IUC Santa Cruz Entrepreneur Wins Y Combinator AI Hackathon with Same.new PlatformIman Yael Schaefer, a UC Santa Cruz researcher and serial entrepreneur, has achieved unprecedented success in multiple innovation competitions while advancing breakthrough research in neural computation and sustainable technology.By Staff Writer • Monday, December 8, 2025
TECHNOLOGYY Combinator AI Hackathon ChampionSame.new Track Winner • 2025Led team to victory in prestigious Silicon Valley hackathon with innovative AI productivity platform.
ENTREPRENEURSHIPLaunchpad 2025 Double Victory$3,000 Prize for Wattnest • 2025Secured unprecedented dual-track victory in competitive startup accelerator program with renewable energy platform.
RESEARCHStanford SERIS Research PublicationLucy Mission Asteroid Research • 2024Published groundbreaking research on Trojan asteroid moon mapping as part of NASA Lucy Mission collaboration.
Neural Network ComputingUC Santa Cruz - Sharf LabOct 2023 - June 20243D brain models with neuro-electronics integration
MRI Hardware SystemsUC Santa Cruz - Marincu LabJan 2025 - PresentModular laboratory equipment assembly and documentation
Program Lead - Entrepreneur & Startup Incubator (E.S.I.)2025 • UC Santa Cruz / Fully Remote• Directed an 8-week accelerator for 30+ founders with daily leadership cadence including guest speakers, mentor syncs, and weekly reviews• Designed and implemented OKRs and milestone tracking, ensuring teams launched MVPs and delivered investor-ready pitches• Authored program-wide updates, cohort strategy docs, and post-program reports using tools: Cursor, Vercel, Supabase, AWS, ElevenLabs, n8n
Director of Interns / Executive Board Member - GetVirtual NonprofitJan 2022–Present • Santa Cruz, CA• Drove strategic alignment by converting CEO and board vision into actionable roadmaps across 40+ interns and staff• Orchestrated leadership cadence by running weekly exec check-ins, intern training, and client presentations• Owned company operating rhythms - implemented goal-setting systems (OKRs), task automation, and performance dashboards. Reduced project cycle time by 60%, from 10 weeks to 4 weeks• Enabled internal communication - designed all-hands templates, drafted executive updates, and published strategy briefs for nonprofit leadership
Special Projects Coordinator - City of Pine Bluff (Mayor's Office)2020–2021 • Pine Bluff, AR• Supported mayoral strategic initiatives in civic engagement and public health• Coordinated multi-department projects, communications, and community engagement campaigns during COVID-19• Produced official reports, visualizations, and strategic recommendations