Office Hours with Kevin & Qasar

TL;DR

YC partners Kevin Hale and Qasar Younis simulate individual office hours with three startups: Zealify (culture-based job board for graduates), Viewzy (in-store footfall analytics using WiFi sensors and 3D cameras), and Screenpush (screenshot collaboration tool). They stress that office hours should be tactical and problem-focused, not pitch-like.

Key insights

• Office hours at YC are not pitches; partners already have context and focus on solving specific, tactical problems; founders should come with a clear problem and know their numbers.
• Marketplace startups often have one side “solved” by insight; they must validate the other side (e.g., Zealify’s candidate side) before scaling.
• “Culture” as a differentiator can be intellectually seductive but may not be something students actively search for; founders must verify latent demand, not assume it.