We applied to Y-Combinator

It’s amazing how life’s pivotal moments often arrive in the most ordinary circumstances. For me, it happened during a brief three-day visit to Poland, squeezed between renovation check-ins and precious moments with my grandma. There’s something about her lemon-black tea that just warms my heart. No one makes it quite like her, and even as her age (93!) starts to show, the tea is a tradition.

The catalyst was a simple tweet from Garry Tan about Y Combinator applications still being open. Between Natalia’s intense focus on her master thesis and my work on rebuilding nutrified.com (moving from WordPress to a custom Next.js stack), we probably shouldn’t have added another task to our plates. But sometimes the most important decisions don’t wait for perfect timing – or so we like to tell ourselves.

The application process became an unexpected exercise in introspection. Each question forced us to articulate not just what TinyPaws is, but why it matters. Every answer helped clarify our vision for what we’re building – not just a supplemental app, but a comprehensive platform that genuinely improves pets’ lives and their families’ experiences. This also prompted us to sit down and talk about what will follow December, once we’re settled in, the Masters is done, and we can focus on what comes next. More on that in a little bit.

Recording our founder video turned into an unexpectedly heartwarming experience. Cosmo, our resident Chief Paw Officer, insisted on being part of the presentation. Between his determined attempts to lick my hair and his constant need to cuddle with Natalia, he ended up stealing the show. In retrospect, his presence perfectly embodied what we’re building – tools for people who see their pets as family members. He will forever be our little (fur) baby.

The journey to this point has been remarkable. What started as Natalia’s vision for better pet supplements in 2021 has evolved into something much more comprehensive. Pure Goodness For Happy Tummies, our flagship product, now helps pets across Europe maintain better gut health, with an NPS (Net Promoter Score – how many of our customers would recommend us to friends) score of 9.7 that makes us incredibly proud. But more than the metrics, it’s the stories from pet parents about how our supplements have helped their furry family members that drive us forward.

Building Nutrified has been an incredible learning experience. Every day brings new challenges and opportunities to grow – from navigating EUIPO trademark regulations to understanding the nuances of social media marketing. I’ve discovered that building a pet wellness brand involves so much more than just creating great products. It’s about building trust, fostering community, and consistently delivering value. It’s about getting in front of the right eyeballs, raising awareness and educating the consumer. It’s a delicate balance of so many things I would never have thought about.

Our ecosystem is growing organically, each piece (and planned expansion) complementing the others:

• Pure Goodness supplements providing physical wellbeing
  • Pure Goodness For Happy Tummies still dominating
  • Pure Goodness For Healthy Minds slowly finding it’s footing as the newest addition
  • A top-secret expansion into products (sneak peek coming soon)
• The Pawsitive Choice Newsletter launching with evidence-based pet care content in Q1 2025
• The Pawdcast connecting pet parents with expert voices (coming later in 2025)
• TinyPaws offering digital tools for capturing and sharing pet life moments (Launching in Q1 2025)
• Ampawssadors building community through shared experiences (and the Profile Cards/Pages coming in Q1 2025)

2025 will be the wildest ride yet, and to be honest with you, I cannot wait to see what we will achieve and do. I’m hoping to set up a blog/YT series about what we’re doing to have something to look back on. So incredibly excited.

We’re realistic about our chances with YC. With an acceptance rate hovering around 1.5-2%, we know the odds. But applying felt important – not just for the potential opportunity, but for what it represents. It’s a statement that we believe in what we’re building, that we’re ready to put ourselves out there and face whatever feedback comes our way.

The application process helped us realize how much we’ve already accomplished. From dealing with manufacturers (looking at you Packaging) to building a loyal customer base, from navigating complex regulatory requirements to creating content that resonates with our community – we’ve learned and grown so much. Each challenge has made us more certain that this is the path we want to pursue.

Even if we don’t get in this time, we’ll keep building. There’s something powerful about working on products that genuinely improve lives – both human and animal. Every positive review, every thank you message from a pet parent, every success story reinforces that we’re on the right track.

Being back in Poland briefly, seeing the renovation progress, visiting my grandma, and working on this application with Natalia between her thesis work – it all felt like pieces falling into place. Whether YC becomes part of our journey or not, we’re committed to growing Nutrified into something meaningful and impactful.

The funny thing about taking shots in life is that sometimes the act of trying teaches you more than success ever could. This application process has already given us valuable insights and helped clarify our vision. And who knows? Maybe Garry Tan is ready for a startup with a feline Chief Paw Officer.

Love from Kraków,
Julian

P.S. To everyone who’s been part of our journey so far – our early customers, our Ampawssadors, our friends and family who’ve supported us – thank you. We couldn’t have come this far without you.