Chas Ballew

Peep this legend Chas Ballew, dude’s the real deal in the startup world, especially when it comes to security and compliance tech. So, Chas is a second-time YC founder, yeah, he already crushed it once with Aptible, a platform that made automating security compliance, especially HIPAA stuff, way easier for SaaS companies. Basically, he was building tools to help companies stay legit without drowning in bullshit paperwork. That’s no small feat, and it’s why folks in the space really respect him.

But here’s where it gets interesting, before all this, Chas was deep in the legal game. He’s got a law degree from Michigan, went to Princeton for undergrad, and then jumped into some heavy legal gigs, including working at Wilson Sonsini (big law for tech startups) and even in the Army’s Office of the General Counsel at the Pentagon. Yeah, he was learning regulatory law straight from the source, which is kinda insane when you think about it. That experience gave him a super solid understanding of how rules and security actually work at the highest levels, not just in theory but in real, high-stakes environments.

Now, why does that matter? Because it’s the backbone of what he’s doing now. Chas isn’t just building cool software, he’s solving real, gnarly security problems for B2B SaaS and healthcare, where compliance can make or break a business. After Aptible, he jumped into Conveyor, which is basically the next evolution, using generative AI and large language models to automate security reviews. Think about it: instead of slow, manual audits, Conveyor’s tech is crushing those reviews instantly. Backed by YC and some big investors, they just raised $12.5 million Series A, that’s a big deal for a company doing something so modern.

What does this say about him? Dude’s motivated by a real need to make security and compliance less bullshit and more accessible. He’s been through the trenches, from legal halls to Pentagon offices, and now he’s pushing the boundaries of AI to change how companies handle security. It’s like he’s on a mission to wipe out the headache of compliance once and for all. That’s the kind of founder who’s in it for more than just the money, he genuinely wants to fix gnarly problems, and he’s got the skills to pull it off.

Bottom line: Chas Ballew is a tech lawyer turned security innovator. He’s the guy who understands the rules better than most but also knows how to turn those rules into something tech can handle, faster, smarter, cheaper. His process shows he’s relentless, super sharp, and genuinely cares about making complex security stuff simple. No cap, he’s one of those founders you wanna keep an eye on, because he’s not just building a company, he’s changing the game.