The hottest Startups Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Business Topics

Customer Persona Expansion

Sriram Krishnan’s Newsletter • 275 implied HN points • 06 Jun 23
💼 Business Startups
  1. In early stages, focus on winning over a narrow set of customer personas first for startup success.
  2. Startups should avoid selling to multiple personas at once to prevent failure from spreading resources too thin.
  3. As resources grow, consider expanding to multiple personas to increase Total Addressable Market (TAM) and attract later-stage investors.

Startups, This Is How You Update Investors

Points And Figures • 373 implied HN points • 14 Jan 25
💼 Business Startups
  1. Startups should keep their investors updated regularly, like every quarter. Simple updates help investors stay engaged and offer support.
  2. When updating, focus on key points like growth rates, income or losses, and any future capital raising. It's best to keep it clear and short.
  3. Investors can be valuable beyond just their money. They can help with introductions and potential partnerships, so it's crucial to communicate effectively with them.

Artisan

Venture Prose • 299 implied HN points • 26 Mar 23
💼 Business Startups
  1. To survive as a generalist seed investor, understand founders' emotions and engage with genuine care and support.
  2. When interacting with founders, focus on understanding, asking thought-provoking questions, and articulating key issues to help them progress.
  3. In the world of seed investing, competitiveness matters, but it's crucial to prioritize meaningful connections over unnecessary competition.

User Research Guide For Founders, Part 2: Plan your Research

Elizabeth Laraki • 59 implied HN points • 06 May 24
💼 Business Startups
  1. Identify who you want to talk to for your research. Focus on people who can actually help answer your questions.
  2. Recruit participants carefully by using screening forms to find the right fit. Make sure your questions are clear and helpful.
  3. Create a detailed research plan and script to guide your sessions. This will help make your research more effective and insightful.
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Reboot's Ins & Outs for 2026

Reboot • 15 implied HN points • 04 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Startups
  1. Corporate beige microsites and other uniform aesthetics are getting tired while AI-generated "slop" multiplies, so people will crave more playful, varied, and weird corners of the web.
  2. AI evaluation is shifting from multiple-choice benchmarks to proving real-world job performance and economic impact, driving demand for roles like forward-deployed engineers who turn models into practical value.
  3. Institutions and communities are reshaping: non-academic labs will need academic muscle, new folk schools will grow, pop-up village hype may fade, and cultural attention will narrow into deeper specialization.

Don't Fall In Trap Of Tarpit Ideas, It's Worst Than Bad Ideas, Why? | Consumer Startups - Tarpit Ideas? | VC Remote Jobs & More

Venture Curator • 219 implied HN points • 18 Nov 23
💼 Business Startups
  1. Tarpit ideas are worse than bad ideas and can trap entrepreneurs into wasted time and resources.
  2. Many consumer startup ideas end up being tarpit ideas, as they seem simple but are challenging to execute successfully.
  3. To succeed in the startup world, founders need to recognize tarpit ideas early, pivot strategically based on supply-demand dynamics, and focus on building high-quality, in-demand products.

Generalist Capital: New Epics

The Generalist • 1040 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
💼 Business Startups
  1. Generalist Capital focuses on backing startups at the frontier to deeply understand innovation.
  2. Investing in startups allows for a hands-on experience and understanding of market dynamics.
  3. Innovative startups like DolarApp, Foundry, and NG Cash are solving real-world problems with unique solutions.

Roadmap: Defense Tech

Next Big Teng • 137 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Startups
  1. Defense tech landscape is evolving, and startups are now collaborating with the DOD.
  2. Government contracts are key for defense tech startups, offering revenue and validation.
  3. Innovation in AI/ML, data infrastructure, cybersecurity, vertical solutions, and autonomous systems are driving the defense technology industry.

Teardown: How Linkby raised its $15M Series B in 90 days

Superfluid • 106 implied HN points • 06 Aug 25
💼 Business Startups
  1. Preparing well before fundraising helps you make a strong pitch. It allows you to communicate your business's value clearly and confidently when talking to investors.
  2. Maintaining momentum during the fundraising process is crucial. Responding quickly to investor inquiries and scheduling meetings efficiently keeps the interest alive and increases your chances of success.
  3. Having a focused approach with targeted investor meetings creates pressure. This helps investors make decisions faster, which can lead to better outcomes for your fundraising efforts.

