Samuel Katsaros

Mergers & Acquisitions

[Samuel Katsaros @SamuelKatsaros]

To build what people truly want, you must want it yourself.

I started this project 11 months ago after my university took down a critical student resource.

Since then, it’s scaled to over 32,000 users across multiple universities, now growing by 500+ each week.

The site began as a tool to view a single course’s syllabi. I used it to plan my own schedule. After sharing it publicly, I worried I’d get in trouble. A student-built resource at this scale hadn’t been done before.

But I quickly realized what I built wasn’t just a great tool for course planning; it's likely the strongest case study in how students can build what institutions can’t.

Today, students use it to explore classes, upload syllabi, and replace the guesswork of course planning with confidence.

The future of higher education isn’t clunky, top-down platforms built by people far removed from student life. It’s fast, intuitive tools built by the students who actually need them.

Thousands of syllabi. Multiple universities. Dozens of use cases.
This is just the beginning.

If you're excited about scaling student-built infrastructure to every university, and our ability to grow virally—reach out.

Onboarding ambassadors + more: [email protected]

[Samuel Katsaros @SamuelKatsaros]

@HarryStebbings this is a claude analysis. and extremely high level. if he's the most analytical vc then vc isn't analytical.

[Samuel Katsaros @SamuelKatsaros]

@jiang_kev @polarbrowser

[Bill Ackman @BillAckman]

The U.S. Open is owned by the USTA which is a non-profit. The idea that a day one ground pass is $363 is absurd. The USTA’s mission is to promote the sport of tennis. How is a $363 ground pass consistent with this mission?

[Samuel Katsaros @SamuelKatsaros]

bc i invested in them

[Samuel Katsaros @SamuelKatsaros]

@leveredvlad Agreed. Just hope to see more places build it in-house. Not sure why anyone would pay for Wispr or the likes.

And who knows, maybe you build a tool and later divest.

[Samuel Katsaros @SamuelKatsaros]

@PabloAntonio Just DM'd you FYI

[Samuel Katsaros @SamuelKatsaros]

@niccruzpatane yea well i hit the biggest pothole td with FSD, so

[Samuel Katsaros @SamuelKatsaros]

@hamptonism

[Samuel Katsaros @SamuelKatsaros]

@leveredvlad Do you license this? Building something similar for buy-side but may be best to purchase.

[Samuel Katsaros @SamuelKatsaros]

@leveredvlad sourcing + pipeline management.

[Samuel Katsaros @SamuelKatsaros]

@leveredvlad The comments are missing the point. The LAST thing you'd want is this modern/AI-esque design during your IC pitch.

IB/PE stick to their designs and formats for a reason. It's for maximal efficiency and minimalism.

[Ori Eldarov @leveredvlad]

all gtm channels will be competed out with AI:
- cold email
- organic blogs / video /seo
- paid ads (CPCs blow out)

what remains is what can't be scaled with AI:
- in person events
- partnerships
- endorsements

i call it "the return of the salesman".

[Samuel Katsaros @SamuelKatsaros]

@chairmanmeow42 Also curious: would you say HFs are cost-insensitive or -sensitive?

Typically, with a fund structure, it's normal to be cost-insensitive. This is the same reason Blackstone doesn't replace their associate class with AI. They worry about bottom-line IRR, not as much OpEx.

[Samuel Katsaros @SamuelKatsaros]

@chairmanmeow42 Agreed to the YC culture point.

But curious: are you saying HFs would look to raise capital via equity financing opposed to debt? Or charging, say, a 3/30 vs a 2/20? Or simply just raising more funds from LPs.

[Samuel Katsaros @SamuelKatsaros]

@emilyinvc A hedge fund isn't going to approach VC funding, let alone an accelerator.

All you need to do is prove strong, historical returns. Investors will follow. Simons proved this. This, of course, was before he closed the fund to outside investors.

Also, it's RenTec, not RenTech.

[Samuel Katsaros @SamuelKatsaros]

@tkexpress11 @hubermanlab Also, blocking off 8AM - 11AM for outreach is OP. Sending an email or message first thing has a much higher hit rate. 5AM wake up allows me to do that.

[Samuel Katsaros @SamuelKatsaros]

I've been doing the 5AM wake up for 2026 -- game changer.

I've heard @hubermanlab state that 'night focus' is actually adrenaline, which isn't great for sleep.

Besides it being dark, I can't think of a better time to start. 7AM is too late. At 5AM, I can get up, workout, watch the news / read the paper, and not feel any of that pressure that comes with the day.

[Samuel Katsaros @SamuelKatsaros]

@AlexFinn Fascinating.

[Samuel Katsaros @SamuelKatsaros]

Tremendous of @X to do this.

It's the perfect case study for open-source being a net net win for all.

1. Consumers can learn, consume, and contribute to this repository. Showing everyone how algorithms work, how to change yours, how to benefit from it, and how to build one yourself.

2. @elonmusk and the @engineering team are opening their arms to outside input and innovation. I'd assume it's easy to get siloed -- thinking the algo is perfect and/or immovable. Whereas someone external viewing the repo may have a completely outside-of-the-box solution/implementation -- technical or not, pseudocode or direct commits.

Either way, big kudos to them for this. In a world preying on dopaminergic addiction, transparency is key. This is the highest example of such.

[Engineering @Engineering]

We have open-sourced our new 𝕏 algorithm, powered by the same transformer architecture as xAI's Grok model.

Check it out here:  https://t.co/3WKwZkdgmB

[Samuel Katsaros @SamuelKatsaros]

The broader category of niche consumer packaged goods is fascinating.

I just watched the David Protein Bars' founder's interview @PeterRahal on @SquawkCNBC and it became super obvious the space is not only ripe with opportunity, but with innovation and high-levels of M&A activity.

The reason I specify niche, is due to the current desires of the modern consumer. These specialty functional foods, such as David and Zyn, are designed to improve AND satisfy consumers. Traditionally, protein has tasted, well, frankly, terrible. It was necessary to ingest via powder/shake form. Today, sitting at ~150 cals and 28g of protein, a 100 cal / 20 g shake is not desirable. Note: 6 oz of canned tuna is 140 cals and 32 g of protein (my preference + the many other benefits (it being a natural food + other vitamins/minerals/fats).

@PeterRahal had a good point: there are two types in his space -- startups and corporations. Corps focus on EPS, so avoid the expensive ingredients and methods. Though, well-capitalized startups could have the upper hand.

My take: it falls under just how well capitalized. In the CPG space, time is valuable and competition is fierce. To get out ahead, M&A is the most advantageous path. Synergistic M&A, that is, with less a focus on acquiring competition and more on merging with FoodTech companies possessing high-potential / large-moat technology, or, at a minimum, a pipeline of discoveries.

Oh and vibes, of course, David certainly has that.