YKB
YKB is in a16z speedrun SR005. Based in Los Angeles, California, United States of America. Team of 3, founded in 2024.
Facts
- Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- 3
- 2024
About YKB
Summary
YKB ("You Know Ball") is a Los Angeles-based mobile app, founded in 2024, that adds a social and predictive layer on top of sports fandom. Rather than serving traditional bettors, the product targets everyday fans who want to make calls on games and news events, track their own prediction history, and compare takes with friends. When sports news breaks, an AI agent generates interactive prompts — called "Receipts" — that invite fans to react and go on record with their opinions. Those Receipts are then stored, surfaced, and scored over time, giving users a transparent, shareable track record of how well they "know ball." The app launched an NFL beta in September 2024 and has since seen over one million Receipts created, with strong week-over-week growth. The team of three appears to be building toward expanding the format beyond sports into broader areas of culture.
Business model
YKB currently appears to operate as a free consumer app, with monetization avenues likely to include premium features, virtual competition mechanics, or partnerships with sports media and related platforms as the user base scales. The core value proposition is engagement and social accountability around predictions rather than direct wagering.
Go-to-market
YKB's primary audience is sports fans — particularly those who are already opinionated and social about games but are not necessarily engaged with traditional betting or prediction markets. The buying motion is consumer-led, with free app downloads driving organic adoption through friend groups and shared Receipts acting as a natural referral loop. The app likely acquires users through word-of-mouth, social media sharing of prediction outcomes, and app store discovery, starting with American football before expanding to other sports and cultural verticals.
Founders (2)
- David Lu
- Sam Rukeyser
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