About
Elena Zhao is the founder of Litmus, a hiring platform that evaluates software engineers through practical assessments.
Founder at LitmusYC S26
Intro paths
YC
Elena went through Y Combinator (Summer 2026) β any YC alum in your network can reach them through the YC community.
GP
Their group partner at YC was Jared Friedman, YC Group Partner β the partner who ran Litmus's batch and knows the company first-hand. YC profile β
β
In turn, Elena can intro founders to Litmus's investors below.
Litmus's investors Β· 2
Co-founders at Litmus
SR
Shaivi RauFounder
Experience
- LitmusCo-Founder, CTOcurrent2025 β presentNew York, United States
- Columbia EngineeringResearch Engineer2025 β 2026New York, New York, United States
- Two SigmaSoftware Engineer Intern2025New York, New York, United States
- MetaSoftware Engineer Intern2024Menlo Park, California, United States
- Ridge Security Technology Inc.Software Engineer Intern2023San Jose, California, United States
- United Imaging - North AmericaArtificial Intelligence Intern2021Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyStudent Researcher2020 β 2021Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Elena Zhao?
- Elena Zhao is the founder of Litmus, a hiring platform that evaluates software engineers through practical assessments.
- Where does Elena Zhao work?
- Elena Zhao is Founder of Litmus.
- What companies did Elena Zhao found?
- Elena Zhao founded Litmus.
- Where did Elena Zhao go to school?
- Elena Zhao studied at Columbia Engineering (Bachelor of Science - BS, Applied Mathematics); Deerfield Academy (High School Diploma, General Studies).
Founder mafias
Y Combinator mafia8,773
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Sam AltmanPresidentFounded Tools for Humanity +3Jessica LivingstonCo-founderFounded Y CombinatorAlexis OhanianYC Summer 2005Founded RedditFred EhrsamYC Summer 2012Founded Nudge +1Matt HuangYC Winter 2011Founded HotspotsTrae StephensYC Winter 2022Founded Pursuit +1
+ 8,766 more
Two Sigma mafia23
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Michael TruellInternFounded CursorJakob PalmstiernaWorkerFounded GsrDhaivat PandyaQuantitative ResearchFounded Verse MedicalPaul ButlerQuantitative AnalystFounded JamsocketSammy SidhuSoftware EngineerFounded EventualFernando VarelaSoftware Developer InternFounded Boton
+ 16 more
Columbia Engineering mafia21
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Rodolphe ArdantMSFounded SpendeskMoawia EldeebBachelor of Science (B.S.)Founded Tempo +1Kingsley R. ChinBachelor of Science (BSc)Founded IndependentmedexpertIan TolfreeBachelor of Science - BSFounded TBT PharmaMichael NusimowCertificate of Professional Achievement in Information SystemsFounded DrChronoPeter SugiharaBSFounded Open Listings
+ 14 more
Deerfield Academy mafia8
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Oliver HillFounded Clearspace +1John LingFounded Meridian +1Dominic KwokHigh SchoolFounded Heron DataDan MeyerFounded CellChorusKevin GuFounded DexNeil NieHigh School DiplomaFounded Verne Robotics
+ 1 more
Same school
Also attended Columbia Engineering55
Rodolphe ArdantFounder & President of SpendeskPeter ParkerManaging General Partner at Mission BiocapitalLaszlo CzirjakManaging Partner at Interactive Venture Partners LlcKerry WuAssociate VP, Research & Partnerships at The Westly GroupTyler LancasterPartner β Co-Head of Ventures at Energize VenturesRemi SaidGeneral Partner at Partech Ventures
+ 49 more
Also attended Deerfield Academy38
Chase ColemanFounder & Partner of Tiger Global ManagementDan BartusPartner, Head of Research at Felicis VenturesSteve HarrickInvestor at IVP (Institutional Venture Partners)Emerson GarnettPrincipal at Balerion Space VenturesAlan GlassPartner β Co-Head of Endurance at Energize VenturesBen CmejlaInvestments at General Partnership
+ 32 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Litmus1
Also worked at Columbia Engineering8
Aditya NaganathPartner at KPCBCooper BatesAnalyst at Clean Energy VenturesAlessandr PiolGeneral Partner at AlphaPrime VenturesMoawia EldeebFounder/CEO at TempoSiddhi MittalFounder at yhangryJustin CohenFounder at Maritime Fusion
+ 2 more
Also worked at Two Sigma38
Michael TruellCo-founder & CEO of CursorJakob PalmstiernaPresident at GSRColin BeirneFounding Partner at Deviation CapitalDusan PerovicPartner at Two Sigma VenturesJuliette HanBoard Member at MassChallenge MexicoKimberley BuenoVenture Advisor at Growth Warrior Capital
+ 32 more
Also worked at Meta304
Nat FriedmanCo-lead of Meta Superintelligence Labs; co-founder of NFDGDaniel GrossMeta Superintelligence Labs; co-founder of NFDG and Safe SuperintelligenceDrew HoustonCo-founder & CEO of DropboxGabriel PereyraCo-founder & President of HarveyTinaInvestments & Portfolio Services Team Member at Clear VenturesMike ArpaiaComputer scientist working on machine learning and data infrastructure
+ 298 more