Startup Grind is a global startup community committed to educating, inspiring, and connecting entrepreneurs worldwide. With over 5 million members and presence in 125 countries, it has truly become a pivotal platform for startup enthusiasts. How do you perceive the functioning of Startup Grind in your area? Whether it's through events, networking opportunities, or educational sessions, what aspects of Startup Grind have benefitted you? Feel free to share your experiences and insights on how this community initiative is fostering the entrepreneurial spirit in Tokyo and beyond.

The AI generated answers at the top of virtually every internet search has pre-empted the internet advertising model companies have used for thirty years to attract new retail consumers. Most industry observers I have encountered believe fewer than 20% of all searchers now look past the AI summaries. Every DTC company I have asked has seen their internet traffic drop 70 to 90%. At the same time the cost of acquiring the few customers through these channels (Google, Meta/Facebook, etc.) has risen rapidly. What alternatives can be developed using AI?

I recently had a discovery call with a Series A founder who was frustrated. They raised $8M, hired 12 engineers, but couldn't ship features faster than when they were a team of 3. The culprit? Technical debt was eating 42% of their developers' time every single week. Here's what shocked me during our architecture review: The Real Numbers (McKinsey, Stripe): Tech debt accounts for 20-40% of your entire technology estate value Developers spend 13.5 hours/week just dealing with tech debt and bad code That's $85 billion lost globally in opportunity cost annually For every $1M in your codebase, you're paying $306K/year in technical debt costs The Silent Growth Killer: Knight Capital learned this the hard way in 2012. Poor code maintenance led to unintended trades causing a $460M loss in one day . Their stock dropped 75% the next morning. But here's what founders don't realize: 69% of IT leaders say tech debt fundamentally limits their ability to innovate . You're not just paying to fix old code—you're sacrificing the features that could 10x your growth. Three Red Flags I See in Early-Stage Startups: "Move fast and break things" becomes "move slow and fix everything" - Your sprint velocity drops by 50% after reaching product-market fit The scaling trap - 74% of startups fail due to premature scaling, often because their architecture can't support growth The talent drain - Your best engineers leave because they're tired of firefighting legacy code instead of building What Changed for That Series A Founder: We rebuilt their core architecture in 8 weeks. Their team now ships 3x faster, onboarding new engineers takes days instead of months, and they actually have bandwidth to explore AI features their competitors can't touch. Bottom line: Technical debt isn't just an engineering problem—it's a fundraising problem. When you pitch Series B and VCs dig into your tech due diligence, they'll find it. Better to fix it when you control the timeline than when you're under pressure. If you're experiencing slow feature delivery despite hiring more engineers, or your team spends more time debugging than building, let's talk architecture. The ROI on getting this right early is exponential. Connect with me on LinkedIn (Meir Avimelec Davidov) to discuss how proper architecture planning can save you millions in the long run.

HOW DOES ONE LOGIN TO THE EVENT CAUSE THE LINK JUST BRINGS US BACK TO THE RSVP, WITHOUT A PROPER JOINING LINK TO THE VIRTUAL EVENT!!

Hi all, I’m an ex-Googler who’s always had a strong interest in the area of self-improvement. I have my own structure/system to iteratively address my outstanding weaknesses within the following domains conventionally regarded as “foundations to success”:  discipline, mindfulness, motivation, patience, and grit . I employ interventions (largely CBT-based), and leverage mindfulness gained from meditation to ensure I’m able to actually perform the relevant interventions. I journal to reflect on the value my current toolset provides and iterate accordingly, using observations about my thoughts / feelings I note during the day as fodder. None of these things is "novel", but I’m unable to find an app that replicates this flow. Because I’ve used this flow to improve my own performance as a developer, I’m considering making an app for this. And I think this could be useful to startup founders, as well. Questions: Thoughts on the value of this as an app? Of the areas I listed (emboldened), which do you have the most pain points in? Are there any apps/tools you use to improve and track progress? Anybody interested in discussing this 1:1? Happy to share my knowledge on these subjects…

what's the difference between the VIP tickets and the Regular tickets?

The entrepreneurial journey is a gauntlet of challenges. You'll face doubts, setbacks, and endless hurdles. But every obstacle you overcome makes your venture stronger and more resilient . To not just survive, but truly thrive, you need to draw strength from those who've paved the way: founders, visionaries, and researchers. 1. Founders: The Architects of Action Founders are your practical guides. Their stories of early struggles, critical pivots, and ultimate breakthroughs offer blueprints for overcoming today's challenges. They prove that the anxieties you face are universal, and that persistence and adaptability are your greatest assets. Studying their journeys gives you the courage to take the next, difficult step. 2. Visionaries: The Cartographers of Tomorrow Visionaries dare to see what isn't there yet. They challenge the status quo and imagine radically different futures. Engaging with their perspectives helps you lift your head from the day-to-day to position your venture for long-term relevance. They encourage you to think bigger and align your work with the powerful currents of innovation. 3. Researchers: The Bedrock of Innovation Researchers provide the very foundation for progress. Their meticulous work and fundamental discoveries create the raw materials for new industries and transformative technologies. For any cutting-edge venture, appreciating their contributions ensures you're building on the most solid, current knowledge available. They are the source code of your future success. Meet the Architects of Our AI Future This powerful trifecta is brilliantly embodied by the AI List honorees —a group of visionaries, researchers, founders, and operators whose early work is driving real progress in the field. Their journeys show how groundbreaking research translates into market reality and how audacious visions become world-changing products. Don't navigate your journey in isolation. Draw inspiration from their experiences and equip yourself with the knowledge you need for tomorrow. 🔥 Call to Action: Ready to Ignite Your Next Chapter? Learn from these giants! Register for the upcoming AI Month and gain unparalleled insights from the leaders shaping the future of Artificial Intelligence.