The TNT Tropang Giga will try and exact revenge against Japanese team Chiba Jets as the two teams face in the East Asia Super League (EASL) competition Wednesday night.

TNT takes another crack at Chiba Jets in EASL

Legacy extended its winning streak in the series against rival Midland High to seven games after a 49-31 win on Oct. 27 at Astound Broadband Stadium.

HS FOOTBALL: Rebels continue success against Bulldogs

To find the right software at the right price, CIOs and CFOs need to take a tandem approach on new technologies and solutions.

CFO, CIO need to be in ‘lockstep’ on software purchases: Olive CEO

Carl Tamayo and defending champion Ryukyu post dominating wins even as Toyama’s AJ Edu drops big numbers in Japan B. League action

Ex-Gilas Youth teammates Tamayo, Edu show off in Japan B. League duel

Newton, Sparta and Sussex Tech move on to the semifinal round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Tournament next

Newton, Sparta, Sussex Tech advance to semis in playoffs

In a regional consolation game on Thursday, October 26, 2023, Kittatinny High School staged a fourth quarter comeback to defeat Whippany Park. The final score stood at 21-11 with three seed Kittatinny beating second seed Whippany Park.

Football: Kittatinny Stages Comeback to Top Whippany Park in Regional Consolation Game

Purdue commit Marcos Davila threw for 392 yards and accounted for four total TDs to lead Legacy to a 49-31 win over Midland High in District 2-6A play.

HS FOOTBALL: Rebels use late surge to hold off Bulldogs, 49-31

Ferdinand “Thirdy” Ravena III and the San-en NeoPhoenix stretched their winning ways in Japan B.League Division 1 after a dominant 88-74 win over the Akita Northern Happinets on Saturday night at the CNA Arena in Akita.

Thirdy Ravena, San-en register seventh win in Japan B.League

GAIA Asia Pacific Calls for Stronger Safeguards 27 October 2023 - The Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) Asia Pacific, a network of 120

Asian Development Bank (ADB)’s draft Safeguards Policy Falls Short on Ambition

“He can play for anybody in the district,” LHS head coach Clint Hartman said. “He plays with an edge to him. He’s my kind of guy just looking at film. He’s going to sacrifice his body, play extremely hard. He always finds ways to be around the ball. I think he’s their bell cow on defense.”

HS FOOTBALL: What to know about MHS vs. Legacy

Brex

brex

10 Questions for Every Startup Founder: Brex on Rewriting the Rules of Business Finance

This is by (source: ). Blond is a partner at Founders Fund. Twitter thread Sam Blond @samdblond 05-01-2023 https://twitter.com/samdblond/status/1653150044265099265?s=46&t=hLXLvA2wSOmlARX4ZS1fvA&embedable=true&thread=true The lead image for this article was generated by HackerNoon's via the prompt "Billboard” AI Image Generator

Sam Blond: Here's How Brex Ran the Most Successful Billboard Campaign in History

An inquiry into public opinion suggests that fear and confusion could push sensitive personal data out of the country. Data never sleeps. It’s generated every second of the day. So if the United Kingdom (UK) exits the European Union (EU) on October 31st, 2019 without a deal, there should be clear guidelines as to how personal data will be managed and protected. But in reality, there’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding the rules that will govern sensitive personal information stored inside and outside the country. This is evidenced by a recent study conducted by the cloud security firm, . The research was conducted on both sides of the pond (covering the UK and the US) to shed some light on the internal and external perspective on the issue. Artmotion According to the findings, as much as 61% of British respondents didn’t know what laws would apply to their personal data after Brexit. Another 62% weren’t aware of how their data would be protected after the UK left the EU. So while we should have some clarity by now, we are still discussing a lot of “ ” scenarios across the political spectrum and the media. what if Who is currently regulating British customer data? The data generated in the UK is currently governed by the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). But what happens after October 31st? Number 10 Downing Street did set out some , but it was (further adding to the uncertainty surrounding the issue). guidance on data governance last year withdrawn on March 1st, 2019 Who will regulate British customer data after Brexit? The UK government has always maintained that following Brexit, GDPR will be absorbed into British law. But there’s still no indication about when that will happen. founder and CEO, , said “the British government needs to do more to address these issues and mitigate risk. There is a lot of confusion and fear surrounding the impact of Brexit on cloud data, and it will help many business owners if these issues are discussed in greater detail.” Artmotion’s Mateo Meier There’s also cause for concern as a French data protection regulator recently announced that in the event of a no-deal Brexit and the absence of an adequacy decision, that is outside the European Economic Area. the UK would be treated like any other country (or as a third country) It’s also highly likely that other EU country regulators will adopt this approach, and this could have some ramifications for British companies. For example, they might have to implement new protocols to oversee the data transfers by data controllers and data processors. What’s the potential impact of a No-Deal Brexit on British data? To alleviate fear and appease their customers, for example, retailers could migrate customer data to mainland Europe, leading to a loss of jobs and tax revenue. This scenario is highly likely as 53% of respondents preferred neutral and politically stable countries like Switzerland to host their data. Switzerland was followed by Iceland and Norway as suitable destinations to store sensitive personal information. According to Meier, “while the British government was busy engaging in political debates, Switzerland focused on stability and innovation. This has paid off as we’re now seeing an increasing demand for IT infrastructure hosting and backup solutions here in Switzerland.” It’s important to address this issue as 80% of the respondents were unsure if Brexit would have a positive or negative impact on cloud services providers. Only 4.8% of respondents believed that Brexit would have a positive impact on cloud companies. It can also have a far-reaching effect on British businesses as only 12.5% of US customers would choose a UK-based cloud services provider after Brexit. For example, British brands with a global audience might be forced to move their data and operations out of the country to accommodate the demands of their customers. The present situation could also hinder the growth of the British cloud market in the long-term. Even though a hard Brexit is just weeks away, no one really knows for sure what will happen after the UK leaves the EU. So even if the government fails to act, British organizations must explore the complexities surrounding data protection now to avoid potential compliance violations and loss of revenue. Let's take this conversations over to Twitter !

