Cosmic
YC W19San Francisco, US · Founded 2016 · 5 employees · 5 known investors
Cosmic provides a content management system with web dashboard and API tools that enable teams to build and deploy applications faster. It serves development teams and digital businesses seeking to accelerate content velocity and application delivery.
Also known as Cosmic JS
AI & Machine LearningCloud ComputingDeveloper ToolsEnterprise SoftwareSaaSAPIUnited States of AmericaAmerica / CanadaFully Remote
Founders & leadership· Y Combinator alumni (W19)
Cosmic was founded in 2016 by Tony Spiro.
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Tony Spiroin𝕏Founder · CEOTony Spiro is founder and CEO of Cosmic, a content management system with web dashboard and API tools for development teams building and deploying applications.
Investors · 5
The YC application· Winter 2019 batch
Alumni Q&A
- How did your company get started? (i.e., How did the founders meet? How did you come up with the idea? How did you decide to be a founder?)
- CEO Tony had spent years working with legacy CMS tools such as WordPress and Drupal and found building websites with them difficult. He started Cosmic to create an API-driven CMS that could deliver content to any website or app.
- How did you decide to apply to Y Combinator? What was your experience applying, going through the batch, and fundraising at demo day?
- The founders showed the product to developers for feedback, and one suggestion was to apply to YC. They found the batch valuable for the network, events, Bookface, and hiring.
- How have you kept in touch with the YC community and continued to use YC resources & programs since the batch ended?
- The founders have stayed connected through Bookface, using it to source talent and follow startup advice and news, but have not kept in touch with their group partners or batchmates.
- What is the core problem you are solving? Why is this a big problem? What made you decide to work on it?
- The company addresses the difficulty of building content-powered websites and apps, aiming to make content operations faster and easier so businesses can get to market more quickly.
- What is your long-term vision? If you truly succeed, what will be different about the world?
- The founders' long-term vision is a platform with three layers: a service offering a dashboard, API, and asset management; a marketplace drawing on the Cosmic community; and an integration network connecting to third-party services. The goal is to make building content-powered websites and apps faster, easier, and cheaper.
Summarized from the founders' answers on their Y Combinator profile.
Competitors · 8
by search overlap
Hygraph133 shared keywordsHygraph is a GraphQL-native headless CMS platform that enables teams to create, deliver, and distribute content across multiple channels. It serves development teams building digital products who need flexible, API-driven content management without the limitations of traditional CMS systems.
Strapi132 shared keywordsStrapi is a headless content management system that enables content teams to create, update, and publish website and app content without developer assistance. The platform targets business teams and developers who need faster content delivery and customizable templates across websites, apps, and IoT projects.
Sanity129 shared keywordsSanity provides a content operations platform built on a structured content database where JSON documents and code-defined schemas power web, mobile, and AI agent applications through a single API. It offers a customizable content studio, programmable automation, content agents, and enterprise governance for teams managing content across multiple brands and channels.
Prismic94 shared keywordsPrismic is a headless CMS and web platform that lets marketing teams and AI agents build on-brand landing pages, SEO pages, and multilingual websites using reusable, developer-approved content sections. It offers integrations with tools like ChatGPT and Claude via MCP, targeting marketers and developers managing web content at scale.
Anthropic89 shared keywordsAnthropic is an AI safety research company that builds reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems. The company conducts frontier AI research, applies safety techniques, and deploys systems through products and partnerships.
DataCamp88 shared keywordsDataCamp is a learning platform for teams that teaches data and AI skills through hands-on coursework accessible via web browser and mobile app. It serves enterprise customers and development teams seeking to build technical capabilities.
Builder io76 shared keywordsBuilder.io provides visual development tools that enable teams to collaborate on software development through a plug-and-play approach. The platform allows developers and non-technical team members to participate in the building process.
Vercel74 shared keywordsVercel is an infrastructure platform for building and deploying applications, with emerging support for agentic capabilities that allow AI agents and humans to collaborate in software development. The platform serves developers and agents building web applications and software.
Companies competing with Cosmic for the same Google search keywords, organic and paid, via search-intersection analysis.
In the news
Frequently asked questions
- What does Cosmic do?
- Cosmic provides a content management system with web dashboard and API tools that enable teams to build and deploy applications faster. It serves development teams and digital businesses seeking to accelerate content velocity and application delivery.
- Who founded Cosmic?
- Cosmic was founded by Tony Spiro in 2016.
- Who are Cosmic's investors?
- Cosmic's investors include Y Combinator, Aera VC, Pale Blue Dot, Possible Ventures, Syndicate One.
- Where is Cosmic headquartered?
- Cosmic is headquartered in San Francisco, US.