Unpacked
Y Combinator W23 batch, AI value chain and startup trends
YCombinator (YC), the renowned Silicon Valley-based startup accelerator, recently announced their...
a year ago
YCombinator (YC), the renowned Silicon Valley-based startup accelerator, recently announced their Winter 2023 cohort and, unsurprisingly, ~31% of startups have a self-reported AI tag.
Paul Graham: Essays
What the Bubble Got Right
over a year ago
Blog posts of...
How i make investment decisions 🏝
The goal of this article is to break down how i make investment decisions in the hope that it helps...
over a year ago
The goal of this article is to break down how i make investment decisions in the hope that it helps founders to see their fundraising effort from the “other side”.
Rest of World -...
The Indian EV startup navigating short-lived government subsidies
Prashant Vashishtha is the founder and chairman of Sokudo Electric India.
5 months ago
Prashant Vashishtha is the founder and chairman of Sokudo Electric India.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"There's just a tremendous amount of craftsmanship in between a great idea and a great product"
Steve Jobs in 1995: There's just a tremendous amount of craftsmanship in between a great idea and a...
over a year ago
Steve Jobs in 1995: There's just a tremendous amount of craftsmanship in between a great idea and a great product. And as you evolve that…
Rest of World -...
Ride-hailing in Pakistan: A driver’s endless struggle for a clean car
This inDrive worker says he is tired of passengers treating his car like a donkey cart.
a year ago
This inDrive worker says he is tired of passengers treating his car like a donkey cart.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things: Trump aftermath edition (#52)
Bad election narratives; principles for the Democrats; slowing AI progress; rising life expectancy;...
a month ago
Bad election narratives; principles for the Democrats; slowing AI progress; rising life expectancy; phones are bad; solar vs. nuclear
Aaron's Essays
Avoiding Errors in Demo Day Fundraising
I’ll be addressing the topic below along with Alfred Lin from Sequoia and Ilya Sukhar from Matrix on...
a year ago
I’ll be addressing the topic below along with Alfred Lin from Sequoia and Ilya Sukhar from Matrix on 3/24: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qgghYDq4QxCiW9REOOrbmw
It would be challenging to name all the fundraising mistakes that founders make during the many demo days...
Noahpinion
Why China's economy ran off the rails
A short, simplistic, but fairly reasonable story.
a year ago
A short, simplistic, but fairly reasonable story.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
As elegantly produced as movies and as engaging as great novels
MIT professor Woodie Flowers argues that higher education's current approach to online learning is...
over a year ago
MIT professor Woodie Flowers argues that higher education's current approach to online learning is misguided: We decided to assume that the…
Rest of World -...
Meet the alliance helping Google and Meta fight election-related misinformation in India
The Misinformation Combat Alliance, set up by Bharat Gupta, sees participation from 12 fact-checking...
7 months ago
The Misinformation Combat Alliance, set up by Bharat Gupta, sees participation from 12 fact-checking organizations.
Unpacked
Reddit's IPO Filing & India's AI Regulation | EP 7
Here are the highlights from the podcast episode. You can find a longer form analysis on both topics...
9 months ago
Here are the highlights from the podcast episode. You can find a longer form analysis on both topics in the podcast episode - Spotify | Apple Podcasts. The podcast follows the same core principles as the writing (primarily analysis driven with occasional opinions sprinkled in)....
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
🪄 Growth Magic
4 months ago
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.
42!
How to conduct a good demo of your SaaS
Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash
Frequently, when we finish a demo session of our HR app,...
over a year ago
Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash
Frequently, when we finish a demo session of our HR app, customers will tell us “Wow, that was a great demo!” when signing off. I never really thought about it, other than the fact that I usually had a good time showing them around, and that...
Unpacked
Apple Watch pulls blood oxygen feature, and how big a deal is the GPT Store really?
Listen now | In the second episode of this year, we peel a few layers beneath Apple's decision to...
11 months ago
Listen now | In the second episode of this year, we peel a few layers beneath Apple's decision to pull the blood oxygen feature after losing a patent battle against Massimo. We then pivot to understanding the GPT Store and our analyses / hot takes on how big a deal this really...
Rest of World -...
Political campaigns embrace AI to reach voters across language barriers
Advocacy groups like AAPI Victory Alliance are using ChatGPT and Claude to reach speakers of Hindi,...
3 months ago
Advocacy groups like AAPI Victory Alliance are using ChatGPT and Claude to reach speakers of Hindi, Tagalog, and more.
Platformer
How you want me to cover artificial intelligence
Seven principles for journalism in the age of AI
a year ago
Seven principles for journalism in the age of AI
cdixon.org RSS Feed
NFTs and A Thousand True Fans
In his classic 2008 essay “1000 True Fans,” Kevin Kelly predicted that the internet would transform...
over a year ago
In his classic 2008 essay “1000 True Fans,” Kevin Kelly predicted that the internet would transform the economics of creative activities: To…
Rest of World -...
The winners of Rest of World’s first photography contest
From images of solar cooking to snake radio telemetry, we received 548 entries from around the...
a year ago
From images of solar cooking to snake radio telemetry, we received 548 entries from around the world.
Rest of World -...
Argentina’s Mercado Pago is like Venmo plus investing
Latin America’s answer to Venmo helps Argentines survive sky-high inflation.
a year ago
Latin America’s answer to Venmo helps Argentines survive sky-high inflation.
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....
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…
David Perell
Beer Mode and Coffee Mode
Creatives have two ways of working: beer mode and coffee mode. Beer mode is a state of unfocused...
over a year ago
Creatives have two ways of working: beer mode and coffee mode. Beer mode is a state of unfocused play where you discover new ideas. In contrast, coffee mode is a state of focus where you work towards a specific outcome. The problem with traditional productivity advice is that...
Business Brainstorms
The Algorithm, rebuilding GA3, a new drink for the productivity-chasing professional managerial...
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 “Huge startup opportunity to just literally rebuild...
AVC
Software That You Can’t Shut Down
The term “censorship resistant” is used a lot in the decentralized computing/web3/crypto space to...
a year ago
The term “censorship resistant” is used a lot in the decentralized computing/web3/crypto space to talk about a core feature of these systems. I don’t love the term censorship resistant because it is a wonky term. Software that is encoded in smart contracts (and other ways) on...
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.
Steve Blank
The Secret History of Minnesota Part 1: Engineering Research Associates
This post is the latest in the “Secret History Series.” They’ll make much more sense if you watch...
a year ago
This post is the latest in the “Secret History Series.” They’ll make much more sense if you watch the video or read some of the earlier posts for context. See the Secret History bibliography for sources and supplemental reading. Silicon Valley emerged from work in World War II...
Rest of World -...
Malaysia’s new data centers create thousands of jobs — and worries about power and water shortages
Data centers for companies like Google, Amazon, and Nvidia are transforming Johor state, with locals...
a month ago
Data centers for companies like Google, Amazon, and Nvidia are transforming Johor state, with locals bracing for higher real estate costs and resource shortages.
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...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The economic logic behind tech and talent acquisitions
There’s been a lot of speculation lately about why big companies spend millions of dollars acquiring...
over a year ago
There’s been a lot of speculation lately about why big companies spend millions of dollars acquiring startups for their technology or talent…
Tom Blomfield
Peter Nixey: Cook something or get out of the kitchen
Peter Nixey: Cook something or get out of the kitchen:
peternixey:
I seem to have a lot of...
over a year ago
Peter Nixey: Cook something or get out of the kitchen:
peternixey:
I seem to have a lot of conversations recently with people who find themselves in the kitchen but without the means to cook anything.
As a cook myself they often ask me how to go about finding themselves a chef...
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.
Rest of World -...
Tears of a get-rich-quick guru
Influencers like Sunny Ali promote the Amazon seller dream, but not everyone buys the hustlepreneur...
a year ago
Influencers like Sunny Ali promote the Amazon seller dream, but not everyone buys the hustlepreneur fantasy.
