Insider Tips from a YC-Backed Startup

In a previous blog, we discussed how you can find YC companies before they are officially announced in the directory. Now, we’re diving into how to track their performance during the batch—even if you don’t have access to their revenue numbers.

Here are the key signals to monitor:

1. Website Visitor Growth

A spike in website traffic can indicate increasing user interest, viral marketing efforts, or product traction.

2. Job Openings

If a startup is hiring during the batch, it could mean they have strong demand for their product or an expanding customer base that requires additional support.

3. News Mentions

Press coverage before Demo Day is a strong indicator that a startup is making waves in their industry.

4. Headcount Growth

Early-stage YC startups typically don’t hire aggressively unless they have strong revenue growth. If you see a startup increasing their headcount, it’s a sign they’re scaling rapidly.

5. Founder Social Media Activity

Many YC founders document their journeys on social media, sharing updates on product launches, hiring, funding, and even revenue growth. Keeping an eye on their posts can provide real-time insights into their progress.

How to Track These Signals Automatically

Manually tracking all these signals across multiple startups can be time-consuming. That’s why we built three APIs that do the work for you:

• Post API – Monitors social media platforms for founder posts about launches, hiring, and funding.

• People API – Tracks changes in company departments, new hires, and departures.

• Company API – Provides insights into job openings, headcount growth, website traffic trends and company news.

These APIs send instant alerts to your Slack, email or directly to your system via API ensuring you never miss a crucial update.

If you want to keep track of YC startups in real-time, we'd love to help you stay informed.