Replit’s Amjad Masad on London, Origins and the YC Rejection

Key takeaways from ETN’s livestream interview with Replit co-founder and CEO Amjad Masad (September 2026). Transcript unavailable; this note is based on the published video description and the chapter markers shared by ETN.

London before New York. At 2:10, the interview turns to Replit opening an office in London before New York. The marker identifies the company’s choice of London as a topic in the discussion, while the available source material does not provide further detail on office size, timing or hiring plans.

Jordanian internet cafés. At 6:15, Masad discusses how his time in Jordanian internet cafés inspired Replit. This links the company’s origin story to early access to computers and the practical experience of learning and building with limited infrastructure.

From personal experience to company mission. The chapter description presents the Jordanian internet-café story as part of the explanation for why Replit was created. It places Masad’s background alongside the broader idea of making software creation available to people who may not follow a conventional computer-science or engineering path.

YC rejection. At 11:04, the interview covers Replit’s rejection by Y Combinator. The marker confirms that the rejection is discussed as part of the company’s early journey; the source material available here does not establish the precise feedback or subsequent application history, so those details are not inferred.

Wider discussion. ETN’s published title and the X post describe the conversation as covering Replit’s future and AI psychosis alongside London, Masad’s background and the YC rejection. The video is therefore useful as a primary-source founder interview, while the timestamped links above provide direct entry points to the three specifically identified topics.

Read more: ETN interview on YouTube · ETN’s chapter markers on X · Replit