Hi, I'm Sean Knapp - Founder, CEO at Ascend.io
I'm a founder driven by a passion for revolutionizing data engineering through AI and agentic systems. I thrive in fast-paced startup environments, building innovative products and scaling technology ventures.
At a glance
Curated signals on strengths, focus areas, and how they can help.
Successfully scaled teams and raised over $150M, including a $410M acquisition.
Pioneering agentic data engineering with Ascend.io.
Can provide strategic guidance on AI-driven data solutions.
🚀 Career trajectory
Foundational Engineering
Began as a software engineer at Google, building core technical skills.
✦ Software Engineering
✦ Algorithms
Entrepreneurial Ventures
Founded and scaled multiple startups, including Ascend.io, leading to significant growth and funding.
✦ Startup Founder
✦ CEO
✦ Venture Capital
✦ Acquisition
Future of Data & AI
Currently leading Ascend.io, with a strong focus on AI and agentic approaches in data engineering.
✦ AI
✦ Data Engineering
✦ SaaS
✦ Agentic Systems
💪🏻 Superpowers
Startup Growth Architect
Proven track record in scaling ventures from inception to significant milestones.
Grew teams from 3 to 500+ individuals.
Raised over $150M in total funding.
Led successful company acquisition (Ooyala for $410M).
AI-Driven Data Innovator
Pioneering the intersection of AI, agents, and data engineering for future solutions.
Deeply focused on AI and agentic paradigms.
Exploring the future of data and software engineering.
Developing 'delightful' data engineering experiences.
Technical Visionary Leader
Combines deep software engineering expertise with strategic leadership.
Started career as a software engineer, still loves to code.
Understands the intricacies of distributed systems.
Guides technical strategy and product development.
I'm excited about
Exploring new AI applications in data infrastructure.
Connecting with forward-thinking technologists and founders.
Identifying partners for strategic growth and innovation.
I can help with
Offer strategic guidance on scaling data engineering teams.
Share insights on building and funding SaaS startups.
Provide perspectives on leveraging AI in software development.
I would love your help on
Recommendations for novel AI research in data processing.
Introduction to leaders in the advanced AI/ML space.
Insights into emerging trends in distributed systems architecture.