YC Company Explainer Video: 2026 Template, Cost & When to Use Over a Deck

Last updated 2026

TL;DR

Free template & examples: grab YC’s official guide and copy the Google-Doc script in under 5 min.

Ship in 1 day: record Loom voice-over + Figma slides; total cost $0–$50.

Use it when: your product has a UI demo; skip it if you’re pre-product or deep-tech.

Never outsource before you can pitch the idea in 60 s yourself—agency burn rate is $3 k–$8 k.

Drop the video into YC application Q5, front-and-center in your deck, and on Product Hunt launch day.

YC company explainer video is the 60-second demo clip Y Combinator explicitly asks for in its application. Download the free template from YC Library, script your one-sentence value prop, record screen + voice-over, and export. Use it instead of a deck when your product is live and visual; stick to a memo if you’re pre-product.

What is YC company explainer video?

A YC company explainer video is a ≤ 60-second screen recording with voice-over that shows the problem, your product’s core loop, and the outcome—optimized for YC’s application Q5.

Definition for featured snippetYC company explainer video: a short demo clip that demonstrates your product’s key user flow in one minute, submitted directly in the Y Combinator application form.

YC Company Explainer Video — Download & Quick Start

Open YC Library guide → click “Download script template” (Google Doc).

Duplicate the doc, fill in the blanks: problem (1 line), demo (3 steps), outcome (1 metric).

Grab the free Figma storyboard file from ExplainerVideoly → copy frames.

Record: Loom or QuickTime; 1080 px, 16:9, no background music.

Export mp4 < 30 MB; upload to YC app, YouTube unlisted, and Product Hunt page for social proof.

No editing software? Use [Insert template link] to auto-caption and trim silence in one click.

How to use it (step-by-step)

1. Script (15 min)

Hook: “We help [persona] achieve [outcome] without [objection].”

Demo: 3 clicks max—login → magic moment → result.

CTA: “Request access” or “Get early bird pricing.”

2. Storyboard (10 min)

6 frames: title, problem, demo 1-2-3, outcome, CTA.

Use Figma or Canva; keep text > 24 pt.

3. Voice-over (10 min)

Record on Loom; speak at 150 wpm; keep total ≤ 75 words.

Clap once to mark retake—easy to see waveform.

4. Visuals

Screen-record live app; if beta, use clickable Figma prototype.

Zoom to 125 % so text is legible on mobile.

5. Export checklist

Format: mp4, 1080 p, < 30 MB.

Subtitles: auto-generate, burn-in (70 % viewers watch muted).

File name: company_yc_demo_2025.mp4 (looks professional).

6. Distribution

YC app Q5: paste YouTube unlisted link (set to “anyone with link”).

Deck slide 3: embed video thumbnail linked to file.

Landing page: hero section, autoplay muted.

Product Hunt: GIF teaser + full video in gallery.

Common pitfalls

90-second video—YC stops watching after 60 s.

Background music—distracting, hurts transcription.

Over-producing—animations scream “agency money” and raise burn-rate flags.

QA checklist before upload☐ Does the first 5 seconds show the product?☐ Can a non-industry friend repeat the value prop?☐ File size < 30 MB?☐ Captions spell your company name correctly?

Comparison — Video vs Deck vs Landing Page (text-only)

Option: YC company explainer video

Best for: live product with UI

Time to ship: 1 day

Cost: $0–$50

Pros: demo > words, viral on PH, fits YC app

Cons: useless if pre-product

Option: Slide deck

Best for: deep-tech, hardware, API

Time to ship: 2–3 days

Cost: $0

Pros: schema-flexible, easy to update

Cons: static, higher cognitive load

Option: Landing page only

Best for: consumer-facing beta

Time to ship: 1–2 weeks

Cost: $100–$300 (Carrd + analytics)

Pros: collects emails, SEO juice

Cons: YC partners may not click through

Option: Agency explainer

Best for: post-Series A marketing

Time to ship: 3–6 weeks

Cost: $3 k–$8 k

Pros: polished, multiple ratios

Cons: cash burn, over-produced for YC

Practical Tips & Cautions

Burn-rate optics—a $5 k animated video signals you spend before PMF.

Mobile first—50 % of partners watch on phone; test readability at 5-inch screen.

Captions = SEO—YouTube indexes text; say your keyword in the first 10 s.

Update annually—archive old version; investors check dates.

Founders often miss this — the audio track is searchable; mention your exact market keyword so later-stage VCs can find you via “YC + [space] + explainer”.

FAQs

Do I need an explainer video if I’m pre-product?

No. YC allows a memo or deck. Video without UI feels like a sales pitch and hurts credibility.

How long should the video be?

≤ 60 seconds. Partners review thousands; every extra second increases drop-off.

Can I use AI avatars or stock footage?

Avoid. YC partners want to see the actual product, not actors or B-roll.

What file size does YC accept?

< 30 MB mp4. YouTube unlisted link is safest—no compression guesswork.

Should I hire an agency for higher quality?

Only after Series A. Pre-seed agencies burn runway and signal misplaced priorities.

Conclusion

A tight YC company explainer video is the fastest way to show—don’t-tell—your product’s core loop. Download the free script, block one afternoon, and ship a 60-second demo that works in the YC application, your deck, and Product Hunt launch. Start now: duplicate the YC Library template, record your screen, and upload before the next deadline.

Grounded in YC’s official library and verified 2025 sources.