CVX Ventures’ Post

Founded by former Google and Spotify leaders, Epiminds has emerged from stealth with $6.6 M in funding led by Lightspeed to pioneer multi-agent AI systems!  “Marketers are under more pressure than ever to do more with less ,” said Mo Elkhidir, Co-Founder of Epiminds. Agencies using Epiminds report 10× output gains without adding headcount, shifting focus back to strategy and creativity. Get into full coverage report:- https://lnkd.in/d-MvXRxP #Epiminds #AI #MarketingAutomation #Innovation #bestplacetowork #martechpulse

«𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗧𝘂𝗯𝗲, 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱?» - Colin & Samir. Since the platform announced 30+ updates rolling out soon at last week’s 𝗠𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗧𝘂𝗯𝗲 event, my LinkedIn feed has been flooded with reactions. Most are fascinated, especially when it comes to the dynamic brand deals feature. Some are concerned that certain the new features could disrupt parts of the creator economy and push things toward monopolization. Here are a few useful resources, if you’d like to dive deeper: ▪️YouTube Official Blog  - Major announcements - https://2cm.es/1fMuL - All you need to know in 3 videos - https://2cm.es/1fMv7 ▪️A sharp analytical breakdown by Jim Louderback - https://2cm.es/1fMvp Instead of doing another “best of,” I’ll share a few broader reflections: ▪️ AI accelerates the platform innovation → expect new features to drop at unprecedented scale, and it may not be that easy for creators to navigate all of them. ▪️ Content creation is becoming easier than ever → volume will grow exponentially, not sure about the quality. ▪️ Human attention is not scaling at the same pace → creators and media companies will need a strategy to stand out and survive in this competition, as well as develop qualities AI can't replicate like a unique voice, deep audience connection, and a strong brand/personal brand.  ▪️ Feature abundance together with in-built AI-assistance on every step may breed creator dependency on one platform → mindfulness in the content creation process and diversification beyond YouTube matters more than ever for creator business sustainability;  ▪️ For tech builders around YouTube, the real opportunities lie in the gaps YouTube cannot close by design  → content syndication, fintech, services that help creators own and monetize audiences directly, etc. What do you think? #YouTube #MadeonYouTube #creatoreconomy #AI #ContentCreation #FutureofMedia

Google and Spotify Alum Launch Epiminds With $6.6M to Build Marketing Teams for the AI Era https://ow.ly/xvp050XbEBI #MarTech #MarketingTechnology #MarketingTech #AdTech #ContentMarketing #MarketingAutomation #MarketingInnovation

In 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic peaked and there was a increasing usage of social media platforms like TikTok which doubled its number of users in less than a year. I remember trading some Slack stocks and making a few bucks, Zoom was performing very well as with a good number of other communication and social media apps. A high-profile streaming startup raised almost 2billion dollars in funding but shutdown in less than a year. Despite the massive resources, the downfall wasn’t due to technology or competition, it was a failure of approach. There was no beta testing, no real user feedback, no design thinking, and no data-driven validation. The product was built around the ego of decision-makers, not the needs of users. Today, that kind of product failure is almost inexcusable. With the power of AI, product teams can move from concept to customer feedback in days, not months. AI tools enable rapid prototyping, usability testing, and data collection, allowing teams to iterate based on real user behavior. AI isn’t just accelerating development; it’s rewriting the playbook for how products are imagined, validated, and scaled. The most successful product teams of this era won’t just use AI, they’ll think with it. Product management has entered an age where speed and learning go hand in hand. The future belongs to teams that combine human insight with AI-driven iteration to build what customers actually want. #AIproductmanagement #productdevelopment #designthinking #customerfeedback #rapidprototyping

Ad tech is evolving fast — and AI is at the heart of it. This AdExchanger article spotlights founders who are reshaping the industry, including the incredible innovation happening at Adaly. Adaly provides the insights you need to make smarter, data-driven decisions — all in service of a more transparent, intelligent ad ecosystem. I've had the chance to work with the team, and what's happening behind the scenes is truly next-gen. Big things ahead. #AdTech #AI #Innovation #DataDriven #Advertising #Adaly Kyle Csik Cara Simon

