Yolanda Fintschenko Brings Science and Business Leadership Experience to the Organization
LIVERMORE, CA – October 11, 2022 – The i-GATE Innovation Hub Board has selected Yolanda Fintschenko, Ph.D., as the new Executive Director for the organization. She began serving in that role Oct. 1, 2022.
Fintschenko moved to Livermore in 1998 for a post-doctoral position at Sandia National Laboratories, holding subsequent scientific, managerial, and marketing positions in the field of lab-on-a-chip technology and scientific equipment. Most recently, she co-founded two marketing companies in Livermore, Fixate IO, and FounderTraction. She left Fixate IO in 2018 to focus on FounderTraction, a digital marketing agency serving life sciences and tech startups. Since 2016, she has been a co-organizer of East Bay Bio Network, a Meetup Group to help life sciences professionals living and/or working in the East Bay to grow their career. As part of this volunteer effort, she has brought attention to the growing life sciences startup community in the Tri-Valley. Additionally, her experience as a scientist at Sandia National Laboratories working in biodetection uniquely positions Fintschenko to assume a role that includes setting up and running Daybreak Labs, the i-GATE Incubator for life sciences and deep tech startups located in Livermore.
Most recently, her agency, FounderTraction, has built a marketing campaign designed to promote and connect science based startups in the Tri-Valley. She is leaving FounderTraction to focus on leading the i-GATE Innovation Hub, which includes continuing the Startup Tri-Valley campaign and managing Daybreak Labs.
Stephanie Beasly, i-GATE Innovation Hub Board Chair, says, “Yolanda’s experience as a founder and supporting entrepreneurs makes her uniquely qualified to lead i-GATE innovation Hub. I’m excited to have her join the organization as we galvanize new resources and programs through Startup Tri-Valley and Daybreak Labs.”
“Having moved to Livermore because of the opportunity it gave both my husband and me to pursue our careers in science while raising our family, I understand how important it is to have a diversity of opportunities locally in the Tri-Valley. I can’t wait to work with the i-GATE board, partners, business leaders and startup community to increase economic and professional opportunities in the Tri-Valley by helping science-based startups begin and succeed here,” states Fintschenko.
About i-GATE Innovation Hub
i-GATE Innovation Hub is a non-profit organization focused on increasing economic prosperity through entrepreneurship in the Tri-Valley. i-GATE provides startup incubation resources through Daybreaks Labs and connects the regional innovation ecosystem through the Startup Tri-Valley initiative. To learn more, visit https://igateihub.org.
About Startup Tri-Valley
Startup Tri-Valley is an initiative to grow and strengthen our region by helping more startups succeed. We do this by connecting founders and innovators to a tightly networked ecosystem of resources built specifically for science-based startups. The initiative is sponsored by the Tri-Valley cities of Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton, and the Town of Danville and i-GATE Innovation Hub partners Lawrence Livermore and Sandia National Laboratories. To learn more, visit https://startuptrivalley.org.
About Daybreak Labs
Daybreak Labs helps startups shorten the time from invention to market by providing a unique combination of expertise, facilities, and equipment. Companies that lease space at the Daybreak Labs get access to our deep tech and biotech facilities and equipment. Daybreak Labs is located at 7683 Southfront Road, Suite 230, Livermore, CA 94550. To learn more, visit https://daybreaklabs.io.
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