Michael Lin

Meet your new inspiration Michael Lin – dude’s the real deal in the startup world. He’s a W23 YC batch guy, which already puts him in the big leagues, but what’s wild is his process. Started out with stints at big names like Apple and Discord – not just some random gigs, but places where he learned the ropes, saw how tech giants operate, and probably got the itch to build his own thing.

Then he jumped into the startup scene with Variance, a company that’s all about trust and safety, which is basically the backbone of any online community or platform. Variance is building some advanced infrastructure that helps teams keep things legit – no bullshit. And now he’s with Intrinsic, another YC-backed company, digging into the trust game even deeper, creating tools that make the internet safer and more reliable. That’s a big deal, especially in an time where trust is everything and shit’s constantly getting hacked or manipulated.

What jumps out is his motivation. Dude’s not just chasing the next quick exit. Nah, he’s in it for the long haul, trying to fix real problems that matter – trust, safety, integrity online. His experience at Apple and Discord shows he’s been around the block, seen what works and what doesn’t, and now he’s applying that knowledge to build stuff that’s not just cool but actually makes a difference.

He chose YC because he’s about that startup life, the hustle, the community, the resources. The articles about him – “Why did Michael choose YC?” and “Variance’s work on trust infrastructure” – they paint a picture of someone who’s super focused, understands that the game is about building solid foundations, not just shiny apps. He’s all about creating tools that help teams trust each other and the platforms they run.

Bottom line? Michael Lin is one of those founders who’s not just in it for the fame or money. He genuinely wants to solve big problems, and his background screams that he’s got the skills, the drive, and the vision to crush it. The startup world needs more guys like him – the ones who see the bigger picture and actually build it. No Cap.