Glen Wang

Yo, so let me tell you about Glen Wang. This guy’s the real deal in the startup world. He’s a YC W21 alum, and he’s been crushing it ever since. Started out as a mathematician, which is already pretty badass, then jumped into data science and engineering roles, dude’s got serious technical chops.

He’s currently the CTO and co-founder of The Third Place, a Y Combinator-backed startup that’s all about helping neighborhood businesses with subscription solutions. Think local shops, coffee spots, small businesses, Glen is building tech to keep them thriving, which is kinda the heart of the community economy. He co-founded that bad boy back in 2020, right before he jumped into YC’s Winter 2021 batch.

Before this, Glen was at Excess, working as a Computational Geometry Software Engineer. Basically, he built prototypes for inventors, super niche but also super cool. The guy’s always been into solving tough problems with code. And before Excess, he was at Khan Academy, leading teams to create educational tools used by millions of students and teachers worldwide. He’s not just about startups, he’s all about making a real impact, whether it’s transforming education or supporting local businesses.

What’s wild is how his process from math nerd to product builder shows he’s driven by curiosity and a genuine desire to make things better. He’s not just in tech for the fame or money, he cares about community, education, and empowering the little guys. That’s why he’s so important, he’s building stuff that actually matters, solving real problems that affect everyday people.

Outside work, he’s pretty chill, loves running, hitting coffee shops, catching improv shows, and dancing. Shows he’s got that balanced mix of grind and fun, keeps him grounded.

Long story short, Glen is one of those founders who’s been in the trenches, learned a lot along the way, and now he’s using that to build tech that’s effective at a local level. No Cap, he’s someone you wanna watch, he’s just getting started.