Phonely

Will Bodewes

Wisconsin-raised entrepreneur who competed at the NCAA level in cross-country skiing and was a sponsored ultra-endurance cyclist. Holds a mechanical engineering degree from the University of New Hampshire and began a PhD at the University of Melbourne researching applied AI for energy access in Africa and developing Asia. Before Phonely, founded Spoke Sound (Spokesound), an audio-tech startup that attracted celebrity engagement from artists including Chance the Rapper and the band ASIA. His family set a world record by kayaking around Lake Superior over 72 days. Relocated to San Francisco with the YC S24 cohort in 2024.

Islay Fossett

Chief of Staff at Phonely, based in San Francisco.

Nisal Ranasinghe

Sri Lankan engineer based in Melbourne, Australia. Background in Electronic and Telecommunications Engineering. Worked as a senior engineer on the AI team of a major telecommunications company for nearly three years, leading advanced AI solution projects. Pursued a PhD at the University of Melbourne focusing on explainable AI and its applications in studying motor neurone diseases. Co-founded Phonely with Will Bodewes in October 2023.

Natnael K.

Founder, researcher, and hardware engineer with experience in RF systems, FPGA design, and nano-fabrication. Skilled in Bluespec, C, Python, Cadence, and Vivado.

Emma Lepisova

Employee at Phonely (YC S24), based in San Francisco Bay Area.

Vansh Bhatnagar

Leads implementation and onboarding for new clients at Phonely, collaborating with engineering, product, and growth teams. Also handles SEO responsibilities.

Yonge Bai

Engineer at Phonely, based in San Francisco Bay Area.

Alen Ryshmanov

LLM Quality Assurance Specialist at Phonely, based in Toronto.