Ian Y. Fong
Mathematics @ NYU · Co-Founder at Chert
ianyfong
New York, USA
Joined April 2026
Summary
Startup founder and operator: Ian co-founded Chert, a Y Combinator-backed AI company focused on personalized iMessage outbound sales, and is publicly listed as co-founder on the company's site and startup intelligence pages. trychert+1
Hackathon-builder and product maker: Ian has an extensive hackathon and maker background (Devpost portfolio, HackNYU projects, Product Hunt listings) and has shipped multiple small products and prototypes such as Flux and Nodal CLI. devpost+2
Active in AI communities and student ambassador programs: public profiles list campus-ambassador positions (Claude at Anthropic, Manus AI) and engineering / founder-in-residence roles at early-stage frameworks, indicating engagement with AI research, tools, and startup ecosystems. rocketreach
Athlete and reflective writer: Ian writes personal essays about learning and resilience on Medium and describes IRONMAN/triathlon training as central to his approach to persistence and problem solving. medium+1
Work
Education
Projects
Writing
taking things slowly
October 1, 2025Personal essay reflecting on resilience and perspective after experiencing a flat tire during a triathlon race; explores endurance, humility, and finding meaning beyond performance.
learn by doing
August 1, 2025Essay about the value of learning through hands-on experience, hackathons, and showing up to build skills rather than waiting to be taught.