The founder of Interface, Thomas Lee Young, a 24-year-old CEO based in San Francisco, doesn’t fit the typical Silicon Valley mold. Born in Trinidad and Tobago to a family of engineers, Young’s background in oil and gas infrastructure gives his AI-driven industrial safety startup a distinct edge. His path to tech was anything but straightforward, marked by visa hurdles, a sudden market crash that wiped out his college fund, and a pivot from his initial Silicon Valley aspirations.
From Caribbean Roots to Caltech Dreams
Young’s obsession with Silicon Valley began in his youth. He fixated on Caltech from age 11, inspired by the idea of limitless innovation in America. His application essay, which involved hacking his family’s Roomba for 3D mapping, secured his admission in 2020. However, COVID-19 disrupted his plans. Visa appointments were canceled, and his $350,000 college fund evaporated with the market downturn. Undeterred, he opted for a three-year engineering program at the University of Bristol in the UK, while still holding onto his Silicon Valley ambitions.
Industrial Insight at Jaguar Land Rover
At Bristol, Young landed a role in human factors engineering at Jaguar Land Rover. This position exposed him to the systemic safety flaws in heavy industry. Existing tools for managing safety documentation were either nonexistent or deeply flawed, with outdated procedures riddled with errors. He pitched a solution to Jaguar, but the company passed. This rejection spurred him to seek an alternative path.
Entrepreneur First and the Co-Founder Connection
Young discovered Entrepreneur First (EF), a European talent incubator that invests in individuals before they even have an idea. Despite a 1% acceptance rate, he was admitted and quickly secured his exit strategy. He told Jaguar he was attending a wedding in Trinidad and used the time to finalize his EF acceptance before quitting his job.
At EF, he met Aaryan Mehta, his future co-founder and CTO. Mehta, also facing visa obstacles to the U.S., had developed AI for fault detection at Amazon after studying at Imperial College London. Their shared international backgrounds and technical expertise made them a formidable team. They were the only pair in their EF cohort to remain together.
Interface: AI for Industrial Safety
Interface’s core product uses AI to autonomously audit operating procedures, cross-checking them against regulations, technical drawings, and policies to identify errors that could lead to worker fatalities. The company has already deployed its software at a major Canadian energy firm, discovering 10,800 errors in just two and a half months—a task that would have taken years and $35 million manually.
One critical error Interface flagged was a decade-old document with incorrect pressure ranges for a valve, a near-miss that highlights the real-world impact of their technology. Interface now has contracts worth over $2.5 million annually, with expansion into Houston, Guyana, and Brazil. The total addressable market is substantial: there are 27,000 oil and gas services companies in the U.S. alone.
The Outsider Advantage
Young’s age and background initially raise skepticism among industry veterans. However, his ability to explain complex operations and demonstrate quantifiable savings quickly flips perceptions. Workers, impressed by the tangible benefits, have even inquired about investment opportunities. Interface’s current team of eight is expanding rapidly, driven by demand.
The company’s unconventional approach – working in heavy industry while based in San Francisco – appeals to engineers seeking more impactful work than typical B2B software roles. Young acknowledges the intensity of his lifestyle, but remains focused on growth. His hard hat serves as a constant reminder of the real-world impact of his work.
Interface represents a collision of Silicon Valley innovation and the practical demands of industrial safety. Young’s journey, from Trinidad to San Francisco, underscores the value of an outsider’s perspective in solving critical problems.
