Serial entrepreneurs Dillon Erb and Daniel Kobran have secured $15 million in pre-seed funding to launch Autonomous Technologies Group (ATG), an AI-powered financial advisory platform aimed at democratizing wealth management strategies typically reserved for the ultra-wealthy. The duo, who previously sold their GPU cloud company Paperspace to DigitalOcean for $111 million in 2023, are emerging from stealth with their flagship product, the Autonomous wealth strategist app.
Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan led the funding round through a dedicated YC alumni vehicle, partnering once again with Erb and Kobran after their initial collaboration during YC’s 2015 cohort. BoxGroup and Collaborative Fund also participated in the round. The company currently employs 15 people across New York and San Francisco offices and plans to use the capital to expand its team of product engineers and AI researchers.
ATG positions itself as a finance-focused applied AI research lab that challenges both traditional robo-advisors and human wealth managers. According to Erb, the platform doesn’t claim to pick winning stocks but instead helps users implement sophisticated strategies like tax optimization through individual stock management rather than standard index funds, and automated portfolio risk adjustment.
The Autonomous app is expected to launch later this year pending regulatory approval and will be free for early adopters. The platform leverages real-time market data and personal context to deliver proactive portfolio monitoring and comprehensive financial guidance covering investments, home purchases, and job offers. While the app itself provides free advice applicable to existing accounts, ATG monetizes through Autonomous Index, a separate product that allows users to execute trades with manual approval while building personalized portfolios of individual stocks for enhanced tax savings.
The startup enters a competitive landscape that includes AI-powered wealth management platforms like Stash, Vise, and Range, as well as major banks rapidly integrating AI into financial services. However, ATG’s ambitions extend beyond its current offering. Kobran envisions building a comprehensive AI-powered financial institution that automates services traditionally performed by human advisors, eventually coordinating users’ entire financial pictures including retirement accounts, cryptocurrency, and startup equity. Long-term plans include capabilities for angel investments and estate planning, with the ultimate goal of making “everything a family office does for a billionaire accessible to everyone.”
Key Quotes
We’re not saying that we have an AI that’s going to pick all the best stocks for you
Dillon Erb, co-founder of ATG, clarified the platform’s value proposition, emphasizing that Autonomous focuses on implementing sophisticated wealth management strategies rather than making speculative investment predictions. This distinction is important as it positions the AI as a strategic advisor rather than a stock-picking oracle.
The financial advisory industry is one of the last holdouts where human intermediaries extract massive value without creating it. This is the right team at the right inflection point.
Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan made this statement while announcing his leadership of the $15 million funding round. His comment reflects growing sentiment that AI can disintermediate traditional advisory services, and his backing carries significant weight given his track record and previous successful partnership with the founders.
Everything a family office does for a billionaire accessible to everyone
Co-founder Daniel Kobran articulated ATG’s long-term vision for the platform, describing aspirations that extend far beyond basic investment advice to comprehensive wealth management including angel investments and estate planning. This ambitious goal encapsulates the democratizing potential of AI in financial services.
Our Take
ATG’s emergence highlights a critical inflection point where AI capabilities have matured sufficiently to tackle complex, personalized financial planning at scale. The founders’ timing is strategic—their Paperspace exit provided both capital and deep AI infrastructure expertise that directly translates to building sophisticated financial models. What’s particularly noteworthy is their focus on tax optimization and risk management rather than returns maximization, suggesting a more sustainable and defensible approach than earlier robo-advisors.
However, regulatory approval remains a significant hurdle, and the platform’s success will ultimately depend on whether users trust AI with consequential financial decisions. The freemium model is smart for user acquisition, but the real test will be converting free users to the paid Autonomous Index product. If successful, this could catalyze a wave of AI-powered financial services that fundamentally reshape how middle-class Americans manage wealth, potentially reducing wealth inequality by democratizing strategies previously available only to the ultra-rich.
Why This Matters
This funding announcement represents a significant development in the democratization of wealth management through AI technology. The financial advisory industry has long been characterized by high barriers to entry, with sophisticated strategies and personalized advice typically available only to high-net-worth individuals willing to pay substantial fees. By applying AI to automate complex financial planning, ATG threatens to disrupt both traditional wealth management firms and first-generation robo-advisors.
The involvement of Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan signals strong institutional confidence in AI’s potential to transform financial services. His statement that “human intermediaries extract massive value without creating it” reflects a broader trend of AI replacing knowledge-work intermediaries across industries. This has profound implications for the estimated 330,000 personal financial advisors in the United States, many of whom may face displacement or need to evolve their value propositions.
Moreover, the timing is crucial as both startups and established financial institutions race to integrate AI capabilities. The success or failure of platforms like Autonomous will help determine whether AI can truly deliver personalized, sophisticated financial advice at scale, or whether human judgment remains irreplaceable in managing complex financial decisions.