Y Combinator Winter 2008 (W08) Companies

280 North builds web applications using its own development framework, Cappuccino, which pairs with the Objective-J language to create rich browser-based applications modeled on desktop development tools. Its first product lets users create and edit presentations directly in a web browser, including PowerPoint import and export.

2 investors

A Thinking Ape builds massively multiplayer mobile games with a social core designed to create online player communities. The company operates in the mobile gaming industry and is based in Vancouver, Canada.

1 investor

Deluux is developing a service to relocate people's online identities to their own websites, letting them distribute personalized content across the web and drive traffic to those sites. The product has not yet launched.

1 investor

FathomDB provides a database-as-a-service offering that handles routine database administration tasks so administrators can focus on more complex work.

1 investor

Heroku operates a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) that lets developers build, deploy, and run applications in the cloud. It serves companies ranging from startups to Fortune 500 enterprises.

8 investors

Insoshi was an open-source social networking platform. The company is now defunct.

1 investor

Joberator operates an online platform that matches STEM graduates and professionals with employers, letting job seekers showcase their skills and employers post jobs, search candidate profiles, and conduct interviews and hiring directly. It focuses specifically on recruitment within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math fields.

1 investor

Kirkland North runs a campus-wide multiplayer game called Turf in which groups within a university compete for virtual control of the campus. The company offers institution-specific versions of the game as a service to universities such as Yale, Harvard, and Stanford.

1 investor

Machine Zone (MZ) builds global, multiplayer mobile social games and operates mobile ad-buying and a live data ecosystem. Its technology serves consumers through gaming as well as enterprises, cities, and countries via real-time data applications.

4 investors

MightyQuiz offers a collection of user-generated quiz questions that can be answered and rated on its website or embedded elsewhere through a distributable widget.

1 investor

Mixwit offers an online service for creating and sharing mixtapes, assembling songs found through MP3 search engines like Seeqpod and Skreamr. It is positioned as a consumer web product for music listeners.

1 investor

Ninite provides third-party app patching and deployment for Windows through its BaseShield App Store, a distribution platform where users install applications with one click and each app runs in its own isolated virtual space. The platform is open to third-party developers, who can rely on its built-in installer, update, security, and payment features to publish and maintain their software.

1 investor

Omnisio was an online video editing and enhancement service that let users annotate, mark up, and share videos from any website, including a tool for syncing slides with video. The company was acquired by Google/YouTube in July 2008.

1 investor

RescueTime is a time-tracking and productivity tool that shows people how they spend their time, helps them protect focused work periods, and supports work/life balance. It is offered by a distributed company operating across the United States.

1 investor

Snaptalent operates a distributed job advertising network focused on developer job listings, displaying ads across participating websites. It uses visitor IP detection to identify an individual's employer or university and serve targeted job ads to those specific audiences.

1 investor

Socialbrowse offered a Firefox browser extension for sharing links, likened to a "Twitter for links." The company is inactive.

1 investor

Tipjoy was a social micropayments engine that let merchants sell digital content and features, charities collect donations, and individuals send money to one another.

1 investor

Trigger offers tools that let web developers build mobile applications using HTML5 together with native capabilities. It targets the mobile app development market and serves developers.

2 investors

Wundrbar builds an enhanced search bar that lets users run inline commands to search the web and manage their personal online accounts. It targets a broad consumer audience seeking faster, command-driven web interaction.

1 investor

YumDots is a mobile application for discovering nearby restaurants, using interactive maps to show information about local dining options. It positions itself as a restaurant review and discovery service for consumers, comparable to services like Yelp.

1 investor