Fundraising Fox

Nilay Modi

Founder

Founder at Clayboard · Founder at Central

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

FoundedCentral · YCClayboard · YC

About

Nilay Modi is founder of Clayboard, which builds interactive group learning tools for educators.

LinkedIn ↗X / Twitter ↗
Latest on 𝕏

NILAY @nilaymod

I thought this was about $SNAP https://t.co/Qeszy4mbiE

Jul 18, 2026 · ♥ 1 · ⇄ 1

NILAY @nilaymod

“odyssey this” “odyssey that” u odyssey how fast 70mm tickets sold out

Jul 18, 2026

NILAY @nilaymod

Ohh Nolan making the classic first-time founder mistake of listening to what users say instead of what they actually do and pay for. https://t.co/4Qo6aD8N85

Jul 17, 2026 · ♥ 3

Founder at ClayboardYC W20

Intro paths

YC

Nilay went through Y Combinator (Winter 2020) — any YC alum in your network can reach them through the YC community.

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In turn, Nilay can intro founders to Clayboard's investors below.

Clayboard's investors · 1

Y Combinator

Co-founders at Clayboard

JFJorge Fuentes
Jorge FuentesFounder

Founder at CentralYC S24

Intro paths

YC

Nilay went through Y Combinator (Summer 2024) — any YC alum in your network can reach them through the YC community.

GP

Their group partner at YC was Gustaf Alstromer — the partner who ran Central's batch and knows the company first-hand. YC profile ↗

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In turn, Nilay can intro founders to Central's investors below.

Central's investors · 2

Ritual CapitalY Combinator

Co-founders at Central

JWJosh Wymer
Josh WymerFounder
PKPranav Kashyap
Pranav KashyapFounder

Experience

  1. MercuryDesigningcurrent2026 — presentBoston, MA
  2. CentralCo-Founder (Acquired by Mercury)2023 — 2026Boston, MA
  3. Clayboard (YC W20)Co-Founder2020 — 2022New York, United States
  4. n/aLots of stuff2018 — 2021

Education

  1. UCLABachelor's Degree, Cognitive Science
  2. Y Combinator

Skills & more

Figma (Software)7Unity3D8C#7Cinema 4DC++4Unreal Engine 4Java1JavaScript2HTML53CSS8PHP2MySQL2
+12 moreMayaPhotoshopAngularJSBootstrapRTax ComplianceDesignMarketingSalesPayroll ServicesHealth InsuranceVirtual Reality
  • Neural Networks and Deep Learning — Coursera

From Nilay's professional profile.

Founder mafias

Y Combinator mafia8,668

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Sam AltmanPresidentFounded LooptFred EhrsamYC Summer 2012Founded CoinbaseMatt HuangYC Winter 2011Founded HotspotsTrae StephensYC Winter 2022Founded PursuitDelian AsparouhovYC Summer 2014Founded Nightingale +1Justin KanYC Winter 2018Founded Rye +3

+ 8,661 more

UCLA mafia97

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Kent WakefordFounded Form Bio +1Jonathan FriedmanMasters of ScienceFounded Assembly +1Matt JosephJoint Degree - JD/MBAFounded Locent +1Catherine JueBachelor's Degree Linguistics and Computer ScienceFounded Kernel +1Brandon FooBachelor of Science (BS)Founded Polymail +1Michelle MarcellineBachelor of Science - BSFounded The Prompting Company +1

+ 90 more

Mercury mafia10

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Immad AkhundCEO & FounderFounded Heyzap +1Jamie QuintInterim Head of GrowthFounded Interstate AnalyticsBenjamin NetterInvestorFounded RiotTommaso TombaInvestorFounded FUTURAKyle MaloneyProduct, Banking FoundationsFounded ProperArman RafatiSoftware Engineer InternFounded Glimmer

+ 3 more

Central mafia3

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Boateng Opoku-YeboahSoftware EngineerFounded FuseAbhijeet DwivediFounder and CEOFounded ZeroDown

Same school

Also attended UCLA476

Ben HorowitzCo-founder & General Partner at Andreessen HorowitzRon ConwayFounder of SV AngelKirsten GreenFounder and Managing Partner at Forerunner VenturesPaul FieldingFinance & Operations at General CatalystMelody MaExecutive Assistant and Lead Receptionist at Trinity VenturesGizem CakilInvestor at OpenView Venture Partners

+ 470 more

Also attended Y Combinator2,000

Leo LuInvestor at Foundation CapitalMaroof AhmedFounder at Octopus VenturesJustin SwartPartner at Bitkraft Esports VenturesVictor SantosVictor Scout at One Way VenturesSwapnil JainCEO, Observe.AI at EMERGENT VENTURESChase AdamPartner at Very Serious Ventures

+ 1,994 more

Shared employers

Also worked at Central4

Boateng Opoku-YeboahFounder at FuseAbhijeet DwivediFounder at ZeroDownJosh WymerFounder at CentralPranav KashyapFounder at Central

Also worked at Clayboard (YC W20)1

Jorge FuentesFounder at Clayboard