Eric Zhu, a budding entrepreneur, began developing Aviato, an analytical platform for private market data, in an unconventional location: the bathroom of his high school in Carmel, Indiana. Remarkably, Zhu’s startup has recently raised $2.3 million in venture funding and is now ready to emerge from stealth.
Aviato sets itself apart from competitors like Crunchbase and PitchBook by not only tracking funding rounds and headcount but also incorporating unique data points. It includes elements such as company credit card revenue data, employee vesting schedules, and the current employment status of top engineers. Zhu intentionally aimed to create a platform that mirrors the internal database built by SignalFire, and he even collaborated closely with the firm’s founder, Walter Kortschak, to develop Aviato.
Zhu attributes his early interest in venture capital and startups to fortuitously stumbling upon Discord group chats during the monotonous days of the pandemic. At the remarkable age of 13 in 2020, he joined discussions that included influential figures such as Sam Altman. This newfound curiosity inspired Zhu to establish Esocial, a digital platform for schools, in 2021.
With Aviato, Zhu is revolutionizing the landscape of analytical platforms by introducing a fresh perspective and innovative features. His entrepreneurial journey serves as a testament to the remarkable accomplishments that can arise from unexpected places and untapped opportunities.