Demo day merch: what YC startups actually order

What YC teams actually order

Most demo day merch advice is written by people who have never produced a batch run. This guide is built from four real ones in our portfolio, and none of them looked like conference swag:

• screenpipe (S26): a white tee and dad cap carrying the same small black mark, with a compact wordmark beside it on the tee. Quiet enough for a founder to wear on stage.
• Ontora (P26): black tees and a hoodie, each with the same small white mark at the left chest, worn by the team while presenting.
• Manicule (P26): a black hoodie with a tiny white chest icon up front and a full red photographic graphic across the back.
• Pairio (P26): a black quarter-zip with a compact white chest lockup and a larger mark across the upper back.

The pattern across all four: one colorway, restrained placement, and pieces that read as the company's own clothing rather than a pallet of giveaways.

Start smaller than you think

A YC batch team is usually two to four people, and the merch that works at that size is a kit, not a crate. Our minimum is 3 pieces per design and color, so a founders-only run is a real option, not a compromise. If investors, early hires, or batchmates are on the list, the starter packages below show what a larger founder-team set can contain.

Planning backward from demo day

Standard timing is 2 to 2.5 weeks through arrival after order confirmation and payment, finalized artwork, and all order details are received, so share your date early. When the batch calendar is tighter than that, rush production takes 1 to 5 business days through arrival after finalized artwork and all order details are received, with rush fees. The full breakdown of where the time goes is in the timeline guide. Check your own date:

What it costs

Every order is priced in writing, so the useful thing to compare up front is what a package actually contains. The two that match founder-team scale:

Every starter package is listed on the pricing guide. We reply within 24 hours and confirm exact numbers in writing once the details are settled.

Design notes from runs that worked

• Keep the front quiet. Every run above used a small chest or cap mark; the loud statement, when there was one, went on the back.
• Embroidery reads premium. On caps, fleece, and quarter-zips, a small embroidered mark reads as the more finished, textured option; here is how to choose.
• One colorway makes it a set. Caps, tees, and hoodies in the same color read as a brand; mixed colors read as leftovers.
• Make what people keep. The broader thinking on swag that survives the drawer is in startup swag people actually wear.

Lock your batch date in writing

Request a quote with your demo day or event date and we reply within 24 hours. Written pricing and a confirmed delivery window follow once the details are settled. If the calendar is already tight, say so in the form so we can confirm standard or rush timing in writing.