Founder Weekly (Issue 641 June 19 2024)

Founder Weekly - Issue 641

June 19, 2024

Founder Weekly

Welcome to issue 641 of Founder Weekly. Let's get straight to the links this week.

General

A research that explores the concept of AI-native companies that integrate AI deeply into their operations and products from the outset. It emphasizes how these companies utilize advanced AI technologies and infrastructure to gain a competitive edge, improve efficiency, and create innovative solutions that traditional companies might struggle to achieve​.

Innovator's dilemma, legal pushback, creatives with pitchforks, and more.

In sectors like mobile banking and commission-free trading, fintech companies have had a profound impact on financial incumbents. In other areas, the future of banking and fintech is still being developed.

Marketing, Sales and PR

CRO and CMO Jessica Gilmartin shares a first-hand account of how Calendly revamped their lead routing, qualification, and GTM org.

Nilam Ganenthiran is the founder and CEO of Beacon Software. Previously, he was the 12th employee and President at Instacart. We talk tactics for customer research, building customer relationships, balancing strategy and execution, how to serve on and manage a board, what happened when Amazon bought Instacart’s biggest customer Whole Foods, inside its COVID response, surviving eight months of runway in 2015, his new company Beacon Software, and more.

How to get 1.5x conversions with Interactive Demos.

Money and Finance

According to data from Emergence Capital's survey, only the top 10-15% of venture-backed startups are likely able to raise another VC round currently, as they are the ones meeting the aggressive growth metrics required by VCs. The rest, which make up around 85-90% of VC-backed startups, are probably not fundable by VCs at the moment due to slower growth.

The article discusses the concept of founder liquidity, a practice where startup founders sell part of their shares during funding rounds to secure personal financial stability. This practice, often kept secret, allows founders to de-risk while employees continue to bear significant risks without similar opportunities for liquidity.

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