Sam Shoolman

Dear Hyper-growth founders, Legendary companies are built on the backs of their delighted customers, not on the backs of their buzz/curves/demos. Don't fall in love with your hockey stick curves...fall in love with your customers. Love, Brian.

There’s a lot of movement since this original X post. A bunch of folks are working on things that should help create the very fertile ground for a whole new generation of Boston tech startups to rise. Here are some things I know about. 1. There are conversations w both YC and South Park Commons about cranking up here. We’re at the right level and there’s interest. I’m hopeful one of them steps up. Given founders of 17 of the top 50 ai companies went to school here, I think it’s a good idea for them. 2. @sequoia is doing two new things in Boston. (a) We are spinning up a “Starter Series” where we connect high potential students in Boston to Sequoia, other founders, etc. & (b) We have an opening for an associate/analyst/principal type and I’d like to find that person here in Boston. I’d like someone w a technical degree who went to school in the Cambridge ecosystem in last few years that is outgoing. If you’ve got the perfect referral, hit me up on DM or LI. I’m strict on the profile, so please keep it tight as my inbox runeth over these days. 3. @A16Z is programming a bunch of content in Boston. 4. We are talking to the government about making Boston an even better place to live and thrive for those founders. The average age of a Fortune 50 AI founder is 28, so we need to make it great for that crowd. We had a good first call with the mayor and are scheduling a meeting with the governor. Hats off to them for reaching out. Housing costs, transportation, & fun, oh my. 5. The @Whoop folks were already working on and just launched the "Massachusetts AI Coalition" which is going to bring ai talent to Boston and be a major convener in the city. HubSpot has signed up to be part of this as well as @Suno, @Lovable, @Draftkings, @Wayfair, @Klaviyo, @circle , and a bunch of the next gen startups. Big big props to @willahmed & @Durkin. 6. MIT is working on some amazing new stuff that’s not ready to be talked about yet. 7. Some good signals from @epaley about revisiting the non-compete & non-solicit rules. 8. Discussions with the existing early stage incubators are happening. 9. The Patriots won their first playoff game in 7 years and the Red Sox signed an excellent pitcher. A lot more convening. A lot more west coast energy. #FertileGround Most of this is being done by other people. Since I started all this trouble I thought I’d just document all the great stuff that folks were doing. Thanks everyone. If you’re in Boston and doing amazing stuff that I missed that will help it be a place where the next 28 year old ai superstar founder starts her company, put in the replies.

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