A.I. Gordon Gekko Pumps Up Skyvern a YC S23 A.I. Startup

We continue to abuse the GPTs with Fictional "Wall Street" Legend Gordon Gekko as our guest columnist.

A.I. Gordon Gekko, a meme of the iconic and ruthless corporate raider from "Wall Street" introduces us to Skyvern (YCombinator YC S23:)

"Ladies and gentlemen, the future is not about who has the biggest office on Wall Street, it's about who has the smartest A.I.. Enter Skyvern. Founded in 2023 by the visionary duo Suchintan Singh and Shuchang Zheng, Skyvern isn't playing the game – it's changing it. Using the latest in Large Language Models and Computer Vision, they're turning the world of manual workflows upside down.

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You know the problem with the business world today? Inefficiency. It's a drag on progress. It's like running in quicksand. But Skyvern? They're building the express elevator. No more clunky, unreliable scripts. No more wasting time on tasks a machine could do while you sleep. This is automation, but not as you know it. Skyvern's technology is like having the best trader on Wall  Street in your corner, but for workflows.

Picture this: you're in the business of materials procurement or churning out insurance quotes. It's a complex dance, often done manually. That's yesterday. Skyvern steps in, automates the entire process with a simple API call. It's like having the most efficient assistant who never sleeps, never errs.

And how does this magic happen? It's not just about writing code for specific tasks. That's old school. Skyvern's AI agents navigate websites, make decisions, and take actions like a seasoned expert. They're adaptable, resilient to change, and clever enough to bypass any bot detection. It's like they're part of the team, only better.

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Behind this game-changing technology are the brains of the operation – Singh and Zheng. These aren't your average tech geeks. They've been in the trenches, building ML platforms and developer tools for the big leagues. Their experience? It's gold, and they're using it to build a company that's not just here to make a splash, but to redefine the landscape.

Skyvern's vision goes beyond just automating tasks. They're looking at the bigger picture. Imagine a world where AI doesn't just simplify tasks, but transforms experiences – in travel, business, you name it. Skyvern is not just a tool; it's a partner in navigating the ever-evolving digital landscape.

So, let's raise a toast to Skyvern. They're not just playing the market; they're setting the pace. This is the future of workflows and automation. Get on board or get left behind."

Skyvern (YC23): Revolutionizing Workflows with AI Automation

Y Combinator startup Skyvern emerges as a game-changer in the realm of browser-based workflows. Founded in 2023 by Suchintan Singh and Shuchang Zheng, Skyvern uses the power of Large Language Models (LLMs) and Computer Vision to automate manual workflows, providing a robust alternative to brittle and unreliable scripts.

Skyvern in a Nutshell

Skyvern is on a mission to simplify complex workflows by offering a simple API endpoint that fully automates tasks, replacing the need for error-prone scripts. The company specializes in automating various processes, including materials procurement from commerce websites and completing intricate multi-step workflows, such as obtaining insurance quotes from platforms like Geico.com.

The Need for Automation

Many companies rely on manual or semi-automated workflows to support their core. However, though suitable for companies first starting to get off the ground, many problems arise with manual and semi-automated workflow as they lack scalability, are resource intensive and are automated with unreliable scripts. Traditional approaches require writing custom scripts for websites, relying on DOM parsing and XPath-based interactions that are useless when website layouts change. Skyvern addresses this challenge by introducing a stable and reliable solution for browser-based workflows.

Examples of Skyvern in Action:

Skyvern has a place in every company. Don’t believe us? Imagine this. You work for a B2B marketplace for car parts where users submit orders from multiple vendors wirth you, but some of the vendors do not support API ordering, meaning a human has to transact orders instead. Here’s an example of Skyvern navigating to a different website and ordering the missing part— all via an API call!

Furthermore, imagine working in the business of insurance quotes, often a complex workflow. Skyvern easily navigates each step until it achieves a goal, and can be adaptable to different users' situations. In this case, Skyvern would navigate the insurance website to produce an insurance quote, personalized to each customer!

How Skyvern Works

Skyvern focuses on stabilizing browser-based workflows through the use of LLMs to create AI Agents capable of interacting with websites like (if not better than) a human would. The unique approach has several advantages. Firstly, no custom scripts are required. This means the tool can operate on unfamiliar websites and navigate unknown elements without the need for code as there are no pre-determined XPaths or other selectors the system looks for while trying to navigate. Secondly, Skyvern is resistant to layout changes, eliminating the risk of breaking due to alterations or updates on websites. Finally, the tool operates like a human, circumventing bot detection with ease, adding to its robustness. 

Founders and Skyvern Team

Skyvern's founding team consists of Suchintan Singh and Shuchang Zheng, both industry experts with extensive backgrounds in machine learning, infrastructure, MLOps, AI, and workflow automation. Their team is small, but dedicated to revolutionizing how businesses approach automation. Singh has a background building ML Platforms at both Faire and Gopuff, which generated over $100M of GMV across their two businesses. Zheng has extensive experience building developer and platform tools. He worked for Lyft, building testing tools used by 1000+ engineers to boost dev productivity, ensure that Lyft doesn't go down during peak events, and reduce infra cost.

Suchintan Singh

Shuchang Zheng

Looking Towards the Future

As Skyvern positions itself as a leader in automating browser-based workflows, the company envisions a future where AI integration enhances travel experiences across diverse destinations.

By bridging the gap between technology and travel, Skyvern stands at the forefront of reshaping the affordable and exploratory travel experience for generations to come. By expanding its capabilities, Skyvern appeals to a range of audiences, having both personal and professional uses.

Currently, to request a demo of Skyvern, you can make an appointment with founder Suchintan Singh at skyvern.com. 

Skyvern is not just a company; it's a force driving the evolution of how we approach workflows and automation. Embrace the future with Skyvern—your partner in navigating the digital landscape seamlessly.

DISCLAIMER: For you nerds who take things a little too seriously, A.I. Gordon Gekko is fictional just like… you know… Gordon Gekko. None of this means anything other than having fun learning about YC Startups. It’s not advice or anything else of substance…. just us learning about startups before they blow into oblivion or blow up really big. [all of these things are possible.] and seeing how you can apply lessons to your own startup