The hottest Substack posts right now

according to Hacker News
Category

Revisiting The Professionalization of Startups

Investing 101 • 73 implied HN points • 16 Mar 24
💼 Business Technology Startups Entrepreneurship Leadership Innovation
  1. Access to technology has dramatically increased, leading to more people being able to build and scale tech companies.
  2. There is a growing population of individuals with extensive experience in building technology companies, creating a collective knowledge base for progress.
  3. As tech fields professionalize, the risk of manipulating well-established playbooks increases, emphasizing the importance of learning from mistakes and avoiding turning established practices into dogma.

James Wise: Why We Need More Entrepreneurs

Danielle Newnham • 19 implied HN points • 23 Nov 23
💼 Business Health tech Technology Venture Capital Investing Entrepreneurship
  1. James Wise emphasizes the importance of having more entrepreneurs for the greater good.
  2. Balderton Capital, where James is a Partner, focuses on investing in European startups and has a strong track record.
  3. James Wise prioritizes investing in artificial intelligence, sustainability, health tech, and supports founder wellbeing in entrepreneurship.

It's Christmas (Chaos), All Over, Again

QTR’s Fringe Finance • 32 implied HN points • 19 Dec 24
💰 Finance Financial Risks Market Trends Economic Policy Investing Strategies Market Analysis
  1. The market reacted sharply after the Federal Reserve cut rates, but this might not be a good sign for investors. Historically, market crashes often happen after rate cuts, indicating potential risks ahead.
  2. There are concerns about high levels of leverage in the market, especially in options and cryptocurrency. This borrowing can make market movements more extreme and unpredictable.
  3. The current market euphoria might be misleading, as past patterns suggest a sudden downturn could come. It's important to be cautious and not ignore the reality of valuations and economic conditions.

Top Questions ahead of BattleFin Corporate Discovery Day

The Data Score • 19 implied HN points • 31 Oct 23
💼 Business Alternative Data Data-driven Decision Making Data Monetization
  1. The key questions for the BattleFin Corporate Discovery Day focus on understanding industry landscape changes from data insights, corporate use of alternative data, and managing data monetization ethically.
  2. The event panels will address how corporations incorporate alternative data in decision-making, showcase data value for ROI, and explore competitive intelligence and supply chain optimization through data analysis.
  3. Experts will discuss harnessing human capital data, utilizing weather data for profits, unlocking first-party data value, and leveraging alternative data for competitive edges in various industries.
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Resisting Deterministic Thinking

Data: Made Not Found (by danah) • 145 implied HN points • 10 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Future AI Innovation Tech Ethics Decision-making
  1. Deterministic thinking can lead to polarization and distrust in discussions about the future.
  2. Embracing probabilistic thinking is essential for understanding how technologies shape different possible futures.
  3. Projectories can be both beneficial and detrimental, highlighting the need for more nuanced and reflexive thinking about the impacts of technology.

Robot Revolution?

Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter • 14 implied HN points • 31 May 25
🕹 Technology Automation Labor Economics AI Society
  1. AI is taking over many jobs, especially in tech and creative fields, causing big layoffs and making it hard for new graduates to find work.
  2. There’s a growing concern that AI could create a rich vs. poor divide where a few tech owners become extremely wealthy while most people become jobless and struggle to get by.
  3. To address these changes, we need new ideas about how society should work, moving away from just making money to focusing on community, creativity, and ensuring everyone has what they need.

Technically Monthly (July 2025)

Technically • 12 implied HN points • 02 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Development Infrastructure AI Cloud Software
  1. AI models are evolving to think and reason more like humans. This change could make them more useful for complex tasks, beyond just predicting words.
  2. Code reviews can slow down development significantly. Understanding their impact might help teams find ways to speed up this process.
  3. Multi-tenant architecture lets multiple customers share the same server resources. This can make services cheaper and easier to manage.

Who Are You?

Weekly Wisdom • 39 implied HN points • 12 Oct 22
📖 Philosophy Consciousness Identity Mind Awareness
  1. Reflection on personal identity is complex and goes beyond just a name or profession. It involves deep introspection and questioning.
  2. Through self-inquiry practices like meditative questioning, one can uncover layers of identity and explore the nature of the mind.
  3. Identity is a fluid concept, influenced by societal norms, personal experiences, and the mind's tendency to categorize and label aspects of the self.

