What it was like going through YC W24

Blacksmith’s founders describe their W24 Y Combinator experience, beginning with nine months of exploring ideas before identifying persistent problems with continuous-integration compute and committing to build a solution. YC’s $500,000 investment, structured through equity and an uncapped MFN SAFE, provided runway, while the three-month program offered structured peer groups, partner office hours, Bookface resources, and pressure to make rapid measurable progress. The team moved temporarily to San Francisco, gained early product feedback and customers from fellow batch companies, and used YC’s public launch channels to generate additional interest and traction before fundraising. During a two-week fundraising effort involving roughly 70 calls, Blacksmith initially found more success with angels than institutional investors, then improved its pitch to fit venture firms’ investment frameworks and secured a lead offer that increased subsequent investor interest. The founders conclude that YC gave first-time founders useful access to advice, customers, fundraising networks, and an execution-focused culture that helped them avoid scaling prematurely and focus on building products users want.

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