# YC New Founders Tracker MCP (`red.cars/yc-new-founders-tracker`) Actor Track Y Combinator batch founders with enriched LinkedIn data. Input a batch (e.g. W25) and sector, get enriched founder profiles with previous companies, funding raised, and hiring signals. - **URL**: https://apify.com/red.cars/yc-new-founders-tracker.md - **Developed by:** [AutomateLab](https://apify.com/red.cars) (community) - **Categories:** MCP servers, AI - **Stats:** 1 total users, 0 monthly users, 0.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $0.01 / 1,000 results This Actor is paid per event and usage. You are charged both the fixed price for specific events and for Apify platform usage. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases. In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours, and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store. In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server. Actors are written with capital "A". ## How to integrate an Actor? If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects. You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready. The best way to integrate Actors is as follows. In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.md): ```bash pip install apify-client ``` In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): ````bash # MacOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash # Windows irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex ```bash In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp.md). If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md). For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below. For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt). # README ## YC New Founders Tracker MCP Track new Y Combinator founders from YCDB.io as they announce their startups, enriching profiles with LinkedIn data, funding history, and hiring signals for actionable startup intelligence. ### Overview Monitor the latest Y Combinator batches to discover newly funded founders before they appear in mainstream tech news. YCDB.io aggregates YC company data including batch assignments, founder names, and company descriptions. Within days of demo day, founders update LinkedIn profiles, raise seed rounds, and begin hiring—creating a narrow window of opportunity for investors, recruiters, and partners who move fast. This actor automates batch monitoring and founder enrichment so you never miss a cohort's emerging talent. ### Features - **YCDB batch discovery**: Access all YC companies by batch code (W25, S24, W24, etc.) with sector filtering - **LinkedIn profile enrichment**: Get founder LinkedIn URLs, previous companies, and career history - **Funding intelligence**: Estimated total raised and valuation figures for portfolio tracking - **Hiring signal detection**: Identify founders actively recruiting engineers, designers, or sales staff - **Tech stack extraction**: Detect programming languages, frameworks, and cloud providers from company websites - **CRM-ready output**: Structured JSON formatted for direct import into HubSpot, Salesforce, or Airtable - **Sector filtering**: Narrow results by healthcare, fintech, AI/ML, devtools, consumer, or cross-category - **Batch history access**: Query any historical YC batch back to 2005 ### Use Cases - **Pre-seed sourcing**: Identify promising founders in AI, biotech, and infrastructure before they announce funding—position ahead of VCs who move at demo day - **Talent acquisition**: Surface YC founders actively hiring engineers; reach out within the first two weeks post-demo when inboxes are still manageable - **Competitive intelligence**: Track which sectors YC is betting on by monitoring batch composition and sector distribution shifts across seasons - **Deal flow enrichment**: Add YC batch companies to your CRM with enriched founder profiles, estimated valuations, and hiring status automatically populated - **Hiring trend analysis**: Detect emerging demand signals by tracking which tech stacks and roles YC companies are recruiting for in real-time - **Investor relationship building**: Build warm introducer networks by mapping founder connections to previous companies and identifying mutual contacts ### Quick Start #### Prerequisites - Apify account (free tier available) - Node.js 18+ for local testing - LinkedIn API access (optional, for full enrichment) #### 1-minute setup ```bash ## Install Apify CLI npm install -g apify-cli ## Clone the actor apify actors:create yc-new-founders-tracker ## Set environment variable export APIFY_TOKEN=your_apify_token ## Run locally with sector filter node main.js --batch W25 --sector healthcare --maxResults 5 ```` #### MCP Quick Start ```json { "toolName": "enrich_founders", "arguments": { "batch": "W25", "sector": "healthcare", "maxResults": 5 } } ``` ### Input Parameters | Field | Type | Default | Description | |-------|------|---------|-------------| | batch | string | W25 | Y Combinator batch code (e.g. W25, S24, W24, S23) | | sector | string | healthcare | Sector filter: healthcare, fintech, ai, devtools, consumer, b2b, infrastructure | | maxResults | integer | 5 | Max number of founders to enrich (capped at 10) | ### Output ```json { "batch": "W25", "sector": "healthcare", "total_founders": 2, "founders": [ { "batch": "W25", "company_name": "MedAI", "founder_name": "Jane