We’ve all experienced the frustration of clicking on an interesting article, only to be blocked by a paywall. Those days, however, might be over.

Enter Zette, the “Netflix for journalism,” founded by Yehong Zhu, ‘18. For just $10 a month, Zette grants users access to a wide range of premium news sources without hitting paywalls—no hacks or workarounds needed.  

Yehong saw it firsthand while writing for Forbes. Paywalls were creating frustrating barriers for both readers and journalists seeking out quality journalism.  

From the start, we resonated with Zette because we, like many, crave seamless access to news. Yet, Yehong wasn’t just addressing a frustration; she is tackling a growing need in the digital era: accurate, easily accessible information. Zette was the perfect fit for our Accelerator—an innovative company with massive potential.

The Accelerator pushed Yehong to expand her vision for disrupting the news industry. This led to her acquiring an AI company that adds context to news stories—bridging the gap between reading the news and truly understanding it.

Her vision didn’t stop there. Zette’s mission to democratize information has evolved with plans to license high-quality news data to AI companies. Yehong's journey has led to her raising nearly $2.7M in funding to support Zette’s growth.

More than just a disruptor in journalism, Zette is set to transform how we access and engage with digital content. We saw that potential from the start.

Key Successes

• 2023  Accelerator Demo Day Winner

• Acquired Below the Fold to create AI-generated context for news

• Raised to date $2.7million