Social•Jan 17, 2026
Hidden Stripe Fees Lurk Beyond Dashboards
I wonder how much of Stripe’s margin comes from junk fees that aren’t on any of the pretty dashboards, only the CSV that takes 24 hours to generate.
By Benedict Evans
Social•Jan 16, 2026
2026 Vertical SaaS Outlook: Buyers Return, AI Valuation Shifts
How do we see vertical Software M&A and fund raising shaping up for 2026? A lot of founders we speak with are trying to figure out what 2026 might actually look like if they're thinking about raising capital or selling....
By Michael Lyon
Social•Jan 16, 2026
Leadership Excellence Cuts Through Market Idea Overload
Today, if there’s a good idea, prepare to see 100s of it. There’s a lot of sameness. In this market, leadership excellence wins. @marissamayer's experience is a major edge, but so is her ability to know how to put it...
By Kirsten Green
Social•Jan 16, 2026
Push Through Early Burnout to Reach Product-Market Fit
The first 3 years of starting a company really wears you down. Finding product-market fit is hard. But once you get some success and push through that wall, that’s when it gets good. Unfortunately, too many people run out of...
By Elizabeth Yin
Social•Jan 16, 2026
Sign up for the VC AI Show & Tell
I got so much positive response to my previous post about hosting a VC AI tool show and tell that I created a form to capture interest - if you'd like to stay in the loop please fill this out...
By Charles Hudson
Social•Jan 16, 2026
Tech‑Savvy Finance Fuels Growth and Flexibility
Postscript 's Chris Brubaker is not afraid to color outside the lines of finance. In fact, it may be his superpower. As a master at partnering with sales and an advocate for finance leaders to have tech skills past the...
By CJ Gustafson
Social•Jan 16, 2026
YC Mentors Founders for a Decade, Not Just Launch
One of the things that surprised me about YC is how long we continue to advise founders. We thought we'd just help them get started and then hand them over to later stage investors, but in fact we're still talking...
By Paul Graham
Social•Jan 16, 2026
Skip “Strategist” Hires Until You Hit $20M ARR
Before $20,000,000 in ARR Maybe even before $50,000,000 in ARR Do not hire anyone with "strategist" in the first few lines of their LinkedIn bio
By Jason Lemkin
Social•Jan 16, 2026
Align Finance and Operations for Clear Growth
If you had to arrange one marriage in your business, it should be between your finances and your operations. Most businesses don’t struggle because they lack effort. They struggle because finance and operations are not aligned. Finance shows the what. Operations show the how. If your...
By Efi Philippou
Social•Jan 16, 2026
Solve Real Problem First, Then Exit Becomes Simple
I see this pattern over and over in great exits. Founders don’t start by trying to sell. They start by solving a real problem well. Arman Iranpour (@ArmanIranpour) and Matt Aleali (@aleali_mahdi) were real estate investors frustrated by how slow and...
By Andrew Gazdecki
Social•Jan 16, 2026
OpenAI's Dilemma: No Core Product, Competing Everywhere
The strategic problem for openAI is that if the input box isn’t the product, then either the product is dozens of new apps or dozens of features in existing apps, and that means they’re competing with every startup on earth...
By Benedict Evans
Social•Jan 16, 2026
Mega‑Fund Returns Require Unrealistic Share of Biotech Exit Pie
The Mega-Fund Math vs Reality Below is a simple case study on fund math. People are asking if a16z can really do a 3-5x on a $15B fund. To 3x net on $15B, you need ~$45B back. Assume ~5% ownership at exit. 👉 That...
By BowTiedBiotech
Social•Jan 16, 2026
2026: Free Yourself, Scale Without Being the Bottleneck
I caught up with a portfolio founder who is doing super well. Profitable. Throwing off $1m+ in annual cash. Growing quickly. Doesn’t need to raise. But he didn’t take a holiday break - because he’s the bottleneck. If your company...
