Charles Chen Cui

Charles is a skilled product designer and creative technologist, currently a Founding Design Engineer at ThirdLayer (YC W25), where he is building Dex, an AI browser copilot. His Pinterest boards provide a glimpse into his design inspirations and direct involvement with 'Dex Branding Visual References' and 'Dex City,' indicating a strong influence on the product's aesthetic and user experience. ycombinator+2

He demonstrates strong leadership and organizational skills through his role as Co-President of Innovative Design at USC, a student-run creative agency. He has been instrumental in growing the organization, fostering a professional workflow, and bridging the gap between student passion and professional design work. He actively promotes design education and accessibility through initiatives like the annual CreateSC designathon. designrush+2

Charles possesses a blend of design and technical expertise, as evidenced by his role as Tech Lead, Front End Developer, and CSS Designer for the 'I'm Here' web application. His academic background includes minors in Computer Science and Designing for Digital Experiences from USC, complemented by a Professional Certificate in Fullstack Development from General Assembly, where he was the cohort Valedictorian. github

He has entrepreneurial experience as the Founder of Z-CONCEPT, where he successfully built an M2C e-commerce pipeline that launched three independent fashion brands. This experience highlights his ability to lead projects from conception to market success.