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In partnership with
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In This Edition:
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STARTUP’S STRATEGY
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This Startup Raised $8M Without
a Traditional Pitch Deck—Here’s
How
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What if we told you that a
startup just raised $8M without a
traditional pitch deck, a clear
business model, or even a
face-to-face meeting with
investors before
securing a commitment?
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That’s exactly what Boardy
pulled off in its seed round,
backed by Creandum and 100+ investors. Instead of fancy slides and
perfect financials, they let AI do the pitching—literally.
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In a world where founders obsess
over crafting the perfect deck,
Boardy flipped the script. And it
worked.
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Here’s how they did it—and what
every startup can learn from their
playbook.
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The Fundraising Playbook
Flipped
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Most startups follow a
predictable formula:
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Slick pitch deck
packed with traction metrics
and financial
projections.
-
Well-rehearsed investor
meetings
to sell the vision.
-
Clear monetization
strategy
to ease concerns.
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Boardy ignored all of that.
Instead, they:
✅
Let investors speak to their AI
before meeting the team.
✅
Listed reasons why investors shouldn’t
invest.
✅
Focused on network effects
over revenue numbers.
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The result? Creandum committed after
speaking only with Boardy’s
AI.
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This isn’t just a gimmick—it’s a
glimpse into the future of
fundraising.
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3 Unconventional Tactics That
Won Investors Over
|
1. Product-Led Fundraising: AI
as the Pitchman
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Rather than dazzling investors
with numbers and slides, Boardy
let them experience the product
firsthand.
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Investors had conversations with the AI
itself
before ever speaking to a human.
This flipped the traditional
process—proving the product’s
value before the pitch even
began.
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It’s a bold move that makes
perfect sense:
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If your AI can impress investors,
it can impress
customers
too.
-
This approach forces
clarity—either the product works,
or it doesn’t.
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And in Boardy’s case, it
worked.
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2. Radical Transparency: "Why
You Should NOT Invest"
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Most startups spend hours
perfecting how to sell the dream. Boardy did the opposite.
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Their pitch deck explicitly
listed:
❌
“This is a crazy idea.”
❌
“We are very early (~10k
users).”
❌
“No clear business model.”
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Why? Because in a world flooded
with overhyped AI startups, honesty is a differentiator.
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Instead of playing defense,
Boardy leaned into the risks—and built trust in the process.
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Investors don’t expect startups
to have everything figured out.
But they respect founders who are
self-aware about their
challenges.
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3. Emphasizing Network Effects
Over Vanity Metrics
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Rather than traditional growth
metrics, Boardy highlighted its network-driven value
✅ EQ:
Boardy learns to build better
relationships over time.
✅ IQ:
Boardy gets smarter at making
high-value introductions.
✅ Network:
The more people Boardy knows, the
more powerful it becomes.
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This shifts the focus from
short-term revenue to long-term compounding growth—a strategy that legendary
companies like Airbnb and Uber
have mastered.
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And it’s why investors bought
in.
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The Bigger Picture: Why This
Fundraise Matters
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Boardy isn’t just changing how startups raise money—it’s redefining how AI fits into human
relationships.
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In a world where AI can build
anything, trusted networks
become the real competitive
advantage.
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This raises big questions for
founders:
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Will AI-driven fundraising
become the norm?
-
Will investors prefer
products they can test before
meeting the team?
-
Will radical transparency
replace the traditional
“polished” pitch?
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One thing is clear: AI is no longer just an
automation tool—it’s becoming an
integral part of how we build
relationships, trust, and even
raise capital.
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Key Lessons for Founders: How
to Apply Boardy’s Playbook
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If you’re raising a round, here’s
how to stand out in an
investor-saturated world:
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✅ Let your product do the
pitching.
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If your product is compelling,
let investors experience it
firsthand. Show, don’t tell.
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✅ Radical transparency wins
trust.
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Be upfront about your challenges.
Investors appreciate honesty over
hype.
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✅ Prioritize network effects over
vanity metrics.
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Demonstrate how your product’s
value compounds over time, not
just how many users you have
today.
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Is This the Future of
Fundraising?
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Boardy’s $8M raise proves that
the strongest pitch isn’t always about perfect
slides or polished
storytelling—sometimes, it’s about letting your product speak for
itself.
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The question is: Are you ready to rethink how
you pitch?
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Want to dive deeper into
unconventional pitch decks that
actually get funded?