Introducing our newest writer

The Generalist • 1421 implied HN points • 31 Aug 23
💼 Business Startups
  1. The Generalist has welcomed a new writer, Ben Butler, who brings startup experience and a strong sense of taste to the publication.
  2. Ben Butler is a creative individual with a background in writing, stand-up comedy, and screenwriting, adding a fresh perspective to The Generalist.
  3. Ben Butler's addition to The Generalist is seen as a valuable enhancement that will push their thinking forward and improve the quality of written analysis.

Deepseek: From Hedge Fund to Frontier Model Maker

ChinaTalk • 400 implied HN points • 09 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Startups
  1. High-Flyer, a hedge fund, is making big moves by venturing into AI research through a new company called DeepSeek. They want to create human-level AI instead of just copying existing models.
  2. Their success in the AI field comes from a unique hiring process that focuses on curious and passionate individuals rather than experience. This helps foster innovation within the company.
  3. Despite the high costs of running AI research, High-Flyer believes in funding their projects through a mix of their own resources and philanthropy. They prioritize long-term research over quick financial returns.

Italy: A Rising Star with Significant Contributions to the Space Industry

Space Ambition • 259 implied HN points • 22 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Startups
  1. Italy has a strong aerospace industry, especially in Turin, which is a major global hub with over 160 companies and thousands of workers. It plays a key role in space projects, including working on the International Space Station.
  2. Italy is an important player in the European Space Agency, contributing significant funding and securing contracts for projects like Earth observation satellites and lunar studies. This shows Italy's growing influence in the space sector.
  3. The Italian space community is supported by a mix of government, academic institutions, and private companies. This collaboration helps foster innovation and growth among startups in the space industry.

This New Internet Thing, Chapter 25

Life Since the Baby Boom • 461 implied HN points • 31 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Startups
  1. Len is looking for ways to get hired in the tech world. He knows he has the skills, but he wonders how to get noticed by the big players in Silicon Valley.
  2. The team at Palm is excited about a new handheld product called Touchdown. They are focusing on what customers really need and ignoring unnecessary features to make it great.
  3. Len and Dan go on a TV show to talk about their work with the Internet and crime. They manage to discuss their mutual fund and share how technology helps with their investigations.

🛸 Space Elevator

internetisbeautiful • 255 implied HN points • 17 May 23
🕹 Technology Startups
  1. The newsletter shares interesting online resources
  2. Featured website: Philosophy Bro simplifies complex philosophical ideas
  3. Space Elevator is a unique website for exploring the concept of a space elevator

Compensation for Startups: Designing Your Compensation Philosophy

Lessons • 255 implied HN points • 20 Jul 23
💼 Business Startups
  1. Designing a startup's compensation philosophy is crucial when the company reaches around 50 employees.
  2. Compensation decisions impact people's lives, perpetuate bias, and affect a startup's financials.
  3. Key principles for designing a compensation philosophy include market-based pay, formulaic approach, and pay for performance.

Consumption Pricing Models Are Here to Stay

Condensing the Cloud • 255 implied HN points • 16 Jun 23
💼 Business Startups
  1. Consumption pricing models are becoming more prevalent and are beneficial for software companies
  2. Consumption-based pricing aligns cost with value, promotes customer flexibility, and aids in quick scalability
  3. Monitoring key metrics like revenue, RPO, and gross margin is crucial for companies implementing consumption-based pricing models

A Systematic Roadmap to Product/Market Fit

Running Lean Mastery • 255 implied HN points • 08 Jul 23
💼 Business Startups
  1. Product/market fit is a significant milestone for startups and achieving it takes time and effort.
  2. By having the right mindset and processes, navigating the early stages of a product can be done systematically like finding your way through a maze.
  3. The Running Lean roadmap consists of three main stages - Business Model Design, Validation, and Growth - leading to product/market fit.

Joe's Nerdy Rants #9

Joe Reis • 255 implied HN points • 15 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Startups
  1. Data modeling in the industry is often ignored or undervalued.
  2. There is a trend towards 'query-driven modeling' or 'just-in-time modeling.'
  3. The question is raised about the importance of data modeling and its impact on businesses.

Booking: The $170B+ A/B Testing Machine

SatPost by Trung Phan • 154 implied HN points • 20 Jun 25
💼 Business Startups
  1. Booking Holdings became the largest online travel company by using A/B testing effectively. They run thousands of tests on their website to figure out what works best for getting customers to book travel.
  2. The company's success also comes from smart acquisitions, like Booking.com and Active Hotels, which helped them quickly grow and shape the travel industry. These acquisitions cost them $294 million and grew into a $170 billion company.
  3. Booking's culture focuses on data and experimentation. They let everyone in the company, not just the top executives, run tests and use data to make decisions, leading to a more user-friendly experience.

