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DeepSeek AI Disrupts Startup Growth
đ¸ From Failure to $10B Success
In This Edition:
đď¸ Advanced AI Voice Agents Rising
đ° $10M ARR in 8 Weeks
đŻ Win $1M This Sunday!
đ STARTUP SPOTLIGHT
How One Founder Turned Failure Into a $10 Billion Productivity Revolution
What if the perfect tool for your work didnât existâso you had to build it yourself?
Imagine staring at a blank screen, frustrated by the chaos of scattered notes, endless to-do lists, and rigid software that never quite fits your workflow. What if the answer wasnât finding a better tool, but creating one from scratch?
Thatâs exactly what one founder did.
In the early days, it was just an ideaâone that seemed too ambitious, maybe even impossible. The goal? To craft a digital workspace that wasnât just functional but beautifully designed, adaptable, and as intuitive as Lego blocks for work. But like every visionary idea, execution was the real challenge.

The first version? A flop.
The second? Not much better.
Within two years, the entire project was on life support. Funding dried up. The team dwindled down to just two people. The founder packed up, left the bustling startup scene, and relocated to a quiet city across the world to rebuild from scratch. It was a last-ditch effortâa gamble most wouldnât take.
Would you have walked away or started over?
The Moment Everything Changed
Against all odds, the rebuilt version struck a chord. Not overnight. Not with fanfare. But through quiet, organic growth.
A small but passionate group of users discovered it and became its biggest evangelists. They didnât just use the toolâthey loved it. Recommended it. Built their own workflows with it. And before long, the momentum became unstoppable.
No massive marketing campaigns. No splashy PR. Just a product so good that people couldnât help but share it.
By 2018, it was no longer a hidden gemâit was a movement.
From Cult Favorite to Global Phenomenon
This wasnât just another productivity tool. It was a blank canvas for thinkers, creators, and builders. A space where you didnât have to conform to someone elseâs rigid systemâyou could design your own. Writers, designers, entrepreneurs, teamsâeach found something different to love.
By 2020, the company behind it was valued at over $2 billion. By 2023, that number had skyrocketed to $10 billion.
But with scale came new challenges. The very flexibility that made it powerful also made it intimidating for newcomers. Not everyone wanted to build from scratchâsome just needed a system that worked instantly.
The Balancing Act: Power vs. Simplicity
The next evolution? A shift from pure flexibility to thoughtful guidance. The founder doubled down on making the tool accessible to both power users and beginners.
For the buildersâendless customization. For the overwhelmedâplug-and-play templates.
It was a masterclass in scaling without losing the productâs soul.
And if you havenât guessed by now, weâre talking about Notionâand the relentless journey of its founder, Ivan Zhao.
Whatâs Nextâand What It Means for You
As Notion looks ahead, AI-driven automation, deeper collaboration tools, and an even more seamless experience are on the horizon. But the heart of its success isnât just featuresâitâs an unshakable commitment to thoughtful design, continuous iteration, and listening to the community.
So, whatâs the takeaway for you?
If your idea isnât landing, refine it. Pivot. Strip it down to its essence.
If the market isnât responding, find the people who will become your biggest advocates.
If growth brings complexity, simplify without compromising your vision.
Every founder faces moments of doubt, setbacks, and reinvention. The difference between those who build something iconic and those who fade away? The willingness to persist, adapt, and keep improving.
So, hereâs the question: What are you building?
And more importantlyâwhatâs stopping you?
Build, scale, and innovate with Notionâthe all-in-one workspace trusted by thousands of startups for docs, notes, project management, and knowledge sharing. For a limited time, get 3 months of the Plus plan + unlimited AI (worth up to $3,000)! Unlock the Notion for Startups offer today! đď¸
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Thousands of startups use Notion as a connected workspace to create and share docs, take notes, manage projects, and organize knowledgeâall in one place. Weâre offering 3 months of new Plus plans + unlimited AI (worth up to $3,000)! To redeem the Notion for Startups offer:
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đĽ CREATOR CATALYST
How Axios Sports Runs a Daily Newsletter with Notion
In the fast-paced world of sports, staying ahead of the game isnât just a challengeâitâs a necessity. Every day, Axios Sports delivers a high-quality newsletter that keeps thousands of fans informed, entertained, and engaged. But how do they manage to produce fresh, well-researched content at such a relentless pace?
The secret: an all-in-one system built in Notion that streamlines research, writing, and publishing. And for creators looking to up their content game, thereâs a lot to learn from their playbook.
A Content Calendar That Works for You, Not Against You
For Kendall Baker, Sports Editor at Axios, managing a daily newsletter means juggling 10+ stories at any given time. With so much happeningâyesterdayâs stories, todayâs lineup, tomorrowâs prioritiesâflexibility is key. His Notion setup uses a calendar database where each story is its own page, tagged by sport and content type. If something shifts (and in the sports world, thatâs inevitable), he can simply drag and drop stories to a new date.
Lesson for creators: Whether youâre running a newsletter, YouTube channel, or podcast, you need a dynamic content calendar that helps you plan without boxing you in. A rigid system will slow you down, but a flexible one keeps you moving forward.
A Single Hub for Research, Writing & Publishing
For a daily newsletter, efficiency is everything. Kendall and his team do all their work inside Notionâfrom sourcing articles with the Web Clipper to writing and editing within each calendar entry. Instead of bouncing between apps, everything happens in one place.
"I love opening a page while still having the calendar in the background," Kendall shares. "It allows me to focus on a specific story while staying on top of breaking news."

