AI Startups Shine at YC Demo Day: Autumn, Pingo AI, and More Lead the Charge
September 16, 2025
Autumn, dubbed the 'Stripe for AI startups,' offers an open-source platform that simplifies payment integrations for AI ventures, addressing complex pricing models, and is already used by hundreds of AI applications and 40 YC-backed startups.
Getasap Asia, founded by 14-year-old Raghav Arora, is a Southeast Asian distribution network delivering supplies within eight hours, supported by General Catalyst, and valued highly.
Design Arena crowdsources rankings of AI-generated visuals to improve AI design outputs, attracting large AI labs as clients.
Perseus Defense is developing cost-effective counter-drone mini-missiles for the U.S. military, with ongoing discussions indicating potential lucrative contracts.
Keystone, founded by 20-year-old Pablo Hansen, develops AI tools to fix bugs in software production and has rejected a seven-figure acquisition offer, serving clients like Lovable.
Solva automates insurance claims processing with AI, rapidly gaining traction with $245,000 in ARR within ten weeks of launch.
Several startups, including Autumn, Dedalus Labs, Design Arena, Getasap Asia, Keystone, RealRoots, Solva, Perseus Defense, and Pingo AI, stood out due to investor interest and potential impact.
A notable trend is the shift from AI-powered products to startups creating AI agents or infrastructure to support AI development and deployment.
RealRoots, an AI social platform called Lisa, connects women for social activities, generating $782,000 in revenue from 9,000 paying clients in one month, helping combat loneliness.
Dedalus Labs offers an automated infrastructure for deploying AI agents, reducing deployment time from hours to clicks, streamlining AI deployment processes.
Y Combinator's Summer 2025 Demo Day showcased over 160 startups, with a focus on AI solutions and infrastructure, indicating a maturation in the AI industry.
Pingo AI is an AI-powered language tutor focusing on conversational fluency, experiencing 70% monthly growth and generating $250,000 in monthly revenue, aiming to revolutionize language learning.
Summary based on 3 sources
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Sources

TechCrunch • Sep 15, 2025
The 9 most sought-after startups from YC Demo Day
Observer Voice • Sep 16, 2025
The Most Sought-After Startups from YC Demo Day
SSBCrack News • Sep 15, 2025
Y Combinator's Summer 2025 Demo Day Highlights Over 160 Startups with a Focus on AI Solutions -