The Human Utility YC Application
The Human Utility went through Y Combinator in the Winter 2015 batch as a Unspecified 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 2015
- Industry
- Unspecified
- Team size
- 2
- Status
- Active
- Launched
- 2014
Founders
Tiffani Ashley BellFounder/Executive Director
What The Human Utility does
Founded July 2014, The Human Utility (formerly known as the Detroit Water Project) matches families needing help with utility bills to people who want to help through payments directly to utility companies. For over 40 million families in the United States, water and other essential utilities may be unaffordable. In order to afford utilities, families often forgo medication, food, and transportation. The Human Utility's platform divides a bill similar to a loan syndicate expanding the possible number of donors from around the world able to join together to ensure families never lose access to utility service. Donors are matched with a specific family or donate to a universal assistance fund. Later, we use utility data to design interventions addressing the root causes of why people need help with their utility bills with the goal of never having them lose service again.
The Human Utility's YC application, reconstructed
Y Combinator application
The Human Utility, Winter 2015 batch. The real form questions, answered from public data.
- Founders2
- Company7
- Progress7
- Idea4
- Equity3
- Curious2
- Batch Preference1
Company
The Human Utility
Eliminate water shutoffs through crowdfunded bill payments
We built a platform that connects families at risk of water disconnection with donors who pay utility bills directly. Our system breaks bills into smaller shares so multiple people worldwide can fund a single family's utility needs. Donors can pick families or give to a general fund. We plan to use utility data to develop programs that prevent disconnections long-term.
We live in Oakland, CA, and have remote team members. After YC, the company will remain based in Oakland with remote work.
Oakland is where Tiffani is located and where we have local connections to water justice issues. Remote work fits our small team and lets us engage supporters where they live.
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 Human Utility YC application?
No. Y Combinator keeps submitted applications private. This is a reconstruction: the real YC form questions, answered from The Human Utility's public data (launch notes, founder backgrounds, product description). It shows how a company like The Human Utility would present itself to YC, not the text they submitted.
What YC batch was The Human Utility in?
The Human Utility was part of the Y Combinator Winter 2015 batch.
Who founded The Human Utility?
The Human Utility was founded by Tiffani Ashley Bell.
What does The Human Utility do?
The Human Utility seeks to eliminate water service disconnections for…
How do I read the full reconstructed application?
Create a free Round Funded account. The full 26-answer version of The Human Utility's application, and every other YC batch, is in YC Insights.
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