How Tech Start-up Founder Chris Cyrille Built SNTIMNT.AI with Support from BOT!
Chris Cyrille - Founder of SNTIMNT.AI
Chris Cyrille is the owner and founder of SNTIMNT.AI, a crypto-quant fund engineered to uncover patterns in volatile markets. Chris had a vision to build something in tech, and through his hard work in the tech accelerator program, Chris made his dream a reality. We spoke with Chris about his challenges, wins, and impact. Today, we highlight Chris’s achievements and share what a start-up founder's journey can look like.
About Chris’ Company SNTIMNT.AI
“SNTIMNT.AI is an AI-driven crypto quant fund that leverages market sentiment for smarter, more disciplined investing. At a high level, we transform noisy public narratives into measurable, investable signals.
More specifically, we convert sentiment, flows, and event pressure into a calibrated portfolio weight ranging from -1 to +1 for assets such as BTC, ETH, and XRP. We use reinforcement learning to study historical price action and market microstructure (things like trends, volatility clustering, liquidity shifts, and regime changes) to learn when patterns are meaningful, when they’re noise, and how their relevance changes over time.
The key distinction is that we don’t treat indicators as the strategy. We treat them as state variables within a broader decision system that also incorporates sentiment and events. The result isn’t a simple “bullish” or “bearish” opinion, but an adaptive position-sizing recommendation designed to remove emotion and guesswork from decision-making.”
The Challenge - Overcoming Uncertainty; Finding Community
After participating in a pitch competition while studying at Florida State University, Chris Cyrille moved to Orlando with ambition and a drive to build something in the tech industry. While he had a dream and intention, Chris realized he didn’t have a roadmap or resources to make his vision a reality.
“When I first connected with BOT, I was really looking for community. I was new to Orlando and wanted to plug into a founder ecosystem where people were building, experimenting, and thinking ambitiously about technology. I had ideas, but I needed proximity to other founders, real conversations, and a space where ideas could be pressure-tested rather than stay theoretical.”
A quick Google search changed the trajectory of Chris’s career. Building Our Tech, formerly Black Orlando Tech, was hosting a pitch competition, and the deadline to submit ideas was the very next day. Chris got to work polishing the best idea he could for his vision and submitted it to the competition, where he was selected as a finalist.
“At that point, my biggest challenge was uncertainty. I believed in my business, but I didn’t yet know if it was truly viable. I wanted to stress-test the idea publicly to see how it held up in front of people with no obligation to believe it”
The Journey - Pressure, Experience, and Clarity
After participating in the pitch competition, Chris was more motivated than ever to succeed. Enrolling in BOT & Kofound’s Tech Accelerator program, Chris tested the limits of his idea, gaining valuable feedback from mentors and other members of the BOT community.
“During the accelerator, as I explained that this idea actually originated from work I had done in crypto, especially during COVID and the WallStreetBets era, it became clear that I was running away from something that had already worked.
The honest feedback I received from Jehue and Joel was pivotal. They pointed out that I had already proven the concept, already earned profits, and didn’t need to abandon that foundation. That moment helped redirect me back to my core strength and ultimately led to what became SNTIMNT.AI.”
Completing the accelerator program gave Chris clarity and a more marketable product. During his time in the program, Chris learned to refine his business, strengthen his investor pitch, and think strategically about the company he wanted to build. Sharpening his skills with the resources and critiques from the community, Chris left the program with a company and strategy he believes in, and he continues his work today.
“Organizations like BOT matter because they’ve figured out how to turn innovation into a habit. They create environments where people are encouraged to think creatively and are also given the tools to build.
As we move deeper into a digital and AI-driven era, there are infinitely more ways to solve problems. In the past, we mainly relied on lived experience. Today, we can combine experience with data, experimentation, and evidence, drawing connections that weren’t possible before.
BOT equips people with skills, confidence, and community. They bring the proverbial horse to water, and the water is rich with productivity, accountability, and shared success.”
The Impact - Just the Beginning
Chris is now a seasoned participant and a regular at BOT events. Furthering his reach by speaking at BOT’s Founder Showcase, today Chris leads a team of 10, is in active conversations with venture capital, and has built credibility within Orlando’s diverse tech community & ecosystem.
“What you put into BOT is what you get out of it. If you have a dream and you’re willing to engage honestly, this is the place for you.
The founder journey can be isolating. BOT creates a space where you can connect with people who’ve been where you are, are going through it with you, or have already overcome the challenges you’re facing. No matter your stage, you’ll find resources, support, and perspective.
And over time, you’ll realize something even more powerful: you become a resource for others. That reciprocity is what makes BOT such a fulfilling community to be part of”
Chris is just one example demonstrating how passion, community, and access to resources can significantly change your journey. Chris has taken ideas and brought them to fruition. He continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in tech, and we can’t wait to see what he does next.
“I am deeply grateful to BOT for creating a space where vision is protected, voices are amplified, and futures are built. And I am excited for the thousands of lives it will continue to shape for decades to come”
Thank you, Chris, for sharing your story and being a part of the BOT community. Your journey and impact embody BOT’s mission and what we strive to empower for decades to come.
Follow along with Chris’s story and celebrate 10 years of impact with us!
