeedo straight out of college and overcame the challenge of having only one HR person for every 300 employees
13. Nebullam (Clayton Farms)
Market: Vertical Farming, AgTech
Mission: Provide people with the food they deserve by building farm+restaurants to serve the world's freshest salads, wraps, and smoothies.
My PoV: Nebullam is revolutionizing indoor farming by developing more efficient and cost-effective equipment, potentially transforming the future of food production.
YC Demo Day Superstar: Clayton Mooney
Why this demo was awesome:
- Faster payback: Reduced breakeven time from industry average of 7 years to just 3 years
- Strong early traction: Established LOIs for over $2 million in ARR at the time of presentation
- Significant market opportunity: Targeting a $15 billion market with over 40,000 indoor farms in the US
- Experienced team: Founders combine farming background with robotics and plant biology expertise
14. Rosebud Biosciences
Market: AI-Powered Drug Discovery, Biotech, Pediatrics
Mission: To accelerate drug development by screening drugs against micro-organs (organoids) that have the same gene mutations as patients, focusing on rare and pediatric diseases with no existing treatments.
My PoV: Rosebud Biosciences is pioneering a novel approach to drug discovery that could lead to breakthroughs in treating previously untreatable diseases, especially in pediatrics.
YC Demo Day Superstar: Kitch Wilson
Why this demo was awesome:
- Innovative technology: Using micro-organs with patient-specific gene mutations for drug screening
- Strong early traction: Over a million dollars in LOIs across 33 pharma partners at the time of presentation
- Unique capabilities: Discovered a new target for a pediatric heart disease that couldn't be found using traditional methods
- Experienced founders: Team includes an MD/PhD physician-scientist from Stanford and a PhD in Biophysics from Berkeley
15. Mono
Market: Fintech, Neobank, SME Banking
Mission: To provide a digital bank account that integrates LatAm SMEs' finances and operations, allowing business owners to manage everything in one place.
My PoV: Mono is streamlining banking and operational processes for small and medium enterprises in Latin America, potentially saving significant time and resources for business owners.
YC Demo Day Superstar: Solomon Zarruk Valencia
Why this demo was awesome:
- Rapid onboarding: SMEs can open a business bank account in 20 minutes, compared to the industry average of two weeks
- Strong early traction: Reached $1 million in monthly transactional volume with 200 clients within three months of launch
- Significant market opportunity: Targeting 2.1 million SMEs in Colombia alone, representing a $19 billion market
- Experienced team: Founders have over 30 years of combined experience in the financial industry across Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil
16. Ananya Health
Market: Health Tech, Medical Devices, Cervical Cancer Prevention
Mission: To build a standard-of-care portable cryoablation device for treating cervical pre-cancer in any clinic worldwide, at 1/10 the cost of traditional methods.
My PoV: Ananya Health is revolutionizing cervical cancer prevention by making early-stage treatment accessible and affordable in primary care settings, potentially saving millions of lives.
YC Demo Day Superstar: Anu Parvatiyar
Why this demo was awesome:
- Innovative technology: Developed a cryoablation device with an integrated freezer, eliminating the need for liquid nitrogen tanks
- Cost-effective solution: Reduced the cost of each procedure by a factor of 10 compared to existing methods
- Proven efficacy: Completed two successful animal studies showing comparable performance to large, expensive existing devices
- Experienced founder: CEO has launched five medical devices in the US and worked with WHO on polio eradication in Africa
17. Muse
Market: SaaS, Virtual Reality, E-commerce, Web Design
Mission: To allow anyone to transform their static website into an immersive virtual world using a no-code editor, reimagining the internet as a more engaging and interactive space.
My PoV: Muse is revolutionizing web design by merging video game-like experiences with traditional websites, potentially changing how we interact with online content.
YC Demo Day Superstar: Benjamin Ha
Why this demo was awesome:
- Strong early adoption: Over 1,800 creators using the platform, including notable names like ASAP Rocky and Chad Knight
- Significant market potential: Targeting 75 million static personal websites, with a $10 billion market opportunity
- Innovative approach: Combining video game elements with website design to create more engaging online experiences
- Future growth plans: Aiming to expand into e-commerce, potentially competing with platforms like Shopify
18. Clear
Market: Social Commerce, Skincare, Fintech
Mission: To be the all-in-one debit card, social app, and database for skincare, offering cashback on purchases and a platform for users to share their skincare routines.
My PoV: Clear is innovatively combining fintech and social media in the skincare industry, potentially revolutionizing how people shop for, use, and discuss skincare products.
YC Demo Day Superstar: Ahana Banerjee
Why this demo was awesome:
- Rapid early adoption: Launched card with over 1,000 people on waitlist within three weeks
- Strong user growth: Over 4,000 users with 500% month-on-month growth
- Unique value proposition: 30% instant cashback on skincare purchases from major retailers
- Valuable data collection: Skincare tracking data worth millions to cosmetic R&D teams
19. SFA Therapeutics
Market: Biotech, Pharmaceuticals, Autoimmune Diseases, Cancer
Mission: To develop oral drugs that regulate the immune system to treat autoimmune diseases and cancers originating from chronic inflammation, focusing on the root cause rather than symptom suppression.
My PoV: SFA Therapeutics is pioneering a potentially transformative approach to treating autoimmune diseases and certain cancers, which could significantly improve the quality of life for millions of patients.
YC Demo Day Superstar: Ira Spector
Why this demo was awesome:
- Innovative solution: Developing oral drugs to replace painful injections and infusions for autoimmune diseases
- Strong clinical data: Significant durable responses shown in psoriasis trials
- Experienced team: Six prior exits among team members
- Broad potential impact: Platform with six drugs targeting over 100 million patients suffering from autoimmune diseases
20. Moonshot Brands
Market: E-commerce, Consumer Product Goods (CPG)
Mission: To build the world's largest next-generation CPG e-commerce company by acquiring, operating, and growing profitable brands that sell on Amazon and direct to consumers.
