Lair East Labs

Whether you are celebrating #Thanksgiving with loved ones or getting through another work week (hello international friends!), we are so grateful for you. To #founders who inspire us through relentless ambition, #mentors and #investors who lend your expertise, and to our global #community that makes everything possible: THANK YOU! Your time, energy, and support help us empower #startups to create impactful and sustainable ventures that address big challenges. We believe that innovation knows no borders. This year, we’ve been proud to help founders bridge markets, form meaningful partnerships, and turn bold visions into reality. As we gather with loved ones this week, we’re reminded that none of this would be possible without the collective efforts of this incredible community. Wishing you all a warm, joyful, and gratitude-filled Thanksgiving 🧡 - Michelle W., Jie Li

Last week, we hosted our second annual #Boston-#Shenzhen International Pitch Competition! It was a full day of #startup pitches, real-time judging, and networking. Out of the 250+ teams that entered into this competition, the top 21 teams got to pitch on stage. 🎤 We are thrilled to announce this year’s top six winners: LocalAway, IView Therapeutics, Cellinfinity Bio, Sirrona Therapeutics, ESTAT Actuation, EVident Battery, Inc. 🏆 These teams went home with cash prizes as well as a trip to participate in the global grand final this winter. Huge thank you to our judges: Yang (Claire) Zeng, Roger Frechette, Qiong Ye, Tianyi (Tony) Sun, Jianyu (Jerrold) Wang, MBA, Elaine Wang, and Michelle W. for giving your time, expertise, and feedback to all the #founders who pitched. 👏 We are incredibly grateful to MassChallenge and the MC Boston team for hosting us in their stunning office. Special shoutout to David Meyer and Edens Toussaint for your day-of support 🙏 Cheers to every entrepreneurs and the vibrant ecosystem 🚀 - Jie Li, Michelle W., Joy Jing

Lair East Labs venture group invited me to be a part of their Innovation & Engineering international pitch competition. It was super interesting hearing about the inventions from 21 different startups. Thank you MassChallenge for hosting and Jie Li for the invitation to be a part of this awesome event!

🔥🔥🔥 HUGE BREAKING NEWS 🔥🔥🔥 Mi Terro® 2 innovation patents granted in China 🇨🇳!!! We continue to break new grounds and transform the #biodegradable, #biomaterial, #ESG and highly scalable solutions with our technology. These innovation patents, which are the hardest category of patents to receive, on bio-based water-soluble films and proprietary natural polymer extraction methods are incredible affirmations of our applications across different geographies and will refine numerous industries.

🚀 We’re thrilled to co-host the inaugural Newark Demo Day as part of Newark Tech Week (NWT) on October 15 at The Newark Museum of Art! This collaborative event, powered by New Jersey Innovation Institute, Lair East Labs, Newark Alliance, and Audible, with support from New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), will bring together 10+ innovative startups from the NJ and NYC region to showcase their innovative solutions. 🎤 Expect opening remarks from NJ tech leaders, exciting startup pitches, networking reception, and exhibition booths featuring outstanding startups and stakeholders in the regional tech ecosystem. This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with early-stage tech companies, explore investment opportunities, and support emerging technologies. ✨ Join us and be part of this landmark event: https://lu.ma/qr0yf596 #Startups #TechInnovation #NewarkTechWeek #NJEDA #Networking #Entrepreneurship #LairEastLabs #Audible #NJII #Innovation #Newark

🚨 Last Chance Reminder! 🚨 Join us tomorrow for the inaugural Demo Day at this year’s Newark Tech Week! 🗓️ Date: October 15, 2024 📍 Location: Newark Museum of Art Don’t miss your chance to connect with the NJII team and industry leaders as we showcase innovative solutions from local entrepreneurs. Experience an exciting pitch competition with a panel of judges including NJII's own Tom Villani, PhD, AVP of AI and Machine Learning. This event is a collaboration between NJII, Lair East Labs, Newark Alliance, and Audible, with support from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA). 🔗 Register now to secure your spot: https://lnkd.in/ewT__5Ww #NewarkTechWeek #DemoDay #NJInnovation

