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SteveBlank
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Lean Launchpad at Stanford – 2025
- The 15th annual Lean LaunchPad class at Stanford was recently completed, offering an intensive entrepreneurial education with students dedicating 15-20 hours per week.
- The class aimed to shift focus from traditional business plan writing to teaching startups how to search for a viable business model.
- The Lean LaunchPad class model has been adopted by various government-funded programs and universities globally, fostering entrepreneurship and innovation.
- The program has been instrumental in launching successful startups, with over $4 billion in venture capital raised by I-Corps teams.
- Multiple variations of the Lean LaunchPad curriculum have emerged over the years, with a continued evolution at Stanford to adapt to modern entrepreneurial challenges.
- The class leverages tools like the Business Model Canvas and AI technology to guide students in customer discovery and business model development.
- Mission-driven entrepreneurship courses like Hacking for Defense and Hacking for Diplomacy have also been introduced alongside Lean LaunchPad at Stanford.
- The structured Design of the Class provides continual guidance and structure to students, aiding in the validation of hypotheses and the development of innovative solutions.
- AI integration played a significant role, helping teams in creating business models, MVPs, generating customer questions, and analyzing interviews in the 2025 class.
- Dedicated volunteers, mentors, and teaching assistants contribute significantly to the success of the Lean LaunchPad program at Stanford.
- The continuous evolution of entrepreneurial education and the impact of AI signal a promising future for innovative business model development in the field.
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TechCrunch
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How a data processing problem at Lyft became the basis for Eventual
- Eventual founders identified a data infrastructure problem at Lyft related to autonomous vehicle data processing.
- The lack of a unified tool for handling diverse data types led to inefficiencies for engineers.
- Sidhu and Chia developed an internal tool at Lyft to process multimodal data.
- This initiative inspired the creation of Eventual and its Python-native open source data processing engine called Daft.
- Daft is designed to process various data modalities quickly and effectively for AI applications.
- The company was founded in early 2022 and released the first version of Daft in the same year.
- Eventual is targeting the multimodal data processing needs of industries beyond autonomous vehicles.
- Amazon, CloudKitchens, and Together AI are some of the customers using Eventual's solutions.
- Eventual secured funding rounds of $7.5 million in seed funding and $20 million in Series A round.
- The latest funding will support the enhancement of Daft's open source offering and the development of a commercial product.
- Felicis, a major investor, highlighted Eventual as a pioneer in data infrastructure for multimodal AI models.
- The multimodal AI industry is expected to grow significantly in the coming years.
- Eventual's Daft aligns with the trend of generative AI around text, image, video, and voice.
- Astasia Myers of Felicis emphasized the growing importance of multimodal-native data processing engines like Daft.
- Daft addresses the challenges posed by the massive increase in unstructured data over the years.
- The story exemplifies the significant role Daft plays in supporting diverse industries with their data processing needs.
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Inc42
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IPO-Bound Meesho Rejigs Board Post Reverse Flip
- Meesho, an ecommerce major gearing up for its upcoming IPO, has revamped its board with only two out of four top institutional investors retaining seats.
- The Meesho Pvt Ltd board, chaired by cofounder Vidit Aatrey, consists of eight members, including CTO Sanjeev Barnwal.
- Peak XV Partners and Elevation Capital are the two institutional investors on the board, with representatives Mohit Bhatnagar and Mukul Arora.
- SoftBank and Prosus Ventures have given up their board seats in the new structure after Meesho's reverse flip and merger into its India entity.
- Independent directors on Meesho's board include Rohit Bhagat, Surojit Chatterjee, Hari Shanker Bhartia, and Kimsuka Narasimhan, bringing expertise in finance and corporate governance.
- Narasimhan has replaced Kalpana Morparia for the fourth independent director seat on the board.
- Meesho is preparing to file its DRHP for a $700 Mn to $800 Mn public issue, having Citigroup, Kotak Mahindra Capital, and Morgan Stanley as its investment bankers.
- As part of its IPO preparations, Meesho's board restructuring aligns with SEBI regulations, ensuring appropriate composition of independent directors for public investor trust.
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ISN
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AI-powered HRtech unicorn Darwinbox completes Rs 86 crore ESOP buyback
- Darwinbox, a Hyderabad-based HRtech unicorn, completed an Rs 86 crore ESOP buyback.
