In this episode of The Lobster Talks, I chat with Varsha—co-founder of Offstream, a YC-backed startup helping big infrastructure projects (solar farms, data centers, and more) secure crucial carbon-compliance certifications. Varsha shares how her consulting background and direct experience with manual, PDF-heavy compliance processes inspired her to build a smarter, AI-driven solution—something she likens to “Vanta for Carbon Compliance.”

Key Topics We Cover

• Why Carbon Compliance Matters – How certifications unlock massive revenue opportunities for developers building solar facilities, renewable fuels, data centers, and more.

• Building Offstream – How Varsha’s firsthand frustration with manual reporting led to the idea for Offstream and eventually landed them in Y Combinator’s Summer 24 batch.

• The Power of AI in Compliance – Where AI can streamline complex data extraction and predictive recommendations, transforming what was once a major bottleneck.

• Balancing Big Ambitions & Personal Growth – Varsha’s views on mentorship, coaching, and staying motivated by celebrating “the gain” while striving for big goals.

• Life after YC – Why Offstream chose Denver over the Bay Area, current product milestones, and what’s next on their roadmap.

If you’re a founder exploring hard-to-automate niches, or just curious about how AI is reshaping climate tech, this episode is for you.

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction & How Gabriel Met Varsha

3:18 The Spark Behind Offstream (Vanta for Carbon Compliance)

6:35 Navigating YC & Key Takeaways

10:42 The Role of AI in Streamlining Carbon Credits

14:50 Personal Mentors, Coaching & Founders’ Mentality

20:11 Real-Time Data & AI Agents in Sustainability Projects

24:18 Denver Headquarters & Future of Offstream

28:40 Pricing Challenges & Industry Partnerships

32:00 Recommended Reading: The Gap and the Gain + Lean In

34:22 Where to Connect & Final Thoughts

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Connect with Offstream:

Website: https://useoffstream.com/

LinkedIn: Varsha’s Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/varsha-ramesh/

Thanks for watching! Feel free to leave questions or comments below.

In this episode of The Lobster Talks, we’re joined by Wayne Crosby, a true startup veteran with a remarkable full-circle journey:

• 2007: Wayne became a Y Combinator founder in one of the earliest cohorts, quickly landing a Google acquisition that evolved into Google Slides.

• A Decade at Google: He stayed on to help grow G Suite, diving into AI and shaping how millions of users collaborate online.

• Startup #2 & Another Exit: After co-founding a second company with Google’s former CHRO, he returned to YC as a Visiting Group Partner to coach a new generation of founders.

• Today: Wayne is back to building as founder/CEO of Orgorg.com, a toolset for seamless team management and productivity, integrating AI under the hood.

We talk early YC days, Google’s culture of innovation, what it’s really like behind the scenes as a YC Partner, and why Wayne ultimately returned to his roots as a builder. If you’re curious about AI’s impact on future jobs, or just want insider knowledge on startup growth, this is a must-listen.

Key Discussion Points

• The magic (and myths) of the very first YC cohorts

• Lessons from building Google Slides and leading teams inside Big Tech

• Why AI is more than just a buzzword—and how Wayne is weaving it into Orgorg.com

• Life as a YC Visiting Group Partner—what founders should really know

• Embracing your inner builder: how Wayne found his true passion in startup creation

Enjoy the episode? Subscribe, give us a 5-star rating, and share your favorite part in the comments!

Timestamps

0:00 Welcome & Wayne’s Background

4:17 Early YC Days (2007)

9:32 Google Acquisition & Lessons Learned

14:45 AI at Google & Future of Work

22:10 From Founder to Visiting YC Group Partner

28:55 Building Orgorg.com & Founder Insights

38:16 Balancing Family & Startup Life

43:00 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Thanks for tuning in to The Lobster Talks!

In this episode of The Lobster Talks Podcast, Laurie joins me once again to dissect Y Combinator’s brand-new Request for Startups—released just three months after their last one! We explore what’s behind YC’s accelerated timeline, the massive surge of AI innovation, and why now might be the best (and most challenging) time to build or invest in cutting-edge tech.

From hardware breakthroughs and AI-powered agents to the “DocuSign 2.0” and data centers of the future, YC’s RFS signals a shift into deeper, more technical territory. We dig into how founders can stand out, the importance of iterating fast, and what investors should consider in this fast-moving AI landscape.

Topics Covered

• Why YC introduced a new RFS so soon and what it means for AI startups

• The rise of AI agents and how they’re transforming business operations

• Hardware vs. software innovation—and the traction investors want to see

• Evaluating top-tier technical founders when speed is everything

• Why YC remains the go-to launchpad for AI-driven companies

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1. Subscribe to the channel for more insights on AI and startup investing.
2. Like & Share this video with fellow founders and investors.
3. Leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform—it really helps!

Thanks for tuning in, and we’ll catch you on the next episode of The Lobster Talks!

In this episode of Lobster Talks, we’re joined by Jason Fan, CEO and Co-Founder of Finic—an AI “risk ops” startup transforming how banks and fintechs tackle fraud and disputes. Jason opens up about his tough decision to shut down a revenue-generating company ($150k!) in order to chase a far bigger vision.