Need a Winning Pitch Deck?
Drop a comment below!
|
What If
Networking And
Introductions
Could Be
Automated?
|
|
|
|
Meet Boardy
-
an AI networking
partner who makes
introductions to
investors,
founders,
recruiters,
executives,
operators and
anyone else that
you would like to
meet.
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Boardy just
raised an $8M seed
round from VC firm
Creandum - the
guys behind
Spotify, Klarna,
Depop - and built
a network of over
25,000 incredible
individuals to
connect
with.
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No forms, fees
or signups
required. All
you do is
|
-
Send Boardy
a DM on
Linked
-
He will
call you
immediately
-
After the
call, he
will make an
introduction
to someone
who he
thinks you
should
meet!
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In the past 6
months alone,
Boardy has
already:
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Helped 3
founders
raise over
$1M
-
Introduced
a CEO to
his new
CTO
-
Raised
$8M for
himself
-
Connected
grad
students
to full
time
positions
-
Sourced a
$60k
software
deal
-
Brought
together
countless
business
partners
-
And much
more…
|
|
You’re always one
introduction away
from changing your
life and your
business in ways
you can’t
imagine…
|
|
Send Boardy
a DM
and see what he
can do for
you.
|
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AI INSIGHTS
|
DeepSeek Just
Took Over
AI.com—What Does
It Mean for the
Global AI
Race?
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For years, AI.com
has been the
ultimate mystery
domain in
artificial
intelligence. It
first redirected
to OpenAI’s
ChatGPT, then Elon
Musk’s xAI. But
now? It points to DeepSeek, a fast-rising
Chinese AI startup
making serious
waves.
|
Here’s why this
matters:
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A Silent
Endorsement?
Whoever controls AI.com
just handed
DeepSeek a massive
credibility boost.
This domain has
only ever pointed
to AI
heavyweights, so
landing it is a
huge signal of
legitimacy.
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DeepSeek’s
Meteoric
Rise:
In just weeks,
DeepSeek’s chatbot
app skyrocketed to 21 million
daily active
users, outpacing
ChatGPT’s early
growth.
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Server
Struggles:
Demand has been so
intense that
DeepSeek had to pause API
top-ups
last week and
restrict free-tier
access.
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Price Hike:
They just doubled API
pricing, yet it’s still
significantly
cheaper than
OpenAI and
Anthropic.
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China’s AI
Power Play:
DeepSeek’s models compete with
top US AI
models
but are trained at
a fraction of the
cost. That’s got everyone—from
Sam Altman to
Donald
Trump—taking
notice.
|
Here’s what we
think:
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AI.com isn’t
just a
domain—it’s a
statement.
And right now,
that statement is: DeepSeek is the
next big thing
in AI.
Whether this is a
business deal or a
strategic play, it
just pushed
DeepSeek to the
forefront of the
global AI
race.
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CREATOR
CATALYST
|
YouTube’s
Biggest AI Leap
Yet! What It
Means for
Creators
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YouTube CEO Neal
Mohan just
announced a major
wave of AI
upgrades,
supercharging
content creation,
moderation, and
audience reach
with cutting-edge
tools.
|
What’s New?
|
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AI
Detection
&
Control:
High-profile
creators and
artists will
get expanded
tools to
identify and
manage
AI-generated
content that
mimics their
likeness or
voice.
-
Auto-Dubbing
for
All:
The feature
is now
available to
all
monetized
creators,
after
YouTube
revealed
that dubbed
videos
accounted
for over 40%
of
translated
content
watch
time.
-
AI-Powered
Age
Estimation:
A new
machine-learning
system will
analyze
viewer age
ranges,
optimizing
content
recommendations
and safety
measures.
-
Enhanced
AI Tools
for
Shorts:
YouTube’s
Dream Screen
and Dream
Track will
integrate
Google’s Veo
2 for more
advanced
background
and music
generation.
|
Why It
Matters
|
|
YouTube is
weaving AI into
every aspect of
the platform,
making content
creation more
efficient and
expanding global
reach.
|
|
With auto-dubbing
and AI-powered
tools rolling out
more broadly,
creators can
connect with
larger
audiences—faster
than ever.
|
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|
AI
AGENTS
|
The Vertical AI
Agent Market No
Startup Can
Afford to
Ignore
|
|
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|
Is AI just
another passing
tech trend, or are
we on the brink of
a transformation
that will reshape
entire
industries?
