Calix Huang

Here’s why you should know about Calix Huang – this kid is straight-up next level. Dude’s only in his early 20s and already crushed it in the startup world. He’s from SF now, but his story starts way before he even hit college. Like, he’s been building and selling companies since he was a teen – no cap. Started messing around with tech, jumped into creating stuff, and by 16, he was already launching startups and selling them off. That’s wild.

He hit the USC Iovine & Young Academy but dropped out in his sophomore year – not because he was struggling, but ’cause he wanted to chase bigger dreams. While there, he was leading USC’s flagship startup incubator and helped launch over 20 startups. That’s no joke. He’s been deep in the trenches, not just talking but actually making shit happen.

Then, he took his hustle even further. He founded Hours, this virtual studying platform that blew up – over a million users, which is huge in that space – and got it acquired by Fiveable in 2021. That move proved he’s got the Midas touch, turning ideas into real businesses that people actually want.

But it’s not just about the wins. Calix is all about pushing boundaries – he jumped into AI and ML, working on modern stuff, and even participated in the Vercel AI Accelerator. Plus, he’s an Atlas Fellow and Emergent Ventures Fellow, so he’s not just building startups; he’s serious about shaping the future of tech and innovation.

He’s also worked on engineering roles, like at Mercor, showing he’s not just a founder but a tech whiz who gets deep into the code and systems. And, most recently, he became the youngest founder in Y Combinator’s W23 batch – which is basically the startup Olympics. He moved to SF full-time to focus on his latest project, showing he’s all in on building the future trend.

What’s the vibe here? Calix’s story is all about relentless hustle, no bullshit, and making shit happen early. He’s not waiting around for permission – he just jumps in, builds, sells, learns, and keeps moving. His whole process screams motivation: he’s wired to create, disrupt, and prove that age is just a number. To me, he’s the real deal – someone who’s not just chasing fame but genuinely shaping the future of tech and startups.

TL;DR? Calix Huang is a young gun who’s been crushing it since he was a kid. He’s built multiple companies, sold some, raised in YC, and is now one of the hottest founders to watch. This guy’s story is all about hustle, brains, and never settling. No Cap, he’s gonna be a major player in tech – just watch.