Here’s a roundup of interesting startup links I came across today:
It Takes a Valley by Anika Horn — Kickstarter
It Takes a Valley tells these practitioners’ stories and documents the patterns underneath them. It’s written for people who are already doing the work; by centering over 50 stories of individual ecosystem builders, it’s also written by practitioners in a way – not as an outsider’s analysis of what ecosystem builders should do differently, but as a grassroots perspective from those who have been building ecosystems for years – from Puerto Rico to Nebraska, from Ecuador to Australia.
White House urges UK not to ban social media for under-16s | Social media ban | The Guardian
The White House has expressed concern that the UK and EU are taking a legislative and regulatory path that singles out US tech firms. The US embassy notice said: “We have concerns about regulations that impose disproportionate compliance burdens on American companies or that apply to one platform but not similar services.”
How AI Agents Reshape Knowledge Work
This rapid innovation has proved a boon to AI users by magnifying their leverage and agency. Yet it has also created a lag between the technological frontier and our understanding of precisely how knowledge work is evolving in response. How does frontier AI change the nature of knowledge work across professions? Which structural and economic transformations in this work might we expect?
Don’t ask for feedback you don’t want
It is possible to take time to hear feedback, thoughtfully weigh it against other factors, and make an intentional choice. If you explain your final decision transparently in the end, people may feel disappointed, but they rarely feel unheard.
AI in the A.M. · Luma
Join us for AI in the AM, a relaxed coffee hour where AI enthusiasts, professionals, and curious minds come together to share ideas, insights, and connections. This is the perfect opportunity to start your day with stimulating discussions and meet other members of the AI Portland community.
The New Durable Primitive for Builders — Antfly
Retrieval has every trait that makes something a primitive. The context it draws on is accreted state you can’t regenerate. Relevance is the subtle, quiet kind of correctness. And it touches every part of an AI feature. Yet most builders are still assembling it by hand, gluing together a few single-purpose services, treating it as something you construct rather than something you adopt.
Seattle slips in ranking of best U.S. cities for foreign investment, fueling concerns about business climate – GeekWire
The ranking measures cities across more than three dozen metrics that FT-Nikkei call important to foreign investors, including energy resilience, trade war resilience, workforce and talent, openness, business environment, foreign business needs, quality of life, and investment trends.
Vigilis AI and Security Executive Council Partner to Advance How Uniformed Security Teams Operate in Real Time — Vigilis AI
The partnership brings together Vigilis AI’s operational technology and the SEC’s expertise in helping security leaders improve organizational effectiveness and reduce risk — with a shared focus on advancing industry discussions around security force optimization and augmentation. This includes how real-time operational intelligence and AI-enabled workflows can help improve frontline execution, workforce consistency, communication, and decision-making across distributed security environments.
Novanta acquires Portland medical device maker Riverpoint – Portland Business Journal
Novanta Chair and CEO Matthijs Glastra said in the announcement that Riverpoint is growing revenue and cash flows “at twice the rate of Novanta, with an expected long-term annual revenue growth outlook of 12% to 15%.” He said the acquisition is projected to double Novanta’s medical consumables revenue to $300 million.
A Year of Engaging – The Office of Small Business’s First Year — Prosper Portland Office of Small Business
OSB’s first twelve months included more than 725 direct engagements with small businesses. Some are owners who have been part of the fabric of Portland’s small business community for decades. Others are budding entrepreneurs, still scribbling ideas on the backs of napkins. They represented every district in Portland, from 103 businesses in District 1 to 182 in District 2, 154 in District 3, and 142 in District 4.
The Wrong Person in the Room – by Josh Carter
This is uncomfortable territory because nobody wants to be told they’re the wrong person. It feels like being told your baby is ugly. And the startup world doesn’t help — we celebrate the outsider founder, the “fresh eyes” narrative, the person who disrupts an industry precisely because they didn’t grow up in it.