Wings Over India: Manufacturing Our Aviation Future

Tigerfeathers! • 37 implied HN points • 21 Nov 25
💼 Business Startups
  1. India has a rich history and potential in aviation, but has mostly imported planes instead of building its own. It needs to revive its aviation manufacturing to not just operate, but also create aircraft.
  2. Building aircraft can boost India’s engineering talent and confidence, making the country more self-reliant. This is key for both economic growth and national security, especially when it comes to defense.
  3. Investing in aircraft manufacturing can bring economic benefits, reduce travel costs, and inspire future generations to dream bigger. India has the talent, but it needs to take bold steps to realize its aeronautical ambitions.

Marc Andreessen"You Can't Build A Successful Company Without Thinking On Idea Maze !"| VC Remote Jobs & More

Venture Curator • 199 implied HN points • 24 Nov 23
💼 Business Startups
  1. Good startup ideas are well-developed, multi-year plans that consider various paths and changes in the market, known as the Idea Maze.
  2. The Idea Maze concept helps founders think strategically about their company's journey, by mapping out potential paths to success or failure.
  3. When navigating the Idea Maze, founders can gain insights from history, analogies, theories, and direct experience to make informed decisions.

June 2024 update

Opral (lix & inlang) • 19 implied HN points • 15 Jul 24
💼 Business Startups
  1. The company did not raise the seed funding they wanted, but they see this as a good opportunity to speed up their progress. They can now change their plans without depending on investor demands.
  2. By breaking away from git compatibility, they hope to reduce their requirements and reach monetization quicker in the future. This means their next funding round will need less money.
  3. At a recent conference, they got helpful feedback on how to pitch their product effectively. They learned not to compare their product to others to avoid confusion and that one specific term resonated well with their audience.

Networked Conviction 003

Investing 101 • 4 implied HN points • 06 Feb 26
💰 Finance Startups
  1. Big, durable businesses often hide in plain sight — legacy financial firms, grungy enterprise software, and mineral-rights plays can be ‘sneaky giants’ with steady cash flows and entrenched advantages.
  2. The best opportunities come from noticing overlooked, messy sectors where scale and resilience aren’t obvious, and where small structural edges compound into big moats.
  3. Clear investment insights take time and reflection — ideas crystallize through board meetings, updated marks, and repeated conversations, so consistent journaling and revisiting thoughts matters.

TBM 340: Path to $

The Beautiful Mess • 304 implied HN points • 13 Feb 25
💼 Business Startups
  1. Different teams have varying impacts on business outcomes, making it easier for some to show their value than others. For instance, a team focused on improving sales can clearly demonstrate their contribution, unlike teams juggling multiple tasks.
  2. Startups often change their team structure frequently to tackle immediate challenges, which can lead to chaos, but also strong focus when everyone rallies around a project. This flexible approach can help in growth and development.
  3. It’s important for organizations to recognize how their teams collaborate and support each other. Finding ways to help less effective teams focus or connect with important goals can boost overall performance and success.

Robotics startups vs other startups

Robots & Startups • 119 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Startups
  1. The number of venture-backed U.S. startups has significantly increased over the years, with a particularly notable growth in robotics startups.
  2. Compared to all startups, robotics startups have seen a much larger growth percentage, showcasing the significant expansion of the robotics industry.
  3. OpenAI's achievement of reaching $2B in revenue marks it as the fastest growing startup ever, demonstrating the potential for success in the robotics field.

Our first try at PLG nearly failed. Here's what we did next.

Kyle Poyar’s Growth Unhinged • 354 implied HN points • 08 Jan 25
💼 Business Startups
  1. The team turned around low activation and conversion rates by improving their onboarding process. They made it easier for users to get started and better understood how to use the product.
  2. They used data from user feedback and behavior to identify problem areas in their product. This helped them find ways to create a smoother experience for users.
  3. By adding gentle reminders and prompts in their product, they encouraged free users to explore paid options. This strategy increased their free-to-paid conversion rate significantly.

China’s AI Boyfriends

ChinaTalk • 444 implied HN points • 29 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Startups
  1. AI companions are becoming popular in China, especially among young women. They offer emotional support and can fill gaps that real relationships might not fulfill.
  2. Startups like MiniMax are creating AI apps that gather user data while providing companionship. This helps improve their AI models, even if the immediate profits are not high.
  3. The AI companion market faces challenges from strict regulations and data privacy concerns. Many users share personal feelings with these apps, making safety an important issue.

