21-year-old biochemistry grad raises $1 million in seed funding to take the math out of investing for a whole new generation of investors

Tim Draper, Sony Mordechai, and Naveen Jain partner up to lead a seed round for the Draper University Alumni who is using technology to help investors of all skill levels invest like the pros

San Mateo, CA – April 29, 2015 – Vuru, the free advanced stock analysis platform, today announced $1 million in seed funding, led by Tim Draper (Draper Associates, DFJ, Draper University) in partnership with Naveen Jain (InfoSpace, Intelius, Moon Express) and Sony Mordechai (Global Eye Investments). The funds will be used to further accelerate the company’s impressive growth. When 21-year old Niles Lawrence, President and CEO of Vuru, was looking to change the way the next generation invests, he looked to Draper University, a leading ecosystem for industry innovators, and joined the Fintech Connections @ Hero City, a corporate development and mentorship platform for fintech startups. This gave him the opportunity to work with some of the best minds in Silicon Valley and bring his vision to the next level.

“When I first started investing I was interested in purchasing Apple’s stock, but I had no idea how to even begin trading stocks. I did what most people do and looked online. But I was overwhelmed by the massive amount of technical data,” said Niles. “If we can make a device as sophisticated as an iPad, easy for even a 2-year-old to use, why can’t we do the same with investing? This is where Vuru comes in. It makes stock analysis so simple that anyone can start investing like the pros.”

Vuru’s analysis engine gathers 10 years of complex financial data, analyzes and crunches it in seconds, and presents it in beautiful, simple, visual reports for everyone to understand. This automation helps reduce the steep learning curve typically associated with investing. The company offers three core products that are free of charge at Vuru.co that include:

– Stock Fundamentals – In-depth stock reports based on company fundamentals and valuations.

– Stock Screener – A powerful stock screener that allows investors to easily find great stocks.

– Portfolio X-ray – A robust tool that identifies strengths and weaknesses in an investor’s current portfolio.

“Niles and his team have taken a common problem that many investors face and by using advanced algorithms and automation, they’re helping investors sift through investment data and make more informed decisions,” said Tim. “Vuru’s algorithms are based on the same strategies used by leading investors like Warren Buffet and Bruce Greenwald. By leveraging these strategies they have completely taken the math out of investing. It’s a unique proposition at a time when fintech is a truly exciting space.”

“Global Eye Investments is devoted to investing and supporting companies that will ultimately benefit the world,” said Sony Mordechai, Chairman & CEO of Global Eye Investments. “I have personally been a value investor from the age of 13 and it has allowed me to gain financial independence. Vuru democratizes the possibility for people all over the world to be successful portfolio managers and achieve personal financial freedom.”

About Vuru

Vuru makes sense of stocks so that investors of all skill levels can start investing like the pros. The Vuru analysis engine does thousands of hours of stock analysis in seconds and distills 10 years of complex financial data into clear, transparent reports. The platform gives self-directed investors the confidence that they need in a time of high market volatility and uncertainty. Vuru provides in-depth stock reports on over 5,500 stocks, a robust portfolio x-ray tool to help investors find the strengths and weaknesses in the stocks they own, and a powerful screener that can help investors find great stocks easily. More information can be found at Vuru.co.