Muhammad Lila

Warzone Correspondent | Founder @Goodable | Currently @fdotinc | 2x Emmy noms | alum @JoinODF @CNN @ABC @CBC | 🇨🇦 | RT's, Likes ≠ endorsements

[Muhammad Lila @MuhammadLila]

@neuralunlock Sounds like all of Canada

[Muhammad Lila @MuhammadLila]

I'm curious because we incorporated a few years ago, then pivoted multiple times like a lot of startups do before applying to @ycombinator.

Even have a recommendation from Sam.

Since applying, we've 10x'd our revenue to $1M + (all new) but wondering if we'll get rejected because the company is too "old" even though our product is new.

[Muhammad Lila @MuhammadLila]

@hthieblot I would love to read a Medium or Substack article about your exit.

[Muhammad Lila @MuhammadLila]

We've closed Canadian deals that took more than a year and even then it was only through CEO intervention.

It's not just a procurement issue. It's mindset.

Too many Canadian enterprises only want to protect their market share vs. actively growing it, which requires risk.

[PsudoMike 🇨🇦 @PsudoMike]

CentML sold to Nvidia for $400M. Before that, the Toronto team couldn't get a single Canadian enterprise to try their product. Bay Area companies had no problem.

The founder said it plainly at Toronto Tech Week: you don't even get in the door here. Not even with connections.

We keep asking why builders leave.

[Muhammad Lila @MuhammadLila]

@garrytan Love this.

The autism loop alone can create a billion dollar company.

But Autism + Empathy is what changes the world.

[Muhammad Lila @MuhammadLila]

@garrytan Update: Now $1.2M

(CC @ycombinator)

[Muhammad Lila @MuhammadLila]

This is an incredible essay that resonates deeply with every founder who is building something the world hasn't seen yet.

The best startups aren't the ones that raise the most capital (although that can sometimes be an ancillary indicator). They're the ones that started with an idea that most people didn't think was possible.

- Rockets to mars
- Putting ATM's on the internet
- Storing files outside your own computer

When I told people we were "teaching AI to feel emotion" most people dismissed it. They couldn't see me beyond what they knew of me on television. A handful of very early investors asked the right question: "Can this work? And what are the implications if it does?"

Today, in just 8 months, we've grown to $1M annual run rate, reach 500M+ end users, and even have a referral from a YC president emeritus.

By the time we're done, every AI system (agent, model, platform) that communicates with human beings will have emotional awareness. AI companies have already tokenized language. We're tokenizing emotion. It's 100% achievable.

Some won't see what we do. As a founder, you learn to live with it. But if even one YC partner or @garrytan asks: "What happens if this works?" then we'll change the world together.

Let's see what happens.

[Muhammad Lila @MuhammadLila]

@Goodable amazing

[Muhammad Lila @MuhammadLila]

@brettcalhounn We train AI to feel and express real human emotion.

[Muhammad Lila @MuhammadLila]

The ones complaining loudest about being removed from X's Creator Revenue program are ironically the same people who rip off other peoples' content the most and post it as their own.

[Hubert Thieblot @hthieblot]

Same for VCs.

The firms that really want the deal will come to you IRL.

[Muhammad Lila @MuhammadLila]

I remember when @jonsteinberg launched @cheddar, he would tape for 3 hours live every morning, then fly out to meet potential customers in the afternoons.

Shaking hands in person with customers is something that Zoom can never replicate.

[Aaron Epstein @aaron_epstein]

The biggest hack I’ve seen for founders to close deals faster: just show up.

Get on a plane, fly to their office, meet in person, bond with the whole team.

Instantly replaces weeks of zoom calls.

[Muhammad Lila @MuhammadLila]

@Goodable ngl this was the most suspense I've had in weeks.

[Muhammad Lila @MuhammadLila]

Here goes. Applied to @ycombinator

0-$1M+ rev in 8 months. 1.2b impressions.

most founders: "ivy engineer building agentic something"

me: survived warzones, explosions, reported live from around the world

new: referral from YC's top portfolio founder.

Let's see.

[Muhammad Lila @MuhammadLila]

While people are talking about this, but most don't know that social media platforms are already subject to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). They can't allow users to steal content.

What's new is that X is championing the little guy over big accounts, which is good.

[Nikita Bier @nikitabier]

It is fine to bring the best videos on the internet to X. One of X's core values is cultural commentary.

However, we cannot tolerate big accounts intentionally using their larger following to hijack impressions hours after another user posts something.

Having said that, we will aim to reward original content creators and livestreamers more in the coming weeks.

[Muhammad Lila @MuhammadLila]

@YouTubeIndia Grandpa's Kitchen back when grandpa was still around.

He was the most wholesome thing on YT.

[Muhammad Lila @MuhammadLila]

@g0da_s @fdotinc 👏🏼👏🏼