Rest of World -...
Crunchyroll is trying to turn India into a nation of anime lovers
The world’s largest anime streaming service is opening its second local office, working with...
4 months ago
The world’s largest anime streaming service is opening its second local office, working with Bollywood stars, and adding dozens of shows per quarter.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
And then, suddenly, it works
The other day a friend was demoing a new app he was working on. My first reaction was: “Yeah, yeah....
over a year ago
The other day a friend was demoing a new app he was working on. My first reaction was: “Yeah, yeah. This is nicely executed version one of…
Data Boutique
Stop Scraping H&M (And Other Things Live on Data Boutique)
Web Scraped Data Catalog June 2023
a year ago
Web Scraped Data Catalog June 2023
Rest of World -...
The fastest-growing countries for software development, according to GitHub
New data shows a rising tide of coders in Bangladesh and Nigeria.
10 months ago
New data shows a rising tide of coders in Bangladesh and Nigeria.
Noahpinion
The U.S. would be insane to go it alone on trade and manufacturing
Punching down on our allies will not help the middle class.
8 months ago
Punching down on our allies will not help the middle class.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things: Nerdy economics edition (#54)
The DBCFT; Construction productivity and regulation; Rationality and complexity; U.S. productivity...
2 weeks ago
The DBCFT; Construction productivity and regulation; Rationality and complexity; U.S. productivity growth; Demand-side inflation; Health care monopsony and innovation
Paul Graham: Essays
Disconnecting Distraction
over a year ago
Platformer
Apple prepares for a platform shift
Will the Reality Pro be the metaverse’s iPhone moment?
a year ago
Will the Reality Pro be the metaverse’s iPhone moment?
Essays - Benedict...
Metaverse! Metaverse? Metaverse!!
‘Metaverse’ is the buzzword of the moment, yet it doesn’t really exist as
more than a label on a...
over a year ago
‘Metaverse’ is the buzzword of the moment, yet it doesn’t really exist as
more than a label on a whiteboard, and many of the ideas it tries to
combine might not happen, or not like that. This might be the new
‘information highway.’ But however it works, some kind of...
XO Capital - Field...
What business are you really in?
I spoke with an entrepreneur recently who, after 5 years of running a successful and growing...
8 months ago
I spoke with an entrepreneur recently who, after 5 years of running a successful and growing business, said "After 5 years I finally know the real business we're in.".
It means they outwardly do X but on the inside the hard part is Y.
As an
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Godot Isn't Making it
Before we get going — please enjoy my speech from Web Summit, Why Are All Tech Products Now Shit? I...
2 weeks ago
Before we get going — please enjoy my speech from Web Summit, Why Are All Tech Products Now Shit? I didn’t write the title.
What if what we're seeing today isn't a glimpse of the future, but the new terms of the present? What
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"The Not So Global Internet"
Fred Wilson writes about how frustrating it is when companies break the internet: We are in the...
over a year ago
Fred Wilson writes about how frustrating it is when companies break the internet: We are in the caribbean this week celebrating the year end…
SatPost by Trung...
Trader Joe's: The Anti-Grocer
The grocer created a cult brand with sales of $16B+ a year by doing the opposite of industry...
a year ago
The grocer created a cult brand with sales of $16B+ a year by doing the opposite of industry best-practices (from wages to product to ads).
Noahpinion
Four years of Noahpinion
What happened to the world in 2024, and what I wrote about it
4 weeks ago
What happened to the world in 2024, and what I wrote about it
Rest of World -...
Alibaba.com’s U.S. expansion hinges on wooing mom-and-pop shops
President Kuo Zhang tells Rest of World in an exclusive interview that the company is bullish about...
3 months ago
President Kuo Zhang tells Rest of World in an exclusive interview that the company is bullish about the U.S. market.
Noahpinion
Go read some Vernor Vinge
R.I.P. to my favorite science fiction author
9 months ago
R.I.P. to my favorite science fiction author
Working Theorys
Writer-Builders
Theory #39 | The archetype of new kind of renaissance man
7 months ago
Theory #39 | The archetype of new kind of renaissance man
Working Theorys
Pursuits that can’t scale
What you should do "instead of going to therapy”
10 months ago
What you should do "instead of going to therapy”
42!
Embracing AI
I could only avoid AI in my startup for so long before I actually found a
use for it… How I used...
a year ago
I could only avoid AI in my startup for so long before I actually found a
use for it… How I used ChatGPT to make the life of my support team easier.
SatPost by Trung...
YouTube: The Learning Machine
Can YouTube have a similar impact on education as the printing press did? Yes, and the explosion of...
7 months ago
Can YouTube have a similar impact on education as the printing press did? Yes, and the explosion of sports footage on the platform helps to explain why.
Tom Blomfield
Automating Customer Service at a Startup
Customer service can make or break a company; it has been one of the key differentiators as a new...
over a year ago
Customer service can make or break a company; it has been one of the key differentiators as a new generation of startups seeks to compete against incumbents. While people remember examples of awesome customer service, the opposite is also true.
At GoCardless, we decided early on...
Rest of World -...
ByteDance shuts down its WhatsApp clone in Africa
TikTok’s owner launched LetsChat in 2021, aimed at young Africans and boosted by heavy marketing,...
9 months ago
TikTok’s owner launched LetsChat in 2021, aimed at young Africans and boosted by heavy marketing, but it couldn’t crack WhatsApp’s dominance.
Stephen Diehl
From Adjunctions to Monads
over a year ago
Internal Tech Emails
Google considers buying stake in Epic
investment was the only way people could realistically think of to sway them on Epic's approach to...
11 months ago
investment was the only way people could realistically think of to sway them on Epic's approach to Android
Rest of World -...
The politics of Africa’s TikTok bans
TikTok was recently banned in Senegal and Somalia, and there have been efforts to do the same in...
a year ago
TikTok was recently banned in Senegal and Somalia, and there have been efforts to do the same in Kenya, Uganda, and Egypt.
Unpacked
Data Scraping in the Spotlight: Are Language Models Overstepping by Training on Everyone's Content?
As I wrapped up the research for this piece and was about to start writing, OpenAI had a perfect...
a year ago
As I wrapped up the research for this piece and was about to start writing, OpenAI had a perfect announcement to go with it - they are temporarily disabling the “Browse with Bing" feature on ChatGPT. If you haven’t used it before, this is a feature available to paying Plus users....
Stephen Diehl
Haskell for Web Developers
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
How Prime Video failed so spectacularly in Africa
Filmmakers, critics, and users blame the platform’s struggle in Africa on poor user experience, a...
9 months ago
Filmmakers, critics, and users blame the platform’s struggle in Africa on poor user experience, a lack of local content, and mediocre publicity.
Rest of World -...
India’s persistent, gendered digital divide
As the government moves towards gender parity, India’s glaring digital gap is an extension of all...
a year ago
As the government moves towards gender parity, India’s glaring digital gap is an extension of all the biases women contend with.
Rest of World -...
Uber drivers are melting amid Nigeria’s historic heat wave and record fuel prices
As temperatures soar and fuel prices triple, drivers are having to choose between their health and...
9 months ago
As temperatures soar and fuel prices triple, drivers are having to choose between their health and livelihood.
Rest of World -...
What it takes to raise a $300 million VC fund for Africa
Tidjane Deme talks about convincing investors to back Africa-focused tech funds amid a global...
8 months ago
Tidjane Deme talks about convincing investors to back Africa-focused tech funds amid a global funding slump.
Noahpinion
Will Elon Musk kill Substack?
The fragmentation of the internet gets a push.
a year ago
The fragmentation of the internet gets a push.
Rest of World -...
Amazon and Walmart didn’t defeat India’s mom-and-pop stores. But rapid delivery might
Services like Blinkit and Zepto are estimated to put more than 25% of India’s neighborhood kirana...
a month ago
Services like Blinkit and Zepto are estimated to put more than 25% of India’s neighborhood kirana stores out of business by 2030.
Noahpinion
The Super-Scary Theory of the 21st Century (repost)
The haunting specter of techno-authoritarianism has only gotten more haunting
a year ago
The haunting specter of techno-authoritarianism has only gotten more haunting
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for your weekend (#36)
The silent majority and the Palestine protests; immigration is fine; batteries make solar work;...
7 months ago
The silent majority and the Palestine protests; immigration is fine; batteries make solar work; building warships in Japan; the decels of the Right
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Chris Sacca on the implied user contract
Chris Sacca nicely summarized today’s FB vs Google vs Twitter controversy: It comes down to what...
over a year ago
Chris Sacca nicely summarized today’s FB vs Google vs Twitter controversy: It comes down to what each company has promised its users…
Rest of World -...