By Elizabeth Yin
Social•Jan 16, 2026
Acute Infections May Reopen Investment Door for Anti‑Infectives
1/ The Back Door Is Open How Acute Infection Could Make Anti-Infectives Investable Again Anti-infectives never died. The business model did. Low prices. Short courses. High resistance risk. Pharma walked. Now look at Alfasigma stepping into HSV encephalitis. Small deal. Narrow indication. Big implication....
By BowTiedBiotech
Social•Jan 15, 2026
How I Misread Airbnb’s Potential in 2008
I passed on Airbnb in 2008. My note to the founders said I had "concerns about travel-oriented startups." A masterpiece of missing the point. Here's what I got wrong: https://t.co/syj5L8gRxz
By Mike Maples Jr.
Social•Jan 15, 2026
Great Companies Thrive without Investor Money or Advice
I think the truth that few investors like to swallow is that the best companies really never needed them. Either for their money or their advice and connections. Those companies would’ve been great anyway.
By Elizabeth Yin
Social•Jan 15, 2026
Retell AI: Top Investment Now Hiring Product Manager
Retell AI is one of the strongest companies we've invested in -- they've got an incredible team and product, and outlandish growth. They're hiring their first product manager if you or anyone you know might be interested: https://lnkd.in/gvRtGBXw
By Jack Altman
Social•Jan 15, 2026
VC Breakfast Traditions Fade in the AI Era
Back in the day, folks talked about Sand Hill VCs going to Bucks and doing deals over breakfast But the hipper VCs were in Palo Alto. And they did breakfast at Il Fornaio Another one that couldn’t make it in...
By Jason Lemkin
Social•Jan 15, 2026
Celebrating TigerEye Team’s New Chapter with Lennar
Congrats to Tracy Young Ralph Gootee and the TigerEye Team. So proud to work with this team all these years and can't wait to see what they do as a part of Lennar.
By Garry Tan
Social•Jan 15, 2026
Fundraising and Running a Startup Demand Full-Time Focus
As a founder, I found that one of the hardest things about fundraising is managing the fundraise and the business at the same time. Both are full time jobs. And doing both haphazardly is the worst of all worlds.
By Elizabeth Yin
Social•Jan 15, 2026
Thread AI Secures Series A to Power Enterprise AI
New Job 2026, part X No, not for me, *for you*! Thread AI is based out of NYC and has built the platform the help companies and public sector actually use AI. Two amazing founders - Mayada Gonimah and Angela...
By Hunter Walk
Social•Jan 15, 2026
Higgsfield AI Doubles Revenue in Two Months
🚨 Lean AI Leaderboard Update A new speed record was just set. Higgsfield AI went from $100M → $200M run-rate in 2 months. Let that sink in. Here’s what makes this unprecedented 👇 • $200M run-rate in < 9 months...
By Henry Shi
Social•Jan 15, 2026
Maintain Multiple Buyers to Preserve Deal Leverage
Most founders don’t realize how exposed they are until they’re already in a deal. One buyer, one offer, one path forward. At that point you’re not negotiating, you’re just trying to get to the finish line without losing it. The buyer feels...
By Andrew Gazdecki
Social•Jan 15, 2026
VC‑Only AI Hackathon in SF: Share, Build, Connect
I've had a lot of fun sharing AI-powered tools I've built to help us run Precursor, and I have learned a lot from folks like Sarah Smith and Chang Xu based on what they are doing. I am thinking of...
By Charles Hudson
Social•Jan 15, 2026
Learn Timeless Startup Tactics From Pre‑VC Business History
If you’re struggling to raise, I think it’s sometimes helpful to ask yourself how someone would’ve built this business when the venture capital industry didn’t exist. Some of the techniques founders used back then were GOAT. Reading business / startup...
