📆 There's always next year: The venture capital industry had good reason to think that 2025 could be the year M&A meaningfully picked back up. But then came the tariff turmoil. While deals can get done in good and bad markets, they don't often get done in uncertain ones.
🎙️ Podcast partner: Andreessen Horowitz acquired the Turpentine podcast and hired its founder, Erik Torenberg, as a general partner at the firm. The podcast, which interviews VCs on their approach to investing, will continue after the acquisition.
✅ The time has come: We reported last week that Bluesky might be launching an account verification system for its users that was very different than X's or Meta's approach to verification. Bluesky confirmed today that this program is rolling out.
🐦🔥 Rising from the ashes: Coal-burning plants are obviously not great for the environment. But the ashes they produce can actually be used to replace 30% of the makeup of cement. Incredibly named PHNX Materials is a startup that has figured out how to do just that.
🤫 The secret is out: Jeff Bezos-backed EV company Slate was shrouded in secrecy just a few weeks ago, but now the cars are popping up on the streets of California. The company has started dropping off concept vehicles in anticipation of a formal launch later this week.