Investors are unsettled as funding is drying up for Africa’s startup ecosystem
As funding to Africa’s once fast-growing startup ecosystem dries up, industry insiders are worried...
a year ago
As funding to Africa’s once fast-growing startup ecosystem dries up, industry insiders are worried that the ecosystem is unprepared.
AVC
What Does “Native” Mean
When a new technology comes to market, we often look for “native” applications of that technology....
a year ago
When a new technology comes to market, we often look for “native” applications of that technology. What is a “native” AI application? What is a “native” Web3 application? I have not seen a better articulation of “native” than my partner Albert’s post from 2009 on native mobile...
Rest of World -...
Another week, another push to “Make in India”
The Indian government mandates companies to get a license if they want to import laptops, tablets,...
a year ago
The Indian government mandates companies to get a license if they want to import laptops, tablets, and PCs. Experts call it “protectionism.”
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Machine learning is really good at partially solving just about any problem
There’s a saying in artificial intelligence circles that techniques like machine learning (and NLP)...
over a year ago
There’s a saying in artificial intelligence circles that techniques like machine learning (and NLP) can very quickly get you, say, 80% of…
Working Theorys
What I Talk About When I Talk About Reading
Optimize your life for good conversations.
7 months ago
Optimize your life for good conversations.
SatPost by Trung...
Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Art of Re-invention
The icon's biggest financial film success came from his riskiest bet: the comedy "Twins".
a year ago
The icon's biggest financial film success came from his riskiest bet: the comedy "Twins".
Noahpinion
The student debt revolt failed, but Millennials will be fine
My generation will bear some minor economic scars into our prosperous middle age.
a year ago
My generation will bear some minor economic scars into our prosperous middle age.
AVC
My Year-End Playlist
As usual, here are some songs that stuck with me this year. fredwilson · Backing It When No One...
over a year ago
As usual, here are some songs that stuck with me this year. fredwilson · Backing It When No One Believed I hope you enjoy it.
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
🪄 Growth Magic
4 months ago
Noahpinion
Repost: Someone has to run the fabs
Egalitarianism is important but we neglect STEM education at our peril
a year ago
Egalitarianism is important but we neglect STEM education at our peril
SatPost by Trung...
Francis Ford Coppola: The Entrepreneur
Exploring the legendary director's business career in 8 films, a studio and a winery.
3 months ago
Exploring the legendary director's business career in 8 films, a studio and a winery.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"There's no way to tell where the border is between measurement and manipulation"
Jaron Lanier discussing whether machine learning systems like Netflix recommendations, Facebook's...
over a year ago
Jaron Lanier discussing whether machine learning systems like Netflix recommendations, Facebook's newsfeed, Google search etc are…
Tech + Economics +...
The block button is the ultimate source of dopamine. Use it.
I’m seeing this debate pop up on Threads and Mastodon, and I’ve speed-run
the whole discourse so...
a year ago
I’m seeing this debate pop up on Threads and Mastodon, and I’ve speed-run
the whole discourse so many times from Twitter to Bluesky that I’m
exhausted. But let me be clear. It's perfectly okay to use the block
function on any and every single platform. Block whoever you...
Noahpinion
If Trump loses the election, our nation can finally rest
Let's not bring back the wacky 2010s.
a month ago
Let's not bring back the wacky 2010s.
Rest of World -...
Inside Foxconn’s struggle to make iPhones in India
Chinese engineers are flying to India to train the next generation of iPhone builders.
a year ago
Chinese engineers are flying to India to train the next generation of iPhone builders.
Noahpinion
Here...comes...INDIA!!!
The world has a new largest country, and it's on the move.
a year ago
The world has a new largest country, and it's on the move.
Blog posts of...
How to use Gmail more efficiently
I usually I blog about Angellist but I have shown this “lifehack” to so many people that I thought...
over a year ago
I usually I blog about Angellist but I have shown this “lifehack” to so many people that I thought it’s worth it’s own blogpost...
Platformer
The surgeon general's warning is a wake-up call for social networks
A growing body of evidence suggests that social products pose significant risks to teenagers
a year ago
A growing body of evidence suggests that social products pose significant risks to teenagers
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
🙈 Copying doesn’t matter
a month ago
Tom Blomfield
Startup Series Part 1: Interviewing Engineers
There’s been a huge volume of literature written on the subject of startup methodologies and...
over a year ago
There’s been a huge volume of literature written on the subject of startup methodologies and philosophies. This is a positive thing for the ecosystem - just as new software tools mean it’s simpler and cheaper to start a company, these methodologies allow first-time entrepreneurs...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Question from a reader
I’ve gotten some emails recently from readers of this blog with questions about early stage...
over a year ago
I’ve gotten some emails recently from readers of this blog with questions about early stage startups. I’m sorry if I haven’t responded to…
Tom Blomfield
Automate Everything
Performing manual, repetitive tasks enrages me. I used to think this was a corollary of being a...
over a year ago
Performing manual, repetitive tasks enrages me. I used to think this was a corollary of being a programmer, but I’ve come to suspect (or hope) that this behaviour is inherent in being human.
But being able to hack together scripts simply makes it much easier to go from a state of...
Rest of World -...
Singapore’s gig workers worry new benefits could mean lower pay
A first-in-the-region law gives gig workers injury compensation and retirement benefits. But some...
2 months ago
A first-in-the-region law gives gig workers injury compensation and retirement benefits. But some workers fears the higher costs will be passed on to them.
Rest of World -...
The chatbot answering modern-day questions about an ancient religion
JainGPT answers inquiries ranging from “What is Jainism?” to “What happens after we die?”
2 months ago
JainGPT answers inquiries ranging from “What is Jainism?” to “What happens after we die?”
Tom Blomfield
Customer churn can kill your startup
Startups are about growth, and of all the different possible metrics, startups often focus on user...
over a year ago
Startups are about growth, and of all the different possible metrics, startups often focus on user growth - if people aren’t using your new product or service in greater and greater numbers, it’s a good sign that you’re not on the right track. And, as long as your business-model...
Unpacked
IRS Direct Tax Filing: the end of Intuit's lobbying
Thirty-eight years since the launch of e-filing, the IRS will pilot its own tax filing system ending...
a year ago
Thirty-eight years since the launch of e-filing, the IRS will pilot its own tax filing system ending two decades of Intuit's regulatory capture of the tax software market
Working Theorys
The Prestige-Prosperity Gap
We expect prestige and wealth to grow in tandem. When status goes up, wealth goes up...
5 months ago
We expect prestige and wealth to grow in tandem. When status goes up, wealth goes up proportionately, and vice versa. But the modern world is a lot messier. There can be bizarre mismatches between prestige and prosperity. Some people have social or professional status far...
Platformer
Why Substack is at a crossroads
Some thoughts on platforms and Nazis
11 months ago
Some thoughts on platforms and Nazis
XO Capital - Field...
Consolidating Our Portfolio
💡
We've finally rolled out a small community of folks interested in acquiring saas businesses. The...
9 months ago
💡
We've finally rolled out a small community of folks interested in acquiring saas businesses. The first few weeks of it have been a delight. It's the highlight of my week chatting with other people interested in this space. Join us! https://notes.xo.capital/community/
Rest of World -...
Writers and publishers in Singapore reject a government plan to train AI on their work
Singapore's literary community is pushing back against an official effort to train LLMs using their...
7 months ago
Singapore's literary community is pushing back against an official effort to train LLMs using their published works, part of a growing global resistance.
Platformer
How a single engineer brought down Twitter on Monday
The high cost of cutting expenses
a year ago
The high cost of cutting expenses
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
over a year ago
Platformer
Yes, Elon Musk created a special system for showing you all his tweets first
After his Super Bowl tweet did worse numbers than President Biden’s, Twitter’s CEO ordered major...
a year ago
After his Super Bowl tweet did worse numbers than President Biden’s, Twitter’s CEO ordered major changes to the algorithm
David Perell
28 Pieces of Life Advice
In honor of my 28th birthday, here are 28 pieces of life advice.
The post 28 Pieces of Life Advice...
over a year ago
In honor of my 28th birthday, here are 28 pieces of life advice.
The post 28 Pieces of Life Advice appeared first on David Perell.
Platformer
Microsoft kickstarts the AI arms race
The relaunched Bing does research, writes emails, and just might hit Google where it hurts
a year ago
The relaunched Bing does research, writes emails, and just might hit Google where it hurts
Rest of World -...
Download this: The world’s favorite apps
Test your knowledge of the world’s most popular social media sites, dating apps, gaming platforms,...
4 months ago
Test your knowledge of the world’s most popular social media sites, dating apps, gaming platforms, and more.
Rest of World -...
When Nigeria banned Twitter, Koo had a golden opportunity, and squandered it
Even the government officials who championed the Twitter competitor have stopped using it.
a year ago
Even the government officials who championed the Twitter competitor have stopped using it.
