Lobster Capital is a Paris-based venture capital firm founded by Gabriel Jarrosson, a French engineer turned YouTuber turned investor. The firm emerged from one of Europe’s largest angel syndicates, which Jarrosson built through his content and community efforts. Lobster Capital invests exclusively in Y Combinator-backed startups, a filter Jarrosson believes maximizes odds of success based on YC’s track record of producing unicorns and decacorns.
The fund’s strategy is built entirely around Y Combinator alumni. Jarrosson’s thesis is rooted in YC’s historical data, which shows higher probabilities of raising Series A and achieving unicorn status compared to the average venture-backed startup.
Lobster Capital focuses on sectors where YC has been most active, including B2B SaaS, fintech infrastructure, and AI-first tools, while remaining open to any YC-backed company that demonstrates potential for hypergrowth.
Lobster Capital recently closed its debut $12 million fund in October, exceeding its initial 8 million dollar target. SEC filings show a larger second fund is already being raised, reflecting LP demand and steady deal flow from YC batches. Since launch, the firm has invested in nearly 30 YC startups, building on over 100 deals Jarrosson executed through his syndicate.
Leadership
Gabriel Jarrosson is the founder and managing partner. He started his journey in 2017 by launching a YouTube channel to share his investment experience in French, which grew into a community-driven syndicate deploying $36 million by 2020. His visibility inside the YC network, reputation among founders, and operator background give him access to competitive allocations at Demo Day. He also leverages social media, a podcast featuring YC founders, and a 40,000+ LinkedIn following as marketing and deal flow engines.
Investment Strategy
Lobster Capital applies a strict filter: it only backs Y Combinator companies. Jarrosson is comfortable paying premium valuations at the seed stage, arguing that the upside probability justifies the entry price.
The firm rides YC’s momentum in emerging trends such as AI, where recent batches have seen record-breaking revenue traction.
Content creation remains a key moat, both for sourcing deals and attracting LPs who often discover the fund through Jarrosson’s videos and podcasts.
Notable Investments
Notable investments by Lobster Capital include a range of YC-backed companies focused on SaaS, fintech, and AI applications.
Although the exact portfolio details are evolving with the launch of their latest fund, the firm’s track record is marked by early engagement with promising startups that later achieve significant growth within their respective markets.
Notable Exits
Notable exits by Lobster Capital have yet to be widely publicized, likely reflecting the relative newness of the firm and its funds.
As the portfolio matures, further successful liquidity events are expected to become part of their investment narrative.
Other
Lobster Capital operates with a founder-friendly ethos, emphasizing alignment with startup teams and actively seeking to add value beyond capital.
The firm leverages its founder’s engineering and startup background to offer practical insights and connections.