Research Suggests That a Hard Brexit Could Lead to Significant Confusion within the UK Cloud Market

The answer to this question is ‘no one knows’, and all that most of us can do is to guess. Here is my view. Being an entrepreneur and considering that most stats indicate a 10% success rate for start-ups, I wouldn’t want more uncertainty and would vote to stay in the EU. However, that doesn’t mean that I disagree with the arguments of the leave campaigners; for me, the most important thing is to see my start-up succeed, and for that, status quo and clarity work best. Most people may not realise, but the vote on EU referendum could significantly affect our near and distant . Unfortunately, most people will not be able to make informed decisions as both the remain and leave campaigns have done an appalling job of showing a complete unbiased view to the public. future In my article from Feb this year , I had already discussed how uncertainty, pound depreciation, investment, bureaucracy, and lack of talent could affect start-ups after . Now, let’s now think how it may affect the global economies. ‘How will Brexit affect UK startups?’ Brexit Both sides agree that if Brexit happens, both UK and EU will struggle in the short run While both sides disagree on the medium to long term impact of breaking away from the EU, they agree that in the short run, there will be a knee jerk reaction — the pound may depreciate, businesses may suffer, and may result in job losses. In the long run, the leave campaigners believe that it’s the best thing to do. With the amount of information we have, I’m just not sure how anyone could predict our fate going forward. Even if we leave the EU, we are still impacted by the fate of the EU Yes, so, do I agree that we can have the same trade and business relationship with the EU after Brexit like we do now? Maybe, or maybe not. In today’s interconnected world, issues in China affect global economies. Similarly, if after Brexit, the EU weakens, Frexit happens, and Euro suffers, this will have an impact on our economy. With global economy being so fragile, Brexit could lead the World economy back into a recession We still haven’t yet fully recovered from the 2008 recession, and Brexit could take us back to those tough years again. Yes, we can make all decisions based on impact on financial markets, but remember that the lifestyle we live today is a result of capitalism. The rich may get through the short term downturn, but the poor are the ones who’ll suffer the most If you just about get-by or have major monthly payment commitments such as mortgage, etc, be worried, be very worried. If we head right back into recession, it could lead to job losses, pay cuts, and the poor will suffer. The divide between the rich and the poor will only increase. The rich usually can hedge their portfolios, take advantage of beaten down stocks and properties, and can even gain by shorting the markets i.e. making money from the markets and economies declining. Immigration control through Brexit might backfire and result in more job losses for Britons Immigration is one of the key issues raised, and there are different reports as to whether or not immigration helps or adversely affects the British economy and jobs, etc. In the case of Brexit, our friends from Eastern Europe can no longer come and “steal” jobs in the UK. This will result in more jobs for the locals at the lower end of the market, for example in retail, but with lower supply of labour, the costs will rise very quickly. If a recession happens, the consumer spending power will go down and businesses will have to shut down leading to job losses again. Your answer to whether immigration is good or bad typically depends on if you are an economist or a politician. Exports may be competitive if the currency falls, but higher costs of imports could cause inflation and may result in interest rate hikes There is an argument that depreciating currency may be good for exports and economies, but most people forget how it could affect imports and may cause inflation which may require the central bank to take tough measures including higher interest rates on your mortgage. UK may lose the advantage of being in the center of the World and time zones and may not be the first choice for European headquarters for international companies For the last few years, several financial institutions have evaluated whether London is the best place for them to be in Europe. They’ll now have one more reason to move their business elsewhere. Summary For us in the UK, this will be one of the toughest choices that we have had to make in recent years, and I sincerely hope that people weigh in the pros and cons even with the limited information that we have access to. My view is that in 2016, we shouldn’t be building more walls. Who knows, we in the UK may ourselves need help in the future. If you want to stay abreast of breaking news on Brexit, GBP/USD, GBP/EUR, and FTSE100, you can do that on our site . CityFALCON Originally published on Blog CityFALCON

How Will Brexit Affect The UK And World Economies, Start-ups, The Rich, And The Poor?

I’m leaving most of this post to the podcast version as I had a co-host in the form of and we spoke for nearly an hour about Bitspiration, startups in Eastern Europe, Warsaw, WW2, IoT, Booth Babes, Europe vs Silicon Valley and much, much more. Cate Lawrence Podcast All of the Weekly Squeak posts are accompanied by a podcast where I go more in-depth into the topic, subscribe here or listen to the individual episode to the left.

Bitspiration in Warsaw and Brexit

Can Blockchain Help Ease BREXIT?