Paul Graham: Essays
Why to Start a Startup in a Bad Economy
over a year ago
Internal Tech Emails
"[Steve Ballmer] thinks we ought to admit that Windows 98 will be a yawner"
Since the press gave Billg & Steveb a hard time this week at the press retreat, Steveb is panic’d...
over a year ago
Since the press gave Billg & Steveb a hard time this week at the press retreat, Steveb is panic’d that we are setting expectations too high on Windows 98. He thinks we ought to come out and admit that Windows 98 will be a yawner.
Roberto's blog
Decision matrices as a thinking tool
Some decisions require comparing multiple options where it’s not immediately apparent which is best....
6 months ago
Some decisions require comparing multiple options where it’s not immediately apparent which is best. One common way of doing that is to list the pros and cons of each option. For example, option A lists low latency as a pro, while option B lists high throughput as a pro. But do...
AVC
Empire AI
Last summer I sat down with Tom Secunda, who co-founded Bloomberg LP with Mike Bloomberg, to talk...
11 months ago
Last summer I sat down with Tom Secunda, who co-founded Bloomberg LP with Mike Bloomberg, to talk about areas of shared philanthropic interest. Tom told me that academic institutions do not have access to the kind of AI/ML infrastructure that the top tech companies have and he...
Noahpinion
Yes, we still have to work
The automated luxury paradise is still just science fiction.
5 months ago
The automated luxury paradise is still just science fiction.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Some problems are so hard they need to be solved piece by piece
Andrew Parker had a great post a few years ago where he sketched out all the startups going after...
over a year ago
Andrew Parker had a great post a few years ago where he sketched out all the startups going after pieces of Craigslist: Startups that have…
Rest of World -...
Chinese EV sellers found a loophole to export cars around the world
A gray market grows for Chinese EVs in Russia, the Middle East, and beyond.
10 months ago
A gray market grows for Chinese EVs in Russia, the Middle East, and beyond.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Comma.ai
I wrote a blog post last month highlighting some of the exciting trends in the computing industry....
over a year ago
I wrote a blog post last month highlighting some of the exciting trends in the computing industry. One trend I discussed is the rapid…
Aaron's Essays
Asking questions
Small children are great at asking questions. Their questions are simple, direct, and utterly...
over a year ago
Small children are great at asking questions. Their questions are simple, direct, and utterly without ego. If you spend time with 2-5 year olds, you’ll find yourself answering a near infinite series of progressively more challenging questions. This is one of the main paths by...
Working Theorys
The "High Potential" Handicap | Theory No. 20
"Smart" kids are always praised for their high potential. They’re deemed inherently capable of so...
a year ago
"Smart" kids are always praised for their high potential. They’re deemed inherently capable of so much, largely because of their natural talents. They can do anything they want, if they just try.
Stephen Diehl
Dive into GHC: Targeting Core
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
Teaching inmates in Argentina to make video games in prison
“Gaming studios need employees, and the formerly incarcerated need a place to work once they’re...
a year ago
“Gaming studios need employees, and the formerly incarcerated need a place to work once they’re released.”
Stephen Diehl
Gamestop, Bitcoin and the Commoditization of Populist Rage
over a year ago
The Thinking Cap
Your Platform Is as Strong as Its Identity Layer
Analyzing platforms through a layered cake of identity, social networking, and super apps.
over a year ago
Analyzing platforms through a layered cake of identity, social networking, and super apps.
Rest of World -...
Apple’s biggest competition in India? Used iPhone sellers
“We give them the same phone, in the same brand-new condition,” says one seller.
a year ago
“We give them the same phone, in the same brand-new condition,” says one seller.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Why you shouldn’t keep your startup idea secret
A frequent question entrepreneurs have when they are just starting their company is: how secretive...
over a year ago
A frequent question entrepreneurs have when they are just starting their company is: how secretive should I be about my idea? My answer…
Ed Zitron's Where's...
They're Looting The Internet
Last week, Meta revealed (in a motion trying to dismiss an FTC anti-monopoly lawsuit) that Instagram...
8 months ago
Last week, Meta revealed (in a motion trying to dismiss an FTC anti-monopoly lawsuit) that Instagram made an astonishing $32.4 billion in advertising revenue in 2021. That figure becomes even more shocking when you consider Google's YouTube made $28.8 billion in the same period....
Noahpinion
What drove Asian and Hispanic voters to the right in 2024
A guest post by Dhaaruni Sreenivas.
a month ago
A guest post by Dhaaruni Sreenivas.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
What’s Next in Computing?
The computing industry progresses in two mostly independent cycles: financial and product cycles....
over a year ago
The computing industry progresses in two mostly independent cycles: financial and product cycles. There has been a lot of handwringing…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Capitalism just like Adam Smith pictured it
From far away, things that are very different look alike. I grew up in a family of musicians and...
over a year ago
From far away, things that are very different look alike. I grew up in a family of musicians and English professors. To them, the entire…
SatPost by Trung...
Jerry Seinfeld, Ichiro Suzuki and the Pursuit of Mastery
Notes from the 1987 Esquire magazine issue that inspired Jerry Seinfeld to "pursue mastery [because]...
7 months ago
Notes from the 1987 Esquire magazine issue that inspired Jerry Seinfeld to "pursue mastery [because] that will fulfill your life".
Rest of World -...
Breaking down the world’s tariffs against China’s tech industry
President-elect Donald Trump pledges to escalate the trade war, but non-Western nations have...
3 weeks ago
President-elect Donald Trump pledges to escalate the trade war, but non-Western nations have targeted China with tariffs, too.
Unpacked
2024 Predictions: AI, Media, Advertising & more
They say predictions is a bad business - You get it right, people say "duh". You get it wrong, you...
11 months ago
They say predictions is a bad business - You get it right, people say "duh". You get it wrong, you are terribly wrong. So, of course we are kicking off with 2024 tech predictions. Listen in for hot takes across AI, Media, Advertising & more.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Naming your startup
The Name Inspector has a good post today regarding 6 naming myths to ignore. I think it’s generally...
over a year ago
The Name Inspector has a good post today regarding 6 naming myths to ignore. I think it’s generally right on. Naming is so important and…
Business Brainstorms
Squeeze page builders, better Bible App, why you're stuck, 1X vs. 2x Founders, talk to people!
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write...
a year ago
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write this email to share the most interesting trends, frameworks, opportunities, and ideas with you. Let's dive in! 💡 Opportunities “There is a desperate need for new software devs in the...
Rest of World -...
The entrepreneur navigating fintech’s ups and downs for 15 years
Bipin Preet Singh is the co-founder and CEO of Indian fintech major MobiKwik.
9 months ago
Bipin Preet Singh is the co-founder and CEO of Indian fintech major MobiKwik.
Paul Graham: Essays
The 18 Mistakes That Kill Startups
over a year ago
Business Brainstorms
Feedback panel SaaS, gift ideas, selling futures, industrial grade calendaring, ...
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write...
a year ago
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write this email to share the most interesting trends, frameworks, opportunities, and ideas with you. Let's dive in! 💡 Opportunities “An idea for an AI tool I'd love to use — I upload chat...
Steve Blank
How Saboteurs Threaten Innovation–and What to Do About It
“Only the Paranoid Survive” Andy Grove – Intel CEO 1987-1998 I just had an urgent “can we meet...
2 months ago
“Only the Paranoid Survive” Andy Grove – Intel CEO 1987-1998 I just had an urgent “can we meet today?” coffee with Rohan, an ex-student. His three-year-old startup had been slapped with a notice of patent infringement from a Fortune 500 company. “My lawyers said defending this...
essay – snarfed.org
COVID was bad for the climate
William Cho The standard narrative on COVID and the climate is: People worked from home, cancelled...
over a year ago
William Cho The standard narrative on COVID and the climate is: People worked from home, cancelled travel plans, cut down overall consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions fell drastically. It’s great for the environment! Let’s keep it up! With apologies to H. L. Mencken, I...
Rest of World -...
Shein’s hottest item in Latin America is its plastic bags
The reusable packaging often ends up outliving the garments it once transported.
a year ago
The reusable packaging often ends up outliving the garments it once transported.
Stephen Diehl
SBF is Crypto Personified
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Shoehorning startups into the VC model
Tech startups go in an out of fashion. When they’re in fashion, as they are now, entrepreneurs and...
over a year ago
Tech startups go in an out of fashion. When they’re in fashion, as they are now, entrepreneurs and VCs get lots of attention. Most of this…
Rest of World -...
Worldcoin may not be legal in Colombia, but that’s not stopping it
Scan eyeballs first, ask questions later.
4 months ago
Scan eyeballs first, ask questions later.
essay – snarfed.org
Content negotiation considered harmful
Matilda, 1996 Content negotiation is a feature of HTTP that lets clients ask for, and servers...
a year ago
Matilda, 1996 Content negotiation is a feature of HTTP that lets clients ask for, and servers return, different content types based on the request’s Accept header. Sounds great, right? Well, no. Content negotiation is the classic example of an idea that sounds good in theory, but...
