Sesame Summit 2026 – application open

Reading List for Entrepreneurs W47 – Selected

I like to call this post a look inside my brain, but it’s almost a week old already…

Apparently, I’m sharing around 5 articles per day with our team and more than 10 articles per day with myself. But I’m trying to recover from this knowledge addiction and turn collection into creation.

Do you do this as well? Saving articles for later reading? What’s your preferred tool? Pocket, Flipboard or Raindrop? I must confess I end up sending tons of articles to myself for later consumption

As is my obsession these days, I’ve come across a number of awesome community and newsletter related resources. And just to keep things a balanced; music, neuroscience, synthetic media, FinTech and event production.

Strategy

Jack Butcher, founder of  VisualizeValue walks out through his thoughts and process of finding people you can help, and building products that help them.

Ideas -> People -> Product.

Business

What does it mean to be a creator? How do you define it?

“As the world discovered that more American kids wanted to become YouTubers than astronauts and that Kylie Jenner became the world’s youngest billionaire, the term “creator” entered a pivotal moment.”

The Definition of a Creator
As “Creators” became the word to define a whole new generation of internet explorers, I asked myself what a creator really is. And I came up with a definition.
blank

Community

The National Geographic of the Digital Age

Now on their tenth year in existence, Atlas Obscura has become the National Geographic of the digital age. But how did they get there? Get Together has a look at the community surrounding the platform, and how it came to be.

“The National Geographic of the digital age”
A deep dive into the history of Atlas Obscura and the community fueling it.
blank

Lean Community Launch Framework

Community isn’t just another word for audience. It’s a special space you create for your most engaged members to gather and interact.

How to Launch an Online Community — Lean Community Launch Framework
This is your Community, Daily.
blank
  • Link: yenfm.substack.com/p/how-to-launch-an-online-community
  • Author: John Saddington
  • Source: Substack

Community is dead, long live community!

Community is a trend. Community is not a trend.
Community is about people and conversations
Community fatigue is a real thing
Subscriptions are great for the business
Communities subscriptions actually get complicated
Community is dead, long live community?

Community is dead, long live community!
Some current thoughts on the state of building communities and businesses
blank

Marketing

The SaaS SEO MBA

Ever wish you have a definitive list of all things SEO for SaaS? Well, now you do.

Notion – The all-in-one workspace for your notes, tasks, wikis, and databases.
A new tool that blends your everyday work apps into one. It’s the all-in-one workspace for you and your team
blank

Media

Samsung Next | The ethics and commercial potential of synthetic media

Samsung NEXT Ventures Europe’s Nick Nigam weighs in on the rapid growth of synthetic media.

“The number of people working to develop convincing fakes outnumbers those working to detect them by a factor of 100 to 1.” – Hany Fareed, computer science professor, University of California Berkeley School of Information

The ethics and commercial potential of synthetic media
Breadcrumbs list
  • Link: samsungnext.com/blog/the-ethics-of-synthetic-media
  • Author: Nick Nigam
  • Source: Samsung Next

FinTech

Educating Electeds – AVC

A strong example of what can happen when politics get in the way of progress. Particularly for those that elected officials are meant to be looking out for.

Educating Electeds

//><!–
/*! This file is auto-generated */
!function(d,l){"use strict";var e=!1,o=!1;if(l.querySelector)if(d.addEventListener)e=!0;if(d.wp=d.wp||{},!d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage)if(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if(t)if(t.secret||t.message||t.value)if(!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){var r,a,i,s,n,o=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]');for(r=0;r<c.length;r++)c[r].style.display="none";for(r=0;r<o.length;r++)if(a=o[r],e.source===a.contentWindow){if(a.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message){if(1e3<(i=parseInt(t.value,10)))i=1e3;else if(~~i<200)i=200;a.height=i}if("link"===t.message)if(s=l.createElement("a"),n=l.createElement("a"),s.href=a.getAttribute("src"),n.href=t.value,n.host===s.host)if(l.activeElement===a)d.top.location.href=t.value}}},e)d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",t,!1),d.addEventListener("load",t,!1);function t(){if(!o){o=!0;var e,t,r,a,i=-1!==navigator.appVersion.indexOf("MSIE 10"),s=!!navigator.userAgent.match(/Trident.*rv:11./),n=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content");for(t=0;t<!

