What is 5x5?

5x5 is a collective of skilled generalists interested in learning by doing. We’re curious about everything; anything we consume, we want to be able to create. In the process of creation, we gain empathy for the masters of each craft and deepen our understanding of how the many disciplines of the world weave together into a beautiful tapestry.

What does 5x5 do?

We make stuff – software, hardware, art, food, biomaterials, or things we haven’t yet heard of.

Our main motivation is to learn – about ourselves and about how systems work. Not all of our projects are products; not all of our products need to earn money.

Etched is the first project we’re publicly releasing as 5x5. The first members of 5x5 have been important contributors to Coursera, Palantir, and Solana in the software world, and have also opened a restaurant, launched a podcast, taught in public schools, ran ironmans, and more.

We’re inspired by teams like teenage engineering and CW&T who make beautiful work on their own terms while staying small.

What does 5x5 mean?

The 5x5 is an elite basketball statline in which a player gets 5 or more of 5 different stat categories — like points, rebounds, steals, blocks, and assists. It’s rarer than more-discussed ones like the triple doubles or 50 point games; only 15 players have ever recorded a 5x5 to date. While specialists who can dominate a single category are undoubtedly important, we’re fascinated by those who show an aptitude for spanning the entirety of the game.

Zooming out to our broader work culture — specialists are in high demand, and generalism is often panned as unfocused and lacking a path to mastery. We reject that premise — skilled generalists can unearth connections between seemingly disparate disciplines, and find insights in unexpected places.

Who are the current members of 5x5?

jon wong , Nikhil Kumar, Adil Majid.

Shoutout to Harish, Chandler, and Kyle, who helped bring the 5x5 vision into focus during the Pandemic.