Noahpinion
Trump just rug-pulled the China hawks on TikTok
The CCP and its allies have bought themselves a new champion.
9 months ago
The CCP and its allies have bought themselves a new champion.
Internal Tech Emails
Samsung vs. iPhone | Elon Musk's schedule
Steve Job's passing has led to a huge wave of press coverage of Apple's and iPhone's "superiority",...
over a year ago
Steve Job's passing has led to a huge wave of press coverage of Apple's and iPhone's "superiority", all created by the, "passionate, tireless, perfectionist..." The point here is that there is an unintended benefit for Apple, since the external messages by 3rd parties are all...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Some thoughts on incumbents
Reposted from Oct 7, 2010 from cdixon.posterous.com By “incumbents” I mean the big companies that...
over a year ago
Reposted from Oct 7, 2010 from cdixon.posterous.com By “incumbents” I mean the big companies that are loosely competitive to your startup…
Rest of World -...
Chinese streaming platforms and chill?
In Southeast Asia, Netflix has competition from Baidu's iQiyi and Tencent's WeTV
a year ago
In Southeast Asia, Netflix has competition from Baidu's iQiyi and Tencent's WeTV
Data Boutique
How Data Boutique Works
Making Web Data Purchases Easy
a year ago
Making Web Data Purchases Easy
Rest of World -...
The IITs remain undefeated
They took up seven out of the top 10 slots in a recent government ranking.
a year ago
They took up seven out of the top 10 slots in a recent government ranking.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Converts versus equity deals
There has been a debate going on the past few days over whether seed deals should be funded using...
over a year ago
There has been a debate going on the past few days over whether seed deals should be funded using equity or convertible notes (converts…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Which VC firm should I pitch?
A friend asked me the other day “Which VC firms should I pitch?” and I started to respond to him,...
over a year ago
A friend asked me the other day “Which VC firms should I pitch?” and I started to respond to him, but then realized that most of my…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Dividing free and paid features in “freemium” products
One of the most difficult decisions to make when developing a “freemium” product is how to divide...
over a year ago
One of the most difficult decisions to make when developing a “freemium” product is how to divide the product between free and paid features…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
“Meaningful” startups
There is generally a lot of enthusiasm in the startup world these days. But some observers worry...
over a year ago
There is generally a lot of enthusiasm in the startup world these days. But some observers worry that too many startups are working on…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
If Verizon’s Droid is good, that’s bad for the wireless ecosystem
I carry around an iPhone and a Blackberry Tour. I know that’s ridiculous. The iPhone is a great...
over a year ago
I carry around an iPhone and a Blackberry Tour. I know that’s ridiculous. The iPhone is a great device on an awful network; the Tour is an…
Noahpinion
New Industrialist Roundup 2024
What people are writing about rebuilding America.
4 months ago
What people are writing about rebuilding America.
Rest of World -...
The slow transformation of Facebook in India
As the general election approaches, there are few spaces where the opposition can be safe online
a year ago
As the general election approaches, there are few spaces where the opposition can be safe online
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The inevitable showdown between Twitter and Twitter apps
People usually think of business competition as occurring between substitutes – products that serve...
over a year ago
People usually think of business competition as occurring between substitutes – products that serve similar functions for the user. Famous…
Unpacked
FTC's case against Amazon is misunderstood
The case makes a nuanced argument about how Amazon abused monopoly power through anti-discounting...
a year ago
The case makes a nuanced argument about how Amazon abused monopoly power through anti-discounting measures and tying in Prime with Fulfilled by Amazon
haseeb qureshi
Another decade
I recently turned 30. When the decade began in 2010, I was still 20, a professional poker player, a...
over a year ago
I recently turned 30. When the decade began in 2010, I was still 20, a professional poker player, a college dropout, and deeply unhappy. What did I believe I’d be doing a decade later? I don’t think I knew, only that I definitely wouldn’t be playing poker anymore. I’d be doing...
SatPost by Trung...
The $650m+ Spirit Halloween business
Spirit Halloween has over 1,450 pop-up shops and makes all its money in only 2 months (September,...
a year ago
Spirit Halloween has over 1,450 pop-up shops and makes all its money in only 2 months (September, October)
Rest of World -...
Instagram account hacked? “Ethical hackers” will get it back
Meta’s account recovery process is so complicated that people are paying experts to do it for them.
a year ago
Meta’s account recovery process is so complicated that people are paying experts to do it for them.
Paul Graham: Essays
Holding a Program in One's Head
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
Chinese immigrants in the U.S. are running Temu shipping centers out of their homes
To speed up delivery and dodge a crackdown on shipments from China, e-commerce companies are turning...
a month ago
To speed up delivery and dodge a crackdown on shipments from China, e-commerce companies are turning to so-called “family warehouses.”
Rest of World -...
India’s ambitious lithium dreams have stalled
Last year, India touted the discovery of a huge reserve of valuable lithium in Kashmir. Experts say...
a month ago
Last year, India touted the discovery of a huge reserve of valuable lithium in Kashmir. Experts say optimism around the discovery was overblown.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#25)
Maternal mortality, "living paycheck to paycheck", media negativity, diffusion of the tech industry,...
11 months ago
Maternal mortality, "living paycheck to paycheck", media negativity, diffusion of the tech industry, and the effect of corporate tax cuts
David Perell
Why You’re Christian
Becoming an educated citizen starts with understanding the lineage of your beliefs. For example,...
over a year ago
Becoming an educated citizen starts with understanding the lineage of your beliefs. For example, look at this iconic line from one of America’s founding documents:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.”
The post Why You’re Christian appeared...
Tom Blomfield
Taking Risk
I just spent a week talking with some exceptional students from three of the UK’s top universities;...
7 months ago
I just spent a week talking with some exceptional students from three of the UK’s top universities; Cambridge, Oxford and Imperial College. Along with UCL, these British universities represent 4 of the top 10 universities in the world. The US - a country with 5x more people and...
Paul Graham: Essays
Five Questions about Language Design
over a year ago
David Perell
What Networks Whisper
Every city changes you. San Francisco tells you to be powerful, LA tells you to be famous, Boston...
over a year ago
Every city changes you. San Francisco tells you to be powerful, LA tells you to be famous, Boston tells you to be smarter, and New York tells you to be richer. In the words of Paul Graham, “every city whispers something.” So when you choose to live in a city, you’re also...
Noahpinion
Mass deportation would accomplish nothing
Trump's signature policy would frighten Americans without improving the immigration situation.
4 months ago
Trump's signature policy would frighten Americans without improving the immigration situation.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Improbable: enabling the development of large-scale simulated worlds
Over the past decade, computing resources that were previously available only to large...
over a year ago
Over the past decade, computing resources that were previously available only to large organizations became available to almost anyone…
Platformer
The states sue Meta over child safety
Everyone agrees there's a teen mental health crisis. Is this how you fix it?
a year ago
Everyone agrees there's a teen mental health crisis. Is this how you fix it?
Articles - Alex...
How to ride a recession
A storm is coming. In 2020 Britain suffered its deepest recession in over
300 years. Two years...
over a year ago
A storm is coming. In 2020 Britain suffered its deepest recession in over
300 years. Two years later and the UK’s economic picture is not much
prettier. This article argues that whilst recessions are a threat to some
businesses, they are an opportunity for others. It argues...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Predicting the future of the Internet is easy: anything it hasn’t yet dramatically transformed, it...
People love to focus on horse races: NYC vs Silcon Valley, Facebook vs Twitter, IPO markets vs...
over a year ago
People love to focus on horse races: NYC vs Silcon Valley, Facebook vs Twitter, IPO markets vs private exchanges, the valuation of some…
Stephen Diehl
Exotic Programming Ideas: Part 4 (Datalog)
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
Latin Americans are the world’s most in-demand remote workers
They still struggle to get paid in a volatile region, though, with many asking for payment in...
a year ago
They still struggle to get paid in a volatile region, though, with many asking for payment in crypto.
Rest of World -...
Muzz, the world’s largest Muslim dating app, is struggling in India
India is home to 172 million Muslims, and the world’s second-largest market for dating apps. But...
a year ago
India is home to 172 million Muslims, and the world’s second-largest market for dating apps. But Indian women say Muzz is a bad match.
Rest of World -...
The music streaming app for those who can’t pay for downloads
Ad-driven Trebel has scooped up 13 million users across Latin America who don't want to pay for...
a year ago
Ad-driven Trebel has scooped up 13 million users across Latin America who don't want to pay for YouTube or Spotify.
