Linda Cheng

Reflecting on the Journey: Ready for What’s Next TLDR; After almost 4 years, my startup Asset Layer has failed. I’m seeking to catch up with old friends and colleagues to share experiences and explore what’s next. HMU! I spent the last four years building Asset Layer, a startup in the Web3 gaming space. Even though we ultimately failed, I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to learn some essential startup lessons. In fact, I wrote a post detailing the biggest lesson of all. https://lnkd.in/egjx6swq A failed startup does come with a few perks. First, a lot more free time, and, more importantly, the ability to bring my skills, experiences, and perspective to a new adventure. If you’re reading this and want to learn anything about my experience with Asset Layer, discuss new opportunities, or just catch up in general, please reach out - I’d love to connect with you! Finally, I want to express my sincere gratitude to a bunch of people who made my experience at Asset Layer possible and helped me learn so much these past four years. Dave Mullen-Muhr, Dylan Straffon, Jan Veit, Jordan Benner, Brad Meinert, Nik Valinsky, Andrew Kondelin, Phil Song, Gregory S Bledsoe, 🧔🏻Vincent Olislagers, Migel Ezparza, Michael Hennessey, Zach Resnick, Ryan Wold, Jeff Harris, John Martin Wong, Matthew Podl, Mark Overley, Kurt Overley, Joel Lawson, Jim Sandler, John Merrells, Dustin Byington, Peter Nash, Brian Nash, Kurt Wuckert Jr, Adam Goldstein, Bruce Randolph Tizes, Richard Smith, Taylor Searle, CPA, CFA,…, Tyler Farnsworth, Todd Searle, Alex Agut, Rafa Jiménez, Brenton Gunning, James Marchant, Calvin Ayre, Joe De Pinto, Dan Wagner, Keith La Force, Eric LaForce, Jerry Chan, Skilli, Kristian Arsov, Adam Lehman, Matthew Lehman, Sara Laskey, Mike Laskey, Michelle Cahn, and many more!

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Pioneer Square Labs is hiring a New Ventures Lead. It's one of the best roles in Seattle and you should ping me if you're interested. PSL is a magical place. In 2 years I had the pleasure of supporting unbelievable CEOs while they turned nascent, fragile ideas into the next class of How-Did-This-Not-Exist-Before companies. To name drop: Scott Case at Recurrent, Devin Miller/Bassam Saliba at SecureSave, Clara Siegel at Dance Church and Cris Eugster/Michael Leggett at Ever.green. In a word, this is role for people who love building momentum, from laughably minute wins (someone clicked on our site!) to bet-the-company decisions (fundraising/business modeling/management team hiring). Not a role for someone who wants to be a aloof advisor. It's a chance to be a do-er for several startup management teams in a short span. Also, you'll work with T. A. McCann, Julie Sandler, Greg Gottesman, Geoff Entress, David Zager, Palvi Mehta (et. al) which is, in a word, gold.

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Thrilled for Flock AI to be featured in Sourcing Journal, highlighting our $1.5M pre-seed round and mission to revolutionize visual commerce with AI. Thank you Meghan Hall for the feature! With our combined expertise in retail, technology, and the lived experience of being underrepresented consumers, Malavika Reddy and I built Flock to address the pain points we've faced firsthand. Our proprietary AI for All algorithm eliminates biases often found in generative AI, allowing us to create authentic, representative imagery with unmatched speed and affordability. We're grateful for the support of our investors, including Outlander VC, Red Swan Ventures, F4 Fund, Hustle Fund, Dorm Room Fund, and The MBA Fund, as we enhance our technology, grow our team, and partner with more brands looking to better represent and engage their customers. A big thank you to all of our friends, family, and advisors too! Curious to see Flock in action? Visit our website to create a custom sample image tailored to your products and target demographics. Experience the future of inclusive visual commerce firsthand! https://flockshop.ai/ Check out the full Sourcing Journal article to learn more about Flock's journey and vision. Together, we're building a more personalized e-commerce landscape, one image at a time. https://lnkd.in/eY3sjqF7 #genai #VisualCommerce #RetailTech #WomenInTech #PersonalizedShopping