Paul Graham: Essays
The Hundred-Year Language
over a year ago
Noahpinion
What should China do to revive its economy?
There are a couple of aces that the government hasn't yet played.
a year ago
There are a couple of aces that the government hasn't yet played.
Essays - Benedict...
Ways to think about a metaverse
Your boss wants a metaverse strategy, but what would that be, and what does
metaverse even mean?...
over a year ago
Your boss wants a metaverse strategy, but what would that be, and what does
metaverse even mean? If we strip away the noise, what can we say about
this, and what can we predict?
Platformer
In latest round of Twitter cuts, some see hints of its next CEO
Is the job Steve Davis' to lose? PLUS: A smart new tool to fight child exploitation online
a year ago
Is the job Steve Davis' to lose? PLUS: A smart new tool to fight child exploitation online
Stephen Diehl
FPTs: Pure Fungibility on the Blockchain
over a year ago
Roberto Vitillo's...
How to review a data analysis
Writing good code is hard, writing a good analysis is harder. Peer-review is an essential tool to...
over a year ago
Writing good code is hard, writing a good analysis is harder. Peer-review is an essential tool to fight repetitive errors, omissions and…
Rest of World -...
Vietnam’s “TikTok monk” gives wisdom on life and love to millions of followers
Gen Z slang and social media trends help Giac Minh Luat connect with Vietnam’s lonely generation.
2 months ago
Gen Z slang and social media trends help Giac Minh Luat connect with Vietnam’s lonely generation.
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...
Stephen Diehl
The Explicit Choice by the SEC Not to Regulate Crypto
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...
Paul Graham: Essays
The 18 Mistakes That Kill Startups
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Is it a tech bubble?
Every week a “we are in a tech bubble” article seems to come out in a major newspaper or blog....
over a year ago
Every week a “we are in a tech bubble” article seems to come out in a major newspaper or blog. People who argue we aren’t in a bubble are…
Data Boutique
Web Scraping Legal Context
As the need for data grows, so does the need for clearer regulation
a year ago
As the need for data grows, so does the need for clearer regulation
Rest of World -...
Fake news verification tools fail the test during elections in India
Rest of World tested 11 leading WhatsApp-based chatbots that promise to help Indian voters identify...
7 months ago
Rest of World tested 11 leading WhatsApp-based chatbots that promise to help Indian voters identify misinformation. There were long delays and inconsistencies in responses even for content that can easily be identified as AI-generated and fake.
The Thinking Cap
You Should Watch More Canceled TV Shows
An argument against the Lindy Effect. How can we sample from the long tail?
over a year ago
An argument against the Lindy Effect. How can we sample from the long tail?
Paul Graham: Essays
Six Principles for Making New Things
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
Online extremism linked to rise in school shootings in Brazil, researchers find
After a rise in shootings, an all-woman group is advising the new Brazilian government on how to...
a year ago
After a rise in shootings, an all-woman group is advising the new Brazilian government on how to deal with radicalization online.
Noahpinion
Progressives need to learn to take the W
Outrage is only one motivation for change, and it comes with a cost.
3 months ago
Outrage is only one motivation for change, and it comes with a cost.
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
tomcritchlow.com
The roadmap is not the territory
Most of my consulting work connects to “marketing strategy” in some way - clients come wanting to...
a year ago
Most of my consulting work connects to “marketing strategy” in some way - clients come wanting to talk about growing their business. But the funny thing about growth and marketing is that each component is like a thread that, once pulled, unravels the whole spool.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Incumbents
Almost every startup has big companies (“incumbents”) that are at some point potential acquirers or...
over a year ago
Almost every startup has big companies (“incumbents”) that are at some point potential acquirers or competitors. For internet startups that…
42!
Basecamp's house of cards...
Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash
Character is like toothpaste - it really only comes out under pressure...
over a year ago
Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash
Character is like toothpaste - it really only comes out under pressure (unknown)
I don’t know where I first heard the above quote, but the events of the last week have really shown how true this saying is.
I will start by saying that I have been an...
Noahpinion
If this is a bad economy, please tell me what a good economy would look like
We should acknowledge that things are going well, even as we continue to look for problems to solve.
a year ago
We should acknowledge that things are going well, even as we continue to look for problems to solve.
Noahpinion
Macroeconomics: The predator of foolish regimes
One thing no ruler can control.
3 days ago
One thing no ruler can control.
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Tom Blomfield
Unit Economics
The old joke describes a lot of companies at the moment - “I’ll sell at a loss but make it up on...
over a year ago
The old joke describes a lot of companies at the moment - “I’ll sell at a loss but make it up on volume.” Pilloried in the press, startups burn through vast sums of capital before spectacularly imploding.
Let’s go back to 2012-13. The world was finally emerging from a punishing...
AVC
Coming Back Up For Air
The last time I posted was May 23rd, three weeks ago. There was a time when I wrote every day. When...
a year ago
The last time I posted was May 23rd, three weeks ago. There was a time when I wrote every day. When I had not yet posted on any day, I felt like something was missing, like I had not yet had my cup of coffee. Clearly, I have moved on from that need to write […]
essay – snarfed.org
So long, Twitter API, and thanks for all the fish
Well, it’s come to this. Twitter is burning, a billionaire owes money, an API will soon get...
a year ago
Well, it’s come to this. Twitter is burning, a billionaire owes money, an API will soon get lobotomized, so Bridgy‘s Twitter support will die within the month is dead. Granary‘s and twitter-atom too. The Twitter API may now be effectively unmaintained, but they still managed to...
Platformer
The consumer AI era has begun
OpenAI beat Google to the market with its $42 monthly ChatGPT service. Can it handle the risks that...
a year ago
OpenAI beat Google to the market with its $42 monthly ChatGPT service. Can it handle the risks that come with it?
AVC
AIVC
I was approached by a company this week that has trained a large language model on all of the blog...
a year ago
I was approached by a company this week that has trained a large language model on all of the blog posts I have written here at AVC. There are 9059 of them for those that are counting. They wanted to offer me a chat bot called “ask Fred.” I told them no thanks. Let me […]
Rest of World -...
Ethiopians are struggling to keep up with the new “EV or nothing” policy
Ethiopia became the first country in the world to ban the import of gas and diesel cars. But the...
5 months ago
Ethiopia became the first country in the world to ban the import of gas and diesel cars. But the country has only around 50 charging stations.
Essays - Benedict...
Apple intelligence and AI maximalism
Apple has showed a bunch of cool ideas for generative AI, but much more, it
is pointing to most of...
6 months ago
Apple has showed a bunch of cool ideas for generative AI, but much more, it
is pointing to most of the big questions and proposing a different answer -
that LLMs are commodity infrastructure, not platforms or products.
Rest of World -...
MercadoLibre is a massive fish in a medium-sized pond
The Argentine e-commerce company is no doubt beating the likes of Amazon in Latin America, but how...
a year ago
The Argentine e-commerce company is no doubt beating the likes of Amazon in Latin America, but how comparable are the two?
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...
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.
Platformer
How Sundar Pichai is thinking about AI
Three takeaways about Google's approach to this moment, after an interview with Google's CEO
a year ago
Three takeaways about Google's approach to this moment, after an interview with Google's CEO
Steve Blank
Is a $100 Million Enough?
Capitalism has been good to me. After serving in the military during Vietnam, I came home and had a...
9 months ago
Capitalism has been good to me. After serving in the military during Vietnam, I came home and had a career in eight startups. I got to retire when I was 45. Over the last quarter century, in my third career, I helped create the methods entrepreneurs use to build new startups,...
Platformer
Another Facebook content moderation company quits the business
Amid worker unrest and a lawsuit, Sama says it's done. Will others follow?
a year ago
Amid worker unrest and a lawsuit, Sama says it's done. Will others follow?
Folklore.org:...
