YC one-line startup description checker
YC gives you 50 characters to explain what your company does. Check whether yours fits, gets to the point, and reads like a product—not a pitch deck.
A simple formula
Start with product for customer. A stranger should know what you make before they know why it is impressive.
Clear examples under 50 characters
- “Payroll for international contractors” (37)
- “AI receptionist for dental offices” (34)
- “Accounting software for dentists” (32)
How to improve a YC one-liner
- 1. Delete the introduction. “We are building” spends characters without explaining the product.
- 2. Name something concrete. Say “payroll” instead of “workforce solution,” or “receptionist” instead of “customer engagement platform.”
- 3. Add the customer when it clarifies. “For dental offices” is more useful than saying the product is innovative.
Frequently asked questions
What does YC ask for in the one-line company description?
The YC application asks you to describe what your company does in 50 characters or less. This checker counts characters and flags common clarity problems.
Does YC Roaster save the description I type here?
Your description is not uploaded. If you choose “Continue with this description,” it is saved only in your browser’s existing application draft so the full-roast form can prefill it.
What is a useful formula for a YC startup description?
A strong starting point is “product for customer”: name what you make and who it is for, using words a stranger can understand immediately.
YC Roaster is not affiliated with Y Combinator. This checker is a clarity aid, not a prediction of application outcomes.