YJ Lin
Senior Program Manager · Dell for Startups
📍 Round Rock, TX
Episode: From Volunteer to Visionary: How Dell’s YJ Lin Is Building Bridges Between Startups, Corporations, and Communities
About YJ
YJ Lin was recently named Volunteer of the Year by the Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce — a recognition that surprised him. He wasn’t looking for awards. He was just showing up. When tech layoffs hit Austin hard and ERG budgets were being cut, YJ reached out to other company leads anyway: what could they build together without worrying about money?
What followed was a multi-corporation collaboration uniting professionals from Dell, Oracle, National Instruments, Indeed, and others. In two years, a scrappy Zoom call became a 600-plus person event backed by nonprofits and the Austin Police Department. He’s now passing the baton to new leaders so it sustains beyond him.
By day, YJ leads Dell for Startups — connecting founders with Dell’s technology expertise, direct support lines, and strategic guidance so they aren’t Googling solutions at 2 AM. He also runs a 3D printing e-commerce shop with his brother from his garage. He sees both sides of the corporate-startup relationship clearly, and he’s building playbooks so other cities can replicate what Austin and Round Rock have built.
In Their Own Words
I didn’t care how much money people had. I just asked, ‘What could we build together?’
— YJ Lin, Senior Program Manager, Dell for Startups
Startups teach corporations how to move fast. Corporations teach startups how to scale sustainably. We need each other.
— YJ Lin, Senior Program Manager, Dell for Startups
Half of building community is just being present. Understanding people’s dreams. Their fears. And being there for both.
— YJ Lin, Senior Program Manager, Dell for Startups
Their Best Advice
Half of building community is just being present. Show up before you need something. Understand people’s dreams and their fears — and be there for both.
— YJ Lin
Connect with YJ