Biotech, robotics, and fintech startups took the spotlight today at Y Combinator’s 26th Demo Day. This batch features 141 total companies from 23 countries, with presentations spread over two days. The house was packed at Mountain View’s Computer History Museum with wealthy investors forced to stand in the back or sit on the floor. Meanwhile, … Continue reading Here are 64 startups that launched today at Y Combinator’s W18 Demo Day
Entrepreneurship
If you want to stay successful, learn to think like Leonardo da Vinci
Some of history’s greatest contributions have come from polymaths. Aristotle practically invented half a dozen fields of study across philosophy. Galileo was as much a physicist as he was an engineer when he helped kick-start the scientific revolution. Da Vinci might have been even more famous as an inventor than an artist if his notebooks … Continue reading If you want to stay successful, learn to think like Leonardo da Vinci
Lessons from Spotify
The two dominant business models for venture-backed startups are advertising for consumer-focused companies, and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) for business-focused ones. On one level, these business models are quite different: the former gives away software for free with the hope of convincing a third party to pay for access to users; the latter charges some portion of … Continue reading Lessons from Spotify
China’s great leap forward in science
Chinese investment is paying off with serious advances in biotech, computing and space. Are they edging ahead of the west? by Philip Ball I first met Xiaogang Peng in the summer of 1992 at Jilin University in Changchun, in the remote north-east of China, where he was a postgraduate student in the department of chemistry. … Continue reading China’s great leap forward in science
The Psychology of Instant Gratification and How It Will Revolutionize Your Marketing Approach
Humans are hardwired to want things -- now. It’s called instant gratification, and it’s a powerful force. It can make people convert, as long as you’re doing the right things. But do you know how to use instant gratification for marketing? If you dig into the psychology behind instant gratification, you’ll be able to understand … Continue reading The Psychology of Instant Gratification and How It Will Revolutionize Your Marketing Approach
Why Toys?
Some of the biggest technology companies look like toys in the beginning.1 From a classical business building perspective, this shouldn’t happen. Toys are for fun. Businesses, especially huge ones, are for making money. Toys are small and of limited use. Large companies contain multitudes and perform a huge array of functions. This trend does not … Continue reading Why Toys?
Didi Chuxing took on Uber and won. Now it’s taking on the world
Backed by investment from some of the biggest global tech companies – including Apple, Tencent and Alibaba – Jean Liu’s Didi Chuxing defeated Uber in China. Now, the firm is leading the way for Chinese tech giants – by taking on the planet. Jean Liu has a vision. Not far in the future, the president … Continue reading Didi Chuxing took on Uber and won. Now it’s taking on the world
Is Facebook for old people? Over-55s flock in as the young leave
A forecast 700,000 UK teenagers and young adults will leave the social media site in 2018 It’s official: Facebook is for old(er) people. Teens and young adults are ditching Mark Zuckerberg’s social network as popularity among the over-55s surges, according to a report. In 2018, 2.2 million 12- to 17-year-olds and 4.5 million 18- to … Continue reading Is Facebook for old people? Over-55s flock in as the young leave
Early Facebook and Google Employees Form Coalition to Fight What They Built
SAN FRANCISCO — A group of Silicon Valley technologists who were early employees at Facebook and Google, alarmed over the ill effects of social networks and smartphones, are banding together to challenge the companies they helped build. The cohort is creating a union of concerned experts called the Center for Humane Technology. Along with the … Continue reading Early Facebook and Google Employees Form Coalition to Fight What They Built
Something is wrong on the internet
As someone who grew up on the internet, I credit it as one of the most important influences on who I am today. I had a computer with internet access in my bedroom from the age of 13. It gave me access to a lot of things which were totally inappropriate for a young teenager, … Continue reading Something is wrong on the internet
Eric's playground 