Aviato: A Teenager's Venture Capital Platform

Eric Zhu, a 17-year-old entrepreneur, has launched Aviato, an analytical platform for private market data, attracting significant venture capital funding. Aviato aims to disrupt the venture capital data landscape by providing deeper insights into funding rounds, headcount, and other key metrics.

• Aviato tracks funding rounds and headcount, similar to competitors like Crunchbase and PitchBook.
• It also provides data points like company credit card revenue data, employee vesting schedules, and where top engineers are currently working.
• Aviato’s goal is to build a platform that resembles what SignalFire has built internally, and it has worked closely with SignalFire’s founder, Walter Kortschak, to develop its product.

Eric Zhu's Journey in Venture Capital

Zhu’s interest in venture capital began during the pandemic, learning from Discord group chats with individuals like Sam Altman. This led him to launch Esocial, a digital platform for schools, which was acquired in 2021.

• He then joined Bachmanity Capital, a venture capital fund focused on early-stage companies with strong government application potential.
• Building the fund sparked the idea for Aviato, as he realized that while data startups like PitchBook and Crunchbase were good at tracking data, they lacked a comprehensive analytical layer.

Aviato's Unique Approach to Venture Capital Data

Zhu recognized that private market data was historically unstructured, leading venture capital firms to invest heavily in building their internal databases. Aviato aims to provide a structured and analytical platform, making this data more accessible and valuable.

• Aviato's analytical capabilities aim to empower venture capitalists with deeper insights and better decision-making tools.

Aviato's Funding and Growth

Aviato has secured $2.3 million in seed funding from investors like 8VC, Soma Capital, and SoftBank. Eric Bahn, a co-founder of Hustle Fund, personally invested in the startup, drawn by Zhu's vision and the potential of the platform.

• Bahn described meeting Zhu, who was then 14 years old, as a "bizarre" experience, as the teenager conducted the meeting from a high school bathroom stall.
• Despite the unconventional setting, Bahn was impressed by Zhu's maturity and the potential of Aviato.

Building a Strong Team and Expanding the Platform

Aviato has assembled a team of experienced professionals, including David Razavi, the former CTO of LowerMyBills and former product lead at LendingTree, as co-founder and COO.

• Harrison Kessel, who previously worked at Sequoia-backed Zeet, serves as the CTO.
• The team is focused on building out Aviato's platform and expanding its reach within the venture capital industry.

Aviato's Ambitions for the Future

Zhu, now working on completing his high school degree online, is focused on growing Aviato and disrupting the venture capital data landscape. He aims to replace established players like PitchBook and become the go-to platform for venture capital professionals.

• Aviato's vision is to become the leading analytical platform for private market data, providing valuable insights and empowering decision-making for venture capitalists.