He's Only in Field Service
The SCC gets designed into the Mac
a year ago
The SCC gets designed into the Mac
cdixon.org RSS Feed
a16z
VCs are experts at analyzing industries and identifying new opportunities, which is why it’s odd...
over a year ago
VCs are experts at analyzing industries and identifying new opportunities, which is why it’s odd that the VC industry itself has so…
Steve Blank
Even the Smartest VCs Sometimes Get it Wrong – Bill Gurley and Regulated Markets
Bill Gurley was one of Silicon Valley’s smartest and most successful VCs. He recently gave a talk at...
a year ago
Bill Gurley was one of Silicon Valley’s smartest and most successful VCs. He recently gave a talk at the All-In Summit that was really two talks in one. The first part was railing against the consequences of regulatory capture on innovation and a second part, about the...
AVC
Flooding
I spent a good part of my childhood at West Point, the US Military Academy. I got an email yesterday...
a year ago
I spent a good part of my childhood at West Point, the US Military Academy. I got an email yesterday with photos of the flooding at West Point. My dad and brother used to work in that grey stone building called Mahan Hall. And the same storms that did this to West Point did worse...
AVC
The 83b Election
First and foremost, this is not tax advice. I am not a tax advisor and you should never take...
a year ago
First and foremost, this is not tax advice. I am not a tax advisor and you should never take anything you read here as tax advice. If you read something here that makes you think you should take some tax-related action, please always consult your tax advisor. With that disclosure...
Essays - Benedict...
A decade of the Tim Cook machine
In all the enthusiasms, arguments and panics around tech, Apple is the $2tn
elephant in the...
over a year ago
In all the enthusiasms, arguments and panics around tech, Apple is the $2tn
elephant in the corner, mostly silent and serenely indifferent to the news
cycle. It just ships - and it ships market-leading products, with
metronomic precision, at massive scale, on a decade-long...
Noahpinion
Some ideas for science fiction in the 2020s
The future ain't what it used to be.
a year ago
The future ain't what it used to be.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
When should you give up on an idea?
Suppose you launch your new startup and don’t get the traction you were hoping for. How do you know...
over a year ago
Suppose you launch your new startup and don’t get the traction you were hoping for. How do you know whether to give up or keep going? This…
Paul Graham: Essays
Why Startups Condense in America
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
The entrepreneur trying to make thrifting truly eco-friendly with AI
Nofal Khan is the co-founder and CEO of Swag Kicks, one of Pakistan’s largest online thrift...
7 months ago
Nofal Khan is the co-founder and CEO of Swag Kicks, one of Pakistan’s largest online thrift platforms.
Blog posts of...
Drafting your first investment round.
The topic of investing is omnipresent in our startup world. Sooner or later most startup founders...
over a year ago
The topic of investing is omnipresent in our startup world. Sooner or later most startup founders look for external funding. And i...
Rest of World -...
The secret ingredient to hustle culture: A virtual assistant in the Philippines
How the office grind is being outsourced from Silicon Valley to Manila.
a year ago
How the office grind is being outsourced from Silicon Valley to Manila.
Articles - Alex...
The errors of efficiency
We live in the era of efficiency. The advertising industry is infatuated
with it. Intoxicated by...
over a year ago
We live in the era of efficiency. The advertising industry is infatuated
with it. Intoxicated by it. Enamoured and enthralled by it. We want our
teams to be lean. Our processes to be agile. And our output to be
optimised. Instead of focussing on making our work bigger, we...
Paul Graham: Essays
Let the Other 95% of Great Programmers In
over a year ago
Stephen Diehl
Stablecoins Do Not Deserve Special Treatment
over a year ago
Tech + Economics +...
How we turned into assholes
The internet was supposed to unite us.
So what the fuck happened?
And how did we become a...
a year ago
The internet was supposed to unite us.
So what the fuck happened?
And how did we become a cross-generational digital nation of assholes?
We dreamed of a global, decentralized network spreading information,
enabling communication, and connecting humanity. But somewhere...
Rest of World -...
“Gig reviewers” are endorsing fake products for quick cash in Brazil
For a few dollars, paid reviewers will record a video vouching for anything. Scammers love them.
a year ago
For a few dollars, paid reviewers will record a video vouching for anything. Scammers love them.
David Perell
Trevor Bauer: Playing Professional Baseball
My guest today is Trevor Bauer, who is arguably the very best pitcher in Major League Baseball. In...
over a year ago
My guest today is Trevor Bauer, who is arguably the very best pitcher in Major League Baseball. In 2020, he had the lowest Earned Run Average of any pitcher and won the National League Cy Young Award, which goes to the top pitcher in the game. I wanted to interview Trevor not...
Paul Graham: Essays
The Bus Ticket Theory of Genius
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
What we learned in a year of reporting on labor and technology
Rest of World’s four Labor x Tech fellows reflect on their year reporting about the global tech...
7 months ago
Rest of World’s four Labor x Tech fellows reflect on their year reporting about the global tech industry’s impact on its workers.
Stephen Diehl
The Political Case for a Blanket Cryptocurrency Ban
over a year ago
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
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Do you want to sell sugar water or do you want to change the world?
“Do you want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life or come with me and change the world?” –...
over a year ago
“Do you want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life or come with me and change the world?” – Steve Jobs I sometimes wish that instead…
Noahpinion
Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper
Yes, market-rate!
9 months ago
Rest of World -...
After dating app murders spike in Colombia, Match Group offers to help the police
Tinder’s parent company attended an unprecedented meeting with the U.S. Embassy and local...
9 months ago
Tinder’s parent company attended an unprecedented meeting with the U.S. Embassy and local authorities in Colombia to curb attacks against foreigners.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The Internet Economy
We are living in an era of bundling. The big five consumer tech companies — Google, Apple, Facebook,...
over a year ago
We are living in an era of bundling. The big five consumer tech companies — Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft — have moved far…
Raw Thought (from...
Look at yourself objectively
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...
Dustin Curtis
Bill Gates is Angry
Steven Levy interviewed Bill Gates for Wired, and it is quite an illuminating conversation. In past...
over a year ago
Steven Levy interviewed Bill Gates for Wired, and it is quite an illuminating conversation. In past public appearances, Gates – like most experts – has attempted to walk the line between antagonizing the Trump administration and promulgating real science. But now he appears to be...
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 1 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Internal Tech Emails
Elon Musk's Twitter texts
I'm not joining the board. This is a waste of time.
over a year ago
I'm not joining the board. This is a waste of time.
Platformer
Why you can't trust Twitter's encrypted DMs
A promised audit hasn't actually happened, sources say. PLUS: Twitter's Turkey problem, and a new...
a year ago
A promised audit hasn't actually happened, sources say. PLUS: Twitter's Turkey problem, and a new CEO
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Twitter killed RSS (and that’s a bad thing)
I’ve used Google Reader religiously since it launched. I’m a few days away from quitting it...
over a year ago
I’ve used Google Reader religiously since it launched. I’m a few days away from quitting it forever. Pretty much every blog I read tweets…
Stephen Diehl
Dive into GHC: Targeting Core
over a year ago
Business Brainstorms
Cubicles, boring first ideas, luck surface math, and spirituality has to go somewhere
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 “Is there anything a corp can do to break out of a...
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for the middle of your week (#43)
Slop wars; Poland and Ukraine; AI bubble; MMT reversal;
5 months ago
Slop wars; Poland and Ukraine; AI bubble; MMT reversal;
Noahpinion
Realistically, how much damage could Trump do to the U.S. economy?
The biggest risks are all about debt and inflation.
a month ago
The biggest risks are all about debt and inflation.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"The great ideas have come from people who weren’t paid to have great ideas"
It is only afterward that a new idea seems reasonable. To begin with, it usually seems unreasonable....
over a year ago
It is only afterward that a new idea seems reasonable. To begin with, it usually seems unreasonable. It seems the height of unreason to…
Articles - Alex...
