Here’s a roundup of interesting startup links I came across today:
A Research Thinking Toolkit to Speed Up the Discovery Phase
UX research expert Jeanette Mellinger shares a toolkit for deeper discovery of your customers, your team and yourself.
Intel in early talks to add AMD as foundry customer | Semafor
Intel is in early-stage talks to add AMD as a customer at Intel’s factories, in what would be another vote of confidence in the struggling chipmaker, according to people familiar with the matter.
AI is not yet replacing workers in the US, researchers find | CNN Business
The study comes amid widespread concerns that the proliferation of generative artificial intelligence, the technology that underpins ChatGPT, could put many jobs at risk as US companies increasingly turn to AI to cut costs through greater automation.
Whizz co-founder says Trump’s Chicago crackdown is scaring delivery workers off the streets | TechCrunch
The footage was striking: A food delivery worker scrambles with his e-bike across a bridge in Chicago, chased by a cadre of armed, masked federal agents. “Get him!” one yells, before the worker ultimately slips away.
Portland Doesn’t Need or Want Federal Troops | TIME
We must recognize that the American consensus on Portland was purposefully broken, and it’s hurting our city. That perception was shattered by the 24-hour ecosystem of divisive clips, some new, most from a half decade ago, all intended to feed anger and division. This ugly ecosystem cannot build togetherness, and it cannot serve the shared interests of our nation; it can only hold us back.
Individuals matter
One of the most common mistakes I see people make when looking at data is incorrectly using an overly simplified model. A specific variant of this that has derailed the majority of work roadmaps I’ve looked at is treating people as interchangeable, as if it doesn’t matter who is doing what, as if individuals don’t matter.
YC, Take Two | Rafael Garcia
In the summer of 2012, I was a first-time founder in Y Combinator’s S12 batch working on Clever. I was a 24-year-old with a few years of work experience but no idea what I was doing. Thirteen years later, in 2025, I’m back in YC (S25) with a new startup, Kernel. I’m older, maybe wiser, and definitely noticing how much YC itself has changed.