Sesame Summit 2026 – application open

Ben’s List about VC and Big Tech – Selected

I love investors and investors love me – I believe. But if you spend time on VC Twitter, it’s hard to avoid some well deserved criticism. This week, I’m sharing a bunch of articles that question the morals of venture capitalists. We’re also looking into how VCs raise funds with LPs.

As usual, I’m also sharing some articles about Big Tech and how to keep it under public scrutiny.

The case of Timnit Gebru, ethics researcher at Google, is appalling.

At the same time, DeepMind (part of the Google empire) is unveiling a breakthrough in protein modeling that will impact the lives of millions.

Don’t worry, we also provide your weekly dose of business insights in community building, newsletter, podcast and marketing.

blank

Book

Future Of Text 2020

A single sentence on a piece of paper does not hold the same power as a single sentence in a tweet and the ease of publishing vastly overpowers what was possible to print and read on paper.

Digital text holds real, untapped potential because of its inherent interactivity and we have a choice: We can learn to control the vast sea of digital text–or be controlled by it.

Venture Capital

Some of our readers complain about VC bashing. Guess what, we know who’s behind @VCbrags!

blog post
I’m writing this article to discuss some of the issues surrounding this account. I’m going to try to keep it as brief and to the point as possible. As I’ve mentioned in my original tweet, if you want…
blank
  • Link: vcbrags.medium.com/blog-post-ba33bd710d96
  • Author: VCs Congratulating Themselves

How Venture Capitalists Are Deforming Capitalism

Even the worst-run startup can beat competitors if investors prop it up. The venture capital firm Benchmark helped enable WeWork to make one wild mistake after another—hoping that its gamble would pay off before disaster struck.

How Venture Capitalists Are Deforming Capitalism
Even the worst-run startup can beat competitors if investors prop it up. The V.C. firm Benchmark helped enable WeWork to make one wild mistake after another—hoping that its gamble would pay off before disaster struck, Charles Duhigg writes.
blank

The VC “Strips off” – Silicon Roundabout Ventures VC Fund Deck Reviewed Live by Draper Esprit LP

blank

Alternative Assets

Window shopping for expired Domain Names

Want to Build a Side Business? Just Buy a Great Domain Name

Window shopping for expired Domain Names

//><!–
/*! 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<!

Politics

Democratic Source Code for a New U.S.-EU Tech Alliance

I found this one particularly relevant to our Selected Salon with Dr. Jen Schradie.

Democratic Source Code for a New U.S.-EU Tech Alliance
The incoming Biden administration should seek to build a U.S.-EU alliance that will hardwire democratic governance into everything digital.
blank

We read the paper that forced Timnit Gebru out of Google. Here’s what it says

The company’s star ethics researcher highlighted the risks of large language models, which are key to Google’s business.

We read the paper that forced Timnit Gebru out of Google. Here’s what it says
The company’s star ethics researcher highlighted the risks of large language models, which are key to Google’s business.
blank

Marketing

Social media predictions for 2021

  • There will be more censorship (ie: Twitter) and less censorship (ie: Parler)
  • Community and commerce will converge
  • The rise of implicit social networking
  • There will be two breakout audio social networks
  • Paying for social will become the norm
  • We will see one breakout crypto community
  • There will be 1-2 new novel ways of hanging out virtually
  • TLDR; social is becoming “stretchy”

Social media predictions for 2021
Social apps are changing rapidly. Really rapidly. Here are a few of my predictions as to how social apps will continue to evolve in 2021. There will be more censorship (ie: Twitter) and less censorship (ie: Parler) Parler is like Twitter but with zero censorship. It’s the Mecca for the deplatformed,…
blank

The Online Community Engagement Ladder

The community engagement ladder is a framework that acknowledges that members interact with your community in different ways, and creates opportunities for them to interact, regardless of how engaged they’re able to be at any given time.

The Online Community Engagement Ladder
Creating engagement opportunities for every community member For communities that are just getting started, building a base of engaged members is a primary focus. As a community builder, you’ll figure out what engagement tactics are most effective with your community through trial and error. And, yo…
blank

Strategy

The Unusual Signs of a Billion Dollar Company, with Elad Gil

blank

Newsletter

Peak Newsletter? That Was 80 Years Ago

Radical poets like Allen Ginsburg used mimeographs to sell chapbooks, while genre aficionados relied on them to print science-fiction fanzines. Mimeographs also fueled the growth of marginalized communities: Some of the earliest gay publications, like the 1950s lesbian newsletter The Ladder, ran on the machine.

Peak Newsletter? That Was 80 Years Ago
In the 1940s, journalists fled traditional news outlets to write directly for subscribers. What happened next may be a warning.
blank

Science

Contemplating the End of Physics

One could argue, the seeds that led to these discoveries were all planted in the good old days. Black holes and gravitational waves are direct consequences of the equations Albert Einstein discovered in 1915. Maybe physics has run out of original ideas?

Contemplating the End of Physics
Has physics reached the limits of what we can discover — or are the possibilities only just beginning?
blank

DeepMind’s AI makes gigantic leap in solving protein structures

“This is a big deal,” says John Moult, a computational biologist at the University of Maryland in College Park, who co-founded CASP in 1994 to improve computational methods for accurately predicting protein structures. “In some sense the problem is solved.”

‘It will change everything’: DeepMind’s AI makes gigantic leap in solving protein structures
Google’s deep-learning program for determining the 3D shapes of proteins stands to transform biology, say scientists.
blank

Podcast

Meet the young podcast generation

“Our ultimate goal is to make sure everyone feels like they’re a part of a worldwide community and gets an opportunity to share their stories first-hand.” – Ekram Esmael

WADUP

//><!–
!function(a,b){"use strict";function c(){if(!e){e=!0;var a,c,d,f,g=-1!==navigator.appVersion.indexOf("MSIE 10"),h=!!navigator.userAgent.match(/Trident.*rv:11./),i=b.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content");for(c=0;c<i.length;c++){if(d=i[c],!d.getAttribute("data-secret"))f=Math.random().toString(36).substr(2,10),d.src+="#?secret="+f,d.setAttribute("data-secret",f);if(g||h)a=d.cloneNode(!0),a.removeAttribute("security"),d.parentNode.replaceChild(a,d)}}}var d=!1,e=!1;if(b.querySelector)if(a.addEventListener)d=!0;if(a.wp=a.wp||{},!a.wp.receiveEmbedMessage)if(a.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(c){var d=c.data;if(d)if(d.secret||d.message||d.value)if(!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(d.secret)){var e,f,g,h,i,j=b.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+d.secret+'"]'),k=b.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+d.secret+'"]');for(e=0;e<k.length;e++)k[e].style.display="none";for(e=0;e1e3)g=1e3;else if(~~g<!

Seasonal

8 Hours of 4K footage and ASMR audio of a cozy fireplace

Because when you can’t have an actual fireplace, this is the next best thing.

you might also like

blank
Events 5 days 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 6 days ago

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

blank
Events 1 week 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.