Tom Hacohen

Here’s why you should know about Tom Hacohen, this guy’s a straight-up tech beast. He’s part of YC W21, so he’s been grinding in the startup world for a minute, but his story is way more than just another founder. It’s about someone who’s been deep in the trenches of tech, security, and open source, and then took all that fire and built something big.

So, Tom’s been around the block, he’s done everything from working at Samsung as a Senior Open Source Software Engineer to leading teams at the Israeli Intelligence Corps, which is basically like the Israeli NSA. Imagine that, high-stakes, security-focused stuff, under crazy pressure. That kinda experience? That’s the real deal. It’s where you learn how to solve complex problems fast and stay sharp as hell. Plus, he’s been a major open source contributor for over 10 years, working on projects like Enlightenment, KDE, GNOME, and even mentoring in Google Summer of Code. Dude’s been in the trenches, making code better and helping others level up.

Then, he jumped into startups, co-founded Rock, a privacy and productivity-focused app, and created EteSync, which is all about privacy and syncing data securely. Clearly, he’s into building tools that matter, stuff that respects user privacy and makes life easier. But his latest move? He’s the CEO and founder of Svix, a YC-backed platform that makes webhooks way easier and more reliable. Basically, he’s taking the chaos of API integrations and making it smooth as hell. That’s some advanced shit.

What I love about him is, he’s all about solving real problems, not just building tech for tech’s sake. He focuses on creating secure, expandable solutions that actually make a difference. His background in security, open source, and startups proves he’s all about quality, trust, and pushing boundaries. Plus, he’s jumped between Tel Aviv, London, and the U.S., so he’s got a true global vibe, understands different markets, cultures, and ways of thinking.

Bottom line: Tom’s the guy who’s been through the fire, knows how to build stuff that lasts, and is always pushing forward. His process from high-stakes security environments to leading YC startups proves he’s not just about tech, he’s about making a real impact. No cap, this guy’s the real deal, and honestly, I think we’ll be hearing a lot more from him soon.