Howard Zhong

Gotta respect Howard Zhong. This guy’s the real deal, super sharp, and he’s been crushing it across the board. So, Howard’s a W24 YC founder, which is already a big deal, right? But what’s more interesting is his whole process.

Starting out, Howard did his undergrad at MIT – double majored in Computer Science and Math. Dude’s a straight-up nerd, but in a good way. He then stuck around for a master’s in CS at MIT, so he’s got that hardcore tech background. Before jumping into the startup scene, he jumped into some serious gigs – worked in quantitative trading at Jane Street, which is no joke, and did software engineering at Apple. Basically, he’s been neck-deep in the tech and finance worlds, understanding how the big boys make decisions and handle data.

But wait, it gets deeper. Howard was actually chasing a PhD at Princeton in AI and Machine Learning – that’s some advanced shit. He was probably knee-deep in research at MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab and MIT CSAIL too. The guy isn’t just about making cool apps; he’s out here pushing AI’s limits and figuring out how it can totally flip industries.

Now, here’s where it gets super interesting. Instead of going the academic route, Howard jumped into founding ProSights in 2024. This isn’t some random project – it’s a serious tool for private equity investors. The platform uses AI and large language models (think ChatGPT on steroids) to automate deal sourcing, due diligence, and all that boring data stuff that makes investors’ heads spin. Basically, he saw a problem – all that manual, tedious work – and built a solution that could totally shake up how investment firms operate.

What does this say about him? Dude’s all about making tech work smarter, not harder. His process shows he’s driven by a desire to solve real problems with modern tech. He’s not just about building cool AI; he wants to transform how finance and investing work. From MIT to Wall Street to Apple, Howard’s been soaking up the knowledge and experience, and now he’s applying that to build something that’s gonna influence how billions are invested.

He’s based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which is basically the startup hub of the East Coast, and he’s still early in his process but already making waves. No Cap, Howard’s the kind of founder who’s not just riding the tech wave – he’s creating it. He’s smart, driven, and knows exactly where he wants to go: using AI to change the game for investors. That’s why he’s someone to watch, for real.