Fundraising Fox

Ray Liao

Founder

Cofounder and CEO at Inkbox

San Francisco Bay Area

FoundedInkbox · YC

About

Ray Liao is a computer scientist with a PhD from MIT who previously served as cofounder and CTO at Empallo, an AI-powered virtual clinic focused on cardiovascular care.

LinkedIn ↗X / Twitter ↗
Latest on 𝕏

Ray Liao @rayruizhiliao

today I learned: there’s 8vc, 16vc, 20vc

Aug 2, 2026 · ♥ 10

Ray Liao @rayruizhiliao

shipped agent2agent delegation and the first "person" to tell me it's useful was an agent https://t.co/EmBZJXd7nB

Aug 1, 2026 · ♥ 7 · ⇄ 1

Ray Liao @rayruizhiliao

The right voice stack depends on your use case. Congrats @beknabdik and team! https://t.co/LzCmE2WdYu

Jul 29, 2026 · ♥ 11

Cofounder and CEO at InkboxYC S26

Intro paths

YC

Ray went through Y Combinator (Summer 2026) — any YC alum in your network can reach them through the YC community.

GP

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

→

In turn, Ray can intro founders to Inkbox's investors below.

Inkbox's investors · 1

Y Combinator

Co-founders at Inkbox

DVDima Vremenko
Dima VremenkoFounder
AWAlex Wilcox
Alex WilcoxCofounder & CTO

Experience

  1. Inkbox (YC S26)Cofounder, CEOcurrent2025 — present
  2. EmpalloCofounder, CTO2021 — 2025
  3. MetaResearch Intern2017
  4. Mass General BrighamResearch Intern2014

Education

  1. Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyDoctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Computer Science2015 — 2021
  2. Tsinghua UniversityBachelor’s Degree, Electrical and Electronics Engineering2011 — 2015
  3. University of Wisconsin-MadisonVisiting student, Electrical and Electronics Engineering2013

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

Massachusetts Institute of Technology mafia464

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Hemant TanejaS.B.Founded CommureMatt HuangB.S.Founded HotspotsDelian AsparouhovDropoutFounded Nightingale +1Noubar AfeyanPhDFounded ProFound Therapeutics +6Geoffrey von MaltzahnPhDFounded Sana Biotechnology +3Yet-Ming ChiangS.B.Founded Addis Energy +2

+ 457 more

Techstars mafia153

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Brandon PatonMentorFounded Glider +2Weiting LiuMentorFounded Everyday.me +2Sebastian FischmeisterTechstars Detroit Accelerator 2016Founded Labforge Inc +2Jeremy AchinCloud Class 2013Founded hos +1Armistead WhitneyTechstars Boulder Accelerator 2024Founded Preparis +1Justin HughesTechstars Space Accelerator 2020Founded Revolution RE +1

+ 146 more

University of Wisconsin-Madison mafia53

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Gabe KrambsMathematics and Computer ScienceFounded Compound +1Jack PawlikBachelor of Business Administration - BBAFounded Dripos +1Dan RuchBAFounded RocketripBarry SandweissFounded FinLockerTimothy SternBAFounded FinLockerChris FernandezMaster of Science (M.S.)Founded EnsoData

+ 46 more

Tsinghua University mafia25

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Alice DengStudy AbroadFounded Slope +1Ning LiBEFounded NovoLINCCollin WallacePresident of Stanford Tsinghua Exchange Program (STEP)Founded ZeroStorefrontTao FuUndergraduate StudiesFounded Attovia TherapeuticsSameer DharSchwarzman ScholarFounded Nia HealthPatricMaster'sFounded Foundamental

+ 18 more

Same school

Also attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology1,289

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

+ 1,283 more

Also attended Tsinghua University138

Zhenyu TangInvestment Director at Intel CapitalVinnie LauriaFounding Partner at Golden Gate VenturesTed BreyerPartner at Breyer CapitalAlejandraChief of Staff, Investment Team at Hummingbird VenturesAlexander KremerPartner at Keen Venture PartnersJefferson ChenManaging Director at Informed Ventures Advisors, Llc

+ 132 more

Also attended University of Wisconsin-Madison240

Zhenyu TangInvestment Director at Intel CapitalDougAdvisor at Clear VenturesDan RuchPartner at Rho VenturesGeorge RobertsInvestor at OpenView Venture PartnersKevin WenzelAssociate at Marlin Equity PartnersHelen LiangFounder & General Partner at FoundersX Ventures

+ 234 more

Shared employers

Also worked at Inkbox (YC S26)2

Dima VremenkoFounder at InkboxAlex WilcoxCofounder & CTO at Inkbox

Also worked at Empallo2

Dima VremenkoFounder at InkboxAlex WilcoxCofounder & CTO at Inkbox

Also worked at Meta282

Nat FriedmanCo-lead of Meta Superintelligence Labs; co-founder of NFDGDaniel GrossMeta Superintelligence Labs; co-founder of NFDG and Safe SuperintelligenceTinaInvestments & Portfolio Services Team Member at Clear VenturesMike ArpaiaComputer scientist working on machine learning and data infrastructureKevin ColleranManaging Director at Slow VenturesJon ChuInvestor at Khosla Ventures

+ 276 more

Also worked at Mass General Brigham16

Alison DavisManaging Partner & Chairman at Blockchain CoinvestorsAlistair ErskineOperating Partner at Windham Capital PartnersErin KennedyInvestor at Silversmith Capital PartnersMolly WardChief of Staff at Foreground CapitalAndrea MessinaPartner at CVS Health VenturesYoola AdenijiSenior Associate at LRVHealth

+ 10 more