A Roadmap for Addressing Critical Challenges in Human-Machine Social Systems

This is Part 5 of a 12-part series based on the research paper “Human-Machine Social Systems.” Use the table of links below to navigate to the next part. Table of Links Abstract and Introduction Human-machine interactions Collective outcomes Box 1: Competition in high-frequency trading markets Box 2: Contagion on Twitter Box 3: Cooperation and coordination on Wikipedia Box 4: Cooperation and contagion on Reddit Discussion Implications for research Implications for design Implications for policy Conclusion, Acknowledgments, References, and Competing interests Box 2: Contagion on Twitter Social bots on the micro-blogging platform Twitter (re-branded as X in 2022) are covert automated accounts designed to impersonate humans to boost followers, disseminate information, and promote products. Bots and bot detection methods have co-evolved, resulting in increasingly more sophisticated imitation or detection strategies [177,178,179,180,39,181,182], but detection is inherently limited due to the overlap between covert autonomous bots, managed user accounts, hacked accounts, cyborgs, sock-puppets, and coordinated botnets [24,183,22,184]. Estimates suggest that 9-15% of Twitter users are bots185,182, with bot activity typically increasing around controversial political events [186]. Twitter social bots, who do not follow social instincts but neither succumb to fatigue, engage less in social interactions via replies and mentions than humans but produce more content [187]. The bots mainly retweet – a passive strategy to indicate support and gain followers – but are less successful in attracting friends and followers than humans [182]. Overall, they are less connected and bot-bot (2%), bot-human (19%), and human-bot (3%) interactions are considerably less common than human-human interactions (76%) 1[86]. Despite their rudimentary social behavior and weak network integration, Twitter bots significantly influence political communication, public opinion, elections, and markets. They play an important role in misinformation dissemination in relation to political events [188,189,190,191,192,193,194], COVID-19[195,196], and stock market investment [197]. Bots can affect human interaction networks by encouraging followings and conversations [198] and amplify low-credibility content early on by targeting influential humans through replies and mentions [192]. Bots’ large numbers enhance their visibility and influence to trigger deep information cascades [199]. Bots equally link to true and false news from low-credibility sites, but people prefer false content, making humans ultimately responsible for the spread of false news [200]. Twitter bots significantly contribute to negative sentiment and conflict escalation. Acting from the periphery, they target central human users to exert indirect influence. They amplify existing negative sentiment and selectively promote inflammatory content, often targeting only one of the factions[186]. Their success stems from exploiting human tendencies to connect with similar others and engage with messages that reinforce their beliefs [201]. Consequently, bots increase ideological polarization and negatively affect democratic discourse on social media, as seen in the 2016 US presidential election[202], the 2016 UK Brexit Referendum[201], and the 2017 Catalan independence referendum[186]. In sum, Twitter’s covert social bots are considered harmful, prompting the platform to cull them[203,204]. Their strength lies in indirect action: they skew the platform’s recommendation system to bias content popularity [137] and exploit human behavioral weaknesses like attention seeking, confirmation bias, moral outrage, and ideological homophily. Authors:
(1) Milena Tsvetkova, Department of Methodology, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, United Kingdom;
(2) Taha Yasseri, School of Sociology, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland and Geary Institute for Public Policy, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland;
(3) Niccolo Pescetelli, Collective Intelligence Lab, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey, USA;
(4) Tobias Werner, Center for Humans and Machines, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY 4.0 DEED license. This is Part 5 of a 12-part series based on the research paper “Human-Machine Social Systems.” Use the table of links below to navigate to the next part. This is Part 5 of a 12-part series based on the research paper “Human-Machine Social Systems.” Use the table of links below to navigate to the next part. “ Human-Machine Social Systems .” Human-Machine Social Systems Table of Links Abstract and Introduction Abstract and Introduction Human-machine interactions Human-machine interactions Collective outcomes Collective outcomes Box 1: Competition in high-frequency trading markets Box 1: Competition in high-frequency trading markets Box 2: Contagion on Twitter Box 2: Contagion on Twitter Box 3: Cooperation and coordination on Wikipedia Box 3: Cooperation and coordination on Wikipedia Box 4: Cooperation and contagion on Reddit Box 4: Cooperation and contagion on Reddit Discussion Discussion Implications for research Implications for research Implications for design Implications for design Implications for policy Implications for policy Conclusion, Acknowledgments, References, and Competing interests Conclusion, Acknowledgments, References, and Competing interests Box 2: Contagion on Twitter Social bots on the micro-blogging platform Twitter (re-branded as X in 2022) are covert automated accounts designed to impersonate humans to boost followers, disseminate information, and promote products. Bots and bot detection methods have co-evolved, resulting in increasingly more sophisticated imitation or detection strategies [177,178,179,180,39,181,182], but detection is inherently limited due to the overlap between covert autonomous bots, managed user accounts, hacked accounts, cyborgs, sock-puppets, and coordinated botnets [24,183,22,184]. Estimates suggest that 9-15% of Twitter users are bots185,182, with bot activity typically increasing around controversial political events [186]. Twitter social bots, who do not follow social instincts but neither succumb to fatigue, engage less in social interactions via replies and mentions than humans but produce more content [187]. The bots mainly retweet – a passive strategy to indicate support and gain followers – but are less successful in attracting friends and followers than humans [182]. Overall, they are less connected and bot-bot (2%), bot-human (19%), and human-bot (3%) interactions are considerably less common than human-human interactions (76%) 1[86]. Despite their rudimentary social behavior and weak network integration, Twitter bots significantly influence political communication, public opinion, elections, and markets. They play an important role in misinformation dissemination in relation to political events [188,189,190,191,192,193,194], COVID-19[195,196], and stock market investment [197]. Bots can affect human interaction networks by encouraging followings and conversations [198] and amplify low-credibility content early on by targeting influential humans through replies and mentions [192]. Bots’ large numbers enhance their visibility and influence to trigger deep information cascades [199]. Bots equally link to true and false news from low-credibility sites, but people prefer false content, making humans ultimately responsible for the spread of false news [200]. Twitter bots significantly contribute to negative sentiment and conflict escalation. Acting from the periphery, they target central human users to exert indirect influence. They amplify existing negative sentiment and selectively promote inflammatory content, often targeting only one of the factions[186]. Their success stems from exploiting human tendencies to connect with similar others and engage with messages that reinforce their beliefs [201]. Consequently, bots increase ideological polarization and negatively affect democratic discourse on social media, as seen in the 2016 US presidential election[202], the 2016 UK Brexit Referendum[201], and the 2017 Catalan independence referendum[186]. In sum, Twitter’s covert social bots are considered harmful, prompting the platform to cull them[203,204]. Their strength lies in indirect action: they skew the platform’s recommendation system to bias content popularity [137] and exploit human behavioral weaknesses like attention seeking, confirmation bias, moral outrage, and ideological homophily. Authors: (1) Milena Tsvetkova, Department of Methodology, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, United Kingdom; (2) Taha Yasseri, School of Sociology, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland and Geary Institute for Public Policy, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; (3) Niccolo Pescetelli, Collective Intelligence Lab, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey, USA; (4) Tobias Werner, Center for Humans and Machines, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany. Authors: Authors: (1) Milena Tsvetkova, Department of Methodology, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, United Kingdom; (2) Taha Yasseri, School of Sociology, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland and Geary Institute for Public Policy, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; (3) Niccolo Pescetelli, Collective Intelligence Lab, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey, USA; (4) Tobias Werner, Center for Humans and Machines, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY 4.0 DEED license. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY 4.0 DEED license. available on arxiv

