About
Daniel Kwak studied computational physics and machine learning at the doctoral level before leaving his PhD program.
Co-Founder at PaperplaneYC W23
Intro paths
YC
Daniel went through Y Combinator (Winter 2023) — any YC alum in your network can reach them through the YC community.
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In turn, Daniel can intro founders to Paperplane's investors below.
Paperplane's investors · 4
Co-founders at Paperplane
JH
Jack HopkinsFounder
BM
Ben MagolanFounder
Experience
- PerplexityVice President Financecurrent2026 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
- PerplexityHead of Finance & Corporate Developmentcurrent2024 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
- PaperplaneCo-founder2021 — 2024New York City Metropolitan Area
- HadrianFounding Team2020 — 2021San Francisco Bay Area
- Point72Vice President2017 — 2020Palo Alto, California, United States
- Goldman SachsInvestment Banking2015 — 2017San Francisco Bay Area
- Plasma Science and Fusion Center at MITResearcher2013 — 2015Cambridge, MA
Skills & more
Matlab5Mathematica11Microsoft Excel4PowerPoint4Microsoft Office6Python1Plasma Physics9Data Analysis19High Energy Physics3Statistical Data Analysis1Physics2Financial Modeling1
+2 more
StatisticsResearchFrom Daniel's professional profile.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Daniel Kwak?
- Daniel Kwak studied computational physics and machine learning at the doctoral level before leaving his PhD program.
- Where does Daniel Kwak work?
- Daniel Kwak is Co-Founder of Paperplane.
- What companies did Daniel Kwak found?
- Daniel Kwak founded Paperplane.
- Where did Daniel Kwak go to school?
- Daniel Kwak studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (PhD, Plasma Physics); Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MS, Plasma Physics); University of Michigan (BS, Nuclear 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
Massachusetts Institute of Technology mafia546
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Elad GilPhDFounded Brain Co.Nat FriedmanBachelor of ScienceFounded XamarinMatt HuangB.S.Founded HotspotsDelian AsparouhovDropoutFounded Nightingale +1Drew HoustonBSFounded Dropbox +1Arash FerdowsiComputer ScienceFounded Dropbox
+ 539 more
Goldman Sachs mafia249
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Fred EhrsamTraderFounded Nudge +1Matt HuangSummer AnalystFounded HotspotsDavid VélezAnalystFounded NubankTarek MansourEquity Derivatives AnalystFounded KalshiColin WebbSummer AnalystFounded SaucepricingJeppe RindomSummer InternshipFounded Pleo
+ 242 more
University of Michigan mafia136
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Erik TorenbergBachelor of Arts (B.A.)Founded VillageglobalDavid R. WaltBachelor of Science - BSFounded Sherlock Biosciences +5Chris VoigtBSEFounded Asimov +2Val AgostinoB.S.E.Founded Monarch +2Dillon ErbMaster of Architecture (M.Arch.)Founded Paperspace +2Eric LefkofskyFounded InnerWorkings +1
+ 129 more
Perplexity mafia13
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Pieter AbbeelDirectorFounded Gradescope +1Taz PatelHead of Advertising and ShoppingFounded Captiv8Andy KonwinskiCo-founderFounded DatabricksVenugopal SathyanarayanaPerplexity AI Business FellowFounded CV SystemsRam ShanmugamInvestorFounded Sauce LabsRosie PhillipsComms OpsFounded Founders Forum
+ 6 more
Same school
Also attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology1,387
Fred WilsonCo-founder & Partner at Union Square VenturesElad GilSolo general partner investing through Gil CapitalAileen LeeFounder & Managing Partner of Cowboy VenturesHemant TanejaCEO & Managing Director of General CatalystNat FriedmanCo-lead of Meta Superintelligence Labs; co-founder of NFDGBrad FeldCo-founder of Foundry and Techstars
+ 1,381 more
Also attended University of Michigan516
Erik TorenbergGeneral Partner at Andreessen Horowitz; founder of TurpentineKarim FarisInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)Glen AndersonPartner at Monta Vista CapitalAlexandra FarmerPrincipal at Intel Capital, North AmericaHannah KrootMarketing Lead at Intel CapitalScott ShawChief of Staff at Intel Capital
+ 510 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Perplexity39
Byron DeeterPartner at Bessemer Venture PartnersAravind SrinivasCo-founder & CEO of Perplexity AICack WilhelmInvestor at IVP (Institutional Venture Partners)Ash ShrivastavVenture Partner at Buckhill CapitalArmita HosseiniVenture Fellow at Leonis CapitalTaz PatelInvestor at Green Cow Venture Capital
+ 33 more
