Silicon Valley’s Identity Crisis, Ripped Jeans and Potatoes for the Rich, and Another Podcast Media Company Gets Venture-Backed

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Brain Food: Big Problems or Big Engagement? Silicon Valley’s Identity Crisis

In his new book, The Technological Republic: Hard Power, Soft Belief, and the Future of the West, Palantir CEO Alex Karp argues that Silicon Valley has lost its way, focusing on photo apps and ad algorithms instead of tackling significant challenges. He believes founders should prioritize the AI arms race over accumulating "likes," emphasizing that keeping the West competitive is more crucial than creating another platform for sharing selfies.

And yet, consumer social apps keep thriving. The latest breakout is Yope, a private group photo-sharing app that just hit 2.2 million monthly users and raised $4.65 million at a $50 million valuation. A mix of Locket, Snapchat, and Instagram, it leans into unfiltered sharing with streaks, collages, and a lock screen widget. Its rise is proof that in the attention economy, engagement still wins. No matter how often social apps cycle through hype and decline, there’s always demand for the next big thing.

So where does that leave founders?
Should they avoid consumer apps just because they don’t solve global crises?
Or is there a way to build something that delivers both engagement and real utility?

Startups

• Anduril had a very interesting marketing campaign focusing on not working at Anduril. I liked it. The onboarding video was great.

• With school counselors in short supply, districts are turning to Sonny, an AI-human hybrid chatbot, to help students with everything from college stress to grief. Designed for the one place students always are, their phones, Sonny uses motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral therapy techniques to offer support. The goal is not to replace counselors but to fill gaps before small struggles turn into bigger crises. (TechCrunch)

• Larry Ellison, Oracle co-founder, tech billionaire, and part-time island owner, poured over $500 million into Sensei, a high-tech farming venture on Lanai, Hawaii. The goal was to revolutionize agriculture with AI, robotics, and greenhouses. The reality was broken solar panels, wind-damaged structures, Wi-Fi issues, and a farm that mainly supplies local grocery stores with lettuce and tomatoes. Turns out growing crops might be harder than coding software. (Wall Street Journal)

  

• Norwegian startup Beefutures is using red light to keep bees healthier and more productive. In the wellness world, red-light therapy is popping up everywhere with claims that it can improve skin, mood, and even blood sugar levels. Some research shows promise, but experts say the science isn’t there yet. The industry is unregulated, devices vary wildly in quality, and the placebo effect is hard to rule out. Before spending hundreds on a glowing panel, it’s worth asking if the hype is brighter than the results. (Wall Street Journal)

Brain Food: Ripped Jeans, Eggs, and Potatoes are Only for Rich People Now!

Wealthy Americans are keeping the economy afloat, spending big on luxury goods and real estate while rising interest rates squeeze the middle class. With the top 10% of earners accounting for nearly half (49.7%) of all spending, according to The Wall Street Journal, economic growth is more dependent on the ultra-rich than ever.

The growing gap between what people want and what they can afford is showing up everywhere, from fashion to food.

Take clothing. Once considered not-even-donation-worthy, ultra-distressed vintage pieces have become status symbols. Collectors are paying thousands for the right kind of rips, while high-end brands like Balenciaga and Maison Margiela sell pre-worn, faux-distressed items for over $1,000. The New York Times recently profiled Brooklyn vintage dealer Abe Lange, 27, who runs Sumshitifound, where threadbare T-shirts go for $150 and renters pay $125 just to borrow a worn-out hoodie. I can only imagine what the anti-distressed-jeans crowd has to say about this.

Even groceries tell the same story. Egg prices have soared, with Cal-Maine Foods, the country’s largest producer, posting record profits. Some Democrats call it price gouging. The company insists it is just supply and demand. Meanwhile, extreme weather is shrinking potato crops, sending chip prices higher. Keep an eye on your diner prices; it might not look like such a good deal soon.

When the cost of everything from eggs to potato chips keeps climbing, nothing feels off-limits.

Big Tech

• Instagram is giving creators more ways to make money, adding brand testimonial comments where companies can vouch for influencers right in their posts. The idea is to make sponsored content look more natural while keeping advertisers happy. With every social platform fighting to keep creators loyal, Instagram is making sure the cash stays in their ecosystem. (Instagram)

  

• Shares of Australian logistics software company WiseTech crashed 22% (!) after most of its board, including the chair, abruptly resigned. The mass exit came after a power struggle with co-founder Richard White, who opposed corporate governance changes that would have limited his control. White, who still owns a major stake, insisted on having more influence over strategy and key decisions, clashing with board members who wanted more oversight. Investors panicked, seeing the turmoil as a red flag, and the stock took a nosedive. (FreightWaves)

• Apple roundup: Apple investors shut down proposals that asked the company to ditch its diversity and inclusion efforts and report on AI risks. The vote showed shareholders are sticking with Apple's current game plan despite pushback. As debates over DEI and AI heat up, Apple is making it clear that it is not changing course. (CNBC) After Tim Cook’s meeting with Trump, Apple announced a $500 billion U.S. investment over four years, including 20,000 new jobs and AI server construction in Texas. Is this about AI dominance or staying in Washington’s good graces? (Reuters)

Recent Raises

• Audiochuck, the true crime and mystery media company behind Crime Junkie, raised $40 million from TCG. Founded by podcaster Ashley Flowers, the company has built a loyal following in the booming true crime space. They will be expanding into video, tripling office space to 30,000 square feet, and doubling the team to nearly 130 people—all while pulling in $45 million a year in profit. (Variety)

• OrganOx, a British company developing technology to keep organs viable for transplant, raised $142 million in primary and secondary funding. The round was led by HealthQuest Capital, backing the company’s push to improve organ preservation and increase transplant success rates. With demand for donor organs far outpacing supply, innovations like this could make a life-saving difference. (OrganOx)

• Vivici, a Dutch startup producing dairy proteins through fermentation, raised €32.5 million in Series A funding. The round was co-led by APG and Invest-NL, with backing from InnovationQuarter, DSM-Firmenich, and Fonterra. As demand for sustainable food alternatives rises, Vivici is betting on precision fermentation to create dairy without the cows. (Vivici)

• Perfect, a recruiting tech startup from the founder of AnyVision, raised $23 million in seed funding. The platform helps companies write job listings and sort through applicants more efficiently. With hiring processes still stuck in the past, Perfect wants to streamline the way recruiters find talent. (PR Newswire)

Thanks for reading!

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