The hottest Startups Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Business Topics

What I'm preparing for in 2026

next big thing • 48 implied HN points • 02 Feb 26
đź•ą Technology Startups
  1. Agentic AI will move beyond coding into real-world tasks. We'll see impressive demos and useful production agents, but also limits that leave people underwhelmed or unsettled.
  2. Enterprise AI in 2026 will be judged on hard ROI like revenue and cost savings, driving consolidation around platforms that clearly deliver value, while consumer AI will lean into fun, entertaining products that capture attention.
  3. Energy will become a major bottleneck for scaling AI, prompting big investments in power and data center infrastructure that will shape where and how AI capacity grows next year.

“DeepSeek Moment” Anniversary in a Nashville Snowpocalypse

Interconnected • 61 implied HN points • 27 Jan 26
đź•ą Technology Startups
  1. Making open source the default for frontier AI speeds innovation and lets more people contribute and build on progress.
  2. Letting software specifications drive hardware roadmaps, especially in China, aligns chip design with real AI needs and priorities.
  3. Pursuing AGI without a short-term business model can be a strategic advantage because it prioritizes long-term capability over immediate profit.

We are back!

Off to Lunch • 1218 implied HN points • 15 Jan 24
đź’Ľ Business Startups
  1. Off to Lunch newsletter is back for 2024 with exciting plans, including relaunching Business Leader magazine.
  2. The podcast associated with Off to Lunch covers big business stories and interviews key figures like the CEO of Seedrs and UK boss of Peloton.
  3. Important news stories highlighted include weakening UK job market, Artifact app closing down, and Adidas CEO sharing his phone number with all staff for feedback.

Weekly Dose of Optimism #175

Not Boring by Packy McCormick • 98 implied HN points • 10 Jan 26
đź•ą Technology Startups
  1. A redesigned national food pyramid gives clearer, more science-aligned guidance and could nudge people toward healthier eating.
  2. Next‑generation weight‑loss drugs (GLP‑1 combos and oral pills) are proving remarkably effective and becoming much more accessible, but a booming grey market for peptides creates safety and supply‑chain risks.
  3. Open‑source AI platforms like Boltz Lab are putting powerful protein and small‑molecule design tools into many hands, speeding drug discovery and democratizing biotech research.

The Defiant Way to Build an AI-First Brand (Stop Playing Safe)

Crypto Good • 9 implied HN points • 10 Mar 26
đź’Ľ Business Startups
  1. Use AI to be defiant, not just efficient — make visuals that demand attention instead of blending in.
  2. Use bold images paired with fearless quotes. Pull inspiration from songs, books, or found objects and learn the AI skills to remix and superimpose text into unique visuals.
  3. Build with AI every day and combine multiple models and workflows to keep your brand voice unmistakable. Share your process, iterate publicly, and use practical tools to accelerate your mission.
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My 5 Favorite Not Boring Essays of 2025

Not Boring by Packy McCormick • 146 implied HN points • 23 Dec 25
đź•ą Technology Startups
  1. Electric technology is rapidly getting cheaper and better, so electric products will increasingly outperform combustion and enable new things; where and how components are made will shape who wins.
  2. Technology expands our capacity but doesn’t create meaning for us, so we must choose how to spend our extra hours by paying attention, seeking novel experiences, and building relationships.
  3. There’s huge opportunity in real differentiation and craft amid widespread copycat slop, and as AI commoditizes routine tasks humans win by moving up the stack into creative, relational, and higher‑level work done with joy and purpose.

Megarounds make a comeback💰, The State of GenAI🤖, Doing Diligence Well🕵️

The VC Corner • 559 implied HN points • 14 Apr 24
đź’Ľ Business Startups
  1. Megarounds, which are large funding rounds for startups, are becoming popular again. This means investors are feeling more confident about investing in big projects.
  2. The state of Generative AI (GenAI) is evolving quickly. It shows a lot of potential for various applications in tech and business.
  3. Doing proper diligence is important for investors. It helps them make smart decisions before putting money into a startup.

