I started writing this edition as a look into the vault, then of course a visit to X always adds a little bit of flavor to the day. Before we get into a deeper dive on YC’s list be sure to watch the video on a behind the scenes look of the vault above! Remember for a limited time only founding members get no limit gens and we will build your use cases out for you.
^ 33% off for the next 3 Days (Code Auto-applied) ^
What We Can Learn from YC’s Summer Requests
Post from Ryan Hoover and Ben Lang
YC’s list me think about how the world (even YC) is craving interesting AI and how the startup world is longing for creative minds not just in design but critical thinking and problem solving. Based on YC’s list here are my thoughts on the opportunities for low/no/vibe coding and AI.
Designer-Led Startups
Opportunity: YC encourages designers to become founders, as AI tools lower coding barriers. Exceptional design is critical for user trust (e.g., Airbnb, Stripe), and designers’ skills in empathy, problem-solving, and taste align with startup needs.
Why It’s Big: As AI simplifies coding, design becomes a differentiator, and designers can launch products faster, capitalizing on their user-focused expertise.
Btw, we are huge proponents of Designer-Led startups. It’s exactly the visualization behind SoS, The Brand and SoS Agents. Designer-Led Startups behind AI will bridge the gap between Technology and Product Market Fit. by Starting and Ending with the Human Mind (like Tigz always says).
Personalized AI Financial Advice Software
Opportunity: Current financial advice options (friends, Google, expensive advisors) are biased or incomplete. LLMs can analyze financial data via APIs to offer personalized, low-cost investment, tax, and savings advice.
Why It’s Big: Democratizing financial advice for the masses could capture a massive market, as most people lack access to affordable, unbiased guidance.
Free Idea Because this is AI Hacks! With all the time I spent watching BTC, SUI, and AKT this week I’d love for anyone to aggregate real-time sentiment of the DeFI market along with any staking opportunities above 20%.
Interesting Example: https://x.com/BTCPerception
Side note: If there are any AI Operators out there that want to rebrand and operate a financial brand as an AI platform with us hmu on x.
AI Research Labs
Opportunity: YC, an early investor in OpenAI, wants to fund more AI research labs tackling unsolved problems. These labs can focus on long-term, high-impact research rather than immediate products.
Why It’s Big: OpenAI’s success proves the potential of independent AI labs, and new labs could shape the next wave of AI breakthroughs.
I’m all about the ideas to today.
Lately I’ve been listening to music in Refaluwasch the language of the People of the Deep Sea. You can listen below in support of my sister islands. The point of this is; currently Google says there are a total of 2,400 - 5,100 speakers of the Carolinian Language Refaluwasch.
The loss of a language is a big problem to solve. You can use AI and existing data to solve problems like this.
Voice-Driven AI Tools
Opportunity: YC highlights the need for voice-based tools to manage tasks like email triage or scheduling during commutes, improving productivity for busy professionals.
Why It’s Big: Voice AI is underutilized, and a seamless solution could capture significant enterprise and consumer markets.
I personally envision many existing opportunities in IOT. Merging AI with Hardware to support everyday functions in the home, office, or car. The smallest adaptations will prove sticky and not compete with a million apps.
AI & Vibe Coders Are Well-Positioned
Vibe coding is the beginning of the future programmer. It’s an opportunity to merge logic with creativity.
Lower Barriers to Entry: AI tools like Cursor, Windsurf, Lovable, Replit, and many others allow non-technical founders to build functional apps by describing ideas in natural language.
YC notes that 25% of its Winter 2025 batch had 95% AI-generated codebases, showing vibe coding’s impact.
What the Heck is Vibe Coding? Let’s talk about it before we go.
Popularized by AI researcher Andrej Karpathy, refers to a new method of software development where users describe their ideas in natural language, and AI tools like Bolt.new, Lovable, Cursor, and Replit generate the corresponding code.
The Point: Now there are no more excuses just ideas and the building of them.
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