Announcing YC Roaster: Free, Brutally Honest YC Application Reviews

Every YC batch, we see the same thing happen again and again.

Smart founders. Real traction. Interesting ideas.

And applications that don’t do them justice.

At Lobster Capital, we’ve reviewed hundreds of YC applications over the years, both as investors and alongside founders who’ve been through the program themselves. Many rejections aren’t about the company being bad. They’re about the story being unclear, the answers being too generic, or the most compelling parts never coming through.

That’s why we’re launching YC Roaster.

A completely free YC application review, run by founders who’ve actually been accepted into Y Combinator.

Why “roasting”?

Because feedback that doesn’t sting a little usually isn’t honest enough.

YC partners don’t sugarcoat things. Neither should the people helping you prepare. Submitting a weak application and never knowing why is far worse than getting tough feedback before the deadline.

We call it roasting because we turn up the heat early, so you can improve while there’s still time.

How YC Roaster works

1. You submit your YC application (as a PDF), ideally at least one week before the deadline

2. Successful YC founders from our network review it

3. Everyone receives written feedback, concrete, direct, and actionable

4. If we believe you have a real shot, we’ll invite you to a short 1-on-1 Zoom deep dive

There are no guarantees, no pitches required, and no obligation to talk to us afterward.

Why we’re doing this for free

Lobster Capital is a venture capital fund that exclusively invests in YC companies.

To date, we’ve:

• Deployed $50M+

• Backed 100+ YC startups

• Worked closely with founders across multiple batches and industries

We benefit from a strong YC ecosystem. Helping more great founders get in makes that ecosystem better for everyone: founders, investors, and future teams alike.

This is our way of giving back.

Who this is (and isn’t) for

This is for you if:

• You’re applying to YC and want honest feedback from people who’ve been through it

• You’re unsure whether your application clearly communicates what makes your company special

• You’d rather hear tough truths now than vague rejection later

This isn’t for you if:

• You want guaranteed acceptance (no one can offer that)

• You’re looking for pitch coaching unrelated to YC

• You’re not open to direct, critical feedback

For YC alumni

If you’re a YC founder and want to help review applications, we’d love to have you involved.

Reviewing is flexible, selective, and designed to be high-signal: not spammy or time-wasting. It’s a chance to give back, sharpen your own thinking, and help the next generation of founders avoid common mistakes.

A final note

YC applications are weirdly hard.

They look simple. They’re anything but.

If YC Roaster helps even a handful of strong teams better communicate what they’re building (and why it matters) it will have done its job.

You can learn more or submit your application here:
👉 https://www.ycroaster.com

As always, we’d love feedback, especially criticism. That’s kind of the point.