� GitLab co-founder turns cancer treatment into a founder-mode operation

Sid Sijbrandij became a billionaire after GitLab went public in fall 2021. A year later, in 2022, he was diagnosed with a spinal tumor. Surgery and chemotherapy led to remission. In 2024, the cancer returned and standard treatment paths were exhausted.

Sijbrandij stepped away from GitLab and switched to what Paul Graham calls founder mode. He built a dedicated team around his own treatment, including an external CEO, computational biology experts, and a scientific advisory board.

� Built a personal medical knowledge base exceeding 1,000 pages
� Tested experimental drugs, including therapies developed for other cancers
� Solved bottlenecks in tissue sampling and cryopreservation
� Supported biotech companies developing drugs relevant to his case

The work expanded treatment options from almost none to dozens. After therapy, the tumor shrank enough for surgery. Cancer is currently not detectable, and the team continues working to prevent relapse.

Startup execution, applied to staying alive.

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