Ian Yanusko

Gotta respect Ian Yanusko, this dude is the real deal in the startup world. Born in 1995, he’s from Pottstown, Pennsylvania, and honestly, the guy’s been crushing it since day one. Dude went to UVA, studied Economics and Political & Social Thought, kinda sounds fancy, but really, it’s just the foundation for understanding how people and markets work.

But what’s crazy is how he jumped straight into the deep end of tech and data. His career started at Cornerstone Research, where he was a Senior Data Engineer, then moved on to Shipper as a Product Lead for their internal data stuff. Basically, he was building stuff that helps businesses run smoother, smarter. That’s where you see the pattern, he’s obsessed with data and making tech work for business, not just for the sake of it.

Then, in 2022, he jumped into YC’s W22 batch with his own startup, Bracket. And man, Bracket was a big change. The company’s all about syncing data across business tools and databases, sounds boring, right? Nah, that shit is the backbone of every SaaS company you’ve ever used. Ian led Bracket from 2021 until they got bought by Rippling in 2024. That’s a legit exit, not some bootstrap bullshit. It shows he’s got the hustle, the vision, and the technical chops to build something people actually need.

What’s wild is, this guy’s all about startups, but he’s also got the skills to level up in big leagues. After the acquisition, he didn’t dip, he’s now the Chief of Staff to the CTO at EliseAI, a company doing some advanced AI stuff. That move? Shows he’s super adaptable, always jumping into new tech frontiers, and clearly he’s got the respect of big players.

And let’s not forget, Ian’s got a bunch of other creds, he was an Alter Fellow at Alter Global, which is all about investing and backing bold entrepreneurs. Plus, he’s got a background in research and data engineering, so he’s got that rare combo of hardcore technical skills plus planned thinking.

Outside of work, the guy’s into biking, mycology (yeah, mushrooms), and music production, total vibe. It’s like he’s always curious, always exploring, not just stuck in the tech bubble.

Bottom line? Ian’s the kind of founder who’s not just about building for the sake of it. He’s about solving real problems with data, scaling fast, and then jumping into the future trend. His process’s all about hustle, curiosity, and making shit happen. No Cap, he’s one of those dudes you wanna keep watching because he’s just getting started.