Aston Motes

Nah but seriously, check out Aston Motes. This guy’s the real deal in tech and startups, no cap. He’s been around the block, crushed it at every stop, and his story is super inspiring.

So, Aston’s a software engineer and entrepreneur who’s been in the game for a minute. He went to MIT, super brainy, and then jumped straight into the startup scene. His big break? He was the very first employee at Dropbox. Yeah, the OG at one of the biggest cloud storage companies out there. He led engineering for the website and API, basically building the backbone of Dropbox from the ground up. That’s some advanced shit.

But Aston’s not just a coder, he’s got that entrepreneurial fire. He founded Assorted Bits, a YC-backed mobile calendar app that was all about making hangouts and fun stuff with friends easier to plan. That’s his way of blending tech with real life, making daily routines smoother. His YC batch? S12, so he’s been part of that elite circle that’s shaping the future.

He’s also heavily involved in supporting others, especially in the Black tech community. He stepped up as interim Executive Director at /dev/color, a nonprofit that helps Black software engineers grow into leadership roles. That’s some real leadership and commitment to diversity, showing he’s about lifting others as he climbs.

On top of that, Aston’s been a super early investor, advisor, or team member in a bunch of music tech startups, like Merchbar, UnitedMasters, Track Team, Drip.com. Dude’s been at the intersection of tech and music, helping creators get their shine. Prior to all this, he worked at OkCupid, Google, and Microsoft, so he’s got that big tech experience too, which gives him the chops to understand both the startup hustle and big corp infrastructure.

What does all this say about him? Honestly, it’s his drive for building stuff that matters and his passion for community. He’s been in the trenches, building from scratch, supporting others, and pushing tech forward, especially for underrepresented folks. It’s clear he’s motivated by more than just making money, he wants to create impact, lift others, and make tech more inclusive.

In short, Aston Motes is a tech OG who’s been there, done that, and keeps pushing the boundaries. From founding startups, leading at Dropbox, supporting diversity, to investing in music tech, he’s the guy who’s shaping the future of how we connect, create, and grow. No Cap, this guy’s a legit legend in the making.