Fundraising Fox

Phil Brennan

Founder

Founder at Cinder

Washington DC-Baltimore Area

FoundedCinder · YC

About

Phil Brennan spent several years leading counterterrorism operations for the US government before joining Facebook in 2017, where he built out their community threat intelligence team. He later co-founded Cinder with Glen Wise, a former Facebook colleague.

LinkedIn ↗

Founder at CinderYC W22

Intro paths

YC

Phil went through Y Combinator (Winter 2022) — any YC alum in your network can reach them through the YC community.

GP

Their group partner at YC was Brad Flora, General Partner at Y Combinator — the partner who ran Cinder's batch and knows the company first-hand. YC profile ↗

→

In turn, Phil can intro founders to Cinder's investors below.

Cinder's investors · 3

AccelRadical VenturesY Combinator

Co-founders at Cinder

GWGlen Wise
Glen WiseFounder

Experience

  1. CinderCinder Agentcurrent2026 — presentThe internet
  2. CinderCo-Foundercurrent2022 — present
  3. FacebookSecurity Research2017 — 2022Washington DC-Baltimore Area
  4. US GovernmentTeam Lead2006 — 2017
  5. Office of the Secretary of DefenseIraq Country Director2011 — 2012
  6. Seeds of PeaceCounselor2002 — 2003Portland, Maine Metropolitan Area

Education

  1. Y Combinator2022
  2. Columbia | SIPAMaster’s Degree, International Relations and National Security Studies2004 — 2006
  3. Middlebury CollegeSummer Language Program, Arabic Language and Literature2004
  4. Columbia UniversityBachelor’s Degree, Political Science and Government1999 — 2003
  5. SOAS University of LondonNear and Middle Eastern Studies2002
  6. The Key SchoolHigh School

Skills & more

Languages Arabic · French

From Phil'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

Columbia University mafia166

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Jay RenoMaster of Arts (M.A.)Founded Pointhound +1Howard MergelkampB.A.Founded PeernovaRobin ChanB.A.Founded RyeKaitlyn DeBernardoBAFounded RigupOleg IlichevBachelor of ArtsFounded ReservMartin SchrimpffEcla programFounded Kocomo

+ 159 more

Middlebury College mafia11

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Ian FolauMaster's DegreeFounded CLEARMIXAustin OgilvieFounded YhatGarrett ReynoldsBachelor's degreeFounded UpCodesROHEET SHAHIntensive Arabic Summer ProgramFounded CarbonChainMatthew LinkousBachelor’s DegreeFounded TriplitWill ErnstBachelor's degreeFounded Triplit

+ 4 more

SOAS University of London mafia3

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Hana ZaghloulBachelor of Laws (LLB)Founded DayraPavel GertsbergBA Politics and African StudiesFounded ClaimSorted

Cinder mafia2

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Glen WiseFounderFounded Cinder

Same school

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

Also attended Columbia | SIPA48

MarioPartner at Hummingbird VenturesMarissa SterlingSenior Platform Associate at BURNT ISLAND VENTURESKatie ChoiInvestor at Chaac VenturesNick AlbaneseVP, Research & Strategy and Investment Associate at The Westly GroupRoy WiesnerPartner at aMoonNicholas JavaVenture Partner at Beyond Capital Ventures

+ 42 more

Also attended Middlebury College118

Alex FinkelsteinInvestor at Spark CapitalJeff DoranInvestor at Spark CapitalTrevor KienzleInvestor at Correlation VenturesUrvashi BarooahPartner at Redpoint VenturesJason BrookePrincipal at Sapphire VenturesBriehan BurkeGeneral Partner at Keen Venture Partners

+ 112 more

Also attended The Key School1

Yash ChopraPartner at Plassa Capital

Shared employers

Also worked at Cinder2

Ryan ShannonPartner at Radical VenturesGlen WiseFounder at Cinder

Also worked at Facebook482

Peter ThielCo-founder & Partner at Founders FundChamath PalihapitiyaFounder & CEO of Social CapitalJim BreyerFounder & CEO of Breyer CapitalDavid SzeAdvisory Partner at GreylockKen ChenaultInvestment Team at General CatalystIsabelle StyslingerSenior Associate, Rise of the Rest at Revolution

+ 476 more

Also worked at Office of the Secretary of Defense14

Douglas Lemott Jr.Vice President, SAP National Security Services at Riphean InvestmentsYisroel BrumerFounding Partner; Co-Founder & CEO, DEFCON AI at Red Cell IncubationAnne PowersExecutive Assistant at Red Cell IncubationCaitlin ByrnesTalent at AudaciousEmil MichaelSenior Advisor at P1 VenturesHeidi GrantFormer Global Growth & Engagement Head at the Boeing Company, former Director Defense Security Cooperation Agency at NEW VISTA CAPITAL

+ 8 more

Also worked at Seeds of Peace1

Scott BirnbaumFounder and Managing Partner at Red Sea Ventures