How Dylan Anderson Became Founding Engineer at Adam

This story originally published on the Y Combinator Blog explores how Dylan Anderson transitioned from a software engineering role in Minnesota to becoming the very first engineer at Adam, a startup developing AI agents for CAD software. Through a mutual connection and a successful work trial, Dylan relocated to San Francisco to join the W25 batch company.

The Background and Joining Adam

Dylan’s journey into the startup ecosystem began through a simple friend-of-a-friend introduction. When the roommates of Adam’s founders were asked if they knew any skilled engineers, Dylan’s name came up. After completing a work trial, he recognized immediate trust and minimal friction within the team. He observed that the founders possessed complementary skill sets and a relentless drive that convinced him to make the leap to San Francisco, a move he had long wanted to make.

Building the Engine Rather Than Fitting Into One

As the initial engineering hire, Dylan has heavily shaped the codebase and internal systems to match his preferred workflows. He contrasts this environment with large corporate jobs where employees often feel like interchangeable parts of a pre-existing machine. At Adam, he has the autonomy to fix frustrations and build tools directly to improve his daily life, with standout projects like adam.new highlighting his early output.

Work, Identity, and Personal Growth

For Dylan, the blurring of lines between work and life comes from collaborating closely with friends who share his deep passion. This environment has shifted his perspective from academic tinkering to focusing intensely on the real-world value of his contributions. While he currently utilizes tools like Claude Code, Codex, and Zed, he anticipates transitioning into greater leadership and mentorship responsibilities as the startup scales.

Key Takeaways for Founders

• Seek out foundational engineers who complement your weaknesses and demonstrate relentless drive during work trials.
• Provide early engineering hires with genuine trust, autonomy, and the ability to shape the codebase from scratch.
• Evaluate startup ideas carefully before joining to avoid wasting effort on poor concepts that lead to burnout.
• Build a team culture where work aligns closely with personal passion and genuine shared identity.

Read the full story: on the Y Combinator Blog

Curated by Kaushal Patel — kaushalpatel.com