Y Combinator Startup Podcast Michael Truell: Building Cursor at 23, Taking on GitHub Copilot, and Advice to Engineering Students
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Sep 3, 2025 
Michael Truell, the 25-year-old co-founder of Cursor, dives into the exciting world of AI coding. He shares valuable lessons learned from failed ventures and stresses the enduring importance of programming. Truell explains how Cursor is boldly challenging GitHub Copilot with its innovative approach. He also elaborates on the journey of developing Cursor, including feedback-driven improvements and rapid user growth, highlighting the transformative potential of AI in software development.
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Early CAD Co‑Pilot Attempt
- In 2021–2022 the founders tried multiple AI projects, including a CAD co‑pilot that required scraping diverse CAD file formats.
- They spent months on data and infra to convert fragmented CAD files and prototype integrations into existing CAD apps.
Encrypted Messaging Misstep
- They also built an end‑to‑end encrypted messaging project that failed to gain traction due to scalability and product tradeoffs.
- After months of trying to sell and rework it, they realized the project wouldn't reach users and moved on.
All Coding Will Flow Through Models
- The team concluded that AI would reshape all of coding and that software development would flow through models within years.
- They believed many builders were improving products but not aiming for full automation of coding workflows.
