Fundraising Fox

Sydney Katz

InvestorFounder

Lecturer at Stanford University · Co-Founder and CTO at Valgo

San Francisco Bay Area

FoundedValgo · YC

About

Sydney Katz holds a PhD in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford, where their research focused on safe machine learning. They have held positions at Reliable Robotics, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, and NASA, and have authored a textbook on validation algorithms and taught a course on validation of safety-critical systems at Stanford.

Co-Founder and CTO at ValgoYC W26

Intro paths

YC

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

GP

Their group partner at YC was Jared Friedman, YC Group Partner — the partner who ran Valgo's batch and knows the company first-hand. YC profile ↗

→

In turn, Sydney can intro founders to Valgo's investors below.

Valgo's investors · 3

1Flourish CapitalMountain ViewFloodgateMenlo Park · $500K – $5M checksY CombinatorSan Francisco · $500K checks · since 2026

Co-founders at Valgo

RMRobert Moss
Robert MossCo-Founder and CEO
JQJon Qian
Jon QianCo-founder and President

Experience

  1. Stanford UniversityLecturercurrent2026 — presentStanford, California, United States
  2. ValgoCo-Founder and CTOcurrent2025 — present
  3. Stanford Intelligent Systems LaboratoryPostdoctoral Researcher2023 — 2025Stanford, California, United States
  4. Stanford Intelligent Systems LaboratoryGraduate Research Assistant2018 — 2023Stanford, CA
  5. Reliable Robotics CorporationGNC Intern2022
  6. MIT Lincoln LaboratorySummer Research Intern2018Lexington, MA
  7. Washington University in St. LouisResidential Peer Mentor2015 — 2018Greater St. Louis Area
  8. Washington University in St. LouisResearch Assistant2014 — 2016Greater St. Louis Area
  9. WOOTA, LLCChief Technology Officer2014 — 2018St. Louis, MO
  10. MIT Lincoln LaboratorySummer Intern2017Lexington, MA
  11. Infoscitex CorporationOperations Analyst Intern2017Greater St. Louis Area
  12. The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratorySummer Intern2016Laurel, Maryland
  13. NASA Glenn Research CenterLERCIP Intern2015Cleveland/Akron, Ohio Area
  14. NASA Glenn Research CenterLERCIP Intern2014Cleveland/Akron, Ohio Area
  15. NASA Glenn Research CenterSummer Intern2013Cleveland/Akron, Ohio Area

Skills & more

Research6Data Analysis3Microsoft Excel6Microsoft Office8Matlab6Java5Simulink4Autodesk Inventor3

From Sydney's professional profile.

Colleagues at Stanford University

Alan Ma
Campus Lead at The MBA Fund
Alex Gould
General Partner at The Valley Fund
Aman Verjee
General Partner at Practical Venture Capital
Amit Etkin
Founder at Alto Neuroscience
Amy Chang
Founder, Accompany at Decibel Partners
Anand Lalwani
Angel at Wispr AI
Andrew Ng
Managing General Partner at AI Fund
Anjney Midha
General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz

Frequently asked questions

Who is Sydney Katz?
Sydney Katz holds a PhD in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford, where their research focused on safe machine learning. They have held positions at Reliable Robotics, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, and NASA, and have authored a textbook on validation algorithms and taught a course on validation of safety-critical systems at Stanford.
Where does Sydney Katz work?
Sydney Katz is Co-Founder and CTO of Valgo and Lecturer at Stanford University.
What companies did Sydney Katz found?
Sydney Katz founded Valgo.
Where did Sydney Katz go to school?
Sydney Katz studied at Stanford University (Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Aerospace); Stanford University (Master's degree, Aerospace); Washington University in St. Louis (Bachelor of Science - BS, Electrical Engineering).

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

Stanford University mafia903

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Peter ThielJ.D.Founded PayPal +1Reid HoffmanB.S.Founded LinkedIn +2Joe LonsdaleBSFounded Opto +3Mike Maples JrBSFounded Pattern BreakersSteve JurvetsonMSEEFounded Mojo VisionBalaji SrinivasanGraduate StudentFounded Counsyl +1

+ 896 more

Washington University in St. Louis mafia42

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Lucas HarringtonBachelor of Arts - BAFounded Preventive +1Jim McKelveyBachelor of Applied Science (BASc)Founded Invisibly +1David SmollerPostdocFounded Panome Bio +1Andrew GottesdienerBachelor of Arts (B.A.)Founded Apogee Therapeutics +1Laura ZaimBachelor’s DegreeFounded WorkAmerica +1Ryan RichtBAFounded Well Principled +1

+ 35 more

Same school

Also attended Stanford University2,000

Peter ThielCo-founder & Partner at Founders FundReid HoffmanCo-founder of LinkedIn; Partner at GreylockKeith RaboisManaging Director at Khosla VenturesGarry TanPresident & CEO of Y CombinatorAlfred LinPartner at Sequoia CapitalAnn Miura-KoCo-founding Partner at Floodgate

+ 1,994 more

Also attended Washington University in St. Louis220

Lee FixelFounder of AdditionMax WechterSenior Director of AI at Lerer HippeauMark LevinRetired Founding Partner at Third Rock VenturesJess OynickHead of Talent at Union Square Ventures (USV)Andrew ForysiakOwner, AJF and Associates at Riphean InvestmentsDavid GoadSenior Associate, Strategic Investment at Echo Health Ventures

+ 214 more

Shared employers

Also worked at Valgo2

Robert MossCo-Founder and CEO at ValgoJon QianCo-founder and President at Valgo

Also worked at Reliable Robotics Corporation5

A.C. CharaniaAdvisor - Ex. CTO Nasa at Balerion Space VenturesRyan GembalaFounder & Managing Partner at Pathbreaker VenturesTyler SchintoSenior Director at Presidio VenturesRaviraj JainPartner at Lightspeed Venture PartnersJoonghyun LeeFounder at Usul

Also worked at MIT Lincoln Laboratory37

Adrianna MaInvestor at Index VenturesLeSean BrownAssociate at Context VenturesAlex ZhangInvestor at Matter Venture PartnersAnand AtreyaInvestor at Inception Studio CapitalJessica AlstonPartner at F-Prime Capital PartnersCrystal ValentineTechnology Fellow at Cross Creek Advisors

+ 31 more

Also worked at Washington University in St. Louis52

David GoadSenior Associate, Strategic Investment at Echo Health VenturesRalph SabinSenior Advisor, Strategic Investment at Echo Health VenturesWesley M. JonesCo-Founder & Partner at Sage CapitalPaul T. MasudaVenture Partner at Sozo VenturesBill CramsiePartner at Embedded VenturesJim McKelveyPartner at FINTOP Capital

+ 46 more