Critical tech and reindustrialization are positive sum but nothing gets me going more than good competition. Serious h/t to @tmgrace on the early conviction and insane work being done in Columbus rn.

Apparently they don’t teach survivorship bias at the Ivies…

NY Tech Week, we're coming for you. Whether you're raising, building, or just ready for the conversations that move the industry forward, we've saved you a seat. 🔮 AI After Tomorrow: Investing, Building Tech, and Serving Customers 📆 June 2 at 3:30pm – 7:00pm ET 🔗 tsta.rs/Ybcy50YQHkU 🎤 Speakers include Andrew Cleland, Chief Investment Officer of Techstars, and senior leaders of DigitalOcean and Zendesk 🛠️ AI Builders Mixer with DigitalOcean and Techstars 📆 June 4 at 6:00pm ET 🔗 tsta.rs/nl5f50YQHkT See you there!

Love to help build bridges from SF <> Columbus. What @suzannexie & team @ Strider are doing with this roadshow is brilliant.

Day 4: Columbus delivered. Real builders grinding on reindustrialization, passionate investors who believe in the Midwest ecosystem, and ideas that hit like the future is getting built right here. (We had some dueling bus parking and may have been mistaken for a band tour bus 😆🎸) Big shoutout to @tmgrace for making so many warm connections happen. Shipping and investing in Cleveland? Drop a note!

Pitch us your startup in 1 sentence. 👀

There is no better productivity hack on the planet than a cross-country flight.

Thoughts and prayers for Fall - thanks for all the centuries.

"He let me come to an awkward end before responding, 'Thanks. Who’s this?' and pointing to my infant daughter. ... It’s a startling irony of my life that Ryne Sandberg got to meet my daughter and my father never did." l8r.it/eUL4

The author admired how the Cubs’ star second baseman Ryne Sandberg took a humble approach to the sport, and how that attitude could translate in life. l8r.it/K8R8

New essay from me in @ChicagoMag: a love letter to Ryne Sandberg, my dad and the Chicago @Cubs chicagomag.com/city-life/do-…

My favorite player. I ran into him once at the J Crew at Water Tower when my first daughter was a baby. I just stuttered at him about how much I loved him and he was like ok cool man but tell me everything about this baby. Rest in peace Ryno.

Poem of the Week: A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MIDWEST, a poem by Andrew Grace ✨ justbuffalo.org/andrew-grace… Poem of the Week is curated by @RDPohl1

You are the age you feel. And you stay young by running your race and not someone else's. Work on want you want, wear what you want, spend time with people who give you life. Do you.

This was fun--I got to talk about poetry and fly fishing for @OrvisFlyFishing podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas…

It's publication day! A Brief History of the Midwest is out now from Black Lawrence Press.

Techstars is introducing an improved investment offer of $220,000 for companies accepted into our future accelerator programs, starting with the Fall 2025 programs. In addition to the capital, companies gain access to our 3-month mentorship-driven accelerator program with a dedicated program team, perks from our partners, and access to a world-class network of investors, partners, mentors, and alumni. 🚀Applications for our Fall 2025 programs are now open! Learn more about how the improved accelerator investment offer is better for founders: techstars.com/newsroom/inves…

Open sourcing an ask: one of our founders @ryanlunka will be in Chicago next week from CBUS. He’s building doohickey.ai which uses AI to make software integration effortless. We’re looking to meet IT leaders who are frustrated with legacy ERPs or are tasked with “figuring out AI.” Any suggestions?

Aubrey had a nice run but when grandma is screaming A Minor at the TV you're cooked.

The beauty in Ye killing Kanye West is that we don’t have to pretend to like this current version of a once great artists.