Physical AI start-up founder joins tech industry's definitive list of women shaping how artificial intelligence transforms foundational industries like manufacturing
BOSTON, July 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Laminar, the only physical AI company that powers Process-Aware Autonomy for self-driving factories, today announced that Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder Annie Lu was named to the 2026 100 Women in AI list — an annual recognition celebrating the women whose leadership and real-world impact shapes how AI gets built and deployed across the global economy.
Lu's selection draws from a pool of more than 1,000 nominations submitted from across the global innovation ecosystem — making the 2026 list one of the most competitive in the recognition's history. The honorees span founders, researchers, operators, and investors building AI across every sector, and Lu stands among the rare cohort applying Physical AI to deliver a paradigm shift in how process manufacturers simultaneously approach productivity and sustainability, operational goals that often conflict.
"Sustainability mandates are under greater pressure in every region of the world and at the same time process manufacturers face rising input costs alongside loss of expertise on the shop floor," said Annie Lu, Laminar Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder. "Manufacturing is at an existential tipping point, and yet, operators continue to face tradeoffs between productivity and sustainability as their most fundamental waste and inefficiencies go unsolved.
"Laminar's Physical AI is a new category of technology that reimagines productivity and sustainability as shared goals, powering previously untapped waste reduction and productivity gains through unprecedented visibility and AI-driven autonomous process control," Lu continued. "This recognition from 100 Women in AI reflects Laminar's role in the future of Frontier AI, and I am honored to be in the company of these visionary women shaping the future of technology."
Process manufacturing, spanning industries like Food & Beverage, Health & Beauty, and Pharmaceuticals, is one of the most resource-intensive industries in the world. Facilities globally face rising water stress, pressure to reduce chemical usage, and operational complexity as experienced operators retire and institutional knowledge walks out the door. Lu and her brother, David Lu, co-founded Laminar to solve the foundational challenge: replacing outdated, pre-programmed automation with AI-driven autonomous control that makes factories more productive and sustainable simultaneously.
Laminar Process-Aware Autonomy
Laminar pioneers a new category of Physical AI for process manufacturing that unlocks the full potential of more productive and sustainable production lines. The startup's Process-Aware Autonomy stack converts inefficient, pre-programmed automation to dynamic, self-driving processes that save time, chemicals, energy, and water — ultimately powering factories that are more agile and more sustainable.
- Process-Aware Sensors: Patented, inline sensors retrofit easily into existing infrastructure and generate a unique, digital fingerprint of what's flowing inside the pipe in real-time.
- Process-Aware AI: Factory-proven, foundational ML models interpret the digital fingerprints in the context of a specific manufacturing process to determine the current process state and autonomously drive the optimal next action.
- Process-Aware Insights: Laminar's trust layer that transforms millions of historical, real-time, and predictive process measurements into explainable decisions, verified savings, and actionable opportunities so operators can confidently run the best version of their factory.
Laminar Industry Recognition and Awards
Deployed across hundreds of lines on six continents with the top seven of the top ten global Food & Beverage companies like AB InBev, Coca-Cola, and Danone, Laminar's Process-Aware Autonomy delivers an average of 20% fewer chemicals used, 20% less water per cycle, and lines running 15% faster. At Unilever's Poznań facility alone, Laminar saved over €100,000 per line annually across just two lines.
The 100 Women in AI recognition adds to a growing body of distinction from the world's most demanding institutions. Laminar recently earned the 2026 WEF Technology Pioneer designation, received the 2026 FoodTech Innovation Award, won the 2026 Edison Award's Gold Award for the Manufacturing & Logistics category, was named AB InBev's 2024 Cheers Award for outstanding startup partnership, and earned Unilever's 2023 Supplier Startup of the Year. Laminar's solution is also deployed in World Economic Forum Lighthouse factories — a select group recognized for their leadership in cutting-edge industrial technology.
Headquartered at Greentown Labs in Somerville, MA — North America's leading cleantech community, Laminar is a woman-founded startup backed by top-tier investors, including Greycroft, Construct Capital, 2048 Ventures, and Flybridge Capital.
About 100 Women in AI
100 Women in AI is a definitive annual recognition produced by XFactor Ventures and Flybridge, celebrating the women spearheading technological advancement and creating measurable impact across the global AI ecosystem. Honorees are evaluated across six dimensions — seniority, accomplishments, pedigree, impact, influence, and innovation — with scoring weighted toward real-world impact and how honorees have shaped the way AI gets built and adopted.
