When a group of genuine, smart, and interesting young tech people live together for five days and four nights | 3Sigma Bootcamp documentary

This summer, 20 young entrepreneurs came to Shanghai to join the inaugural 3Sigma Bootcamp.

3Sigma Bootcamp is an entrepreneurship program co-hosted by 5Y Capital and Synced (机器之心). During the closed-door session from August 4 to 8, a group of founders, investors, and cross-disciplinary guests from frontier technology and applied technology fields gathered for an intellectual exchange spanning technology to business.

We've mentioned more than once why 3Sigma Bootcamp is named as it is — "3Sigma" stands for "three standard deviations," the interval where most values in a normal distribution fall. In statistical terms, values that deviate from the 3Sigma interval are considered heretical errors.

Yet innovation, by its nature, breaks the boundaries of established paradigms, even if that means appearing crazy in others' eyes. The innovations that truly bring epoch-making change to society almost always come from those scattered points that fall outside the 3Sigma interval. Unbound by convention, driven by immense curiosity and passion for the future, they create new fields and new worlds.

We were fortunate to meet them this August. When a group of genuine, brilliant, and extreme young entrepreneurs come together, their convergence in the same time and space itself forms a peculiar field.

Below are excerpts from some participants' reflections — let's hear what they had to say:

@Student W: Founder of an industrial 3D machine vision startup

5Y is an institution with a very distinctive spiritual temperament. They radiate a rationalist confidence, especially palpable when speaking with the partners, and you can't help but be infected by it. It's the confidence of using tools to transform oneself and transform the world.

The biggest highlight of 3Sigma Bootcamp was how 5Y brought together a remarkably talented group of young people. Over three days, these individuals who are usually busy with work had the chance to step away from the grind and engage in high-density mutual learning and exchange. They are genuine, smart, driven, and insightful about their industries. I personally gained many long-term supportive partnerships from it. Finally, thanks to 5Y for organizing this, and wishing 3Sigma Bootcamp continued success in the future.

@Student T: Master's in Biostatistics, Yale University

The days during 3Sigma Bootcamp were among the most rewarding and growth-intensive I've had in a long time. I was fortunate to connect with industry-leading entrepreneurs and learn first-hand perspectives, experiences, and insights. Additionally, spending several days alongside classmates who have achieved remarkable success in their respective fields forged a genuine camaraderie. Every extended conversation and exchange was immensely beneficial. I deeply felt that on this seemingly crazy path of trying to change the world, we are not alone.

@Student L: PhD student, Department of Electronic Engineering, Tsinghua University

5Y's 3Sigma Bootcamp is, in a sense, an intensive training that can be "transformative" — it refines the angle from which you view the world and the way you approach problems. I can say that only after completing 3Sigma Bootcamp did I truly begin to seriously think about "entrepreneurship" as a concept. It wasn't just the experience-sharing from several guest speakers; the private consultations and exchanges with peers were genuinely enriching.

@Student Q: PhD student, MIT

3Sigma Bootcamp refreshed my understanding of several important questions — for instance, how to ask a successful or failed founder the most effective questions, and why industry giants get displaced by startups over time as technology evolves. At the same time, 3Sigma Bootcamp introduced me to exceptional entrepreneurs and potential founders, teaching me how to identify top-tier founders.

Student C: Tenured professor, South China University of Technology

3Sigma Bootcamp brought together participants from diverse backgrounds, creating a harmonious and positive atmosphere. Participants could connect with those from similar backgrounds, while also learning cross-disciplinary and cross-sector developments across industries. The age range was quite broad too, from young people in their early twenties to university professors approaching forty. The intergenerational communication was immensely valuable.

Below are some highlights from 3Sigma Bootcamp.

01

What They've Walked, Experienced, and Accumulated

Qin Liu, Founding Partner of 5Y Capital, delivers the opening session

During 3Sigma Bootcamp, we invited over 20 heavyweight guests from various fields. They shared their experiences sincerely from perspectives of innovation, business, and philosophy of science, helping participants gain a deeper understanding of entrepreneurship.

Multiple unicorn founders shared on-site their practical experience in building companies from 0 to 1 and from 1 to N. Investors from 5Y Capital also shared years of accumulated venture capital insights.

