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AUGENTO

Improving Agents through Reinforcement Learning.

SAAS BILLING REPORT (REPORT)

How billing practices of 2,500 SaaS companies define their growth and retention.

BASALT (PRODUCT)

Basalt lets you integrate AI into your product in seconds, offering prompt crafting, LLM testing, seamless deployment, and performance monitoring.

WHEN YOUR CO-FOUNDER ASKS YOU TO LEAVE - AND YOU HAVE 60 DAYS TO FIGURE IT OUT

Pranav Piyush went from YC success to sudden co-founder breakup, leaving him with just 60 days on his immigrant visa to find a new job. What seemed like a career disaster became his unexpected launchpad - the YC credential helped him land at Dropbox, followed by roles at Magenta, Pilot, and Bill.com before founding his current company, Paramark. His story illustrates how co-founder conflicts (which sink 65% of high-potential startups) can sometimes redirect you to bigger opportunities than you originally imagined.

FOOD DELIVERY STARTUP WONDER ACQUIRES MEDIA COMPANY TASTEMADE FOR $90M

Wonder is acquiring Tastemade for around $90 million to enhance its content and advertising capabilities. This acquisition aligns with Wonder's goal to create a mealtime "super app" that integrates food delivery and AI recommendations. Wonder, backed by $1.6 billion in funding, aims to expand its reach in the food delivery market.

HOW MUCH OF CUSTOMER SUPPORT WILL AI REPLACE? GARTNER SAYS 80%

AI integration into contact centers has led to a 20%-30% reduction in human customer support roles. Gartner predicts AI could autonomously handle 80% of support issues by 2029, while Salesforce claims its AI resolves 84% of issues, though this might be an overestimation. Realistically, AI currently resolves up to 40% of tickets, with complex issues still often requiring human intervention.

AFTER BUILDING 3 STARTUPS, MY BIGGEST LESSON ON PRODUCT-MARKET FIT IS: LET THE MARKET PULL

After founding multiple billion-dollar companies, Gagan Biyani warns against the common founder mistake of forcing your vision on customers.

AN ADVANCED PROTOCOL FOR OVERTHINKING

You're not your thoughts, but the awareness witnessing them.

BEYOND CHAT: THE NEW PATTERNS OF AI INTERFACES

While ChatGPT convinced everyone AI meant conversation, startups are now evolving interfaces beyond generic dialogue into four emerging patterns: enhanced chat with specialized features, invisible helpers that seamlessly integrate with workflows, hybrid workspaces where familiar tools gain AI capabilities, and agent control centers that orchestrate multiple AI workers.

surface? Book your demo with Obsidian

CALIFORNIA CRYOBANK CONFIRMA DATA BREACH

California Cryobank, one of the largest reproductive tissue banks in the world, has disclosed a data breach affecting an undisclosed number of Americans. The hackers potentially stole data that includes SSNs, driver's license numbers, financial account numbers, and health insurance information. No known threat actor has claimed responsibility for the attack.

CRITICAL AMI MEGARAC BUG CAN LET ATTACKERS HIJACK AND BRICK SERVERS

MegaRAC BMC software enables remote server management, allowing admins to troubleshoot as if present. Eclypsium researchers identified a CVSS 10 vulnerability permitting remote, unauthenticated attackers to control affected servers. AMI, the software's developer, has issued patches to OEM manufacturers for customer rollout.

USE ONE VIRTUAL MACHINE TO OWN THEM ALL — ACTIVE EXPLOITATION OF VMWARE ESX HYPERVISOR ESCAPE ESXICAPE

VMware has released patches for three zero-day vulnerabilities in ESXi, allowing threat actors to escape the hypervisor and access critical server data. The vulnerabilities are actively being exploited in the wild, posing a significant risk to organizations using VMware environments. It is crucial to patch affected systems promptly to prevent potential security breaches.

NEW VULNERABILITY IN GITHUB COPILOT AND CURSOR: HOW HACKERS CAN WEAPONIZE CODE AGENTS

Researchers from Pillar Security have discovered a new prompt injection technique on Cursor and GitHub Copilot. These systems use rules files to guide the prompting for the LLM, which is often distributed by open-source projects or from other untrusted locations. The attack involves utilizing invisible Unicode characters to hide malicious instructions for the LLM that can be used to instruct it to poison the generated code.

TURNING THE SECURITY FLYWHEEL

This post outlines seven security flywheels: reducing costs to raise security baselines, transitioning threat intelligence from push to pull, creating digital twins through asset inventory, enhancing detection via red teaming, identifying adjacent business benefits of security measures, implementing continuous control monitoring, and forming federated teams that seek assistance instead of pushing initiatives. Each flywheel creates a cycle where initial investments yield benefits that can be reinvested, ultimately easing the burden on security teams while sustaining or improving security posture.

BYPASSING WINDOWS DEFENDER APPLICATION CONTROL WITH LOKI C2

Attackers can bypass Windows Defender Application Control with LOLBINs and Electron apps using tools like Loki C2. Modifying JavaScript in trusted Electron apps enables Node.js code injection to interact with the OS, allowing the execution of malicious payloads and the creation of advanced C2 agents like Dragon.

