D

Dryft

AI-powered autonomous decision system for manufacturing

Founder’s Associate Intern

Winter 2026Posted on 10/3/2026
No salary listed
Internship
San Francisco, CA, USA
In Person
Business & StrategyBusiness Operations
Company Does Not Provide H1B Sponsorship

About the job

Requirements
  • Have completed 2–3 internships in a top-tier role such as consulting or private equity, worked at a high-growth startup, or built something independently.
  • Demonstrate high agency, drive, and a strong work ethic; be able to work in ambiguity and without established processes or direction.
  • Be able to contribute in the first week and become indispensable by the fourth week.
  • Demonstrate competitiveness through having won at a challenging pursuit and being strongly motivated by losses.
  • Move quickly, solve problems independently, prioritize shipping work over recognition, and work with low ego.
Responsibilities
  • Own high-priority projects across product, sales, hiring, or operations from beginning to end, taking work off the founders’ plate.
  • Launch new initiatives that do not yet exist at Dryft, including entering new markets, building prototypes, and producing events.
  • Work on-site with clients, build prototypes, and host a hackathon as business priorities require.

About the company

Dryft develops an AI-powered operating system for manufacturing that automates and optimizes complex decisions, with the goal of replacing traditional ERP as the central system. It uses context-aware AI agents alongside mathematical optimization to continuously make and execute thousands of small decisions in real time, processing streams of operational data including conversations and notes. It integrates with existing ERPs, which serve as data stores while Dryft handles active decision-making, enabling dynamic adjustments in inventory, procurement, and production. The aim is to reduce inventory carrying costs, prevent stockouts and overstock, and boost overall operational efficiency, positioning Dryft as the successor to traditional ERP systems.

Company Size

11-50

Company Stage

Seed

Total Funding

$5M

Headquarters

Palo Alto, California

Founded

2013

Get referred to Dryft

See people who can refer or advise you

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Dryft says customers already save millions, validating ROI before broad market rollout.
  • Manufacturers face urgent inventory and stockout pain, making Dryft's savings narrative compelling.
  • Hiring across San Francisco and Munich supports U.S. and European expansion into deep industrial markets.

What critics are saying

  • SAP and Oracle can bundle planning automation into existing ERP contracts before Dryft scales.
  • Autonomous ordering and supplier actions create trust failures fast if one bad decision hits production.
  • A $5 million seed round funds a tiny team; distribution risk becomes existential by 2027.

What makes Dryft unique

  • Dryft targets ERP replacement with agentic decision automation, not dashboards, in manufacturing.
  • General Catalyst backed Dryft at launch in November 2025, signaling strong early conviction.
  • The team blends Stanford AI research with Porsche, Siemens, and factory-floor manufacturing experience.

Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?

Benefits

  • Company Equity
  • Relocation Assistance
  • Hybrid Work Options

Growth & Insights and Company News

6 month growth

-20%

1 year growth

-15%

2 year growth

-15%
Dryft
Sep 30th, 2026
Dryft - Introducing Dryft and announcing our $5M round led by General Catalyst

Intelligence that Runs Manufacturing Operations. Dryft builds artificial intelligence that mimics, optimizes, and automates complex human decisions in manufacturing operations.

INACTIVE