Marvin Christopher Bornstein
| Marvin Christopher Bornstein | |
| Occupation | Co-founder and CTO of Zeit AI |
|---|---|
| Known for | Co-founding Zeit AI |
Marvin Christopher Bornstein is a German software engineer and entrepreneur who is the co-founder and chief technology officer (CTO) of Zeit AI, an enterprise software company that enables users to query databases and data systems using natural language. Zeit AI was part of the Y Combinator Summer 2024 (S24) batch.[1]
Early life and background
Bornstein grew up in the area around Berlin, Germany, and later relocated to London, United Kingdom, where he lived for approximately five years prior to co-founding Zeit AI. He has stated that he has been writing software for over 18 years and has worked professionally as a developer for nearly a decade, with a focus on full-stack development and data engineering. He has also conducted research on deep learning topics and participated in hackathons and information security capture-the-flag (CTF) competitions.[2]
Career
Before founding Zeit AI, Bornstein spent five years at Palantir Technologies, where he held various roles across the business. During his time at Palantir, he delivered data integration and analytics solutions for customers in industries including chemicals, railway infrastructure, media, utilities, insurance, and medical equipment.
In 2024, Bornstein co-founded Zeit AI alongside Leopold von Waldthausen, a fellow former Palantir employee. The company was accepted into Y Combinator's Summer 2024 batch. Zeit AI develops software that transforms enterprise databases and systems so they can be queried using natural language. The platform generates a structured database layer on top of tabular data files, such as Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, allowing non-technical users to access and analyse organisational data without specialised engineering support. One of the company's early clients was the financial consultancy RISE, which used Zeit AI to access and analyse expenses across its organisation.[1]
The company raised $500,000 in seed funding in August 2024, with Y Combinator as an investor. According to later job listings, the company subsequently raised a total of $2.7 million and hired its early engineering team, including engineers recruited directly from Palantir. As of 2025, Zeit AI had approximately six employees and was headquartered in Munich, Germany, where it advertised engineering positions.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Zeit AI – Y Combinator". 'Y Combinator}'. Retrieved 2026-03-18.
- ↑ "Zeit AI". 'Zeit AI}'. Retrieved 2026-03-18.