Building Responsible AI Companies That Scale
We're the studio for founders building AI with safety, ethics, and profitability from day one. Connect with seasoned operators who've scaled billion-dollar companies and believe responsible AI is the future of tech.
Most AI companies rush to market without considering safety, ethics, or long-term viability. Waymakers is the studio that connects responsible AI founders with tested operators who've built profitable, scalable companies. Embedding responsible practices into your business model from the start makes them easier to adapt as you scale. We focus exclusively on companies developing deep, vertical AI applications that solve real-world challenges with potential for generating substantial value.
Beyond the AI Hype: Building Companies That Last
We connect responsible AI founders, proven operators, and aligned investors to create an ecosystem where ethics and profitability reinforce each other.
Finally—A Studio That Gets Both Ethics AND Growth
We provide founders with bespoke, real-time operational expertise to scale effectively. Our hands-on approach pairs you with seasoned operators — Waymakers — who bring deep experience in building and scaling successful companies. Founders gain access to proven scaling playbooks, deep talent pools, and the operational know-how to accelerate growth. Our embedded support also facilitates connections with value-aligned investors who understand purpose tech.
Second-Act Leaders Ready for Impact
As a Waymaker, you'll apply your hard-earned operational skills to help purpose-driven AI companies scale. We carefully match you with founders whose mission aligns with your values, allowing you to create lasting impact. Connect with other seasoned operators, build your portfolio of purpose-tech companies, and participate in a community dedicated to responsible innovation while sharing in both the purpose and the profit.
Beyond the AI Bubble: Companies Built to Last
We ensure purpose-driven companies have the operational expertise to scale profitably. The problem you see as an investor: purpose-driven founders with great technology but gaps in operational execution. Our model connects capital with AI companies that have proven traction and the right operational talent to execute. By investing with Waymakers, you join a curated community of impact-focused investors supporting the next generation of technology.
Why Responsible AI
Companies Win
The AI gold rush is ending. The companies that survive will be those that built responsibly from the start—with better user trust, regulatory compliance, and sustainable business models.
Mission meets profit
We help mission-oriented founders scale by applying a rigorous first-principles approach to building businesses and unlocking strong traction.
Experienced Operators
Our Waymakers are second-act leaders with proven track records of scaling profitable businesses, now dedicating their expertise to purpose-driven technologies.
Studio Approach
We connect founders with hands-on support, focused on specific milestones that drive profitability and sustainable growth.
Deep Vertical AI Focus
We focus on technology that directly addresses critical societal, environmental, or economic challenges where AI can create transformative change.
Aligned Incentives
We create win-win relationships: founders gain operational expertise, Waymakers fulfill purpose-driven missions, and investors access opportunities with both profit potential and meaningful impact.
Our team
Meet the experts driving our mission forward.
VP of Operations
A strategic leader with 15+ years at Amazon Alexa and TripAdvisor, specializing in customer trust and program management. Delivers process improvements while excelling at both operational details and executive-level strategy.
Advisory Partner
An entrepreneur, strategist, and educator who founded Artemis Connection to work with forward-thinking executives. Former McKinsey Engagement Manager and Stanford GSB alumna who serves as lecturer at both Stanford and the University of Washington. Her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal and The Economist.
Managing Partner
A C-suite executive with experience leading, building & scaling some of the world’s most innovative organizations across multiple sectors including healthcare and philanthropy. She is CEO of Imaginal Leadership Strategies, a management advisory firm that works with public & private firms. Executive roles include COO at the Gates Foundation and VP/Global Head at Genentech. She chairs the Fred Hutch Cancer Center board and serves on two life science boards.
Founder & CEO
An executive leader with over 20 years of expertise in technology, product development, and design. Her career spans Fortune 50 companies like Amazon, where she launched groundbreaking products including Kindle. As former Chief Product Officer at DreamBox Learning, she specializes in AI applications that balance profit and purpose while championing education and neurodiversity initiatives.
Our Waymakers
Waymakers bring deep experience in building successful companies.
Startup Advisor, former COO, former Microsoft
Dianna is an executive leader with deep expertise in Customer Success, Professional Services, and Solutions Delivery. She has scaled global teams, led turnarounds, and built high-performing organizations through sharp execution and stakeholder alignment. Her work spans pricing strategy, digital CS tools, and cross-functional delivery.
Co-Founder & CEO at Unique Minds, ex-Microsoft and Oracle
Elad is a product and engineering executive with decades of experience building successful startup-like incubation teams within large corporations and getting them to scale. After 25 years in Big Tech, Elad quit his job and co-founded Unique Minds, a startup applying the magic of AI to help neurodivergent people. Elad is the former Head of AI Services for Oracle, and Co-Founder of Azure's Cognitive Services and Cognitive Search.
CEO & Co-Founder Truss
Everett is CEO and co-founder of Truss, designing, building, and scaling modern software for government agencies. Truss helped build IRS Direct File, and delivered systems for CMS, DOL, DOD, SEC, Dell among others. He brings experience in strategy, growth, and purpose tech from stints at Bain, Self-Help, and Linden Lab. He holds a Stanford MBA, M.Ed and Duke BSEE and is the author of Move to the Edge, Declare it Center (Wiley).
Start up Advisor, finance, gaming and business executive
GC is a business development and finance professional in the gaming industry, specializing in supporting startup studios. He has helped studios secure funding and refine their products to reach the right audience. Most recently, he served as a consultant to the investment team at a AAA Japanese studio.
Founding C-level executive with seven start-ups, SBIR expert
Philip is a founder and startup advisor with 40+ years of consulting experience across medtech, climate, and creative industries. As an Entrepreneur in Residence with the University of Pittsburgh's Innovation Institute, he co-led the National Science Foundation-funded I-Corps Site program to help 200+ research teams build market-ready solutions. He holds an MBA from Carnegie Mellon.
Distinguished Advisor, Profit & Purpose Strategy
Selvam Velmurugan is a distinguished technology leader and systems thinker with over two decades of experience architecting large-scale platforms across healthcare, conservation, e-commerce, and governance. As an advisor to Waymakers.ai, he brings deep technical expertise, executive leadership, and purpose-driven innovation. He has held senior roles at Amazon, Netflix, Groupon, Vulcan, Aetion, and BlinkHealth. Selvam holds five U.S. patents and is a recognized voice in data ethics, AI strategy, and civic technology. He provides strategic guidance on integrating profit with planetary and societal outcomes.
We’re continually growing the Waymakers network to advance our mission of responsible innovation.
Ready to Build Responsible AI That Scales?
Whether you're a founder tired of choosing between ethics and growth, an operator ready to build AI that matters, or an investor seeking companies built for the long term—we're here to connect the right people at the right moment. Let's explore growth together.