Twitter Bots Spread Misinformation, Shape Opinions, & Amplify Polarization by Exploiting Human Bias

Venture capital, or VC (also known as risk capital), is a type of investment typically aimed at early-stage companies that are small to medium-sized. These companies often include startups, which may have little to no revenue yet. Because of this, they require substantial funding to carry out their operations, making this a high-risk investment model. Venture capitalists essentially bet on the potential of these startups, hoping their resources will grow in value as the company succeeds. Venture capital investments can generally be categorized into two types, each depending on the responsibilities, rights, and obligations of the company's founders and investors: General Partner (GP) – All investors share equal authority in deciding the company’s strategies.
Limited Partner (LP) – Not all participants have the same level of involvement; some contribute financially, while others focus on management and operations. When a startup founder seeks venture capital investment, one of the first steps is to determine how much equity each shareholder will hold, how involved investors will be in day-to-day operations, and what level of power and responsibility each party will have. It’s worth noting that venture capital investments are generally aimed at fostering rapid growth within the company. Unlike traditional investments, it's not always necessary to have a fully developed product already on the market. However, investors will evaluate a variety of factors before deciding whether to invest in an idea or product. Some of these factors may be prioritized more than others when it comes to high-risk investments. The Management Team A strong team and solid leadership are critical in determining whether a company has the structure necessary to move forward with its work or ideas. Even if the startup is small, which is common in the early stages, the interaction among team members, their experience, and their skill sets are of utmost importance. One of the key factors is the ability to execute: it's not a dealbreaker if a startup doesn’t yet have a product; the idea can be promising, but what truly differentiates a good investment is the commitment and execution capability of the team. Ideas are plentiful, but not many have the technical skills and drive to make them a reality. For instance, some companies have managed to carve out significant market space, even in competitive industries, thanks to the collaboration and technical expertise of their team. Moreover, a strong leader is essential to harness the strengths of each team member to achieve the company's goals. The Business Model Now, this part can get a bit tricky. Creating a sustainable business model might seem straightforward on paper, but in reality, it can be a real challenge. While a model might look great in theory, it can completely fall apart when put into practice. Today, there are plenty of tools and examples of business models that can be used for inspiration when building your own. It’s important to note that the real appeal of investing in a business model doesn’t necessarily lie in how it functions. Below are a few key factors that are often considered: Scalability


Viability


Competitive


Differentiation
Scalability and viability are crucial indicators of whether a business has the potential to expand, alongside how easily the business model can be replicated. Essentially, a scalable business is one that can increase its production, profitability, and operations without compromising efficiency and returns. If a business is scalable, replicating it becomes significantly easier. Replicability refers to a company’s ability to recreate a successful business model across different locations and markets. Depending on the business context, these factors can serve as significant competitive advantages and are definitely sought after by investors. By highlighting these aspects, both founders and investors can better understand what makes venture capital investments unique, as well as the key components that are analyzed before funding a startup. 3. Product Value A key aspect of venture capital investment is the value of the product being developed. Recently, I came across a book by Tony Fadell, an American software engineer and investor known for his work on the iPod, titled Build. In this book, Fadell provides a practical and clear guide to creating products that have real value. It's a great resource for anyone looking to build a career in product management and development, offering insights on not just how to build a successful career but also how to create something that adds genuine value to users. I first heard about this book through a news article on Google Ventures (now GV), a firm known for its investment in high-value products like GitLab, Stripe, Verve, and others—all widely used across various industries. It’s crucial for any envisioned product to hold value both for its user base and the broader community. Take GitLab, for example—it's a repository tool designed by developers for developers, making a significant impact within its target audience. Even a product that may seem small or niche has a great potential to grow if it can make a difference to its users. However, while creating a product that delivers value may sound simple and obvious, executing this in practice is often far more challenging than it initially appears. Ensuring a product’s value is not just about features and functionality; it’s about understanding user needs and creating something that stands out in a way that matters to its intended audience. In the context of venture capital, a valuable product can significantly increase a company's potential for rapid growth, which is precisely what investors are looking for. Choosing the Right Technology Choosing the right technology is crucial and can determine how valuable a company becomes, both in its early years and in the future. When I talk about technology, I don't just mean software development technologies like programming languages and frameworks, but also the tools that will help scale the business and build an MVP (Minimum Viable Product). Companies like Facebook and Twitter adopted web frameworks that allowed them to build a demonstrable product quickly. The ease provided by programming languages like Ruby and PHP was extremely important not only for constructing the first versions of their products but also for creating something easy to maintain and scale. All of this was only possible with the right management tools and personnel. Nowadays, there are essential technologies available for building an MVP. Below, I’ve listed some that are frequently used for web-focused MVPs: React.js or Vue.js: Popular JavaScript frameworks for creating interactive and responsive user interfaces.


