YZi Labs Launches EASY Residency, Backed by Binance Founder CZ

YZi Labs has launched an ambitious global incubation program called EASY Residency, backed by Binance founder CZ. This initiative aims to support the top 1% of early-stage founders in building, scaling, and thriving in their ventures. The program, which begins on June 2, 2025, in Silicon Valley, offers a 10-week in-person experience tailored for founders in Web3, AI, and healthcare. Participants will have all essential expenses covered, including housing, meals, workspace, and early funding, allowing them to focus entirely on their startups without the usual distractions.

The EASY Residency program is designed to provide a unique blend of financial support, mentorship, and global exposure. Unlike traditional remote accelerators, this program emphasizes hands-on incubation, with participants receiving everything they need to build their startups effectively. The program will start in Silicon Valley and expand to other international tech hubs, creating a focused environment where world-changing ideas can flourish.

Cathy Dou has been appointed as the Incubation Operations Lead for EASY Residency. With nearly 20 years of experience in technology, media, entrepreneurship, and angel investing, Cathy brings a rare mix of operational rigor and visionary thinking. Her background in robotics at ABB and her success as a media entrepreneur make her an ideal choice to lead this initiative. Ella Zhang, Head of YZi Labs, has compared Cathy to Emily Liu from HF0, describing her as “the ultimate operator” who deeply listens to and supports founders. Cathy’s mission is to create an “immersive zone” for top-tier founders, removing every barrier that keeps them from building something world-changing.

Selected teams, ranging from 10 to 20, will receive initial funding to kickstart their projects, mentorship from world-class investors, engineers, and industry leaders, free housing, meals, and workspace for the entire 10-week duration, and a spotlight at Demo Day, where top VCs will assess their product and traction. This program is designed to nurture deep focus and accelerate outcomes, providing an environment that most early-stage founders only dream about.

YZi Labs, with over $10 billion in assets under management, has a portfolio of more than 300 companies across 25 countries. Over 65 of these companies have already been through one of YZi’s incubation tracks. The launch of EASY Residency marks a significant step forward, bringing in-person, hyper-focused support to Web3 incubation and other high-impact domains. By starting in Silicon Valley and scaling to global cities, YZi Labs is building a borderless support system for the best ideas in the world.

Applications for the inaugural EASY Residency cohort are currently open, with a deadline of May 21, 2025, at 23:59 GMT-7. The selection process is highly competitive, and founders are encouraged to apply early and be ready to showcase why they are in the top 1%. The final Demo Day on August 10, 2025, will be a major opportunity for participants to gain visibility with top VCs and prove real-world traction. From this first cohort onward, EASY Residency is poised to become one of the most prestigious global startup programs in the tech world.

In a world where early-stage builders face countless hurdles, the EASY Residency program offers a breath of fresh air. With support from CZ and led by a powerhouse like Cathy Dou, YZi Labs is redefining founder support. This program is not about lectures or theory; it’s about building. It provides brilliant minds with the room to focus, the funds to act, and the partners to grow. For those lucky enough to be part of it, EASY Residency could be the launchpad to the next big thing in the tech industry.