From Oil Rigs to AI: Founder’s Edge

Hustler Words – Thomas Lee Young, the 24-year-old CEO of Interface, is defying Silicon Valley norms. His journey from Trinidad and Tobago’s oil fields to San Francisco, armed with a unique background and a passion for AI, might just be the key to revolutionizing industrial safety. Interface, his startup, leverages AI to prevent industrial accidents, a mission born from Young’s firsthand experience with the inefficiencies and dangers plaguing heavy industry.

Young’s path wasn’t paved with typical Silicon Valley gold. His childhood in Trinidad, surrounded by generations of engineers working in the oil and gas sector, instilled in him a deep understanding of the industry’s challenges. This knowledge, coupled with an early fascination with Silicon Valley’s potential, fueled his ambition to create impactful change.

His initial dream of attending Caltech was derailed by COVID-19, forcing him to pivot to the University of Bristol in the UK. However, this detour led him to Jaguar Land Rover, where he discovered the critical need for improved safety measures in industrial systems. Witnessing firsthand the reliance on outdated and error-prone procedures sparked the idea for Interface.

Undeterred by Jaguar’s lack of interest in his solution, Young took a bold leap, quitting his job after being accepted into Entrepreneur First (EF), a European talent incubator. There, he met Aaryan Mehta, his co-founder and CTO, who shared a similar story of thwarted American dreams and a passion for AI.

Together, they built Interface, a company that uses AI to autonomously audit operating procedures, identifying errors and inconsistencies that could lead to accidents. Their software has already made a significant impact, uncovering thousands of errors for a major Canadian energy company in a fraction of the time it would take manually.

Young’s unconventional background has become a surprising advantage. His ability to connect with seasoned executives, coupled with his deep understanding of their operations, has earned him their trust and advocacy. This outsider perspective, combined with the power of AI, is positioning Interface to transform industrial safety and make a lasting impact on the lives of workers in heavy industry.