Trading places

benn.substack • 997 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
💼 Business Startups
  1. Be cautious with how you handle customers' sensitive data to avoid breaking trust.
  2. Consider the optics of your business operations as much as the functionality to maintain trust.
  3. Don't plan on building one service as a stepping stone to another; focus on what you want to create in the long run.

Daisy Genomics

ASeq Newsletter • 14 implied HN points • 08 Jan 26
🕹 Technology Startups
  1. They rebranded from Armonica to Daisy Genomics and recently raised about $2.5M.
  2. That amount is modest for single-molecule sensing work, but in the current funding climate any raise is a positive sign.
  3. Patents and company direction indicate a shift away from tortuous nanopore approaches toward nano-channel sequencing devices.

The Arm Story Part 3 : Creating a Global Standard - Supplemental

The Chip Letter • 1747 implied HN points • 19 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Startups
  1. The post discusses a book called 'Culture Won' by Keith Clarke, which details the success of Arm from a startup to a global technology phenomenon.
  2. The book offers insight into the business culture that contributed to Arm's success, making it a recommended read for those interested in startups and business culture.
  3. The post also includes links to interviews with ARM founders, executives, engineers, and a bonus clip featuring Steve Jobs on the Newton for paying subscribers.

Predicting SaaS waves 🌊

The SaaS Baton • 137 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
💼 Business Startups
  1. Market timing is critical for SaaS success; observe new technologies, shifts in build vs buy mindset, new classes of workers, and distribution channels to catch the right market wave.
  2. Product-Market Fit (PMF) is gradual and multi-step; look for early signals like interest in identified problems, prototype feedback, and product usage.
  3. To build a viral social media presence for SaaS, focus on entertaining content, avoid vanity metrics, design shareable paths, trust creators, and don't obsess over tracking social metrics.

Generative AI 2023: Why This Year Marks a Major Turning Point

Gradient Flow • 199 implied HN points • 16 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Startups
  1. Generative AI, particularly large language models like GPT-4, is rapidly gaining mainstream adoption across various sectors like chatbots, computer programming, medicine, and law.
  2. Executives and managers are increasingly recognizing the transformative potential of generative AI, with surveys showing high interest and willingness to invest in the technology for efficiency and growth.
  3. Studies highlight the significant productivity gains generative AI provides, benefiting lower-performing workers and increasing productivity in areas like writing tasks and customer service by substantial percentages.

Clarity of Thought

Investing 101 • 156 implied HN points • 31 May 25
💼 Business Startups
  1. Good founders have 'clarity of thought', which means they can explain their ideas clearly and logically. This helps others understand their vision and connects with the audience.
  2. Founders build a framework for their ideas that makes it easy for others to understand complex concepts. By using clear definitions and examples, they help people grasp their vision quickly.
  3. To make a strong pitch, founders need to present their main idea distinctly and also explain why it matters. They should avoid distractions and focus on what makes their idea important and valuable.

Neurotech Notables #3: Feb 2024

NEUROTECH FUTURES • 99 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Startups
  1. Neurotech is rapidly advancing with innovations like brain implants, non-invasive treatments, and brain-computer interfaces.
  2. Funding is flowing into neurotech startups for various applications like neuromodulation, brain stimulation, and remote disease monitoring.
  3. Regulatory clearance and FDA approvals are key developments, allowing new technologies to enter the market for improved brain health care.

How Do Investors Protect Themselves from Downrounds ? | MOAT For AI Startups & More

Venture Curator • 239 implied HN points • 17 Jul 23
💰 Finance Startups
  1. Investors protect themselves from downrounds by using Antidilution Protection, which adjusts share values to prevent loss in valuation.
  2. Down rounds can happen due to various reasons like market changes or financial needs, prompting founders to seek lower valuations for investment.
  3. There are two types of Antidilution Protection: Full Ratchet and Weighted Average, with Full Ratchet adjusting share prices based on new valuations to safeguard investors' investments.

8 Signs Your Startup Is a Zombie and 3 Things to Do About It ! | VC Remote Jobs & More

Venture Curator • 159 implied HN points • 22 Dec 23
💼 Business Startups
  1. Recognize the signs of a 'zombie' startup, like stagnant growth and constant need for funding, to avoid being unattractive to investors.
  2. Decide whether to accept failure, pivot the business model for exponential advantage, or explore opportunities for acquihire when a startup is struggling.
  3. Knowing when to quit or pivot is essential for startup success - sometimes failure can lead to growth opportunities or valuable lessons learned.