> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.fellows.polymathlabs.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Frequently Asked Questions

> Answers to common questions about the Polymath Fellows program: about Polymath, interview process, time commitment, payment, and taxes.

<Info>
  These are the questions Fellows and prospective Fellows ask most often. If your question isn't answered here, email [support@polymathlabs.ai](mailto:support@polymathlabs.ai).
</Info>

## Common Topics

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="About Polymath" icon="sparkles" href="#about-polymath">
    Who we are and <br />what we do.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Program & Role" icon="users" href="#program-and-role">
    Interviews, time commitment, and more.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Payment & Taxes" icon="wallet" href="#payment-and-taxes">
    Payments, withholding, and tax forms.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## FAQ

### About Polymath

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Tell me more about Polymath">
    Polymath is an applied research lab focused on creating data and RL environments for training models to perform better at engineering and science. We work with the leading AI labs to push the frontier of AI capabilities. Polymath is backed by Base10, Founders Future, Y Combinator, and other exceptional investors.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What do Polymath Fellows actually do?">
    Fellows do research and engineering work, not data annotation. Fellows are subject-matter experts who identify gaps in current models and design tasks and evaluations that teach AI where it falls short in their domain.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Who founded Polymath?">
    Polymath was co-founded by **Dylan Ma** (CEO) and **Naren Yenuganti** (CTO). Dylan previously led post-training research and data at Hume AI and launched the first generative AI features at AWS model inference. Naren led the development of Plaid's credit monitoring system and was a core contributor to large-scale ML systems at Amazon. Both studied at UC Berkeley and conducted research at Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Research (BAIR).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Where is Polymath headquartered?">
    Polymath AI Labs, Inc. is headquartered in San Francisco, California:

    **Polymath AI Labs, Inc.**<br /> 2261 Market Street STE 72022<br /> San Francisco, CA 94114<br /> United States of America
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Who are Polymath's investors?">
    Polymath is backed by **Base10**, **Founders Future**, **Y Combinator** (Winter 2026 batch), and other exceptional investors.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What is Horizon-SWE?">
    Horizon-SWE is a benchmark Polymath launched that drops frontier models into a simulated software company. It consists of a running application, real tools, and long-horizon tasks covering the entire software development lifecycle: planning, coding, testing, deployment, and monitoring. Leading models score around 25% on the benchmark. Read more on the [Polymath blog](https://www.polymathlabs.ai/blog/horizon-swe).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How can I get in touch with the Polymath team?">
    For Fellow support, email [support@polymathlabs.ai](mailto:support@polymathlabs.ai). For general inquiries about Polymath, reach out at [founders@polymathlabs.ai](mailto:founders@polymathlabs.ai). You can also follow Polymath on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/polymath-fellows) and [X](https://x.com/polymath_labs).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

### Program & Role

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What does the interview process look like?">
    The Polymath Fellows interview process varies by role and specialization. Your recruiter will walk you through the specific steps for the role you're applying to. If you're mid-process and have questions about next steps, reach out to your point of contact at Polymath or email [support@polymathlabs.ai](mailto:support@polymathlabs.ai).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What's the time commitment?">
    Polymath Fellows engagements are project-based and remote. Weekly hours vary by project and by the Fellow's availability. Specific expectations are set with your recruiter and captured in your Consulting Agreement.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I contribute if I currently have another job or am a current student?">
    Many Fellows contribute alongside a full-time job, studies, or other work. You are responsible for confirming that outside consulting is permitted under your employer's policies or your student status, and for meeting any local rules that apply to independent contractor work.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is there a possibility of converting to a full-time salaried role?">
    Polymath hires directly for full-time positions from time to time. Fellow engagements are independent contractor arrangements and are not a formal pathway to a salaried role, but strong Fellows are considered when relevant openings arise.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is previous AI experience necessary?">
    No. Polymath Fellows are subject-matter experts across engineering and science. What matters most is depth in your domain and the ability to design tasks and evaluations that expose where current models fall short. Prior AI or ML experience is welcome but not required for most roles.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

### Payment & Taxes

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How does payment work?">
    Payments to Fellows are processed through **Stripe** and deposited to your bank account. Payment currency and conversion depend on your country. For country-specific details, see the country guides, for example [India Contractors](/countries/india).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does Polymath withhold taxes?">
    Polymath does not withhold local income taxes from Fellow payments. As an independent contractor, you're responsible for declaring your income and meeting tax obligations in your jurisdiction. See the [Legal page](/legal) and the relevant country guide.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Will I receive a 1099 or a W-8BEN?">
    U.S.-based Fellows receive standard U.S. contractor tax forms as applicable. Fellows outside the U.S. complete a **W-8BEN** through Stripe so that U.S. withholding tax is not applied to their business income and no 1099 is issued. For an India-specific walkthrough, see [India Contractors](/countries/india).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related Pages

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Legal" icon="scale" href="/legal">
    Documents, privacy, taxes, and work authorization for Polymath Fellows.
  </Card>

  <Card title="India Contractors" icon="flag" href="/countries/india">
    Work authorization, taxes, GST, invoicing, and the W-8BEN for Fellows in India.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Still need help?

Email [support@polymathlabs.ai](mailto:support@polymathlabs.ai) with your name and any relevant project details. For general Polymath inquiries, you can also reach out at [founders@polymathlabs.ai](mailto:founders@polymathlabs.ai).