India’s AI Wedding Buffet: Generous Portions, Political Economy Heartburn

Get Down and Shruti • 20 implied HN points • 16 Feb 26
đź•ą Technology Startups
  1. The government favors an innovation-first, light-touch AI governance model that leans on existing laws, sector regulators, and techno-legal standards, and it has already moved to impose binding deepfake rules; but enforcement capacity and institutional scaffolding lag behind the rules, risking overreach or automated over-removal.
  2. Physical and political-economy constraints—notably soft soil at fab sites, slow and complex subsidy disbursements, and an insolvent, politically distorted electricity distribution system—are the real bottlenecks that will decide whether AI chips, data centers, and other infrastructure actually get built.
  3. India has world-class engineering talent and a strong startup ecosystem that can build niche, language- and document-focused models and do the messy systems integration work enterprises need, but unpredictable tax rulings, bureaucratic grant processes, and limited private capital certainty make it hard for companies to scale to global frontier models.

OSD 361: Findings at SHOT Show 2026

Open Source Defense • 63 implied HN points • 24 Jan 26
đź’Ľ Business Startups
  1. Suppressors are going mainstream. They showed up everywhere at the show and look like a growing area for startups and investors.
  2. Software is playing a bigger role in the firearms market. New tools are making things like online sales and dealer routing much easier.
  3. Armed drones are being developed for government customers, but there’s nothing at the show that meaningfully expands civilian defense beyond traditional firearms.

0 To $100 Million In 9 Months 🚀, AI for social good🌍, Governments are the biggest source of VC funds🏛️

The VC Corner • 359 implied HN points • 19 May 24
đź’Ľ Business Startups
  1. A company can grow from nothing to $100 million quickly, showing how fast business can change these days.
  2. Using AI can be very beneficial, especially when it is aimed at making the world a better place.
  3. Governments are providing a lot of money for startups, more than traditional venture capitalists.

Antler's Framework for Finding the Right Problem to Solve | VC Jobs

Venture Curator • 319 implied HN points • 28 May 24
đź’Ľ Business Startups
  1. Great companies focus on solving heartfelt problems to create successful and lasting businesses.
  2. Identifying a heartfelt problem involves looking beyond surface-level solutions and understanding the emotional, functional, frequent, urgent, and unavoidable aspects of the problem.
  3. To determine if a heartfelt problem is worth solving, conduct market research, speak with target customers, and focus on building relationships within the industry by understanding the core customer problem.

How Hangzhou Spawned Deepseek and Unitree

ChinaTalk • 978 implied HN points • 09 Jul 25
đź•ą Technology Startups
  1. Hangzhou is becoming a tech hub in China with companies like DeepSeek and Unitree, but it has different strengths compared to Silicon Valley. Instead of having major venture capital and elite talent, it relies on local government support and a flexible approach to innovation.
  2. While Hangzhou lacks the same level of university-industry connections and industrial history as Silicon Valley, it has created a unique environment where small companies can thrive without being overshadowed by big state-backed firms.
  3. The success of Hangzhou's tech scene highlights how different regions can have their own paths to innovation, showing that there's not just one way to build a successful tech ecosystem.

Brozempic, just in time for summer, is only $199

Snaxshot • 459 implied HN points • 21 May 24
🍲 Food & Drink Startups
  1. Brozempic is a new weight loss product hitting the market for only $199, offering a more affordable alternative to other options.
  2. The best food shows are not necessarily on traditional food networks, with new creators and platforms emerging to showcase unique dining experiences.
  3. Unique food trends like omakase bread and innovative products like FroCo (frozen cottage cheese ice cream) are gaining popularity, challenging traditional food norms.

Announcement: New Robotics Newsletter

AI Supremacy • 1120 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
đź•ą Technology Startups
  1. The author is launching a new robotics newsletter called 'OK, Robot' and is deeply interested in robotics coverage.
  2. The newsletter will cover a wide range of topics in robotics including robotics startups, AI gadgets, drones, and more.
  3. The target audience for the newsletter includes those interested in emerging technology, robotics news, and advancements in automation.

Unlocking the Open Innovation Toolbox

The VC Corner • 299 implied HN points • 31 May 24
đź’Ľ Business Startups
  1. Open innovation helps companies grow by using ideas and skills from both inside and outside their organization. This makes them quicker and more competitive in their market.
  2. It's important for corporates, startups, and investors to connect with others in the open innovation network. These connections can lead to funding, mentorship, and new business opportunities.
  3. There are many service providers that support open innovation, like innovation centers and corporate hubs. These places help businesses develop new ideas and technologies.

