Founder · Builder
Hi, I'm Ernesto Tey.
I've been starting things since I was 8 years old. Today I run Lugano Automation,
a company that builds AI to answer phone calls and reply to customers for small businesses.
About me
Hi everyone, my name is Ernesto Tey. I'm 18 years old, I live in the San Francisco Bay Area,
and I'm in my first year of community college.
I love learning about new things: how they work, and why they work the way they do. I also
enjoy building new things, as you can see with my AI business. I'm passionate about a lot of
things, but I especially love economics, cars and watches, and understanding how and why they
work. In my free time, I love playing golf and going to the gym.
I love working with other people and collaborating on projects to solve problems. I'm stoked
to be applying to the academy, because I think it will be an awesome opportunity to meet
like-minded people my age and expand my network.
01
Lugano Automation
2026 – present · Founder · AI for small businesses
Lugano Automation is an AI receptionist for small businesses like HVAC, plumbing and
electrical companies. When a customer calls, texts, emails or fills out a website form,
the AI answers within minutes, day or night, and books the job on the company's calendar.
I built the website, the system that tracks every customer, and the email and texting
system, and I used Retell AI to handle the phone calls.
The hardest part was pitching AI to people who didn't like AI, people who didn't even know
what AI was, and people who blew me off because I was young. That's why I hold a lot of my
meetings in person: people can see who I am and know I'm a real person, not just someone
calling from who knows where. I joined a BNI chapter in my area and attend its meetings
every Friday. I also go to local networking events, like chamber of commerce events, to
meet new people, learn about their businesses and tell them about mine.
Screenshot: website
Screenshot: CRM (demo data only)
02
Class Investment Project
2025 · Senior year economics · 15% return in about 28 days
In my senior year economics class, we were given a challenge: make as much money as
possible in 30 days. Whoever won got a free lunch from the teacher. My group, led by me,
won with a 15% return in about 28 days.
The catch was that we could only buy and sell on two days of the month: the 1st and the
15th. If we could have sold whenever we wanted, our return could have been 26%. Even with
the tight rules, we pulled through and won by 5%. Those rules were the hardest part,
because we had to be very strategic about which companies we picked.
03
BMW Engine Swap
2025 · 2001 BMW 740i engine → 2002 BMW 540i
During winter break, my best friend and I decided to engine swap his BMW. It was a 2002
BMW 540i, which shared the same engine as the 2001 BMW 740i. So he bought a 740i, we took
the engine out of it, and we put it in the 540i.
It was a ton of fun, mainly seeing how cars are built and learning how to take them apart
and put them back together. The hardest part was the last 10% of putting it back together:
making sure all the lines were properly connected and that the wiring harness was plugged
into the correct places. Once we finished, it was very rewarding to see something we built
back on the road and driving again.
04
Trash Can Cleaning Business
2018 · Age 8 · My first business
When I was 8, I wanted a gaming computer but had no money. My dad told me I'd have to go
out and earn it. I was already the one who took out the trash at home, so I went around
my cul-de-sac and offered the neighbors a deal: I'd take their cans out every week and
wash them once a month.
After about a year, I had saved enough and bought the gaming PC. I stopped the business
when we moved.
What it taught me
It gave me my first taste of starting something of my own and earning my own money.
That spark is what led to everything else on this page.
