Ready to get your (angel) wings?
Learn the ins-and-outs of angel investing from the world's top startup accelerator – Y Combinator.
Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls Overhyped Companies
Former Y Combinator CEO, Sam Altman
In this video, Sam talks the pitfalls to chasing hype, keeping an eye on your rep, using niche knowledge to your advantage, & more.
All About SAFEs, from the 2 Badass Women Who Wrote Them
Y Combinator Partners, Carolynn Levy & Kirsty Nathoo
Get the full lowdown on the investment tool which changed startup financing, from the authors themselves.
Acing Founder Meetings
Y Combinator Partner, Dalton Caldwell
In this video, Dalton touches on founder meetings, trusting your gut, learning how to properly say “no” (and “yes!”) to a company, & more.
The Brilliance in “Bad” Ideas?
Y Combinator Partner, Paul Buchheit
Here Paul speaks to giving “bad” ideas a second look, finding standout founders, and investing with optimism.
Becoming an A-level Investor
Y Combinator Partner, Michael Seibel
Michael discusses check sizes, The Friend Rule, tips for demo days & more in this video.
Evaluating an Opportunity 101
Serial entrepreneur, investor, & advisor, Elad Gil
Founding managing partner, acclaimed angel, Pejman Nozad
Elad and Pejman offer advice on evaluating an opportunity, supporting a young company versus an older one, avoiding bad angel habits & more.
It’s Not Me... It’s Us: Investing in a Group
Founding Partner of Uncork Capital, Angel Jeff Clavier
Founding Partner of XG Ventures, Andrea Zurek
Jeff and Andrea touch on playing the long game, teaming up with other investors, and keeping an eye on your rep as an angel.
Speed is King
Entrepreneur & angel investor, Ali Partovi
Here Ali talks founder speed, investor speed, follow-on investments & more.
Angel Investing: Past, Present, & Future
Co-founder & CEO of CoinList, Andy Bromberg
In this video, Andy lays out the history of angel investing, current trends, and where it may be headed in the future
R.E.S.P.E.C.T: Find Out What it Means to Me Founders
Y Combinator Partner, Aaron Harris
Here Aaron gives the full rundown on what it means to be a “good investor.” (Luckily, it turns out that being a good human as you invest will bring good things your way :)
Investing with Impact
Y Combinator President, Geoff Ralston
Founder, famous angel investor, Ron Conway
Ron & Geoff wrap up the series speaking to failure, diversification, and paying it forward.
Class 01
Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls Overhyped Companies
Former Y Combinator CEO, Sam Altman
In this video, Sam talks the pitfalls to chasing hype, keeping an eye on your rep, using niche knowledge to your advantage, & more.
Class 02
SAFEs: top to bottom, from the 2 badass women who wrote them
Y Combinator Partner, Carolynn Levy
Y Combinator Partner, Kirsty Nathoo
In 2013, YC execs Carolynn and Kirsty authored the SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) agreements to simplify early-stage fundraising. Get the full lowdown on the tool which has changed the game of startup financing from the authors themselves.
Class 03
Acing Founder Meetings
Y Combinator Partner, Dalton Caldwell
In this video, Dalton touches on founder meetings, trusting your gut, learning how to properly say “no” (and “yes!”) to a company, & more.
Class 04
The Brilliance in “Bad” Ideas?
Y Combinator Partner, Paul Buchheit
Here Paul speaks to giving “bad” ideas a second look, finding standout founders, and investing with optimism.
Class 05
Becoming an A-level Investor
Y Combinator Partner, Michael Seibel
Michael discusses check sizes, The Friend Rule, tips for demo days & more in this video.
Class 06
Evaluating an Opportunity 101
Serial entrepreneur, investor, & advisor, Elad Gil
Founding managing partner, acclaimed angel, Pejman Nozad
Elad and Pejman offer advice on actually evaluating an opportunity, supporting a young company versus an older one, avoiding bad angel habits and more.
Class 07
It’s Not Me... It’s Us: Investing in a Group
Founding Partner of Uncork Capital, Angel Jeff Clavier
Founding Partner of XG Ventures, Andrea Zurek
Jeff and Andrea touch on playing the long game, teaming up with other investors, and keeping an eye on your rep as an angel.
Class 08
Speed is King
Entrepreneur & angel investor, Ali Partovi
Here Ali talks founder speed, investor speed, follow-on investments and more.
Class 09
Angel Investing: Past, Present, & Future
Co-founder & CEO of CoinList, Andy Bromberg
In this video, Andy lays out the history of angel investing, current trends, and where it may be headed in the future
Class 10
R.E.S.P.E.C.T: Find Out What it Means to Me Founders
Y Combinator Partner, Aaron Harris
Here Aaron gives the full rundown on what it means to be a “good investor.” (Luckily, it turns out that being a good human as you invest will bring good things your way :)
Class 11
Investing with Impact
Y Combinator President, Geoff Ralston
Founder, famous angel investor, Ron Conway
Ron & Geoff wrap up the series speaking to failure, diversification, and paying it forward.
Credits
In March of 2018, something big happened: the best startup investor on the planet shared its entire playbook. This investor also happens to be the world’s most famous startup accelerator, Y Combinator. From Airbnb to Doordash to Dropbox to Stripe, YC has funded many of the biggest startups you can name.
We wanted to put YC’s Startup Investor School videos right at the fingertips of our favorite people out there, Wefunder investors. To that end, we put in some crowdfunding and Wefunder-specific tid-bits, too.
While we are a YC Alum, Wefunder has no current affiliation with Y Combinator. So, many thanks to Y Combinator for all of the video material used on this page! They produced and own all of these wonderful videos while we wrote the summaries.
1) These numbers include startups currently live on Wefunder if they pass their minimum target.
2) Some startups use two different laws at the same time (i.e., Regulation D and Regulation Crowdfunding).