The feature backlog has gone *poof*

next big thing • 32 implied HN points • 08 Feb 26
đź•ą Technology Startups
  1. AI coding agents have recently crossed a threshold and are letting developers and multi-agent setups write and ship a lot more product, so many teams are seeing their feature backlogs disappear.
  2. Companies are at different adoption stages, and engineering teams need to become fluent with agentic tools or risk falling behind; startups that use these tools can amplify their speed and focus.
  3. Public SaaS and companies aiming to IPO must show they leverage agentic engineering to drive faster feature delivery, revenue growth, and better margins, because easier software development risks commodifying existing offerings and hurting valuations.

Four Things Friday

State of the Future • 19 implied HN points • 13 Feb 26
đź•ą Technology Startups
  1. AI agents are rapidly automating work that happens on screens, and small but steady reliability improvements can quickly make them good enough to replace many tasks.
  2. New chip startups are raising big rounds to solve the memory bottleneck by doing computation-in-memory or using photonics, because faster, cheaper inference hardware is critical for agent-scale workloads.
  3. Europe is moving toward onshore AI compute and governance with large GPU deployments and consortium models, and privacy-enhancing technologies plus auditing will be essential to keep agent access to sensitive data secure and compliant.

Meme-company

benn.substack • 997 implied HN points • 27 Jun 25
đź•ą Technology Startups
  1. The role of software engineers is changing as AI improves, shifting from coding to managing and overseeing AI tasks. This means that skills like project management and having good taste are becoming more important.
  2. Companies can succeed through clever marketing and creating buzz rather than just building the best product. Sometimes, getting awareness before having a good product is the smart move in tech.
  3. In today's world, being a celebrity or influencer can drive success in technology, similar to the art world. People care about the creators more than the specific products, so having a strong personal brand can be very valuable.

Apple’s Virtual Reality Headset Arrives Amid CES Buzz...Khosla Ventures in the Spotlight...Fewer Startups Landing Seed Funding

Newcomer • 1061 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
đź•ą Technology Startups
  1. Apple is releasing a new virtual reality headset, but there are doubts about its success compared to AI tech.
  2. Microsoft offers resources and funding to startups interested in AI through its Founder Hub program.
  3. There has been a significant decline in the number of new startups receiving seed funding in recent years.

Why xAI's revenue could be a key indicator of the AI bubble

Alex's Personal Blog • 98 implied HN points • 12 Jan 26
đź•ą Technology Startups
  1. xAI’s valuation is astronomically high compared to its current revenue, so whether it can rapidly grow sales will be a key signal of whether AI valuations are a bubble or justified. If xAI can’t scale into that price, investors may have overpaid heavily.
  2. AI labs are aggressively moving into healthcare and developer tooling, and firms are competing to lock customers into their platforms and standards to capture profitable enterprise use cases. These moves show the market is shifting from novelty to revenue-driven battles for control.
  3. A proposed California billionaire tax that treats voting control like ownership could push founders and capital out of the state and weaken Silicon Valley’s position. The policy risks being punitive and may incentivize relocation to lower-tax states.

OpenAI wants you to know it’s a B2B company, too

Alex's Personal Blog • 197 implied HN points • 08 Dec 25
đź•ą Technology Startups
  1. A global payments startup restructured its investor base and is pushing into the U.S. to counter worries about Chinese ties, but it’s still unclear if that will calm regulators or customers.
  2. IBM bought Confluent to get closer to enterprise data streams and strengthen its AI and automation offerings, a strategic play that boosts growth without changing IBM’s scale much.
  3. OpenAI is leaning into the B2B market with rapid growth in enterprise seats and claims that its tools save workers substantial time, showing strong corporate demand even as consumer monetization lags.

Successful Startups Grow Quadratically, Not Exponentially. | VC Jobs

Venture Curator • 239 implied HN points • 11 Jun 24
đź’Ľ Business Startups
  1. Successful startups grow quadratically, not exponentially, debunking the common misconception about their growth pattern.
  2. A framework for finding the right customers for your MVP involves focusing on a special subset of users who are excited about the long-term vision of the product.
  3. Understanding the Power User Curve can help identify and cater to highly engaged users, leading to more targeted product development and growth strategies.

Fear and self-loathing in Silicon Valley

benn.substack • 997 implied HN points • 20 Jun 25
đź•ą Technology Startups
  1. Silicon Valley startups are focused on making money and simplifying processes, often putting profits over social concerns.
  2. The energy at Y Combinator's Demo Day felt optimistic and unburdened, as attendees seemed disconnected from the chaos outside in the world.
  3. Today's founders are very savvy about fundraising and business, treating startups as profitable ventures rather than passionate projects.

