April 1, 2025·by Garry Tan

When Tyler applied to YC in 2012, his startup idea was an unusual one. An API for schools? But outliers always sound unusual at the outset. At Demo Day, he shocked the room when he announced that he’d already signed on 1,000 schools. Over the next 10 years, he and his cofounders grew Clever into an educational powerhouse, used every day by over half of K-12 students in the USA– my kids included. In the end, his vision paid off spectacularly when he sold Clever for $500 million.

That kind of determination and conviction is exactly what defines the very best YC founders. And it’s why we’re thrilled to welcome Tyler back to YC, this time as a General Partner.

Tyler knows firsthand what it takes to beat the odds and turn an early-stage idea into a thriving business. He understands the emotional rollercoaster of entrepreneurship—finding product-market fit, scaling a team, securing key customers, and all the strategic decisions in between.

But what truly sets Tyler apart is his extraordinary skill in sales. He’s simply one of the best sales leaders we’ve seen. He brings a natural talent for connecting with customers, building trust, and closing deals. His famous “How to Sell” class remains one of YC’s most-watched videos. I can’t wait for all YC founders to benefit from his mentorship and land those crucial first customers faster.

And, of course, I can’t introduce Tyler without mentioning one of his most intriguing hobbies: in his spare time, he’s a gelato chef who has crossed the globe in his quest to perfect his pistachio gelato recipe.

We couldn’t be more excited to have Tyler on board. Welcome to YC, Tyler!