# Eric Satz

> Eric Satz is the Nashville-based founder and CEO of Alto, a self-directed IRA platform built after his own attempt to invest retirement money in a private company became a ten-week paper chase. A former investment banker, repeat founder, venture investor, and former Tennessee Valley Authority director, Satz has built a career around financial infrastructure, learned publicly from failed ventures, and grown Alto to approximately $2 billion in assets under custody.

- **Role:** Founder and CEO at Alto
- **Organizations:** Alto, Tennessee Community Ventures, Tennessee Valley Authority, Panopto, Plumgood Food, Currenex, Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, Credit Suisse First Boston
- **From:** Cleveland, United States
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Amherst College
- **Known for:** Built Alto to approximately $2 billion in assets under custody and more than 30,000 self-directed IRA investors by late 2025., Raised a combined $57 million across Alto's 2021 Series A and Series B rounds., Co-founded Currenex, a foreign-exchange platform later acquired by State Street.

## Career timeline

- **1990s** — Worked in technology investment banking, including roles at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette and Credit Suisse First Boston.
- **1999** — Co-founded Currenex, an online foreign-exchange trading platform later acquired by State Street.
- **2004-2008** — Co-founded and led Nashville online grocer Plumgood Food with his wife, Kate; the company closed during the 2008 financial crisis.
- **2009** — Co-founded Tennessee Community Ventures, an early-stage investment fund.
- **2010-2014** — Served as an investor, advisor, and vice president of business development at Panopto.
- **2013-2014** — Encountered an eight-to-ten-week process while using an IRA for a private investment, the experience that led to Alto.
- **2015** — Founded Alto and joined the Tennessee Valley Authority board after presidential nomination and unanimous Senate confirmation.
- **2018** — Alto launched its beta product; Satz's TVA board service concluded after his term.
- **2021** — Alto announced a $17 million Series A and a $40 million Series B.
- **2023** — Alto launched a broker-dealer, Alto Securities, and exempt reporting advisor Alto Capital.
- **2025** — Alto reached approximately $2 billion in assets under custody and sold its CryptoIRA business to Public while remaining custodian for the accounts.
- **2026** — Published an argument that knowledge-based accreditation could broaden private-market access while making education and infrastructure more important.

## Achievements

- Built Alto to approximately $2 billion in assets under custody and more than 30,000 self-directed IRA investors by late 2025.
- Raised a combined $57 million across Alto's 2021 Series A and Series B rounds.
- Co-founded Currenex, a foreign-exchange platform later acquired by State Street.
- Served on the Tennessee Valley Authority board after nomination by President Barack Obama and unanimous confirmation by the U.S. Senate.
- Helped create Tennessee Community Ventures, an early-stage investment fund focused on Tennessee companies.

## Latest updates

- **2026-04** — Published an Alto essay supporting a proposed knowledge-based route to accredited-investor status while emphasizing investor education, due diligence, and infrastructure.
- **2025-11** — Alto sold its CryptoIRA business to Public and became Public's custodial infrastructure partner for those accounts.
- **2025-11** — Alto reported approximately $2 billion in assets under custody, more than 30,000 self-directed IRA investors, and support for over 2,500 issuers.
- **2025-03** — Appeared on Alt Goes Mainstream to discuss retirement assets and the role of private markets in portfolio diversification.

## Links

- Website: https://altoira.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-satz-altoira

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/eric-satz
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-27