Will Whitney

Yo, you gotta hear about Will Whitney. This guy’s the real deal in the startup and tech world, no cap. So, he’s a YC S13 alum, which already puts him in the league of legit founders. But what’s crazy is his process, he’s not just some random entrepreneur, he’s deep in the research game too.

He’s currently a research scientist at DeepMind, crushing it in AI stuff, generative models, diffusion, video creation, 3D physics, NeRFs, you name it. The dude’s all about pushing the boundaries of what AI can do. But before diving into all that, he got his PhD at NYU, working under Kyunghyun Cho, and his master’s at MIT with some heavy hitters like Josh Tenenbaum and Tejas Kulkarni. That’s some serious academic pedigree right there, showing he’s got brains and a curiosity that never quits.

Now, here’s where it gets even cooler. Will didn’t just stay in the lab, he jumped into startups too. He started a company that went through Y Combinator, called Audobox. They’re making in-app feedback tools, super user-friendly, aiming to make product feedback way less annoying. It’s like he’s blending his tech smarts with real-world product stuff, trying to make a difference. Plus, he built Hydrogen, this interactive coding environment for Atom, which got over 2 million downloads. That’s no small feat, shows he’s got the chops to build tools that people actually use and love.

What does all this tell you about him? Honestly, Will is the kind of guy who’s wired to explore, to create, and to push forward. He’s not just content with being a researcher or a founder, he’s doing both, and doing them at the top level. His whole story screams passion for tech, for solving real problems, and for having an effect, whether it’s through new AI or user-focused tools.

So, if you ask me, Will Whitney is one of those rare people who’s not just riding the wave of tech innovation but actually shaping it. His process from academia to startups to AI research shows he’s driven by curiosity and a real desire to make a difference. No bullshit. That’s why he’s so important, he’s out here building the future, one crazy idea at a time.