The Essential YC Application
The Essential went through Y Combinator in the Winter 2017 batch as a Consumer company. Below: what the company does, who founded it, and its application to YC, reconstructed question by question in the real YC form.
- YC batch
- Winter 2017
- Industry
- Consumer
- Team size
- 11
- Status
- Active
- Launched
- 2016
Founders
Chai MishraFounder/CEO
What The Essential does
The Essential is e-commerce 2.0. What we do We make and sell the single best version of all your essentials, at the best price possible. How we do it We're not an "everything store."We sell only the essentials, we're members-only and we only sell our own brand. We cut out the middlemen, the brands, the physical stores and the markups - to make products cost a lot less, all while paying the producer more. Why we do it To add meaning to people’s lives through products they use and love, made by people who know and care, with stories that matter, and means that are honest.
The Essential's YC application, reconstructed
Y Combinator application
The Essential, Winter 2017 batch. The real form questions, answered from public data.
- Founders2
- Company7
- Progress7
- Idea4
- Equity3
- Curious2
- Batch Preference1
Company
The Essential
E-commerce 2.0
We make and sell the single best version of everyday essentials. Our site is members-only, offering only our own brand at the best possible price by cutting out middlemen, brands, and physical retail markups.
We live in San Francisco, CA, and after YC the company will continue to be based here.
San Francisco is where we live and where our team is based. It's also where our customers are and where access to product and tech talent is strongest.
21 more answers in the full application
Founders, Progress, Idea, Equity, Curious, Batch Preference are in the full version. Create a free account to open it in YC Insights, next to every other YC batch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the real The Essential YC application?
No. Y Combinator keeps submitted applications private. This is a reconstruction: the real YC form questions, answered from The Essential's public data (launch notes, founder backgrounds, product description). It shows how a company like The Essential would present itself to YC, not the text they submitted.
What YC batch was The Essential in?
The Essential was part of the Y Combinator Winter 2017 batch.
Who founded The Essential?
The Essential was founded by Chai Mishra.
What does The Essential do?
E-commerce 2.0
How do I read the full reconstructed application?
Create a free Round Funded account. The full 26-answer version of The Essential's application, and every other YC batch, is in YC Insights.
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