Node.js: A fast and scalable JavaScript backend platform suitable for building RESTful APIs.


MongoDB: A flexible and scalable NoSQL database, suitable for MVPs where the data structure can evolve quickly. Additionally, you can use existing management methodologies and tools, such as Scrum, XP, and Design Sprint. To understand how the choice of technology—and any changes to it during business execution—can impact its value, I recommend reading the following article: ‘On Brex: My Thoughts on Backdrop Powers that Chose Kotlin over Elixir’. This article discusses how changing the backend of a company focused on the financial sector can impact its development and investment potential. Conclusion Securing investors for an idea is no easy task; it's not as simple as having a "lightbulb moment" like we often see in movies or dramatizations. In reality, it requires a lot of effort and planning to build something that can benefit both the people involved and others. The important thing is to stick to the execution and the initial plan, adopting technologies that will allow you to achieve these three key factors: Scalability, Viability, and Replicability. Venture capital, or VC (also known as risk capital), is a type of investment typically aimed at early-stage companies that are small to medium-sized. These companies often include startups, which may have little to no revenue yet. Because of this, they require substantial funding to carry out their operations, making this a high-risk investment model. Venture capitalists essentially bet on the potential of these startups, hoping their resources will grow in value as the company succeeds. Venture capital investments can generally be categorized into two types, each depending on the responsibilities, rights, and obligations of the company's founders and investors: General Partner (GP) – All investors share equal authority in deciding the company’s strategies. Limited Partner (LP) – Not all participants have the same level of involvement; some contribute financially, while others focus on management and operations. General Partner (GP) – All investors share equal authority in deciding the company’s strategies. General Partner (GP) – All investors share equal authority in deciding the company’s strategies. Limited Partner (LP) – Not all participants have the same level of involvement; some contribute financially, while others focus on management and operations. Limited Partner (LP) – Not all participants have the same level of involvement; some contribute financially, while others focus on management and operations. When a startup founder seeks venture capital investment, one of the first steps is to determine how much equity each shareholder will hold, how involved investors will be in day-to-day operations, and what level of power and responsibility each party will have. It’s worth noting that venture capital investments are generally aimed at fostering rapid growth within the company. Unlike traditional investments, it's not always necessary to have a fully developed product already on the market. However, investors will evaluate a variety of factors before deciding whether to invest in an idea or product. Some of these factors may be prioritized more than others when it comes to high-risk investments. The Management Team The Management Team The Management Team A strong team and solid leadership are critical in determining whether a company has the structure necessary to move forward with its work or ideas. Even if the startup is small, which is common in the early stages, the interaction among team members, their experience, and their skill sets are of utmost importance. One of the key factors is the ability to execute: it's not a dealbreaker if a startup doesn’t yet have a product; the idea can be promising, but what truly differentiates a good investment is the commitment and execution capability of the team. Ideas are plentiful, but not many have the technical skills and drive to make them a reality. For instance, some companies have managed to carve out significant market space, even in competitive industries, thanks to the collaboration and technical expertise of their team. Moreover, a strong leader is essential to harness the strengths of each team member to achieve the company's goals. The Business Model The Business Model The Business Model Now, this part can get a bit tricky. Creating a sustainable business model might seem straightforward on paper, but in reality, it can be a real challenge. While a model might look great in theory, it can completely fall apart when put into practice. Today, there are plenty of tools and examples of business models that can be used for inspiration when building your own. It’s important to note that the real appeal of investing in a business model doesn’t necessarily lie in how it functions. Below are a few key factors that are often considered: Scalability Viability Competitive Differentiation
Scalability and viability are crucial indicators of whether a business has the potential to expand, alongside how easily the business model can be replicated. Essentially, a scalable business is one that can increase its production, profitability, and operations without compromising efficiency and returns. If a business is scalable, replicating it becomes significantly easier. Replicability refers to a company’s ability to recreate a successful business model across different locations and markets. Depending on the business context, these factors can serve as significant competitive advantages and are definitely sought after by investors. Scalability Scalability Viability Viability Competitive Competitive Differentiation Scalability and viability are crucial indicators of whether a business has the potential to expand, alongside how easily the business model can be replicated. Essentially, a scalable business is one that can increase its production, profitability, and operations without compromising efficiency and returns. If a business is scalable, replicating it becomes significantly easier. Replicability refers to a company’s ability to recreate a successful business model across different locations and markets. Depending on the business context, these factors can serve as significant competitive advantages and are