About Laminar
Laminar's Process Aware Autonomy is an entirely new category of Physical AI reinventing how leading process manufacturers run more productive, sustainable factories. Our patented, inline sensors measure real-time fluid conditions in every production process, informing our factory-proven, foundational Process-Aware Models that interpret process states to drive optimal decisions that maintain quality standards and reduce waste. The Laminar Insights Platform serves as our trust layer for AI decision making and delivers real-time visibility into the time, water, chemical, and energy saved across every cycle, line, and facility. Across six continents, leading manufacturers like AB InBev, Coca-Cola, and Unilever trust Laminar to run their most critical processes and realize self-driving factories.
Learn more at runlaminar.com.
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
Laminar CEO & Co-Founder Annie Lu Named Top 100 Women in AI
- Participates in IFT 2026, the international food technology expo held in Chicago, U.S., from July 13 to 15
- Names its crystalline dietary fiber brand "Fibernova," signifying an innovative next-generation dietary fiber ingredient
- Presents metabolic research findings on Samyang Corporation's specialty food ingredients…showcases their potential applications in food product development to global customers
SEOUL, South Korea, July 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Samyang Corporation announced that it will participate in IFT (Institute of Food Technologists) 2026, the world's largest food technology expo, to be held in Chicago, U.S., from July 13 to 15, where it will unveil its new crystalline dietary fiber brand.
IFT is the world's largest food technology expo, bringing together more than 1,000 companies from approximately 80 countries. The event provides a platform to explore the latest technologies and trends in the global food industry and attracts more than 20,000 industry professionals each year. Samyang Corporation has participated in the event annually since 2017, showcasing its proprietary functional food ingredients and technological capabilities.
At this year's expo, Samyang Corporation will unveil "Fibernova" for the first time as the brand name for Kestose, its crystalline dietary fiber ingredient. The name Fibernova combines "Fiber" with "Nova," which signifies innovation, conveying the meaning of an "innovative next-generation dietary fiber ingredient."
Kestose is a type of fructooligosaccharide (FOS) and a prebiotic ingredient that serves as a food source for beneficial gut bacteria. It is a high-purity ingredient containing more than 99% fructooligosaccharides and, unlike conventional dietary fibers, can be produced in crystalline form. It also provides approximately 30% of the sweetness of sugar while containing only about 1% sugar, making it well suited for use in reduced-sugar products. Together, its crystalline form, high dietary fiber content, and near-zero sugar profile make it suitable for a wide range of applications, including functional beverages and other nutrition-focused products.
To help booth visitors better understand Fibernova, Samyang Corporation will offer powdered electrolyte drink sticks containing Fibernova as tasting samples. The samples are low in sugar and high in dietary fiber, while offering a clean drinking experience without powder clumping.
Samyang Corporation will also highlight its capabilities in customized product development by combining the strengths of its proprietary specialty food ingredients with the technological capabilities of its AI-powered sugar reduction solution, the 3S (Smart, Simple, Successful) Solution. When customers enter their desired sugar reduction target, product characteristics and cost requirements, the AI recommends the optimal combination and formulation ratios of Samyang Corporation's specialty ingredients. This helps reduce the time and cost required for initial formulation design, repeated sample testing and formulation adjustments.
At its exhibition booth, Samyang Corporation will also offer pectin gummy samples developed using the 3S Solution. The gummies use the alternative sweetener allulose and the soluble dietary fiber resistant maltodextrin to reduce sugar while maintaining the characteristic texture and flavor of gummy confectionery.
With the growth of the GLP-1-related market reshaping consumer eating habits and nutritional needs, the global food industry is increasingly focusing on the development of products that offer smaller portions with higher nutritional value, reduced sugar with added protein and dietary fiber, and longer-lasting satiety.
In response to these changes, Samyang Corporation has conducted research into how its specialty food ingredients, including allulose, kestose, and resistant maltodextrin, affect metabolic responses such as postprandial blood glucose levels, as well as the gut environment. At the exhibition, the company shared its research findings with visiting customers and highlighted the characteristics of each ingredient and its potential applications in food product development.
"In developing reduced-sugar products, it is essential to reduce the amount of sugar used while maintaining excellent taste and texture," said Jung Jisuk, Head of the Food Business Unit at Samyang Corporation. "Based on our 3S Solution and specialty food ingredients, Samyang Corporation will continue to strengthen its capabilities to support customized product development and respond quickly to the diverse needs of global food companies."
