Eric Zhu

Founder & CEO, Aviato
San Francisco, California,United States
Find Eric Zhu's Email
Find Eric Zhu's Phone

Who Is Eric Zhu?

Total Experience9 years
CompanyAviato
CountryUnited States

Eric Zhu is a prominent Gen Z venture capitalist and entrepreneur who gained significant attention for his early foray into the tech and investment world. He co-founded Bachmanity Capital (which later evolved or rebranded, with Earna being a related entity) at a remarkably young age, focusing on early-stage startups. Known for his energetic social media presence and unconventional approach, Zhu aims to democratize access to venture capital and support fellow young founders. He initially garnered media attention for creating 'Aviato,' a parody company inspired by the TV show 'Silicon Valley,' which showcased his entrepreneurial spirit even as a teenager. He is often cited as an example of the new wave of young, digitally-native investors and entrepreneurs shaping the future of technology.

How Did Eric Zhu's Career Path Shape Their Journey?

Eric Zhu's work history includes a series of influential roles in various companies. Here is a detailed list of his professional journey:

Aviato - Founder & CEO(2021 to Present)
Sperm Racing - Co-Founder & CEO(2025 to Present)
Bachmanity Capital - General Partner(2022 to Present)
Soma Capital - Fellow(2023 to 2023)
Carbon Zero Financial - Growth(2020 to 2021)

What Are Eric Zhu's Key Achievements?

Co-founder of Bachmanity Capital / Earna

Co-founded a venture capital firm focused on pre-seed and seed-stage startups, championing young founders and innovative ideas, making significant early-stage investments.

Early Entrepreneurial Initiative (Aviato)

Gained initial recognition by creating 'Aviato' as a teenager, a venture that, while satirical, demonstrated early entrepreneurial acumen and an ability to capture media attention.

Prominent Gen Z Voice in Venture Capital

Established himself as a significant and influential voice for Gen Z in the venture capital and tech startup ecosystem, leveraging social media to build a strong personal brand and community.

Featured in Major Media Outlets

His journey and insights have been featured in various prominent media publications like Forbes, Business Insider, and TechCrunch, highlighting his unique position as a young VC.

Advocate for Young Founders

Actively supports and mentors young entrepreneurs, using his platform to provide resources, connections, and encouragement to the next generation of innovators.

What's Eric Zhu's Educational Background?

High School Diploma

Carmel High School - Year 2021

Degree Program

Laurel Springs School - Year 2023

Buying Intent Signals for Eric Zhu

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right people at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance

Company Overview

Aviato
Total employees5
HeadquartersPalo Alto
Founded2010

Aviato is a (fictional) early-stage technology incubator founded by Erlich Bachman, prominently featured in the HBO series 'Silicon Valley.' It was initially conceived as a platform to launch Bachman's own airline booking application (which he sold), and later transformed into an incubator aiming to foster and support fledgling tech startups. Its most notable (and tumultuous) association was with the compression company Pied Piper. Aviato, under Bachman's eccentric leadership, represented the often chaotic and aspirational nature of Silicon Valley startup culture.

Aviato Funding Information
Unknown - Total Funding Raised
not applicable - Most recent funding amount
0 - Number of funding rounds
not applicable - Latest funding round
Lead Investors:
Erlich Bachman (Self-funded from previous venture)

Highperformr's free tools for company research

Find contact info

Get verified emails, phone numbers, and LinkedIn profile details

Find similar contacts

Discover contacts with similar roles, seniority, or companies

Perform deep contact research

Uncover insights like skills, work history, social links, and more

Discover, research and enrich contacts with Highperformr — Smarter, Faster

Explore contacts in-depth — from verified emails and phone numbers to LinkedIn activity, job changes, and more — all in one powerful view.

Highperformr AI helps you surface the right people and enrich your CRM with live, accurate contact insights so your teams can connect faster and close smarter.

  • Track signals like job change, promotion, and LinkedIn activity
  • Enrich contacts with verified email, phone, and social data instantly
  • Automate enrichment and updates with powerful workflows
  • Sync enriched contact info directly into your CRM and tools

Thousands of contacts — including decision-makers, influencers, and ICP matches — are just a search away.

Thousands of companies, including, are just a search away.