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🚀 The Launch of JD Labs 🚀 As a partner at Quest Ventures, I’m thrilled to announce our strategic support for the launch of JD Labs, a premier one-stop Web3 incubation platform. Over the years, Quest Ventures has consistently championed disruptive technologies and the teams that drive them forward. 🌟 Supporting JD Labs is a natural extension of this mission as we continue to empower early-stage Web3 startups on their journey to success. JD Labs has quickly established itself as a critical partner for emerging Web3 projects, offering more than just guidance. Their comprehensive approach—spanning industry insights, operational expertise, and strategic partnerships—has made them a trusted partner for startups navigating the competitive and evolving Web3 landscape. The team at JD Labs is committed to ensuring these startups not only survive but thrive, accelerating their growth on a global scale. 🌐 This partnership allows us to combine our resources and experience with JD Labs’ deep Web3 knowledge to build a more robust ecosystem for decentralized technologies. We’re confident that JD Labs will help inject fresh energy into the blockchain and Web3 industries, facilitating the success of even more innovative projects worldwide. It’s an exciting time to be part of this space, and I’m personally looking forward to collaborating closely with JD Labs as they continue to drive real impact and foster innovation. 💡 Here’s to the continued growth and success of JD Labs! We’re excited for what the future holds and look forward to partnering with more like-minded innovators to shape the future of Web3. 🚀 For more information about JD Labs and their mission, feel free to visit their website or reach out directly: 🌐 Website: https://jd-labs.com ✖ X: https://lnkd.in/gwfvjt6u 💼 LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/gPECjbsb #Web3 #Blockchain #Startups #Innovation #QuestVentures #JDLabs #DecentralizedTech #Partnership #VentureCapital

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#startup thoughts, as we build Lilypad - the EV marketplace [15/X]. Where do entrepreneurs come up with their startup ideas? Please help with this 3-4 minute research survey: https://lnkd.in/gvPsrTET

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Episode 7 of The AI Fix is out!!! In the latest episode of our new podcast, Alexa goes wild, I learn how to hang a towel on a Peloton for only $39.90 a month, Graham Cluley puts the news items in the wrong order, and a strawberry uses the internet. Graham also explains what bats argue about, we ponder whether AI should always write in Comic Sans (it should), and I tell Graham why AIs are like dolphins that smoke pufferfish. Oh, and there's a new section, but you have to listen to hear about that. You can find "The AI Fix" in Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all good podcast apps, and on the web at https://theaifix.show/7 🤖 Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/eQfXWnqa 🤖 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eCRXukzi 🤖 Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/kg11t9po #podcast #AI #artificialintelligence #machinelearning

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This year, I had the pleasure of attending my first SXSW fest in Austin and I finally got to see what all the hype was about! Next year, I have the privilege of being a judge for SXSW Pitch in 2025. Huge opportunity to showcase your startup in one of the biggest pitch competitions of the year and get in front of the massive SXSW ecosystem. Wondering if your startup is eligible? Here's all the eligibility criteria: 🌟 The company’s product and/or service must have been conceived no earlier than January 1, 2022. 🌟 Each company may only enter one product or service into SXSW Pitch. A company that enters multiple products or services is not eligible to participate in SXSW Pitch. 🌟 Startups are encouraged to apply to multiple SXSW competitions — SXSW Pitch, SXSW Innovative Awards, and SXSW EDU Launch (if you are an education-related startup). But because we want to showcase as many different compelling startups as possible at SXSW, know that your startup will only be selected as a finalist in one of these three competitions. 🌟 Founders of the company applying must retain some portion of ownership. The Company must not have raised over ten (10) Million Dollars in funding from combined funding sources. 🌟 Startups should be legally registered and compliant with all relevant regulations and laws in their respective jurisdictions. 🌟 The product or service must fall into one of the SXSW Pitch categories. And what might those pitch categories be? ... ⭕️ Enterprise, Smart Data, FinTech & Future of Work ⭕️ Entertainment, Media, Sports & Content ⭕️ Extended Reality, Web3, Voice & Robotics ⭕️ HealthTech, MedTech, BioTech & Accessibility (new for 2025) ⭕️ Innovative World Tech ⭕️ Security, GovTech & Space (new for 2025) ⭕️ Smart Cities, Transportation & Sustainability ⭕️ Student Startups Feel free to reach out if you have any additional questions or check out this website for more info. https://lnkd.in/eKW25a_F Early bird app deadline is Sept. 8 so just about a month away! #sxsw #sxswpitch

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