Excel is one of the most used tools and a source of frustration for many professionals. However, this tool from Y Combinator, Carousel, aims to tackle that issue. The company wants to make Excel a tool that works with you, not against you.
Launched by co-founders Jude and Daniel, Carousel positions itself as a smarter, faster alternative to the grind of manual spreadsheet work. “Excel is powerful but painful,” the duo says in their announcement on YC’s official platform. Their startup is building what they call a “personal Excel intern,” but one that actually knows what it’s doing and never takes a break.
So let’s understand what Carousel does:
Automating the Spreadsheet Hustle
The main highlight of Carousel is its speed and simplicity. Instead of manually building out financial models or deciphering formula chains, users can now allow the AI to handle the heavy lifting. It comes with four standout features:
- Carousel Chat: As the name suggests, this is a conversational interface that builds multi-tab Excel models from scratch; no formula knowledge is required.
- Quick Fix: This feature highlights any range. Hit Ctrl+Enter, describe your goal in plain English and let the AI reformat, analyze, or reorganize your data on the fly.
- Model Walkthrough: It rewrites the complex formulas in clear language, replacing cryptic cell references with actual label names and values.
- File Context: Carousel can extract relevant information from attached documents and insert it directly into your spreadsheet, complete with source citations.
According to the company, tasks that previously took analysts or consultants hours now take minutes. In their words: “Carousel is what Microsoft’s Copilot for Excel promised to be.”
The company is targeting every professional who relies on Excel but doesn’t necessarily want to become a power user. This includes financial analysts, operations managers, scientists, and consultants.
“We’re not trying to replace Excel,” the founders clarify. “We’re making it more usable for the people who live in it every day.”
That makes Carousel a direct response to a broader frustration in the workplace: Excel has remained a standard for decades, but its learning curve has only grown more painful in a data-heavy world.
Beta Now Live
Carousel’s open beta is already live for individuals and enterprise teams. By going after one of the most-used but least-loved tools in the workplace, the company is expected to find an underserved niche with massive potential.
However, success is not guaranteed, as plenty of tools are already out there. These include names like Ajelix, GPT Excel, and more. But it’s a bet worth watching.
