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Douglas Qian

Douglas Qian

Founder | AI x Future of Work

dzq
San Francisco, California
Joined June 2026
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Summary

Douglas Qian is a dedicated climate technology entrepreneur, currently serving as the Co-Founder & CTO of Streamline Climate. He is actively involved in developing AI products that empower climate tech startups by streamlining their access to public funding, having facilitated over $100 million in grant applications for more than 100 organizations. douglasqian+2
With a strong background in software engineering, Douglas previously co-founded Spirals, a decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol that channeled funding into high-impact climate projects. This experience highlights his innovative approach to leveraging technology, including web3, for environmental solutions. theorg+1
His technical expertise extends to significant contributions in data storage and retrieval systems, including a patent he co-invented during his tenure as a Tech Lead and Backend Software Engineer at Clumio, focusing on time-series data lakes. He also gained experience as a Software Engineering Intern at Google. theorg+1
Douglas is an active member and leader within the tech and entrepreneurship community, having held leadership roles like Co-Head of Builder's Community and Head of Community, Future Founders at CMU Tech & Entrepreneurship. His personal writings on Medium also reflect a thoughtful and analytical perspective on career development and economic concepts. cmute+1
Beyond his professional pursuits, Douglas is a passionate individual who embraces challenging personal goals, including competing in endurance sports like marathons and Ironman events. He also has a keen interest in humanities, emerging technologies like brain-computer interfaces, and culinary arts, with aspirations of opening his own restaurant. douglasqian

Work

Education

Writing

How we went 0 to 1 on a 4-week build sprint πŸš€

May 1, 2022

An essay sharing experiences on building a program for early founders to take their startups to the next level within a four-week sprint.

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Retrieval of data from a time-series data lake

September 1, 2021

Co-inventor on a patent for techniques related to the retrieval of data from a time-series data lake, demonstrating expertise in data storage and management.

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Understanding the Inverted Yield Curve

September 1, 2019

A piece exploring the concept of the inverted yield curve and its implications for economic recession.

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Experience is Overvalued

February 1, 2018

An essay reflecting on the perceived value of experience, particularly during college years.

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The Internship Odyssey

December 1, 2017

A personal story detailing the struggles and learning experiences encountered while seeking internships.

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What Does Prep School Prep You For?

July 1, 2015

A reflective essay addressing the preparedness gained from a prep school education, particularly in the context of college and future endeavors.

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Hobbies

Engages in endurance sports, including marathons, Ironman 70.3, and ultra-marathons. douglasqian

Enjoys reading humanities, particularly works like 'Chokepoints' and content from Samo Burja. douglasqian

Keeps up with cutting-edge technology such as brain computer interfaces. douglasqian

Passionate about cooking and dreams of opening a restaurant, experimenting with ingredients like silken tofu as a heavy cream substitute. douglasqian

Notes

AMArmando Mannsaid they've seen
DQDouglas Qian
do a standout job leading an early-stage company through founding and fundraising.

Jun 10, 2026

MSMatthew Stottssaid they've seen
DQDouglas Qian
impressively lead the development of early-stage AI products, particularly with unstructured data or graph RAG.

Sep 28, 2025