🚨 YouTube just dropped a game-changer for content creators — and it’s powered by AI.  From smarter monetization to AI-generated highlights and facial likeness protection, the platform is evolving fast.  At its annual *Made on YouTube* event, YouTube unveiled a wave of new AI tools designed to help creators work faster, protect their content, and earn more.  Here’s what stood out to me 👇  🎯 AI-Powered Creation & Protection - Creators can now use Veo 3 Fast, a text-to-video tool that brings prompts to life with motion and style.   - Likeness detection (in open beta) helps flag videos using your face without permission — a big step for digital identity protection.  🎥 Smarter Live Streaming - Simultaneous horizontal + vertical streams   - AI-generated highlights that can be turned into Shorts   - Live reactions and new ad formats that don’t interrupt the stream  🛍️ Next-Level Monetization - Auto-tagging products with smart timing suggestions   - Brand link integration in Shorts   - YouTube proactively matching creators with relevant brands  🎧 AI for Podcasters & Musicians  - AI tools to convert audio podcasts into video   - Dialogue-to-music remixing for Shorts using Google’s Lyria 2 model  💡 What this means for professionals:   Whether you're a solo creator, a brand, or a media company — AI is no longer a “nice-to-have.” It’s becoming the backbone of content strategy, audience engagement, and revenue generation.  The line between creator and entrepreneur is blurring. And platforms like YouTube are making it easier than ever to scale your voice — and your business.  👉 What do you think: Are these AI tools empowering creators, or making the game more competitive?  #YouTube #AI #ContentCreation #DigitalMarketing #CreatorEconomy #Monetization #Livestreaming #Shorts #LinkedInCreators #SocialMediaStrategy #TechTrends #Entrepreneurship

The tech landscape for solo creators feels like a never-ending sprint, doesn't it? Every day brings new tools, new challenges, and fresh opportunities that fundamentally shape how we build, connect, and thrive. Just yesterday, an alert about an expired RSS reader subscription served as a stark, albeit minor, reminder of the intricate web of SaaS tools we depend on. It’s a constant evaluation: are we truly leveraging each subscription, from AI assistants to project management platforms, or are we simply accumulating digital debt? For us independent creators, every dollar spent on tools is a strategic investment that needs to yield tangible returns. Speaking of AI, the pace of innovation is genuinely breathtaking. I'm seeing new models that can draft nuanced social posts, summarize complex research, and even generate entire video scripts in minutes. For a solo creator, this isn't just efficiency; it's an amplification of our capabilities, leveling the playing field with larger teams. The critical challenge, however, is to use AI to enhance our unique voice and originality, not dilute it. Then there are the platforms themselves. A recent algorithm tweak on a major professional network, perhaps prioritizing engagement over pure follower count, means rethinking how we share our stories. It’s a constant dance between creating authentic value and understanding the ever-shifting rules of engagement. Our strategy needs to be agile, focused on building genuine connections rather than just chasing transient metrics. Simultaneously, the democratization of high-quality content production continues. The emergence of more specialized, yet intuitive, video and audio editing suites—often powered by AI—is a game-changer. What once required a dedicated studio and a team can now be done with a laptop and a good microphone. This allows independent voices to compete with larger media houses on production value, but also demands a continuous commitment to learning new skills and evolving our craft. Finally, looking at the broader creator economy, the sustained influx of investment into niche platforms and monetization tools suggests a maturing market. While competition intensifies, it also powerfully validates the potential of individual brand-building. It reinforces my belief that authenticity, consistent value delivery, and genuine community engagement remain paramount. The tech is an enabler, but the human connection is the undeniable core. So, what does this all mean for us? It means staying relentlessly curious, being strategic with our tech investments

Startup ideas come in waves. First came the social & network effects wave — “let’s connect everyone.” Then the marketplace wave — “Airbnb for X, Uber for Y.” Next, the wave of SaaS tools for specific industries — “Shopify for X, Notion for Y.” And now? The new gold rush seems to be: 🩺 Operating system for Z 🤖 AI wrappers for vertical Y 🚀 AI agents for vertical Z That’s the current wave I keep seeing. Am I missing something?

Newsrooms Raises €750K in Pre-Seed Round newsrooms, an Austrian-based AI startup providing an AI-supported content creation platform, has raised €750,000 in pre-Seed funding. #AI #SaaS #ContentCreation #Media #Content & #CommunicationSolutions #PreSeed #Funding https://lnkd.in/gH6sJbFs

After a year in stealth, Stockholm-based company RedpineAI announces €1.1 million in funding and the launch of their platform to give AI builders and agents high-quality, licensed data 🇸🇪 🌟 The round saw participation from prominent angel investors and established partnerships with leading foundational AI companies and content owners worldwide. Investors, include Colin M Evans (OpenAI), Feng Hong (Co-founder, Xiaomi), Anna Nordell Westling (Co-founder, Sana), Daniel Langkilde (Founder, Kognic; ex-Recorded Future), Gustav Lindqvist (Perplexity) along with a network of Spotify alumni. “AI still operates with critical blind spots,” said Redpine’s CEO and Co-founder, Anders Hammarbäck. “We reduce hallucinations and boost accuracy by giving AI systems access to the right data – real-time, high-quality, and licensed. That’s how we help AI not just respond, but reason, decide, and act in the real world.” https://lnkd.in/didk3s4R