Hey — It's Nico.

This newsletter contains the following:

• 1 failed startup.
• 5 resources for founders.
• 5 startup news.
• 1 hot startup.

This issue is brought to you by On Deck Founders:

On Deck Founders (ODF) is an invite-only community for early-stage founders who want to find a co-founder, validate an idea, or build traction towards a fundraise.

Here's what Vance Roush, co-founder of Overflow had to say👇:

"On Deck was catalytic in the earliest introductions to angel investors, giving us the momentum needed for later rounds of fundraising. Being around world-class people that are the best in the industry, and to be able to share knowledge was huge."

Overflow raised a $10M Series A from R7 Partners.

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Failed startup of the week: Brodmann17

​Brodmann17, an Israeli computer vision technology startup, announced that they’re shutting down this week.

The company was founded six years ago by CEO Adi Pinhas and AI scientists Amir Alush and Assaf Mushinsky. Brodmann17 raised $11M in a series A round in 2019, which OurCrowd led, with participation from Maniv Mobility, Samsung NEXT, and Sony Innovation Fund, among others.

Broadman17 tried to develop a new approach to computer vision technology to support advanced driver assistance systems. These systems are a critical part of automated driving features and are a multibillion-dollar market expected to grow as automakers shift towards more autonomous vehicles.

However, the company struggled to get new funding, and despite having a small team, it was impossible to continue without support from VCs. According to the CEO, they couldn’t raise funding because “everyone” is waiting for next year and for something to happen before making more investments.

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What to check this week?

📄 We’ve partnered with Notion to bring you 7 templates that will help you track and achieve your goals in 2023.

💰 Some founders have generated $Ms in revenue with 0 employees. Here are 10 one-person company stories.

📈 Bari Weiss, the New York Times columnist, has hired 10 full-time employees to help build her new media company and has openly shared her business plan.

⚔️ Lensa, an AI avatar generator app, is making $1M in daily revenue. Pieter Levels, founder of a competitor business, shares his thoughts on what they’re doing so well.

💬 Shaan Puri has recently interviewed entrepreneur, investor, and author, Tim Ferriss. In this podcast, he shares Tim’s money and life lessons.

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What happened this week?

☠️ Twitter shuts down Revue, the newsletter platform it acquired less than 2 years ago, as part of Elon Musk’s efforts to simplify the company.

🚔 FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried was arrested in the Bahamas. U.S. authorities have filed criminal charges against him.

💵 Grocery delivery firm Getir acquires embattled rival Gorillas as industry consolidates. The long-rumored takeover reportedly values Gorillas at $1.2B.

💼 Layoffs continue. Airtable layoffs 254 employees, alongside an executive departure. Thumbtack cuts 14% of its staff. Playtika lays off 610 workers.

🔥 AI art apps are cluttering the App Store’s Top Charts. The number 1 spot in the U.S. is held by Lensa AI, with 12.6M global installs in the first 11 days of December.

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Hot startup of the week: Poppi

​Poppi, formerly known as Mother Beverage, has secured $25M in a series B funding round to continue growing its prebiotic beverage that focuses on gut health.

The drinks are made with real fruit and apple cider vinegar and have less than five grams of sugar and 20 calories. The ingredients are chosen to support digestion, boost immunity, and promote glowing skin.

In an interview with TechCrunch, co-founder Allison Ellsworth mentioned: “We see Poppi as a soda for the next generation, and we see people wanting to drink it every day because it tastes good and is a soda replacement.”

As consumer preferences change, smaller players in the beverage industry are finding success by offering healthier alternatives to traditional soft drinks. However, some investors are skeptical that these companies can disrupt the market.

What do you think of today's newsletter?

• ​🔥 Great​
• ​😒 Meh​
• ​👎 Not interesting​

Cheers,

Nico