Author: YZi Labs
Compiled by: TechFlow
Main content summary
Binance Labs changed its name to YZi Labs to reflect its independence and expand its investment areas to Web3, artificial intelligence (AI) and biotechnology (biotech).
CZ continues to be actively involved in investment activities, providing one-on-one guidance and strategic advice to entrepreneurs; at the same time, Ella Zhang returns as the head of YZi Labs to lead the company into the next stage of growth and innovation.
Binance Labs officially announced today that it has changed its name to YZi Labs. As its investment areas have expanded from cryptocurrency and blockchain to artificial intelligence and biotechnology, while still focusing on promoting Web3 innovation, this name change is a natural move and better reflects its independent development positioning.
For many years, YZi Labs has been operating independently while leveraging the influence of the Binance brand. Now, with CZ stepping down from Binance, YZi Labs' choice to break away from the Binance brand and develop independently is an inevitable choice for business development.
Under the new brand, CZ will continue to play an important role in investment activities. He will directly participate in the growth process of entrepreneurs and provide them with one-on-one guidance and strategic advice. This hands-on approach not only reflects YZi Labs' commitment to creating value for the industry, but also provides entrepreneurs with a valuable opportunity to grow together with industry leaders.
In addition, the return of Ella Zhang further strengthens the leadership team of YZi Labs. Ella co-founded Binance Labs with CZ and served as the first head. Under her leadership, Binance Labs launched the first three batches of incubation programs and successfully supported more than 40 startups including Polygon, Injective Protocol, CertiK and Dune Analytics. In 2020, Ella left to pursue her entrepreneurial career. Now she returns with rich investment experience and an entrepreneur-centric perspective, which will surely bring more innovation and growth momentum to YZi Labs.
In the coming year, YZi Labs will focus on investments in Web3, artificial intelligence, and biotechnology, while exploring the innovative possibilities brought about by the integration of these fields. Despite the expansion of its investment scope, YZi Labs remains focused on supporting projects that can have a long-term impact and drive the next wave of growth in the industry, no matter how the market changes.
The agency plans to further optimize its incubation program and reintroduce face-to-face experiences through a 12-week offline residency program to provide entrepreneurs with an immersive and collaborative environment to help them grow and innovate better.
“The name change to YZi Labs is more than just a name change; it represents an upgrade in our vision. We are expanding our investment areas to transformative industries such as AI and biotech,” said CZ. “We are very excited to welcome Ella back to lead the company into the next stage of development. She played a key role in the company’s early success, and I am confident that under her leadership, YZi Labs will continue to discover and support entrepreneurs who can make a long-term impact.”
Ella Zhang, head of YZi Labs, said: "I am very excited to return to YZi Labs at this critical juncture and look forward to reconnecting with our entrepreneurs and community. Although the name change marks a new chapter, our mission remains the same: to support entrepreneurs who have vision and focus on long-term development. By exploring new fields such as AI and biotechnology, while taking root in Web3, we hope to continue to expand the boundaries of technology and applications and create lasting value for society."
In addition, YZi Labs will continue to provide the same level of support to all existing portfolio companies. The name change will not affect existing programs, resources or initiatives, including incubation programs and support for BNB Chain's "Most Value Creator (MVB)" program. This transformation not only marks a brand upgrade, but also demonstrates YZi Labs' firm commitment to its mission.
About YZi Labs
YZi Labs focuses on the technology field that drives change, and is committed to investing in companies with solid foundations at all stages in the fields of Web3, artificial intelligence (AI) and biotechnology (biotech). Our goal is to support visionary entrepreneurs and help them create long-term value and have a profound impact.
Currently, YZi Labs' investment portfolio covers 25 countries in six continents, involving more than 250 projects. Among them, more than 65 companies have participated in our incubation program. For more information, please follow YZi Labs' X account.
