APPLICATIONS CLOSE 23:59 GMT-7 · SEPT 21
Season 5 · By YZi Labs

Build From Thailand.

Start 5 weeks from anywhere. Finish 5 weeks in Thailand.

▸ DEADLINE — 23:59 GMT-7 · SEPT 21
4
Seasons run
100+
Startups backed
Global
Iconic stage
$500K
Up to, per team
The Program

Ten weeks. Two worlds.

A 10-week founder program built for teams going long in Web3, AI, and biotech — five weeks online from anywhere, then five weeks living and building together in Thailand.

PHASE 01

Online

WEEKS 1–5 · FROM ANYWHERE

Onboarding and deep co-building with YZi Labs — the groundwork before you relocate.

  • Go-to-market strategy
  • Hiring & team building
  • Capital strategy
  • Mechanism design
PHASE 02

In person · Thailand

WEEKS 6–10 · THAILAND

Join the full cohort in Thailand for five weeks of focused building, close collaboration, and direct feedback.

  • Hands-on workshops
  • 1:1s with leaders & mentors
  • Community sessions
  • Closes with Demo Day
The location · Thailand

Build in Thailand.

Weeks 6–10 take place in Thailand. The cohort lives and builds together, with workshops, 1:1s, and community sessions, closing with Demo Day. Accommodation, meals, and workspace are covered.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Twin Royal Pagodas and gardens above the clouds at Doi Inthanon, Chiang Mai
Doi Inthanon · Chiang MaiTwin Royal Pagodas
Curving green rice terraces and a wooden hut at Pa Pong Piang, Chiang Mai
Mae Chaem · Chiang MaiPa Pong Piang Rice Terraces
Ho Kham Luang pavilion and its reflection at Royal Park Rajapruek, Chiang Mai
Royal Park Rajapruek · Chiang MaiHo Kham Luang
Where we invest

Build at the Frontiers of Onchain Finance, AI, and Bio.

We invest across Web3, AI, and the places they meet biotech — backing founders building for the long term.

THIS SEASON

A particular focus on AI inside markets — models and agents that price, route and execute in live venues, and the execution, data and settlement infrastructure they depend on.

Web3

The new financial stack, the agentic economy, and next-gen DeFi — from payments and stablecoins to institutional on-chain markets.

AI

Agent infrastructure, AI-native trading, chips and hardware, robotics, and the data infrastructure behind physical AI.

Biotech

Where AI meets biotech and health — drug discovery, clinical AI, agentic lab automation, and DeSci.

The offer

Capital, a home, and acceleration.

Up to $500K

Investment

  • $150K for 5% equity via SAFE
  • $350K on an uncapped SAFE
Covered

Infrastructure

  • Accommodation & meals in Thailand fully covered
  • Dedicated cohort workspace
  • Visa support (founders cover own flights)
  • Partner-credit perks — AWS, CertiK & more
1:1 access

Acceleration

  • Deep co-building on GTM, hiring, capital & mechanism design
  • Weekly workshops + 1:1s with leaders
  • Past mentors include CZ, Yi He & Fortune 500 leaders
Guidance

Learn from people who've built it.

Past mentors include some of the most influential builders in Web3 and AI — alongside Fortune 500 leaders.

CZ
CZ
Co-founder, Binance
Vitalik Buterin
Vitalik Buterin
Co-founder, Ethereum
Balaji Srinivasan
Balaji Srinivasan
Angel Investor, Founder of the Network School
Justin Sun
Justin Sun
Founder, TRON
Yi He
Yi He
Co-founder & Co-CEO, Binance
Sandeep Nailwal
Sandeep Nailwal
Co-founder, Polygon
Ella Zhang
Ella Zhang
Managing Partner, Head of YZi Labs
Jane He
Jane He
General Partner, YZi Labs
Viktor Radchenko
Viktor Radchenko
Founder & former CEO, Trust Wallet
Ronghui Gu
Ronghui Gu
Co-founder & CEO, CertiK
Eric Chen
Eric Chen
Co-founder, Injective
Iris
Iris
CEO, PancakeSwap
Amanda Cassatt
Amanda Cassatt
Founder & CEO, Serotonin
Tom Schmidt
Tom Schmidt
General Partner, Dragonfly
Avichal G.
Avichal G.
Co-founder & General Partner, Electric Capital
Christy Choi
Christy Choi
Founder & Managing Partner, TENET
Leonard
Leonard
CEO, Aster
Nina Rong
Nina Rong
Exec. Director of Growth, BNB Chain
Michael Ma
Michael Ma
Founder, District; Partner, L2 Ventures
Wyatt Lonergan
Wyatt Lonergan
General Partner, VanEck Ventures
Xin Yan
Xin Yan
Founder & CEO, Sign
Athena Yu
Athena Yu
CEO, United Stables
Alex Odagiu
Alex Odagiu
Investment Partner, YZi Labs
Erick Zhang
Erick Zhang
Managing Partner, Nomad Capital
Ruizhe Jia
Ruizhe Jia
Assistant Professor, Stanford
Shane Qiu
Shane Qiu
Co-founder & CEO, Bitway
Teresa Goody Guillén
Teresa Goody Guillén
Partner, BakerHostetler
Helen Tu
Helen Tu
Stablecoin Lead, BNB ecosystem

Mentors vary by season — past mentors also include Fortune 500 leaders, with more added each cohort.

The terms

Everything on the table.

Self-qualify in under a minute.

