This French VC went from posting on YouTube to raising a $12M fund for Y Combinator startups

In a venture capital world full of investors claiming to have a unique edge, Gabriel Jarrosson stands out for keeping things simple: if a startup isn’t from Y Combinator (YC), he won’t invest in it.

That narrow focus has taken Jarrosson — a French engineer-turned-YouTuber-turned-investor — from posting videos about startup investing on YouTube to managing more than $12 million in assets at his VC firm, Lobster Capital. A second, larger fund is already in the works, according to recent SEC filings.

Jarrosson’s logic is straightforward: YC’s track record of producing billion-dollar companies makes it the most reliable hunting ground for early-stage investment.

From YouTube Explainers to a $12M Fund

Back in 2017, frustrated by the lack of access to promising startups in France, Jarrosson launched a YouTube channel to document his journey as an investor — in French.

The channel soon gained a loyal following and evolved into one of Europe’s largest angel syndicates. Since 2020, Jarrosson’s network has invested $36 million in startups, primarily YC alums. That success paved the way for Lobster Capital, which closed its debut $12 million fund, surpassing an initial target of $8 million.

Betting Only on YC Startups

Jarrosson’s thesis is based on data-driven probability.

A report he cites shows that around 4.5% of YC startups become unicorns, compared to 2.5% of other seed-stage ventures. Likewise, 45% of YC companies go on to raise a Series A, versus the 33% average among non-YC startups. YC has funded more than 90 unicorns, with roughly a quarter of those becoming decacorns.

That math explains why Jarrosson isn’t deterred by the higher valuations often associated with YC startups.

“If you think about the VC math and the returns, these outcomes are obviously great for your portfolio,” he told TechCrunch. “As investors, you have to ask yourself, can this company become the next unicorn? If the answer is yes, it’s often okay to invest even at a slightly higher valuation.”

Riding the AI Wave — and Building With Content

Like most early-stage funds, Lobster Capital has leaned heavily into AI-first startups, which have dominated recent YC batches. Jarrosson notes that several consecutive cohorts have broken revenue records, with many companies reaching millions in ARR within months.

While some of that early revenue is likely inflated by pilot programs or contracts with high churn rates, Jarrosson argues that achieving initial traction remains the most challenging milestone. “Retention can be fixed later,” he says.

Still, access remains the most formidable challenge. YC Demo Days attract hundreds of investors chasing the same deals. Jarrosson credits his reputation within the YC founder community, bolstered by Bookface reviews, social media visibility, and his founder background, for helping him secure allocations.

“I try to do well by founders,” he said. “People hear about the firm from social media, and as a former founder, they know I can help them — many funds are built by people who haven’t operated before.”

Personal Brand as a Venture Engine

Jarrosson’s story mirrors a broader trend of investors building funds around personal brands. He points to Harry Stebbings, the creator of 20VC, who raised a $400 million fund, and Garry Tan, YC’s current CEO and co-founder of Initialised Capital, as his inspirations.

Like them, Jarrosson treats YouTube, LinkedIn, and podcasting not just as marketing tools, but also as community-building platforms. He now has 40,000+ LinkedIn followers and a growing podcast where he interviews YC founders — channels that also attract limited partners before they even see a fund deck.

Portfolio and Track Record

Since launching Lobster Capital’s first fund in 2023, Jarrosson has made around 30 investments across B2B SaaS, fintech infrastructure, and AI tools.

He’s already counting two unicorns and several “soonicorns” among his syndicate and fund portfolio, including Jeeves, Baubap, FlutterFlow, Metriport, Alinea, and Jiga.

“YC has the track record. It’s been around for more than 20 years now,” Jarrosson said. “We know it backs the best founders and creates the best founders. Even if future results stay the same, it’s still a great bet.”

Other funds like Initialised, Pioneer Fund, Phosphor Capital, and Rebel Fund share a similar focus on YC-backed startups — but Jarrosson’s rise from YouTube to venture capital success shows there’s room for authenticity and specialisation in an increasingly crowded industry.