A searchable directory of Y Combinator startup stories with AI-generated research reports, build plans, and technical specs for founders and developers seeking their next idea.
About
Startups.RIP is a research directory covering more than 1,886 Y Combinator companies, built around the idea that failed or acquired startups often contained sound ideas executed at the wrong time. The site publishes sourced reports explaining what each company did, what happened to it, and how a similar product could be rebuilt with today's technology and market conditions. It is aimed at founders and developers who want to learn from past startups rather than start from a blank page.
The service organizes its archive by YC batch and category, covering companies such as Airbnb, Chartio, Wit.ai, Triplebyte, and Truepill. Each company page can include an AI-generated research report, a practical build plan, and for paid members an implementation-oriented technical specification. A "Where Are the YC Founders Now?" section tracks founders of shut-down or acquired companies into their subsequent roles. The site is an independent project reachable via X at @oscrhong.
Key Features
Pricing & Fees
- Pricing: A Pro plan costs $15 per month, billed annually at $180 (a 25% saving versus monthly billing); a free tier is available.
- Free tier: Includes the full research library of completed reports plus build plans and prototypes, with email sign-up described as free with unsubscribe at any time.
- Machine-readable access: The site publishes an llms.txt index, a sitemap, and WebMCP browser tools so AI agents can search the archive and retrieve reports in a structured way.
- Referral credit: Builders who ship something from the research and share it publicly can earn 50% back at 1,000 organic views or a full monthly refund at 10,000, claimed by direct message.
Who It's For
Startups.RIP suits aspiring founders searching for a validated idea with documented history, indie developers who want a technical starting point rather than market research alone, and product managers or analysts studying why startups pivot or shut down. It is also useful for writers and researchers tracing what happened to specific YC companies or where their founders landed afterward. Developers working with coding agents like Claude or Codex benefit most from the Pro tier's CLI and technical specs.
FAQ
What is Startups.RIP?It is a directory of Y Combinator startup stories offering AI-generated research reports, build plans, and technical specs so users can study past companies and find ideas worth rebuilding.
Is there a free plan?Yes. The free tier includes all completed research reports and build plans, while technical specs, research chat, on-demand research, and the Agent CLI require Pro.
How much does the Pro plan cost?Pro costs $15 per month billed annually at $180, or monthly billing at the standard rate; annual billing is advertised as saving 25%.
Which tools does the Agent CLI work with?The Pro CLI imports reports, rebuild plans, and specs into coding agents including Claude and Codex.
Are the reports reliable?Report text is AI-generated from scraped sources, and the site itself advises treating it as claims to verify; users can submit corrections with a source through the site's feedback path.
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