Lesson for creators: The fewer tools you need to switch between, the better. A streamlined workflow means you can spend more time creating and less time managing logistics. Find a system that consolidates your research, writing, and publishing in one space.
Prioritizing What Matters MostâRight Now
With a daily deadline, Kendall needs to focus on the most pressing stories. He uses a custom database view that filters his calendar to show only the stories going out the next day. That way, last-minute changes donât derail the entire workflow.
Lesson for creators: Prioritization is everything. If youâre juggling multiple projects, create a system that highlights whatâs urgent so you never miss a key deadline. A filtered view of upcoming content helps you stay agile.
Turning Ideas into Impactful Stories
Great content starts with great ideas. Kendall keeps an idea database at the bottom of his workspace, where each page represents a potential story. He jots down notes, collects sources, and refines ideas over time. When a concept is ready, he simply drags it into the calendar to schedule it for publication.
"Turning ideas into stories can be a challenge, especially if they live in different places," he says. "Having an idea board and an editorial calendar in the same space keeps things from getting lost."

Lesson for creators: Ideas are your currency, and losing track of them means losing opportunities. Keep a running list of ideas in a system that allows for seamless execution when inspiration strikes.
What This Means for You as a Creator
Whether youâre writing newsletters, producing videos, or managing a social media brand, the key takeaways from Axios Sportsâ workflow are clear:
Have a flexible content calendar so you can adapt when things change.
Consolidate your workflow so youâre not wasting time switching between tools.
Prioritize your most urgent content to stay focused.
Maintain an idea bank to keep your creative pipeline full.
At the end of the day, the best content isnât just about inspirationâitâs about execution. And a streamlined system is what separates those who dream of creating from those who actually do it.
Are You Ready to Level Up Your Content Game?
If youâre serious about building a sustainable content business, itâs time to rethink your workflow. Take a cue from Axios Sports and create a system that works for youânot against you.
How are you currently organizing your content? Whatâs working, and whatâs not? Hit reply and letâs talk about it!
đ§ AI BREAKTHROUGH
Startups Can Thrive as DeepSeek Pushes AI Prices to the Breaking Point

