Varun Tandon
| Varun Tandon | |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur, software engineer |
|---|---|
| Known for | Co-founder and CEO of Waypoint Transit |
| Education | B.S. and M.S. in Computer Science, Stanford University |
Varun Tandon is an American entrepreneur and software engineer who is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Waypoint Transit, an artificial intelligence platform that automates urban planning processes for cities and municipalities. The company is a member of the Y Combinator Winter 2025 batch.[1]
Career
Tandon holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in computer science from Stanford University, where he met his co-founder Ryan Johnston.[2] Prior to founding Waypoint Transit, Tandon worked at Microsoft, where he led applied machine learning initiatives. His work there focused on diffusion models and large language models for flagship Microsoft Office products, including Copilot, Designer, and PowerPoint.[3]
Tandon co-founded Waypoint Transit with Ryan Johnston, who serves as chief technology officer. The company develops AI-powered tools that generate civil infrastructure studies and planning reports for city governments. According to the company, municipalities in the United States spend approximately $50 billion per year on planning, much of which is contracted to external consulting firms for tasks that are repetitive and algorithmic in nature. Waypoint Transit's platform is designed to reduce both the time and cost of these processes, claiming that cities can generate reports in months rather than years and at roughly 30 percent of the traditional cost.[4]
The company frames its work in the context of three challenges facing American cities: traffic congestion, budget deficits, and climate change. By automating routine planning tasks, Waypoint Transit aims to allow human planners to focus on higher-level decision-making while reducing municipal dependence on expensive consulting engagements.[5]
Waypoint Transit's clients include a number of municipalities and regional agencies. Logos displayed on the company's website indicate partnerships with entities including the cities of Walnut Creek and San Rafael, Teton County, Santa Fe, and the Transportation Authority of Marin.[6]
The company is based in San Francisco and, as of 2026, is actively hiring software engineers.[7]
References
- ↑ "Waypoint Transit – Y Combinator". 'Y Combinator}'. Retrieved 2026-03-19.
- ↑ "Waypoint Transit – Work at a Startup". 'Y Combinator (Work at a Startup)}'. Retrieved 2026-03-19.
- ↑ "Waypoint Transit – Work at a Startup". 'Y Combinator (Work at a Startup)}'. Retrieved 2026-03-19.
- ↑ "Waypoint Transit". 'Waypoint Transit}'. Retrieved 2026-03-19.
- ↑ "Waypoint Transit – Y Combinator". 'Y Combinator}'. Retrieved 2026-03-19.
- ↑ "Waypoint Transit". 'Waypoint Transit}'. Retrieved 2026-03-19.
- ↑ "Waypoint Transit – Work at a Startup". 'Y Combinator (Work at a Startup)}'. Retrieved 2026-03-19.