Topic:   Startups

Our AI Future

It’s interesting to sit back and think about tech waves over the last handful of years. Computing, extended reality, “big data”, machine learning, crypto/Web3, Generative AI, etc… Maybe it’s always been this way, but with each wave the “futurists” seemingly get more and more attention with their vision-casting content and consumers are left underwhelmed for a long time until a thing actually happens. By then, of course, a new tech hype is underway and the New Tech stops becoming cool to talk about, since it has already become an integrated and ubiquitous part of our lives (e.g. electricity, computers, cellular technology, social media, newsfeed algorithms, etc..).

Real Escape from the Sex Trade (REST) :: with Audrey Baedke

In this episode of Ventures, my guest Audrey Baedke (https://www.linkedin.com/in/audrey-baedke-93724290/) and I discuss Rest Escape from the Sex Trade (REST - https://iwantrest.com). We talk about the origins of the nonprofit, the impact they have had, the dynamics of the sex trade in general, how humans are enslaved, and how REST provides tangible pathways to freedom, safety, and hope. As a board member and donor myself, I would ask that you **please** consider joining us with a year-end gift.

Fall updates: Prota Ventures, AI Layer, Impact Stream, and REST

In this episode of Ventures, I (https://linkedin.com/in/wclittle) walk through a number of updates with my for-profit and nonprofit venture work. I talk about Prota Ventures, our second fund, how we get operationally involved in our portfolio companies, and who we serve. As an example, I discuss my involvement with AI Layer, which is a new company providing AI inference computing services that leverages an upcoming Web3 protocol that will be decentralized and widely available next year. Finally, I talk about updates - and my volunteering involvement - with Impact Stream and Real Escape from the Sex Trade (REST).

What pre-seed investors actually care about

In this episode of Ventures, I (https://linkedin.com/in/wclittle) discuss early stage startup pitch decks and what VCs/angels really want to hear when founders ask for equity financing. I talk about how the culture around the traditional deck has not been as helpful as it could be to clarify why traction (and forecasts of traction) are - in my opinion - the most important aspect of the initial pitch process that warrants deeper diligence.

The bullish case for building out AI as fast as possible

In this episode of Ventures, I (https://linkedin.com/in/wclittle) walk briefly through Marc Andreessen’s recent article “Why AI Will Save the World” (https://a16z.com/2023/06/06/ai-will-save-the-world/) and discuss why I tend to agree the time to build aggressively with AI is *now*, at the very least in order to compete on the global landscape for the common good. I also talk about the upcoming GenAI summit I’m hosting in Seattle on June 9th, and why the immediate future with AI is ripe for “co-pilots” across multiple markets and disciplines.

ChatGPT vs. Bard vs. HuggingChat vs. BingChat for startup books and front-end code

In this episode of Ventures, I (https://linkedin.com/in/wclittle) compare ChatGPT, Bard, HuggingChat, and BingChat regarding their recommendations for startup books and front-end code for a standard startup landing page. I compare the user experience of each LLM, the limitations of each for these use cases, and show how ChatGPT and Bard seem to be current leaders in these examples.

How to build a startup using Generative AI and StartupRocket.com

In this episode of Ventures, I (https://www.linkedin.com/in/wclittle) walk through the 2.0 software startup framework within Startup Rocket (https://startuprocket.com) using Generative AI, specifically Bing Chat (which is currently free). I discuss how to ideate a startup, conduct surveys/interviews, create prototypes, and launch private and public MVPs with AI assistance.

Alphi.xyz updates, how to DYOR in the NFT space, and leveling up your Web3 leadership skills :: with Jesse Bryan and Mike Anderson

In this week’s episode of Ventures, my guests Jesse Bryan (https://twitter.com/JesseBryan), Mike Anderson (https://twitter.com/mikeyanderson) and I discuss updates about their startup, Alphi (https://alphi.xyz). We talk about why digital asset ownership is important, how/why Alphi is helping to organize information in the metaverse, how/why to contribute, and how/why to participate in their Leadership Academy to level up your skills in the Web3 space.

Using ChatGPT as a guide to build an example startup: “Text to Startup”

In this episode of Ventures, I (https://www.linkedin.com/in/wclittle) walk through asking ChatGPT how to help me start building a startup called “Text to Startup”. I share my screen and show the live chat session where it not only tells me generally how to build the startup, but - when I prompt it to give me specifics - I’m able to all the way to having it print out Ruby on Rails code and HTML/CSS for a landing page. Along the way, it also gives me specific examples about how to do user testing and it gives me taglines and a 1-paragraph description for the startup, which I used to generate a logo with tailorbrands.com.

Product: How to use public blockchains and NFTs. Code: How to instantiate a controller variable

In this episode of Ventures, I (https://www.linkedin.com/in/wclittle) continue my Product and Code series to discuss first - on the product side - why and how blockchains can be used to create digital products. I also show - on the code side - how to instantiate a variable in a Ruby on Rails controller to display it in an associated view file. In the product section I discuss Yuga Labs’ https://mdvmm.xyz/ and explain why you - as a Web3 product manager - should be following Yuga’s strategies carefully to learn how to apply similar principles for your own products.

Product and Code Series: Gathering early product feedback, and understanding the application.html.erb file

In this episode of Ventures, I (https://www.linkedin.com/in/wclittle) continue the Product and Code series that I started in Episode 128 to talk about how to best collect feedback on your initial idea and what the application.html.erb file is in a Ruby on Rails app. I walk through the head tag, briefly discuss the Content Security Policy (CSP) and Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) tags, and then showcase different parts of how the application layout file constructs the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to be sent to a requesting browser.

Product and Code Series: Creating an Overview Story and a “Hello World” with Ruby on Rails

In this episode of Ventures, I (https://www.reddit.com/user/wclittle) walk through - as a screencast - the concept of creating an “Overview Story” for your digital product and I also dive into creating a simple “Hello World” with Ruby on Rails. In this “Product and Code” series this year - in each episode - I’ll be introducing a simple product thing and code thing and then pointing people to our curriculum doc (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mRGdU5JCOl96ywR6sSvAiae7W8sDxFhkih5mdqrGitM/edit# ) for further reading and study. Join us within BanyanDAO’s Discord server to follow along: https://discord.gg/95JRuPaTP8.

Introduction to Web2/2.5/3 Product and Code :: A curriculum for technical entrepreneurs

In this episode of Ventures, I (https://www.linkedin.com/in/wclittle/) walk through the initial curriculum doc (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mRGdU5JCOl96ywR6sSvAiae7W8sDxFhkih5mdqrGitM/edit# ) for the free Product and Code cohort I’m leading this quarter. I talk about how the cohort is setup, what we’ll be covering in terms of building Web2/2.5/3 products, writing code to bring things to life, how to get involved (https://discord.gg/95JRuPaTP8), and what to expect moving forward.

Learn Product and Code: DNS, WebSockets, and Profile Picture AI

In this episode of Ventures, I (https://www.reddit.com/user/wclittle) continue from last week’s screencast to discuss WebSockets, DNS, and Profile Picture AI. I talk about how you can get involved with the Q1 product and code cohort I’m leading (apply here: https://forms.gle/dtVA1bQ9xATRrPW29), how rare it is to actually be good at “product”, Prota Ventures slack group for investors and entrepreneurs, a deeper dive into how web requests are packed on the server side with Ruby on Rails, and the future of Rails vs. Low-Code/No-Code.

Learning technical product development in the Web3 era

Will's General Newsletter :: Weekly (Dec 20, 2022)