🎤 If you are participating in #NewarkTechWeek, join us for #DemoDay tomorrow! Taking place at the iconic Newark Museum of Art, this event will run from 3pm to 5pm with a dozen startups showcasing from the greater #NJ region. RSVP at https://lu.ma/qr0yf596 2:00pm | Doors open to mix and mingle 👋 3:00pm | Introduction and start of pitches 🎙️ Thank you to our cohosts Aaron Meyerson, Mary Jane Durkin, Audible, Newark Alliance, and New Jersey Innovation Institute #NJII for making this happen! We are grateful for the support of New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) 🙏 See you soon! #Startups #Entrepreneurship #Newark

🚀 We’re thrilled to co-host the inaugural Newark Demo Day as part of Newark Tech Week (NWT) on October 15 at The Newark Museum of Art! This collaborative event, powered by New Jersey Innovation Institute, Lair East Labs, Newark Alliance, and Audible, with support from New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), will bring together 10+ innovative startups from the NJ and NYC region to showcase their innovative solutions. 🎤 Expect opening remarks from NJ tech leaders, exciting startup pitches, networking reception, and exhibition booths featuring outstanding startups and stakeholders in the regional tech ecosystem. This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with early-stage tech companies, explore investment opportunities, and support emerging technologies. ✨ Join us and be part of this landmark event: https://lu.ma/qr0yf596 #Startups #TechInnovation #NewarkTechWeek #NJEDA #Networking #Entrepreneurship #LairEastLabs #Audible #NJII #Innovation #Newark

Celebrating our brilliant 2024 venture fellows! Thank you Carolyn Kim, Chuck Dodge, Jonathan Lee, Mitchell Quon, and Sherry Wang for all your hard work and support, especially helping with #NYTechWeek last month 🙏 What is a venture fellow? VFs help find and evaluate breakthrough technology #startups, particularly those #founders with a #global vision. The role is a combination of #deal #sourcing, #market #diligence, and working with Lair East Labs' #portfolio companies to support on strategic initiatives. 👋 Interested in becoming a #venturefellow next year? Reach out to Jie Li, Michelle W., or find us at https://lnkd.in/ew7rhcA #VC #venturecapital #VCfellow #vcjob #vcinternship

Additional highlights 📸 from #NYTW #Female #Founder and #Funder panel & happy hour 🥂 with founders and investor from Frich Money, OLEADA, LocalAway, and PayPal Ventures in the panel hot seats! It was an absolute blast hosting this room full of ambitious and accomplished female #entrepreneurs. 💪 We had an inspiring time at the event, diving deep into the journeys and insights from Aleksandra Medina, Julia Peter, Tiffany Zhou, Rachel X. Zhao, Michelle W.. Here are some key takeaways: 💡 On Raising Capital as a Recent Grad: Aleksandra addressed the challenge young entrepreneurs face right out of school. She emphasized the importance of demonstrating grit through consistent updates on company progress and meeting set goals to build trust with VC investors. Aleksandra also stressed the importance of time management, advising, "Only check LinkedIn when you really need to." 💡 Unique #Leadership Qualities of Female Founders shared by the panel: 🟣 Emphasizing empathy in leadership 🟣 Recognizing and assigning team members to roles that play to their strengths 🟣 Operating efficiently and sustainably by focusing on minimal spending and resource maximization 💡 On #Support from the VCs: Aleksandra and Tiffany urged the VC community not to see female founders needing exceptional support but to recognize their inherent strengths and capabilities. 💡 On Managing #Stress & #Balance: Julia shared that morning meditation is essential for maintaining clarity and focus, while Aleksandra and Tiffany advocated for physical activities like running to manage stress. 💡 On Changes in #VC: Rachel anticipates a growing emphasis on diversity and proactive investments in female-led startups in the coming years. Huge thanks to our speakers and attendees for making this event so impactful! Let's continue to support and uplift female founders and funders. 🚀 Special thanks to Arcjet, ASCENDING Inc., and American Lending Center, LLC, for their support. cc: Michelle W., Jie Li