|
|
Every few
decades, a major
shift redefines
the startup
landscape—the SaaS
boom of the 2000s,
the rise of
mobile-first
businesses in the
2010s. Today, AI
stands at a
similar tipping
point, but this
time, the impact
could be even
greater.
|
|
The AI agents
market is
projected to grow
from $5.1 billion in
2024 to $47.1
billion by
2030, fueled by an
astonishing 44.8% CAGR.
|
|
At the heart of
this explosion are vertical AI
agents—industry-specific
AI solutions
designed to
automate complex
workflows in
sectors like
finance, retail,
and healthcare.
|
|
Unlike horizontal
AI, which provides
broad,
general-purpose
tools, vertical AI
agents deliver highly
specialized
automation, unlocking new
levels of
efficiency and
profitability.
|
|
And yet, many
founders are
underestimating
the scale of this
opportunity.
|
|
A leading VC
predicts that
within the next
two to three
years, at least five Vertical
AI companies
will surpass
$100M+ ARR, fundamentally
transforming their
industries.
|
|
YC takes this a
step further,
forecasting that Vertical AI
Agents could
outscale SaaS by
10X, redefining
automation as we
know it.
|
|
For startups
looking to build
the next wave of
AI-powered
businesses, one
thing is clear: ignoring the
vertical AI
agent market is
no longer an
option.
|
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INVESTMENT &
FUNDRAISING
|
Macron’s €109B
AI Gamble: Can
France Take on
the U.S. and
China?
|
|
AI is heating up,
and France just
went all in.
President Emmanuel
Macron has
unveiled a
jaw-dropping €109
billion ($112
billion) AI
investment
plan—his boldest
move yet to put
France on the
global AI
map.
|
|
Here’s the
breakdown:
|
-
Paris is
center
stage
as it hosts
the AI
Action
Summit,
where Macron
used the
spotlight to
drop this
massive
funding
announcement.
-
France’s
answer to
Stargate—that’s
what Macron
is calling
it,
referencing
the U.S.'s
$500 billion
AI push.
(France has
5x fewer
people, so
he says the
numbers
check
out.)
-
Big money
is backing
it—the UAE,
Canada’s
Brookfield,
France’s
Bpifrance,
and telecom
giant Iliad
have already
pledged €83
billion ($85
billion),
with more
expected to
follow.
-
Infrastructure
first—most of
the funding
is going
into
AI-focused
data
centers, the
backbone for
training and
running
massive AI
models.
-
France’s
AI
startups
are in—top
European
OpenAI
competitor
Mistral and
others are
investing
billions in
new AI
clusters.
-
Nuclear
energy is
a
strategic
play—France’s
stable,
low-carbon
power supply
gives it an
edge in
meeting AI’s
massive
energy
demands.
|
Why It
Matters
|
|
France is making
a serious power
move in AI. The
nuclear advantage
is smart, and
they’re backing it
up with real
money. But here’s
the real test: Can
they keep their
top AI startups
from relocating to
the U.S.? That’s
the billion-euro
question.
|
|
What do you
think—does France
have what it takes
to stay in the AI
race?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-
ConverzAI, a
U.S.-based
AI
recruitment
platform,
raised $16M
in Series
A
led by Menlo
Ventures. It
automates
candidate
engagement
and
interview
scheduling. (Link)
-
Positron, a U.S. AI
hardware
startup,
secured $23.5M
in Seed
funding from Flume
Ventures. It builds
energy-efficient
chips for
multimodal
AI. (Link)
-
Moderne, an
AI-powered
code
analysis
platform,
raised $30M
in Series
B
from Acrew
Capital. It
automates
code
migration
and security
analysis.(Link)
-
Stellaromics, a biotech
firm,
secured $80M
in Series
B
from Catalyst4. It
specializes
in 3D
spatial
transcriptions
and
multi-omics
research. (Link)
-
QuEra, a quantum
computing
startup,
raised $230M
in Series
B
from SoftBank
Vision
Fund. It
develops
Rydberg
atom-based
quantum
computers. (Link)
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NEW JOBS
|
AI at Work:
Powering Coders
and Creators
|
|
|
|
A recent analysis
of 4 million
interactions with
Anthropic's AI
assistant, Claude,
provides valuable
insights into how
artificial
intelligence is
currently utilized
across various
professions.
|
|
The findings
highlight that
AI's impact is
most pronounced in
software
development and
writing-related
roles, while its
presence in
physically
intensive jobs
remains
minimal.
|
Key
Insights:
|
-
Dominant
Sectors:
37.2% of AI
usage is in
the computer
and
mathematical
sector
(software
modification,
code
debugging,
network
troubleshooting).
