Eric Zhu, a 17-year-old entrepreneur, started his startup called Aviato right from the bathroom of his high school in Carmel, Indiana. This unique platform focuses on analyzing private market data and has recently secured an impressive $2.3 million in venture funding.
Aviato is designed to track various metrics such as funding rounds, headcount, company credit card revenue data, employee vesting schedules, and top engineers’ current workplaces. Similar to established competitors like Crunchbase and PitchBook, Aviato aims to provide a comprehensive analytical layer for private market data. Zhu mentioned that the inspiration for Aviato came from the need to structure the historically unstructured private market data.
Zhu’s interest in venture capital and startups began during the pandemic when he joined Discord group chats at the age of 13, connecting with influential figures like Sam Altman. This led him to create Esocial, a digital platform for schools, which was later acquired. Subsequently, Zhu joined Bachmanity Capital and eventually conceived the idea for Aviato, realizing the potential for a data analytics platform in the market.
Despite facing challenges such as being kicked out of school for conducting business meetings from the bathroom stall, Zhu managed to attract prominent clients like NEA, Republic Capital, and 8VC. His innovative approach and dedication paid off as Aviato received $2.3 million in seed funding from investors like 8VC, Soma Capital, and SoftBank.
One of the investors, Eric Bahn, shared his initial skepticism about Zhu’s venture but was impressed by the young entrepreneur’s maturity and the quality of his team. Bahn’s investment in Aviato has proven to be a wise decision as the product gained traction and recognition in the market.
To strengthen Aviato’s team, David Razavi, former CTO of LowerMyBills, and Harrison Kessel, a seasoned developer, joined as co-founders. The addition of experienced professionals has further enhanced the platform’s capabilities and credibility.
Eric Zhu has relocated to San Francisco to focus on growing Aviato while completing his high school education online. Despite his parents’ initial confusion and desire for him to pursue a traditional career, Zhu remains determined to expand Aviato’s customer base and establish it as a leading platform in the private market data industry.
With a clear vision and a strong team supporting him, Zhu is confident in Aviato’s potential to revolutionize how private market data is analyzed and utilized. His entrepreneurial journey from a high school bathroom to securing millions in funding exemplifies the power of determination and innovation in the startup world.