- It was the company's third liquidity event in four years, involving over 350 employees globally.
- This ESOP buyback was the largest in the company's history, directly acquiring stock options from employees.
- Darwinbox focuses on internal capital for employee wealth creation, part of a trend in startups.
- The Co-founder, Jayant Paleti, emphasized the importance of sharing success with employees.
- Founded in 2015, Darwinbox offers cloud-based HCM software for HR needs across the employee lifecycle.
- The company serves over 4 million employees from 1000+ enterprises across 130 countries.
- Darwinbox is backed by investors like KKR, Partners Group, TCV, Microsoft, and Salesforce Ventures.
- It recently raised $140 million in a round led by KKR and Partners Group, valuing the company at $950 million.
- Darwinbox has focused on enhancing its AI-led HR infrastructure, introducing innovative products.
- Recent product innovations include the MCP Server for AI agents' access to HR data and Darwinbox Sense, a generative AI engine.
- The company expanded its multi-country payroll offering to 10 new geographies.
- Its FY24 revenue surged 58% to Rs 392 crore, driven by international expansion and R&D investment.
- Darwinbox targets similar growth levels for FY25 as it continues to strengthen its position in HR tech.
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AllTopStartups
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Industrial Strategy to Provide Over £150m to Reinforce UK as Services Superpower
- The UK's modern Industrial Strategy aims to invest over £150 million in AI and technology programmes to boost the UK Professional and Business Services (PBS) sectors like legal, consulting, and accountancy.
- The funding is part of the Government's broader commitment to the PBS sector, recognizing its significant contribution to the UK economy.
- The plan includes ambitions for the UK to become the most trusted adviser to global industry and remain the second-largest exporter of professional business services globally.
- Initiatives involve launching new centres of excellence, AI skills hubs, and research programs to promote innovation and AI adoption in the sector.
- Additional measures include a marketing campaign for PBS, expanded support for regulators, and a Trade Digitalisation Task Force to enhance digital trade processes.
- Strengthening UK Export Finance guarantees, appointing a PBS AI Champion, and fostering collaboration between government and businesses are key components of the strategy.
- Various industry stakeholders, including ICAEW, Deloitte, Management Consultancies Association, and the Law Society, have expressed support for the plan as a way to drive growth, innovation, and global leadership in professional business services.
- The strategy aims to accelerate technology adoption, open procurement to SMEs, upskill the workforce, and bolster the UK's reputation as a global PBS center of excellence.
- The government's focus on legal services, including enhancing technology, global market access for UK lawyers, and upholding the rule of law, is expected to fuel sustained growth and strengthen the UK's legal sector.
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Medium
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OpenAI o3: Finally worth it?
- OpenAI has adjusted the pricing for its o3 model, making it more affordable at $2 per million input tokens and $8 for output, down from the previous $10 per million input tokens and $40 for output.
- The o3 model, launched in April 2025, is focused on advanced reasoning, coding, math, and scientific problem-solving, positioning OpenAI to compete with Claude Opus and Gemini 2.5 Pro.
- By reducing the cost barriers, OpenAI is democratizing access to powerful AI for a wider range of users.
- Comparative testing between OpenAI's o3, Gemini 2.5 Pro, and Claude Opus showed that o3 provided concise, accurate, and readable outputs at lower costs in various tasks.
- The o3 model performed well against its competitors while offering efficiency at a more affordable price point, enhancing its appeal for those working on coding, math, or science applications.
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Medium
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3 Lessons I Learned in My 1st Month as a Startup PM (That No Playbook Told Me)
- Transitioning from established tech companies to a startup PM role brought unexpected challenges.
- Product decisions at big companies involve layers of validation, while startups prioritize speed over certainty.
- Lessons learned include the value of fast, iterative, and imperfect product work.
- In early-stage environments, the focus shifts to progress rather than perfection.
- Speed and adaptability are crucial in addressing shifting user behaviors, especially in the dating app space.
- Understanding user intent and behaviors is essential for making improvements, going beyond simply analyzing numbers.
- Effective PMs in startups are creative problem-solvers who prioritize momentum over perfection.
- Clarity is earned through action, strategy through product delivery, and innovation in the midst of uncertainty.
