ExploreYC
ExploreYC is a read-only REST API that provides comprehensive access to Y Combinator and Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) portfolio data. Developers, investors, and analysts can retrieve detailed information on funding rounds, company stages, exits, founder profiles, and more — all delivered via clean JSON over HTTPS. With a generous free tier and scalable paid plans, ExploreYC makes startup ecosystem intelligence accessible to everyone from hobbyist builders to enterprise teams.
Product Highlights
- Comprehensive Portfolio Data: Access detailed information on thousands of YC and a16z companies including funding history, current stage, exit status, and founder backgrounds.
- Simple REST API: Clean, well-documented endpoints return JSON over HTTPS with no complex authentication flows — just a bearer token or header key.
- Transparent Rate Limiting: Every response includes clear rate limit headers (
X-RateLimit-Remaining, X-RateLimit-Reset) so you always know your usage status.
- Interactive Documentation: Built-in Swagger UI lets you explore and test endpoints directly in the browser before writing a line of code.
- Flexible Pricing Tiers: Start free with 5 requests per day, then scale through Starter (500/day), Pro (5,000/day), or custom Enterprise plans as your needs grow.
Use Cases
- Investment Research: Venture capitalists and angel investors can screen potential deals, analyze market trends, and track competitor funding patterns across the YC and a16z ecosystems.
- Startup Ecosystem Analysis: Data journalists, researchers, and platform builders can aggregate startup metrics to identify emerging sectors, successful founder patterns, and geographic hot spots.
- Sales and Business Development: SaaS companies and service providers can identify fast-growing startups that match their ideal customer profile based on funding stage and growth trajectory.
- Founder Networking and Benchmarking: Entrepreneurs can study successful company trajectories, compare their own progress against similar-stage peers, and identify potential mentors or collaborators.
Target Audience
ExploreYC serves developers building startup intelligence tools, investors conducting due diligence, researchers analyzing venture trends, and sales teams targeting high-growth companies. Whether you're a solo founder validating an idea or an enterprise firm integrating startup data into your platform, the API's tiered pricing and straightforward documentation make it easy to get started.