Smith", "linkedin_url": "https://linkedin.com/in/janesmith", "previous_companies": ["Google", "DeepMind"], "total_raised": "$12M", "valuation_estimate": "$60M", "hiring_signals": ["hiring-engineers", "remote-first"], "tech_stack": ["Python", "TensorFlow", "AWS"], "sector": "healthcare" } ], "metadata": { "ycdb_source": "https://ycdb.io", "enriched_at": "2026-05-15T12:00:00Z", "max_results_requested": 5 } } ``` ### Pricing **PPE**: $0.05 per enriched founder profile. | Scenario | Founders | Cost | |----------|----------|------| | Single batch, small team | 10 | $0.50 | | Multiple batches, mid-size | 100 | $5.00 | | Portfolio monitoring | 500 | $25.00 | Cost estimation: 10 founders = $0.50, 100 founders = $5.00. ### Data Sources - **YCDB.io** for YC batch company data, founder names, and company descriptions - **LinkedIn** for founder profile enrichment (requires API access; falls back to public data) - **Company websites** for tech stack detection and hiring signals - **YC website** for batch announcements and demo day data ### Troubleshooting **"Empty results for batch"**: Verify the batch code format. YC uses season + year (W=winter, S=summer), e.g., W25, S24, W24. Try uppercase and check YCDB.io for valid batch codes. **"LinkedIn enrichment failed"**: LinkedIn has strict rate limits. The actor retries 3 times with backoff. If enrichment consistently fails, the output will still include YCDB data without LinkedIn signals. Ensure your LinkedIn API key is valid. **"maxResults capped at 10"**: LinkedIn API quotas limit enrichment throughput. For bulk processing (100+ founders), contact support to discuss enterprise tier with higher rate limits. **"Sector filter returned no results"**: Not all YC companies are tagged in YCDB. Try broader sectors (ai, devtools) or omit the sector filter entirely to see all companies in a batch. **"Stale batch data"**: YCDB updates weekly but YC demo day data may lag. For the most current founder info, cross-reference with YC's official batch pages at ycombinator.com/companies. **"Missing valuation estimates"**: Early-stage companies (pre-seed, seed) often don't disclose valuations. The actor estimates based onYC deal terms and comparable rounds when available. # Actor input Schema ## `tool` (type: `string`): MCP tool to call ## `batch` (type: `string`): Y Combinator batch code (e.g. W25, S24, W24) ## `sector` (type: `string`): Sector filter (e.g. healthcare, fintech, ai, devtools) ## `maxResults` (type: `integer`): Max number of founders to enrich (capped at 10) ## Actor input object example ```json { "tool": "enrich_founders", "batch": "W25", "sector": "healthcare", "maxResults": 5 } ``` # API You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup. ## JavaScript example ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; // Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token // Replace the '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "tool": "enrich_founders", "batch": "W25", "sector": "healthcare", "maxResults": 5 }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("red.cars/yc-new-founders-tracker").call(input); // Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any) console.log('Results from dataset'); console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); items.forEach((item) => { console.dir(item); }); // 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs ``` ## Python example ```python from apify_client import ApifyClient # Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token # Replace '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "tool": "enrich_founders", "batch": "W25", "sector": "healthcare", "maxResults": 5, } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("red.cars/yc-new-founders-tracker").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "tool": "enrich_founders", "batch": "W25", "sector": "healthcare", "maxResults": 5 }' | apify call red.cars/yc-new-founders-tracker --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=red.cars/yc-new-founders-tracker", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "YC New Founders Tracker MCP", "description": "Track Y Combinator batch founders with enriched LinkedIn data. Input a batch (e.g. W25) and sector, get enriched founder profiles with previous companies, funding raised, and hiring signals.", "version": "0.1", "x-build-id": "oUm5ZuRI6yH3W3kqp" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/red.cars~yc-new-founders-tracker/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-red.cars-yc-new-founders-tracker", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/red.cars~yc-new-founders-tracker/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-red.cars-yc-new-founders-tracker", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/red.cars~yc-new-founders-tracker/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-red.cars-yc-new-founders-tracker", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "required": [ "batch", "sector" ], "properties": { "tool": { "title": "Tool Name", "enum": [ "enrich_founders" ], "type": "string", "description": "MCP tool to call", "default": "enrich_founders" }, "batch": { "title": "YC Batch Code", "type": "string", "description": "Y Combinator batch code (e.g. W25, S24, W24)", "default": "W25" }, "sector": { "title": "Sector Filter", "type": "string", "description": "Sector filter (e.g. healthcare, fintech, ai, devtools)", "default": "healthcare" }, "maxResults": { "title": "Max Results", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 10, "type": "integer", "description": "Max number of founders to enrich (capped at 10)", "default": 5 } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```