Here’s a roundup of interesting startup links I came across today:
I believe it’s critical for a CEO to be an effective communicator. They must convey their vision and strategies externally to customers, influencers, and investors, as well as internally to their teams. One of the most impactful ways to do this is through written communication, such as monthly investor updates, internal goals, project updates, or annual shareholder letters. This becomes especially vital during times of change when alignment and motivation are paramount.
We hit an incredible milestone at Graze this week. We’ve now delivered feeds to 5 million readers on Bluesky! We’re thrilled to support our brilliant feed operators creating amazing experiences for their communities, and humbled to be able to help create the future of social with you all. Let’s keep growing!
Which brings up the question du jour: what does the innovator’s dilemma look like when everyone – both incumbents and upstarts – is innovating on a level playing field with the same tools? Here is our take on where founders should be focusing to build durable companies at a time when the tech advantage is thin and fleeting
Nonprofit Creative Commons, which spearheaded the licensing movement that allows creators to share their works while retaining copyright, is now preparing for the AI era. On Wednesday, the organization announced the launch of a new project, CC signals, which will allow dataset holders to detail how their content can or cannot be reused by machines, as in the case of training AI models.
Astral Wellness, a new beverage brand focused on providing calm energy and mental clarity without caffeine or alcohol, partnered with Instrument to develop its brand identity and packaging.
Kinco, an industrial glove maker from Milwaukie, was acquired by California’s Mechanix Wear, expanding its product range and market reach.
The entrepreneur and VC, who began angel investing in the 1990s, rose to prominence through his candid blog “Feld Thoughts,” which pulled back the curtain on the then-secretive venture industry and sparked countless discussions across Silicon Valley. After decades as an investor and co-founding both Techstars and the venture firm Foundry Group — which backed hundreds of companies over 18 years before deciding to stop raising new funds in early 2024 — Feld has distilled his approach to business and life into his latest book, “Give First.”
Our very last lowkey networking event for the Portland startup community in 2025. But this time, it’s a cookout.
The longest-running weekly showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show in the world still happens every Saturday night at Clinton Street Theater. 50 years after the campy horror musical’s release—and 47 years after the theater began showing it—Rocky Horror remains more than just a cult classic. It’s a rite of passage, a sanctuary, and a raucous communal release.
Any local journalist who writes about urban development has likely felt the sting—when urbanist in-the-know Iain Mackenzie casually tweets out a scoop you were working on, and the internet (at least Portland’s little corner of it) goes bozangas.
To leverage the full potential of computational power plus personalized learning, one needs to be able to understand the technology underpinning AI, including its strengths and limitations. As is the case with all technology, it’s also vital to understand the context within which AI might be utilized. This requires “human skills” such as communication, the ability to work as a team and demonstrate empathy, problem solving, the ability to synthesize multiple disciplines, etc. Institutions of higher education provide an ideal environment for this convergence to happen. No set of institutions can bring together research, commercialization, education and workforce development opportunities to meet the challenges and opportunities presented by transformative technologies like higher ed can.
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