Thomas Piccirello

Nah but seriously, check out Thomas Piccirello, this dude is the real deal in the startup world. Dude’s based in SF, but his process is wild. Started out at BlackRock, which is kinda crazy ’cause that’s all about finance, super traditional. But he jumped into tech fast, working as a software dev there from 2016 to 2018. Clearly, he’s got legit coding skills, ’cause he then co-founded Doppler in 2019, a developer-first security platform for secrets management. Basically, he’s all about making sure devs can keep their stuff safe without the bullshit.

But what’s nuts is how he’s not just about building, he’s about investing and helping others crush it too. Since August 2021, he’s been flying solo as a self-employed VC, and in 2023, he jumped into the scene as a Venture Partner at Orange Collective, a dope YC alumni investment club. He’s been backing YC startups, especially in DevTools and security, his sweet spot. The real deal is that he’s not just about tech; he’s all about empowering the next wave of founders and making serious moves in the system.

Before all this, he was a CTO at A.I. Insurance, where he built cloud-based claims software for insurance folks, so he’s got experience in both the tech and insurance worlds, which is kinda rare. That’s where he learned about complex enterprise stuff, but he also saw how tech can shake up old industries. Then, he co-founded Doppler, where he was CTO until late 2023. That’s a key point, he’s been leading technical teams, solving real problems, and creating products that actually matter.

What’s the vibe here? Thomas is super passionate about startups, security, and helping other founders level up. His whole process screams that he’s driven by a desire to build stuff that’s legit and to give back to the community. Starting at BlackRock, then jumping into startups, then investing, he’s always been about pushing forward, learning, and helping others do the same. The fact that he’s part of YC, then now a VC, shows he’s all in on that startup hustle.

Bottom line? Thomas Piccirello is one of those tech guys who’s not just in it for himself. He’s built real products, crunched tough problems, and now he’s using his experience to shape the future of security and dev tools. If you wanna know who’s making moves behind the scenes in YC startups, he’s definitely one to watch.