Issue #68: Powering Vibes

A gripping story of strategic bets, rising valuations, and the evolution of tech’s backbone.

Supabase, the popular open-source database platform, is making waves in the tech world by embracing long-term strategic thinking. The startup recently raised $100 million at an eye-watering $5 billion valuation—just months after previously closing $200 million at $2 billion. The company achieved this milestone by sticking to its roots, prioritizing its growing vibe-coding community and turning down tempting million-dollar contracts that could have shifted its identity. Co-founder and CEO Paul Copplestone explained that their vision hinges on empowering developers with tools they love, not on chasing the short-term allure of enterprise deals. Learn more.

Key Highlights:

• Supabase raised $100 million in its latest round, bringing its valuation to a remarkable $5 billion.

• The company refused lucrative, million-dollar contracts to remain loyal to its developer-centric philosophy.

• After raising $200 million just months earlier, this leap highlights a meteoric rise fueled by community-focused growth.

• Supabase serves as the foundational backend for the vibe-coding ecosystem loved by developers worldwide.

• Co-Founder Paul Copplestone doubled down on the importance of long-term strategy over short-term enterprise-focused gains.

Supabase's story underscores a growing trend in tech: the power of community-driven growth and staying authentic to a company's values, even under pressure. As Nordic founders also begin taking bigger chances and entrepreneurs like Andrej Karpathy push AI boundaries, it’s clear the industry is evolving at an unprecedented pace. Strategic decisions like Supabase's could eventually redefine metrics of success in tech. Whether you’re a startup founder or industry observer, the signals are clear—betting on authenticity and innovation can lead to massive rewards.

Quick Bites Overview

Here are some interesting quick news items from the tech world:

Find Your Grind Scores $5M to Guide Students' Careers

Find Your Grind, the platform designed to help students discover their perfect career paths, just raised $5 million to expand its tools and reach. Co-founder Nick Gross wants to ensure students can explore careers that align with their strengths, interests, and visions for the future. Think of it as a roadmap to possibilities students might not even know exist. With this funding, Find Your Grind plans to scale up and inspire even more dream-chasing. Learn more.

Karpathy's Weekend AI Hack Highlights Big Enterprise Ideas

Can a weekend hack reshape enterprise AI? That’s exactly what Andrej Karpathy, ex-Tesla AI lead and OpenAI co-founder, delivered with his “LLM Council” project. This AI committee of Large Language Models debates ideas and synthesizes answers — think ChatGPT on steroids. While it started as a fun experiment, the implications for enterprise AI orchestration are profound. Karpathy’s minimalist design highlights the potential to treat AI models as swappable parts in an architecture built for flexibility. Learn more.

Balding? MyHair AI Has You Covered

Hair today, gone tomorrow? MyHair AI is here to help. This innovative tool scans your scalp with AI-powered precision to diagnose hair loss and recommend scientifically backed treatments and clinics. No more endless Googling or speculative serums. Whether you're just starting to notice thinning or exploring advanced hair recovery options, MyHair AI could be your new go-to confidant for hair care solutions. Learn more.

Nordic Founders Swing Big, Hit Bigger

Nordic startups are hitting it out of the park! Forget €1 million funding rounds — companies like Lovable, raking in $200 million in revenue within a year, are showing what’s possible. Entrepreneurs like Dennis Green-Lieber of AI-driven Propane are at the forefront of this shift, proving the Nordics are prime ground for billion-dollar dreams fueled by bold innovation. It’s a region to watch as major tech players emerge from these ambitious founders. Learn more.

Glīd Wins Big with Smarter Logistics

Glīd just took home the crown at Startup Battlefield 2025 for its cutting-edge logistics solutions. Co-founder Kevin Damoa shares how the platform aims to revolutionize the supply chain with simplicity, safety, and smart tech at its core. From automating processes to reducing risks, Glīd is proving that logistics doesn’t have to be a headache — and investors are clearly catching on. Learn more.

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Defense tech startup Anduril faces setbacks in tests

Anduril Industries, a defense-tech startup aiming to revolutionize autonomous weapons systems, has struggled with performance issues during testing and combat scenarios, according to the WSJ. These challenges may have implications for its future trajectory, even after raising significant funding and scaling operations.

Key Points:

• Founded in 2017 by Palmer Luckey and key investors like Andreessen Horowitz.

• Raised over $2 billion in total funding to develop defense AI and autonomous weaponry.

• Main product includes AI-driven combat drones and surveillance systems designed for military applications.

• Reported difficulties include real-world performance failures during testing and deployment.

• Industry impact: Raises questions about the reliability of autonomous tools in defense contexts.

Lessons for Founders:

Anduril’s challenges remind founders that fundraising and ambitious ideas alone don’t guarantee flawless execution—especially in industries like defense where reliability is non-negotiable. Testing under real-world conditions often uncovers unexpected gaps in technology readiness, which can be doubly costly when lives and national security are on the line. Startups aiming to tackle high-stakes use cases should prioritize rigorous validation, redundancy planning, and iterative design before scaling. For more details about Anduril’s performance issues, learn more.