Garry Tan Invited Him Into YC
- S2E63
- 39:56
- September 30th 2025
A YC founder turns a manual, low-IQ grind into an AI agent that finds creators, negotiates terms, and scales UGC—sometimes a little too far. What starts as a viral local-model demo becomes Stormy AI’s end-to-end engine for influencer marketing.
Fresh off YC Demo Day, Robert Lukoszko (Stormy AI) breaks down the pivot, the fundraising blitz, and how agencies are replacing hours of scrolling with autonomous outreach. We get into model-proof moats, why micro-creators beat celebrity accounts, and the coming wave of AI-generated influencers.
You’ll learn:
How a YC pivot formed around a founder’s own pain (and real demand)
The playbook: sourcing, outreach, negotiation, and QA with AI agents
Why “every better model makes us stronger” is the right moat test
Micro vs. macro creators: what actually converts in 2025
The next act: AI-native UGC, personalization, and brand-owned AI faces
Tactical Demo Day lessons: energy + social proof = signed checks
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Cold Open
00:13 Welcome to Lobster Talks
00:37 Demo Day Insights
03:05 The Journey of Stormy AI
04:39 From Viral Demos to YC Acceptance
07:35 Pivoting to Stormy AI
09:41 Automating Influencer Marketing
18:39 The Future of Influencer Marketing
19:50 AI and UGC: The Future of Influencer Marketing
20:11 The Rise of AI Influencers
20:41 AI-Generated Content vs. Human Content
21:05 The Makeup Industry and AI Influencers
22:26 The Shift to Micro-Influencers
23:23 Emerging Platforms and the Decline of Meta
25:22 The Future of AI in Content Creation
28:58 Preparing for an AI-Driven Future
31:46 Building a Moat in the AI Industry
34:54 The Importance of Vision and Customer Interaction
38:16 Stormy AI: Current and Future Plans
39:20 Conclusion and Call to Action
📌 Watch now and subscribe for more smart, fast, founder-first interviews.
🎧 Listen on the go:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1u1JyRKH8JYFjhBkvTUOAP
Apple: https://apple.co/4cZ8RMm
My other YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GJarrosson
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