What happened in marketing: Amazon dethrones Walmart, NikeSKIMS & Big Tech vs EU

The Social Juice • 24 implied HN points • 24 Feb 25
💼 Business Retail Digital Media Marketing E-commerce Advertising
  1. Amazon has now surpassed Walmart in quarterly revenue, making it a leader in sales with $187.8 billion. This is the first time Amazon has taken the top spot over Walmart.
  2. Nike has joined forces with SKIMS to launch a new brand aimed at women, which shows their effort to attract new customers and expand their market.
  3. Big Tech companies are facing challenges in Europe, as governments push for stricter regulations, impacting how these companies operate in the region.

In Search of Hardness

Breaking Smart • 90 implied HN points • 16 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Crypto Protocols AI safety AI
  1. A new program called Summer of Protocols has produced a wealth of research output focused on the study of protocols and hardness in technology and the world at large.
  2. The Protocol Kit from the Summer of Protocols is a free publication containing essays, artwork, and tools to spark interest and discussion around protocols.
  3. Thinking in terms of 'hardness' and 'protocols' can be a powerful approach for various fields, from technology to party planning, providing a new perspective on problem-solving and creativity.

Children of Stone and Sand

Critic at Large • 19 implied HN points • 31 Oct 23
🌐 International Palestine Conflict Documentary Children Gaza
  1. A 2015 Spanish documentary called 'Born in Gaza' sheds light on the tragic stories of children in war zones, reminding us of the real human impact behind statistics and headlines.
  2. The film captures the emotional reality of Gazan children without delving into political debates, presenting a raw look at a world shaped by violence.
  3. Exposure to extreme violence can lead to psychological numbing, but stories like those in 'Born in Gaza' help us see the true impact of violence on innocent lives, urging us to pause and reflect on the humanity that often gets lost in the midst of conflict.

What do emoji and typing like SpOnGe bOb squARepAnTs have in common?

Did Someone Say Emoji? • 102 implied HN points • 18 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Identity Research Innovation Communication
  1. Typing has evolved with technology, making it easier to switch between letters, punctuation, and emoji.
  2. Changing emoji skin tone and gender can be time-consuming, but simplifying it can enhance communication and expression.
  3. The use of emoji skin tones varies based on context and individual preferences, reflecting personal identity and expression.

Rethinking Descriptive Camera in the age of AI

Thoughts • 19 implied HN points • 30 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Mobile Apps App Development AI Machine Learning
  1. The concept of using AI to describe images has evolved over the years, from human-powered descriptions to ML-based automated descriptions.
  2. The Implai app takes image descriptions a step further by adding enhancements or filters, providing a new way to share 'text photos'.
  3. Users can create 'text photos' with descriptions and apply 'tilters' to enhance the appearance before sharing and engaging with others in the app.

Lookout to 2024

New World Same Humans • 85 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Geopolitics Science AI Blockchain Robotics
  1. Generative AI is set to impact the real economy in 2024, with a focus on automating knowledge worker tasks.
  2. 2024 will see a historic year for global democracy, with tensions rising around deepfake technologies in elections.
  3. Mainstream adoption of blockchain technology is expected to reshape societies with decentralization and innovation.

DeepSeek: Does a Small AI Model Invalidate Big Models?

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 27 implied HN points • 30 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Data Analysis AI Models Computing Machine Learning Investments
  1. DeepSeek's AI model is cheaper and uses a lot less computing power than other big models, but it still performs well. This shows smaller models can be very competitive.
  2. Investments in AI are expected to keep growing, even with cheaper models available. Companies will still spend billions to advance AI technology and achieve superintelligence.
  3. As AI gets cheaper, more people will use it and businesses will likely spend more on AI services. The demand for AI will increase as it becomes more accessible.

assorted thoughts on beliefs and emotions

Midnight Musings • 39 implied HN points • 24 Apr 23
📖 Philosophy Beliefs Personal Growth Self-awareness Relationships Emotions
  1. Beliefs can really shape who we are and how we interact with others. People often stick to their beliefs and form communities around them, making it tough to change opinions later.
  2. Self-sabotage and guilt can mess up our daily routines. Instead of feeling good about progress, we often focus on what we didn’t achieve and feel bad about it.
  3. Our emotions impact our relationships more than we realize. If we can let go of negative feelings and understand that others are doing their best, we can create healthier connections.