Let me tell you a story.
A few years ago, the AI landscape was a fortress. The giantsâOpenAI, Google, Anthropicâhad towering walls of compute power, proprietary data, and cutting-edge models. The assumption? That no one could catch up. If you wanted access to top-tier AI, you either paid the toll or got left behind.
Then, DeepSeek happened.
Seemingly overnight, a new player emergedânot just as another foundation model, but as a force shaking up the entire AI market. An app climbing the charts, an API slashing costs, and an open-source approach that signals something even bigger:
The moat is crumbling.
What This Means for Startup Founders
First, take a deep breath. This isnât the end for AI startupsâitâs a beginning. If you play this right, you can be on the winning side of this shift. Hereâs why:
1. AI Giants Are Now on Defense
DeepSeek is proving that models donât have to cost a fortune to be powerful. The reaction? The incumbents now have two choices:
Differentiate through personalization (which takes time and deep user data)
Drop prices and enter a race to the bottom
For startups, this means AI just got cheaper. Whether you're building a consumer app or a B2B tool, running AI-driven products is about to become much more affordable.
2. Open Source Isnât Just Catching UpâItâs Surging Ahead
For years, people assumed that closed-source AI would always have an edge. But DeepSeek is proving that open-source models can not only match the performance of proprietary models but leapfrog ahead in some areasâall while avoiding massive training costs.
If youâre betting your startupâs future on a foundation model with sky-high CAPEX, itâs time to rethink your strategy. The value is shifting away from raw model performance to how you integrate AI into workflows and real-world use cases.
3. AI Startups Just Got a Huge Advantage
If youâre building an AI-powered application, hereâs your edge:
AI models are increasingly commoditized â You can use whichever is best, fastest, or cheapest.
Your margins will improve â AI costs are dropping, so your profitability just went up.
You can compete on experience, not infrastructure â The real differentiator isnât the AI modelâitâs how you use it.
Startups that focus on customer experience, workflow automation, and unique data will outpace those fixated on the model itself.
4. The New Moat: Data + Workflow Lock-In
When technology gets commoditized, value shifts elsewhere. The real power now lies in owning proprietary data and embedding AI deeply into customer workflows.
Think about it:
OpenAI built ChatGPT, but who controls the customer relationships? AI-native apps.
Models are getting cheaper, but what keeps users coming back? Seamless integrations and automation.
If you want to win in AI, build something that users canât easily switch away from.
The Big Picture: More AI, More Opportunity
Thereâs a principle in economics called Jevons Paradoxâwhen something becomes cheaper, we use more of it. This applies to AI, too. As models become more accessible and cost-efficient, AI adoption will skyrocket.
For founders, this means two things:
AI isnât slowing downâitâs about to explode in new ways.
The real winners will be those who move fast and build products that users canât live without.
DeepSeek didnât kill AI startups. It just reshuffled the game in their favor.
So ask yourself: Are you still thinking like an AI model company, or are you building something that truly delivers value? The moat isnât the model. The moat is what you do with it.
đŹ AI RESEARCH
GitHub Copilot introduces Agent Mode

AI-powered coding assistance is evolving, and GitHub Copilot is no longer just a pair programmerâitâs becoming a true engineering partner. Today, weâre seeing a shift from code suggestions to autonomous problem-solving, making software development more efficient than ever.
Whatâs New?
đš Agent Mode (VS Code Insiders)
Copilot now proactively completes subtasks, suggests terminal commands, and iterates on its own codeâjust like an experienced developer. No more micromanaging AI; it thinks ahead and troubleshoots autonomously.
đš GitHub Copilot Edits (GA Release)
Multi-file editing just got smarter. Now, you can make changes across multiple files by simply describing what you want in natural language. Plus, you get to choose your preferred model, including GPT-4o, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, Gemini 2.0 Flash, and more.
đš Project Padawan (Coming Soon)
Imagine assigning GitHub issues directly to Copilot and receiving fully tested pull requests in return. Thatâs the goal of Project Padawan, set to launch later this yearâa glimpse into the future of autonomous software engineering.
âď¸ Bug fixes & refactoring
âď¸ Test automation
âď¸ Code reviews & feedback resolution
The Future of AI in Software Development
With these updates, Copilot becomes more than an assistantâitâs a true coding peer. AI takes on the tedious tasks, so developers can focus on what really matters: innovation, creativity, and problem-solving.
đŹ What do you think? How do you see AI transforming software development in the next 5 years? đ Get the details & see it in action â [Read more]
đ NEW JOBS
Find the Remote Jobs Youâve Been Searching For!

Check out these exciting job opportunities in top companies, offering remote and flexible roles in software engineering, backend development, and more. Explore the details and find your next career move!
Campany Name | Job Profile |
Founding AI Engineer | |
Senior Product Engineer (Full stack) | |
Software Engineer - Brazil($80K - $125K, 3+ years) Software Engineer - Colorado($140K - $200K, 3+ years) | |
Senior/Staff Machine Learning Engineer ($160K - $256K, 6+ years) | |
Senior Frontend Engineer ( Remote) |
đź Ready to take the leap? Get the full list of remote opportunities with Y Combinator-backed startups and find your perfect role today! đ
đĄ AI INSIGHTS
đĄ Beyond Siri & Alexa: The Rise of Advanced AI Voice Agents

