Max Kolysh is a serial entrepreneur-turned-investor who founded two Y Combinator companies (Zinc, which was acquired, and Dover) and went through YC twice himself, giving him unusually deep operator experience compared to most VCs. He built multiple multi-million-dollar SaaS companies focused on automation and recruiting systems, and now brings this hands-on technical and operational knowledge to evaluating similar workflow-heavy startups at Alloy Fund while still actively running Dover as CEO.

• Active experimentation with AI coding tools to accelerate software development. Recently used Claude Code to build and launch a social mood-tracking app called Feel Me in less than an hour, demonstrating how modern tech stacks like Expo and Supabase allow founders to bypass days of traditional engineering work.
• Deep expertise in hiring mechanics and the operational pitfalls of scaling teams. Frequently shares insights from running Dover, such as the rise of fake candidates who accidentally submit ChatGPT transcripts instead of resumes, and argues that founders often prefer human-led fractional recruiting over pure automation tools.
• Strong advocacy for Y Combinator and encouraging builders to apply regardless of their current stage. Emphasizes that talented individuals or teams should submit applications even if they do not yet have a concrete startup idea or traction, and actively promotes networking events for alumni of institutions like MIT.
• Technical interest in the financial modeling of venture capital and compensation. Built a comprehensive carry calculator to help investors and founders understand complex fund mathematics, including scenarios for vesting, cliffs, and multiple return outcomes, noting that existing tools were too oversimplified.
• Cautionary advice regarding startup dependence on third-party platforms. Highlighted the shutdown of a data provider called Proxycurl following a lawsuit from LinkedIn, using it as a warning for founders building businesses that rely on scraping or accessing data from major tech incumbents.