Where does Ali Shahriyari work?

Ali Shahriyari is Co-Founder and Advisor of Reality Defender.

What companies did Ali Shahriyari found?

Ali Shahriyari founded Reality Defender.

Where did Ali Shahriyari go to school?

Ali Shahriyari studied at Y Combinator; UCLA (BS & Masters, Computer Science).

Ali Shahriyari

Founder

Co-Founder and Advisor at Reality Defender

New York, New York, United States

FoundedReality Defender · YC

Find your path to Ali

10,427 people in our graph share verified history with Ali — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.

Matt HershunlockedAli: together at Originate (2012–2013)

×5Ali: together at Realitydefender

×3Ali: together at YC W22

×3Ali: together at Stealth

Co-Founder and Advisor at Reality Defender YC W22

Intro paths

Ali went through Y Combinator (Winter 2022) — any YC alum in your network can reach them through the YC community.

Their group partner at YC was Brad Flora, Backing expeditions into the future — the partner who ran Reality Defender's batch and knows the company first-hand. YC profile ↗

→

In turn, Ali can intro founders to Reality Defender's investors below.

Reality Defender's investors · 17

Amino CapitalPalo Alto · $100K – $10M checks Argon VenturesBoston · $250K – $500K checks Booz Allen Venturessince 2024 DCVC (Data Collective)Palo Alto · $5M – $25M checks · since 2023 Evolution VC PartnersNew York Ex/AnteBrooklyn · since 2023 Fourth RealmMenlo Park FPVJackson · $100K – $5M checks FusionPalo Alto · $500K – $1M checks · since 2025 Gutbrain VenturesBoston Illuminate FinancialLondon · $1M – $8M checks · since 2024 New North VenturesPortsmouth · $1M checks Parameter VenturesNew York · since 2023 Rackhouse Venture Management LpSan Francisco · $250K checks Samsung NextSan Jose · $100K – $5M checks · since 2025 Y CombinatorSan Francisco · $500K checks · since 2022 ZillionizePalo Alto · $200K checks

Co-founders at Reality Defender

Ben ColmanCo-Founder and CEO

Gaurav BharajCo-founder

Lars ButtlerFounder

Experience

StealthCo-Foundercurrent2026 — present
Reality DefenderCo-Founder & Advisorcurrent2025 — presentNew York, New York, United States
Reality DefenderCo-Founder & Chief Innovation Officer2025
Reality DefenderCo-Founder & Chief Technology Officer2021 — 2025
The AI FoundationDirector of Product2019 — 2021Las Vegas Metropolitan Area
OriginateVice President2014 — 2017San Francisco Bay Area
OriginateDirector/Senior Software Engineer2007 — 2014San Francisco Bay Area
ThriveCo-Founder & Chief Operating Officer2006 — 2012Los Angeles Metropolitan Area

Skills & more

International Yacht Helmsman (Skipper) — US Sailing

From Ali's professional profile.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Ali Shahriyari?: Director at Reality Defender
Where does Ali Shahriyari work?: Ali Shahriyari is Co-Founder and Advisor of Reality Defender.
What companies did Ali Shahriyari found?: Ali Shahriyari founded Reality Defender.
Where did Ali Shahriyari go to school?: Ali Shahriyari studied at Y Combinator; UCLA (BS & Masters, Computer Science).

Founder mafias

Y Combinator mafia10,444

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Sam AltmanPresidentFounded Tools for Humanity +3 Garry TanPresident & CEOFounded Y Combinator +1 Jessica LivingstonCo-founderFounded Y Combinator Alexis OhanianPartnerFounded Reddit Fred EhrsamYC Summer 2012Founded Nudge +1 Matt HuangYC Winter 2011Founded Paradigm +1

+ 10,437 more →

UCLA mafia444

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Ben HorowitzFounded Opsware Vlad TenevMaster’s DegreeFounded Harmonic +1 Ryan KingBSFounded Chime Kent WakefordFounded Breaking +4 William GuttmanBachelor of Arts (BA)Founded CurvePoint +3 Bill ColleranDoctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)Founded Lumotive +3

+ 437 more →

Reality Defender mafia6

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Andrew FeinbergActive investor and advisorFounded Brightcove +1 Aaron SistoInvestorFounded Searchable AI +1 Lars ButtlerFounderFounded Aifoundation Ben ColmanCo-Founder and CEOFounded Realitydefender Gaurav BharajCo-founderFounded Realitydefender

Aifoundation mafia3

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Gaurav BharajVP of ResearchFounded Realitydefender +1 Lars ButtlerFounderFounded Reality Defender

Realitydefender mafia3

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Ben ColmanCo-Founder/CEOFounded Reality Defender Gaurav BharajCo-Founder, Chief ScientistFounded Reality Defender

Same school

Also attended Y Combinator2,000

Tarek MansourCo-founder & CEO of Kalshi Suhail DoshiFounder of Mixpanel; founder of Particle Subomi OluwalanaCo-founder & CEO of Convoy Arhaan A.Deeptech Fellow at Clear Ventures Collin WallaceGeneral Partner at Lobby Capital Victor SantosVictor Scout at One Way Ventures

+ 1,994 more

Also attended UCLA994

Ben HorowitzCo-founder & General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz Kirsten GreenFounder and Managing Partner at Forerunner Ventures Vlad TenevCo-founder & CEO of Robinhood Ryan KingCo-founder of Chime Paul FieldingFinance & Operations at General Catalyst Melody MaExecutive Assistant and Lead Receptionist at Trinity Ventures

+ 988 more

Shared employers

Also worked at Stealth138

Tobi CokerDeal Partner at Felicis Ventures Susana RojasInvestor at Index Ventures Casber WangOperating Partner at Sapphire Ventures Olivier GrindaVenture Partner at FJ Labs Zachary GinsburgVenture Partner, Calm Ventures at Gaingels Artia MoghbelInvestor at Draft Ventures Llc

+ 132 more

Also worked at Reality Defender12

Andrew FeinbergCo-Founder & Managing Partner at Argon Ventures Alexander RossGeneral Partner & Head of New York at Illuminate Financial Peter HungInvestor at Illuminate Financial Ali TamasebGeneral Partner at DCVC (Data Collective)Aaron SistoPartner at First Spark Ventures, Llc Howie XuDirector, Advisory Board at Reaction

+ 6 more

Also worked at The AI Foundation3

Paul VeradittakitManaging Partner at Pantera Capital Lars ButtlerPartner at Pantera Capital Gaurav BharajCo-founder at Reality Defender

Also worked at Originate6

Matt HershOperating Partner at Fika Ventures David MathewsAdvisor at Stage 1 Ventures Tara GreenChief People Officer at Crusoe Mahamad CharawiFounder at Laudspeaker Romesh KhaddarCo-founder at NewsBytes Lloyd TaylorSecretary at Alembic Technologies

Find your path to Ali

Co-Founder and Advisor at Reality DefenderYC W22

Intro paths

Reality Defender's investors · 17

Co-founders at Reality Defender

Experience

Skills & more

Frequently asked questions

Founder mafias

Y Combinator mafia10,444

UCLA mafia444

Reality Defender mafia6

Aifoundation mafia3

Realitydefender mafia3

Same school

Also attended Y Combinator2,000

Also attended UCLA994

Shared employers

Also worked at Stealth138

Also worked at Reality Defender12

Also worked at The AI Foundation3

Also worked at Originate6

Co-Founder and Advisor at Reality Defender YC W22