Steve Blank
National Industrial Policy – Private Capital and The America’s Frontier Fund Steps Up
This article previously appeared in The National Interest. Last month the U.S. passed the CHIPS and...
over a year ago
This article previously appeared in The National Interest. Last month the U.S. passed the CHIPS and Science Act, one of the first pieces of national industrial policy – government planning and intervention in a specific industry — in the last 50 years, in this case for...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Nine reasons screenshots are awesome
By taking a screenshot, you can “export” from any app on any device. You can “import” screenshots...
over a year ago
By taking a screenshot, you can “export” from any app on any device. You can “import” screenshots back into any app that imports photos…
haseeb qureshi
Ethereum is now unforkable, thanks to DeFi
By Haseeb Qureshi and Leland Lee
After the DAO hack of 2016, the Ethereum community was faced with...
over a year ago
By Haseeb Qureshi and Leland Lee
After the DAO hack of 2016, the Ethereum community was faced with an existential quandary: should the community roll back the chain to revert the DAO hack, or let the hacker get away? Those who said yes forked away to what is now called Ethereum....
Rest of World -...
You can’t play on both sides of the Great Firewall
What the TikTok ban really means for U.S. companies.
9 months ago
What the TikTok ban really means for U.S. companies.
SatPost by Trung...
Psychology of Apple Packaging
Steve Jobs and Jony Ive prioritized packaging, which they said could be "theatre".
11 months ago
Steve Jobs and Jony Ive prioritized packaging, which they said could be "theatre".
Platformer
Microsoft just laid off one of its responsible AI teams
As the company accelerates its push into AI products, the ethics and society team is gone
a year ago
As the company accelerates its push into AI products, the ethics and society team is gone
Rest of World -...
The U.S. shouldn’t make its semiconductor policy all about China
American chip policy doesn’t just hurt China. It hurts Taiwan, too.
a year ago
American chip policy doesn’t just hurt China. It hurts Taiwan, too.
Noahpinion
Uh, guys, we really should think about spending more on defense
That's not a message many people want to hear, but it's true.
a year ago
That's not a message many people want to hear, but it's true.
tomcritchlow.com
Working With Founders Who Have Conviction and Taste
Consulting can be easy money. Fleecing clients for cheap tricks. Clients have problems, you have...
8 months ago
Consulting can be easy money. Fleecing clients for cheap tricks. Clients have problems, you have powerpoints. It’s easy to flip a few quick slides into a chunk of cash and cackle off into the mountains.
Rest of World -...
The biggest data protection fight you’ve never heard of
Big tech is lobbying around another international trade deal.
11 months ago
Big tech is lobbying around another international trade deal.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
What the smartest people do on the weekend is what everyone else will do during the week in ten...
Many breakthrough technologies were hatched by hobbyists in garages and dorm rooms. Prominent...
over a year ago
Many breakthrough technologies were hatched by hobbyists in garages and dorm rooms. Prominent examples include the PC, the web, blogs, and…
Noahpinion
Economic development is doing OK
Poor countries aren't catching up as fast as we'd like, but they're catching up faster than before.
a year ago
Poor countries aren't catching up as fast as we'd like, but they're catching up faster than before.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Inferring intent on mobile devices
[Google CEO Eric] Schmidt said that while the Google Instant predictive search technology helps...
over a year ago
[Google CEO Eric] Schmidt said that while the Google Instant predictive search technology helps shave an average of 2 seconds off users…
Noahpinion
Progressives need to embrace progress
Stasis won't lead to a prosperous or equitable society.
a year ago
Stasis won't lead to a prosperous or equitable society.
The Thinking Cap
Generative AI Builds Bridges Between Creative Mediums
On architecting a new Internet paradigm for rapid content creation and sharing.
over a year ago
On architecting a new Internet paradigm for rapid content creation and sharing.
Unpacked
Regulating AI: The case for a mechanisms-based approach
Targeting specific mechanisms mitigates AI risks more effectively, is easier to get consensus on,...
a year ago
Targeting specific mechanisms mitigates AI risks more effectively, is easier to get consensus on, and avoids unintended consequences of brute force approaches
Rest of World -...
Argentina’s dictatorship abducted babies in the 1970s. An AI project imagines them today
“Our search is real, but these images aren’t.”
a year ago
“Our search is real, but these images aren’t.”
Essays - Benedict...
Ads, privacy and confusion
Privacy is coming to the internet and cookies are going away. This is long
overdue - but we don’t...
over a year ago
Privacy is coming to the internet and cookies are going away. This is long
overdue - but we don’t know what happens next, we don’t have much consensus
on what online privacy actually means, and most of what’s on the table
conflicts fundamentally with competition.
Internal Tech Emails
Steve Jobs negotiates Apple's deal with Microsoft
Greg, Here is a review of the terms we last discussed, as well as some issues I have encountered....
over a year ago
Greg, Here is a review of the terms we last discussed, as well as some issues I have encountered. Please ping me to let me know that you received this email.
Aaron's Essays
A framework for choosing what to do
A year ago, I left YC and felt a bit lost about what to do next.[1] A lot of people were pretty sure...
over a year ago
A year ago, I left YC and felt a bit lost about what to do next.[1] A lot of people were pretty sure they knew what I should do. But...I didn't and most of their suggestions didn’t excite me.
As I thought through my possible paths, I realized that I didn't have a useful framework...
Blog posts of...
Startup Mentoring Sessions: How to be a decent, maybe even good startup mentor.
How to be the perfect startup mentor? I don’t know. But following the best practices mentioned in...
over a year ago
How to be the perfect startup mentor? I don’t know. But following the best practices mentioned in this article I got personally at...
Aaron's Essays
Utopia Bets / Apocalypse Bets
I think that it is nearly impossible to figure out the exact changes that new technologies will...
over a year ago
I think that it is nearly impossible to figure out the exact changes that new technologies will create in the world. That's problematic because investing in startups is largely about figuring out whether or not a team with a new technology - or application of existing technology...
Platformer
Meta is building a decentralized, text-based social network
Is this the Twitter replacement we've been waiting for?
a year ago
Is this the Twitter replacement we've been waiting for?
Rest of World -...
India’s electric cab companies can’t find enough cars to put on the road
There are only a handful of electric taxi manufacturers in India today, slowing the country’s EV...
2 months ago
There are only a handful of electric taxi manufacturers in India today, slowing the country’s EV revolution.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Computers that can make commitments
Blockchains are computers that can make commitments. Traditional computers are ultimately controlled...
over a year ago
Blockchains are computers that can make commitments. Traditional computers are ultimately controlled by people, either directly in the case…
Tech + Economics +...
Sam Bankman-Fried is a feature, not a bug.
Imagine a philosophy so focused on the ends that it becomes blind to the
means. This is the...
a year ago
Imagine a philosophy so focused on the ends that it becomes blind to the
means. This is the seductive trap of Effective Altruism (EA), a doctrine
born to the rationalist cradle, promising to solve the world's woes through
a calculator. Into this world stepped Sam...
Steve Blank
The Secret History of Polaroid CEO Edwin Land – part 1
The connections between the world of national security and commercial companies still has surprises....
7 months ago
The connections between the world of national security and commercial companies still has surprises. December 1976 – Vandenberg Air Force Base, U.S. military space port on the coast of California As a Titan IIID rocket blasted off, it carried a spacecraft on top that would change...
Rest of World -...
Gig drivers in South Africa clash over Bolt’s low-priced Indian cars
Bolt introduced the cars to bring down fares. Now, other drivers see them as a threat.
a year ago
Bolt introduced the cars to bring down fares. Now, other drivers see them as a threat.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Gordon Moore on self-driving cars
“I never thought I’d see autonomous automobiles driving on the freeways. It wasn’t many years ago...
over a year ago
“I never thought I’d see autonomous automobiles driving on the freeways. It wasn’t many years ago they put out a request to see who could…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Incumbents die due to irrelevance or ineptitude
Judging from the tech press, you’d think the biggest risk to successful companies is competition....
over a year ago
Judging from the tech press, you’d think the biggest risk to successful companies is competition. But when you examine the history of…
Platformer
13 predictions for platforms in 2023
Twitter! ChatGPT! Content moderation! And more
over a year ago
Twitter! ChatGPT! Content moderation! And more
Platformer
Substack's new fundraising pitch
Venture capitalists wouldn't give the company the terms it wanted. Its writers might
a year ago
Venture capitalists wouldn't give the company the terms it wanted. Its writers might
Platformer
Susan Wojcicki makes her exit
She had a legendary run. Will YouTube's end with it?
a year ago
She had a legendary run. Will YouTube's end with it?
Unpacked
Meta, News Outlets and the Canada Online News Act
On Thursday last week, the Canadian Senate finally passed into law the Canada Online News Act, which...
a year ago
On Thursday last week, the Canadian Senate finally passed into law the Canada Online News Act, which will force tech giants (predominantly Meta and Google) to pay news organizations in Canada for content that is shared on these platforms. The foundational premise of the law is...