definitely sought after by investors. Differentiation Scalability and viability are crucial indicators of whether a business has the potential to expand, alongside how easily the business model can be replicated. Essentially, a scalable business is one that can increase its production, profitability, and operations without compromising efficiency and returns. If a business is scalable, replicating it becomes significantly easier. Replicability refers to a company’s ability to recreate a successful business model across different locations and markets. Depending on the business context, these factors can serve as significant competitive advantages and are definitely sought after by investors. Scalability and viability are crucial indicators of whether a business has the potential to expand, alongside how easily the business model can be replicated. Essentially, a scalable business is one that can increase its production, profitability, and operations without compromising efficiency and returns. If a business is scalable, replicating it becomes significantly easier. Replicability refers to a company’s ability to recreate a successful business model across different locations and markets. Depending on the business context, these factors can serve as significant competitive advantages and are definitely sought after by investors. By highlighting these aspects, both founders and investors can better understand what makes venture capital investments unique, as well as the key components that are analyzed before funding a startup. 3. Product Value 3. Product Value A key aspect of venture capital investment is the value of the product being developed. Recently, I came across a book by Tony Fadell, an American software engineer and investor known for his work on the iPod, titled Build . In this book, Fadell provides a practical and clear guide to creating products that have real value. It's a great resource for anyone looking to build a career in product management and development, offering insights on not just how to build a successful career but also how to create something that adds genuine value to users. I first heard about this book through a news article on Google Ventures (now GV), a firm known for its investment in high-value products like GitLab, Stripe, Verve, and others—all widely used across various industries. Build It’s crucial for any envisioned product to hold value both for its user base and the broader community. Take GitLab, for example—it's a repository tool designed by developers for developers, making a significant impact within its target audience. Even a product that may seem small or niche has a great potential to grow if it can make a difference to its users. However, while creating a product that delivers value may sound simple and obvious, executing this in practice is often far more challenging than it initially appears. Ensuring a product’s value is not just about features and functionality; it’s about understanding user needs and creating something that stands out in a way that matters to its intended audience. In the context of venture capital, a valuable product can significantly increase a company's potential for rapid growth, which is precisely what investors are looking for. Choosing the Right Technology Choosing the Right Technology Choosing the right technology is crucial and can determine how valuable a company becomes, both in its early years and in the future. When I talk about technology, I don't just mean software development technologies like programming languages and frameworks, but also the tools that will help scale the business and build an MVP (Minimum Viable Product). Companies like Facebook and Twitter adopted web frameworks that allowed them to build a demonstrable product quickly. The ease provided by programming languages like Ruby and PHP was extremely important not only for constructing the first versions of their products but also for creating something easy to maintain and scale. All of this was only possible with the right management tools and personnel. Nowadays, there are essential technologies available for building an MVP. Below, I’ve listed some that are frequently used for web-focused MVPs: React.js or Vue.js: Popular JavaScript frameworks for creating interactive and responsive user interfaces. Node.js: A fast and scalable JavaScript backend platform suitable for building RESTful APIs. MongoDB: A flexible and scalable NoSQL database, suitable for MVPs where the data structure can evolve quickly. React.js or Vue.js: Popular JavaScript frameworks for creating interactive and responsive user interfaces. React.js or Vue.js : Popular JavaScript frameworks for creating interactive and responsive user interfaces. React.js or Vue.js Node.js: A fast and scalable JavaScript backend platform suitable for building RESTful APIs. Node.js : A fast and scalable JavaScript backend platform suitable for building RESTful APIs. Node.js MongoDB: A flexible and scalable NoSQL database, suitable for MVPs where the data structure can evolve quickly. MongoDB : A flexible and scalable NoSQL database, suitable for MVPs where the data structure can evolve quickly. MongoDB Additionally, you can use existing management methodologies and tools, such as Scrum, XP, and Design Sprint. To understand how the choice of technology—and any changes to it during business execution—can impact its value, I recommend reading the following article: ‘On Brex: My Thoughts on Backdrop Powers that Chose Kotlin over Elixir’ . This article discusses how changing the backend of a company focused on the financial sector can impact its development and investment potential. ‘ On Brex: My Thoughts on Backdrop Powers that Chose Kotlin over Elixir ’ On Brex: My Thoughts on Backdrop Powers that Chose Kotlin over Elixir Conclusion Conclusion Securing investors for an idea is no easy task; it's not as simple as having a "lightbulb moment" like we often see in movies or dramatizations. In reality, it requires a lot of effort and planning to build something that can benefit both the people involved and others. The important thing is to stick to the execution and the initial plan, adopting technologies that will allow you to achieve these three key factors: Scalability, Viability, and Replicability.

