{"id":41577,"title":"FoundersGrid 13th June 2018 – Market news","publisher":"Share Talk","author":"sharetalk","published":"2018-06-13T08:43:47+00:00","modified":"2018-06-13T08:55:10+00:00","canonical_url":"https://www.share-talk.com/foundersgrid-13th-june-2018-market-news/","markdown_url":"https://www.share-talk.com/foundersgrid-13th-june-2018-market-news.md","json_url":"https://www.share-talk.com/foundersgrid-13th-june-2018-market-news.json","category":"Fintech","categories":["Fintech"],"tags":["Ant Financial","Crypto","eCommerce","Elon Musk","FoundersGrid","TokenDemoDay","WeWork"],"featured_image":"https://i0.wp.com/www.share-talk.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Stencil-Google-Chrome-2023-04-19-at-2.47.43-PM.jpeg?fit=1231%2C615&quality=89&ssl=1","format":"news","language":"en-GB","content":" \n\nIn just a few short years, WeWork has risen to a $20B valuation, making it one of the world’s most valuable startups. Let us look at WeWork’s journey to become the most hyped startup in the world.\n\nGoogle should be a top consideration when starting a new venture. The search engine giant is clearly an excellent advertising platform, but at the same time, it can also be biased towards large corporations.\n\n|   |\n| --- |\n| [Follow WeWork’s journey to become the most hyped startup in the world](https://foundersgrid.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c68e48c86ce2c4755f0a5a987&id=00cc182216&e=c219312d81) In just a few short years, WeWork has risen to a $20B valuation, making it one of the world’s most valuable startups. The WeWork team is focused on transforming the workplace by providing not just a comfortable space to work, but by creating an ecosystem and services stack that’s complementary to entrepreneurs and small businesses. [This serial founder has some sage advice for budding VCs](https://foundersgrid.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c68e48c86ce2c4755f0a5a987&id=373f441925&e=c219312d81) According to one entrepreneur, VC should be treating each conversation with founders as if both parties are on an equal playing field. In addition, potential investors should take care to apply their investment thesis to startups early on in the process, and likewise, founders should make sure to evaluate their VCs for their insights offered. [Here’s how to validate that your online business idea is actually going to make you money](https://foundersgrid.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c68e48c86ce2c4755f0a5a987&id=5c587c632a&e=c219312d81) Many founders launch their online businesses with great excitement – followed by deflation when their idea doesn’t work out, often due to a combination of factors. Using this framework from Jeff Bullas to assess your product-market fit and competitive landscape can help you avoid similar pitfalls and accelerate sales along the way. [On the scooter economy, and the rise of everything as a service](https://foundersgrid.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c68e48c86ce2c4755f0a5a987&id=7a0729c9c7&e=c219312d81) This great post from Ben Thompson sums up why the rise of “everything as a service” is inevitable, particularly in the hardware space. That said, some crowded industries haven’t yet seen a single competitor rise to the forefront – and that’s because it’s difficult to quickly and effectively build a moat in the hardware space. [Here’s how Google stacks the deck against startups and small businesses](https://foundersgrid.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c68e48c86ce2c4755f0a5a987&id=ad85fee362&e=c219312d81) As a founder, dealing with Google should be a top consideration when starting a new venture. The search engine giant is clearly an excellent advertising platform, but at the same time, it can also be biased towards large corporations. This guide clearly lays out why SEO and topical expertise can help combat this and drive more traffic at the same time. [According to most founders, VCs only are adding value about half of the time](https://foundersgrid.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c68e48c86ce2c4755f0a5a987&id=7e60d6dc52&e=c219312d81) After running a global survey across more than 200 founders and VCs, the investment fund Newfund found that VCs rated their influence 32% higher than entrepreneurs rated their own VCs. This statistic is emblematic of a trend that sees potential investors falling out of touch with the founders that lead their venture investments. [Ever wonder why nobody answers the phone anymore? Here’s why](https://foundersgrid.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c68e48c86ce2c4755f0a5a987&id=7908a64634&e=c219312d81) Despite smartphones being ubiquitous in everyday life, very few still use them for their original purpose: talking to others. This is likely due to the fragmentation of the communication options available today, in addition to a proliferation of telemarketing calls, which most people loathe receiving. [Inside the messy, expensive split between Facebook and WhatsApp’s founders](https://foundersgrid.