Jay Li

Can’t sleep on Jay Li – this guy’s the real deal in robotics. So, he’s the founder and CEO of Proception Inc, a wicked cool startup that just jumped into Y Combinator’s Winter 2025 batch. Basically, he’s building robots that can do shit humans can do – super dexterous, kinda like a real hand but in robot form. Think advanced humanoids that could shake up healthcare, manufacturing, logistics – you name it.

Jay’s story? It’s pretty wild. He’s got over 10 years of hardcore hardware engineering under his belt, working at big names like Apple, Aurora, and Aeva – all those companies that scaled from stealth mode to IPO. That’s no joke. Plus, he’s got a solid academic background, studied mechanical engineering at Harbin Institute of Technology and then crushed it at Stanford in electrical engineering. The dude’s brainpower is next level.

He started Proception in 2024 with his co-founder Jack Xu, right out of the YC batch. The company’s based in Palo Alto, which is basically Silicon Valley’s heartbeat. The tech? It’s inspired by humans – Jay’s team is collecting data through human interaction and engineering robots to mimic that dexterity. The goal? Make robots that can manipulate objects with the finesse of a human hand. That’s some next-gen shit.

Before all this, Jay was deep in the trenches working on Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot project, leading the electronics side. He designed key sensors for the Gen 2 robots – so he’s been in the game, playing at the highest level, pushing the boundaries of what robots can do. But, of course, that also led to some drama – Tesla sued him over trade secrets related to robotic hand tech. No cap, it’s a messy situation, but it shows how much he’s been at the forefront of this tech wave.

What’s crazy is, this guy’s not just building cool tech – he’s motivated by real ambition. He’s been through the grind at some of the biggest tech companies, then jumped straight into startup land, trying to create something that could change how robots work forever. He’s hiring AI and electrical engineering talent now, trying to turn Proception into the full humanoid system – the real deal in robotics.

Bottom line: Jay Li’s a tech guy with a vision. He’s been in the trenches, worked on some of the most advanced robots out there, and now he’s building the future of humanoid robotics. He’s not just some engineer – he’s pushing the limits of what robots can do, driven by a mix of genius and relentless hustle. No Cap, this guy’s someone to watch.