The hottest Startups Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

Announcing The Databases of Money

Money in Transit • 19 implied HN points • 27 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Startups
  1. Successful startups rely on information to make good decisions and plan for the future.
  2. Learning from past successes and failures in payment application design is crucial for startup founders.
  3. Understanding the principles of designing payment applications can prevent startup failures and provide valuable insights for growth.

Y Combinator Bets on New Space Startups

Space Ambition • 1 HN point • 09 Aug 24
💼 Business Startups
  1. Y Combinator is investing more in SpaceTech startups, with over 30 companies in their portfolio, showing a growing interest in space innovation since 2015.
  2. Most successful startups in Y Combinator's SpaceTech program have founders with aerospace backgrounds, often from well-known companies like SpaceX or NASA, which helps attract funding.
  3. The current accelerator batch has some exciting new startups, including those focusing on data centers in space and advanced weather balloons, indicating fresh ideas in the space sector.

Why Blackrock invested into FTX[Finance Fridays]

Technology Made Simple • 39 implied HN points • 10 Dec 22
💼 Business Startups
  1. Smart money investors may not always thoroughly understand the businesses they invest in, sometimes basing decisions on trends or buzzwords rather than solid research.
  2. Investors like Blackrock may invest in numerous startups, making it feasible for them to overlook losses in some investments if one startup gives a significantly high return.
  3. Investors can get caught up in hype and euphoria, leading them to invest in companies that may not be sound businesses, with the main goal often being a profitable exit rather than the success of the business.

June 17, 2024

The Grasp • 3 HN points • 17 Jun 24
🕹 Technology Startups
  1. Stanford's new research simplifies training humanoid robots using human body and hand poses, revolutionizing data collection for robot learning.
  2. The open-source Vision-Language-Action model, OpenVLA, showcases improved robotic control and performance, highlighting the benefits of collaborative industry contributions.
  3. Harvard and Deepmind's study on virtual rodent brain activity provides insights into brain-controlled motion, with potential implications for brain-machine interfaces and robotics.

Morgan Stanley-Backed TomoCredit Isn't Paying Its Bills, Faces Mounting Legal Challenges

Fintech Business Weekly • 89 implied HN points • 18 Feb 24
💰 Finance Startups
  1. TomoCredit, a startup backed by Morgan Stanley, is facing financial troubles and legal challenges despite its initial success claims.
  2. Mission Lane, a subprime card startup linked to LendUp, has raised $50 million and replaced its CEO in an effort to reposition itself.
  3. A study by the Federal Reserve reveals differences in how financially stable versus fragile households utilize buy now, pay later services, impacting the types and frequency of purchases made.
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Rockets go up, learning Mandarin, and the good news for SaaS

Alex's Personal Blog • 32 implied HN points • 17 Jan 25
💼 Business Startups
  1. The launch of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket was a success, marking a significant milestone in space exploration. Despite some setbacks, it showed progress in competing with other space companies like SpaceX.
  2. Duolingo is seeing a boost in interest and stock value as more people want to learn Mandarin due to changes in social media access. This trend suggests that more individuals may pursue learning different languages in the future.
  3. Public-market SaaS revenue multiples are currently stable, indicating a good environment for top cloud companies. This shows that, historically, it's a favorable time for generating market value in the SaaS sector.

Wanted: New Instruments to Fund BBNs

FreakTakes • 14 implied HN points • 20 Jun 25
💼 Business Startups
  1. BBNs are new types of organizations focused on research and development, similar to consulting firms but with a broader impact aim. They need new funding models to support their unique financial challenges.
  2. Common financial problems for BBNs include cash flow issues, startup capital needs, and the need for risk capital. They often require funding before their contracts and grants pay out, which complicates their operations.
  3. There are ideas for new financial products that could help BBNs, like low-interest loans or revolving door loan funds. These could provide timely financial support and help BBNs grow and innovate.

Gloves off, knives out

davidj.substack • 11 implied HN points • 23 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Startups
  1. Anthropic stopped Windsurf from using their Claude models, which upset many users. This means people need to find other tools for their AI coding tasks.
  2. After a failed acquisition attempt by OpenAI, Windsurf ended up being bought by Cognition. This change could lead to better tools for software engineering using AI.
  3. Windsurf can now use all Anthropic models again under Cognition, bringing them back to where they started, but many changes have occurred since.

Founders, what can you learn from the OpenAI debacle?