AI voice agents have reached a turning point. No longer just chatbots with speech capabilities, they are now dynamic, real-time conversational tools revolutionizing industries that rely on phone-based interactions.
đ The Evolution of AI Voice Technology
The breakthroughs of 2024 laid the groundwork for AI voice to become:
â
More human-like â Emotionally aware, interruptible, and context-driven
â
Ultra-responsive â Full-duplex conversations with real-time synthesis
â
Industry-focused â Specialized for sectors like customer service, healthcare, and recruitment
đ Why This Matters for Businesses
Voice AI is no longer an experimentâitâs a competitive advantage:
đ° 50%+ cost savings compared to human agents
đ Scalability that enables 24/7 availability
đ Seamless integrations with CRM and workflow automation
đ Top AI Voice Agents Leading the Charge
Some of the most advanced tools transforming voice AI:
ElevenLabs â Cutting-edge text-to-speech synthesis
Hume AI â Emotional intelligence in voice interactions
PlayAI â AI-driven call automation
Cartesia â Smart voice solutions for enterprises
Waveform AI â Real-time customer engagement
đ˘ The Future is Here â Are You Ready?
2025 is shaping up to be the year AI voice agents become an essential business tool. Whether youâre optimizing customer support, automating sales calls, or enhancing user experiences, now is the time to adopt AI-driven voice solutions.
đŹ Whatâs Your Take?
How do you see AI voice technology transforming industries in 2025? For more insights on AI voice agents and their impact, visit here.
đ¤ AI TOOLS
Boost Your AI Sales Workflow with the Right Tools!
The future of AI-powered sales is here, and the right tech stack can supercharge your workflow! From lead enrichment to automated outreach, these tools streamline every stage of the sales process:
â
Prospecting & Outreach â Clay, Overloop.ai, Unify
â
CRM & Relationship Management â Capsule CRM, Common Room
â
Automation & Workflow Optimization â Zapier, Make, Bardeen
â
Data & Insights â Persana, Tether Data, Bitscale AI
AI isnât just a buzzwordâitâs redefining how we sell. Which tool is your go-to for scaling sales success? đď¸ Maximize your sales workflow efficiencyâStart using these AI tools today!
Ready to explore AI tools thatâll revolutionize your editing game?
đ FREE FINDS
25 Ways to Sell Your Startup Story
Struggling to Get Investors Hooked? Hereâs How to Sell Your Startup Story Like a Pro
A great idea isnât enoughâhow you tell your startup story can make or break investor interest. From crafting a compelling narrative to highlighting the right milestones, these 25 expert-backed strategies will help turn a simple pitch into a deal-closing moment.
Don't let a weak story hold your startup back. Unlock the full list of powerful storytelling tactics now! đď¸
đ STARTUP SPOTLIGHT
YC Seeks Startups Building AI Agent Products (Link)
B2A: Business-to-Agent
@daltoncNot b2b, not b2c, but b2a: Business-to-agent.
We are looking for startups that are building products where AI agents are the intended customer.
Make something agents want. x.com/i/web/status/1âŚ
â Y Combinator (@ycombinator)
5:06 PM ⢠Jan 30, 2025
iPhone Co-Creator on Choosing the Right Company (Link)
đŻWEB PICKS
OpenAI Enhances o3-mini Thought Process (Link)
chains of thought for o3-mini!
(we try to organize the raw CoT to make it more readable, and optionally to translate languages, but we try to keep it quite faithful to the raw one)
great work from @mia_glaese, @joannejang, @akshaynathan_ , and their teams!
â Sam Altman (@sama)
2:10 AM ⢠Feb 7, 2025
Operand - An AI to Kill McKinsey (Link)
This Sunday, your question could be worth $1,000,000.
â Perplexity (@perplexity_ai)
5:06 PM ⢠Feb 5, 2025
a16z: Lessons from DeepSeekâs Unexpected Rise (Link)
đ INVESTMENT & FUNDRAISING
Tidal Vision, a biotechnology company has secured $140M in Series B funding. The funding was led by Cambridge Companies SPG. Tidal Vision specializes in using chitosan-based chemistries to improve critical industries. (Link)
ThreatMate, is an AI-powered cybersecurity startup that has raised $3.2M in Seed funding. Top Down Ventures led the seed round. ThreatMate is focused on developing an AI-powered cybersecurity platform. (Link)
Presto, CA-based company that provides an EV charging platform, has raised $15M in Seed funding. Union Square Ventures led the funding round. The company aims to support fleets and charging partners with their EV infrastructure. (Link)
Cognida.ai, IL-based company specializing in practical AI solutions for enterprises, has secured $15M in Series A funding. The funding round was led by Nexus Venture Partners. (Link)
Tyba, CA-based company that provides an energy storage optimization platform, has successfully raised $13.9M in a Series A funding round. Energize Capital led the funding round. Tyba's platform is focused on optimizing energy storage.(Link)
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