Launch films for
YC founders.
Directed by Sebastian Werz (YC W17) and planned around your launch date, not an agency calendar.
Rhem Labs (YC F26) launch film, produced by WERZ.Featured film
Introducing
Rhem.
A health assistant robot introduced through a mother-and-daughter story, product demonstrations and integrated UI.
▶ Play with sound- Client
- Rhem Labs (YC F26)
- Runtime
- 01:18
- Edit
- Under a week, against the launch deadline
- Distribution
- Introduced by Y Combinator on LinkedIn
One launch,
every format the post needs.
Usually 45–90 seconds: the thesis, the real product doing one thing, and the founder saying why now.
Vertical and square versions with captions for LinkedIn and X, so the launch post and founder reposts land on launch day.
Short answers for recruiting, investor follow-ups and Demo Day, planned before the interview rather than cut out afterwards.
Press-ready stills and clean masters for journalists, your deck and your website.
The launch film
“Within our little YC group, we’re the only ones who got their launch video finished.”
“I called WERZ for the scoping call on Thursday, and by Monday afternoon we had already finished shooting.”
Planned around
your launch date.
Lock the date
The launch post or Demo Day sets the shoot, edit, review and delivery dates on the first call.
Find the one thing
Founders and WERZ agree on the single capability and thesis the film has to land.
Shoot fast
Most shoots take 1–3 days. Hemlock went from scoping call to a wrapped shoot in four days.
Deliver the kit
Hero film, cutdowns, stills and clean masters, ready before the post goes live.
Best fit
Built for the
moments of a batch.
Launch post
The film behind your launch announcement, sized for LinkedIn and X.
Demo Day and fundraising
A clear thesis and visible product progress for investor conversations.
First hires
Founder clips that show candidates the mission and the people.
Pilots and customers
A short film your first customers and partners can forward internally.
Details
YC Launch Videos,
in detail.
- 02
- YC F26 launch films: Rhem Labs and Hemlock
- <1 wk
- Rhem edit, against a “super aggressive deadline”
- 4 days
- Hemlock: scoping call to a wrapped shoot
- 100K+
- Rhem impressions on LinkedIn and X
What makes a good YC launch video?
One clear thesis, the real product doing one thing, and a founder people believe, delivered before your launch post goes out. Plan backward from the date: the film, the vertical cuts for LinkedIn and X, and stills for the post are scoped on the first call.
Overview
Rhem Labs and Hemlock, both YC F26, made theirs with WERZ.
Every day counts in the batch. Hemlock’s founder called WERZ for a scoping call on a Thursday, and by Monday afternoon the shoot was finished. Rhem Labs had its launch film edited in under a week against what founder Jacob Shen called a “super aggressive deadline”, and was the first company in its YC group to finish one.
Sebastian Werz went through Y Combinator himself (W17) and put his own product on Whole Foods shelves, so he plans a launch around what the company needs from it. Julian Olschwang of Hemlock put it this way: “he would know what my priorities are with regard to the launch, because he had kind of been in my shoes.”
Y Combinator has published WERZ films on its own channels: the Cosmic-1 launch film as Cosmic Robotics’ launch announcement, and Rhem’s launch with the line “Rhem Labs (YC F26) is reinventing how we care for our parents.”
Ways to work together
A launch, or the work that comes after. Production across the US, with experience in Germany. We scope locations, crew, and post-production around the project.
Launch film + supporting assets
For a product debut, research demo, funding announcement, or first customer deployment. Start with the audience and one clear product story.
- The scope
- A main film with agreed cutdowns, captioned versions, press b-roll, stills, and presentation loops. Deliverables and revision rounds are written into the proposal.
- The schedule
- We work backward from your launch date through script approval, access, filming, editing, and final review. Location access and technical review set the critical dates.
- The budget
- Shoot days, locations, crew, talent, product capture, motion design, and version count determine the quote. Existing footage can reduce new capture.
Ongoing technical content
For teams with footage to use and progress to share. Turn demonstrations, founder interviews, and field work into a consistent stream of finished content.
- Start with your library
- Send sample footage, transcripts if available, brand assets and examples of the edits you need. We check image and sound quality, product accuracy, usage permissions and gaps before recommending edits or a new shoot.
- Agree on a cadence
- Agree a monthly or campaign-based batch: number and length of edits, captions, aspect ratios, review rounds and delivery dates. A named reviewer consolidates feedback. Filming and substantial new animation are quoted separately.
- Keep it current
- A named client reviewer confirms technical claims before release. New deployments can add footage for future launch, sales, recruiting, and website uses.
Send a launch briefDiscuss ongoing content
We respond within one business day. No call required.
Questions
Common questions.
How fast can you turn a launch film around?
Launch films run 1–6 weeks, from a rush cut of footage you already have to a full multi-day production. Hemlock went from scoping call to a wrapped shoot in four days.
What does a YC launch film cost?
Launch and investor films typically run $15,000–45,000; cuts from footage you already have cost less.
Can you work under an embargo before our launch?
Yes — we sign NDAs before scoping and hold delivery until your announcement window. Unreleased footage stays off public review links.
Are you affiliated with Y Combinator?
No. WERZ is an independent studio. Sebastian Werz is a YC alum (W17), and the YC companies on this page hired WERZ directly.
Do you only work with YC companies?
No. We make launch films for technical startups at every stage; this page collects our YC work because the batch calendar shapes how we plan it.
Launching this batch? Lock your date.
Send your launch date, product state and any footage you already have. We will work backward into a scope on the first call.