YC Arena Turns Startup Vetting Into a Game

[AIcash]

Berlin student creates YC Arena, a suite of games simulating life as a Y Combinator partner. The YC Partner Simulator lets players watch real YC pitch videos and decide “accept” or “reject,” then see if their choices match YC. With only ~1% of applicants accepted, it’s harder than it looks!

[Abdul Khan]

YC Arena gamifies startup investing in the most entertaining way — you’re not just watching pitches, you’re feeling the pressure of being a YC partner.
It’s a clever way to teach pattern recognition, judgment, and the emotional side of venture decision-making.

[Rimon Khan]

Turning YC’s notoriously tough selection process into a game was genius.
The realism of reviewing real pitches gives players insight into how elite accelerators think — and why most startups don’t make the cut.