From Goldman Sachs Intern to AI Founder: Oxford Grad’s Startup Journey with Y Combinator
A former Goldman Sachs intern has pivoted to building an AI startup after realizing investment banking wasn’t his passion. His company Structured AI has joined Y Combinator’s Fall 2025 batch and raised approximately $1 million in pre-seed funding, marking a dramatic career shift from finance to artificial intelligence entrepreneurship.
Banking Dream Dashed by Internship Experience
What began as a prestigious finance career aspiration ended in a complete professional pivot for one Oxford University graduate, according to his account. Raymond Zhao, 23, reportedly dreamed of working at Goldman Sachs until his 2024 summer internship revealed the reality of investment banking wasn’t aligned with his passions.