Dekai Li is Co-Founder and CTO at Trident (YC S26), a technology startup based in Toronto, Canada, building at the intersection of software, research, security, and applied AI.

Dekai is a competitive math builder, researcher, and software developer who previously worked as a Software Engineer at RevisionDojo (YC F24), where he built mobile infrastructure and a RAG system from scratch, and as a Researcher at the University of Toronto.

At just 18 years old, Dekai brings a rare combination of deep technical expertise and founder-led execution, with a strong focus on systems that move fast, scale cleanly, and turn technical ideas into real-world products.

Beyond Trident, Dekai is also Co-Founder and CTO at Esprit (YC S26), demonstrating his ability to simultaneously drive multiple ambitious ventures through Y Combinator's highly competitive accelerator program.

Dekai has rapidly established himself in the YC ecosystem, contributing to two YC S26 companies while drawing on experience across applied AI, information security, and full-stack engineering.