Event Production

Lessons Learned From My First Experience of Pre-recorded Talk

Wahib Haq, EU Lead Partner Engineering at Huawei systematically breaks down his experience with his pre-recorded talk and provides practical examples of what to do and what not to do.

Important Lessons Learned From My First Experience of Pre-recorded Talk
Sharing learnings from my frist experience of Pre-recording multiple talks for Huawei’s largest conference “HDC.2020” and could be useful for developers, devrel folks or anyone who gets an opportunity.
blank

Music

Has your workflow changed in any way due to quarantine?

You’re not alone. Check out Channel Tres’ thoughts on taking your time, creating from a healthy place, the best kind of collaborations, and why sometimes the journey is more exciting than the goal itself.

On being yourself
Singer and producer Channel Tres on taking your time, creating from a healthy place, the best kind of collaborations, and why sometimes the journey is more exciting than the goal itself.
blank

Neuroscience

Altered states of consciousness: the elusiveness of the mind

“Maybe instead of considering a default state and a myriad of altered states, we need to contemplate the possibility that all these states of consciousness are all equally important modes of perception.”

Altered states of consciousness: the elusiveness of the mind

//><!–
/*! This file is auto-generated */
!function(d,l){"use strict";var e=!1,o=!1;if(l.querySelector)if(d.addEventListener)e=!0;if(d.wp=d.wp||{},!d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage)if(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if(t)if(t.secret||t.message||t.value)if(!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){var r,a,i,s,n,o=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]');for(r=0;r<c.length;r++)c[r].style.display="none";for(r=0;r<o.length;r++)if(a=o[r],e.source===a.contentWindow){if(a.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message){if(1e3<(i=parseInt(t.value,10)))i=1e3;else if(~~i<200)i=200;a.height=i}if("link"===t.message)if(s=l.createElement("a"),n=l.createElement("a"),s.href=a.getAttribute("src"),n.href=t.value,n.host===s.host)if(l.activeElement===a)d.top.location.href=t.value}}},e)d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",t,!1),d.addEventListener("load",t,!1);function t(){if(!o){o=!0;var e,t,r,a,i=-1!==navigator.appVersion.indexOf("MSIE 10"),s=!!navigator.userAgent.match(/Trident.*rv:11./),n=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content");for(t=0;t<!

Tools

The Hemingway App for SEO

With typewipe. your write relevant content that ranks with the power of A.I.

Think your SEO skills are good? Check them against typewipe before hitting publish.

Free SEO Writing Assistant – typewipe.
With typewipe. your write relevant content that ranks with the power of A.I.

Newsletter OS – Master the art of creating & running a newsletter

I’m always on the lookout for tools to help things grow bigger, faster, and stronger. This one looks quite promising.

Newsletter OS
Everything you need to curate, write and grow your newsletter in a Notion dashboard
blank