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Getfullyfunded
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Launching an SMS Fundraising Strategy: A Nonprofit FAQ Guide
- SMS fundraising provides a convenient way for nonprofits to engage donors and secure donations.
- It involves setup, marketing, engagement, and donation processes to maximize its effectiveness.
- Building a text contact list requires promoting the short code and using incentives to encourage sign-ups.
- Compliance with regulations like the TCPA is essential to avoid fines and penalties.
- Essential features for text fundraising platforms include automation, personalization, integrations, and reporting.
- Security measures like two-factor authentication and secure sending protect donor data during SMS donations.
- SMS fundraising can enhance engagement, fundraising, and donor stewardship when implemented strategically.
- Fundraising expert Mike Snusz emphasizes the importance of personal and grateful communications with text donors.
- Text messaging can help nonprofits establish and strengthen connections with supporters to achieve their missions.
- Overall, SMS fundraising can be a powerful tool when utilized effectively by nonprofits.
- Article by Mike Snusz, Director of Nonprofit Customer Experience at Tatango, providing valuable insights on SMS fundraising strategies for nonprofits.
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SiliconCanals
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Netherlands-based Doktar lands €7.5M to make sustainable farming practical and profitable
- Netherlands-based ag-tech company Doktar secures €7.5M in a funding round co-led by ECBF and Pymwymic.
- ECBF is the first fund dedicated to transitioning to a bio-based circular economy, investing in growth-stage companies across various sectors.
- Existing investor DCP also participates in the funding round for Doktar.
- Doktar's unique approach combines agronomic expertise, scalable technology, and measurable environmental outcomes, facilitating regenerative agriculture.
- Pymwymic, a community of European wealth holders, sees Doktar as supporting farmers and food corporates in making smarter and impactful choices.
- The investment will aid Doktar in expanding its product portfolio globally and advancing its holistic execution model.
- Doktar Technologies, founded in 2017, uses digital products and AI to enhance agriculture, offering real-time monitoring, decision support, and sustainability results.
- The company's digital platform integrates IoT devices, smart software, and AI to provide insights and traceability for farms.
- Doktar's Climate Sustainability Impact platform assists farmers and food producers in implementing sustainable practices with traceability and positive environmental outcomes.
- Operating in over 10 countries, Doktar supports 250,000 hectares of regenerative farmland, aiding different crop systems and regions.
- Six of the top ten global food and beverage companies use Doktar's platform to enhance sustainability and supply chain efforts.
- Doktar aims to reinforce the digital backbone of agriculture to achieve measurable, verifiable impacts across supply chains.
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Eu-Startups
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Why more early-stage startups are embracing PR from day one
- In the current funding climate, early-stage startups are facing challenges in raising venture capital and gaining traction, leading them to prioritize PR from the beginning.
- Visibility has become crucial as a survival strategy, prompting founders to seek media coverage even at pre-seed or beta stages.
- PR helps startups stand out in a crowded market by providing discoverability and differentiation, especially when many startups offer similar solutions.
- Media coverage gives startups credibility and positions them as authoritative players in their industry, crucial for attracting funding and talent.
- Earned media through PR offers a level of credibility that owned content cannot match, helping startups build their reputation over time.
- Startups are realizing the importance of shaping their narrative early on, with PR playing a key role in getting noticed, remembered, and supported in a competitive market.
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ISN
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Surat-based B2B textile startup Fantail raises Rs 13.75 crore in a seed funding round
- Surat-based startup Fantail has secured Rs 13.75 crore in seed funding from Riverwalk Holdings, Incubate Fund Asia, and All In Capital.
- Founded in 2023 by Ramya Iyer, Fantail modernizes textile manufacturing through a B2B platform in the MMF segment.
- The funding will be utilized for machinery upgrades, operational enhancements, and SME partnerships in Surat.
- Fantail plans to expand talent acquisition and optimize processes to establish a globally recognized MMF brand.
- The startup caters to enterprise clients across different fabric categories by bridging traditional SMEs and organized retail.
- Fantail intends to develop software tools for operational efficiency and customer demand enhancement.
- Riverwalk Holdings sees Fantail as a potential brand for quality and design innovation in the textile industry.
- Incubate Fund Asia acknowledges Fantail as a digitizing force in the fragmented MMF supply chain, adding a reliability layer.
- All In Capital values Iyer's industry expertise, recognizing her vision to modernize Surat's textile landscape.