The VC Corner đź“° #14

The VC Corner • 739 implied HN points • 25 Feb 24
đź’Ľ Business Startups
  1. Exit values for companies are dropping, which means it's harder for startups to sell and make a profit. This could affect how investors view their investments.
  2. Founder salaries are being measured more consistently, giving better benchmarks for what startup founders can expect to earn. It's important for new entrepreneurs to know this info.
  3. The overall outlook for the VC industry seems uncertain right now, with challenges ahead. Investors might need to adjust their strategies going forward.

GC, a16z Capture 44% VC fundraising💰, Massive Acquisitions in Software Startups 🛒, Network Effects🕸️

The VC Corner • 379 implied HN points • 05 May 24
đź’Ľ Business Startups
  1. GC and a16z are leading the way, capturing a large portion of VC fundraising. This means they are securing a lot of money to invest in new businesses.
  2. There are many significant acquisitions happening in the software startup space. Companies are being bought up, showing growth and interest in this sector.
  3. Network effects are becoming important for these companies. This means that the more people use a service, the better it gets and the more valuable it becomes.

Kimi

ChinaTalk • 815 implied HN points • 18 Jul 25
đź•ą Technology Startups
  1. Moonshot AI recently released Kimi K2, a powerful open-source language model that focuses on long context, allowing it to analyze large texts effectively.
  2. The Kimi K2 model learned a lot from its competitors, especially DeepSeek, and showcases the strength of open-source culture in driving innovation in AI.
  3. Moonshot aims to create user-friendly AI that feels engaging and human-like, shifting from traditional chatbots to interactive experiences that meet user needs.

Bad first experiences

Kenny’s Sub • 139 implied HN points • 11 Jul 24
đź’Ľ Business Startups
  1. Many people's first attempts at something new often go poorly, and that’s a common experience. Expecting failure can help you handle it better.
  2. Most businesses face a high chance of not succeeding, especially in their early years, so it's important to stay realistic about challenges.
  3. After a bad experience, it’s crucial to not give up on your dreams. Keep trying new things, as you might discover you enjoy or succeed at them later.

Global VC Funding Settlesđź’°, IPO Preparation Guideđź“š, 2024 Tech Trends Reportđź”® & more!

The VC Corner • 599 implied HN points • 17 Mar 24
đź’Ľ Business Startups
  1. Global venture capital funding has stabilized recently, suggesting a shift in investment patterns. This could mean more cautious approaches from investors as they evaluate opportunities.
  2. There is a guide available for preparing for Initial Public Offerings (IPOs), which is crucial for companies looking to go public. This guide can help businesses understand the steps they need to take to be ready.
  3. A report detailing tech trends for 2024 is available, highlighting what to expect in the tech industry. Staying informed about these trends can help businesses plan and adapt for the upcoming year.

Agentic e-commerce is a HUGE deal

Enterprise AI Trends • 189 implied HN points • 02 Dec 25
đź’Ľ Business Startups
  1. AI shopping agents are driving a major shift in how people discover products and could become the dominant top-of-funnel for research-heavy purchases, with models like OpenAI’s positioned to aggregate many retailers’ catalogs.
  2. Agentic shopping will help most with high-price, research-intensive categories (electronics, furniture, hardlines) but won’t replace softlines or consumables, and it faces real conversion hurdles because users still compare prices, resist new merchant accounts, or prefer faster fulfillment.
  3. The market is splitting into an Amazon-controlled, closed experience and a Chatbot-led discovery layer, which benefits big platforms and OpenAI while threatening affiliate publishers and many startups, and forces retailers to partner or risk losing visibility.

Anthropic may go public in 2026

Alex's Personal Blog • 197 implied HN points • 03 Dec 25
đź•ą Technology Startups
  1. Anthropic is planning for an IPO soon, possibly in 2026, which could make it one of the biggest public offerings in the tech industry. This comes during a time when there's high competition with OpenAI also aiming for a massive IPO.
  2. The Indian government decided not to force smartphone manufacturers to install a controversial app after public backlash. This shows the power of citizen voices against government overreach in tech matters.
  3. There is ongoing debate in the U.S. about allowing states to create their own AI regulations. Some lawmakers are worried that differing state rules could complicate things for AI companies, while others believe states should have the right to pass their own laws.

