I’m James, A software engineer based in Colorado, Currently at Angellist

James is an applied AI engineer and repeat founder with deep experience leading engineering teams at top Silicon Valley companies. Early in his career, he helped build critical systems at Simple, the first neo-bank. Then he worked at Airbnb and Coinbase, where his work spanned scalable infrastructure and product engineering. He then went on to found and lead his own startup, becoming a YC-backed founder himself — an experience that cemented his empathy for technical teams building from scratch.

Currently, James serves as an Applied AI Engineer at AngelList, where he focuses on integrating artificial intelligence into core venture workflows. He is deeply technical, with hands-on expertise in AI systems, APIs, and distributed infrastructure. But he pairs this with a sharp product sense, helping founders translate cutting-edge technology into differentiated user value.

James has built a reputation in the founder community as a trusted technical partner who understands what it takes to build from first principles. At Sunday Hike, he helps source exceptional AI-native talent early, often before founders are on the radar of larger funds. His guiding principle: the best investors are operators who roll up their sleeves alongside founders.