Fundraising Fox

Saman Sayahpour

Founder

Founder at Axelrod

Austria

FoundedAxelrod · YC

About

Saman Sayahpour dropped out of Carnegie Mellon's Logic & Computation program and has previously conducted research in causal machine learning, prediction markets, photonic processors, and collective decision-making. He enrolled in Mathematics at the University of Vienna at age 14.

Founder at AxelrodYC S26

Intro paths

YC

Saman 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 Brad Flora, Backing expeditions into the future — the partner who ran Axelrod's batch and knows the company first-hand. YC profile ↗

→

In turn, Saman can intro founders to Axelrod's investors below.

Axelrod's investors · 1

Y CombinatorSan Francisco · $500K checks · since 2026

Co-founders at Axelrod

ALAdrian Lucas Tariel Stoica
Adrian Lucas Tariel StoicaFounder

Experience

  1. Axelrod (YC S26)Foundercurrent2026 — present
  2. Carnegie Mellon UniversityResearch2026
  3. Munich Interactive Intelligence Initiative (Mi3) | LMU MunichResearch2023 — 2025
  4. AkhetonicsCompiler Engineer2025
  5. Hotel MuseumFront Desk2018 — 2022

Skills & more

Languages English · German · Persian

From Saman's professional profile.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Saman Sayahpour?
Saman Sayahpour dropped out of Carnegie Mellon's Logic & Computation program and has previously conducted research in causal machine learning, prediction markets, photonic processors, and collective decision-making. He enrolled in Mathematics at the University of Vienna at age 14.
Where does Saman Sayahpour work?
Saman Sayahpour is Founder of Axelrod.
What companies did Saman Sayahpour found?
Saman Sayahpour founded Axelrod.
Where did Saman Sayahpour go to school?
Saman Sayahpour studied at Y Combinator; Carnegie Mellon University (BS, Logic & Computation); University of Vienna (Mathematics).

Founder mafias

Y Combinator mafia8,773

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

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

+ 8,766 more

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

+ 4,709 more

Carnegie Mellon University mafia231

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Kai-Fu LeeResearch Computer Scientist / Assistant ProfessorFounded 01Lucy GuoComputer ScienceFounded Passes +1Joshua XuMaster's degreeFounded HeyGenWilliam GuttmanDistinguished Service Professor of Economics & Special Advisor to ProvostFounded CurvePoint +3Dr. Manu KumarBSFounded K9 Ventures +2Rodney BrooksResearch ScientistFounded Rethink Robotics +2

+ 224 more

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München mafia35

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Anselm BauerDiplomaFounded Stylight +1Reinhard MeierMedical SchoolFounded TeleClinic +1Alex PokrasMinorFounded Genproof +1Tim ZinklMaster in Business Administration (M.Sc.)Founded Pairio +1Pandu RaharjaBioinformaticsFounded Panakeia +1Toby TriebelMaster of Business ResearchFounded Wealthsimple

+ 28 more

University of Vienna mafia11

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Sebastian TrousilMPharmFounded City Therapeutics +1Dominik MatykaMaster's degreeFounded NAPAstrid WoollardMagistra rerum naturaliumFounded SMAPE CapitalEric DemuthChinese StudiesFounded BitpandaMichael BaumgartnerBachelor’s DegreeFounded ZebracatMaximilian TayenthalDr. iur.Founded N26

+ 4 more

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 Carnegie Mellon University410

Kai-Fu LeeChairman of Sinovation Ventures and CEO of 01.AILucy GuoCo-founder of Scale AI; founder & CEO of PassesJoshua XuCo-founder & CEO of HeyGenJavier SolteroSenior Venture Partner at Felicis VenturesAvi BharadwajInvestment Director at Intel CapitalOren EtzioniVenture Partner at Madrona Venture Group

+ 404 more

Also attended University of Vienna45

Dominik MatykaInvestor at Cavalry VenturesAnnakaFinance at Maven VenturesKristina ChvilovaInvestor at Aglae VenturesManuela FürstAssociate Partner at Venionaire CapitalAlexander RapatzAssociate Partner - Munich and Luxembourg at Venionaire CapitalAstrid WoollardAssociate Partner at Venionaire Capital

+ 39 more

Also attended Sir Karl Popper Schule2

Moritz StephanFounder at MineKonstantin KlinglerCEO at Seamflow

Shared employers

Also worked at Axelrod (YC S26)1

Adrian Lucas Tariel StoicaFounder at Axelrod

Also worked at Carnegie Mellon University148

Kai-Fu LeeChairman of Sinovation Ventures and CEO of 01.AIJavier SolteroSenior Venture Partner at Felicis VenturesDiana HuGeneral Partner at Y CombinatorCindy PadnosFounder and Managing Partner at Illuminate VenturesMaryanna SaenkoCo-founder at Future VenturesSalvador GalaCo-founder & Managing Partner at Ev3 Ventures Llc

+ 142 more

Also worked at Akhetonics3

Konstantin GnypSenior Associate at Runa CapitalNiels MüllerPrincipal at Rheingau FoundersSilviu ApostuPrincipal at Matterwave Ventures