Y Combinatorial Explosion

This week is Demo Day at Y Combinator, one of the world's top startup incubators—topped only by Hacker Hostel, the incubator which spawned Jian-Yang.

TechCrunch compiled all the buzzy pitches from days one and two. Here’s where YC’s handpicked Winter 2019 Class thinks the economic winds are blowing.

• Startups are bringing services like ride-sharing and digital banking to underserved markets in Africa and Latin America.
• 24% of YC’s latest class of startups have female founders, 8% have black founders, and 10% have Latinx founders—all of which are underrepresented groups in tech.
• Founders with PhDs and tech backgrounds are using AI, data analysis, and robotics to achieve better health care outcomes.

What are the business models? A whole lot of B2B SaaS, with plans to license niche commercial applications of AI-for-hire, sensor-based services, and crypto offerings.

But...what really stands out? Since you asked, a “flying motorcycle,” balloon-hoisted rockets that send small satellites spaceward, and an augmented reality scavenger hunt.