Adland is an island
We spend eight hours a day thinking about the brands we build. Many of us
more. We consider our...
over a year ago
We spend eight hours a day thinking about the brands we build. Many of us
more. We consider our clients’ companies and the categories in which they
compete. We visit the sites in which our products are produced and the
stores in which they are sold. We analyse their adverts...
Rest of World -...
The industry behind the industry behind AI
It’s outsourcing all the way down.
a year ago
It’s outsourcing all the way down.
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
SatPost by Trung...
The Psychology of Disneyland
From Walt Disney's original vision to Imagineering to pricing strategy.
a year ago
From Walt Disney's original vision to Imagineering to pricing strategy.
Platformer
Google's most serious antitrust challenge to date
The US government is coming after the company's ad business — and it might win
a year ago
The US government is coming after the company's ad business — and it might win
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
Paul Graham: Essays
Chapter 2 of Ansi Common Lisp
a year ago
Rest of World -...
How to launch a Chinese smartphone in Mexico
Antonio Tercero is guiding Infinix’s Mexico expansion, facing off against Huawei, Xiaomi, and Oppo.
11 months ago
Antonio Tercero is guiding Infinix’s Mexico expansion, facing off against Huawei, Xiaomi, and Oppo.
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 Lots of interesting discussions after Sam Altman got fired from OpenAI. One of the interesting...
a year ago
#1 💡 Lots of interesting discussions after Sam Altman got fired from OpenAI. One of the interesting themes: What does the guy actually do? Is he actually important for the company? Surely other people, the technicians, are responsible for the breakthroughs, right?
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.
Tom Blomfield
Getting Shit Done
I was recently talking to a handful of successful startups founders about issues they were facing as...
over a year ago
I was recently talking to a handful of successful startups founders about issues they were facing as they scaled up their companies. Unanimously, hiring and retaining people who “get shit done” seemed to be their biggest problem. I’ve been thinking about this for the last few...
Noahpinion
The Roaring 20s are back on track
A healthy economy, strong productivity growth, and a continuing tech boom.
a year ago
A healthy economy, strong productivity growth, and a continuing tech boom.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Pitch yourself, not your idea
There is a widespread myth that the most important part of building a great company is coming up...
over a year ago
There is a widespread myth that the most important part of building a great company is coming up with a great idea. This myth is reflected…
Noahpinion
Who's afraid of the Huawei Mate 60 Pro?
Export controls were never going to make China's semiconductor industry vanish.
a year ago
Export controls were never going to make China's semiconductor industry vanish.
Working Theorys
Status Limbo | Theory No. 27
To get status, you have to give up status.
11 months ago
To get status, you have to give up status.
Aaron's Essays
Pro rata is a bad term
For a long time, I was a strong believer in investor pro ratas. As a founder, I understood the trade...
over a year ago
For a long time, I was a strong believer in investor pro ratas. As a founder, I understood the trade and was comfortable with it. As a partner at YC, I thought it made enough sense that I helped design an entire programmatic pro rata system that covered every investment YC made....
Rest of World -...
The World’s Last Internet Cafes
For a quarter century, internet cafes connected the world. Now they’re vanishing into history.
a year ago
For a quarter century, internet cafes connected the world. Now they’re vanishing into history.
Paul Graham: Essays
The Two Kinds of Moderate
over a year ago
Steve Blank
What Does Product Market Fit Sound Like? This.
I got a call from an ex-student asking me “how do you know when you found product market fit?”...
2 months ago
I got a call from an ex-student asking me “how do you know when you found product market fit?” There’s been lots of words written about it, but no actual recordings of the moment. I remembered I had saved this 90 second, 26 year-old audio file because this is when I knew we had...
Data Boutique
What's New on Data Boutique
Noteworthy stuff from the web data platform
11 months ago
Noteworthy stuff from the web data platform
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…
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#47)
Germany's mistakes; U.S. political parties; the VC winter; austerity; science and politics; TikTok...
3 months ago
Germany's mistakes; U.S. political parties; the VC winter; austerity; science and politics; TikTok propaganda; desalination
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.
Essays - Benedict...
Generative AI and intellectual property
If you put all the world’s knowledge into an AI model and use it to make
something new, who owns...
a year ago
If you put all the world’s knowledge into an AI model and use it to make
something new, who owns that and who gets paid? This is a completely new
problem that we’ve been arguing about for 500 years.
Rest of World -...
The SoftBank-backed company that lets you buy glasses over WhatsApp
The Indian eyewear company, Lenskart, is now an Asian giant.
a year ago
The Indian eyewear company, Lenskart, is now an Asian giant.
Rest of World -...
Casualties of the Chip War
The biggest threat to Nvidia isn’t coming from China
a year ago
The biggest threat to Nvidia isn’t coming from China
Platformer
How two insurgents are taking on Twitter
Artifact's Kevin Systrom on the disruptive power of good comments. PLUS: Substack's naïveté around...
a year ago
Artifact's Kevin Systrom on the disruptive power of good comments. PLUS: Substack's naïveté around Notes
Paul Graham: Essays
The Hacker's Guide to Investors
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The experience economy
Before World War 2, the middle-class in the developed world struggled to afford basic needs. In the...
over a year ago
Before World War 2, the middle-class in the developed world struggled to afford basic needs. In the post-war boom, standards of living rose…
Platformer
The AI industry really should slow down a little
This year has given us a bounty of innovations. We could use some time to absorb them
a year ago
This year has given us a bounty of innovations. We could use some time to absorb them
Rest of World -...
Five globally successful Chinese companies you’ve never heard of
TikTok and Shein are household names, but ShareIt and Yalla aren't far behind.
a year ago
TikTok and Shein are household names, but ShareIt and Yalla aren't far behind.
Data Boutique
Case Study: MatchesFashion Inventory Outflows
Web data for market insights
9 months ago
Web data for market insights
Entrepreneur's Edge
Recommended Books
A collection of books that have changed how I think about the world.
a year ago
A collection of books that have changed how I think about the world.
Aaron's Essays
Carts without horses
Investing in emerging markets such as India, Kenya, and Nigeria isn’t quite what I naively thought...
over a year ago
Investing in emerging markets such as India, Kenya, and Nigeria isn’t quite what I naively thought it would be. Before I started, I thought that finding a good company in an emerging market would just mean copying models that worked in developed markets. All I’d have to do is...
tomcritchlow.com
8 Years on the Road
Being self-employed feels a bit like being on an extended road trip. Untethered and free, but lonely...
over a year ago
Being self-employed feels a bit like being on an extended road trip. Untethered and free, but lonely and unsupported too. Ultimate freedoms combined with shallow roots. Every year I write a recap, around the anniversary of quitting my last job (Oct 24th, 2014). Here’s my recap of...
Rest of World -...
A tale of two feeds
Car smuggling in Bolivia is booming, despite thieves and theft victims widely documenting the...
a year ago
Car smuggling in Bolivia is booming, despite thieves and theft victims widely documenting the problem.
Platformer
Elon Musk fires a top Twitter engineer over his declining view count
Inside Twitter 2.0, turmoil leaves employees stretched to the max
a year ago
Inside Twitter 2.0, turmoil leaves employees stretched to the max
Stephen Diehl
The Philosophical Argument Against Crypto
over a year ago
essay – snarfed.org
New job, hello climate tech
I have a new job! I’m doing climate tech at NCX (née SilviaTerra), using satellite imagery to...
over a year ago
I have a new job! I’m doing climate tech at NCX (née SilviaTerra), using satellite imagery to prevent deforestation and sequester more carbon in trees. A few years ago, I looked around for a side project on the climate crisis. Nothing big, maybe 5-10 hours a week, but I was ready...
Rest of World -...
How Tesla’s Mexico plans stalled out
When the Monterrey factory finally arrives, will Elon still want it?
6 months ago
When the Monterrey factory finally arrives, will Elon still want it?
SatPost by Trung...
Travelogue: Central & Eastern Europe
17 thoughts from a trip to Munich, Prague, Budapest, Vienna and Dubrovnik
4 months ago
17 thoughts from a trip to Munich, Prague, Budapest, Vienna and Dubrovnik
Tech + Economics +...