By Elizabeth Yin
Social•Jan 14, 2026
Lean Startup Eliminates Early Mistakes in Product Building
The first startup ideas tried to build were awful. We built too much. We built without close rapport with customers and built the wrong things. This was pre Lean Startup. Fast forward. Now that everyone knows about the Lean Startup...
By Elizabeth Yin
Social•Jan 14, 2026
Fundraising Standards Shift: $100k Now Considered Failure
In 2008 / 2009, when founders said they couldn’t raise money, they meant they literally couldn’t raise anything. Now when people say they can’t raise money, they mean they can’t raise more than like $100k.
By Elizabeth Yin
Social•Jan 14, 2026
Choose Unconflicted Banks that Prioritize Founder Interests
What does it mean to be a founder-focused investment bank? Founder-focused means that a bank is fully unconflicted and focused on the interests of founders. In other words, the bank doesn't accept revenue from anyone that could be a buyer...
By Michael Lyon
Social•Jan 14, 2026
Dilution Can Propel You to Trillion‑dollar Valuation
Sometimes, it takes a little dilution to reach Trillionaire status Where will you land? Try https://t.co/NlPWFTrkQ8 https://t.co/kU3hxso4IY
By Jason Lemkin
Social•Jan 14, 2026
Performance Beats Hype; Deliver to Stand Out in VC
Much has been said about the challenge of standing out in VC, amid a growing pool of competing capital. Nothing works better than actually doing the work, delivering, performing. Thank you @dunn for your trust ⭐️
By Kirsten Green
Social•Jan 14, 2026
Stop Overusing ‘Pivot’: Distinguish Real Evidence‑Driven Shifts
Startup people reach for the word “pivot” when they want a decision to sound intentional. I’ve seen teams use it for everything from a careful course correction to quietly walking away from a plan that stopped holding up. Same word....
By Hiten Shah
Social•Jan 14, 2026
Launch Now, Iterate Later: Perfection Isn’t Required
Stop waiting for your startup’s product to be perfect because it never will be and that's okay so launch, get feedback, improve.
By Andrew Gazdecki
Social•Jan 14, 2026
Serial Founder Leverages Domain Expertise with Tero
Today, Ben Johnson announced his new company, Tero ( https://www.usetero.com/ ), and I’m thrilled that we at NextView Ventures are joining him on this journey. Read why we invested below 👇 There’s something uniquely powerful about a second-time founder setting...
By David Beisel
Social•Jan 14, 2026
Relentless Problem‑Solving Trumps Mere Founder‑Problem Fit
The best founders are relentless problem solvers. They have founder-problem fit; but more importantly, they have an innate desire to just keep solving whatever the next problem is. Founder-problem fit matters. But relentless problem-solving wins.
By Sequoia Capital
Social•Jan 14, 2026
Founder’s $370B Net Worth, Only $19M Liquid
Typical equity rich, cash poor founder on https://t.co/E5wtQ9xial $370B net worth, but only $19M liquid https://t.co/oF2st2owCX
By Jason Lemkin
Social•Jan 13, 2026
ElevenLabs Poised to Outvalue Twilio by 2026
ElevenLabs will probably be worth more than Twilio by mid-2026 Really seems like a missed opportunity there
By Jason Lemkin
Social•Jan 13, 2026
Trustful, Long‑Known Co‑Founders Thrive Without Family Ties
There are a lot of types of co-founder relationships that can work. But the ones I’ve seen w/ the highest success rate are when the co-founders have immense trust from having known each other for a long time AND are...
By Elizabeth Yin
Social•Jan 13, 2026
Soft‑skill Platforms Can Generate Six‑figure Profits
People underestimate how profitable “soft skills” businesses can be. Live on @acquiredotcom: A 15-year social skills training platform built on live, coach-led practice. > $561K TTM revenue > $275K TTM profit > 4,400 active members Full listing: https://t.co/woKnEzxZXN https://t.co/Ejax6k1Lqx
By Andrew Gazdecki
Social•Jan 13, 2026
VCs Inflate Valuations to Secure Next Fund
So at the end of the year I wrote an investment down to $0, my biggest write-off so far. $4m to $0. But my co-investor? He marked up his investment. From about $15m to $30m. How is this possible?...
