The team behind X26
Ed co-founded X26 in early 2022 and has driven its investment infrastructure. A former McKinsey consultant in London, he participated in Entrepreneur First before founding a FinTech, and recently founded his second startup at the intersection of AI and Financial Services.
Reece co-founded X26 and went on to found Deasy Labs (YC S23), backed by Bessemer & General Catalyst, acquired by Collibra for a significant eight-figure sum in under two years. He spent 3 years at McKinsey and QuantumBlack before founding Deasy.
Gagan co-founded X26 after working closely with startups through McKinsey's Fuel practice, and most recently scaled revenue at a Series A company from ~$100k to >$2m in 9 months. At X26, he makes introductions between community members to create meaningful connections.
Alexander joined as Founding Partner after operating as a McKinsey consultant, SaaS founder, and C-level leader at a unicorn. In 2025 alone, founders he coached added more than $1 billion in valuation. He co-leads founder retreats with Sam Bourton, CTO of QuantumBlack.
Melissa leads community operations at X26, keeping our 2,500+ member network connected, engaged, and growing. She manages weekly programming, onboarding, and the partnerships that bring new opportunities to X26 founders globally.
