TITLE: French VC Raises $12M Fund Exclusively for Y Combinator Startups
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From YouTube to Venture Capital
While many venture capitalists claim special access to promising startups, Gabriel Jarrosson has taken a uniquely disciplined approach. The French engineer-turned-YouTuber-turned-investor built his entire investment strategy around a single principle: if a startup isn’t part of Y Combinator, he won’t invest in it.
The Journey to $12 Million
This focused strategy has propelled Jarrosson from creating venture capital explainer videos in Paris to managing over $12 million in assets through Lobster Capital. Recent regulatory filings confirm the success of his debut fund, which exceeded its $8 million target and already has a larger second fund in development.
Jarrosson’s journey began in 2017 when, frustrated by limited access to promising French startups, he launched a YouTube channel to document his investment experiences. The channel quickly gained traction, evolving into one of Europe’s largest angel syndicates and deploying $36 million into startups since 2020, primarily Y Combinator alumni.
The Y Combinator Advantage
The investor’s exclusive focus on Y Combinator companies stems from compelling data. According to industry reports that originally detailed this strategy, YC companies demonstrate significantly better outcomes than other venture-backed startups. Approximately 4.5% of Y Combinator companies achieve unicorn status compared to 2.5% for other seed-stage startups, while 45% progress to Series A funding versus the 33% industry average.
Y Combinator’s track record includes funding more than 90 unicorns, with about a quarter growing into decacorns—companies valued at over $10 billion. This success rate justifies the premium valuations that YC startups often command at seed stage, a factor that doesn’t deter Jarrosson’s investment decisions.
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Investment Philosophy in Practice
“When you consider venture capital mathematics and potential returns, these outcomes significantly benefit your portfolio,” Jarrosson explained in discussions about his approach. “As investors, we must constantly ask: can this company become the next unicorn? If the answer is affirmative, investing at slightly higher valuations becomes justifiable—whether that’s $20 million, $30 million, or even $40 million valuations.”
Riding the AI Wave
Lobster Capital has capitalized on the recent surge of AI-focused startups dominating Y Combinator batches. Jarrosson notes that three consecutive cohorts have broken revenue growth records within the accelerator, with companies achieving millions in annual recurring revenue within months of launching.
While some industry observers question whether this rapid ARR growth reflects sustainable business models or is inflated by pilot programs and high-churn annual contracts, Jarrosson acknowledges the risks but maintains that early revenue generation remains the most significant hurdle for startups, and retention issues can typically be addressed later.
The Access Challenge
The most significant question surrounding Jarrosson’s exclusive Y Combinator strategy involves competition for access. With hundreds of funds competing for the same startups during YC demo days, standing out becomes crucial.
Jarrosson attributes his competitive edge to three factors: his reputation within Y Combinator’s network, visibility from his content creation, and his own background as a founder. Y Combinator founders rate investors on Bookface, the accelerator’s internal platform, and strong reviews help secure allocation in competitive funding rounds.
Building Through Content and Community
His podcast featuring Y Combinator founders and his substantial LinkedIn following, where he shares investment insights and Y Combinator updates, serve as continuous marketing channels. “I prioritize doing right by founders,” Jarrosson emphasized. “Social media exposure helps founders discover our firm, and my operational background assures them I can provide practical help—something not all investment professionals can offer.”
The Personal Brand Investment Trend
Jarrosson represents a growing trend of investors building funds around personal brands. He cites influencers like Harry Stebbings, whose 20VC podcast helped raise a $400 million fund, and Garry Tan, who co-founded Initialized Capital before becoming Y Combinator’s CEO, as inspirations for leveraging content and community in venture capital.
Like these successful investors, Jarrosson treats social media, YouTube, and podcasting as essential tools for community building and deal sourcing, proving that in modern venture capital, content creation and investment expertise can create powerful synergies.
