In this episode of Lobster Talks, Gabriel chats with Yonatan - co-founder of Jiga (YC W21) - about how a simple WordPress MVP grew into an AI-powered platform reinventing global manufacturing. Yonatan reveals the ups and downs of hitting walls, pivoting from marketplace to SaaS (and back again), and ultimately nailing product-market fit. They also discuss staying humble when things finally take off, fundraising highs and lows, and insights from Israel’s vibrant startup community. If you want real, practical lessons on iterating fast, listening to users, and leveraging AI for operational efficiency, this one’s for you!

Chapters

0:00 Introduction & How Jiga Got Started

3:20 Building a WordPress MVP & Getting Early Revenue

6:45 Pivoting from Transaction Model to SaaS (and Back)

10:02 Staying Scrappy Through Challenges & Hitting Walls

14:15 How AI Boosted Margins & Automates Ops

17:40 Surviving the Early “No Revenue” Stage

21:30 Lessons from the Israeli Startup Scene & YC Community

25:51 Why Being Humble Matters (Even During Success)

29:14 Jiga’s Vision for the Future & Final Takeaways

Enjoying the conversation?

• Subscribe for more founder interviews
• Drop a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
• Share your biggest takeaway in the comments!

Thanks for watching!

In this Lobster Talks episode, Gabriel returns to discuss what’s on the horizon for YC and startup investing in 2025. We dive into Y Combinator’s shift to four batches per year, why AI is fueling rapid growth (and even potential AGI!), and how that might reshape the investment landscape. We also reflect on Lobster Capital’s stellar 2024—from an oversubscribed Fund 1 to multiple fast-growing portfolio companies—and explore Europe’s evolving role in the global startup scene. If you’re curious how AI, YC, and cross-border opportunities will collide in 2025, this one’s for you!

Chapters

0:00 – Introduction

1:12 – Reflecting on Lobster Capital’s Milestones in 2024

4:39 – Inside YC’s Four Batches per Year

9:55 – AI’s Acceleration & the Push Toward AGI

14:02 – Revenue Traction vs. Defensibility: Key Investing Criteria

18:47 – Shifts in Seed, Series A, and Beyond

23:15 – Potential Exit Strategies & Secondary Markets

27:44 – The Future of European Startups vs. Silicon Valley

31:58 – Closing Thoughts & What’s Next for 2025

Enjoying Lobster Talks?

• Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more startup insights
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
• Follow us on social for behind-the-scenes updates

In this episode of The Lobster Talks, I sit down with Roberto Salcedo—co-founder and CEO of Baubap, a Y Combinator-backed fintech that’s reshaping consumer lending in Mexico. Discover how Roberto’s team grew Baubap from a scrappy $3M seed round to generating $100M+ in revenue by building everything in-house and leveraging AI years before it was mainstream.

What You’ll Learn

- The early product decisions that fueled explosive, profitable growth

- How Baubap uses AI to underwrite loans and keep default rates low

- Why building core systems from scratch can create a massive competitive edge

- Navigating funding, profitability, and future expansion plans (including a regional banking license!)

- Lessons learned from YC, plus powerful advice for fellow entrepreneurs

If you’re fascinated by fintech, AI, or just want an inside look at an incredible founder journey, you don’t want to miss this!

Enjoying the conversation?

Hit Subscribe, drop a Like, and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode of The Lobster Talks!