Former Amazon Exec Launches Neue Alchemy: A Post-AI Venture Studio Built by Veterans from AWS, Nike, Agility Robotics, Upwork, and Lyft

Founded by Isaiah Steinfeld and a team of experienced operators from Agility Robotics, Nike, Lyft, and Fiverr, Neue Alchemy is committed to transforming bold ideas into impactful ventures at the intersection of technology and brand. The founding team combines expertise across technology, community building, design, and innovation to drive impactful solutions.

"Neue Alchemy is here to help organizations navigate what's next—this new innovation cycle is always-on and requires transformation today while enabling big companies to keep pace," said Steinfeld. "We merge the strategic mindset of big tech with the creative instincts of bold brands to drive real execution at startup speed."

Founding Team

• Isaiah Steinfeld – Founder & Chief Executive Officer
  Innovation executive experienced in building and scaling ventures for Fortune 100 companies. Led global startup programs at AWS, including Activate and GenAI strategy. As a founding member of Nike Valiant Labs, he helped build and scale the innovation arm and launched new ventures for Nike. At VF Corp, he developed businesses that enhanced brands like Vans and The North Face.
• Justin Wang – Builder-in-Residence | Robotics, Autonomous, & EV
  Systems engineering leader with experience at Agility Robotics, NIO, and Daimler Truck AG focused on autonomous vehicles.
• Maggie McGowan – Executive-in-Residence | Fashion, Design & AI
  Former Startup Design Executive and design leader at Michael Kors Collection, known for leading runway and commercial designs. Co-author of "The Banner Test," exploring the intersection of aesthetics and AI.
• Matt Jensen – GM, Alchemist Network
  Former global community leader at Fiverr, early team member at Lyft, and brand growth leader at Upwork.
• David Monhait – Operating Partner
  Former Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Nike Valiant Labs and co-founder of DIVERTbrands, specializing in technology and culture. Retail analytics and digital product leader at The Seaker Group.
• Zach Adamson – Operating Partner
  Former Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Nike Valiant Labs and co-founder of DIVERTbrands, specializing in immersive experiences for action sports. Retail innovation leader at The Seaker Group.

Empowering Innovation Across Industries
Neue Alchemy is a specialized innovation partner that helps organizations transform emerging technologies and innovative concepts into tangible business outcomes. Operating at the intersection of corporate strategy, venture building, and technology commercialization, Neue Alchemy empowers enterprises, founders, and investors to build, validate, and scale new ventures with startup-like agility.

The firm's comprehensive services span corporate venture building, innovation capability development, ecosystem creation, strategic advisory, and growth acceleration. With particular expertise in advanced technologies including AI, robotics, and autonomy, Neue Alchemy guides organizations through the entire innovation journey—from ideation to market impact.

What distinguishes Neue Alchemy is its holistic approach to innovation, combining strategic vision with practical execution to help clients future-proof their businesses, unlock new revenue streams, and establish sustainable innovation practices across their organizations.

The team brings extensive experience from:

• Shaping GenAI product strategy at AWS, supporting 330K+ startups through platforms like Activate and Startups.AWS.
• Advancing humanoid robotics at Agility Robotics.
• Leading systems engineering projects at Daimler Truck AG for autonomous vehicles.
• Incubating Nike-backed startups at Valiant Labs and Advanced Innovation.
• Building digital communities and creator ecosystems at Fiverr, Upwork, and Lyft.
• Bringing high-fashion expertise from Michael Kors Collection runway design to "The Banner Test," exploring visual reasoning in AI.

By fusing technical execution with brand fluency, Neue Alchemy is positioned to build market-ready solutions with a focus on mobility, GenAI, commerce, design, and robotics.

Introducing the Alchemist Network | Website: www.neuealchemy.com/builders
In conjunction with the studio launch, Neue Alchemy unveils the Alchemist Network—a dynamic talent and partner ecosystem designed to support venture execution. This includes:

• Skilled freelancers and creative operators
• Boutique agencies for collaborative co-building
• Corporate innovation teams seeking startup partnerships
• Startups and VCs aiming for rapid scaling and enterprise GTM support
• Strategic technology partnerships with leading AI and cloud platforms

"The Alchemist Network combines human expertise with AI capabilities to create an unparalleled innovation ecosystem—connecting specialized talent with cutting-edge tools to build breakthrough projects at the pace required in today's rapidly evolving marketplace," said Steinfeld.

A Live Case Study: ALCHMY Coffee | Website: www.alchmycoffee.com

Inside Neue Alchemy Labs, the team launched ALCHMY Coffee, an autonomous, small-batch DTC brand developed in under two weeks. As a living case study, this project showcases how to launch a physical brand in a modern, GenAI-enabled economy.

"ALCHMY Coffee is a working case study of how to launch physical brands in a post-AI world," said Steinfeld. "We built it in under two weeks as a test of what's possible—an autonomous, small-batch coffee brand where beans, roasting, packaging, payment processing, fulfillment and marketing are automated or GenAI driven. It's both a real product for real customers and a live demonstration of what DTC brands can become with the right mix of AI tools and human creativity." ALCHMY Coffee & Neue Alchemy are nominees for Fast Company's 2025 Innovation by Design awards in the AI Design and On the Rise categories.

What's Next
Neue Alchemy will soon open applications for its Fellowship and Learning Platform—offering guided entry points into venture building, innovation strategy, and emerging tech for the next generation of operators, creatives, and founders.

For early access, speaking opportunities, or collaboration inquiries, email: [email protected]

About Neue Alchemy
Neue Alchemy is a next-gen venture studio and innovation consultancy designed for the post-AI landscape that transforms emerging technologies into market-defining ventures. Founded in 2025 by veterans from AWS, Nike, Agility Robotics, Michael Kors, Upwork, and Lyft, we operate at the intersection of AI, mobility, design, culture, and commerce. In addition, our team works alongside the Alchemist Network—a diverse ecosystem of specialized talent, agencies, and corporate partners—to build ventures that matter.

Contact: [email protected]
Website: www.neuealchemy.com

SOURCE Neue Alchemy