About
Brecht Pierreux worked as an engineer at SpaceX and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory before founding Macadamia, which develops AI tools for technical problem-solving.
Founder at MacadamiaYC W25
Intro paths
YC
Brecht went through Y Combinator (Winter 2025) — any YC alum in your network can reach them through the YC community.
GP
Their group partner at YC was Aaron Epstein, General Partner at Y Combinator — the partner who ran Macadamia's batch and knows the company first-hand. YC profile ↗
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In turn, Brecht can intro founders to Macadamia's investors below.
Macadamia's investors · 1
Co-founders at Macadamia
AV
Abel Van SteenweghenFounder, CEO
Experience
- Stealth StartupFoundercurrent2026 — present
- Macadamia (YC W25)Co-Founder & CTO2025 — 2026San Francisco, CA
- SpaceXStarlink Engineer I2024Austin, Texas, United States
- NASA Jet Propulsion LaboratoryVisiting Researcher2023 — 2024Pasadena, California, United States
- Airbus Defence and SpaceAerospace Engineer2022 — 2023Ottobrunn, Bavaria, Germany
Skills & more
LaTeX
Languages Dutch · English · French · German
From Brecht's professional profile.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Brecht Pierreux?
- Brecht Pierreux worked as an engineer at SpaceX and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory before founding Macadamia, which develops AI tools for technical problem-solving.
- Where does Brecht Pierreux work?
- Brecht Pierreux is Founder of Macadamia.
- What companies did Brecht Pierreux found?
- Brecht Pierreux founded Macadamia.
- Where did Brecht Pierreux go to school?
- Brecht Pierreux studied at Caltech (Master's thesis, Space Engineering); ETH Zürich (Master's degree, Mechanical Engineering); Delft University of Technology (Bachelor's degree, Aerospace Engineering).
Founder mafias
Y Combinator mafia8,773
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Sam AltmanPresidentFounded Tools for Humanity +3Jessica LivingstonCo-founderFounded Y CombinatorAlexis OhanianYC Summer 2005Founded RedditFred EhrsamYC Summer 2012Founded Nudge +1Matt HuangYC Winter 2011Founded HotspotsTrae StephensYC Winter 2022Founded Pursuit +1
+ 8,766 more
ETH Zürich mafia103
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Veronica Gambillara FonckEngineerFounded LimmaTech Biologics +1Thomas DübendorferMastersFounded Spontacts +1Dr. Hanspeter FässlerHonorary Councillor Award (Ehrenrat)Founded Gravis Robotics +1Nikolay KobyshevDoctor of Science (Dr. sc.)Founded Assaia +1Toni RosinolMaster of ScienceFounded Stack AI +1Robin GuldenerBsc.Founded Nango +1
+ 96 more
Caltech mafia66
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Dario AmodeiProgress towards BSFounded AnthropicFei-Fei LiDoctor of Philosophy - PhDFounded World LabsBill GrossBachelor of Science (B.S.)Founded X1 +5Chris VoigtPhDFounded Asimov +2Seth LieblichDoctor of Philosophy - PhDFounded Protomer +1Gil ElbazBSFounded TenOneTen Ventures +1
+ 59 more
Delft University of Technology mafia29
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Eric MigicovskyIndustrial Design EngineeringFounded Beeper +1Kayra BahadirBachelor of Science - BScFounded Prestige +1Sjoerd NikkelenMaster of Science (M.Sc.)Founded MophonesCarmen van VilsterenMasterFounded MicrosureMenno GravemakerElectrical EngineeringFounded Momo MedicalDorus van den OordBachelor of Science (BSc)Founded Orderli
+ 22 more
Same school
Also attended Caltech144
Shaun MaguirePartner at Sequoia CapitalDario AmodeiCo-founder & CEO of AnthropicFei-Fei LiCo-founder & CEO of World Labs; Sequoia Professor of Computer Science at StanfordScott BillerInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)Seth LieblichInvestment Team at 8VCMarkus EnzelbergerPartner at Versant Ventures
+ 138 more
Also attended ETH Zürich225
Bastian HasslingerInvestor at Index VenturesSteve VassalloInvestor at Foundation CapitalHelge DaebelPartner, Head of Water at Emerald Technology Ventures AgMaurin DaiInvestment Manager, Physical AI & Robotics at Emerald Technology Ventures AgChristoph FreiPartner, Head of Energy at Emerald Technology Ventures AgMax HeftiInvestment Director - Energy at Emerald Technology Ventures Ag
+ 219 more
Also attended Delft University of Technology142
Michiel KottingPartner at NorthzoneGiuseppe LacerenzaPartner at Keen Venture PartnersAlexander WortmannPartner at TCVThijs SchaapInvestment manager at NoaberHugo SilvaPartner at Pi LabsRobInvestor at henQ vc
+ 136 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Stealth Startup351
Andrew ChenGeneral Partner at Andreessen HorowitzGabriel PereyraCo-founder & President of HarveyErica VanInvestment Director at Intel CapitalHemamAdvisor at Clear VenturesHamish GarnettAssociate at Manta Ray VenturesFranz KoflerInvestor at Next Frontier Capital
+ 345 more
Also worked at Macadamia (YC W25)1
Also worked at SpaceX148
Roelof BothaAdvisor & former Steward at Sequoia Capital; SpaceX board memberSteve JurvetsonCo-founder of Future VenturesAsanka JayasuriyaPortfolio Support at 8VCJustin RoseInvestment Team at 8VCGarry HillInvestment at Makers FundHelen LiangFounder & General Partner at FoundersX Ventures
+ 142 more
Also worked at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory79
Frank RotmanCo-Founder and Partner Emeritus at QED InvestorsKevin DunlapCo-Founder and Managing Partner at Calibrate VenturesRoger CarterVP of Engineering at Prime Movers LabAndrew ChanFounder · Managing Partner at Atas VCShalini HauptAssociate at Clocktower VenturesGeorge UgrasGeneral Partner at AV8 Ventures
+ 73 more