What to expect when you’re expecting (dilution)

The VC Corner • 339 implied HN points • 11 May 24
đź’Ľ Business Startups
  1. Founders should be careful with SAFEs as they can quickly lead to dilution. Stacking too many SAFEs can reduce the ownership percentage of founders significantly.
  2. When selling equity, it's important to know how much to give up in each round of fundraising. This impacts the long-term value and control of the company.
  3. Understanding deal terms is crucial in the fundraising process. They can greatly affect the level of dilution and overall impact on the company's future.

You can't build a moat with AI

The AI Frontier • 459 implied HN points • 11 Apr 24
đź•ą Technology Startups
  1. You can't really set yourself apart with just AI models because they're becoming similar across different companies. What matters more is the unique data you use to feed those models.
  2. Even if your prompts seem special, they won't give you a long-term advantage. Competitors can quickly figure out how to improve their prompts, making them less valuable for differentiation.
  3. To succeed in building AI applications, focus on understanding and using your customers' data effectively. Good data engineering can really make a difference in how well your application performs.

Against loose feedback loops for young professionals

Optima & Outliers • 179 implied HN points • 24 Jun 24
đź’Ľ Business Startups
  1. Working at big companies can teach you specialized skills, but they often don't show you how your work contributes to the bigger picture. You might learn things that are valuable in a small circle but not necessarily important for real-world impact.
  2. Starting your career at a startup can be more beneficial for developing broader skills. You'll see the direct results of your work, and it pushes you to understand what really delivers value to customers.
  3. If you want a career where you can make a real impact and create valuable products, it's worth considering spending some time outside of large corporations to gain that experience.

From Bushwackers to F1 Drivers: Evolving Employee Types as Startups Scale

Gad’s Newsletter • 47 implied HN points • 02 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Startups
  1. Startups need different people as they grow: bushwackers to invent in chaos, off-road drivers to stabilize and scale, and F1 drivers to optimize and run at high efficiency.
  2. The biggest scaling mistake is hiring the right people for the wrong stage — add structure at the right time and integrate new roles carefully so you don’t smother innovation or collapse under chaos.
  3. Even mature companies must preserve some exploratory teams and have leaders translate between archetypes so experimentation and process coexist and each group is rewarded appropriately.

Greek tech salaries

The Greek Analyst • 279 implied HN points • 24 May 24
đź’Ľ Business Startups
  1. Salaries in the Greek tech industry are usually higher than in other domains and pertain to high-productivity jobs, which can drive up salaries in other industries.
  2. Despite some improvements in recent years, Greek tech salaries are still relatively low compared to other European countries, with Greek IT workers having one of the lowest average compensations in Europe.
  3. The current landscape in the Greek tech market presents opportunities for local tech talent as remote global companies are showing interest, leading to a rise in demand and potential for better compensation packages.

Founders over fifty.

The Common Reader • 1842 implied HN points • 08 Feb 25
đź’Ľ Business Startups
  1. Older founders often have more experience and valuable connections than younger ones. This helps them spot opportunities that others might miss.
  2. Studies show the average age of successful entrepreneurs is around 45. Older founders are more likely to make successful sales than younger founders.
  3. Experience from past failures can improve the chances of success in new ventures. Many middle-aged entrepreneurs have the financial stability to start their own businesses.

Here’s the startup I’ve been looking for

Alex's Personal Blog • 65 implied HN points • 22 Jan 26
đź•ą Technology Startups
  1. A cheap hobby-tier PaaS like Railway makes it easy for independent creators to one-click host and publish AI-built personal apps, which could surface a lot of homebrew "shovelware" into the open.
  2. OpenAI is hunting roughly $50 billion at a $750–830 billion valuation, giving it a huge war chest but betting on continued hypergrowth to justify the high multiples and cover big cash burn.
  3. Anthropic’s new constitution treats Claude as possibly having functional emotions and wellbeing, signaling that companies are starting to design policies and products around AIs that behave like they have feelings.

Open Thread 382

Astral Codex Ten • 1170 implied HN points • 19 May 25
đź•ą Technology Startups
  1. There are meetups happening this week in Oxford, Shanghai, and Austin where people can connect and share ideas.
  2. A few fellowships are available for those interested in AI safety and reasoning, with opportunities to work and collaborate in the Bay Area.
  3. Grants are being offered for projects that explore how AI can support open inquiry, encouraging creative and innovative approaches.