Find your path to Rishi
697 people in our graph share verified history with Rishi — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
Ken ChenaultunlockedRishi: together at Airbnb (2025)
×5Rishi: together at Stanford University
×3Rishi: together at Airbnb
×2Rishi: together at De Anza College
About
Rishi Pankhaniya is the co-founder and CEO of Rudus. He previously worked as an engineer at Airbnb and Apple, and studied computer science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Founder at RudusYC X26
Intro paths
YC
Rishi went through Y Combinator (Spring 2026) — any YC alum in your network can reach them through the YC community.
GP
Their group partner at YC was David Lieb, General Partner at Y Combinator — the partner who ran Rudus's batch and knows the company first-hand. YC profile ↗
→
In turn, Rishi can intro founders to Rudus's investors below.
Rudus's investors · 1
Co-founders at Rudus
SG
Sahil GoelFounder
Experience
- RudusCo-founder & CEO (YC P26)current2026 — presentSan Francisco, CA
- AirbnbSoftware Engineer- Payments2025
- Pollen Social LLCChief Executive Officer2021 — 2024Cupertino, CA
- AppleSoftware Engineer Intern- Ad Platforms2024Cupertino, California, United States
- Rosetta InstituteResearch Intern2019 — 2021San Jose, California, United States
- PulseSummer Intern2021San Francisco, California, United States
- Winship Cancer Institute of Emory UniversitySummer Intern2021Stanford, California, United States
- Stanford UniversitySummer Intern2020Stanford, California, United States
Skills & more
Computer Science3Microsoft Office2Project Management1Business Administration1TypeScript1JavaScriptPython (Programming Language)GitXcodeMongoDBSQLReact.js
+2 more
JavaC++Languages English · Gujarati · Spanish
From Rishi's professional profile.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Rishi Pankhaniya?
- Rishi Pankhaniya is the co-founder and CEO of Rudus. He previously worked as an engineer at Airbnb and Apple, and studied computer science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
- Where does Rishi Pankhaniya work?
- Rishi Pankhaniya is Founder of Rudus.
- What companies did Rishi Pankhaniya found?
- Rishi Pankhaniya founded Rudus.
- Where did Rishi Pankhaniya go to school?
- Rishi Pankhaniya studied at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Bachelor of Science - BS, Computer Science and Economics); De Anza College (Mathematics); Monta Vista High School.
Founder mafias
Y Combinator mafia10,230
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Sam AltmanPresidentFounded Tools for Humanity +3Garry TanPresident & CEOFounded Y Combinator +1Jessica LivingstonCo-founderFounded Y CombinatorAlexis OhanianPartnerFounded RedditFred EhrsamYC Summer 2012Founded Nudge +1Matt HuangYC Winter 2011Founded Paradigm +1
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Stanford University mafia1,934
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Peter ThielB.A.Founded PayPalReid HoffmanB.S.Founded LinkedIn +2David SacksB.A.Founded YammerKeith RaboisB.A.Founded OpendoorGarry TanBSFounded Y Combinator +1Joe LonsdaleBSFounded Opto +5
+ 1,927 more
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign mafia352
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Max LevchinBSFounded PayPal +2Luke NosekBSFounded PayPalAnsuman SatpathyPhilosophyFounded Santa Ana +4Maria FardisB.S.Founded Iovance +2DeVaris BrownB.S.Founded Super Heroic +2Harish AgarwalB.S.Founded Nori +2
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Apple mafia306
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Steve JurvetsonProduct MarketingFounded Future Ventures +1Kai-Fu LeeVice president (last job)Founded 01Brian ActonHardware Test EngineerFounded WHATS APP +1IanUser Experience and EngineeringFounded Apex Technology +3Jon LernerSoftware Engineer (Intern)Founded Textnow +2Brian BrackeenSr. Project ManagerFounded Lightship +1
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Airbnb mafia123
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Brian ArmstrongSoftware EngineerFounded Coinbase +1Khaled HusseinPayments Product LeadFounded Tilt +2Honghao DengUX Research ScientistFounded Butlr +2James J BesharaDirector, ProductFounded Tilt +1Shervin PishevarInvestorFounded Freetelly +1Leah CulverSenior iOS EngineerFounded Breaker +1
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Same school
Also attended University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign853
Max LevchinCo-founder of PayPal; founder, chairman & CEO of Affirm; partner at SciFi VCLuke NosekCo-founder of PayPal; co-founder of GigafundSundeep PeechuGeneral Partner at Felicis VenturesDeep NisharInvestment Team at General CatalystPrashant ShahPartner at Monta Vista CapitalNoorPartner at Clear Ventures
+ 847 more
Also attended De Anza College31
Jack Bixby LucasGeneral Partner at Lucas Venture GroupAditya ReddyVice President at Sapphire VenturesCatie YoungExecutive Assistant at Uncork CapitalBrian RojasInvestor at Side Door VenturesAnchal BhardwajInvestor at Dorm RoomRyan ParkFinance Manager at Samsung Next
+ 25 more
Also attended Monta Vista High School34
Mike GhaffaryAdvisor at Canvas VenturesKim-Mai CutlerInvestor at Initialized CapitalLindsey YeePrincipal at Starbridge Venture Capital LlcKatya HancockHealth Moonshot Impact Board at StartUp HealthAlex ScherbakovskyGeneral Partner at Atlantic Vantage PointEvaline TsaiPrincipal at Gigascale Capital
+ 28 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Rudus1
Also worked at Airbnb215
Alfred LinPartner at Sequoia CapitalHans TungManaging Partner at Notable CapitalBrian CheskyCo-founder & CEO of AirbnbJoe GebbiaCo-founder of AirbnbNathan BlecharczykCo-founder & CSO of AirbnbBrian ArmstrongCo-founder & CEO of Coinbase
+ 209 more
Also worked at Apple784
Jim BreyerFounder & CEO of Breyer CapitalDaniel GrossMeta Superintelligence Labs; co-founder of NFDG and Safe SuperintelligenceSteve JurvetsonCo-founder of Future VenturesKai-Fu LeeChairman of Sinovation Ventures and CEO of 01.AISteve WozniakCo-founder of AppleBrian ActonCo-founder of WhatsApp; co-founder of Signal Foundation
+ 778 more