Tech Ramblings • 19 implied HN points • 19 Nov 23
💼 Business Startups
  1. Make sure your board members really care about the company's success. They should have a stake in it, either by working there or owning shares.
  2. When board members leave, replace them quickly. A shrinking board can lead to risky decisions and power plays.
  3. Don’t fill your board with just 'yes men' or only investors. You need a mix of people who will challenge you and support innovation.

Great Products Have Great Premises

Working Theorys • 86 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
💼 Business Startups
  1. A great premise gives context and comfort for users to engage in actions they might otherwise find challenging
  2. Great premises are the foundation of successful products and brands, normalizing behaviors or beliefs that were previously not accepted or considered mainstream
  3. Powerful premises lead to strong identities for products and businesses, shaping brand decisions and marketing strategies

Frontier AI Labs: the Call Option to AGI

East Wind • 14 implied HN points • 11 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Startups
  1. AI development is accelerating quickly, with major investments from companies like OpenAI and DeepSeek. It’s important to consider who will thrive in this space—the big established companies or small innovative labs.
  2. To succeed, AI labs need to find ways to make money beyond just subscriptions and advertising. This includes capturing market share from existing companies and launching innovative services.
  3. There are huge opportunities for AI to replace human jobs and disrupt traditional markets. Companies that can leverage this potential for automating tasks may see significant financial rewards.

The Hardest Sale A Founder Will Make

Tippets by Taps • 10 implied HN points • 31 Jul 25
💼 Business Startups
  1. Hiring great early employees is one of the toughest tasks for founders. It's hard because you're asking someone to leave a stable job for something uncertain.
  2. When recruiting, you need to convince not just the candidate but also their support system. Their families often play a big role in their decision to join your startup.
  3. Every new hire can shape the future of your company, so take recruitment seriously. Spending time and effort on it can lead to a more successful team.

How to get unstuck: 5 marketing thought experiments

MKT1 Newsletter • 3 implied HN points • 19 Nov 25
💼 Business Startups
  1. Using thought experiments can help marketers shake off rigid thinking and find fresh ideas. Trying out different scenarios forces creative solutions to the surface.
  2. Focusing on redistributing existing content rather than creating new content can lead to better results. This helps teams see the value in leveraging what they already have.
  3. Prioritizing lifecycle marketing and engaging existing leads instead of always chasing new ones can boost growth and improve ROI. It's crucial to not overlook your current audience.

A Bank of One's Own

Monomythical • 166 HN points • 11 Mar 23
💼 Business Startups
  1. Many startup employees are unable to afford buying equity in the company they work for, leading to missed opportunities.
  2. Traditional banks often do not cater well to the financial needs of individuals involved in startups or venture capital.
  3. There is a need for more institutional support and celebration of diverse backgrounds in the entrepreneurial and creative fields.

Evaluating Startups

ASeq Newsletter • 36 implied HN points • 04 Dec 24
💼 Business Startups
  1. Startups need to prove their technology works by showing that credible research supports their approach. If only their own team has evidence, that's a red flag.
  2. External validation is important. When a trusted partner checks and confirms that the startup's work is real, it builds investor confidence.
  3. Investors are often more focused on potential profits and selling their investment than on whether the startup is currently making money. They want to see if someone else would buy in based on the startup's promise.

Clouded Judgement 7.25.25 - TAMs Lie

Clouded Judgement • 11 implied HN points • 25 Jul 25
💼 Business Startups
  1. Understanding market size through Total Addressable Market (TAM) can be misleading, especially during major industry changes. Old ways of thinking about market value might not apply in new tech like AI.
  2. AI tools are not just for developers anymore; they’re expanding to other fields like marketing and finance, creating new markets and user bases. This shift means that the value of these tools goes beyond just saving time.
  3. Successful companies often start by solving a specific problem, but they can grow to offer much more. Focusing only on the initial market may overlook future opportunities and expansions.

The Long Game 169: AI Investment Thesis, Peter Attia, Earth AI, Science-Based Lifting

The Long Game by Mehdi Yacoubi • 3 implied HN points • 19 Nov 25
🕹 Technology Startups
  1. Longevity works best when you focus on basics—build muscle, move often, eat and sleep reasonably well—and avoid turning health into constant self-surveillance that makes you feel fragile.
  2. The AI app market is unstable because foundational model providers can rapidly absorb app features, so most startups either need to generate quick cash, aim to be acquired, or specialize in niches with unique atom-level data, hardware, or heavy enterprise integration.
  3. Real competitive advantage comes from controlling the full loop: huge, cleaned datasets, continent-scale multimodal models, and cheap execution that ties AI to real-world testing, and founders should build from conviction rather than chasing what’s currently fundable.