Meanwhile, Samyang Corporation continues to expand its presence in the global food ingredients market through Fibernova, alongside its allulose brand Nexweet and resistant maltodextrin brand Fiberest. Allulose is an almost zero-calorie alternative sweetener that provides approximately 70% of the sweetness of sugar, while resistant maltodextrin is a soluble dietary fiber that may help support regular bowel movements, suppress postprandial increases in blood glucose levels and improve blood triglyceride levels.
SEOUL, South Korea, July 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Samyang Corporation announced that it will participate in IFT (Institute of Food Technologists) 2026, the world's largest food technology expo, to be held in Chicago, U.S., from July 13 to 15, where it will unveil its new crystalline dietary fiber brand.
IFT is the world's largest food technology expo, bringing together more than 1,000 companies from approximately 80 countries. The event provides a platform to explore the latest technologies and trends in the global food industry and attracts more than 20,000 industry professionals each year. Samyang Corporation has participated in the event annually since 2017, showcasing its proprietary functional food ingredients and technological capabilities.
At this year's expo, Samyang Corporation will unveil "Fibernova" for the first time as the brand name for Kestose, its crystalline dietary fiber ingredient. The name Fibernova combines "Fiber" with "Nova," which signifies innovation, conveying the meaning of an "innovative next-generation dietary fiber ingredient."
Kestose is a type of fructooligosaccharide (FOS) and a prebiotic ingredient that serves as a food source for beneficial gut bacteria. It is a high-purity ingredient containing more than 99% fructooligosaccharides and, unlike conventional dietary fibers, can be produced in crystalline form. It also provides approximately 30% of the sweetness of sugar while containing only about 1% sugar, making it well suited for use in reduced-sugar products. Together, its crystalline form, high dietary fiber content, and near-zero sugar profile make it suitable for a wide range of applications, including functional beverages and other nutrition-focused products.
To help booth visitors better understand Fibernova, Samyang Corporation will offer powdered electrolyte drink sticks containing Fibernova as tasting samples. The samples are low in sugar and high in dietary fiber, while offering a clean drinking experience without powder clumping.
Samyang Corporation will also highlight its capabilities in customized product development by combining the strengths of its proprietary specialty food ingredients with the technological capabilities of its AI-powered sugar reduction solution, the 3S (Smart, Simple, Successful) Solution. When customers enter their desired sugar reduction target, product characteristics and cost requirements, the AI recommends the optimal combination and formulation ratios of Samyang Corporation's specialty ingredients. This helps reduce the time and cost required for initial formulation design, repeated sample testing and formulation adjustments.
At its exhibition booth, Samyang Corporation will also offer pectin gummy samples developed using the 3S Solution. The gummies use the alternative sweetener allulose and the soluble dietary fiber resistant maltodextrin to reduce sugar while maintaining the characteristic texture and flavor of gummy confectionery.
With the growth of the GLP-1-related market reshaping consumer eating habits and nutritional needs, the global food industry is increasingly focusing on the development of products that offer smaller portions with higher nutritional value, reduced sugar with added protein and dietary fiber, and longer-lasting satiety.
In response to these changes, Samyang Corporation has conducted research into how its specialty food ingredients, including allulose, kestose, and resistant maltodextrin, affect metabolic responses such as postprandial blood glucose levels, as well as the gut environment. At the exhibition, the company shared its research findings with visiting customers and highlighted the characteristics of each ingredient and its potential applications in food product development.
"In developing reduced-sugar products, it is essential to reduce the amount of sugar used while maintaining excellent taste and texture," said Jung Jisuk, Head of the Food Business Unit at Samyang Corporation. "Based on our 3S Solution and specialty food ingredients, Samyang Corporation will continue to strengthen its capabilities to support customized product development and respond quickly to the diverse needs of global food companies."
Meanwhile, Samyang Corporation continues to expand its presence in the global food ingredients market through Fibernova, alongside its allulose brand Nexweet and resistant maltodextrin brand Fiberest. Allulose is an almost zero-calorie alternative sweetener that provides approximately 70% of the sweetness of sugar, while resistant maltodextrin is a soluble dietary fiber that may help support regular bowel movements, suppress postprandial increases in blood glucose levels and improve blood triglyceride levels.
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
Samyang Corporation Unveils New Crystalline Dietary Fiber Brand 'Fibernova' at IFT 2026