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Eu-Startups
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Build, scale, impact: Applications for the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator 2025 are now open! (Sponsored)
- Applications for the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator 2025 are now open for sustainable startups looking to maximize their impact.
- The program offers ambitious startups the opportunity to scale climate tech solutions, access expert support, and pilot innovative technologies with Amazon.
- Run in partnership with Founders Intelligence, the program is a four-week hybrid accelerator focusing on supporting early-stage companies developing sustainable solutions.
- The focus areas for 2025 include building efficiency, circular systems, and water positivity.
- Startups can apply under the Carbon / Batteries, Circular Economy / Waste Management, or Water Positive workstreams aligned with Amazon's EU Buildings strategy.
- Selected startups will have the opportunity to scope a pilot of their technology with Amazon, potential funding, cash grants, AWS credits, coaching, mentoring, and access to the Climate Pledge Fund.
- The program will run from September 8 to October 3, 2025, with key in-person sessions in London and online support.
- Eligible startups must be registered in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, have a scalable sustainability impact solution, and be beyond the prototype stage.
- Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis throughout June and July, with selected startups joining the program in September.
- The program is free to join, does not take equity, and certain types of firms are not eligible.
- Startups without a working prototype, consulting firms, marketing agencies, and project developers reselling third-party products are not eligible.
- To apply or learn more, visit the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator website.
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Insider
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Image Credit: Insider
Scale AI has a data security problem
- Scale AI, following a $14.3 billion investment, faces data security concerns.
- The company uses public Google Docs, potentially exposing confidential information.
- Sensitive details about contractors were found in publicly accessible documents.
- Scale AI stated that they are conducting a thorough investigation.
- Meta and other big tech clients like Google and xAI paused work with Scale.
- Confidential AI projects and training documents were accessible through public links.
- Scale left contractor information public, including personal details and performance ratings.
- Several contractors raised concerns about the company's data security practices.
- Experts warn that using public Google Docs can expose companies to cybersecurity risks.
- Maintaining security while ensuring operational efficiency remains a challenge for startups.
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Insider
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Check out the exclusive pitch deck defense tech startup Onebrief used to raise new cash at a $1.1 billion valuation
- Onebrief, a defense tech startup, raised $20 million in funding, pushing its valuation over $1 billion.
- The startup's AI platform aids military planners in building and coordinating complex operational plans efficiently.
- Onebrief has experienced significant growth, with roughly 19,600% annualized growth in operational usage.
- The company's software streamlines military planning tasks traditionally compiled in lengthy documents.
- The latest funding round was a $20 million Series C extension led by Battery Ventures.
- Onebrief's total funding now exceeds $120 million, with a valuation increase of over $400 million this year.
- The surge in venture investment in defense tech has propelled sectors like Onebrief.
- VC investments in defense-related companies grew 33% year-over-year, reaching $31 billion in 2024.
- Funding rounds in 2025's first quarter totaled $1.4 billion.
- Onebrief's CEO Grant Demaree, a West Point graduate, highlights the importance of swift military planning.
- Battery Ventures was drawn to Onebrief due to the platform's potential in future geopolitical conflicts.
- The ability to plan more effectively and quickly is seen as key to enhancing global security.
- The company's platform, powered by AI, plays a crucial role in military planning.
- Demaree's military experience influenced the development of Onebrief's planning solutions.
- To view the pitch deck used by Onebrief to secure funding, check out the original article on Business Insider.
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Startup Pedia
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“In the 90s, couples prayed for children but today, many plan not to have any:” Anupam Mittal shares Shaadi.com post
- Anupam Mittal shared a viral post by Shaadi.com on LinkedIn about the rise of the DINK lifestyle in India.
- The post states that in the 90s, couples prayed for children, but now many plan not to have any, embracing the Double Income, No Kids (DINK) lifestyle.
- The DINK lifestyle is gaining popularity in India, with a growth rate of over 30% annually as claimed by the post.
- 65% of newlywed Indians wish to delay or forgo having children, with rural India leading this trend.
- Reasons for choosing the DINK lifestyle include prioritizing financial independence, emotional readiness, personal growth, and freedom, as mentioned in the post.
- The shift towards the DINK lifestyle is seen as a conscious choice to focus on self, partnership, and purpose before parenthood.
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