Ben’s List 78

Entrepreneurship

Don’t Believe Your Own B.S.

“In a startup, despite how the media likes to hype the “lone founder” archetype, long-term success is really only driven by teams.”

blank

The Secret to an In Sync Startup? Ditch Your Meetings and Try an Asynchronous Culture

“In an autonomous workplace, employees are trusted to find solutions to the problems you hired them to solve.”

blank
Sidharth Kakkar

review.firstround.com :: Unknown


Events

The young creators of a ‘TED meets Burning Man’ conference bought a $40-million mountain in Utah to build a Davos for hipsters. What could go wrong?

“The Summit Series conferences are wildly popular extravaganzas. But building an eco-friendly ski resort for the rich and famous is quite a different undertaking.”

blank

fortune.com :: Lila Maclellan

The “world’s biggest startup funding festival” that never was.

“This is not the first time social media influencers and content creators in India have been accused of irresponsible promotions. Several have been called out in connection with cryptocurrency-related advertising, online games, and even the financial markets.”

blank

qz.com :: Mimansa Verma


Social

Meta is building a decentralized, text-based social network

“Building a decentralized network could also give Meta the opportunity for its new app to interoperate with other social products — a previously unheard-of gesture from a company known for building some of the most lucrative walled gardens in the industry’s history.”

Meta app icon in 3D (Dark theme). More 3D app icons like these are coming soon. You can find my 3D work in the collection called "3D Design".
Photo by Dima Solomin / Unsplash

The Metaverse Is Quickly Turning Into the Meh-taverse

“Disney and Microsoft both closed projects tied to the digital realm this month”

This was made before Zuckerberg announced Meta and its logo - honest! ;)
Photo by Steve Johnson / Unsplash

wsj.com :: Meghan Bobrowsky


Finance

Kaiseki

blank

“Things are going well for the small banks. Their NIM is increasing because they are paying 0% interest on their customers’ deposits while lending those deposits out to the USG in SIZE at 1% to 2% (UST), and to American home buyers at 3% to 4% (MBS). It may not seem like much, but on hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of loans, that is meaningful income. And because of these “great” earnings, bank stocks are soaring.”

medium.com :: Arthur Hayes


Religion

Finding Wholes in the Metaverse: Posthuman Mystics as Agents of Evolutionary Contextualization

“Augmented reality is that aspect of the Metaverse that gives new eyes to see the material world in an entirely different way. It is similar to lifelogging in that it seeks to add an additional layer of perception to the current experience of reality, and it is similar to mirror worlds in that it continually communicates with sensors in the environment and faces outward to an external world.”

Statue from Met Gala
Photo by marianela / Unsplash

mdpi.com :: Dr. Ryan Bolger

you might also like

Blog
blank

In April 2024, Voyage Foods, a Foodtech startup founded in 2021, partnered with Cargill, a global leader in food ingredients. This collaboration focuses on scaling innovative alternatives to cocoa-based chocolate and nut spreads. It addresses the growing demand for sustainable, allergen-free, and plant-based foods. The partnership shows how startups can work with established corporations to expand their reach and impact in the market. What is Voyage Foods? Reimagining traditional ingredients Founded in 2021, Voyage Foods develops alternatives to traditional food products using cutting-edge technology. Their innovations replicate the flavors and textures of familiar foods while addressing critical challenges such as sustainability and allergen concerns. Key products include: These products are free from the top nine allergens, vegan, and significantly more sustainable. For example, their cocoa-free chocolate reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 84% and uses 99% less water compared to conventional chocolate. Who is Cargill? Leveraging global expertise in food ingredients Cargill, with over a century of experience, is a global leader in food ingredients, supplying chocolate, coatings, starches, sweeteners, and oils to manufacturers worldwide. The company specializes in helping manufacturers bring high-quality products to market by offering a robust distribution network and industry expertise. By partnering with Voyage Foods, Cargill has expanded its portfolio to include cocoa-free chocolate and nut-free spreads. This addition helps manufacturers meet consumer demand for allergen-friendly and sustainable options. With its ability to connect startups like Voyage Foods to a global audience, Cargill plays a critical role in enabling innovation to scale. How the partnership works The collaboration allows Voyage Foods to focus on product development while benefiting from Cargill’s resources and infrastructure. Through this partnership: This partnership has also strengthened investor confidence in Voyage Foods, as seen in the $52 million Series A+ funding the startup raised shortly after the deal was announced. Showcase at Food Ingredients 2024 At Food Ingredients Europe 2024, Cargill showcased their new product line in collaboration with Voyage Foods “Cargill Indulgence Redefined™”. They won the Future Foodtech Innovation Award. The product line included indulgent chocolate-free confections filled with hazelnut and peanut flavors that we were able to taste. Additionally, cookies made with Voyage Foods’ cocoa-free chocolate chips were featured : Conclusion: A practical model for startup-corporate partnerships The partnership between Voyage Foods and Cargill is an example of how startups can collaborate with larger companies to achieve rapid growth. By combining innovation with the resources and scale of an established player, Voyage Foods has been able to bring its allergen-free and sustainable products to a global audience. For startups and founders in other industries, this case demonstrates that strategic partnerships can be a powerful way to solve challenges, expand markets, and drive long-term success.

Blog
AI Entrepreneurship Events Finland
Taito.ai Kristo Ovaska interviewed on the Builder Stage at Slush 2024 on his first 365 days as a founder

“Taito.ai’s whose name translates to “skill” in Finnish, positions itself as a scalable, AI-powered solution that enables continuous feedback and coaching on employee performance.

AI + 3
Podcast
blank

In this episode, Sirli Rosenvald shares her insights into the evolving field of alternative proteins, highlighting innovations in mycoproteins, challenges in scaling production, and the role of global markets in shaping FoodTech.

Podcast

Subscribe to
our Newsletter!

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