By Jason Lemkin
Social•Jan 13, 2026
Build Your Audience Before Building the Product
If I were starting a product-company today, I would first start by building an audience that’s relevant to said product before even thinking about the product. Way easier to build and sell if you have close rapport with future potential...
By Elizabeth Yin
Social•Jan 13, 2026
Testing Daily Signals to Boost Operator Decision Speed
For 11 years, I’ve sent a weekly newsletter. Five hundred seventy-two issues built around links people consistently tell me they actually read. That cadence works. I’m keeping it. But frequency isn’t the same thing as usefulness. A lot of operator...
By Hiten Shah
Social•Jan 13, 2026
CEOs in Fintech, SaaS Thrive via Thought Leadership
People often think social posting is most beneficial for consumer products, but being a thought leader as the CEO of a fintech, developer, or SaaS company also pays off big time.
By Elizabeth Yin
Social•Jan 13, 2026
Founder Friends Seoul: Eric Bahn & Ethan Cho Live Jan 20
There are 7 days until Founder Friends Seoul. @ericbahn will be chatting with Ethan Cho and you know is gonna be a great chat when two super unhinged, honest, and hilarious humans hang. If you're in Seoul and free Jan 20, save...
By Elizabeth Yin
Social•Jan 13, 2026
Most B2B AI Features Fail; Winners Do Differently
Hot take: 90% of "AI features" shipping in B2B right now are terrible. The companies winning are doing something completely different. Come to SaaStr AI 2026 May 12-14 and learn what actually works from founders with the receipts. https://t.co/Ff7DKVt1H2
By Jason Lemkin
Social•Jan 12, 2026
Six Key Steps to Close an M&A Deal
What are the basic milestones of a process (M&A or capital raise)? 1. Pre-marketing Complete the marketing materials (information packet and buyer list) and get your house in order. 2. Marketing Reach out to buyers, execute NDAs, and share marketing...
By Michael Lyon
Social•Jan 12, 2026
Two Must‑Attend Events for Founders and Investors
Two upcoming events worth checking out for anyone building or investing: 🤝🇰🇷 Founder Friends Seoul - January 20, 2026 A space to connect and learn from each other. No pitches, no pressure. ⛺️ Camp Hustle 2026 - May 11-13, 2026 An oasis...
By Elizabeth Yin
Social•Jan 12, 2026
VC Success: Prioritize Founder Agency Over Rigid Rules
Rules are the enemy of great returns -- but this is a very good heuristic for VC 👇 1⃣Founders with high agency 2⃣Encyclopedic about their industry 3⃣Who can materialize labor, capital & customers 4⃣Have "Count of Monte Cristo" motivation. Great pod by my...
By Angela Strange
Social•Jan 12, 2026
Founders’ Retention Payments Can Outshine VC Liquidation Preferences
Yes, VCs often have a “liquidation preference” But there is also a “founder preference”. It’s called retention payments, which can often be eight figures on top of any return from common. And are often structured in a way to...
By Jason Lemkin
Social•Jan 12, 2026
Untapped Domain Knowledge Fuels Niche Decentralized Entrepreneurship
" Everyone has domain knowledge in their head that is not monetized yet." @amasad of @Replit on the explosion of niche, decentralized entrepreneurs: https://t.co/Fd5FhtZSOG
By Reid Hoffman
Social•Jan 12, 2026
AI Accelerates Competition: Stay Ahead or Become Irrelevant
Old rules: Around Year 5, the Competition Catches You in Whatever Made You Special Around Year 10, you have an Existential Threat. The tech world has changed so much, what you started with is sort of irrelevant. Today, with AI, often happens...
By Jason Lemkin