you might also like

blank
Events 16 hours ago

AI is reshaping how people discover information. Search traffic, once the lifeblood of websites, is plummeting as AI tools provide answers and context immediately, eliminating the need to browse to websites for answers at all.  Understandably, companies are responding by going down avenues they can control: newsletters, podcasts, memberships and events. This reality is true for startups as well. You simply can’t rely on Google traffic or algorithms to build trust anymore. You need direct channels, and there are few ways to build trust more powerful than  meeting people face-to-face. Welcome to the ‘post-click’ era Startups have long played by the ever-changing rules set by Google and social media platforms, which are more often than not prone to changing their algorithms and leaving everyone scrambling to adapt overnight.  AI is not only accelerating this instability, it’s almost making Google referral traffic obsolete. Companies need to adapt to this new reality with strategies that let them talk directly to their prospective customers. The media industry, one of the most vulnerable to the changes, is proving to be one of the quickest to adapt. Morning Brew, for example, blends its newsletters franchises with events. In a recent interview, Sam Jacobs, TIME’s editor-in-chief, highlighted how the company went from organizing two to three events per year, to holding the same number of events monthly. Even digital-first players are embracing events. Podcasts like Acquired and All-In now host live events to bring their listeners together. Finimize has built grassroots meetups around its newsletter. The new defense tech media title, Resilience Media, born on Substack, is planning events to connect experts in its niche. Alex Konrad’s new Upstarts ecosystem includes live interviews, an upcoming podcast and curated events. These aren’t just extensions of the content; they’re ways to nurture communities. Startups should copy this strategy. They must consider where their credibility and relationships will be built in this new landscape, especially as visibility is no longer about simply appearing on top of search results or burning money with ads; it’s about building lasting trust in the spaces that matter. Events are singularly effective at doing that. Lessons from after the pandemic If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that being present online is insufficient. Platforms like Hopin promised a future of global, scalable, online events. Even experiments in VR conferences were the subject of occasional hype.  All of that fell short, however. What founders, investors and marketers learned was simple: There is no substitute for shaking someone’s hand, catching their eye, and sharing time in the same space. When the pandemic ended, events came back with a bang. Companies large and small continue to invest in gatherings. Events still carry symbolic weight: just look at Apple’s meticulously choreographed product launches, or how scaleups like Helsing showcase new technologies.  For startups, events can also serve as tools for strengthening internal communications and bonds with their employees and their community. Here’s a great example: Italian travel scaleup WeRoad holds an annual, two-day global gathering of its travel coordinators and staff that strengthens culture and commitment in ways a Zoom call never could. Why startups need to show up Startups live and die on the strength of their relationships. Securing investors, signing first customers, and finding the right partners are all processes that depend completely on trust. These early relationships are crucial. In an AI-driven world where digital discovery is fragmented, saturated and noisy, events cut through the noise. They offer something AI and algorithms never will: human presence. Startups should think of events as essential investments in visibility and credibility. Whether it’s speaking on stage, hosting a breakfast or simply showing up to the right conference — being in the room matters. It’s OK to be selective. It’s OK to pass on events when priorities point elsewhere. And don’t take this to mean the digital realm and AI should be ignored. But in this era where we’re putting AI on a pedestal, founders should not underestimate the power of a physical meeting for establishing contact with investors, talent, or any other important stakeholder.

blank
New Materials 2 days ago

After a successful first edition, JEC Investor Day 2026 is now returning for its second year with expanded ambitions.

