Here’s a roundup of interesting startup links I came across today:
The Surprising Benefits of Giving Up
Ditching or adjusting goals in the face of adversity might often be the best thing for us—but we don’t all approach these challenges in the same way
My six stages of learning to be a socially normal person
Looking back, it’s clear to me now that my increase in social skill wasn’t linear, like building a little more strength with every trip to the gym. Instead, I had six different paradigms of connection — six entirely different ideas of how to approach people — that I moved through on the way to my current method.
Agent Labs: Welcome to GPT Wrapper Summer – by swyx (Shawn)
How great Agent Engineering and Research are combining in a new playbook for building high growth AI startups that doesn’t involve training a SOTA LLM.
Jeff Bezos Creates A.I. Start-Up Where He Will Be Co-Chief Executive – The New York Times
Called Project Prometheus, the company is focusing on artificial intelligence for the engineering and manufacturing of computers, automobiles and spacecraft.
Los Alamos National Laboratory and Valar Atomics Announce Project NOVA Criticality Milestone in Nevada | Valar Atomics
“This milestone underscores collaborative efforts propelling nuclear innovation responsibly,” said Dr Rian Bahran, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Reactors. “Confirming core physics at zero power with oversight enables Valar’s path to elevated operations, leveraging all DOE capabilities to aid the Reactor Pilot Program’s target of criticality by July 4th and accelerating the AI race via advanced energy generation solutions.”
How Your Brain Creates ‘Aha’ Moments and Why They Stick | Quanta Magazine
An abrupt cognitive shift in how the mind understands information is known as a representational change. Although researchers have inferred sudden shifts in understanding from the behavior of subjects, they have not pinned down how the brain supports representational change.
Our Investment in OpenHands: Building the OS for Agentic Software Development
At Madrona, we believe that software development is fundamentally changing, with the impeding evolution into full blown automation and agentic capabilities. This will transform productivity well beyond what we have seen so far, and we are only in the early innings of this wave.
This Seattle startup is rethinking spreadsheets for CPG brands — and giving away its product for free – GeekWire
A new Seattle-based startup called Peasy has raised a $2 million pre-seed round to challenge the status quo for independent consumer-goods brands — and it’s doing it by giving software away for free.
Requests for Startups Fall 2025 | Y Combinator
The last few years were about proving what AI can do. Now, it’s about building with it. We’ve put together a new list of startup ideas we’re especially excited about— ideas that treat AI not as a feature, but as a foundation. They reflect where we think some of the biggest opportunities are right now.
Pitch Polish Bootcamp & Competition – Home
In collaboration with TiE Oregon, the Pitch Polish Bootcamp Competition concludes a four-day intensive hosted by the OSU Advantage Accelerator at Oregon State University. Designed as both a training ground and a gateway, this bootcamp helps startups refine their path to investment readiness and establishes the foundation for ongoing connections with the TiE Oregon Angels who are experienced investors committed to mentoring entrepreneurs and driving Oregon’s innovation economy forward.
Oregon Launches AI Accelerator
Bringing together 20 emerging AI startups for a three-month hybrid program, the initiative offers mentorship, validation support, and access to Oregon’s thriving innovation ecosystem—without requiring equity—culminating in a chance to win up to $50,000 in equity-free grants.
What’s in a Name? A Lot, Actually. Here’s How to Pick the Right One For Your Company
A playbook for picking a name that actually fits your company (and all the logistics that come with naming you may not be thinking about).
Climate Curious Happy Hour at Bye and Bye
Join us for an evening of climate conversation, community building, and good vibes at Bye and Bye. Whether you’re a seasoned climate professional or someone who is just looking to get more involved, our Climate Curious Happy Hour is a fun way to meet new people who share your climate curiosity.
