Jessica Zhang

Jessica Zhang

Y Combinator Logo Batch: W23

Achievements

  • CEO & Co-Founder of Pier, raised $2.5M from Y Combinator, OpenAI, Morgan Stanley
  • Key exec at Stilt, a Y Combinator W16 company, raised over $375M before acquisition
  • Built Onbo, 'AWS for lending', part of Stilt's B2B credit API
  • Co-founded EdTech startup Oppti, hit $700K+ ARR, served 168K students, acquired
  • Founded Building BLOC, nonprofit mentoring high school students
  • Early career at J.P. Morgan and KHP Capital, holds degree from Cornell

Meet Jessica Zhang

Aight, so peep Jessica Zhang – this girl is the real deal, no cap. She’s a YC W23 alum, but honestly, her story goes way back. Started out at big names like J.P. Morgan and KHP Capital, so she’s got that finance hustle in her blood. But what’s crazy is how she jumped from there into startups and just crushed it.

Her main thing now? She’s the CEO and co-founder of Pier, a credit compliance platform that’s already raised 2.5 million from big guns like Y Combinator, OpenAI, and Morgan Stanley. That’s no small feat. It shows she’s got a vision for fintech that’s legit, and she’s out here building tools that actually matter.

Before Pier, she was at Stilt – a YC W16 company – where she was a key exec and Chief of Staff. Stilt was a beast, raising over 375 million in total funding, and it got bought out by JGW. Jessica was right there, helping steer the ship. She also helped build Onbo, Stilt’s B2B lending API – basically the “AWS for lending,” they say. So she’s always been about making finance and credit better, smarter, more accessible.

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But her story isn’t just about fintech. She co-founded Oppti, an EdTech startup that focused on career growth for students. That thing crushed it – $700K+ ARR, 168,000 students served, and it got acquired. Forbes even put her on the 30 Under 30 list. That’s the kind of stuff that screams “she’s got the hustle and the brains.”

And she’s all about more than just making money. She co-founded Building BLOC, a nonprofit that mentors high school kids, proving she’s serious about social impact too-wants to level the playing field and give back.

Honestly, what jumps out about Jessica is her motivation. She’s always been about building tools to solve real problems, whether it’s credit, education, or career growth. She’s not in it for the hype – she genuinely wants to make stuff better. Her process from finance to startups, to leading a YC-backed fintech, shows she’s super driven and loves jumping into meaningful projects. She’s the kind of founder who’s not afraid to go big, but also cares about the community.

Long story short? Jessica Zhang is a powerhouse who’s been crushing it across finance, fintech, EdTech, and social impact. She’s got that rare combo of grit, smarts, and heart – the kind of person who’s gonna keep pushing boundaries and changing the game.

Founder ID: 102328

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