This is how you know I’m almost 35.
Woke up.
Feel like absolute hell.
Need coffee. This is me sober, how did I ever function in...
a year ago
Woke up.
Feel like absolute hell.
Need coffee. This is me sober, how did I ever function in the mornings
while I was drinking?
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Why does it matter that Twitter is supplanting RSS?
The other day I claimed that Twitter is supplanting RSS, and that long term that’s a bad thing....
over a year ago
The other day I claimed that Twitter is supplanting RSS, and that long term that’s a bad thing. Andrew Weissman had a very reasonable…
Platformer
TikTok nears the endgame
Breaking off TikTok from ByteDance might be the right thing to do — but it will come at a high cost....
a year ago
Breaking off TikTok from ByteDance might be the right thing to do — but it will come at a high cost. PLUS: How Twitter keeps competitors off its For You page
Dustin Curtis
Tesla and Storytelling
Last week, Tesla unveiled two world-changing products: Robotaxi1, a fully self-driving taxi with no...
2 months ago
Last week, Tesla unveiled two world-changing products: Robotaxi1, a fully self-driving taxi with no steering wheel or pedals, and an autonomous humanoid robot, called Optimus2, that can walk and has fully functioning hands and feet. Both of these products have been depicted in...
Rest of World -...
How different languages laugh online
Laughter is universal, but lol is not.
a year ago
Laughter is universal, but lol is not.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#18)
Recession illusions, China's military buildup, industrial policy and wages, rethinking corporate...
a year ago
Recession illusions, China's military buildup, industrial policy and wages, rethinking corporate tax, tightening export controls, and an interview with Darrell Owens
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Pricing to the demand curve
Many college microeconomics courses include the following exercise. The teacher offers the students...
over a year ago
Many college microeconomics courses include the following exercise. The teacher offers the students an imaginary trip to Hawaii, and asks…
Noahpinion
Repost: Interview with James Medlock
The future winner of Balaji's million-dollar bet talks about taxes, cash benefits, and other fun...
a year ago
The future winner of Balaji's million-dollar bet talks about taxes, cash benefits, and other fun stuff
Nothing Human
Metrics, Cowardice, and Mistrust
why we need better ideologies than "data driven decision making"
a year ago
why we need better ideologies than "data driven decision making"
Noahpinion
America's supply chains are a disaster waiting to happen
A guest post by Yann Calvó López and Ben Golub.
2 months ago
A guest post by Yann Calvó López and Ben Golub.
Working Theorys
The Co-Sign That Changes Everything
Ascendancy in any domain is a game of two moves: self-made wins and high-status vouches. You...
3 months ago
Ascendancy in any domain is a game of two moves: self-made wins and high-status vouches. You alternate between the two, taking leaps from one step to the next, aiming for that mythical high point (before either crashing down or fading away under the same community’s judgment or,...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
“It is the human friction that makes the sparks”
From Jonah Lehrer, Brainstorming Doesn’t Really Work (via Stowe Boyd): Building 20 [a scene of...
over a year ago
From Jonah Lehrer, Brainstorming Doesn’t Really Work (via Stowe Boyd): Building 20 [a scene of incredible innovation at MIT] and…
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
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Silicon Valley's False Prophet
The tech industry has craved a messiah since the death of Steve Jobs, but in OpenAI CEO Sam Altman...
6 months ago
The tech industry has craved a messiah since the death of Steve Jobs, but in OpenAI CEO Sam Altman they’ve discovered more of a false prophet — a seedy grifter that uses his remarkable ability to impress and manipulate Silicon Valley’s elite to mask a total
Aaron's Essays
In defense of exploding term sheets
There’s a lot of content out there arguing that exploding term sheets—ones that expire after a set...
over a year ago
There’s a lot of content out there arguing that exploding term sheets—ones that expire after a set amount of time, whether or not they’re accepted—are bad. Some of this comes from founders who do not appreciate the pressure; some if it comes from VCs who want to emphasize their...
Rest of World -...
The Philippine army is recruiting young tech civilians to fight cyber attacks
The country is among the most vulnerable to online threats, many of them from China. To fight back,...
a month ago
The country is among the most vulnerable to online threats, many of them from China. To fight back, the army is recruiting IT professionals.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Presenting Founder Collective
As readers of this blog know, I’m a huge fan of the startup and venture capital world but also a...
over a year ago
As readers of this blog know, I’m a huge fan of the startup and venture capital world but also a sometimes critic of how the venture capital…
Articles - Alex...
The Millennial myth
It seems that a day doesn’t pass without another article hitting the
headlines exposing the...
over a year ago
It seems that a day doesn’t pass without another article hitting the
headlines exposing the shortcomings of the Millennial generation. It seems
we are obsessed with the concept of demographic cohorts. Or, to put it more
specifically, we are obsessed with the idea that...
Rest of World -...
It’s not (just) Ticketmaster’s fault
A Mexican superstar’s concert tour proves no ticketing company’s tech is a match for fans and fraud.
a year ago
A Mexican superstar’s concert tour proves no ticketing company’s tech is a match for fans and fraud.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
How bundling benefits sellers and buyers
There is a widespread belief in technology circles that bundling of cable TV, newspaper, magazine...
over a year ago
There is a widespread belief in technology circles that bundling of cable TV, newspaper, magazine and other information goods will go away…
Rest of World -...
Why Kenya has the potential to be Africa’s EV powerhouse
Jit Bhattacharya discusses the challenges and opportunities of building an EV company in Kenya.
5 months ago
Jit Bhattacharya discusses the challenges and opportunities of building an EV company in Kenya.
Noahpinion
The New 1970s
The U.S. is a confused, unsettled nation. But green shoots are quietly sprouting.
a year ago
The U.S. is a confused, unsettled nation. But green shoots are quietly sprouting.
Rest of World -...
Kathmandu is making taxi drivers switch to EVs. Not all drivers can afford one
The Xpres-T, made by Indian carmaker Tata, is the only EV approved for use as a taxi in Nepal. It...
5 months ago
The Xpres-T, made by Indian carmaker Tata, is the only EV approved for use as a taxi in Nepal. It costs $27,000 — several years’ income.
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Bubble Trouble
As I previously warned, artificial intelligence companies are running out of data. A Wall Street...
8 months ago
As I previously warned, artificial intelligence companies are running out of data. A Wall Street Journal piece from this week has sounded the alarm that some believe AI models will run out of "high-quality text-based data" within the next two years in what an AI researcher called...
Platformer
A visit to TikTok's transparency center
Few companies have ever made their code so available for inspection. How much will it matter?
a year ago
Few companies have ever made their code so available for inspection. How much will it matter?
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...
Rest of World -...
Hong Kong politicians are making a splash on Chinese social media – and finding mainland fans.
Users have responded enthusiastically to their selfies, food pics, and Father’s Day updates.
a year ago
Users have responded enthusiastically to their selfies, food pics, and Father’s Day updates.
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...
AVC
Sleep
I got an Oura ring a couple of years ago and have been working on improving my sleep and sleep...
a year ago
I got an Oura ring a couple of years ago and have been working on improving my sleep and sleep habits ever since. For much of my adult life, I have been a poor sleeper. I have always been able to fall asleep quickly, but I have been plagued by two sleep issues. The first […]
Rest of World -...
Indonesia’s e-bike shops are building their own batteries
Battery-pack builders chase maximum range, despite safety risks.
9 months ago
Battery-pack builders chase maximum range, despite safety risks.
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".
Noahpinion
A data-driven case for productivity optimism
A guest post by Brian Albrecht of Economic Forces.
4 months ago
A guest post by Brian Albrecht of Economic Forces.
