About
Mark Hughes is co-founder and CEO of Solidroad. Previously, he founded Gradguide, a mentorship platform for recent graduates, which he grew to 20 employees and exited in 2022. He has held leadership roles in sales and customer success at Chargify and early-stage sales positions at Intercom, and studied business at Trinity College Dublin and HEC Paris.
Founder at SolidroadYC W25
Intro paths
YC
Mark 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 Brad Flora, Backing expeditions into the future — the partner who ran Solidroad's batch and knows the company first-hand. YC profile ↗
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In turn, Mark can intro founders to Solidroad's investors below.
Solidroad's investors · 5
Co-founders at Solidroad
PF
Patrick FinlayFounder
AS
Andrew SmythDirector
Experience
- SolidroadCo-Founder & CEOcurrent2023 — presentSan Francisco, California, United States
- GradguideFounder & CEO (Acquired)2019 — 2023Dublin, London, Bangalore
- ChargifyNon Executive Director2021 — 2022
- ChargifyRegional Director, EMEA2020 — 2021Dublin, Ireland
- ChargifyHead of Sales, EMEA2020County Dublin, Ireland
- IntercomAccount Executive2018 — 2020County Dublin, Ireland
- IntercomSales Development Representative2017 — 2018County Dublin, Ireland
- UberBusiness Development Intern2015Dublin, Ireland
Skills & more
Microsoft Excel10Microsoft Office3Entrepreneurship22Sales13Fundraising14Digital Marketing7Email Marketing5Customer Service13Charities5Public Speaking8Social Media9Social Networking7
+6 more
LeadershipEvent PlanningNonprofitsSocial Media MarketingTeamworkTime ManagementLanguages English · French · Irish
- Gradguide Mentorship Program — Gradguide
- SDR Pro — Intercom
- Inbound Sales Certified — HubSpot
- Sales Management Certificate — HubSpot
From Mark's professional profile.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Mark Hughes?
- Mark Hughes is co-founder and CEO of Solidroad. Previously, he founded Gradguide, a mentorship platform for recent graduates, which he grew to 20 employees and exited in 2022. He has held leadership roles in sales and customer success at Chargify and early-stage sales positions at Intercom, and studied business at Trinity College Dublin and HEC Paris.
- Where does Mark Hughes work?
- Mark Hughes is Founder of Solidroad.
- What companies did Mark Hughes found?
- Mark Hughes founded Solidroad.
- Where did Mark Hughes go to school?
- Mark Hughes studied at Y Combinator (W25); Trinity College Dublin (Bachelor of Business Studies, Business Administration and Management); HEC Paris (Erasmus+ Exchange, Masters in Management).
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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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
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HEC Paris mafia83
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Mathilde CollinMaster’s DegreeFounded Front +1Alexandre ProtMaster of ScienceFounded Smartven +1Alexandre AzoulayGrande EcoleFounded Sghcapital +1Achmad ZakyMaster of Science - MSFounded Init 6 +1Bastien BeurierMaster's degreeFounded Lantern +1Tancrede Collard2013Founded QuestDB +1
+ 76 more
Trinity College Dublin mafia23
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Eoghan McCabeB.A. (Mod)Founded FinPatrick FinlayBachelor of Engineering - BEFounded Solidroad +1Brian SmigaM PhilFounded ActioneerAlan FoyB.B.S.; MA; MLitt.Founded Star2Star CommunicationsWilliam McQuillanBusinessFounded InnitiDavid ClarkeBAFounded VCola
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Same school
Also attended Y Combinator2,000
Tarek MansourCo-founder & CEO of KalshiSuhail DoshiFounder of Mixpanel; founder of ParticleSubomi OluwalanaCo-founder & CEO of ConvoyArhaan A.Deeptech Fellow at Clear VenturesMaroof AhmedFounder at Octopus VenturesJustin SwartPartner at Bitkraft Esports Ventures
+ 1,994 more
Also attended Trinity College Dublin114
Laela SturdyManaging Partner at CapitalGEoghan McCabeCo-founder & CEO of Fin (formerly Intercom)Justin HallPartner at Golden Gate VenturesBriac BombrunInvestment Associate at Burda Principal InvestmentsBrian SmigaVenture Partner, Co-Founder at Alpha PartnersTom StaffordCo-founder at DST Global
+ 108 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Solidroad1
Also worked at Chargify2
Also worked at Intercom27
Mamoon HamidPartner at Kleiner PerkinsByron DeeterPartner at Bessemer Venture PartnersRory O'DriscollPartner at Scale Venture PartnersSamantha PriceTalent Partner at AudaciousThomas MaranoAssociate, US at RTP GlobalKajal FordExecutive Assistant at Standard Crypto
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Also worked at Uber420
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)
+ 414 more