Venture Capital Insights: What Investors Look for in Startups

While writing this post, I was thinking about where to start mentioning Ruby. It was hard to figure out because, not long ago, I didn’t even know what Ruby or JavaScript were. I didn’t even know what I should be doing with my life next. Yes, I was quite depressed at that time, but to explain everything better, let’s get back to 2021. A Career in Real Estate In 2021, I was working as a Real Estate Agent in Poland. It was my first proper profession in my homeland since I left the country right after college. The pandemic forced me to come back, but our plan at that time was to apply for a visa to Canada with my wife. We knew that the process would take some time, so while sorting everything out, I decided to open a business and become an agent. I had always wanted to own a business and work for myself. Challenges in the Polish Real Estate Market I enjoyed it, but let’s be honest. The real estate market in Poland is not the easiest one in Europe to work with. I had customers, houses, and flats for sale, and there was some rotation. Sometimes better, sometimes worse, but I knew that if I kept doing this for a few more years, I would be able to grow that business much more. Dreams of Moving Abroad However, I never wanted to live in my country. I always wanted to be somewhere else, and this thought was coming back to me every single day. I remember when I was around 16 years old, waking up in my family home, looking through the window, and thinking that I had lived here most of my life and the world was too big to spend the rest of my time in the same place. I think it was the beginning of the discovery part of my soul which I then grow up and I began to travel the world. A Plan to Move to Canada Anyway, at that moment, I sent over 800 CVs to various employers in Canada who could give me a visa. There was only one guy from Nova Scotia who responded. We had a chat for about 10 minutes, after which the connection broke, and I never heard back from him. Nice… My goal started to fall apart. Relocating to the UK After a year or so, my friend who lived in the UK told me to come to the UK instead. He was the one with whom I left the country straight after college. As you can guess, we flew to England. He told me to apply for pre-settled status as I had been living there for almost five years, so I should get it pretty easily. I thought, why not? Let’s do it! It would be a much better idea to become a real estate agent in the UK and start a business there. As I said, I did. I got a message from the government that my documents had been received and I had full rights to work and live in the UK. Hah! How lucky I am! It was after Brexit, unfortunately, so if I didn’t get it, I would have had to apply for visas and all that… Facing New Challenges It wasn’t more than a month, I think, when I had my motorbike and car sold, customers were taken care of by my coworkers from the company I was at, and I was ready to go. I rented a room in my friend’s house and had to find a job quickly as I was quite short on money. I quickly got a CNC position after I graduated from mechanical college. It was all good; I began saving money for my wife to come so we could rent a flat. A few months passed, and I began to receive calls from the Home Office asking me for documents that would prove I lived in the UK for five years before. I thought it would be easy! All I needed to do was find old emails, payslips, and other things and just forward them. But once I started digging for them, it turned out I had lived here only four years and eight months or something very close to that. I was cooked… I didn’t know what to do, and it turned out that my plan was falling apart… again. A New Beginning in the South I went to a lawyer who told me that if my decision was refused, I had to apply for another review that would buy me more time. Of course, it happened, I did apply, and because there were thousands of people in a similar situation to mine - I got stuck here for another 2 years. In the meantime, I moved down to the south where I found a company that could provide me with a working visa if I needed it, but here is where the Ruby story actually begins! Discovering Programming I work as a CNC bending machine operator… Every day kind of looks the same. It’s super boring, and I was getting sick of it and wanted to change something, as this was not getting me any closer to my dream of owning a business, and I knew I wouldn’t become a solopreneur by staying here. Experimenting with AI and Blogging I decided to experiment with ChatGPT and started two affiliate blogs. The first one taught me a lot about SEO, WordPress, and how to use AI, but a major Google update killed this blog. So I opened another one, this time on the Polish market, thinking that Google doesn’t check the Polish language so often. As of now, it’s working out. It gets 500 views a month, and I wonder whether to grow this more or sell it. I will see… If you want to have a look at the other websites I created, there you go: LordHomie
WewnetrznyAzyl A Visit from an Old Friend Working on these blogs, especially with AI, felt to me as if I was at work doing a monkey job. It wasn’t what I wanted. I still thought about what to do because I knew I couldn’t stand working on CNC anymore. A few days later, my friend from Poland called me, saying he would like to come and see me. He is a programmer and doing well. As you might already know, I came up with a brilliant idea. I will ask him everything about this and will start learning. The more I thought, the more ideas I had, and I saw that programming does not set any borders. You can literally do anything with it. Starting My Coding Journey When he came, I spoke to him, and we began looking for great resources for me to learn coding. I stumbled upon a couple of them, all on Udemy. After a little research, I picked one and was happy and excited to get this going. It was JavaScript, of course. I was learning every single day, little by little, until I got to classes, and then I had another look at the course resources. Finding the Right Learning Path It seemed to me that I was going quite fast and would finish the course in probably 1-2 months, but I still hadn’t even done one project, and I didn’t even have a clue how to make one! I knew it wasn’t a good way to learn, and from the experience I had from learning other things, I felt it was going to end up as tutorial hell. Discovering The Odin Project I quickly began to search for something else and found The Odin Project, which was recommended everywhere. It promised me to think as a programmer, sort out any problem on my own, build any project I wish, and be able to apply for junior dev jobs with all that knowledge. I thought that if it takes even 1 year or more for people to finish it, then it might be true. I gave it a go, and so far, I am not disappointed. Choosing Ruby Ok, but WHAT ABOUT RUBY?! While going through The Odin Project Foundations, I was thinking about which path I wanted to follow afterward: JavaScript or Ruby and Ruby on Rails. I read a lot and watched a lot of videos about it, and of course, I found a lot of articles that said Ruby is dead, nobody is hiring, it’s old and not good anymore, yada yada yada. I have always liked to be different and do things the opposite way for many people. Moreover, the idea of making an MVP fast with Ruby excited me as I could imagine myself doing more advanced projects than my previous WordPress blogs in probably less time with a higher success rate. All these were enough to make me choose it. If it’s the language that I can use to push my MVPs as fast as possible and see which one grabs people’s attention - then I am in! Thank you for reading my story! If you enjoyed this article and want to follow my journey as I continue to learn and grow in programming, follow me on Twitter @CodeByBlazej. I share updates, tips, and insights that you won’t want to miss. See you there! While writing this post, I was thinking