AWS IAM POLICY VISUALIZER (WEB APP)

AWS IAM Policy Visualizer is a web app that visualizes the relations in an IAM policy in graph format. The tool also provides a search function for large policies.

CVSS-BT

cvss-bt enriches the NVD CVSS scores to include Temporal/Threat Metrics.

STRINGREAPER

StringReaper extracts strings, such as JWT tokens and credentials, from remote process memory, saving time in engagements. It can filter memory regions and includes features like listing target sections and displaying remote environment strings.

NEW AKIRA RANSOMWARE DECRYPTOR CRACKS ENCRYPTION KEYS USING GPUS

A researcher released an open-source decryptor for Akira ransomware that brute forces encryption keys. Akira generates unique keys for each file using four timestamp seeds, hashes them through 1,500 rounds, and encrypts them with another key, appending them at the end of each file. The researcher analyzed logs to estimate when the ransomware was active and used 16 4090s via RunPod & Vast.ai to decrypt a friend's files in 10 hours.

THE GREAT CNAPP RE-BUNDLE

With Check Point and Palo Alto exiting CNAPP, the field has consolidated around Wiz and a few leaders, losing much of its previous hype. CNAPP tools will revert to their components: CSPM for vulnerability management, ASPM for secure code development, and CADR for responding to cloud alerts.

MALWARE CAMPAIGN 'DOLLYWAY' BREACHED 20,000 WORDPRESS SITES

A malware campaign called 'DollyWay' has compromised over 20,000 WordPress sites globally, redirecting users to harmful sites since 2016. The campaign has evolved to include advanced evasion techniques and monetization strategies. GoDaddy researchers have linked this operation to a larger scam redirection system named 'DollyWay World Domination.'

CAPITAL ONE HACKER PAIGE THOMPSON GOT TOO LIGHT A SENTENCE, APPEALS COURT RULES

A federal appeals court has decided that Capital One hacker Paige Thompson's sentence was too lenient for stealing data from millions of customers, and the case is now going back to the district court for resentencing.

RESEARCHERS USE AI JAILBREAK ON TOP LLMS TO CREATE CHROME INFOSTEALER

Researchers used AI tools to create malware that can steal login credentials from Google Chrome by manipulating generative AI platforms in a controlled narrative environment.

HACKERS HIDE VENOMRAT MALWARE INSIDE VIRTUAL HARD DISK IMAGE FILE

Hackers are hiding VenomRAT malware in virtual hard disk image files to infect devices.

PODCAST SUPER FANS ARE SUPER SPENDERS

Podcast super listeners, those tuning in for over 8 hours a week, are a powerful audience for brands. They're 60% more likely to purchase advertised products online and 71% more likely to buy in-store. Podcast consumption has grown 5X in the past decade, now making up nearly 20% of daily audio time. Ads resonate strongly, with 76% of heavy listeners discovering new products through them and 57% more likely to buy from sponsors, giving marketers a direct, highly engaged audience with strong purchasing power.

GEN ALPHA TWEENS HOLD SIGNIFICANT SWAY OVER PARENTS' PURCHASES

Older Gen Alpha tweens influence major household purchases, with 61% having a say in their parents' car choices and food decisions. By age 10, 68% already own a luxury product, signaling their early engagement with brands and spending. The cohort also prioritizes inclusivity and personal relevance over sustainability.

DEEP DIVE: HOSTING A CONFERENCE

Hosting a conference positions a brand as an industry leader by controlling the narrative, attracting top experts, and driving innovation. It creates strong networking opportunities and generates positive brand associations that last beyond the event. Conferences also provide valuable content for ongoing engagement and PR opportunities, boosting visibility and credibility. Brands like Apple, Notion, and HubSpot have used conferences to strengthen authority, showcase products, and build engaged communities.

MARKETING PRIORITY PYRAMID

Marketing fails when teams prioritize tactics over strategy. To fix this, define your brand differentiation, ICP, pain points, and value prop before crafting messaging. This foundation strengthens copywriting, automation, team structure, and GTM motions, making tactics more effective. A strong strategy creates a feedback loop that continuously refines execution.

FORCED CHOICES REVEAL MORE CUSTOMER INSIGHTS THAN RATINGS

Traditional rating-based surveys, such as asking consumers how likely they are to purchase a product or visit a restaurant, often produce misleading results. These studies fail to account for real-world trade-offs. Research shows that forcing respondents to prioritize choices, such as ranking a movie among their top three weekend plans or choosing between clear and conflicting options. This approach, used in discrete choice models like MaxDiff and conjoint analysis, enhances market research by identifying true consumer preferences rather than hypothetical intentions.

STENCIL

GetStencil is a fast and easy-to-use graphic design tool for creating social media graphics, ads, and marketing visuals. Users can preview, share, and schedule posts with Buffer, plus integrate with WordPress, Dropbox, and more. Stencil streamlines content creation with high-res downloads, filters, and browser extensions.