How we built a business out of recession - chapter 35 - the wild goose chase continues

The ZIPster • 26 implied HN points • 21 Feb 25
💼 Business Startups
  1. Expanding a business into new markets can be really tricky. Many companies assume they will succeed without understanding local culture or costs, and that can lead to big losses.
  2. Hiring the right people is essential, especially in new regions. You need experienced local managers who understand the market and can connect with customers.
  3. Sometimes, it's better to focus on nearby markets instead of chasing distant dreams. Building strong local partnerships can lead to better results without unnecessary risks.

Building Codiga: Resilience

Tech Ramblings • 19 implied HN points • 10 Nov 23
💼 Business Startups
  1. Facing tough truths is important while keeping hope for success alive. You need both to survive in the startup world.
  2. Starting a business is often harder and longer than many expect. It’s crucial to avoid overconfidence and stay realistic about your journey.
  3. Even with challenges, dedication to improving your product and business model is key. Staying focused and prepared can lead to eventual success.

The Decades-Long View

next big thing • 120 implied HN points • 25 Aug 23
💼 Business Startups
  1. Successful founders and CEOs have the ability to take a decades-long view in building their businesses.
  2. Companies that want to last for decades must earn the right to serve customers and have a sustainable business model.
  3. Founders who take a decades-long view have a strong belief in their work and show an obsession-level commitment.

SpaceShoring: When Offshoring Just Isn’t Far Enough

Gad’s Newsletter • 26 implied HN points • 17 Feb 25
💼 Business Startups
  1. Manufacturing in space has unique benefits, like producing materials with special properties that can't be achieved on Earth. This is due to factors like microgravity, which can enhance things like crystallization in materials.
  2. Despite the advantages, there are huge challenges to making space manufacturing cost-effective. High startup costs and technical difficulties mean it's currently not competitive with traditional Earth-based manufacturing.
  3. The future of space manufacturing could depend on companies like SpaceX reducing launch costs even more. If prices drop significantly, it might open up new possibilities for making things in space that could eventually be profitable.

Only the paranoid survive

Tech Ramblings • 19 implied HN points • 03 Nov 23
💼 Business Startups
  1. Always be aware of your competition, but don't obsess over them. Check in from time to time to learn and adjust, but your main decisions should come from your own vision.
  2. Prepare for tough times by planning for unexpected challenges. Budget more than you think you'll need and set realistic goals to avoid panic later.
  3. Think ahead about employee turnover and customer commitments. People and situations change often, so it's smart to expect the unexpected and have a plan in place.

Revisiting The Professionalization of Startups

Investing 101 • 73 implied HN points • 16 Mar 24
💼 Business Startups
  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.

Entrepreneurship in the World of Investing

Equal Ventures • 39 implied HN points • 06 Oct 22
💼 Business Startups
  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.

Keep Going University: Managing Tariffs and Shipping for Hardware Startups

Startup Strategies • 14 implied HN points • 29 May 25
💼 Business Startups
  1. Founders need to be aware of unexpected costs, like tariffs, that can hit their business hard. It's important to have a plan in place before these situations arise.
  2. When facing high tariffs, businesses may have to make tough choices like raising prices or assuming losses. Flexibility is key to navigate these challenges successfully.
  3. Margins can make a big difference in surviving financial shocks. Having good margins helps a business stay afloat during unpredictable situations.

How we built a business out of recession - chapter 26 - the worst and best of times

The ZIPster • 35 implied HN points • 22 Nov 24
💼 Business Startups
  1. CitNOW was founded during tough economic times but managed to grow successfully. The company started from a small kitchen table and grew into a significant player in the automotive industry.
  2. The launch of CitNOW Workshop was a game changer. By providing video inspections, they built trust with customers and improved the approval rate for repairs.
  3. Finding the right partners and aligning on vision is crucial for a startup's success. Alistair's tech enthusiasm and risk-taking nature were key in driving CitNOW forward.

Insights on Co-founder Dynamics

Lika’s Substack • 2 HN points • 02 Jul 24
💼 Business Startups
  1. Co-founder dynamics are crucial for startup success, often more impactful than other factors like funding or product-market fit.
  2. Factors like shared history, vision alignment, ego issues, emotional awareness, and boundary setting play significant roles in co-founder relationships.
  3. Investors look for co-founders with strong cores, trust, and the ability to handle disagreements effectively, indicating the value of interpersonal dynamics in startup evaluations.

