EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: ORBIT, Nick Scibilia & Zach Shenkman 🚀🌗
Keeping the American Dream Alive
Welcome to the 119th edition of Start-up Society! Check out the previous issue, if you have not already, here.
Gen Z is rapidly emerging as a significant force in the financial markets, with a new wave of influencers leveraging social media platforms like X, TikTok, Reddit, and YouTube to share investment ideas. This generational shift is transforming traditional investment strategies and reshaping the landscape of financial literacy. However, the prevalence of misinformation on these platforms poses a critical challenge.
We recently caught up with two Gen Z entrepreneurs working to solve this dilemma. Meet Nick Scibilia, Co-Founder & CEO and Zach Shenkman, Co-Founder & CTO of Orbit — a financial social media platform designed to provide verified investment information. Orbit focuses on empowering Gen Z with reliable and accurate financial insights, fostering a more informed and engaged generation of investors.
This article provides a summary of the conversation. For the full details, tap into the podcast here!
Tell us about your background.
Nick is a University of Florida Class of 2021 graduate, where he majored in Sport and Fitness Management. His passion for stocks and investing started when he was 18, driven mainly by discussions with his father. Nick became deeply involved in the stock market in his senior year during the 2021 meme stock frenzy, despite not primarily studying finance. He met Zach through mutual friends in college, and together, they created Orbit to address the need for a centralized investing platform combining analysis tools, news, and community discussions.
Zach is a recent University of Florida graduate who majored in Computer Science. A lifetime entrepreneur, he has been a startup founder since he was 8 years old and started programming at 10. He was always fascinated by building community around his projects. He teamed up with Nick because they saw a gap in the market for a social finance platform that combines high-quality data with an organized community.
What gap in the market did you see that Orbit aims to fill?
The main gap was filtering out the noise and irrelevant posts on existing platforms like StockTwits, Reddit, and X (formerly known as Twitter). During the meme stock craze, it was challenging to find relevant information about specific stocks. Orbit created “Shuttles,” or stock-specific communities, to avoid this noise. The platform integrates real-time data, news, and analysis tools in one place, making it easier for users to find the information they need quickly. Orbit is also a very user-friendly mobile app, making it approachable for investors of all experience levels.
The Shuttles feature is designed to organize information by individual securities, providing a one-stop shop. This approach helps users quickly access the information they need without sifting through irrelevant content
How does Orbit differentiate itself from competitors like StockTwits and Public?
StockTwits has an outdated interface and many pop-up ads, while Public requires opening a new brokerage account (which entails providing sensitive information). Orbit offers a modern, clean interface and does not require creating a new brokerage account. The platform prioritizes a user experience, making complex financial data accessible for all investors. The goal is to provide a seamless, integrated experience.
Regarding monetization, Orbit is currently focused on user growth, but the company plans to roll out premium subscription tiers and other revenue streams in the future that would allow users to access more granular data.
What’s the feedback so far from your users?
Users appreciate the Shuttles feature because of how the news is categorized and presented within each Shuttle. Most of the platform’s interaction comes from users engaging with news posts. Nick and Zach are heavily focused on adding more financial influencer content to the platform to boost this engagement.
While most of the company’s early users are on iOS, the startup plans to continue expanding the platform, including a web version to complement the mobile apps.
How do you balance building a startup with your personal lives?
Nick likes to get outside and go for bike rides in the city to clear his mind. He understands how important it is to find ways to relax and recharge.
Zach likes to watch movies and play video games. Balancing work and life has been challenging, especially during the early stages when he was also a student. Since graduating, he’s had a little more time for relaxation and personal interests.
Any last words or asks for our audience?
Follow Zach and Nick on Orbit! The duo appreciates your support and looks forward to seeing you on the platform.
Download Orbit on the App Store
Stay tuned for more stories on innovative startups and the minds behind them, only on Start-up Society.
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This article was authored by Arteen Zahiri & Rumeer Keshwani
