Diogo Valdivieso

Allow me to introduce you to the phenomenon that is Diogo Valdivieso – the guy’s a straight-up big change. So, he’s the co-founder and CTO of Waffle, this sick AI game builder platform that dropped in 2025 and got into Y Combinator’s X25 batch. Basically, he’s on a mission to make building web apps as easy as playing a game. No bullshit, no third-party mess, just pure tech magic.

But here’s the kicker – Diogo’s process didn’t start in Silicon Valley or some fancy MBA. Nah, he’s got real roots in the game world. He built a mobile game called Battle Arena that blew up to a million users across like 70 countries. That’s not small fry – that’s legit. Shows he knows how to make stuff people actually want to play and stick with.

He studied Computer Science at EPFL, one of the top schools, right? But here’s the thing – he didn’t even finish his Master’s. He dropped out to jump headfirst into building Waffle. That’s the kinda guy who’s not afraid to leave comfort behind if he sees something big. He saw that building tools for creators was the future, and he jumped into it with both feet.

Waffle’s based in SF, which is the heart of startup chaos, and it’s all about democratizing app creation. Imagine anyone with an idea being able to whip up a web app with AI-driven tools, no fuss, no third-party API madness. That’s what Diogo and his team are doing. It’s like the “No Code” revolution but on steroids.

What does all this say about him? Dude’s driven by the same fire that fuels the best founders-solving real problems and making a splash. He’s not just about making cool tech; he’s about empowering people, giving them tools to create without the usual bullshit barriers. His gaming background? That’s the foundation-understanding what users want, how to keep them hooked, and then flipping that into building tools that help others do the same.

Honestly, Diogo’s story is about jumping into the deep end, crushing it in the real world with a hit game, then turning that energy into building something that could reshape how apps get made. His motivation? Making tech more accessible, more fun, more strong. And he’s doing it at the highest level now, with Waffle, backed by YC – the real deal.

So, yeah, Diogo Valdivieso? He’s the kind of founder who’s not just tech-savvy but also has that creative spark, a rare combo that’s gonna keep pushing the boundaries. No Cap.