Here’s a roundup of interesting startup links I came across today:
The Future Is Physical. – by db clay
The premise is simple but expansive: nearly every person in the known universe carries something that functions as a “wallet”—a vessel for identity, methods of payment, a Life Operating System. By that logic, there are over 8 billion unique wallet profiles, each shaped by age, geography, access to banking, design preference, lived experience, and more.
Oregon business leaders call for reset at economic summit – Portland Business Journal
The summit was big on vision if not necessarily on details, punctuated by the occasional pep talk about the state’s many attributes — notably, a history of innovation — and performances by homegrown musicians and Oregon Poet Laureate Ellen Waterston. Among the ideas panelists and presenters touched on: adding more tax credits beyond semiconductors, streamlining regulations and creating hubs around specific sectors, such as food and biotechnology.
A Quiet Moment in the Lobby – Justin M Lewis
What strikes me most in this moment is how profoundly Instrument has evolved. This is a different business than the one we founded, and I mean that with genuine admiration. The company I helped build was raw—beautifully so, but raw nonetheless.
4 signs your startup is fundable, according to top investors – KTVZ
“For startups, seed investing is what is needed for you to see those beautiful tulips one day,” says Michael Duda, cofounder and managing partner of Bullish Inc., a venture capital firm that has invested in companies like Warby Parker, Peloton, Harry’s, Bubble Beauty, and Bandit Running.
RSL AI Licensing 1.0 Now an Official Industry Standard with
Today, the RSL Technical Steering Committee, comprised of leading Internet, media, and technology companies, announced the publication of the official standards specification for Really Simple Licensing (RSL) 1.0, the first licensing standard to protect content in the AI era.
CoreWeave CEO defends AI circular deals as ‘working together’ | TechCrunch
In an interview at the Fortune Brainstorm AI summit in San Francisco on Tuesday, CoreWeave’s co-founder and CEO, Michael Intrator, defended his company’s performance from critics, noting that it was in the midst of creating a “new business model” for how cloud computing can be built and run. Their collection of Nvidia GPUs is so valuable, they borrow against it to help finance their business. The executive seemed to imply: If you’re charting a new path, you’re destined to encounter some road bumps along the way.
2025: The State of Generative AI in the Enterprise | Menlo Ventures
An MIT study claiming that 95% of generative AI initiatives fail rattled markets over the summer, exposing how quickly sentiment could shift beneath the weight of AI’s massive capex spend. The whispers of a bubble became a din.
How to Ask for Help and Actually Get It — Charlie O’Donnell – Coach, Author, VC
I say yes a lot. People in the community reach out, founders ping me, friends text me, and most of the time I genuinely want to be useful. I like seeing people make progress. I like seeing people get unstuck. But every so often, someone makes it harder than it needs to be—without realizing it.
Join Us at La Perlita This Friday + Last Call for New Board Members
Join Better Portland for a casual morning coffee to connect with members, our community, and local business. Friends & colleagues welcome!
ATProtoFans – Support Your Favorite Creators
Your support isn’t just a number in someone’s analytics. Creators see exactly who’s backing them, and you get permanent proof that lives with your identity—not locked in someone else’s database.