Throwable
The Parable of the Three Managers
Once upon a time there was a small village with three managers. Each day, at sunset, they’d gather...
a year ago
Once upon a time there was a small village with three managers. Each day, at sunset, they’d gather and tell stories of their team’s accomplishments. Every one better than the last. Until one day a curse was cast upon them all, shrouding each manager’s team in a cloud. Within the...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Size markets using narratives, not numbers
Anyone who has pitched VCs knows they are obsessed with market size. If you can’t make the case...
over a year ago
Anyone who has pitched VCs knows they are obsessed with market size. If you can’t make the case that you’re addressing a possible billion…
David Perell
The Microwave Economy
America has become a Microwave Economy. We’ve overwhelmingly used our wealth to make the world...
over a year ago
America has become a Microwave Economy. We’ve overwhelmingly used our wealth to make the world cheaper instead of more beautiful, more functional instead of more meaningful.
The post The Microwave Economy appeared first on David Perell.
Paul Graham: Essays
The Future of Startup Funding
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
Bangladesh’s internet blackout immobilizes its booming tech industry
The government and internet service providers blame each other for the blackout amid massive...
5 months ago
The government and internet service providers blame each other for the blackout amid massive protests.
essay – snarfed.org
Deep piano
Roberto Chignoli I started playing piano again recently, after a 20 year hiatus. Our 6 year old...
over a year ago
Roberto Chignoli I started playing piano again recently, after a 20 year hiatus. Our 6 year old Brooke started learning, and we suddenly had a keyboard in the house again, so I joined her. It’s been great! I’m playing scales and exercises, diving into Rachmaninoff and Debussy,...
Rest of World -...
The exclusive network behind India’s global tech success
How IIT school degrees became a fast track to tech royalty.
a year ago
How IIT school degrees became a fast track to tech royalty.
Rest of World -...
A traveler’s dream: Cash-free payment systems link up across Southeast Asia
From Bali to Bangkok, people are ditching cards for QR code payments. There’s a catch: For now, it’s...
a year ago
From Bali to Bangkok, people are ditching cards for QR code payments. There’s a catch: For now, it’s for locals only.
Noahpinion
Feeling strangely optimistic about Egypt
It has many of the building blocks for a successful industrialization story.
a year ago
It has many of the building blocks for a successful industrialization story.
Internal Tech Emails
Bill Gates: "The quality is giving us a bad name"
I don’t know how unique I am but my experience in clicking on streaming media stuff and seeing if it...
8 months ago
I don’t know how unique I am but my experience in clicking on streaming media stuff and seeing if it works is still less than 50%.
SatPost by Trung...
Blumhouse: The Hollywood Horror Hit Machine
How Jason Blum turned "constraints breed creativity" into a business model.
a year ago
How Jason Blum turned "constraints breed creativity" into a business model.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Are people more willing to pay for digital goods on mobile devices?
Mary Meeker’s [ ](images/screen-shot-2009-12-27-at-11-51-18-am.png) The assertion seems to be that...
over a year ago
Mary Meeker’s [ ](images/screen-shot-2009-12-27-at-11-51-18-am.png) The assertion seems to be that there is something special about the…
Rest of World -...
Exclusive: Microsoft Bing’s censorship in China is even “more extreme” than Chinese companies’
New Citizen Lab study comes as U.S. lawmakers scrutinize Microsoft’s willingness to comply with...
5 months ago
New Citizen Lab study comes as U.S. lawmakers scrutinize Microsoft’s willingness to comply with demands from Beijing.
Rest of World -...
Scale AI is on a hiring spree for speakers of under-represented languages
But some languages pay a lot better than others.
a year ago
But some languages pay a lot better than others.
Rest of World -...
The role of trust in building fintech for Africa
Yanmo Omorogbe of Nigerian wealth management firm Bamboo talks about navigating government...
5 months ago
Yanmo Omorogbe of Nigerian wealth management firm Bamboo talks about navigating government regulations and the role of longevity.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for your weekend (#24)
Economists had a good 2023, degrowthers promising growth, the troubles in the humanities, U.S....
11 months ago
Economists had a good 2023, degrowthers promising growth, the troubles in the humanities, U.S. redistribution, and defense production
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 Phil is the founder of my favorite email software and he’s 100% correct here. Google sucks for...
11 months ago
#1 💡 Phil is the founder of my favorite email software and he’s 100% correct here. Google sucks for recommendations. The algorithm has been gamed to death. Just in the past two days I’ve asked GPT for recommendations on 2 high ticket decisions (job board in specific region,...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Pitching the VC partnership
The last step to raising venture capital is normally a 1 hour pitch to the whole partnership during...
over a year ago
The last step to raising venture capital is normally a 1 hour pitch to the whole partnership during their weekly monday meeting. This is…
Dustin Curtis
Luxury for everyone: thoughts on Vision Pro and Apple's DNA
In 2009, Microsoft released an enormous 200lb coffee table with an embedded 30-inch touchscreen...
7 months ago
In 2009, Microsoft released an enormous 200lb coffee table with an embedded 30-inch touchscreen called Surface. Although the iPhone had been around for a little while, the larger screen made Surface feel absolutely futuristic: in the Photos app, you could toss around pictures...
SatPost by Trung...
Beating the Auction Duopoly
Sotheby's and Christie's are a combined 538 years old. Can the 48-year old Heritage Auctions topple...
11 months ago
Sotheby's and Christie's are a combined 538 years old. Can the 48-year old Heritage Auctions topple this duopoly?
cdixon.org RSS Feed
If an alien film crew chose to feature our species in a nature documentary, they’d have plenty of…
If an alien film crew chose to feature our species in a nature documentary, they’d have plenty of...
over a year ago
If an alien film crew chose to feature our species in a nature documentary, they’d have plenty of spectacular superorganisms to choose from…
Internal Tech Emails
Steve Jobs emails Bill Gates
They are really going out of their way to say that they intend to kill QuickTime, and are being...
a year ago
They are really going out of their way to say that they intend to kill QuickTime, and are being quite threatening and rude about it.
AVC
Leading From The Heart
I have watched so many leaders over the years in my various roles as lead investor, board member,...
a year ago
I have watched so many leaders over the years in my various roles as lead investor, board member, board chair, investor, and advisor. And one thing I have learned from this front-row seat is that leading from the heart is very powerful. A leader can be the most brilliant product...
Platformer
Why journalists can't quit Twitter
The media should be building alternatives. Instead, some are doubling down
a year ago
The media should be building alternatives. Instead, some are doubling down
Rest of World -...
The CEO helping thousands of women in Latin America launch successful online businesses
Zach Oschin is the founder of Elenas, an app used by women to digitize their catalog sales.
10 months ago
Zach Oschin is the founder of Elenas, an app used by women to digitize their catalog sales.
Rest of World -...
The end of anonymity on Chinese social media
Forced to use real names on platforms like Weibo, Chinese influencers quit social media instead.
a year ago
Forced to use real names on platforms like Weibo, Chinese influencers quit social media instead.
Rest of World -...
Can someone please make an iPhone-theft thriller already?
Forget the Apple store heist in Seattle; South Asia has a pretty riveting script on cross-border...
a year ago
Forget the Apple store heist in Seattle; South Asia has a pretty riveting script on cross-border smartphone theft waiting to be written.
David Perell
Sensitivity Isn’t Static
The sensitivity of our senses ebbs and flows. If you’re looking to be more perceptive, start by...
a year ago
The sensitivity of our senses ebbs and flows. If you’re looking to be more perceptive, start by changing your environment.
The post Sensitivity Isn’t Static appeared first on David Perell.
Platformer
How BeReal missed its moment
To become the next big social app, competitors have to move faster
a year ago
To become the next big social app, competitors have to move faster
cdixon.org RSS Feed
What’s the right amount of seed money to raise?