Investment
Up to $500,000
Equity SAFE
$150,000 for 5% (plus other rights where applicable)
Uncapped SAFE
Additional $350,000
Covered
Accommodation, meals & workspace in Thailand
Founder covers
Own flights to / from Thailand
Duration
10 weeks — 5 online + 5 in person
Deadline
23:59 GMT-7 · Sept 21
Track record

Four seasons, NYSE to the Himalayas.

Each season brings a select group of startups from around the world to live and build side by side — culminating in a high-profile Demo Day with leading investors and industry leaders.

4
Seasons
100+
Startups across cohorts
4
Demo Days · NYSE · Dubai · SF · Bhutan
Global
NY · Dubai · SF · Asia · Bhutan
Meet the EASY Residency Season 4 Cohort — official YZi Labs announcement and founders group photo
Format
10 weeks — 5 online + 5 in person
Cohort size
24 startups
Dates
June – Aug 2026
Demo Day
The Convergence: Bhutan · Le Méridien Thimphu · 26 Aug 2026
Locations
Thimphu, Bhutan
EASY Residency Season 3 cohort banner
Format
10 weeks, in-person
Cohort size
~25 startups
Dates
Feb – May 2026
Demo Day
Computer History Museum, Mountain View
Locations
NYC + SF Bay; Asia via Malaysia (Network School)
EASY Residency Season 2 cohort banner
Format
8 weeks, multi-city
Cohort size
22 startups
Dates
Sept – Dec 2025
Demo Day
Binance Blockchain Week, Dubai
Locations
Dubai · SF · NY · Malaysia (Network School)
EASY Residency Season 1 launch banner
Format
10 weeks, in-person
Cohort size
16 startups
Dates
Jun – Aug 2025
Demo Day
New York Stock Exchange
Location
New York

The talent density here is unreal. They don’t just talk theory — they roll up their sleeves to fix your PMF and sharpen your tokenomics. The best decision we ever made.

Shane Qiu · Founder, Bitway

Beyond a great base in New York, EASY connected us with experienced operators, investors, and advisors — highly relevant and impactful at every stage.

Adriano Morelli · CEO, LayerV

EASY Residency gave us the resources, community, and environment to focus on building without distractions. Demo Day felt like a culmination — and the beginning of a new journey.

Elvy Yao · Founder, Trellis Robotics

For a first-time startup, YZi Labs provided exactly the hands-on guidance we needed — workshops and 1:1s that helped us sharpen our thinking and build momentum.

Zhaojian Li · Founder, AgriDynamics Robotics

YZi Labs has been an extraordinary partner and early supporter — Ella, Alex, and the team constantly impress us with their dedication and strong network in our industry and beyond.

Nico Pei · Founder, Supernova

EASY was instrumental in taking Neomera from a blank slate to a fully launched company — an integrated AI and wet-lab drug discovery platform tackling chronic pain.

Rebecca Miao · Founder, Neomera

A transformative experience for 42 and myself — I met fantastic collaborators, mentors, and fellow founders I can trust and depend on. I know they’ll have my back through thick and thin.

Leo · Founder, 42.Space

YZi Labs believed in Saturn from the very beginning, when we were still just an idea — from integration partnerships and capital introductions to strategic guidance on company-building and key decisions.

Kevin Li · Founder, Saturn

The real value of working with YZi Labs isn’t the Demo Day or the brand — it’s being placed in a room where no one lets you get away with vague answers. That pressure reshaped how we think about our product and business.

Winchman Li · Founder, Renaiss Protocol
Moments across the seasons
EASY Residency Season 4 founders group photo in Bhutan, from the official cohort announcement
EASY Residency Season 1 cohort dinner
EASY Residency Season 2 Demo Day, Dubai
EASY Residency Season 2 Demo Day networking
EASY Residency Season 2 Demo Day group photo
EASY Residency Season 1 Demo Day at NYSE
Recap films
Season 4 · Bhutan
Ella & Alex at the NYSE
Ella & Cathy at the NYSE
YZi Labs Aftermovie
Before you apply

Questions, answered.

Who can apply?+
Founders building for the long term in Web3, AI, and biotech. EASY Residency is YZi Labs' flagship global incubation program — we look for teams who want to find peers, mentors, and investors who share their conviction.
I've applied to EASY Residency before.+
If you already submitted through our previous questionnaire, your application is in our system and you do not need to submit it again. We'll reach out directly if we'd like to move forward.
What about visas and travel?+
We provide guidance and support through the visa application process. Founders cover their own flights to and from Thailand. Accommodation, meals, and cohort workspace are covered during the in-person residency.
What's covered — and what isn't?+
Covered: accommodation, meals, and a dedicated cohort workspace in Thailand, plus partner credits (AWS, CertiK and more) and visa support. Not covered: your flights to and from Thailand.
What are the investment terms?+
Up to $500,000 per team — $150,000 for 5% equity via a SAFE, plus an additional $350,000 on an uncapped SAFE. See the full terms.
How is the program structured?+
10 weeks total: 5 weeks online from anywhere (onboarding and deep co-building), then 5 weeks in person in Thailand where the full cohort lives and builds together, closing with Demo Day.
EASY Residency · Season 5

Start 5 weeks from anywhere. Finish 5 weeks in Thailand.

Selection is competitive — cohorts are kept deliberately small.

Apply for S5 ▸ DEADLINE — 23:59 GMT-7 · SEPT 21