-
Arts
&
Media:
10.3% of AI
interactions
occur in
arts,
design,
sports,
entertainment,
and media,
primarily
for writing
and editing
tasks.
-
Limited
Physical
Labor
Integration:
Minimal AI
adoption in
construction,
healthcare,
and
transportation
due to
physical
task
requirements.
|
|
|
-
Augmentation
vs.
Automation:
57% of AI
use augments
human
capabilities
(learning,
brainstorming,
task
iteration).
-
Automation:
43% of AI
use
automates
tasks
(formatting
documents,
generating
code
snippets).
-
Mid-to-High
Wage
Professions:
AI is widely
used by
computer
programmers
and
copywriters.
-
Low AI
Engagement:
Minimal
usage in
low-wage
(shampooers)
and
high-wage
(obstetricians)
roles due to
manual
dexterity
and
complexity.
|
|
These insights
suggest that while
AI is making
significant
inroads in certain
sectors,
particularly those
involving
cognitive tasks,
its role remains
largely
supportive.
|
|
The technology is
currently
enhancing human
productivity
rather than
replacing it,
especially in
fields that
require
creativity,
analytical
thinking, and
specialized
knowledge.
|
|
|
|
|
Find the Remote
Jobs You’ve Been
Searching
For!
|
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|
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!
|
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Campany
Name
|
Job
Profile
|
|
Beam
|
Frontend
Engineer
(Contract)
Software
Engineer
|
|
Wanderlog
|
Full-Stack
Software
Engineer
(4+ years
experience:
Canada)
Full-Stack
Software
Engineer
(4+ years
experience:
international-Americas)
Full-Stack
Software
Engineer
(New &
recent
graduates:
United
States)
|
|
Velt
|
Founding
Developer
Success
Engineer
Software
Engineer
(Backend
leaning)
Software
Engineer
(Frontend
leaning)
|
|
Alguna
|
Data
Engineer
Product
Engineer
|
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TaxGPT
|
Staff
Software
Engineer
(Gen AI
Focused)
Senior
Software
Engineer
(Gen AI
Focused)
|
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Ready to take the
leap? Get the
full list of
remote
opportunities
with Y
Combinator-backed
startups and find
your perfect role
today!
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|
FREE AI AGENT
COURSE
|
|
AI Agent
Certification—Enroll
Today!
|
|
|
|
The AI landscape
is evolving fast,
and AI agents
are at the
forefront of this
transformation.
Whether you're an
AI enthusiast,
developer, or
entrepreneur,
understanding how
to build and
deploy AI agents
is a
game-changer.
|
|
That’s why Hugging Face
just launched a FREE AI Agent
Course—and it’s already
making waves!
In just 1 hour, 160+ students
have earned their
first
certification.
|
What’s in it
for you?
|
|
Learn AI Agent
fundamentals—from theory to
hands-on
coding
Use top AI
libraries
like LangChain,
LlamaIndex &
smolagents
Build and share
your own AI
agents
on Hugging Face
Hub
Compete in
challenges
to refine and test
your agents
Earn
industry-recognized
certifications
to boost your
credentials
|
How to get
started?
|
|
✔️ Sign up
and explore the
syllabus
✔️ Join the
Discord
to connect with AI
experts &
peers
✔️ Create your
Hugging Face
account
and start
building
✔️ Take quizzes
& earn
certificates
to showcase your
expertise
|
|
AI agents are
reshaping
automation,
productivity,
and innovation.
Are you ready to
be part of this
revolution?
|
|
Enroll now
and take the
first step
toward
mastering AI
agents!
|
|
|
|
|
|
AI TOOLS
|
Boost ROI with
These AI Ad
Tools!
|
|
Traditional ad
strategies are no
longer enough in
today’s
competitive
digital landscape.
Marketers need
real-time
insights,
hyper-personalization,
and automation to
maximize ROI.
That’s where
AI-powered
advertising tools
come
in—transforming
how businesses
create, optimize,
and scale their
campaigns.
|
-
Hyros
– Advanced
ad tracking
and
attribution
for accurate
performance
insights.
-
AdCreative.ai –
AI-powered
ad creatives
that boost
engagement
and
conversions.