Aaron's Essays
Goodbye YC
I sent this email to the whole team at YC yesterday:
When I joined YC 7.5 years ago, there weren’t...
over a year ago
I sent this email to the whole team at YC yesterday:
When I joined YC 7.5 years ago, there weren’t many people around. PG and Jessica were still running things. We had offices in Mountain View, Palo Alto, and on Kearny street, but they were nearly always empty. The only meeting...
Noahpinion
Trump and inflation
There are several good reasons to be worried.
6 months ago
There are several good reasons to be worried.
SatPost by Trung...
11 Creative Lessons from Brian Eno
The legendary composer on the creative process, importance of deadlines, problem with software in...
a year ago
The legendary composer on the creative process, importance of deadlines, problem with software in arts and what is art actually for?
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#23)
SF's Market Street debacle, the debate over real wages, why U.S. growth has gotten smoother, TikTok...
12 months ago
SF's Market Street debacle, the debate over real wages, why U.S. growth has gotten smoother, TikTok as a propaganda engine, and California homelessness
SatPost by Trung...
Mailbag Request
PLUS: Super Sports App, Economics of Ski-ing and more Apple Vision Pro memes.
10 months ago
PLUS: Super Sports App, Economics of Ski-ing and more Apple Vision Pro memes.
Internal Tech Emails
Facebook and Google "at Defcon 2"
From: Sheryl Sandberg We really want a deep relationship – or at this point any relationship – with...
6 months ago
From: Sheryl Sandberg We really want a deep relationship – or at this point any relationship – with Google
Platformer
Nine wild details from the new Elon Musk biography
Walter Isaacson brings new tales of Jack Dorsey, that Sergey Brin selfie, and more
a year ago
Walter Isaacson brings new tales of Jack Dorsey, that Sergey Brin selfie, and more
Dustin Curtis
One of the dumbest things I've ever published
While I was reading through some of my older essays the other day, I came across a piece called...
over a year ago
While I was reading through some of my older essays the other day, I came across a piece called Privacy vs. User Experience, published in 2014. In the article, I argued that Apple’s then-nascent philosophical stance on the supremacy of user privacy was going to slow down its...
Noahpinion
The California Forever project is a great idea
The implementation will be very tricky, but there's a big opportunity here.
11 months ago
The implementation will be very tricky, but there's a big opportunity here.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"The Future of Reading Depends on the Future of Learning Difficult to Learn Things"
Socrates’ complaints about writing included “Writing removes the need to remember”. He meant that a...
over a year ago
Socrates’ complaints about writing included “Writing removes the need to remember”. He meant that a prosthetic brace on a healthy limb will…
Working Theorys
The Time-Boxed Startup
What if startups had an expiration date?
9 months ago
What if startups had an expiration date?
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Between failure and Facebook
Recently, a friend was trying to recruit a programmer to join his early-stage startup. The...
over a year ago
Recently, a friend was trying to recruit a programmer to join his early-stage startup. The programmer had just graduated from college and…
Paul Graham: Essays
Maker's Schedule, Manager's Schedule
over a year ago
Folklore.org:...
Joining Apple Computer
Reflections on the 40th anniversary of my joining Apple
a year ago
Reflections on the 40th anniversary of my joining Apple
Rest of World -...
Nigeria’s economic crisis is fueling a stunt philanthropy boom
A crop of content creators are building fame on MrBeast-style content.
4 months ago
A crop of content creators are building fame on MrBeast-style content.
Rest of World -...
Argentines are recruiting friends, strangers into Worldcoin’s cash-for-eyeballs scheme
With inflation and unemployment gripping the nation, a burgeoning network of intermediaries is...
7 months ago
With inflation and unemployment gripping the nation, a burgeoning network of intermediaries is convincing people to have their irises scanned at Worldcoin Orb centers.
Steve Blank
Security Clearances at the Speed of Startups
Imagine you got a job offer from a company but weren’t allowed to start work – or get paid – for...
4 months ago
Imagine you got a job offer from a company but weren’t allowed to start work – or get paid – for almost a year. And if you can’t pass a security clearance your offer is rescinded. Or you get offered an internship but can’t work on the most interesting part of the project. Sounds...
Rest of World -...
This app makes sure dinner is halal
The Indonesian app Momasa features recipes, cooking lessons, and restaurants that meet the standards...
2 months ago
The Indonesian app Momasa features recipes, cooking lessons, and restaurants that meet the standards of Islamic law.
Rest of World -...
Traditional multinationals are making their mark on Latin American tech
The region’s conservative corporations are finding different ways to get into technology.
a year ago
The region’s conservative corporations are finding different ways to get into technology.
XO Capital - Field...
Our First Community Call
This week Danny jumped on a live Twitter Spaces with me. We talked about:
When to "quit"
XO...
10 months ago
This week Danny jumped on a live Twitter Spaces with me. We talked about:
When to "quit"
XO community, courses,
Motivations for picking a startup idea
Decision making differences between short holds and longer holds.
David Perell
Against 3X Speed
Mike boastfully reads 100 books per year. He listens to audiobooks at 3x speed whenever he drives...
over a year ago
Mike boastfully reads 100 books per year. He listens to audiobooks at 3x speed whenever he drives and swears he can remember it all. His browser has a plugin that lets him speed up YouTube videos, and for a while, he listened to podcasts on a special app because of its unique...
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Stored Hashcash
One of the greatest inventions in the history of computer security is Hashcash. Internet blights...
over a year ago
One of the greatest inventions in the history of computer security is Hashcash. Internet blights like spam and denial-of-service attacks are…
XO Capital - Field...
We 10x-ed screenshotapi.net and sold it
Before we jump in, I was on a pod talking through content, acquisitions, etc:
This exit is bitter...
3 months ago
Before we jump in, I was on a pod talking through content, acquisitions, etc:
This exit is bitter sweet. Screenshot was our first ever acquisition. We 10x-ed it, and it is really the reason XO exists today. If this first acquisition hadn't gone well, I think I would
Paul Graham: Essays
Do Things that Don't Scale
over a year ago
Inverted Passion
Notes on how Facebook ads work
I was studying Facebook ads system for Nintee, made some notes that you might find useful. Resources...
a year ago
I was studying Facebook ads system for Nintee, made some notes that you might find useful. Resources Facebook Doesn’t Make as Much Money as It Could—On Purpose How to Save Millions With Marketability Testing Facebook Bid Strategies
The post Notes on how Facebook ads work appeared...
Rest of World -...
A Ponzi scheme targets desperate workers amid Zimbabwe’s employment crisis
E-Creator offered an opportunity to earn money by writing fake reviews for e-commerce websites.
a year ago
E-Creator offered an opportunity to earn money by writing fake reviews for e-commerce websites.
Internal Tech Emails
The Sam Bankman-Fried Files
In LA last weekend, I met with Michael Kives and his firm, K5. He is, probably, the most connected...
a year ago
In LA last weekend, I met with Michael Kives and his firm, K5. He is, probably, the most connected person I’ve ever met. In attendance at the dinner at his house were: 1) Hillary Clinton 2) Doug Emhoff 3) Katy Perry 4) Orlando Bloom 5) Kate Hudson
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write...
a year ago
Hey, this is Jakob Greenfeld, author of the Business Brainstorms newsletter - every week I write this email to share the most interesting trends, frameworks, opportunities, and ideas with you. Let's dive in! #1 💡 It's cool that smartphones have become all-in-one devices. But at...
Noahpinion
China's demographics will be fine through mid-century
There is no imminent crisis.
6 months ago
There is no imminent crisis.
Steve Blank
Startups that Have Employees In Offices Grow 3½ Times Faster
This article previously appeared in EIX – Entreprenuers and Innovators Exchange. Data shows that...
a year ago
This article previously appeared in EIX – Entreprenuers and Innovators Exchange. Data shows that pre-seed and seed startups with employees showing up in a physical office have 3½ times higher revenue growth than those that are solely remote. Let the discussion begin. During the...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Should Apple be more open?
It is almost religious orthodoxy in the tech community that “open” is better than “closed.” For...
over a year ago
It is almost religious orthodoxy in the tech community that “open” is better than “closed.” For example, there have widespread complaints…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Ideal first round funding terms
My last 2 posts were about things to avoid, so I thought it might be helpful to follow up with...
over a year ago
My last 2 posts were about things to avoid, so I thought it might be helpful to follow up with something more positive. Having been part of…
Rest of World -...
Uber hates this app that tells drivers whether it’s worth picking you up
Brazil’s StopClub app shows drivers what every minute and mile of your ride is worth.
a year ago
Brazil’s StopClub app shows drivers what every minute and mile of your ride is worth.
Rest of World -...