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c68e48c86ce2c4755f0a5a987&id=ce1cb79a0f&e=c219312d81) After WhatsApp’s founders walked away from their deal with Facebook leaving $1.3B on the table, many were left wondering what went wrong. After some digging, it seems the rift originated from differing opinions between WhatsApp’s founding team and Facebook’s executive team around how to implement advertising on the messaging platform. [Here’s how to master hiring as a startup founder](https://foundersgrid.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c68e48c86ce2c4755f0a5a987&id=7e083bb074&e=c219312d81) As a founder, making the right hires can be one of the most difficult challenges of starting a new venture. Rather than waiting for resumes to pile up, hiring decisively is key to quickly building a team filled with top talent. In addition, creating a way to quickly determine a cultural fit is incredibly important, especially for startups. [This startup is building a multi-billion dollar online empire with $2 sunglasses](https://foundersgrid.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c68e48c86ce2c4755f0a5a987&id=cb5bb6d850&e=c219312d81) After hitting more than $1B in revenue for the first time last year, the online retail startup is planning for even more growth in 2018. The company, which sells online products from Chinese manufacturers at extremely low prices, is looking to take on Amazon in the low-end online retail space. |\n\n|   |\n| --- |\n| **COMMUNITY NEWS** - Meet TokenDemoDay –  A one-day virtual conference featuring some of the hottest blockchain projects that will reshape our future. [Link](https://foundersgrid.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c68e48c86ce2c4755f0a5a987&id=d8f5a9be41&e=c219312d81) - Use this library of over a million royalty-free icons for your next design project. [Link](https://foundersgrid.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c68e48c86ce2c4755f0a5a987&id=b9a84dd5e8&e=c219312d81) - Elon Musk announces that Tesla’s next software update will enable “fully self-driving features”. [Link](https://foundersgrid.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c68e48c86ce2c4755f0a5a987&id=1ff363ac4b&e=c219312d81) - Ant Financial has raised an additional $14B in its largest funding round to date. [Link](https://foundersgrid.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c68e48c86ce2c4755f0a5a987&id=a260ee77de&e=c219312d81) - There’s only 1 day left to apply for Startup Battlefield at this year’s Disrupt SF. [Link](https://foundersgrid.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c68e48c86ce2c4755f0a5a987&id=2e13940d62&e=c219312d81) - eCommerce startup Wish has built an online retail empire with $2 sunglasses. [Link](https://foundersgrid.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c68e48c86ce2c4755f0a5a987&id=ea8356fa4e&e=c219312d81) - Here’s how a single drone helped Mexican police drop crime by 10%. [Link](https://foundersgrid.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c68e48c86ce2c4755f0a5a987&id=0fc8dbe9e8&e=c219312d81) - Use these 50 free resources to promote your next startup project. [Link](https://foundersgrid.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c68e48c86ce2c4755f0a5a987&id=303c3a7501&e=c219312d81) - 20 crypto companies in Singapore you should get to know. [Link](https://foundersgrid.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c68e48c86ce2c4755f0a5a987&id=34bb117bd6&e=c219312d81) - Meet Cyabra, the Israeli startup that’s building an antidote to fake news. [Link](https://foundersgrid.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c68e48c86ce2c4755f0a5a987&id=d4ced03b98&e=c219312d81) |\n\n|   |\n| --- |\n| Thanks to [Retently](https://foundersgrid.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c68e48c86ce2c4755f0a5a987&id=9b3f89dc0f&e=c219312d81) for sponsoring this newsletter edition. |\n\n|   |\n| --- |\n|  |\n\n|   |\n| --- |\n|  |\n\n|   |\n| --- |\n| Edited by [Chris Osborne](https://foundersgrid.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c68e48c86ce2c4755f0a5a987&id=8aa883fe6c&e=c219312d81) in Barcelona (in town? let’s meet for a coffee). Want to sponsor an edition of FoundersGrid? More [info here](https://foundersgrid.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c68e48c86ce2c4755f0a5a987&id=d8afdf5962&e=c219312d81). Interested in crypto/bitcoin news? Consider subscribing to [CryptoWeekly](https://foundersgrid.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c68e48c86ce2c4755f0a5a987&id=c3b5c1a9f4&e=c219312d81).  Copyright © 2018 FoundersGrid. All rights reserved |\n\n "}