Building Codiga: Don’t believe the hype

Tech Ramblings • 19 implied HN points • 27 Oct 23
💼 Business Startups
  1. It's important to focus on real value for users rather than chasing trends. If your product doesn't help people, it may fail.
  2. Many startups get attention for being trendy, but often they lack substance and can collapse quickly. Investors sometimes get blinded by hype.
  3. Staying true to solid principles and avoiding the latest fads will lead to better, longer-lasting companies. Always ask if what you are offering is truly valuable.

🤔 What's next?

Turnaround • 39 implied HN points • 19 Sep 22
💼 Business Startups
  1. The author shares personal updates including changing jobs, buying a car, and family news.
  2. The author stopped several podcasts and writing commitments due to a new demanding job in the crypto industry.
  3. The author promotes a daily crypto newsletter for readers interested in simplified updates on the industry.

Is focus a luxury African startups can't afford?

Afridigest • 23 implied HN points • 22 Feb 25
💼 Business Startups
  1. African startups often diversify their services early, which may be driven by limited market options or investor demands. This means they can't always concentrate on one area.
  2. The reasons for expanding services can be both opportunity-based and necessity-based. Sometimes, businesses need to adapt due to market constraints rather than just chasing new opportunities.
  3. Determining how closely related new services are to existing ones can be tricky. The distance from a startup's core business affects its growth strategy.

Checking in on the 2025 Cyber 150

The Security Industry • 11 implied HN points • 03 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Startups
  1. The Cyber 150 list includes cybersecurity companies with between 50 to 500 employees, showcasing those on the rise before they grow too big.
  2. Funding is flowing into these companies, with some receiving over $100 million, totaling around $2.3 billion in the first half of 2025 alone.
  3. Companies that grow past 500 employees or fail to grow can graduate from or drop off the Cyber 150 list, highlighting their changing status in the industry.

Building Codiga: Building an Iteration Engine

Tech Ramblings • 19 implied HN points • 20 Oct 23
💼 Business Startups
  1. Your first idea for a startup is not usually the best one. Many successful companies started with different ideas and adapted over time.
  2. The speed at which you improve and learn from mistakes is crucial. Startups have the advantage of being quick and flexible compared to larger companies.
  3. Creating a culture of constant improvement is key. Regular meetings, tracking data, and listening to user feedback can help you make better products while respecting user privacy.

India In Charts - The House View🐅⚡🇮🇳

Tigerfeathers! • 2 implied HN points • 15 Dec 25
💼 Business Startups
  1. India’s consumer market is massive and hyper-segmented, so winners are built for regional and Bharat-specific audiences rather than one-size-fits-all products. Targeted brands, Bharat-focused apps, and rural-first adoption patterns (like UPI) are driving rapid, uneven growth.
  2. AI and digital shifts are rewriting distribution and content: AI-native channels, mass AI content generation, and platform changes are upending attention and business models while creating risky low-quality “slop.” This creates big opportunities but also exposes gaps — notably India’s weak showing in cutting-edge AI research.
  3. The physical economy and IRL experiences still matter: most manufacturing is small-scale and unorganised even as robotics, reindustrialization, quick-commerce last-mile plays, store density and live popups drive real-world demand and operational complexity. Scaling India’s offline capabilities is as crucial as its digital advances.

The Meteoric Rise of Jar, Indian Fintech's Golden Child

Tigerfeathers! • 31 implied HN points • 13 Dec 24
💼 Business Startups
  1. Jar is an Indian fintech that's growing rapidly by making digital gold available in very small amounts. This makes it easier for people to save and invest without needing a lot of money up front.
  2. The founders of Jar focus heavily on understanding their customers by listening to them directly, which helps them create products that meet real needs.
  3. India's love for gold is strong, and Jar taps into this by offering a familiar and trusted way for people to save and invest.

How we built a business out of recession - chapter 31 - back the fuck off

The ZIPster • 26 implied HN points • 24 Jan 25
💼 Business Startups
  1. Board meetings can get crowded and political, causing frustration among members. It's important to keep discussions focused and ensure everyone feels heard.
  2. Adapting to new ideas, like a data product, can help a company stay competitive. Valuing data is essential for creating new revenue opportunities.
  3. Conflict can arise when leadership roles and ideas clash. It's crucial to stand firm on important decisions to protect the team's vision and goals.