About
Eric Zhang is a co-founder of Sponge (YC W26) and previously worked on the crypto team at Stripe.
Founder at SpongeYC W26
Intro paths
YC
Eric went through Y Combinator (Winter 2026) — any YC alum in your network can reach them through the YC community.
GP
Their group partner at YC was Brad Flora, Backing expeditions into the future — the partner who ran Sponge's batch and knows the company first-hand. YC profile ↗
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In turn, Eric can intro founders to Sponge's investors below.
Sponge's investors · 2
Co-founders at Sponge
JC
Jae ChoiFounder
RL
Rishab LuthraFounder
Experience
- Sponge (YC W26)Co-Foundercurrent2026 — present
- StripeStaff Software Engineer2025
- StripeSoftware Engineer2020 — 2025
- StripeSoftware Engineering Intern2019
Skills & more
Python2JavaScriptC++SwiftJava2GitLaTeXObjective-CVimHaskellAlgorithmsData Structures
Languages Chinese · English
From Eric's professional profile.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Eric Zhang?
- Eric Zhang is a co-founder of Sponge (YC W26) and previously worked on the crypto team at Stripe.
- Where does Eric Zhang work?
- Eric Zhang is Founder of Sponge.
- What companies did Eric Zhang found?
- Eric Zhang founded Sponge.
- Where did Eric Zhang go to school?
- Eric Zhang studied at UC San Diego (Master's degree, Electrical & Computer Engineering); UC San Diego (Bachelor's degree, Electrical & Computer Engineering).
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
UC San Diego mafia113
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Elad GilBAFounded Brain Co.Chester NgBSFounded DivXPhillip SamayoaPhDFounded Generation Bio +2Sean AinsworthB.S.Founded RetroSense Therapeutics +1Erik T. EngelsonBAFounded Medina Medical +1Sasha OrloffBSFounded LendUp +1
+ 106 more
Stripe mafia91
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Matt HuangBoard MemberFounded HotspotsPatrick CollisonCo-founder & CEOFounded AuctomaticGreg BrockmanFounding Engineer, then first CTOFounded OpenAIDaniela AmodeiEarly employee — Risk ManagerFounded AnthropicArvid LunnemarkSoftware EngineeringFounded CursorParker ConradMember Board of DirectorsFounded Zenefits +1
+ 84 more
Same school
Also attended UC San Diego307
Elad GilSolo general partner investing through Gil CapitalMark SusterManaging Partner at Upfront VenturesChester NgGeneral Partner at AtomicBirgitteInvestor at InvestinorHouman HaghighiPartner, Business & Corporate Development at Menlo VenturesFreya Svedberg-KeatingInvestor at Medicxi
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Shared employers
Also worked at Sponge (YC W26)2
Also worked at Stripe186
Hemant TanejaCEO & Managing Director of General CatalystMatt HuangCo-founder and Managing Partner at ParadigmLuciana LixandruPartner at Sequoia CapitalPatrick CollisonCo-founder & CEO of StripeJohn CollisonCo-founder & President of StripeGreg BrockmanCo-founder & President of OpenAI
+ 180 more