Y Combinator Standard Cold Email
The gold-standard cold outreach framework recommended by Y Combinator. Focuses on brevity, low-friction asks, and clear value proposition.
📋 Template
**Subject:** Brief, relevant, no sales jargon (e.g., Quick question about [Company]) Hi [First Name], [Personalized Hook: 1 sentence referencing their recent work, a shared connection, or an uncommon commonality to prove you aren't spamming.] We're building [Your Company/Product] to help [Target User] solve [Specific Problem] by [Your Unique Solution]. [Optional traction: We recently helped X achieve Y result.] [Credibility Drop: 1 sentence on why they should listen to you - e.g., YC batch, past exit, notable customers.] Would you be open to a quick 10-minute chat next week to share your thoughts on this space? / Alternatively: Are you the right person to speak with about [Topic]? Best, [Your Name] [Your Company]
💡 Pro Tip
Keep it under 60 seconds to read. According to YC partners Michael Seibel and Aaron Epstein, the goal is to start a conversation, not close a deal in the first email.
📌 When to Use This Template
B2B Cold Outreach, Investor Outreach
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