Let's talk about Canada for a moment ๐จ๐ฆ
In these tumultuous times, Canadians are coming together to support each other.
We want to help. That's why we're launching #HireNorth
If you're Canadian (or want to help) - please watch this video and read the thread.
1/8
As a founder, it's one thing to try new tools, it's another when the founders of those co's are invested in your success.
Shout out to @stephenhaney and the @paper team for building a great product and helping troubleshoot.
Designing your next site/asset? Go try Paper.
Absolutely loving @stitchbygoogle. What a game changer for design... but PLEASE allow a cmd Z / undo delete feature.
I've gone to delete something I thought I highlighted (e.g. text in a box or highlighted section) and then had to re-gen the whole screen.
If you're an AI builder or aspiring technical founder, you have to check this out.
Kudos to @PascalUnger and the team. Proud to have @withevideo backed by @focal_vc
๐๐๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ก ๐๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐ญ: Winter 2026 Residency for Technical Founders at Inception!
This winter, weโre bringing together 10 hardcore AI builders for an exclusive residency in Miami with all the firepower of a top accelerator without the heavy dilution!
This is the most talent-dense, high-velocity, carefully curated launchpad for technical AI founders outside SF to start a venture scale company - AND you get to escape the harsh winter while you ship!
The 3+ month residency - hosted in partnership with The LAB Miami - is hyper selective (10 startups only), highly intense (6+ days / week in office) and fully in person (Miami relocation required / costs offset).
Plus you get mentored by unicorn founders including Digital Ocean ($4B NYSE), Mural ($2B), Papa ($1B), vLex (acquired for $1B), Quicknode ($1B), Spotnana ($1B), and many more.
The best part: Thereโs no โtoo earlyโ - apply with nothing more than your drive to build a venture scale company, your idea, and the ability to ship exceptional products at breakneck speed.
Applications just opened - apply at https://t.co/mESQH4gjb9 to start in Jan 2026!
๐๐: ๐๐จ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ซ ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ, ๐ญ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐โ๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ณ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง.
@focal_vc
๐๐๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ก ๐๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐ญ: Winter 2026 Residency for Technical Founders at Inception!
This winter, weโre bringing together 10 hardcore AI builders for an exclusive residency in Miami with all the firepower of a top accelerator without the heavy dilution!
This is the most talent-dense, high-velocity, carefully curated launchpad for technical AI founders outside SF to start a venture scale company - AND you get to escape the harsh winter while you ship!
The 3+ month residency - hosted in partnership with The LAB Miami - is hyper selective (10 startups only), highly intense (6+ days / week in office) and fully in person (Miami relocation required / costs offset).
Plus you get mentored by unicorn founders including Digital Ocean ($4B NYSE), Mural ($2B), Papa ($1B), vLex (acquired for $1B), Quicknode ($1B), Spotnana ($1B), and many more.
The best part: Thereโs no โtoo earlyโ - apply with nothing more than your drive to build a venture scale company, your idea, and the ability to ship exceptional products at breakneck speed.
Applications just opened - apply at https://t.co/mESQH4gjb9 to start in Jan 2026!
๐๐: ๐๐จ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ซ ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ, ๐ญ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐โ๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ณ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง.
@focal_vc
This year, @withevideo is on home turf for #WebSummitVancouver!
Excited to connect with:
โขCampus/early talent teams
โขColleges & universities
โขGov & employment centres
โขCareer fair organizers
Need Van/coffee recs? HMUโ๏ธ
Visit us at Booth B309 on Wed, May 28! #HireNorth
"Finally a startup podcast where you actually learn something that matters!"
That's what I set out to do when I started having discussions with founders and operators around potentially doing a podcast.
Why?
Because most startup podcasts are basically a highlight reel that barely scratch the surface across the 20+ topics they cover. They're entertaining - but you don't actually learn anything useful.
Thus, meet the focal podcast where I go deep with some of today's best founders / operators on ONE crucial lesson they learned the hard way early on.
No fluff, just the real, actionable insights you'd get if these founders were mentoring you 1-on-1.
Our debut episode - launched today - tackles a critical mistake most founders make early on:
โMost startups donโt focus on growth nearly early enough.โ
This comes from @austinh___ who knows startup growth better than almost anyone else.
As a former early growth lead at @tryramp and now the co-founder and CEO of @unifygtm (>$30M raised from @ThriveCapital , @emergencecap, @OpenAI), Austin has both built a growth organization from scratch as well as helped scale one faster than almost anyone else.
A few weeks ago, I had a fascinating conversation with him that changed how I think about growth at startups, including:
1. Experimentation speed is everything
2. Why you have to start with outbound from day 1
3. To win, move from cold to warm outbound
4. Why to build your growth team as early as possible
5. The ultimate startup moat: Building in public
Starting tomorrow, I'll also share insights from these conversations in writing.
For more, check out our conversation on the newly launched focal podcast and subscribe to my Substack for the write ups (LINK IN COMMENTS).