everything you need to read this week by @stephthefounder (November 10th)
The goal is to be the best weekly newsletter to be the most succinct + fun way to learn about all the best things you need to know across tech, startups, VC, etc, sent out every Monday. (and at the minimum, it will include the links I post about every week on instagram!). Feedback (and a better/more creative newsletter name than the boring one I have now) always welcome!
something i’ve been thinking more about lately: when did VC become evil?
all over TikTok lately there are endless videos about how VC-backed institutions like Blank Street and Wonder are evil or even about how the lil sweet treat company’s hyper expansion is sus (and that they’re likely vc funded — causing people to turn against them despite the earlier social media hype).
it’s interesting because PE has always had this negative connotation - they buy a company, fire everyone, ruin its essence, strip it of its value (its cash flow) and send it on their way (or at least that’s the perception). but it’s only in recent history that i’ve been seeing the same negativity being directed against VC (especially from the average consumer).
VCs have been the butt of tech jokes forever (especially among founders, and is how I grew my Twitter following 🤪) but it’s interesting that venture capital is now also being associated with the death of authenticity and small businesses and therefore growing in “evilness.” i suspect a lot of this is also related to the rise of AI and the perception that it’s making everything robotic and making everyone dumber.
ironically VC is “PE-ifying” (VCs are getting licenses to become full-fledged multi-stage investment firms including PE investments, and many are investing in roll-ups similar to a PE firm) but i’d argue the average consumer doesn’t know this, but their perception of VC is “PE-fiying as well.”
a half baked musing i’ve been observing over the last couple weeks… more to come
PS. this is the first day since last winter where i think i’m finally going to have to cave and get a SAD lamp. favorites? recs? please send (also wow - what a blessing it took until november 10 for this to happen)
💰 Companies that will make you a millionaire
Every week I highlight a few of my favorite startups that I personally think are really promising. They’ve typically received funding that week + are hiring, and occasionally I’ll include some special bonus ones.
And now you can easily earn some cold hard cash 💰: you can now use PINpoint (a fun product my company has been building) to earn $$ (anywhere from $5K to $30K) for successfully referring people to top startups. The brilliant part about this is:
you don’t even need to know the person who’s ultimately hired - if you post a link on LinkedIn and the algorithm shows it to someone who ultimately clicks the link and is hired, you get the $$$ 😏
all of these companies are great and highly respected, so your friend (or random person who saw your post) will also thank you 😉 win win
(PS are you a founder or do you work at a cool startup that’s hiring? reply back with the name so we can give you guys a shout!)
This week’s featured companies:
Wabi: From the creator of Replika comes a new frontier for app creation. Wabi lets users build and share lightweight AI-powered apps as easily as uploading a YouTube video — no coding required. The goal: democratize app building and turn it into a social experience where anyone can create and remix tools. The startup just raised a $20M pre-seed led by Khosla Ventures to bring its “YouTube of apps” vision to life
Job openings can be found here
Flox: (run by a dear friend / founder I respect highly who I would absolutely work for! And as a bonus, you can get up to $10K for making successful referrals by using this link.) Making developer environments effortless. The platform streamlines how teams set up, manage, and share consistent dev environments using Nix under the hood — eliminating “works on my machine” headaches. With growing adoption across open source and enterprise teams, Flox recently raised a $25M Series B led by Bain Capital Ventures to scale its developer-tooling platform globally
Job openings can be found here ($5-10K rewards for anyone hired through you!)
Bending Spoons: The Milan-based app powerhouse quietly building Europe’s next tech empire. Best known for acquiring and scaling products like Evernote, Meetup, and now AOL, the company uses its AI-driven platform to modernize aging digital brands for a new generation. Bending Spoons recently raised $270M in fresh funding at an $11B valuation, solidifying its spot among Europe’s most valuable private startups.
Job openings can be found here
Some bonus companies that were also funded last week:
Beacon Software (AI-led SaaS acquisitions) 🏗️ → $250M Series B (Job openings here)
Hippocratic AI (patient-facing health agents) 🏥 → $126M Series C (Job openings here)
Reevo (go-to-market OS) 📈 → $70M Series A (Job openings here)
Giga (voice AI support agents) 🎙️ → $61M Series A (Job openings here)
DeepJudge (AI search for legal) ⚖️ → $41.2M Series A (Job openings here)
Daylight (autonomous MDR cybersecurity) 🛡️ → $33M Series A (Job openings here)
Procurement Sciences (AI for gov contracts) 🏛️ → $30M Series B (Job openings here)
Teleskope (sensitive data governance) 🔐 → $25M Series A (Job openings here)
🤓 Best things to read instead of doomscrolling
The best things I’ve read every week, listed and summarized here:
How to Speak by Patrick Winston (MIT): a great video for anyone who wants to improve their public speaking. on why great speaking isn’t about performing but rather telling your listeners what you’re going to teach them. some gems: use examples as “hooks,” repeat key ideas until they stick, keep slides sparse, talk slower than feels natural (i struggle with this, lol), and bonus: think in “sword, shield, armor” (idea, objections, credibility). A good talk doesn’t make you look smart—it makes the audience smarter
How to Engineer Luck by George Mack: on “skill-luck” vs. “luck-luck.” Luck isn’t random — it’s something you can engineer by increasing your surface area for chance (i.e. unscheduled calls, generous intros, focusing on peers > already successful people, being interesting, etc). His “luck razor”: if two options are equal, pick the one that creates more future luck
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love My Shitty Life by Erik Baker/The Drift: on how modern “philosophical” self help (“let them”) is marketed as a rebellion against toxic optimism but is actually keeping people complacent and willing to accept sh*tty conditions (instead of working to change them). acceptance becomes resignation. a call for balancing this with collective political action to create change.
When Is It Better to Think Without Words? by Henrik Karlsson: on how deep insight often happens before language (verbal thinking, writing). About how mathematicians solve problems through a focused, wordless mode where the mind holds tension while the subconscious runs permutations. Prime the subconscious by thinking about one specific question /problem, step away, then write to harden the idea. Writing sharpens, but silence is where forms take shape
📱 Everything you may have missed in tech/startup news
As shared in previous newsletters, Big Tech is spending $$$ on AI Infra investments (Meta announced an intent to invest $600B over the next 3 years.) They’re also spending $$$ on AI partnerships, talent, etc (Google wanting to deepen its relationship with Anthropic which might value the co at $350B.) And if you’re Tesla, $$$ (potentially) on Elon Musk’s salary.
Sequoia names Alfred Lin and Pat Grady as new co-stewards: Sequoia Capital is handing the reins to longtime partners Alfred Lin and Pat Grady as co-stewards, following Roelof Botha’s decision to step down after three years in charge
The job market isn’t equally bad for everyone - it’s most detrimental to junior employees (unless you’re a high school student, in which case Palantir is looking for you!)
🤪 Just because / for fun
aka random things that I found interesting enough to screenshot or take a picture of last week
i’m working my way through Apple in China (which I’m really liking btw) and this passage made me laugh (and cringe)
i made a video about how linking your identity to work is the source of much happiness (a realization that really changed my relationship with work and made me much happier), and mentioned some readings including contingencies of self worth, working identity, and designing your life (one i’ve mentioned many times before)
NYC at 4pm because the sun sets at 430 now 🤪
<3 until next week!