Viraj Mehta

Check it out, we’re talking about Viraj Mehta. This guy is the real deal in the AI and healthcare space – no bullshit. So, he’s a YC alum from batch X25, and his process’s just wild. Started out crushing it at Stanford with a BS/MS in CS, then jumped into AI research big time. He even got a PhD from Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics Institute – dude was all about making AI smarter and more fast, especially in crazy-hard areas like nuclear fusion and reinforcement learning. Basically, he’s always been into pushing AI’s limits.

Before all the startup stuff, Viraj worked at Google, messing around with ad systems, and then he co-founded TensorZero, where he built the infrastructure for next-gen AI systems. That’s where he really learned how to make AI expandable and robust – not just hype, but real engineering work. He’s super vocal about how AI deployment in the real world is still a huge pain, and he calls bullshit on all the “AI magic” hype. He’s all about making AI actually work, not just talk about it.

Then, he co-founded Galen AI with Priyanka Shrestha – both Stanford alums, both deep into AI and healthcare. They teamed up to build a personal AI healthcare agent that uses your wearable data and clinical info to give you personalized medical insights. Think about that-it’s like having a doctor in your pocket, powered by AI. Galen is backed by YC, which shows how much faith investors have in their vision. It’s not just another startup; it’s a legit shot at transforming how we handle health.

What’s crazy is how his past all ties together – from modern research to building infrastructure, to tackling healthcare with AI, he’s been obsessed with making AI more practical and effective. His experience shows a deep motivation to solve real problems, not just chase hype. He’s someone who’s jumped into the deep end, learned how the sausage is made, and now he’s building something that could seriously change healthcare.

Bottom line: Viraj’s story is about pushing limits, building real tech, and not trusting the bullshit. He’s got the creds, the hustle, and the vision to make AI actually do good in the world. That’s why he’s so damn interesting and important.