Together, we dive into:

Why making $150k didn’t guarantee long-term success—and why he walked away

How opportunity cost shapes big pivots and investment decisions

The realities of pivoting after 18 months—from the heartbreak to the breakthroughs

What Jason learned at Robinhood’s Trust & Safety team and turned into Finic’s secret sauce

The future of AI-powered fintech and how it’s set to solve financial crime once and for all

Whether you’re a founder stuck in the “idea maze” or a fintech enthusiast curious about AI’s next frontier, Jason’s story is packed with real talk, razor-sharp insights, and a fresh perspective on turning roadblocks into rocket fuel.

Don’t miss this masterclass on knowing when to pivot—and when to go all in.

Chapters

0:00 Intro to Lobster Talks

1:15 Jason’s background: From Robinhood to Finic

5:22 Building an internal tool into a new startup idea

8:48 The $150k revenue trap and facing the pivot decision

13:00 The role of “opportunity cost” in startup success

16:35 Surviving mental hurdles and ego hits

20:59 Why pivoting can be smarter than “toughing it out”

24:14 The future of AI in financial fraud prevention

28:55 YC lessons, founder communities, and staying resilient

33:40 Final thoughts & where to connect with Jason

Enjoyed the episode? Hit the like button, subscribe for more high-level startup insights, and let us know your thoughts or questions in the comments below!

Stay tuned for more conversations with trailblazing founders sharing the raw truths behind their success—and failure—stories. Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode!

Thanks for watching! If this conversation sparked new ideas, share it with a friend who might need some startup inspiration.

In this episode of Lobster Talks, Gabriel chats with Yonatan - co-founder of Jiga (YC W21) - about how a simple WordPress MVP grew into an AI-powered platform reinventing global manufacturing. Yonatan reveals the ups and downs of hitting walls, pivoting from marketplace to SaaS (and back again), and ultimately nailing product-market fit. They also discuss staying humble when things finally take off, fundraising highs and lows, and insights from Israel’s vibrant startup community. If you want real, practical lessons on iterating fast, listening to users, and leveraging AI for operational efficiency, this one’s for you!

Chapters

0:00 Introduction & How Jiga Got Started

3:20 Building a WordPress MVP & Getting Early Revenue

6:45 Pivoting from Transaction Model to SaaS (and Back)

10:02 Staying Scrappy Through Challenges & Hitting Walls

14:15 How AI Boosted Margins & Automates Ops

17:40 Surviving the Early “No Revenue” Stage

21:30 Lessons from the Israeli Startup Scene & YC Community

25:51 Why Being Humble Matters (Even During Success)

29:14 Jiga’s Vision for the Future & Final Takeaways

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Thanks for watching!

In this Lobster Talks episode, Gabriel returns to discuss what’s on the horizon for YC and startup investing in 2025. We dive into Y Combinator’s shift to four batches per year, why AI is fueling rapid growth (and even potential AGI!), and how that might reshape the investment landscape. We also reflect on Lobster Capital’s stellar 2024—from an oversubscribed Fund 1 to multiple fast-growing portfolio companies—and explore Europe’s evolving role in the global startup scene. If you’re curious how AI, YC, and cross-border opportunities will collide in 2025, this one’s for you!

Chapters

0:00 – Introduction

1:12 – Reflecting on Lobster Capital’s Milestones in 2024

4:39 – Inside YC’s Four Batches per Year

9:55 – AI’s Acceleration & the Push Toward AGI

14:02 – Revenue Traction vs. Defensibility: Key Investing Criteria

18:47 – Shifts in Seed, Series A, and Beyond

23:15 – Potential Exit Strategies & Secondary Markets

27:44 – The Future of European Startups vs. Silicon Valley

31:58 – Closing Thoughts & What’s Next for 2025

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In this episode of The Lobster Talks, I sit down with Roberto Salcedo—co-founder and CEO of Baubap, a Y Combinator-backed fintech that’s reshaping consumer lending in Mexico. Discover how Roberto’s team grew Baubap from a scrappy $3M seed round to generating $100M+ in revenue by building everything in-house and leveraging AI years before it was mainstream.

What You’ll Learn

- The early product decisions that fueled explosive, profitable growth

- How Baubap uses AI to underwrite loans and keep default rates low

- Why building core systems from scratch can create a massive competitive edge

- Navigating funding, profitability, and future expansion plans (including a regional banking license!)

- Lessons learned from YC, plus powerful advice for fellow entrepreneurs

If you’re fascinated by fintech, AI, or just want an inside look at an incredible founder journey, you don’t want to miss this!

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🎙️ Lobster Talks Podcast - Episode with Valentin Sulzer, Founder of Ionworks

🚀 Welcome to the latest episode of the Lobster Talks podcast by Lobster Capital! In this episode, Gabriel sits down with Valentin Sulzer, founder of Ionworks, a revolutionary startup transforming battery innovation through cutting-edge software.

🔋 Batteries are critical to powering the 21st century—from EVs to satellites, and even electric planes. Valentin explains how Ionworks accelerates battery development by simulating advanced designs in software, eliminating the need for costly and time-consuming physical prototypes. Discover how their solution is changing the game for industries, from automotive to aerospace.

💡 Valentin also shares insights from his journey, including:

The evolution of Ionworks from the open-source PyBAM project

His experience as a YC Summer '24 founder

The future of batteries and AI’s role in enabling innovation

🔥 Whether you're a founder, an investor, or someone curious about the tech shaping the future, this episode is packed with insights you can’t miss.

🔗 Links Mentioned:

Learn more about Ionworks: https://www.ionworks.com/

Connect with Valentin Sulzer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valentinsulzer/

✨ Don’t forget to subscribe to the Lobster Talks podcast for more inspiring stories from successful YC founders!