About
David Ferris holds a degree in Mechatronics Engineering from the University of Waterloo. He worked as a software engineer at Google on real-time ad auctions and as an AI engineer at Uber on Global Intelligence before co-founding Phonic, which he led as CEO until its acquisition by Infillion in 2023.
Founder at PhonicYC W20
Intro paths
YC
David went through Y Combinator (Winter 2020) — any YC alum in your network can reach them through the YC community.
→
In turn, David can intro founders to Phonic's investors below.
Phonic's investors · 3
Co-founders at Phonic
Experience
- OpenAIMember of Technical Staffcurrent2026 — present
- South Park CommonsResearch2025 — 2026
- PlaygroundProduct Engineer2023 — 2025
- PhonicCo-Founder & CEO2020 — 2023
- UberSoftware Engineer2019San Francisco, California
- GoogleSoftware Engineer2018New York
- AthosData Scientist2017Redwood City
- CIBCSoftware Developer2016Toronto, ON
- WeMeshAndroid Developer2016Waterloo, ON
- FiftyThree Inc.Mobile Device Intern2015Seattle, WA
- Devils Glen Country ClubSki Racing Coach2012 — 2013
Skills & more
Leadership10Public Speaking1CommunicationProgramming19Machine Learning9Robotics12Swarm Intelligence3TeachingTutoring1Computer-Aided Design (CAD)1Electrical EngineeringMechatronics3
+12 more
Android DevelopmentWeb DevelopmentPyrotechnicsResearchRunningData MiningComputer ScienceDeep LearningSolidWorksJavaJavaScriptFirmware- Moving Water II (Whitewater Certification) — ORCKA
- Open Water Diver — PADI
- SQL for Data Science — Coursera
- Deep Learning Specialization — Coursera
From David's professional profile.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is David Ferris?
- David Ferris holds a degree in Mechatronics Engineering from the University of Waterloo. He worked as a software engineer at Google on real-time ad auctions and as an AI engineer at Uber on Global Intelligence before co-founding Phonic, which he led as CEO until its acquisition by Infillion in 2023.
- Where does David Ferris work?
- David Ferris is Founder of Phonic.
- What companies did David Ferris found?
- David Ferris founded Phonic.
- Where did David Ferris go to school?
- David Ferris studied at Y Combinator (W20); Hult Ashridge Executive Education (Hult Prize, United Nations Finalist); University of Waterloo (Bachelor’s Degree, Mechatronics).
Founder mafias
Y Combinator mafia8,773
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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
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Y Combinator mafia4,716
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Ryan SheaEntrepreneurshipFounded StacksTarek MansourFounded KalshiSuhail DoshiEating beans & riceFounded Playground +1Subomi OluwalanaW22Founded ConvoyDarius "Bubs" MonsefS19Founded Sightbox +3Matthew ScholzFounded Oisin Biotechnologies +3
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University of Waterloo mafia200
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Apoorva MehtaBAScFounded InstacartZach WaterfieldComputer EngineeringFounded Zettlor +1Peter CarresciaBMathFounded GoConfirm +1Eric BlondeelDoctor of Philosophy - PhDFounded Samos Insurance +1Oleg KostourHonours Bachelor of Architectural StudiesFounded AtlasGrid +1Anton KrutianskyBachelor of Applied Science (B.A.Sc.)Founded AtlasGrid +1
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Uber mafia170
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Garrett CampFounder & ChairmanFounded Aero +1Raquel UrtasunChief Scientist, Head of Uber ATG R&DFounded WaabiRobin ChanAdvisorFounded Operator +2Dan LifshitsEngineering ContractorFounded GO GLOBAL WORLD +1Ben LernerSoftware Engineer, InfrastructureFounded Espresso AI +1Bastien BeurierSoftware EngineerFounded Lantern +1
+ 163 more
OpenAI mafia68
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Reid HoffmanBoard MemberFounded LinkedIn +2Sam AltmanCo-founder & CEOFounded Tools for Humanity +2Elon MuskCo-founder & former Co-chair / board memberFounded PayPal +5Ilya SutskeverCo-founder & Chief ScientistFounded Safe SuperintelligenceAravind SrinivasResearch ScientistFounded PerplexityDario AmodeiVP of ResearchFounded Anthropic
+ 61 more
Same school
Also attended Y Combinator2,000
Tarek MansourCo-founder & CEO of KalshiSuhail DoshiFounder of Mixpanel; founder of ParticleSubomi OluwalanaCo-founder & CEO of ConvoyMaroof AhmedFounder at Octopus VenturesJustin SwartPartner at Bitkraft Esports VenturesCollin WallaceGeneral Partner at Lobby Capital
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Also attended Hult Ashridge Executive Education14
Nora AlsarhanCEO at SVCTim Wynn-JonesHead of New Product and Investor Relations at Blackfinch VenturesAlice KoInvestment Partner at Joyance PartnersAlasdair GreigDirector at Northstar VenturesNickInvestor at Saint Leonard S.A.Marian GazdikFounding Partner at G-Force
+ 8 more
Also attended University of Waterloo357
Chamath PalihapitiyaFounder & CEO of Social CapitalApoorva MehtaFounder of Instacart; founder of Cloud Health SystemsKarim GillaniGeneral Partner at Luge CapitalRohan MongaInvestment Associate at Luge CapitalAndrew MiklasGeneral Partner at Y CombinatorAniTalent Team at Hummingbird Ventures
+ 351 more
Shared employers
Also worked at OpenAI133
Reid HoffmanCo-founder of LinkedIn; Partner at GreylockPat GradyPartner at Sequoia CapitalGreg BrockmanCo-founder & President of OpenAIIlya SutskeverCo-founder of OpenAI; co-founder & CEO of Safe SuperintelligenceAravind SrinivasCo-founder & CEO of Perplexity AIDario AmodeiCo-founder & CEO of Anthropic
+ 127 more
Also worked at South Park Commons62
Chase AdamPartner at Very Serious VenturesAndrew ParkerGeneral Partner at Spero VenturesKelsey FloresChief Financial Officer at Slipstream InvestorsJaclyn Rice NelsonCo-founder and part-time GP at Coalition OperatorsBala ChandrasekaranPartner at Alt CapitalRuchi SanghviPartner and Founding Member at South Park Commons
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+ 56 more
Also worked at Uber418
Bill GurleyGeneral Partner Emeritus at BenchmarkJason CalacanisFounder of LAUNCH; host of This Week in StartupsAndrew ChenGeneral Partner at Andreessen HorowitzGarrett CampCo-founder of Uber and StumbleUpon; founder of ExpaRaquel UrtasunFounder & CEO of WaabiFrédérique DameInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)
+ 412 more
Also worked at Google1,715
Ron ConwayFounder of SV AngelElad GilSolo general partner investing through Gil CapitalKai-Fu LeeChairman of Sinovation Ventures and CEO of 01.AIBrian SingermanCo-founder of GPx; Partner Emeritus at Founders FundJess LeePartner and Chief Product Officer at Sequoia CapitalTomasz TunguzFounder & General Partner at Theory Ventures
+ 1,709 more