Chert

About

Chert provides the infrastructure for businesses to automate conversations over iMessage. We’re already working with B2C startups, customer experience teams, and sales teams to reach end users through trusted and conversational messaging.

Founders

• 
  Gary Gao· Founder

  Hi, I'm Gary, co-founder and CEO at Chert. We're providing the infrastructure for businesses to build conversational interfaces in iMessage. Before moving to SF last month, I studied CS and Business at Penn and spent the past year researching ML model architectures, designing neuromorphic chips, and building projects with my co-founder Ian. Outside of this, I like flying planes, running marathons, and reading!

  LinkedIn ↗Twitter ↗
• 
  Ian Fong· Founder

  My name is Ian. I'm building Chert, the conversational interface that lets teams send, receive, and automate conversation through our APIs. Before this, I studied Mathematics and CS/Economics at NYU, did fast algorithm research at Courant, and won 8 hackathons(including MIT, Harvard, Penn, Princeton) along the way. Outside of work, I run triathlons, play Go, and hit random hackathons with Gary. fun fact: I've lived in a total of 16 cities in 20 years of my life.

  LinkedIn ↗Twitter ↗

Product launches · 1 launch

• Chert – iMessage infrastructure for trusted communication at scale ↗▲ 44May 7, 2026

  Chert provides the infrastructure for teams to send, receive, and automate conversations over iMessage using APIs.

Change history · 5 recorded

1. July 5, 2026
   • YC partner updated08:01 PM
   • Founder profile updated08:01 PM
   • Launches refreshed08:01 PM
2. June 12, 2026
   • Pitch updated07:00 PM
3. May 7, 2026
   • New launch posted: Chert – iMessage infrastructure for trusted communication at scale10:21 PM