Akbar Thobhani

Let me drop some knowledge about Akbar Thobhani, this guy is the real deal, no cap. So, he’s a YC alum from S14, but his story? It’s way more than just startups. Started out as a software engineer at NASA’s JPL, like, working on space stuff, which already shows he’s got that tech fire in him. Then, he jumps into the finance world, working with big names like Lehman Brothers and ITG, building platform solutions for payments and trading. Dude clearly knows his way around complex systems.

Fast forward, he hops into the startup scene big time with EduOnline.net, Lakewood Partners, and others, but what really sets him apart is his stint at Airbnb as Head of Growth & Business Dev. He was managing payments across 190 countries, that’s huge. It shows he’s got that global mindset, knows how to scale, and understands the nuts and bolts of payments and growth on a massive scale.

Then, he co-founds sFOX, a full-service crypto prime broker, which is basically the backbone for crypto traders. That’s not just some side project; it’s a full-blown, Y Combinator S11 company, meaning he crushed it in the startup game. He’s been mining bitcoin since way before it was trendy, so he’s got that OG cred in crypto.

What’s wild is, this guy’s process screams passion for tech and finance, but also a deep curiosity and hustle. He’s not just doing startups for the sake of it, he’s building things that matter, that push boundaries. From space to Wall Street to crypto, he’s always been at the cutting edge, and his motivation? Probably that same drive that got him into space tech as a kid, a desire to innovate, to shake things up.

Bottom line? Akbar’s story is about blending hardcore tech skills, a global business mind, and a relentless hustle to turn big ideas into reality. He’s the kind of founder who’s not afraid to jump into the deep end, learn on the fly, and build stuff that actually changes the game. That’s why he’s so important, he’s not just riding trends, he’s creating the future.