My PoV: Moonshot Brands is capitalizing on the growing e-commerce market by consolidating successful brands and leveraging their expertise to scale these businesses further.
YC Demo Day Superstar: Craig Isakow
Why this demo was awesome:
- Rapid execution: Secured a $150 million credit facility and acquired $15 million worth of revenue in just four months
- Ambitious growth plans: Aiming to acquire $200 million more in revenue by year-end
- Experienced founders: Team has run and sold five companies, including a NASDAQ-listed marketplace
- Founder-friendly approach: Positioning themselves as the acquirer they wish they could have sold their own companies to
21. BukuWarung
Market: Fintech, SaaS for Micro-businesses in Indonesia
Mission: To build digital infrastructure for 60 million micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Indonesia, starting with bookkeeping, online storefront, and payments.
My PoV: BukuWarung is digitizing a vast untapped market of small businesses in Indonesia, potentially revolutionizing the country's economic landscape.
YC Demo Day Superstar: Abhinay Peddisetty
Why this demo was awesome:
- Impressive growth: 350,000 monthly active merchants, growing at 70% month-on-month
- Significant transaction volume: $230 million gross transaction value in July, growing at 117% month-on-month
- Huge market opportunity: $600 billion flows through microbusinesses annually in a $1.1 trillion economy
- Founder-market fit: Founders come from micro-merchant families and have relevant experience from billion-dollar startups
22. Yummy Future
Market: Food & Beverage, Robotics, AI
Mission: To build robotic coffee shops that can be placed anywhere, combining traditional coffee-making values with cutting-edge technological innovation.
My PoV: Yummy Future is revolutionizing the coffee industry by making high-quality coffee more accessible through robotics and strategic partnerships.
YC Demo Day Superstar: Jack Cui and Garrett Yan
Why this demo was awesome:
- Innovative solution: Robotic coffee shops that can be placed anywhere, overcoming high real estate costs
- Strong unit economics: 50% operating margin and $40K ARR per unit
- Strategic partnerships: Collaborating with existing businesses to avoid labor and real estate costs
- Significant market potential: $16.2 billion total addressable market when partnering with existing establishments
23. Vitau
Market: Health Tech, Consumer Health Services, Pharmacy
Mission: To provide a subscription pharmacy model for patients with chronic diseases in Latin America, focusing on medication delivery and insurance reimbursement.
My PoV: Vitau is addressing a significant pain point in Latin American healthcare by simplifying medication access and insurance processes for chronic disease patients.
YC Demo Day Superstar: Tuto Assad
Why this demo was awesome:
- Impressive growth: 70% week-over-week growth, selling over $10,000 in monthly recurring revenue
- Exceptional retention: 98% customer retention rate due to the critical nature of the service
- Significant market opportunity: $12 billion total addressable market just for diabetes in Latin America
- Strong partnerships: Hospitals and insurance companies providing client referrals for free
24. Novig
Market: Fintech, Sports Betting, Marketplace
Mission: To provide a commission-free sports betting exchange that guarantees the best odds and eliminates the need for traditional sportsbooks.
My PoV: Novig is disrupting sports betting by creating a more efficient and fair platform for bettors.
YC Demo Day Superstar: Jacob Fortinsky
Why this demo was awesome:
- Innovative model: First high-frequency, commission-free sports betting exchange
- Significant market opportunity: $2 trillion bet on sports globally each year
- Better user experience: Offers more profitable outcomes for bettors compared to traditional sportsbooks
- Perfect timing: Capitalizing on the recent legalization of sports betting across the United States
25. Notable
Market: Biotech, Drug Discovery, Oncology
Mission: To personalize cancer treatment by testing combinations of FDA-approved drugs on patients' tumor cells to identify effective treatment options.
My PoV: Notable Labs is revolutionizing cancer treatment by making personalized drug combinations accessible to patients quickly and without FDA approval barriers.
YC Demo Day Superstar: Matthew De Silva
Why this demo was awesome:
- Personal story: Founded in response to the founder's father's cancer diagnosis, adding emotional impact
- Innovative approach: Testing drug combinations on tumor cells rather than patients, reducing risks and time
- Unique business model: Selling information rather than drugs, addressing a gap left by pharmaceutical companies
- Immediate impact: Providing actionable treatment options that doctors can prescribe directly
Lessons From Week 4
I learned a lot this week about empowering the individual and bringing folks together, foten with the power of AI.
- User-centric design: Startups are prioritizing intuitive interfaces that mask complex backend operations.
- Bridging industry gaps: Several platforms aim to connect traditionally separate sectors or user groups.
- Adaptive technologies: There's a trend towards solutions that learn and improve based on user interactions.
- Empowering end-users: Many startups focus on giving users more control and insight into previously opaque processes.
That’s a wrap!
I’ve seen a good number of demos in my day, but packing 100 demos into 30 days was a truly transformative experience. These presentations weren't just about features; they told compelling stories about the future these startups are working to create.
The most effective demos went beyond simple walkthroughs. They painted vivid pictures of how their solutions fit into users' lives and workflows, often revealing new possibilities that users hadn't considered before.
Thank you to all the founders who shared their visions, and to you for following along. Here's to the continuous evolution of technology and the creative minds driving it forward!
Interested in a deeper dive?
I'm distilling the key insights from this challenge into an upcoming ebook. It will explore how successful startups craft demos that educate, inspire, and lay the groundwork for lasting partnerships.
Join our mailing list at mocksi.ai or watch this space to be notified when it’s available!
