years experience
design hours
investor rejections
Philip Sebastian—Designer-in-Residence Profile
who am I
Designer, Builder, Founder, Operator
Ex-Apple, SAP, Imgur
Built 4 startups (2 backed by YC alum)
Founding designer for SAP Build (0→1 → €29.5B+ revenue)
EIR at Manhattan Venture Partners
5x alumni of YC Startup School, OnDeck, Antler Ventures, Buildspace-S4, Pioneer Fellow
strengths
Specialization in 0→1 validation and prototyping
Brand development and community building
Early-stage GTM strategy and founder coaching
what I'm looking for
Hands-on Designer-in-Residence roles at venture studios
Focus: 0→1 stage startups in creative tools, fintech, AI
Excited to work closely with future founders on design and validation
Open to short-term, part-time, or full-time studio collaborations
highlights
Built and launched 4 startups (2 backed by YC alumni)
Founding designer for SAP Build (0→1 → €29.5B+ revenue)
10+ years Product & UX leadership across enterprise and startups
Supported 20+ early-stage companies as a founder, advisor, and product lead
Alumni of YC Startup School, On Deck, Antler Ventures, Buildspace S4, Pioneer Fellow
Worked with World Class Teams
