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YCS26ยท AI

Donkey

The AI-native trading company: factory prices, delivered, one number

ActiveChecked 17h ago
Batch
S26
Status, per YC
Active
Team size
5
HQ
San Francisco, CA
In S26231 companies, 88% AI

Founders

  • Benjamin MartindaleFounder/CEO
  • Minghao TanFounder/CTO

Same space

About Donkey

Donkey is the AI-native trading company. Upload a buying list and we land the whole container at one locked, delivered price, tariffs included. You buy from Donkey: one contract, one company responsible for everything between the factory floor and your door. Our own people check the cartons before the factory gets paid, and the balance is due when the goods are accepted at your dock. Small businesses buy imports through three or four middlemen, each adding 15 to 30 points, because none of them can fill a container on their own. Big enough to buy pallets, never big enough to buy the box. Quotes float with freight, FX and tariffs and live 15 to 30 days. A trading company is rooms of people on the phone with factories, forwarders and brokers. Donkey runs that as one engine. It finds the real factory behind the customs record, stacks duty line by line, packs the container on weight and cube, and returns one number that holds from signature. Next comes the shared container: small buyers fill one box together at container prices, and every container earns better factory terms for the next one. Team in San Francisco and Wuhan, English and Mandarin. If your business buys pallets of anything imported, send us your buying list.

San Francisco, CA, USA

Donkey: questions

Which YC batch was Donkey in?

Donkey was in Y Combinator's Summer 2026 batch (S26).

Is Donkey still active?

Y Combinator lists Donkey as active.

Who founded Donkey?

Donkey's founders, as listed on its YC page: Benjamin Martindale (Founder/CEO), Minghao Tan (Founder/CTO).

Where is Donkey based?

Donkey lists San Francisco, CA, USA as its location on YC's directory.

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