I wrote this to my partner the other day. I’m not going to provide the context. It doesn’t matter. It could have been about almost anything in the startup sector right now. “the biggest thing that is wrong with the startup sector right now is entrepreneurs and their teams are too focused on valuation and […]
Side Projects - AVC
Back when we started USV in 2003/2004, we used to see a lot of side projects that had taken off and were turning into companies. We funded at least one such side project, Delicious, which ended up getting sold to Yahoo! a few years later. But I remember that we would see one or two […]
The Beginning of the End of Big Tech
From politicians to VC firms, everyone is falling out of love with the massive, money-oriented, global technology titans. In their place, we have the chance to build something open and trustworthy.
VC isn’t VC anymore — understanding the rise of Cancer Capital - Anil Dash
A blog about making culture. Since 1999.
VC isn’t VC anymore — understanding the rise of Cancer Capital - Anil Dash
A blog about making culture. Since 1999.
Meet the AI OnlyFans: How one startup raised millions to build an ‘erotic companions’ platform | Kai Nicol-Schwarz
Meet the AI OnlyFans: How one startup raised millions to build an ‘erotic companions’ platform --- When AI erotic companion startup Oh raised a $4.5m funding round in January, it had something few in the shadowy new sector could boast. A roster of named investors, publicly backing the company. VCs are often bound by “vice clauses”, which prohibit firms from investing in controversial products like pornography or weapons. As a result, startups working on ethically contentious products often rely on angel investors and family offices to stay afloat. But Oh, which generates NSFW adult content and conversations with both fictional characters as well as bots based on real people, has tapped into a group of seemingly less squeamish investors: crypto VCs. It’s drawn backing from the likes of Tangent, Kosmos Ventures, Big Brain Holdings, Bodhi Ventures and Tagus Capital. “Raising money for a business like this from non-crypto VCs is very difficult,” says Oh founder and CEO Nic Young, who positions the startup as a “decentralised platform” and offers payments via crypto. “A lot of crypto VCs don’t have vice clauses — it’s more liberal and free.” Oh wants to use those fresh funds to build the “AI OnlyFans”, with plans to roll out autonomous scantily clad bots that can market themselves on social media and direct message users with spicy conversation starters. The biggest challenge? Convincing enough users it’s not that weird turning to AI when you’re looking for romance. https://lnkd.in/eRF7a5Dn
Purpose Ventures - Purpose
Conventional VC is often at odds with the ambitions of purpose-driven entrepreneurs and their founding values and missions. These founders are interested in more than growth for growth’s sake. They want to build lasting, impactful businesses and preserve their mission in the future.
The Rise of the Silicon Valley Small Business
What you need to know about the next big startup archetype
12 Things I Learned from Chris Dixon about Startups | Andreessen Horowitz
#1 “If everyone loves your idea, I might be worried that it’s not forward thinking enough.” Anyone thinking about starting a business should be searching for mispriced opportunities. While markets are mostly efficient in eliminating opportunities for extraordinary profit, there are always areas of an economy in which there are significant uncertainty. These areas are...
Pivot to People: It’s Time to Build the New Economy
Today’s calls for ethical, humane, responsible, regulated and beneficial technology, compounded with venture capital’s virtue signaling in…
V_labs 4 Phases: Explore
The explore phase uncovers concrete venture opportunities by analyzing markets, customer needs, trends, and corporate capabilities for validation.
Funds that lead pre-seeds — Curated VC Funds
A curated list of investors who write first checks at the earliest stage, backing founders before traction when conviction matters most. View this sheet and more on VC Sheet, where founders find the right investors for their round. Curated by Mat Vogels.
Cancer Capital: VC didn’t use to work like this - Anil Dash
A blog about making culture. Since 1999.
Startup Program: Support for Growing Businesses
The OVHcloud US Startup Program offers startups and scaleups complimentary cloud credits and technical support to expedite their transition to a secure, reliable, and cost-effective cloud.
"I think thinking about it in terms of new institutions is really a useful way to think about it. It's funny for me as a VC, because I think a lot of this stuff will and even goes for us to say should be illegible to venture capital in a lot of ways." - @eclecticcapital.bsky.social
The Economics of Sovereign Media: A Roadmap for AT Protocol | ATmosphereConf VODs
atmosphereconf-vods.wisp.place"What has really happened is VC built the wrong AI, you’ll pay a high price for this error with your pension, and nobody will go to jail." x.com/AndrewOrlowski/status/2073821… via @cabernet.bsky.social