Employees allege sexual harassment and intimidation at CCI, Africa’s largest call center company
CCI Kenya has over 1,400 employees and its clients include T-Mobile and Instacart.
a year ago
CCI Kenya has over 1,400 employees and its clients include T-Mobile and Instacart.
Tech + Economics +...
Breaking up with Slack and Discord: why it's time to bring back forums.
When I first found my people online, forums were the main way people
gathered to discuss shared...
11 months ago
When I first found my people online, forums were the main way people
gathered to discuss shared interests. Web-based bulletin boards allowed
members to have ongoing, asynchronous conversations over days or weeks as
participants logged in to read and respond on their own...
Rest of World -...
How Singapore became the ideal testing ground for self-driving cars
The tiny country has embraced autonomous vehicles as a way to overcome labor shortages and use its...
3 weeks ago
The tiny country has embraced autonomous vehicles as a way to overcome labor shortages and use its scarce land more efficiently.
Data Boutique
How to Estimate Sales Using Inventory Web-Scraped Data
A powerful use case for web data
9 months ago
A powerful use case for web data
Rest of World -...
Pakistan’s China-style firewall is rattling its tech industry
Internet speeds in the country have dropped by up to 40% due to the government's efforts to monitor...
3 months ago
Internet speeds in the country have dropped by up to 40% due to the government's efforts to monitor internet traffic, said service providers.
Nothing Human
Reflections on Politics at Thanksgiving Dinner
political incorrectness as bid for closeness
3 weeks ago
political incorrectness as bid for closeness
Working Theorys
One-Round Wonder | Theory No. 23
Can a startup have the best of both bootstrapped and venture funded paths?
a year ago
Can a startup have the best of both bootstrapped and venture funded paths?
Working Theorys
Weekend Theorys No. 1
"Healthy” social apps, the folly of the "one-two punch," and side projects that command respect
11 months ago
"Healthy” social apps, the folly of the "one-two punch," and side projects that command respect
Rest of World -...
Turn it up: Rest of World’s 2023 global party playlist
Impress your friends by queuing up these chart-topping pop songs from the countries we cover.
a year ago
Impress your friends by queuing up these chart-topping pop songs from the countries we cover.
Rest of World -...
Why Africa’s tech talent makes it an attractive investment destination
Joseph Nsengimana of the Mastercard Foundation says global companies are starting to recognize the...
5 months ago
Joseph Nsengimana of the Mastercard Foundation says global companies are starting to recognize the value of Africa’s talent.
Platformer
Why note-taking apps don't make us smarter
They're designed for storage, not sparking insights. Can AI change that?
a year ago
They're designed for storage, not sparking insights. Can AI change that?
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Growth curves of startups
Pick whatever metric you want for gauging the success of a particular startup: profits, revenues,...
over a year ago
Pick whatever metric you want for gauging the success of a particular startup: profits, revenues, pageviews, etc. A graph I’d love to see is…
AVC
The Newest Members of the USV Team
Last Thursday, three new blog posts hit USV.com announcing our three new analysts: This is our...
a year ago
Last Thursday, three new blog posts hit USV.com announcing our three new analysts: This is our tradition at USV. When someone starts at USV, we ask them to write a post on the USV blog introducing themselves. This helps founders who come to talk to us about their companies...
Paul Graham: Essays
How to Think for Yourself
over a year ago
David Perell
Punctuation is Music
If you want to improve your writing, match your punctuation to the mood. Punctuation is to writing...
over a year ago
If you want to improve your writing, match your punctuation to the mood. Punctuation is to writing as music is to movies. In The Joker, the renowned composer Hildur Guðnadóttir used the cello in the opening scenes to create empathy with the protagonist. But then, as The Joker’s...
Rest of World -...
Netflix and thrill: the hunt for the next Squid Game in Southeast Asia
As Amazon and Disney step back, Netflix invests in “locally authentic” content to grab subscribers...
3 months ago
As Amazon and Disney step back, Netflix invests in “locally authentic” content to grab subscribers in the region.
Nothing Human
Meditations on Machinic Desire
The philosopher and accelerationist Nick Land writes, in his 1994 essay Machinic Desire, three of...
2 months ago
The philosopher and accelerationist Nick Land writes, in his 1994 essay Machinic Desire, three of the most insight-dense paragraphs I’ve ever encountered:
SatPost by Trung...
"The Economist" Cover Curse, Explained
PLUS: My Dune 2 review, TikTok Ban and Why Jalapeños are Less Spicy.
9 months ago
PLUS: My Dune 2 review, TikTok Ban and Why Jalapeños are Less Spicy.
Working Theorys
Weekend Theorys No. 3
Books as athleisure, Twitter/X goes Substack, and oh yeah, Apple's Vision Pro
10 months ago
Books as athleisure, Twitter/X goes Substack, and oh yeah, Apple's Vision Pro
Noahpinion
China at the peak
The country's rise is complete, but don't expect a rapid decline.
a year ago
The country's rise is complete, but don't expect a rapid decline.
Noahpinion
Three more books about the technology wars
"The Wires of War", "Four Battlegrounds", and "The Digital Silk Road"
a year ago
"The Wires of War", "Four Battlegrounds", and "The Digital Silk Road"
SatPost by Trung...
Alex Cooper: $0 to $160m in 6 years
Breaking down the contracts that sent the "Call Her Daddy" podcaster from unemployed ($0) to...
4 months ago
Breaking down the contracts that sent the "Call Her Daddy" podcaster from unemployed ($0) to Barstool Sports ($70k) to Spotify ($60m) and, now, SiriusXM ($100m) in 6 years.
tomcritchlow.com
Work is a Place
My buddy Luke recently started a band called Tattoo Mustache. While we were chatting, his eyes lit...
9 months ago
My buddy Luke recently started a band called Tattoo Mustache. While we were chatting, his eyes lit up talking about jamming in the studio with his bandmates - his arms were flailing and you could feel the energy coming off him like steam from a hot pan. These weekly jam sessions...
Rest of World -...
Clickwork in Brazil: A mom balancing endless gigs with childcare
Through platforms like UHRS, Amazon Mechanical Turk and Appen, a clickworker takes on a job...
a year ago
Through platforms like UHRS, Amazon Mechanical Turk and Appen, a clickworker takes on a job consisting of hundreds of quick, repetitive tasks.
Tech + Economics +...
Bitcoin ETFs will make greater fools of us all.
Reuters: US SEC approves bitcoin ETFs in watershed for crypto market
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, Jan...
11 months ago
Reuters: US SEC approves bitcoin ETFs in watershed for crypto market
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, Jan 10 (Reuters) - The U.S. securities regulator
on Wednesday approved the first U.S.-listed exchange traded funds
(ETFs) to track bitcoin, its Chair Gary Gensler said, in a...
Stephen Diehl
Dive into GHC: Intermediate Forms
over a year ago
essay – snarfed.org
Moderate people, not code
Dixit / Marie Cardouat The scope of the fediverse has been hotly debated recently. Are we a big...
11 months ago
Dixit / Marie Cardouat The scope of the fediverse has been hotly debated recently. Are we a big fedi? Or a small fedi? Are instances just nodes? Or networked communities? Which Camp of Mastodon are we in? How far should our replies travel? How about our blog posts and Bluesky...
AVC
The Daily Bolster
USV is an investor in Bolster, a marketplace for fractional and full-time executive talent for...
a year ago
USV is an investor in Bolster, a marketplace for fractional and full-time executive talent for startups and growth companies. This week Bolster launched a daily short (5min) podcast and email with actionable insights and advice from founders, operators, and investors. It is...
Working Theorys
Unbundling Cash & Equity | Theory No. 15
a heretical take on "total compensation"
a year ago
a heretical take on "total compensation"
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Notes on the acquisition process
Ten years ago, startup financing was an insider’s game. Since then, the topic has been widely...
over a year ago
Ten years ago, startup financing was an insider’s game. Since then, the topic has been widely discussed on blogs, to the great benefit of…
Ed Zitron's Where's...
OpenAI Is A Bad Business
OpenAI, a non-profit AI company that will lose anywhere from $4 billion to $5 billion this year,...
2 months ago
OpenAI, a non-profit AI company that will lose anywhere from $4 billion to $5 billion this year, will at some point in the next six or so months convert into a for-profit AI company, at which point it will continue to lose money in exactly the same way. Shortly after
Noahpinion
The U.S. must not ignore Indonesia
We have the opportunity to befriend an Asian country with a huge population, a large and growing...
a year ago
We have the opportunity to befriend an Asian country with a huge population, a large and growing economy, and a strategic location.
Nadia Asparouhova
The New American University
I had the pleasure of stumbling upon the work of Michael Crow, Arizona State University’s president,...
over a year ago
I had the pleasure of stumbling upon the work of Michael Crow, Arizona State University’s president, earlier this year, and I so enjoyed his thoughts on knowledge production that I immediately wondered how his philosophy would translate to ASU as an organization. Turns out,...