blank
Events 4 days ago

TechCrunch Disrupt? Overrated. Web Summit? A $4,700 mistake I’ll never make again. I’ve burned $18K learning which startup events actually matter for B2B SaaS founders trying to close deals—not just collect business cards. Here’s what nobody tells you: the biggest events aren’t where B2B deals happen. Why “Best Startup Event” Lists Are Useless for B2B Founders Every January, tech blogs publish the same recycled garbage: “50 Must-Attend Startup Events!” They rank by size and buzz. What they don’t rank by: where your buyers actually show up with budgets. I learned this after exhibiting at a 70,000-person mega-conference. Spent $4,700 on booth space, flights, and hotel. Had exactly zero conversations with our target market. The attendees? Mostly consumer startups and the press are looking for the next Uber. According to Cvent, 81% of trade show attendees have buying authority—but only at industry-specific events. Generic “startup” conferences are networking theater. If you’re serious about finding the right startup event strategy, you need to think differently. The 5 Best Startup Events Where I’ve Actually Closed B2B Deals SaaStr Annual – Where SaaS Deals Actually Happen 13,000 SaaS professionals in San Mateo every March. APIDays – The Technical Depth You Need If you’re building APIs, this is your room. 2,000-3,000 API architects who can actually read your docs. Paris is the flagship, but they run 10+ cities globally. What makes APIDays different: it’s deeply technical. No marketing fluff. €3,000 gets you in, and European buyers are way less saturated than US markets. Big Data & AI Paris – Enterprise Buyers With Actual Budgets 15,000 enterprise CTOs and data engineers. I closed two partnerships here worth €400K combined—with French banks and telecom companies that had active Q4 budgets. The French government subsidizes AI adoption, so budgets are real. But your networking tactics need to adapt. Less aggressive, more relationship-focused. €800 for a pass and 3,200€ to exhibit as a startup, totally worth it if you’re targeting European enterprises. Track it on Sesamers so you don’t miss early bird pricing. MicroConf – Where Bootstrapped Founders Share Real Numbers 200-300 attendees max. Everyone’s profitable or trying to be. Zero VC hypergrowth bullshit. I’ve learned more in hallway conversations here than at conferences 50x the size. The attendees are other founders who share actual numbers—not vanity metrics. Churn rates, CAC, payback periods. This is how you measure real ROI from events. Worth every cent if you’re bootstrapped. Industry-Specific Trade Shows – The Secret Weapon Here’s the move nobody talks about: skip tech conferences entirely. Go where your buyers congregate. Healthcare SaaS? Hit HIMSS. Fintech? Money20/20. HR tech? HR Tech Conference. I watched a founder close a $400K deal at a healthcare event while competitors were posting selfies at Web Summit. These cost $3,000 avg, but attendee quality is 100x better. According to Statista, B2B trade shows hit $15.78B in 2024. This strategy works because you’re fishing where the fish actually are. The 3-Filter System I Use to Pick Events Filter 1: Who’s actually attending? Can you name 20 people who match your ICP? If not, wrong event. Use Sesamers to check historical attendee data before buying tickets. Filter 2: What’s your actual goal? Raising money? Go to investor-heavy events. Closing customers? Industry trade shows. Different goals need different event selection criteria. Filter 3: What’s the all-in cost? Ticket + flights + hotel + meals. If it’s over $3K, you need $30K in pipeline to break even. Most events don’t hit that unless you’re strategic. Events I Skip (And Why You Should Too) Web Summit: 70,000 people is networking hell. Consumer-focused despite the B2B claims. Pass unless you need Series A+ PR. CES: Consumer electronics show. Your B2B SaaS buyers aren’t here. I see founders at CES every year wondering why they’re not closing deals. Now you know. TechCrunch Disrupt: Great for press and VCs. Terrible for enterprise buyers. Worth it for launch PR, not pipeline. How I Track Everything Without Losing My Mind I track every event in a spreadsheet: cost, conversations, pipeline generated, deals closed. After three years of data, the pattern is crystal clear. Niche beats broad. Quality beats quantity—industry-specific crushes general tech. The best startup events for B2B SaaS are never on TechCrunch’s homepage. For API companies: APIDays and API World are superior to generic conferences. For AI/ML: Big Data & AI Paris provides European enterprise access that’s nearly impossible to achieve otherwise. Geography matters—European buyers at European events are way less saturated than US markets. Stop Wasting Money on the Wrong Events You have limited time and budget. Most founders can hit 3-5 events per year max. Choose wrong and you’ve burned $15K and 15 days for zero ROI. Choose right and one event generates $500K+ in pipeline. Use Sesamers to find events filtered by your industry and target attendees. See which ones similar founders recommend. Track ROI data. Set reminders for early bird pricing. Never waste another $4K on an event where your buyers don’t show up. Because the smartest way to pick events is learning from founders who’ve already tested them—and can tell you which ones actually matter. Ready to find your next high-ROI event? Start tracking on Sesamers and build your calendar based on data, not FOMO.

Subscribe to
our Newsletter!

Stay at the forefront with our curated guide to the best upcoming Tech events.