tech, startups, internet
Spotify’s flywheel: business model leverage
“Spotify, the audio market, and the negative churn Consumer SaaS company.” | learn more
tech, startups, internet
The bull case for Opendoor
I’ve been casually following Opendoor since they were just a tiny startup buying and selling houses in Arizona. Now they’re about to go public via a SPAC at a $4.8 billion valuation. Here’s the bull case for “the Amazon of […]
tech, startups, internet
16 open problems in engineering biology
From team a16z bio: “As our engineering toolkit in bio expands to be more powerful than ever before, and the infrastructure to deliver, produce, and scale these solutions comes increasingly online, a whole new world of problems in biology begin […]
oh, chicago
Surprise: 20% of blood samples have coronavirus antibodies
This is from over 1,000 samples across Chicagoland: “Nearly 1 in 5 Chicago residents who sent blood-spot samples to Northwestern researchers tested positive for coronavirus antibodies.” This is higher than they expected and might be due to the high sensitivity […]
oh, chicago
FT highlights the plight of startups fundraising in Chicago
Check it out for entertaining quotes from some of the most popular tech names in Chicago. But also remember that to the Financial Times, Chicago and Wichita are basically the same place: “The article has been amended since publication to […]
fun facts
Deep dive into recyclability of Amazon’s Prime Now freezer bags
I’ve learned much about recycling and composting in the past week. Since Austin offers a more nuanced system for waste management than Chicago, I’ve trying harder to sort our household trash. Frozen foods from Prime Now arrive in insulated bags. […]
fun facts
Internet scams: fake airpods
Having spent too much time on Facebook’s marketplace this week, I’ve come across a few ‘too good to be true’ deals for Apple Airpods Pro. I chatted with a couple sellers before opting out. This author was less fortunate, and […]
fun facts
India’s ancient root bridges
Click thru for the interesting photos. “In the Indian state of Meghalaya, one of the wettest places on Earth, villagers are separated by rivers and valleys. To stay connected, they coax tree roots to grow together into living bridges.” | learn more
book recommendations
Takeaways: Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke
Author: Annie Duke Despite her World Series of Poker-winning bona fides, Annie Duke wants you to know her book, Thinking in Bets, isn’t a poker book. So much so, “Why This Isn’t a Poker Book” is the first chapter title. […]
on the blockchain
As DeFi eyes profits, one stablecoin won’t sacrifice privacy
“For years, the rich have stored gold and euros in offshore bank accounts. Haven thinks everyone should have that level of privacy, minus the bank accounts.” | learn more