✅ Monday briefing: Leaving the door open and the ladder down

Wadds Inc. newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 30 Oct 23
💼 Business Artificial Intelligence Social media Public Relations Management Media
  1. Talking to experts can give you a lot of valuable insights. It’s great when someone is willing to spend extra time discussing important topics.
  2. News publishers are facing challenges with search visibility due to recent changes in Google's algorithm. Many are seeing their online reach drop.
  3. AI is becoming more inclusive with new models designed to better represent diverse cultures and experiences. This is an important step for fairness in technology.

Cloud Access Management Explained

Sarah's Newsletter • 79 implied HN points • 15 Mar 22
🕹 Technology Cloud Computing Security Networking
  1. Understanding networking components like VPCs, subnets, and security groups is crucial for cloud access management.
  2. AWS offers granular configuration but has a steep learning curve, while GCP has an easier start but controlling connections can be difficult.
  3. IAM roles are like shoes for people and dictate actions, while security groups are like hats granting network access to services.

Entrepreneurship in the World of Investing

Equal Ventures • 39 implied HN points • 06 Oct 22
💼 Business Investing Venture Capital Entrepreneurship Startups Event Planning
  1. Persistence and determination are crucial in pursuing your entrepreneurial dreams, even in the face of rejection and doubts.
  2. Collaborating with like-minded peers and building a supportive community can be instrumental in navigating challenges and achieving success.
  3. Innovation and originality are essential in the venture capital industry, and emerging managers play a fundamental role in driving necessary evolution.

Text-to-Video Games and 1-Bit Models: Two Monumental Generative AI Research Milestones in One Week

TheSequence • 77 implied HN points • 03 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Generative AI AI ML Research AI Tech Releases Real World ML
  1. Genie by Google DeepMind can create 2D video games from text, opening doors to interactive environments in simulations, gaming, and robotics.
  2. BitNet b1.58, a 1-bit model by Microsoft and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, offers cost-efficient and high-performance training for Large Language Models (LLMs).
  3. The pace of research in generative AI is rapid, leading to groundbreaking advancements like Genie and BitNet b1.58.

Thoughts on a Crazy Week in AI News

AI: A Guide for Thinking Humans • 148 implied HN points • 03 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Transparency Research Policy Ethics AI
  1. Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy's misunderstanding of ChatGPT sparked a discussion about AI education and awareness.
  2. The Future of Life Institute's open letter calling for a pause on developing powerful AI systems led to debates about the risks and benefits of AI technology.
  3. An opinion piece in Time Magazine by Eliezer Yudkowsky raised extreme concerns about the potential dangers of superhuman AI and sparked further discussion on AI regulation and public literacy.

Python: The One Language LLMs Can’t Resist

HackerPulse Dispatch • 8 implied HN points • 20 Aug 25
🕹 Technology Programming Software Web Development Cybersecurity AI
  1. Microsoft has fully integrated GitHub into its CoreAI division, raising questions about the future direction and independence of the platform.
  2. AI coding tools show a strong preference for Python, which could limit developers' exposure to other programming languages that might be better suited for specific tasks.
  3. While AI promises to boost productivity, many developers find that using these tools can actually lead to more work, as they often need to manage and correct AI-generated code.

VC Recipe

Venture Prose • 199 implied HN points • 13 Oct 20
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Investing Startup funding Venture Capital
  1. Success in cooking and venture capital requires time, experience, and the ability to adapt.
  2. Venture capital involves dealing with chaos and uncertainty, but principles and a long-term horizon can guide decisions.
  3. To succeed in venture capital, focus on timing, biases, competition, specialization, and building capacity and capability.

The Clouds

Square Circle • 11 implied HN points • 05 Jul 25
📖 Philosophy Spirituality Existentialism Metaphysics Epistemology Nature
  1. Trusting words can be tricky. Sometimes, just observing nature, like clouds or the sea, can help solve our mental struggles.
  2. Nature offers a reality that isn't driven by human desires. It allows us to feel something greater than our own thoughts and problems.
  3. By truly engaging with the uncontrived beauty of nature, we can reconnect with a more authentic part of ourselves. There's a sense of kinship with things like clouds that transcends our everyday worries.