Unpacked
Instacart IPO: Race against market saturation
The company's journey to IPO is impressive but long-term upside hinges on the success of its...
a year ago
The company's journey to IPO is impressive but long-term upside hinges on the success of its long-term bets like ads and the enterprise platform
Tech + Economics +...
Another 3 men raise another few million
From Relevance AI (emphasis mine)
We're thrilled to announce our USD$10M raise by leading...
a year ago
From Relevance AI (emphasis mine)
We're thrilled to announce our USD$10M raise by leading investors from
around the world including King River Capital, Peak XV Partners,
Insight Partners and Galileo Ventures supporting Relevance’s mission to
enable any...
Rest of World -...
Singapore doubles down on lab-grown meat as Silicon Valley backs off
Global funding in the cultured meat industry dropped by 75% in the last year. Singapore sees its...
6 months ago
Global funding in the cultured meat industry dropped by 75% in the last year. Singapore sees its chance to become a world leader, backing local and international firms.
Rest of World -...
The augmented-reality app helping Muslims pray toward Mecca
Miqat uses 360-degree views and mapping software to help users determine the exact right direction...
2 months ago
Miqat uses 360-degree views and mapping software to help users determine the exact right direction for their prayers.
Rest of World -...
Before you start celebrating a possible Tesla factory in India …
There are ecological and economic challenges that the Indian government must not ignore as it woos...
a year ago
There are ecological and economic challenges that the Indian government must not ignore as it woos Elon Musk.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
“Ether is a necessary element — a fuel — for operating the distributed application platform…
“Ether is a necessary element — a fuel — for operating the distributed application platform...
over a year ago
“Ether is a necessary element — a fuel — for operating the distributed application platform Ethereum. It is a form of payment made by the…
Noahpinion
A few economists are starting to think seriously about industrial policy
But not enough researchers are paying attention, and we only know a little so far.
a year ago
But not enough researchers are paying attention, and we only know a little so far.
Articles - Alex...
Big questions for big data
Big data is big news. Search for it and Google will return 75 million
results. That’s a different...
over a year ago
Big data is big news. Search for it and Google will return 75 million
results. That’s a different article for every 100 people on earth. There
are also 18 million videos on the topic. At 5 minutes each, it would take
170 years to watch them all. Then there’s the one million...
Rest of World -...
The rise and fall of Argentina’s celebrity crypto pastor
Generación Zoe promised investors massive returns thanks to market-predicting “robots” and a...
a year ago
Generación Zoe promised investors massive returns thanks to market-predicting “robots” and a cryptocurrency backed by gold. It sounded too good to be true.
Paul Graham: Essays
The Other Half of "Artists Ship"
over a year ago
Noahpinion
Why America fell behind in drones, and how to catch up agaon
A guest post by Cat Orman and Jason Lu
4 months ago
A guest post by Cat Orman and Jason Lu
cdixon.org RSS Feed
What the NYC startup world needs (and doesn’t need)
Here’s what I think NYC needs to become a serious, long-term startup hub: Some extremely successful...
over a year ago
Here’s what I think NYC needs to become a serious, long-term startup hub: Some extremely successful startups. We need PayPals – companies…
Rest of World -...
The most popular payment app in the Philippines has a side bet: online gambling
The GCash app is ubiquitous in the Philippines, and is being blamed for rising gambling addiction in...
2 months ago
The GCash app is ubiquitous in the Philippines, and is being blamed for rising gambling addiction in the country, particularly among women.
SatPost by Trung...
8 Lessons from "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
What Larry David's legendary sitcom can teach about creativity and work.
10 months ago
What Larry David's legendary sitcom can teach about creativity and work.
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 Andrej Karpathy announced that he’s building an AI + education company.
5 months ago
#1 💡 Andrej Karpathy announced that he’s building an AI + education company.
Dustin Curtis
Blocked
A couple of years ago, I posted a slight criticism of Elon Musk that led prominent venture...
2 months ago
A couple of years ago, I posted a slight criticism of Elon Musk that led prominent venture capitalist Marc Andreessen to block me. Since then, I have been unable to view his posts1, which is a shame because I valued his thoughts and opinions.
Today, X engineering announced...
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
🤠 Democratize Luxury
3 months ago
Tech + Economics +...
The unchecked rise of theocracy will extinguish liberal democracy.
As a transgender woman, under any form of populist theocracy, my existence
would be illegal. This...
a year ago
As a transgender woman, under any form of populist theocracy, my existence
would be illegal. This is the reality of governance by faith-based
doctrine. And it's a reality that cannot be allowed to spread.
Religious freedom is a cornerstone of liberal democracy. Individuals...
AVC
The Hour Of Code
I have written many times about the Hour Of Code here at AVC. It is the highlight of the annual...
over a year ago
I have written many times about the Hour Of Code here at AVC. It is the highlight of the annual Computer Science Education Week which is the first week of December, which is this week. Yesterday Marco Argenti, Goldman Sachs’ CIO, and I went with NYC Schools Chancellor David Banks...
Noahpinion
America needs a bigger, better bureaucracy
They're from the government, and they really are here to help.
a year ago
They're from the government, and they really are here to help.
AVC
The Annual Computer Science Fair
Ten years ago, a small group of folks in the K12 Computer Science Education community in NYC decided...
a year ago
Ten years ago, a small group of folks in the K12 Computer Science Education community in NYC decided to put on a “mock job fair” for high school students who were taking computer science classes in the NYC public schools. That was the start of an annual day of engagement and...
Paul Graham: Essays
Could VC be a Casualty of the Recession?
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"A man will be able to carry one in his vest pocket"
Nikola Tesla predicted the development internet-connected smartphones back in 1926: From the...
over a year ago
Nikola Tesla predicted the development internet-connected smartphones back in 1926: From the inception of the wireless system, I saw that…
Rest of World -...
The best articles we didn’t publish in 2023
Our favorite global tech stories from publications not named Rest of World.
12 months ago
Our favorite global tech stories from publications not named Rest of World.
Noahpinion
The new industrial policy, explained
We're starting to learn what replaces the old free-trade consensus.
a year ago
We're starting to learn what replaces the old free-trade consensus.
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Put Up Or Shut Up
I feel like the tech industry is currently in the midst of the most bizarre cognitive dissonance...
5 months ago
I feel like the tech industry is currently in the midst of the most bizarre cognitive dissonance I've ever seen — more so than the metaverse, even — as company after company simply lies about their intentions and the power of AI.
I get it. Everybody wants
Tech + Economics +...
Bootstrapped to death: why America’s favourite saying is strangling mobility
The old saying goes that anyone can pull themselves up by their bootstraps
- if they work hard...
11 months ago
The old saying goes that anyone can pull themselves up by their bootstraps
- if they work hard enough. There's this pervasive and poisonous idea that
success or failure rests solely on the individual and their effort. And if
you don't make it, if you don't lift yourself out...
Noahpinion
Four reasons not to vote for Trump, and four reasons to vote for Harris
Summing up my thoughts on the 2024 election.
a month ago
Summing up my thoughts on the 2024 election.
Noahpinion
Real estate is China's economic Achilles heel
It's the country's biggest engine of growth an employment, financial asset, and source of government...
a year ago
It's the country's biggest engine of growth an employment, financial asset, and source of government revenue.
XO Capital - Field...
How to 10x an acquisition
I'm going to break down how we more than 10x-ed ScreenshotAPI and why this acquisition worked when...
3 months ago
I'm going to break down how we more than 10x-ed ScreenshotAPI and why this acquisition worked when others didn't. Not everything here is generalizable, but I'll pull out what worked well from our first interactions with the seller to the deal closing a few
essay – snarfed.org
Logs as end user UI
A long time ago, I decided to show Bridgy‘s end users its raw logs. Like, raw logs. HTTP requests,...
a year ago
A long time ago, I decided to show Bridgy‘s end users its raw logs. Like, raw logs. HTTP requests, database reads and writes, JSON objects, stack traces, etc. It’s an unusual UI feature, but it’s been an unqualified success, enough that when I built Bridgy Fed, I immediately...
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Rest of World -...
Women in South Africa’s gig economy feel forced to work extra hours for free
Women who work as domestic cleaners with SweepSouth, an on-demand app, say clients frequently ask...
11 months ago
Women who work as domestic cleaners with SweepSouth, an on-demand app, say clients frequently ask them to do unpaid work, and the company hasn’t responded to their complaints.
Stephen Diehl
FPTs: Pure Fungibility on the Blockchain
over a year ago
Noahpinion
Why Can't the U.S. Build Ships?
A guest post by Brian Potter of Construction Physics.
3 months ago
A guest post by Brian Potter of Construction Physics.
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