He Raised $1 Million from a Bathroom at High School

What did you do in high school?

Grinding through exams? Creating TikToks? Perhaps fighting with your teacher over homework?

Well, Eric Zhu was doing something quite different pitching venture capitalists from his high school bathroom and raising $1 million for his company.

Yes, you read that right. At 17, while most teenagers were stressing about college applications, Eric was closing investment rounds for his startup, Aviato, sometimes while hiding in a school stall, whispering pitch decks over Zoom.

This isn’t just a cool story it’s a lesson in grit, timing, and pure execution. No office. No funding pedigree. No fluff. Just a high schooler with WiFi, vision, and zero fear.

Let's flashback and dissect how exactly he managed to do this.

It All Began at 14

Most of us were still discovering who we were at 14.

But Eric? He was constructing.

During the pandemic, when the rest of the world was slowing down, he accelerated. Cooped up like everyone else, Eric utilized the time to discover tech, delve into startups, and then eventually start his own.

That company was Aviato (a cheeky reference to a mythical Silicon Valley show company), a site intended to allow driven students to showcase and hone actual skills outside of grades and SAT scores.

It wasn't about chasing clout it was about fixing a very real issue Eric and his friends were experiencing: being talented, driven, and totally invisible to a broken system.

And as with any founder worth their salt, Eric didn't sit around waiting for someone to grant him permission. He moved quickly, hired co-founders, and shipped product.

From Zoom Pitches to Bathroom Deals

Now this is where it gets crazy.

Most teen entrepreneurs present to angel investors via startup incubators, college alumni networks, or networking events. Eric did so between periods, often taking investor calls in his school bathroom, attempting to hack the WiFi without drawing the teacher's ire.

It's like something from a Netflix teen drama. But it was all too real and all too high-pressure.

Picture a 17-year-old locking himself in a stall, pitching a six-figure deal to a venture capitalist while his peers debate cafeteria food outside.

That's literally how Eric gained some of his earliest investors with no fancy office and not a dollar in revenue. Just belief, hustle, and one hell of a pitch.

GitHub's Co-Founder Gave Him $50,000

Among the early supporters of Eric was no less than Tom Preston-Werner, co-founder of GitHub that GitHub.

Tom sent him a $50,000 check, not because Eric flashed big numbers, but because he trusted the founder.

That's what set Aviato apart. It wasn't constructed on fluff, jargon, or overhyped decks. It was constructed on clarity, focus, and crazy execution. Something that even billionaires were able to see from across the screen.

Eric showed that you don't need a large network if you're able to create trust and follow through on your promise. That's what founders who are real do.

Raising $1 Million Before Graduation

Eventually, Eric and his crew secured $1 million in seed funding before Eric even graduated high school.

No VC warm intros. No degrees. Just cold emails, bold outreach, and a product that actually solved a problem.

It's a reminder that in today's startup world, merit can still prevail, particularly when combined with courage.

Eric's youth didn't hold him back it actually became a strength. While everyone else was trying to guess what Gen Z needed, he was actually Gen Z, creating products for his own friends, with an understanding no adult could simulate.

And investors took notice.

No Office. No Hype. Just Execution.

Aviato wasn't some high-gloss, over-funded startup staffed by Ivy League MBAs. It was gritty, authentic, and remote.

The founding group came together over the web, built from their bedrooms, and started up without the safety net of a startup incubator. They shipped quick, shipped features, and fixated on user feedback.

It was startups in its purest sense not glitzy, but efficient. Obsessed not with press releases, but product-market fit.

It's a way of building that's becoming unusual and that's precisely why it was special.

What Makes Eric Zhu Different?

There are a million startup tales out there. But Eric's is different because of the how.

He didn't wait to be prepared. He began young, quickly learned, and constructed anyway.

He didn't let people underestimate him. He let it fuel him.

He dove into unease pitching investors out of school bathrooms, running a team between classes, and taking real money pressure on his shoulders at 17.

Above all, he never pursued viral stardom. He pursued value. He solved an actual problem and that's what made people buy in to him.

What Can We Learn From This?

Eric Zhu's tale isn't only inspiring it's a lesson.

Here are a few lessons for anyone creating something today:

1. Begin with what you know. Eric didn't attempt to create for a market he didn't know. He created for students, as himself.

2. Leverage your weaknesses. Being young wasn't a disadvantage it was his strength.

3. Ship wins over everything. You don't require hype, a shared office space, or publicity. Simply ship, test, and scale.

4. The web makes everyone equal. Either you are 17 or 37, but if your pitch is solid and your product has a solution to an issue, someone will pay attention.

5. Don't wait for ideal circumstances. Eric pitched out of a bathroom. What's your excuse?

So Where Is Aviato Now?

Aviato continues to grow, and while the product roadmap is still unfolding, Eric remains very much active in the startup ecosystem. He's become a legend for what can happen when young people take themselves seriously and when others take a chance on them, too.

Above all, his journey is a template for this next generation of founders individuals who construct not from Silicon Valley, but from dorms, cafes, and yes, bathrooms.

Because the true revolution isn't taking place in boardrooms anymore. It's taking place wherever bravery and WiFi intersect

Inspired? Got a dream project but no "ideal setup"? Perhaps you don't need one. Perhaps all you require is belief, a laptop… and a bit of bathroom solitude.