Here’s a roundup of interesting startup links I came across today:
Tomasz Tunguz: Secondaries as the new IPO is no passing fad—it’s a VC evolution | Fortune
This evolution in the venture capital market parallels private equity’s history, and VC could benefit from taking a page out of PE’s book—or risk shrinking the asset class. Private equity was a cottage industry in the 1970s, during KKR’s initial leveraged buyout years. It remained so for about a decade until Michael Milken’s junk bond bonanza catapulted the market to considering even larger buyouts.
How AI is changing how new companies are financed – Fast Company
The startup playbook that built Uber, Airbnb, and DoorDash is becoming obsolete in real-time. As AI compresses jobs that once required hundreds of employees into algorithms, we’re witnessing the birth of a new company archetype—capital-efficient, immediately profitable, and surprisingly small. With a variety of software to use for all aspects of building a business—from Shopify for e-commerce to Stripe for payments—and low operating costs, innovation just keeps making everything that much more efficient.
Latest Round of Seismic Rehabilitation Grants Will Ensure More School and Emergency Buildings are Better Suited to Keep Oregonians Safe
In preparation for future earthquakes large and small, the state of Oregon has been funding seismic rehabilitation grants to reinforce community buildings. Business Oregon administers this program for the state and announced this week that the agency is awarding grants to address structural issues in 18 schools and 12 emergency services buildings throughout Oregon in the latest round of funding.
Hacker ‘NullBulge’ pleads guilty to stealing Disney’s Slack data
A California man who used the alias “NullBulge” has pleaded guilty to illegally accessing Disney’s internal Slack channels and stealing over 1.1 terabytes of internal company data.
Oregon lawmakers consider pay bump, new protections for rideshare drivers – OPB
Lawmakers are considering a proposal to improve the lot of drivers for so-called transportation network companies. Senate Bill 1166 would set minimum pay drivers must make, grant them paid time off, and require that ride hailing apps provide just cause when revoking a driver’s account.
Mayor Wilson to deliver State of the City address
Mayor Wilson will outline his priorities for the city, provide updates on the ongoing transition, and preview his proposed budget, set to be released on Monday, May 5.
An Oregon Senate Bill Would Make Tech Giants Share Their Wealth With the News Business
Proponents say the public depends on local reporters for basic information and accountability. They also say that Google and Facebook strip-mine content from news organizations and turn it into billions of dollars in advertising revenue without paying the organizations responsible for producing that content.
State to offer rebates on electric vehicle purchases again • Oregon Capital Chronicle
Officials at the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality announced Thursday they will reopen the Clean Vehicle Rebate Program on May 22. Oregonians, business owners, nonprofits and government can take advantage of the two rebates offered under the program.
What startups need to know about competition
In today’s global market, you should expect fast followers on your heels almost immediately after showing signs of success.
Patrick Collison: “Working with people you’re close to is underrated.”
“I think working with people you’re close to is underrated… For all of the ventures of any significance in my life, they’ve been with people that I’m very close to and who I had and would like to have an enduring relationship with. Sometimes one hears the advice that you shouldn’t work with friends or your partner, and all of these things are idiosyncratic and there are instances of every possible permutation, but for me it has been a really rewarding experience.”
More Portland startup news