Short answer: enough to get your startup to an accretive milestone plus some fudge factor....
over a year ago
Short answer: enough to get your startup to an accretive milestone plus some fudge factor. “Accretive milestone” is a fancy way of saying…
Noahpinion
A three-state solution is the only viable future for Israel and the Palestinians
Ethnic cleansing is off the table, and non-contiguous states just don't work.
a year ago
Ethnic cleansing is off the table, and non-contiguous states just don't work.
haseeb qureshi
DeFi in Eth2: Cities, suburbs, and farms
Ethereum today is incredibly congested—it’s even more congested now than it was during the height of...
over a year ago
Ethereum today is incredibly congested—it’s even more congested now than it was during the height of the ICO bubble.
This is impressive, but also worrying! Ethereum 2.0 is still a ways away, but the tiny island of Ethereum 1.0 is already populated to the point of...
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...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
"A standard protocol for machines to negotiate bitcoin payments for resources"
Great idea from Brian Armstrong of Coinbase: 1/ Seems like there should be a standard protocol for...
over a year ago
Great idea from Brian Armstrong of Coinbase: 1/ Seems like there should be a standard protocol for machines to negotiate bitcoin payments…
XO Capital - Field...
Deal Structures
A couple of people have asked about deal structures so here are a few we commonly use for buying...
10 months ago
A couple of people have asked about deal structures so here are a few we commonly use for buying micro saas companies.
All Cash
Pretty straight forward. You do all cash. Usually it's 100% into escrow.com and release maybe 50% before asset transfer and 50% after asset
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...
tomcritchlow.com
9 Years on the Road
October 24th is my indie-versary, the anniversary of quitting my last full time job. Every year I...
11 months ago
October 24th is my indie-versary, the anniversary of quitting my last full time job. Every year I write a set of reflections about this strange and magical journey.
Tech + Economics +...
AI hardware is kind of cool.
PC Mag: The r1 AI Pocket Companion Will Take You Down the Rabbit Hole
LAM works "by first...
11 months ago
PC Mag: The r1 AI Pocket Companion Will Take You Down the Rabbit Hole
LAM works "by first understanding complex human intentions, then
spinning up on human-oriented interfaces across all mobile and desktop
environments on a customized cloud platform, and finally...
Paul Graham: Essays
Why to Not Not Start a Startup
over a year ago
SatPost by Trung...
I want Apple's Vision Pro
The Apple Vision Pro has a very appealing use case: "the workplace of your dreams".
a year ago
The Apple Vision Pro has a very appealing use case: "the workplace of your dreams".
XO Capital - Field...
Getting Smaller To Get Bigger
💡
We have another fresh round of capital to deploy into 1 business at up to $1.8M purchase price....
2 months ago
💡
We have another fresh round of capital to deploy into 1 business at up to $1.8M purchase price. Must be b2b SaaS, low customer concentration, 80%+ gross margins, 50k+ MRR. If you have a tip, pass it along!
We're underway with xo 2.0. That means,
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The next big thing will start out looking like a toy
One of the amazing things about the internet economy is how different the list of top internet...
over a year ago
One of the amazing things about the internet economy is how different the list of top internet properties today looks from the list ten…
Tech + Economics +...
I can't believe this needs to be said.
I can't believe this needs to be said, but no - the reason Disney's movies
have bombed lately is...
11 months ago
I can't believe this needs to be said, but no - the reason Disney's movies
have bombed lately is not because they aren't advertising on Birdchan.
There are a plethora of reasons behind their recent box office failures.
But they have nothing to do with diminishing...
David Perell
Learning to Actually Listen
I’ve been listening the wrong way my entire life — with just my ears. True listening is a...
a year ago
I’ve been listening the wrong way my entire life — with just my ears. True listening is a totalizing, full-body experience.
The post Learning to Actually Listen appeared first on David Perell.
Ed Zitron's Where's...
Managing Up
Over the last two newsletters (three, if you include my reply to Google’s “rebuttal” of the...
7 months ago
Over the last two newsletters (three, if you include my reply to Google’s “rebuttal” of the Prabhakar Raghavan newsletter), I’ve made the case that while rot economics are responsible for making technology products manifestly worse, this transformation was only possible thanks to...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Doing old things better vs doing brand new things
New technologies enable activities that fall into one of two categories: 1) doing things you could...
over a year ago
New technologies enable activities that fall into one of two categories: 1) doing things you could already do but can now do better because…
Roberto Vitillo's...
Counting at scale
How engaged are users for a certain segment of the population? How many users are actively using a...
over a year ago
How engaged are users for a certain segment of the population? How many users are actively using a new feature? One way to answer that…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Why is enterprise tech so far behind consumer tech? Because it can be.
Brian Manning put it nicely in a comment to my post yesterday about enterprise software: In my...
over a year ago
Brian Manning put it nicely in a comment to my post yesterday about enterprise software: In my opinion, enterprise technology is WAY behind…
tomcritchlow.com
A Lil' Website Refresh
Welcome to tomcritchlow.com version…. 19? 25? Honestly there have been so many iterations over the...
9 months ago
Welcome to tomcritchlow.com version…. 19? 25? Honestly there have been so many iterations over the years who even knows. The point is there’s a new coat of paint.
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.
Rest of World -...
This Hajj VR simulator helps Muslims prepare for the holy pilgrimage
The pilgrimage can be hard to navigate for first-timers, so Pakistan’s Labbaik VR offers a chance to...
2 months ago
The pilgrimage can be hard to navigate for first-timers, so Pakistan’s Labbaik VR offers a chance to virtually preview holy sites.
Noahpinion
How will you save small midwestern towns without mass immigration?
What really happens when a "flood of migrants" gets "dumped" on a small heartland town.
3 months ago
What really happens when a "flood of migrants" gets "dumped" on a small heartland town.
Blog posts of...
My Addressbook? Keep it. Telephone numbers are a disgrace to our generation.
There is all this talk going on about Path uploading address books and privacy here privacy there. I...
over a year ago
There is all this talk going on about Path uploading address books and privacy here privacy there. I understand the fact that Star...
Noahpinion
America's semiconductor policy is missing a key piece
A guest post by Steven Glinert.
7 months ago
A guest post by Steven Glinert.
Stephen Diehl
FTX: Greed, Grift and Grandiosity
over a year ago
Noahpinion
Asia is much more important to U.S. interests than the Middle East
We need to prioritize, and our priorities should be clear.
a year ago
We need to prioritize, and our priorities should be clear.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The most important question to ask before taking seed money
There is a certain well respected venture capital firm (VC) that has a program for fledgling...
over a year ago
There is a certain well respected venture capital firm (VC) that has a program for fledgling entrepreneurs. The teams that are selected…
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...
Nadia Asparouhova
How to do the jhanas
The jhanas are a series of eight (or nine) altered mental states, which progress from euphoria, to...
6 months ago
The jhanas are a series of eight (or nine) altered mental states, which progress from euphoria, to calm, to dissolution of reality – culminating in cessation, or loss of consciousness. They are induced via sustained concentration, without any external stimuli or substances. This...
Folklore.org:...
Folon
Early Mac art from Jean-Michel Folon
a year ago
Early Mac art from Jean-Michel Folon
Rest of World -...
Rwanda’s homegrown EV leader sets its sights on Kenya
Ampersand hopes to replicate its small-market success in East Africa’s largest economy.
7 months ago
Ampersand hopes to replicate its small-market success in East Africa’s largest economy.
XO Capital - Field...
Fresh Cheddar
Couple of announcements:
We've got some fresh cheddar!
We just got access to up to $2M to deploy....
11 months ago
Couple of announcements:
We've got some fresh cheddar!
We just got access to up to $2M to deploy. We're looking for 1-2 businesses:
b2b saas
$30k+ MRR
This is about 2x what we've already deployed so far which is a big deal. We will
AVC
Funding Friday: Crowdfunding Restaurants Via Blackbird
It has been a long time since I did a Funding Friday here at AVC. I used to do them every Friday. We...
a year ago
It has been a long time since I did a Funding Friday here at AVC. I used to do them every Friday. We have funded a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and bakeries here over the years. Here are a few examples. L’Appartement 4F Land To Sea There is a new wrinkle in...
Articles - Alex...