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In sessions, participants brought their thoughts and perspectives, posing questions to guests ranging from technology to business, from strategy to management. Below are excerpts from some Q&A:

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02

The Ultimate Crossover Is Boundless

Innovation and cross-disciplinary thinking seem inseparable, which is why we invited cross-disciplinary guests to 3Sigma Bootcamp. Beyond the knowledge-dense "specialized courses," everyone sat together casually to discuss knowledge and perspectives beyond entrepreneurship.

The ultimate crossover breaks any boundary. For entrepreneurs who constantly push forward, spiritual resonance is not confined to any single domain.

Retired special forces soldier Pu Zhenghua shares his unique military experiences with participants

5Y Talk: Di Zhang, founder of本末科技, shares innovative applications of direct-drive technology

5Y Talk: Xutian Jing of 5Y Capital in conversation with Yan Tan of Unknown and Yuchong Wang of宸安生物

03

The You That Others See as Crazy

On the final day of 3Sigma Bootcamp, we held a "Demo Day" where 9 projects completed a practical exercise. Three awards were presented: Best Project, Craziest Project, and Most Popular.

Haotian Guo, founder of小熊猫生物, received the Best Project award.

Qin Liu, Founding Partner of 5Y Capital, commented: "Many people are doing technology innovation or product innovation, but they are doing methodology innovation. He found an approach fundamentally different from today's consensus. While this idea carries significant risk and uncertainty, it could potentially bring massive paradigm shifts and a different future to the industry."

Hanyang Wang, founder of the GAAS open-source autonomous drone software platform, received the Craziest Project award.

"Hanyang's project has enormous vision. It may seem like an irrational decision, but he possesses tremendous spiritual energy and has put in tremendous effort for it. This is what we mean when we say: the you that others see as crazy, starting to be believed," said Fei Zhang, Partner at 5Y Capital.

Ke Xu, founder of默达生物科技, and Xuechen Zhao, founder of Regenerative Bio, received the Most Popular award.

04

The Minority Outside 3Sigma

Together, We Are Kin

When a group of genuine, brilliant, and sharp young entrepreneurs gather, they can form a remarkable field in themselves. The greatest value of 3Sigma Bootcamp lies not merely in its curriculum.

We have always believed in the meaning of deep connections and the value of exchanges among kindred spirits. Loneliness is inevitable on the entrepreneurial journey, yet when you establish long-term, deep connections with mentally strong individuals, you gain tremendous positive spiritual energy. This is the meaning of 3Sigma Bootcamp — connecting founders across different industries, backgrounds, and ages.

In each participant's 3Sigma Bootcamp completion certificate, we wrote: "Wishing you fearlessness, resilience, perseverance, momentum, unstoppable force, and daily progress on your entrepreneurial journey. May you possess paradigm-breaking imagination — the kind of crazy that lies beyond 3Sigma."

This is also our wish for all entrepreneurs who dare to break paradigms. 5Y Capital hopes to be the partner that supports you, accompanies you, and goes through this journey with you.

Thank you to all partner organizations for their support of 3Sigma Bootcamp!

ACE Berkeley Chinese Entrepreneurship Association

ACSSPU Princeton Chinese Students and Scholars Association

AlbertaAI Alberta Artificial Intelligence Association

CBAIA China-Britain Artificial Intelligence Association

CMU China-US Innovation and Entrepreneurship Summit

Confederation of Chinese Alumni Associations

HCSSA Venture Club Harvard Ventures

KWCSSA Waterloo Chinese Students and Scholars Association

MITCEO

UTCSSA University of Toronto Chinese Students and Scholars Association (St. George Campus)

UTMIST

ID8 Lab

INTERACTIVE GIVEAWAY

Leave your understanding of 3Sigma, or any thoughts and reflections on entrepreneurship, in the comments. We will select 5 commenters to receive a 3Sigma Bootcamp commemorative tote bag. It's a small gift, but we hope it can carry some of 3Sigma Bootcamp's energy to you.

5Y Capital (formerly Morningside Venture Capital) currently manages approximately RMB 32 billion across USD and RMB dual-currency funds. 5Y Capital seeks out, supports, and inspires lonely entrepreneurs, providing support from spiritual to all operational aspects. We believe that if the you others see as crazy starts to be believed, the world will become a different place.

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