NEW WAYS TO COLLABORATE AND GET CREATIVE WITH GEMINI

Gemini has launched Canvas, an interactive space for real-time editing and coding, and Audio Overview, which transforms documents into podcast-style discussions. Canvas streamlines writing and coding by allowing users to refine drafts, adjust tone, and preview web app prototypes. Developers can generate, edit, and test code within Canvas, making collaboration seamless. Audio Overview converts files into dynamic AI-hosted conversations, summarizing complex content for easy listening.

THE HIDDEN MATH OF CHURN: WHY YOU CAN'T SCALE PAST $1M

Subscription businesses often fail to scale because they prioritize growth over retention, not realizing that churn mathematically caps their total user base and revenue potential. At a 20% monthly churn rate, a company will lose 100% of its users within a year, making sustainable scaling impossible without continuous and expensive customer acquisition. Companies that optimize retention benefit from extended growth cycles, greater valuation multiples, and increased profitability, while those that ignore churn struggle to maintain a growth trajectory.

THE MARKETING EFFICIENCY & ATTRIBUTION PLAYBOOK: WHAT TODAY'S CMOS ARE TRACKING

CMOs prioritize volume metrics, such as pipeline, ARR, and MQLs, rather than efficiency metrics like cost per opportunity or marketing CAC. Larger companies track cost per dollar of pipeline, new logo revenue, and expansion revenue, while smaller companies rely more on inbound leads. Scaled companies use multi-touch attribution, combining models to analyze the full customer journey and optimize investment. Companies that track cost per revenue, not just cost per pipeline, make better budget decisions and gain clearer insights into marketing effectiveness.

9 NEUROMARKETING PRINCIPLES

The framing effect, affordability illusion, and rule of 3 are brain science tactics that make buyers say “yes”.

PEOPLE WILL SAY ANYTHING IN A SURVEY

People often say what they think sounds good in surveys, which doesn't represent their actual behavior.

THE AGE OF BEING 'VERY ONLINE' IS OVER

Social feeds have shifted to being stages for brands and influencers rather than spaces for real interaction.

READ "WHY AI COMPANIES ARE RACING TO BUILD INTEGRATIONS"

APPLE INNOVATION AND EXECUTION

Apple faces ongoing skepticism about its innovation as its last major products stagnate, services rely on existing customers, and recent struggles—like the Vision Pro's lukewarm reception and delayed AI-driven Siri update—raise concerns about its ability to deliver groundbreaking technology.

10 PREDICTIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF THE FINANCE TECH STACK

This report highlights a fragmented finance tech landscape with trends in AI-driven billing, AR consolidation, unified expense management, SMB procurement, early-stage sales compensation, and real-time forecasting.

PRODUCT MANAGERS WHO BUILD TOGETHER, WIN TOGETHER

WHY STAKEHOLDERS DON'T VIBE WITH USER RESEARCH

Many stakeholders resist user research due to a lack of understanding, control, time, or clear incentives, often prioritizing quick design changes over informed decisions. To overcome this, teams can educate stakeholders, make a strong case for research, leverage AI for efficiency, use free research methods, and adopt a Lean UX approach to ensure user needs shape better products.

AVOID THE RESUME PILE: THREE WAYS TO STAND OUT IN THE PRODUCT OPS JOB MARKET

The job market for product operations roles is highly competitive, with many job seekers struggling to land positions despite extensive experience. To stand out, candidates should highlight their product ops superpowers, showcase transferable skills through compelling storytelling, and actively network within industry communities to build relationships that lead to job opportunities.

15 PRODUCT ADOPTION METRICS: HOW TO MEASURE PRODUCT ADOPTION IN 2025

Tracking product adoption metrics helps teams understand user behavior, refine onboarding, and drive long-term engagement. By aligning key metrics with the user journey (covering acquisition, activation, engagement, and retention), companies can identify friction points, improve adoption, and ensure sustained success.

DRIVER + NAVIGATOR

The Driver + Navigator model simplifies roles and responsibilities by designating Drivers, who lead and make decisions, and Navigators, who provide input and collaborate without final authority. This flexible approach fosters cross-functional teamwork, avoids handoffs, and enhances clarity in decision-making across various workflows, from meetings to product development stages.

THE MARKETING EFFICIENCY & ATTRIBUTION PLAYBOOK: WHAT TODAY'S CMOS ARE TRACKING

B2B marketing attribution remains complex, with CMOs prioritizing pipeline and ARR over efficiency metrics like cost per revenue. Larger companies adopt multi-touch attribution and blended models for better investment insights, while the future of marketing measurement lies in combining attribution models with deeper cost analysis to justify budget allocations more accurately.

HOW TO MEASURE VALUE?

Measuring value isn't about outputs—it's about outcomes.

THE 3 BIGGEST MISTAKES LEADERS MAKE WHEN HIRING THEIR FIRST PMS

Founders should hire a PM who fits their immediate needs, prioritizing execution and adaptability over seniority or perfect credentials.