Lidia Yan and Elton Chung: A Love Story Fueling the Future of Logistics

By weaving empathy into technology, they’ve uplifted both drivers and businesses, cementing their place as role models for founders everywhere.

In the world of startups, it’s not uncommon to hear about dynamic founding duos changing the face of an industry. Less common, though, are stories where that powerhouse team also shares a life and a home. Lidia Yan and Elton Chung, co-founders of NEXT Trucking, have built a leading platform in the logistics world - while also growing together as partners in marriage. Their story proves that when you blend love, ambition and unwavering grit, you can achieve the extraordinary.

Humble Beginnings: Two Paths, One Vision

Before they launched NEXT Trucking, both Lidia and Elton were carving their own paths - each driven by a keen eye for opportunity and an intense work ethic. Lidia, originally from China, was always interested in business and customer-focused innovation. She studied in the U.S. and worked in various entrepreneurial ventures, including successful e-commerce startups where she honed her ability to identify market gaps and build solutions around them.

Elton, for his part, had developed a strong background in finance and operations. Quietly confident yet deeply analytical, he learned early on how to balance risk with growth, a skill that would become invaluable to the duo’s future endeavors. Both harbored a desire not just to succeed financially, but to leave a meaningful impact - one that would streamline industries and improve people’s lives.

An Unlikely Spark: Meeting and Falling in Love

Fate brought Lidia and Elton together in California’s bustling entrepreneurial scene. Mutual friends and networking events paved the way for introductions, but it was their deep conversations about business ideas, global markets and the challenges of modern supply chains that truly drew them closer. They discovered a mutual fascination with technology’s potential to solve large-scale problems, as well as a shared set of values revolving around family, integrity and respect.

What started as a professional friendship soon blossomed into something much more personal. They saw each other as equals, each bringing distinct strengths to the table - Lidia with her fearless approach to new ideas and Elton with his sharp analytical mind and operational know-how. Their connection grew stronger with every late-night brainstorming session, until it became clear that they weren’t just talking about building a company together - they wanted to build a life together.

Lidia Yan and Elton Chung - on Founders Couple (image by Techcruch)

A Wedding and a Bold Leap of Faith