The age of average
In the early 1990s, two Russian artists named Vitaly Komar and Alexander
Melamid hired a market...
a year ago
In the early 1990s, two Russian artists named Vitaly Komar and Alexander
Melamid hired a market research firm to survey the public on what they
wanted in a work of art. Across 11 countries they then set about painting a
piece that reflected the results. Each piece was...
Stephen Diehl
SBF is Crypto Personified
over a year ago
Rest of World -...
The regional flavors of labor-on-demand
A new report digs into the social dynamics of gig work.
8 months ago
A new report digs into the social dynamics of gig work.
Data Boutique
The hidden costs of asking for quotations in the data market
Working towards faster, cheaper and safer data projects
10 months ago
Working towards faster, cheaper and safer data projects
Entrepreneur's Edge
The Power of Beliefs
The significant role that our beliefs play in our outcomes.
a year ago
The significant role that our beliefs play in our outcomes.
Blog posts of...
Managing people 🤯
I believe almost all first-time founders burn out their first employees – maybe this article helps...
over a year ago
I believe almost all first-time founders burn out their first employees – maybe this article helps you avoiding this
Ed Zitron's Where's...
One Month of Better Offline
Hello!
I have been deliberately not dropping every episode of my new show iHeartRadio/Cool Zone...
9 months ago
Hello!
I have been deliberately not dropping every episode of my new show iHeartRadio/Cool Zone Media show Better Offline onto the newsletter feed, as I don't want to start sending you two emails a week, or make you feel like you're being spammed. I am
Data Boutique
Generic data marketplaces are broken
Misaligned interests and lack of value are the cause
a year ago
Misaligned interests and lack of value are the cause
Rest of World -...
The startup offering free toilets and coffee for delivery workers — in exchange for their data
Argentine startup Nippy aggregates data from gig workers and sells it to companies like Mastercard...
8 months ago
Argentine startup Nippy aggregates data from gig workers and sells it to companies like Mastercard and Movistar, who in turn offer workers their services.
Rest of World -...
How well do you know global food delivery?
Test your knowledge of the world’s favorite delivery apps and most-ordered dishes.
4 months ago
Test your knowledge of the world’s favorite delivery apps and most-ordered dishes.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Notes on raising seed financing
Last night I taught a class via Skillshare (disclosure: Founder Collective is an investor) about how...
over a year ago
Last night I taught a class via Skillshare (disclosure: Founder Collective is an investor) about how to raise a seed round. After a long…
Rest of World -...
Nigeria’s Ogun State wants to lead the country’s EV revolution
But experts fear long-term success may not follow as Nigeria lags other African countries when it...
a month ago
But experts fear long-term success may not follow as Nigeria lags other African countries when it comes to EV adoption.
Rest of World -...
Seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border? You’d better speak English or Spanish
Migrants speaking Haitian Creole or Indigenous languages face challenges at the border.
a year ago
Migrants speaking Haitian Creole or Indigenous languages face challenges at the border.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
To make smarter systems, it’s all about the data
As this article by Alex Wright in the New York Times last week reminded me, when the mainstream...
over a year ago
As this article by Alex Wright in the New York Times last week reminded me, when the mainstream press talks about artificial intelligence…
Rest of World -...
The Chinese app where women socialize over their menstrual cycles
On Meet You, women track, discuss, and pray for their periods.
a year ago
On Meet You, women track, discuss, and pray for their periods.
Working Theorys
The Creator Search Fund
Don't buy a company, commercialize a creator.
10 months ago
Don't buy a company, commercialize a creator.
SatPost by Trung...
Second Winds
Why are so many famous YouTubers quitting? A legendary essay by Václav Havel — a Czech playwright...
10 months ago
Why are so many famous YouTubers quitting? A legendary essay by Václav Havel — a Czech playwright and former President — helps to explain this trend.
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Twitter and third-party Twitter developers
I can’t remember the last time the tech world was so interesting. First, innovation is at an all...
over a year ago
I can’t remember the last time the tech world was so interesting. First, innovation is at an all time high. Apple, Google, Facebook…
Rest of World -...
How China’s hottest social media app turned Düsseldorf into a foodie destination
The trendiest food city in Europe isn’t Paris or London. It’s Düsseldorf — thanks to Xiaohongshu.
a year ago
The trendiest food city in Europe isn’t Paris or London. It’s Düsseldorf — thanks to Xiaohongshu.
Rest of World -...
A local ride-hailing service can’t beat Uber and Bolt, so its drivers are beating up their rivals
Shesha was launched as a fair-minded local competitor to Western companies in South Africa. It has...
2 months ago
Shesha was launched as a fair-minded local competitor to Western companies in South Africa. It has acquired an ugly reputation for intimidating drivers and passengers.
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.
Steve Blank
Why Large Organizations Struggle With Disruption, and What to Do About It
Seemingly overnight, disruption has allowed challengers to threaten the dominance of companies and...
4 months ago
Seemingly overnight, disruption has allowed challengers to threaten the dominance of companies and government agencies as many of their existing systems have now been leapfrogged. How an organization reacts to this type of disruption determines whether they adapt or die. I’ve...
cdixon.org RSS Feed
“Steve Jobs supposedly said, returning to Apple, that his plan was to stay alive and grab onto the…
“Steve Jobs supposedly said, returning to Apple, that his plan was to stay alive and grab onto the...
over a year ago
“Steve Jobs supposedly said, returning to Apple, that his plan was to stay alive and grab onto the next big thing — to listen for the…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
The idea maze for AI startups
An “idea maze” is a map of all the key decisions and tradeoffs that startups in a given space need...
over a year ago
An “idea maze” is a map of all the key decisions and tradeoffs that startups in a given space need to make: A good founder is capable of…
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Skydio
I’m excited to announce today that Andreessen Horowitz is leading a $3M financing of Skydio, a...
over a year ago
I’m excited to announce today that Andreessen Horowitz is leading a $3M financing of Skydio, a startup developing artificial intelligence…
Rest of World -...
Our favorite Rest of World photos from 2023
39 photographers, 31 cities, 22 countries. This is what global tech looked like this year.
12 months ago
39 photographers, 31 cities, 22 countries. This is what global tech looked like this year.
42!
How we manage our product roadmap
The screenshot here is our company Trello board, where we manage our product roadmap. We are...
over a year ago
The screenshot here is our company Trello board, where we manage our product roadmap. We are extremely lucky in that our thousands of happy customers give us a steady stream of suggestions for new features and improvements, which we used to just throw on this board.
However,...
Paul Graham: Essays
This Year We Can End the Death Penalty in California
over a year ago
cdixon.org RSS Feed
Builders and extractors
Tim O’Reilly poses a question every entrepreneur and investor should consider: are you creating more...
over a year ago
Tim O’Reilly poses a question every entrepreneur and investor should consider: are you creating more value for others than you capture for…
Unpacked
Tech's Pledge To Fight AI Election Interference & Twillio’s woes with Segment | EP 6
Last week, 20 tech companies across Big Tech, social networks and AI providers signed a voluntary...
10 months ago
Last week, 20 tech companies across Big Tech, social networks and AI providers signed a voluntary pledge to fight election interference from AI-generated content going through 2024. We dive into the timing of the announcement (2024 is a big election year across the globe), some...
Rest of World -...
What Elon Musk’s new biography leaves out
Looking beyond the Tesla reality-distortion field.
a year ago
Looking beyond the Tesla reality-distortion field.
Data Boutique
From Zero to a Fully Automated Web Data Pipeline
Step by step guide
a year ago
Rest of World -...
Online sports betting in South Asia has a new target: Archery
Teer, a century-old game in India, is now attracting gamblers from Bangladesh and Bhutan.
a year ago
Teer, a century-old game in India, is now attracting gamblers from Bangladesh and Bhutan.
Noahpinion
Thinking about "temporary hardship"
America needs austerity. But is Musk's plan the right kind of austerity?
a month ago
America needs austerity. But is Musk's plan the right kind of austerity?
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