-
Hoppy
Copy
–
AI-generated
ad copy
optimized
for
performance
and
impact.
-
Metadata
– Automates
B2B ad
targeting
and campaign
optimization.
-
Madgicx
✨
– AI-driven
ad
management
for scaling
campaigns
effortlessly.
-
Wavel.ai
&
DeepBrainAI
– AI-powered
video
creation and
voiceovers.
-
Hootsuite
–
AI-assisted
social media
ad
management
and
scheduling.
-
Lunio
– Fraud
detection to
eliminate
wasted ad
spend on
bots and
fake
clicks.
|
|
AI is reshaping
the future of
advertising,
making campaigns
smarter, more
efficient, and
highly targeted.
Are you leveraging
AI in your ad
strategy?
|
|
Check out the
full list of
AI advertising
tools
here.
|
|
Ready to
explore AI tools
that’ll
revolutionize
your editing
game?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FREE FINDS
|
200 Online Side
Hustles That Can
Replace Your
9-5!
|
|
|
|
Artificial
Intelligence isn’t
just transforming
industries—it’s
reshaping how we create
wealth. Whether you’re
an entrepreneur,
creator, or
professional
looking for new revenue
streams, now is the time
to leverage AI for
financial
growth.
|
|
The Big
Question:
How can you use AI
to build a
sustainable
income?
|
|
This guide
reveals 200+ actionable
strategies
designed
for:
✅ Solopreneurs
&
Freelancers
– Automate
workflows,
optimize pricing,
and enhance
services.
✅ Content
Creators
– Scale content
production,
monetize
engagement, and
build AI-powered
communities.
✅ E-commerce
Innovators
– Use AI for
smarter product
recommendations,
dynamic pricing,
and automated
fulfillment.
✅ Tech
Professionals
– Develop
AI-driven
solutions or
consult on AI
implementation.
✅ Side
Hustlers
– Launch low-cost,
AI-powered
businesses with minimal upfront
investment.
|
|
Why This
Matters:
|
-
AI is no
longer
optional—it’s a
competitive
advantage.
-
The
future of
work is
changing—adapt now
to stay
ahead.
-
Opportunities
exist
across
industries—from
AI-generated
art to
automated
investing.
|
|
Your AI
Wealth-Building
Playbook
Awaits!
This isn’t just a
list of ideas—it’s
a roadmap with
clear steps to get
started. If you’re
ready to future-proof
your income, download the
guide and
explore
practical,
high-impact
AI
opportunities.
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|
Which AI income
idea interests
you the most?
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Compare
BizTech
@CompareBizTech
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Ready
to
land
a
role
at
a
Y
Combinator
startup?
Discover
remote
positions
hiring
NOW!
Plus,
tips
to
break
into
Venture
Capital
&
10
years
of
AI
VC
insights.
and
more
in
today's
#newsletter.
#StartupJobs#VentureCapital#RemoteWork
foundevo.beehiiv.com/p/dreaming-of-…
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1:28
PM
•
Nov
6,
2024
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0
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0
Retweets
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0
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-
7 Startup
Valuation
Strategies
Every
Founder
Needs
(Link)
-
25
Must-Answer
Questions
for Winning
Founders
(Link)
-
300+
Investor
Questions
Every
Founder Must
Know (Link)
-
15 Key
Questions to
Define Your
Funding
Strategy
(Link)
-
Go-to-Market
Strategy
2025: Beyond
Just Sales
(Link)
-
Founder
Pay: Why It
Matters
& How to
Get It Right
(Link)
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-
Convergence
Proxy vs.
OpenAI
Operator:
The AI Agent
Battle
(Link)
-
Perplexity
AI’s Sonar
Model Boosts
Search Speed
(Link)
-
Musk Bids
$97.4B for
OpenAI,
Altman
Counters
with $9.74B
for Twitter
(Link)
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Sam
Altman
@sama
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no
thank
you
but
we
will
buy
twitter
for
$9.74
billion
if
you
want
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9:11
PM
•
Feb
10,
2025
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225K
Likes
18.8K
Retweets
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12.5K
Replies
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-
US & UK
Skip AI
Safety Pact
as 60
Nations Sign
(Link)
-
Apple &
Alibaba
Bring Apple
Intelligence
to China
(Link)
-
Roblox,
Discord,
OpenAI &
Google Form
Child Safety
Group
(Link)
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