Linhua Zhou

Co-founder @asterloio
@nyuniversity ’30
GitHub:

[Linhua Zhou @LinhuaZhouappx]

We deleted the draft step on https://t.co/pWARbGVEjk

Now the first artifact is a dossier: claim, source link, page it came from. Facts go to the buyer with proof attached.

You read and confirm. You can open the page and check it yourself.

Then and only then does a sentence get written. check it out!

[Linhua Zhou @LinhuaZhouappx]

@Henryf1w https://t.co/dPXXaI98By

[Linhua Zhou @LinhuaZhouappx]

@Zaydenf9 https://t.co/dPXXaI9Gr6

[Linhua Zhou @LinhuaZhouappx]

@kushmergedeck https://t.co/dPXXaI9Gr6

[Linhua Zhou @LinhuaZhouappx]

@di7marketops https://t.co/dPXXaI98By

[DAN KOE @thedankoe]

Subtle reminder that you're supposed to feel overwhelmed.

It means you're doing something new. You're taking a new path. You're learning. Growing. You branched into the unknown. It will be frustrating. You will feel lost. It will be painful, but staying the same is even worse.

[Linhua Zhou @LinhuaZhouappx]

@zzzzshawn https://t.co/faYaab1vkv

[Linhua Zhou @LinhuaZhouappx]

@steffdoesthings Good question. That is our original design, according to a study. We might reconsider this again.

[Linhua Zhou @LinhuaZhouappx]

3-sentence email:

1. Here is my problem
2. Here is what I think the solution is
3. Here is my next step (if need any resources or permissions ask in this sentence)

What do u THINK?

[Linhua Zhou @LinhuaZhouappx]

@SeanShnidmeser Sure

[Linhua Zhou @LinhuaZhouappx]

@anupamrjp https://t.co/dPXXaI98By

[Linhua Zhou @LinhuaZhouappx]

@DamienWayne https://t.co/dPXXaI98By

[Linhua Zhou @LinhuaZhouappx]

i always want to build some products - i mean it. Being alive in the age of AI is such an extraordinary opportunity and privilege.

some context first.

With so much AI cold-outreach products now on markets, every cold email in your inbox was probably written by an AI that guessed. Nobody verified anything in it. That's a big part of why reply rates collapsed.

The problem was never volume though. AI made sending 5,000 emails effortless. But standing out now means proving you've actually done your research.

The catch? AI can invent prospect details with complete confidence. One false claim can cost you trust.

Human review isn't enough. Every claim needs a verifiable source before the email is even drafted.

so that's how we built Asterlo.

The first thing Asterlo gives you isn't an email draft. It's the research.

Every claim about a prospect comes with a source. You review the evidence, verify what matters, and approve the facts before a single sentence is written.

Because reliable AI outreach isn't just a prompting problem - it's a matter of building the right system: research, verify, confirm, then write.

Building Asterlo has also taught me that the best product decisions aren't always the most obvious ones. Some ideas look promising until you confront the realities of bringing them to market.

We've had to rethink a few assumptions along the way. But the principle remains unchanged:

Personalization should be earned through research, not manufactured by AI.

Here's where Asterlo stands today: Approved emails now open directly in your Gmail, ready to send. Meeting invitations open in Google Calendar. Every message still requires your review and approval before it goes anywhere.

What started as a technical constraint ultimately led us to a simpler, more intentional product. Sometimes, building means questioning your original assumptions.

On a personal level, this entire journey has been an experiment. We've applied to YC this year, with no expectations, but we're building regardless.

There's something genuinely exciting about creating with technology that's evolving so quickly, navigating the uncertainty alongside everyone else. Again, being part of this moment feels like both an opportunity and a privilege.

And through it all, one belief remains:

AI that prioritizes volume creates noise. AI grounded in real research creates something worth reading.

The challenge was never sending more. It was getting the details right.

If you're the one writing outreach by hand at 11pm, take a look at https://t.co/pWARbGVEjk. Your first email is free, no sign-in needed.

[Linhua Zhou @LinhuaZhouappx]

@DEVIN__SETH https://t.co/dPXXaI98By

[Linhua Zhou @LinhuaZhouappx]

@Zaydenf9 https://t.co/dPXXaI98By

[Linhua Zhou @LinhuaZhouappx]

@Henryf1w https://t.co/dPXXaI9Gr6

[Linhua Zhou @LinhuaZhouappx]

@aiwithadb https://t.co/dPXXaI9Gr6

[Linhua Zhou @LinhuaZhouappx]

@john_paul99 https://t.co/dPXXaI98By