StartupsWorkshop

Startup group office hours (YC-style)

90 minutes 5 blocks Free template

Peer problem-solving for a section of 6–10 companies: quick updates, vote on the most pressing problems, work them, commit to next steps.

See the agenda

Opens in the builder. No sign-up to try it; 14 days free to run it live.

By the end of this meetingThe most pressing problems in the group get worked on and each company leaves with a commitment.

90 min · 5 blocks, drawn to scale Fits exactly

Round of company updates, 20 minutes
Pick the most pressing problems, 5 minutes
Partner and peer problem-solving, 35 minutes
Ideas for the founder in the hot seat, 20 minutes
Commitments before the next session, 10 minutes

+0′Round of company updatesOne word for your company's last two weeks?Tip: With 6–10 companies, keep each update to about two minutes.20 minCheck-in
+20′Pick the most pressing problemsWhich problem should we work on first?Tip: Rename the options to the problems companies raised in updates.5 minVote
+25′Partner and peer problem-solving35 minDiscuss
+60′Ideas for the founder in the hot seatWhat would you try next in their position?20 minBrainstorm
+80′Commitments before the next session10 minWrap-up

Why it works

Built so the startup group office hours (yc-style) ends on time, with everyone in it.

Every voice in the first minutes
A 20-minute check-in: everyone sends a mood and one word from their phone, and it shows on their tile in the call. People who speak early speak again.
A vote the whole room sees
One tap each on a phone, live bars on the screen. A tick shows who has voted, never what they chose.
Discussion with a clock
35 minutes of open floor with a countdown everyone can see, and a talk-balance meter so the loudest voice doesn't take all of it.
Ideas from every phone
Everyone types at once and ideas land on the shared screen together. The quiet person's idea gets the same space as everyone else's.
Wraps up on time
Decisions and actions are read back, the summary is already written, and a finish on time earns the confetti.

How to run it

1Keep sections small, 6–10 companies, as YC does.
2Hold the session every two weeks and start with a quick round of updates.
3Vote on which problems to work on so the time goes to the most pressing ones.
4Let partners and peers work each problem, then collect ideas from the whole group.
5End with a commitment from each company to report back on next session.

Questions about the startup group office hours (yc-style)

What is YC group office hours?: Sessions every two weeks during the batch where sections of 6–10 companies share updates and work through problems with partners and peers.
How do you run group office hours well?: Keep the group small, do a quick round of updates, vote on the most pressing problems, solve them together, and close with commitments before the next session.

Built from

The structure, timings and tips on this page come from these sources.

ycombinator.com

All templates

Run this agenda in a minute.

Open it in the builder, adjust the minutes, press Run live. Everyone joins with a scan.

14-day free trial
No card needed
Guests never need an account

Browse templates

Startup group office hours (YC-style)

90 minutes 5 blocks Free template

Peer problem-solving for a section of 6–10 companies: quick updates, vote on the most pressing problems, work them, commit to next steps.

Opens in the builder. No sign-up to try it; 14 days free to run it live.

By the end of this meetingThe most pressing problems in the group get worked on and each company leaves with a commitment.

Built so the startup group office hours (yc-style) ends on time, with everyone in it.

Every voice in the first minutes
A 20-minute check-in: everyone sends a mood and one word from their phone, and it shows on their tile in the call. People who speak early speak again.
A vote the whole room sees
One tap each on a phone, live bars on the screen. A tick shows who has voted, never what they chose.
Discussion with a clock
35 minutes of open floor with a countdown everyone can see, and a talk-balance meter so the loudest voice doesn't take all of it.
Ideas from every phone
Everyone types at once and ideas land on the shared screen together. The quiet person's idea gets the same space as everyone else's.
Wraps up on time
Decisions and actions are read back, the summary is already written, and a finish on time earns the confetti.

How to run it

1Keep sections small, 6–10 companies, as YC does.

2Hold the session every two weeks and start with a quick round of updates.

3Vote on which problems to work on so the time goes to the most pressing ones.

4Let partners and peers work each problem, then collect ideas from the whole group.

5End with a commitment from each company to report back on next session.

Questions about the startup group office hours (yc-style)

What is YC group office hours?

Sessions every two weeks during the batch where sections of 6–10 companies share updates and work through problems with partners and peers.

How do you run group office hours well?

Keep the group small, do a quick round of updates, vote on the most pressing problems, solve them together, and close with commitments before the next session.

Startup group office hours (YC-style)

Built so the startup group office hours (yc-style) ends on time, with everyone in it.

Every voice in the first minutes

A vote the whole room sees

Discussion with a clock

Ideas from every phone

Wraps up on time

How to run it

Questions about the startup group office hours (yc-style)

Built from

Related templates

Run this agenda in a minute.

Startup group office hours (YC-style)

Built so the startup group office hours (yc-style) ends on time, with everyone in it.

Every voice in the first minutes

A vote the whole room sees

Discussion with a clock

Ideas from every phone

Wraps up on time

How to run it

Questions about the startup group office hours (yc-style)

Built from

Related templates

Run this agenda in a minute.