Luis Vale
Founder & CEO, Dreamstate | Ex-Investment Banker | YC Pioneer Program
Luis Vale (Luis Figueroa Vale) grew up in Puerto Rico, did go-to-market at Pump.co (YC S22), then M&A investment banking at Bank of America. He is now the founder and CEO of Dreamstate, building so AI agents can do growth and sales at scale.
Work Experience
Dreamstate2026 - Present
Founder & CEO- Building an AI LinkedIn growth tool: signals-based outreach, posting and inbox, so agents can do growth and sales at scale.
Bank of AmericaJul 2025 - Jun 2026
Investment Banker- Worked in both the NET and M&A groups, providing strategic financial advisory services to corporate clients.
- Supported complex financial transactions and corporate restructuring.
On DeckFeb 2025 - Mar 2025
On Deck Fellow (ODF 24)- Selected for the On Deck Fellowship, connecting with entrepreneurs and investors in the startup ecosystem.
- Participated in workshops, mentorship sessions and networking events focused on scaling businesses.
CostCutsJan 2025 - Aug 2025
Co-Founder & CEO- Built a no-fee solution that helps smaller startups and SMBs save 10-30% on their software spend through collective buying power.
- Achieved #4 Product of the Day on Product Hunt with zero promotion.
Bank of AmericaJun 2024 - Aug 2024
M&A Investment Banking Analyst- Developed presentations, public information books and financial models regarding potential M&As.
Pump.co (YC S22)Dec 2023 - Dec 2024
Account Executive & GTM- Led go-to-market initiatives including billboard advertising, social media campaigns and podcasts, totaling 20%+ monthly revenue growth.
- Managed new leads and hiring from Seed to Series A as the 2nd business hire, generating over $1M in the first year of operations.
Bank of AmericaJun 2023 - Aug 2023
Natural Resources & Energy Transition Investment Banking Analyst- Developed presentations, public information books and financial models regarding IPOs and potential M&As.
Due North Family EnterprisesJul 2022 - May 2023
Private Equity Analyst- Researched multiple sectors to find target companies for acquisition.
- Presented analysis on a potential 50-million-dollar acquisition under an LBO model.
Popular, Inc.Jun 2022 - Jul 2022
Investment Analyst- Analyzed clients' investment portfolios totaling $5 billion AUM, valuing mutual funds to determine if they were investment-grade.
- Developed reports on reconstructing portfolios for current fixed-income and public market conditions.
PingproJun 2021 - Aug 2021
Regional Sales Manager- Handled sales and marketing for 100+ contractors in the Puerto Rican subdivision.
- Created customer acquisition strategies and moved the focus to commercial consumers.
Wells Fargo & CompanyJun 2018 - Jul 2018
Finance Intern- Created balance sheets for its subsidiary, Reliable Financial Services, consolidated into Wells Fargo’s financial statement.
Global Equity Management (GEM)Aug 2022 - Present
Founder & Workshop Director- Developed the first long/short investment club available to every university, with 6+ chapters and 100+ students.
- Oversaw training, marketing, topic selection and legal requirements.
Education
NYU Stern School of BusinessMaster of Science (MS) in Accounting, Concentration in Finance & Accounting, Minor in Public Policy & Management
NYU Stern School of BusinessBachelor of Science (BS) in Business, Concentration in Finance & Accounting, Minor in Public Policy & Management
Y Combinator Pioneer ProgramAttended closed-door talks at YC HQ to learn about building startups from YC Group Partners & Founders
Founder UniversitySixth Cohort – selected out of 2000+ applications into a cohort of ~150 startup founders
Core Competencies
Go-to-Market & GrowthBuilding outbound, LinkedIn and GTM systems for startups, from first business hire to founder.
Finance & Investment BankingM&A, financial modeling, corporate finance and investment analysis at Bank of America.
EntrepreneurshipBuilt and launched CostCuts, GEM and Dreamstate.
Technical SkillsPython, Microsoft Office Suite, Google Sheets, Photoshop, After Effects, S&P Capital IQ, Bloomberg Terminal, and financial modeling.