about where to start mentioning Ruby. It was hard to figure out because, not long ago, I didn’t even know what Ruby or JavaScript were. I didn’t even know what I should be doing with my life next. Yes, I was quite depressed at that time, but to explain everything better, let’s get back to 2021. A Career in Real Estate In 2021, I was working as a Real Estate Agent in Poland. It was my first proper profession in my homeland since I left the country right after college. The pandemic forced me to come back, but our plan at that time was to apply for a visa to Canada with my wife. We knew that the process would take some time, so while sorting everything out, I decided to open a business and become an agent. I had always wanted to own a business and work for myself. Challenges in the Polish Real Estate Market I enjoyed it, but let’s be honest. The real estate market in Poland is not the easiest one in Europe to work with. I had customers, houses, and flats for sale, and there was some rotation. Sometimes better, sometimes worse, but I knew that if I kept doing this for a few more years, I would be able to grow that business much more. Dreams of Moving Abroad However, I never wanted to live in my country. I always wanted to be somewhere else, and this thought was coming back to me every single day. I remember when I was around 16 years old, waking up in my family home, looking through the window, and thinking that I had lived here most of my life and the world was too big to spend the rest of my time in the same place. I think it was the beginning of the discovery part of my soul which I then grow up and I began to travel the world. A Plan to Move to Canada Anyway, at that moment, I sent over 800 CVs to various employers in Canada who could give me a visa. There was only one guy from Nova Scotia who responded. We had a chat for about 10 minutes, after which the connection broke, and I never heard back from him. Nice… My goal started to fall apart. Relocating to the UK After a year or so, my friend who lived in the UK told me to come to the UK instead. He was the one with whom I left the country straight after college. As you can guess, we flew to England. He told me to apply for pre-settled status as I had been living there for almost five years, so I should get it pretty easily. I thought, why not? Let’s do it! It would be a much better idea to become a real estate agent in the UK and start a business there. As I said, I did. I got a message from the government that my documents had been received and I had full rights to work and live in the UK. Hah! How lucky I am! It was after Brexit, unfortunately, so if I didn’t get it, I would have had to apply for visas and all that… Facing New Challenges It wasn’t more than a month, I think, when I had my motorbike and car sold, customers were taken care of by my coworkers from the company I was at, and I was ready to go. I rented a room in my friend’s house and had to find a job quickly as I was quite short on money. I quickly got a CNC position after I graduated from mechanical college. It was all good; I began saving money for my wife to come so we could rent a flat. A few months passed, and I began to receive calls from the Home Office asking me for documents that would prove I lived in the UK for five years before. I thought it would be easy! All I needed to do was find old emails, payslips, and other things and just forward them. But once I started digging for them, it turned out I had lived here only four years and eight months or something very close to that. I was cooked… I didn’t know what to do, and it turned out that my plan was falling apart… again. A New Beginning in the South I went to a lawyer who told me that if my decision was refused, I had to apply for another review that would buy me more time. Of course, it happened, I did apply, and because there were thousands of people in a similar situation to mine - I got stuck here for another 2 years. In the meantime, I moved down to the south where I found a company that could provide me with a working visa if I needed it, but here is where the Ruby story actually begins! Discovering Programming I work as a CNC bending machine operator… Every day kind of looks the same. It’s super boring, and I was getting sick of it and wanted to change something, as this was not getting me any closer to my dream of owning a business, and I knew I wouldn’t become a solopreneur by staying here. Experimenting with AI and Blogging I decided to experiment with ChatGPT and started two affiliate blogs. The first one taught me a lot about SEO, WordPress, and how to use AI, but a major Google update killed this blog. So I opened another one, this time on the Polish market, thinking that Google doesn’t check the Polish language so often. As of now, it’s working out. It gets 500 views a month, and I wonder whether to grow this more or sell it. I will see… If you want to have a look at the other websites I created, there you go: LordHomie WewnetrznyAzyl LordHomie LordHomie WewnetrznyAzyl WewnetrznyAzyl A Visit from an Old Friend Working on these blogs, especially with AI, felt to me as if I was at work doing a monkey job. It wasn’t what I wanted. I still thought about what to do because I knew I couldn’t stand working on CNC anymore. A few days later, my friend from Poland called me, saying he would like to come and see me. He is a programmer and doing well. As you might already know, I came up with a brilliant idea. I will ask him everything about this and will start learning. The more I thought, the more ideas I had, and I saw that programming does not set any borders. You can literally do anything with it. Starting My Coding Journey When he came, I spoke to him, and we began looking for great resources for me to learn coding. I stumbled upon a couple of them, all on Udemy . Udemy After a little research, I picked one and was happy and excited to get this going. It was JavaScript, of course. I was learning every single day, little by little, until I got to classes, and then I had another look at the course resources. Finding the Right Learning Path It seemed to me that I was going quite fast and would finish the course in probably 1-2 months, but I still hadn’t even done one project, and I didn’t even have a clue how to make one! I knew it wasn’t a good way to learn, and from the experience I had from learning other things, I felt it was going to end up as tutorial hell. Discovering The Odin Project I quickly began to search for something else and found The Odin Project , which was recommended everywhere. It promised me to think as a programmer, sort out any problem on my own, build any project I wish, and be able to apply for junior dev jobs with all that knowledge. The Odin Project I thought that if it takes even 1 year or more for people to finish it, then it might be true. I gave it a go, and so far, I am not disappointed. Choosing Ruby Ok, but WHAT ABOUT RUBY?! While going through The Odin Project Foundations, I was thinking about which path I wanted to follow afterward: JavaScript or Ruby and Ruby on Rails. I read a lot and watched a lot of videos about it, and of course, I found a lot of articles that said Ruby is dead, nobody is hiring, it’s old and not good anymore, yada yada yada. I have always liked to be different and do things the opposite way for many people. Moreover, the idea of making an MVP fast with Ruby excited me as I could imagine myself doing more advanced projects than my previous WordPress blogs in probably less time with a higher success rate. All these were enough to make me choose it. If it’s the language that I can use to push my MVPs as fast as possible and see which one grabs people’s attention - then I am in! Thank you for reading my story! If you enjoyed this article and want to follow my journey as I continue to learn and grow in programming, follow me on Twitter @CodeByBlazej . I share updates, tips, and insights that you won’t want to miss. See you there! @CodeByBlazej

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