What I have been so busy with

Basta’s Notes • 81 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Animation Video Editing Coding Web Development Design
  1. The author built a website with a bold and animated design that may not please everyone, but aimed to excite their target audience of podcasters.
  2. The website underwent significant development, transitioning from a DOM-based approach to using Canvas for animations, like with a globe section featuring looping videos.
  3. Challenges were overcome by techniques such as using Perlin noise for wiggling animations and rendering inline SVG images via React for intricate visual elements.

Failing upwards

davidj.substack • 35 implied HN points • 18 Nov 24
💼 Business Risk management Data Analysis Human Resources Investment strategy Corporate Governance
  1. Taking risks is a natural part of business. Employees at all levels face risks, and their roles should help manage those risks effectively.
  2. Data teams need to engage with business risks and help optimize rewards. Building data infrastructure should only be a means to support this goal.
  3. Not everyone is suited for risk-taking roles in the private sector. Some people may excel at politics but fail to deliver real results, which leads to inefficiencies in recruitment.

On building data-driven VC in Emerging Market firsthand

nonamevc • 8 implied HN points • 13 Aug 25
💼 Business Venture Capital Data Analytics Emerging Markets Investments
  1. Data tools are essential for managing investments in multiple frontier markets. Without them, investors risk falling behind the competition.
  2. It's important to build a strong database that reflects local conditions since emerging markets don't follow the same growth patterns as startups in places like Silicon Valley.
  3. Combining different data signals provides better insights. Just looking at one metric isn't enough; you need to see the bigger picture to make smart investment decisions.

Benchmark Your Data Team

Inside Data by Mikkel Dengsøe • 24 implied HN points • 13 Feb 25
💼 Business Data Teams Data Analytics
  1. Your data team size should be about 1-5% of your total company staff. Fintech companies usually have a higher percentage of data roles.
  2. The mix of different data roles is important. Having too many analysts can slow things down, while too many engineers might not deliver useful insights.
  3. Data salaries in Europe vary by experience. For example, a junior data role typically pays about $70k, while senior roles can reach $110k or more.

Images are Biased

Never Met a Science • 77 implied HN points • 26 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Information Media Communication Data Images
  1. Images are a biased form of communication compared to text because they inherently introduce bias by conveying more context and extra-textual information.
  2. Different communication modalities like images and text convey different amounts and types of information, impacting how we understand and interpret data and knowledge.
  3. Understanding the rise of visual communication technologies can lead to a deeper comprehension of the effects of information technology on society and help in decision-making for the future.

The Hagakure #64: The Heart of W. Edwards Deming

The Hagakure • 113 HN points • 24 Aug 23
💼 Business Organizational Culture Humanitarianism Management Leadership
  1. W. Edwards Deming emphasized the importance of systems thinking and statistical process control in achieving quality and quantity in production.
  2. Deming's heart and compassion played a significant role in inspiring hope and confidence in the people of Japan, contributing to their rapid post-war recovery.
  3. Leading with compassion, embracing interconnectedness, and nurturing living systems over optimizing machines are key lessons from Deming's story.

A Rebuttal to the Techno-Capitalist Manifesto

The Digital Anthropologist • 19 implied HN points • 28 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Capitalism Social Impact Artificial Intelligence Ethics Philosophy
  1. The Techno-Capitalist Manifesto fails to understand the deep history of humans and technology, focusing on narrow viewpoints from software engineering and venture capitalism.
  2. There are valid points within the manifesto regarding the shortcomings of current bureaucratic and academic systems, acknowledging a need for reform.
  3. The manifesto exhibits frightening dystopian overtones, showing a disregard for human agency, free will, and a narrow view of economics and politics, while emphasizing decentralized markets and devaluing academia and the humanities.

Investing Is Like Riding A Roller Coaster

Spilled Coffee • 32 implied HN points • 18 Dec 24
💰 Finance Investing Market Trends Risk management Economic Analysis
  1. Investing can be unpredictable, much like a roller coaster ride. You have to be prepared for ups and downs in the market.
  2. Recent years have felt calm for investors, similar to a lazy river ride, but things can change unexpectedly in the future.
  3. No one really knows what will happen in the market next, so it's important to stay cautious and ready for surprises.