Stealth Startup Spy #325 - by Drake Dukes

Stealth Startup Spy #325

Capdesk (→ Carta) founder builds company shutdown platform, Ex-DeepMind researcher launches stealth AI venture, & 3x biotech founder builds AI platform for regenerative therapeutics

Mar 26, 2026

🚀 We just launched a new newsletter — Company Launch Tracker.

We’re tracking company launches as they happen and surfacing the most interesting new founders and startups (yes, all outside of this stealth activity too). If you want to stay ahead of the curve, this is where you’ll find them first.

Right now we’ve got 5 subscribers: my wife, my mom, and that high school buddy who won’t stop pitching me his app. Be smart like them and get in early 👇

We run a live feed inside Gravity that tracks founders entering stealth and companies quietly exiting it.

What you’re reading here is about 1% of the stealth activity we pick up. The full tracker updates in real time as things change and new activity emerges.

If you want earlier access to everything, book some time with us to stay ahead.

In this issue of the Stealth Startup Spy, here is what we will uncover:

Ex-DeepMind researcher with deep technical roots across Google and semiconductor giants enters stealth
Three-time biotech founder returns with an AI-native discovery platform targeting regenerative therapeutics
Veteran CTO with leadership across Fanatics, IBM-acquired Taos, Rakuten, and Avast now building in stealth
After selling Capdesk to Carta, founder returns with a vertical SaaS platform simplifying company closures
Repeat founder and YC S21 founding engineer returns to stealth
And more…

Now let’s shine the spotlight… 💡💡💡

🕵️‍♂️Founders Coming Out of Stealth

Real-time updates from founders who debut what they’ve been working on under stealth mode

Christian Gabriel - CEO & Co-Founder at Closeday

🔎Featured Founder under stealth mode inStealthStartupSpy#299

FounderDNA: Serial Founder, Prior Exit

Prior Experience: Founder & CEO at Capdesk (acquired by Carta), ex-VP GTM & Senior Director (UK/EU) at Carta, Limited Partner at Emblem

Connect on:LinkedIn

Closeday is a platform that simplifies shutting down UK companies by handling filings, creditor processes, and compliance through a fixed-price, end-to-end online service.

HQ: United Kingdom

Industry: Technology, Information and Internet | Team Size: 5

Time Spent in Stealth Mode: 4 Months

Max Rye - CEO at Intertwined Biosciences

FounderDNA: Serial Founder, Technical Founder, Top 10 University

Prior Experience: 3x Biotech Founder (TurtleTree, NeoGlyco, Nexa Biologics)

Connect on:LinkedIn or Email

Intertwined Biosciences is an AI-native discovery platform harnessing the results of evolution to design regenerative therapeutics for diseases with no cure.

HQ: United States

Industry: Biotechnology Research | Team Size: 3

Time Spent in Stealth Mode: 8 Months

Shutian Cheng - Founder & CEO at Nouvel

FounderDNA: Technical Founder

Prior Experience: Partner at UK Research and Innovation, ex-Resident at The Residency, YouTube Partner

Connect on:LinkedIn

Nouvel is an AI-powered ad creative platform that generates high-performing video ads for DTC brands by automating production, editing, and iteration at scale.

HQ: United States

Industry: Technology, Information and Media

Time Spent in Stealth Mode: 3 Months

Isabela Rodriguez - Founder & CEO at Zolvo

FounderDNA: Serial Founder

Prior Experience: Ex-COO at Domu.ai, ex-Entrepreneur Experience Associate at Endeavor, ex-Research Assistant (Emerging Market Unicorns) at Cornell University

Connect on:LinkedIn

Zolvo is a workflow automation platform for commercial lenders that streamlines servicing tasks like reconciliation, verification, and collections to reduce manual work and scale portfolios without adding headcount.

HQ: United States

Industry: Software Development | Team Size: 4

Time Spent in Stealth Mode: 3 Months

Victor C. - Co-Founder at AlmondAI

FounderDNA: Serial Founder, Masters Degree

Prior Experience: Founder in Residence at Antler, ex-Real Estate Acquisitions & Development at Empire Communities, ex-Portfolio Management at The Stronach Group

Connect on:LinkedIn or Email

AlmondAI builds AI agents for property management teams to automate leasing, maintenance coordination, and tenant communication from inquiry to resolution.

HQ: Canada

Industry: Software Development

Time Spent in Stealth Mode: 8 Months

🕵️‍♂️Key Talent Going Under Stealth

Illuminating clues left behind by world class talent and influential innovators who just went into stealth mode

Gopal Bhat - Co-Founder & Chief Product & Technology Officer at Stealth Startup

Building AI infrastructure for local commerce.

FounderDNA: Serial Founder, Technical Founder, Top 10 University

Prior Experience: Ex-CTO at Fanatics (PWCC Marketplace), ex-SVP Product & Technology at Taos (acquired by IBM), ex-CIO/CISO & VP Technology at Rakuten Rewards (Ebates), ex-Chief Architect at Avast

Connect on:LinkedIn

HQ: United States