"As with recent batches, the majority of startups presented AI-centric solutions. However, a clear evolution was evident. Instead of "AI-powered" products, many companies are now building AI agents or the infrastructure and tools needed to develop them. For instance, this batch had a flurry of voice AI solutions and new businesses focused on helping others monetize the "AI economy" with ads and marketing tools."
"Many AI startups use complex pricing models that often blend a flat subscription fee per seat with usage-based charges, credits, and various add-on costs. Managing complex AI pricing on Stripe is a time-consuming, manual process. That's why Autumn developed an open-source infrastructure that simplifies Stripe integration for AI startups. The company says its technology is already used by hundreds of AI apps and 40 YC startups."
"What it does: Builds Vercel for AI agents Why it's a fave: Just as Vercel helps developers deploy and host startups,Dedalus Labs claims its platform automates the infrastructure for building AI agents, cutting hours of coding down to a few clicks. The company handles complex tasks like autoscaling and load balancing, which it says makes agent deployment fast and simple."
Y Combinator's Summer 2025 batch included over 160 startups with a pronounced AI focus. The cohort shifted from generic "AI-powered" products toward AI agents and the infrastructure and tooling required to build and deploy them. Prominent themes included voice AI solutions and businesses aimed at monetizing the AI economy through ads and marketing tools. Investors noted high demand for companies solving vertical challenges for AI developers, such as Autumn's open-source Stripe integration for complex AI pricing and Dedalus Labs' platform that automates autoscaling and load balancing for AI agent deployment. Design-focused tools addressed quality evaluation of AI-generated outputs.
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