Inside Sam Altman’s Startup Bets💸, The Efficiency Paradox⚠️, GPT-5 Launch Underdelivers📉

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Let’s get into it 👇

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In-Depth Insights 🔍

• Microsoft: “Recommitting to our why, what, and how” 🧭
  Satya Nadella’s latest letter signals a shift for Microsoft. The company is evolving from a software factory into a global intelligence engine, aiming to empower 8 billion creators with AI-driven solutions.

• I Want to Eliminate My Own Job 🧱
  Elena Verna calls out the stagnation in growth. By automating basic tasks with AI, companies can shift focus to real innovation. It’s a bold call for change in an industry that’s overdue for it. [Elena Verna]

• Paradigm Shifts and the Winner’s Curse 📱
  Ben Thompson analyzes how Apple and Amazon are repeating past mistakes, clinging to old advantages as AI reshapes the market. Meanwhile, Google’s chaotic approach could be its secret weapon. [Stratechery]

  

• 25 Proven Tactics to Accelerate AI Adoption at Your Company 🚀
  Peter Yang dives into how AI-first companies like Shopify, Ramp, and Duolingo are successfully embedding AI within their teams. This tactical playbook reveals how to drive real AI usage inside your organization. [Peter Yang]

  

• The Efficiency Paradox: Why Over-Optimizing Could Kill Your Startup ⚠️
  Todd Gagne warns that premature optimization can cripple startups. With AI making process building cheaper, the temptation to systematize too soon is high. The key takeaway: avoid optimizing until you have a repeatable pattern. [Todd Gagne]

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Trending News ⚡

• Clay Hits $3.1B Valuation with $100M Raise 📈
  Clay’s AI-powered sales platform secures a $100M funding boost, tripling its revenue and landing clients like OpenAI and Canva. This is a masterclass in scaling a SaaS business. [TechCrunch]

  

• Palantir Surpasses $1B in Quarterly Revenue 💰
  With AI and U.S. government demand driving growth, Palantir hits a record $1B in quarterly revenue, pushing its market cap into tech’s top 10. Expect more upward revisions ahead. [CNBC]

  

• Trump Opens 401(k)s to Private Markets 🪙
  A major shift for retirement savings. Trump’s executive order could allow everyday Americans to invest 401(k)s in private equity, real estate, and digital assets, sparking excitement and caution in the financial world. [PitchBook]

  

• GPT-5 Launch Underdelivers, but Coding Saves the Day 📉
  GPT-5’s debut missed the mark with chart errors and factual slip-ups. However, its “vibe-coding” strength in AI software generation gives VCs enough reason to stay optimistic. [PitchBook]

  

• Tesla Shuts Down Dojo Supercomputer Project 🚗
  Tesla pulls the plug on its in-house AI chip project, marking a shift away from Musk’s self-driving ambitions and boosting external players like Nvidia and Samsung. [TechCrunch]

• US Air Force Wants Cybertrucks for Missile Target Practice 🚀
  The Pentagon plans to test Tesla’s Cybertruck’s durability by blowing a few up at White Sands. It’s a move to assess its “bulletproof” capabilities in real-world conditions. [The Verge]

  

• Trump Demands Intel CEO Resign Over China Ties 💼
  Trump calls for Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan’s resignation over his ties to Chinese investments. The demand stirs debate on corporate governance, national security, and presidential power. [Reuters]

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Social Media Gems 💎

• PE ≠ VC: Why Private Equity Doesn’t Behave Like Venture Capital 🔍
  Sid Jain explains why private equity and venture capital are fundamentally different. While PE focuses on control, cash flow, and moderate returns, VC aims for exponential growth with higher risk. Most PE firms are moving into private credit and real estate instead of shifting to VC.

  

• This Paper Didn’t Go Viral, But It Should Have 💎
  HRM, an AI model with just 27M parameters, outperformed Claude 3.5 and Gemini without the usual tokens or pretraining. A breakthrough in AI that went under the radar but deserves attention.

  

• Elon Musk on How to Think If You’re Feeling Lost in Life 🧭
  Elon Musk shares a mental model for finding direction when you’re feeling stuck. His approach to navigating uncertainty offers clarity for anyone looking to get back on track.

• The Real Cost of Saying No 😬
  Mark Andreessen on the emotional cost of rejecting opportunities. It’s not the losses that sting but the unicorns you let slip away that haunt you in the long run.

• The Hierarchy of Launching a Startup 📊
  Lenny Rachitsky presents a clear framework for startup success, breaking it down into five essential layers. From defining your mission to building a roadmap, it’s the solid foundation every founder needs.

  

• Inside Sam Altman’s Startup Bets 💸
  Sam Altman’s diverse portfolio covers everything from solar energy for data centers to AI copilots and Bitcoin life insurance. It’s a bold look at the future of technology and innovation.

  

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New Funds 💰

• AirTree Ventures closed two new funds totaling A$650M to back ambitious founders across Australia and New Zealand.

• Curql Collective closed Fund II at $360M to continue investing in fintech solutions for credit unions.

• Italian Founders Fund raised €35M from Italy’s Digital Transition Fund, bringing the total to €90M.

• OrbiMed raised $1.86B for its fifth Healthcare Royalty & Credit Fund, targeting biotech and life sciences.

• Deciens Capital closed Fund III at $93.33M to invest in early-stage fintech and impact-driven startups.

• Expanse launched an $18M inaugural fund to back frontier tech founders from day zero.

• Northpoint Capital closed its first fund at $150M to invest in growth-stage companies across North America.

• Victus Global launched a $10M fund to support early-stage ventures in food, health, and sustainability.

• Yali Capital raised ~$104M for its debut deeptech-focused fund targeting transformative technologies.

• Wyser launched a maiden fund focused on agentic AI and B2B enterprise startups.

• MUSC established a new VC arm to invest in startups commercializing next-gen medicine and biotech.

• GREE launched a $30M fund of funds to support emerging managers across Asia’s venture ecosystem.

• Prelude Growth Partners closed Fund III at $600M to back high-growth consumer brands. Operators at heart, capital in hand.

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That’s a wrap for this week.

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