Founder Mode by StartupX

🌟 Editor's Note

You opened last week’s comeback edition (thanks!).  

Let’s keep the momentum—here are the signals you need for the week.
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🔥 Top Finds

Groundup.ai raises US $4.25M Series A
Groundup.ai is an industrial AI expert in machine maintenance and workplace safety solution. Proof that industrial AI is gaining traction in SEA. Read the founder’s LinkedIn announcement and offer to help answer funding questions here.

OpenAI eyes $3B acquisition of Windsurf
Biggest buy in its history if it goes through. An interesting discussion on why they’re doing it, given the argument that many AI startups are just “wrappers” and have no defensive moat.

Build a Consulting Business Before You Build a Product
Oliver Eidel makes a good case that landing a single client today beats chasing $50 MRR SaaS dreams for years. He shows how consulting gives you cash-flow, customer insight, and a ready-made sales channel for any future product.

🎯 Startup Opportunities

🛠 Tool of the Week

N8N (Workflow Automation)
Zapier, but super-charged and with a better UI. It comes with a steeper learning curve but you don’t need to know how to code to use it. It is the tool that many are using to create their own AI Agents. N8N connects my apps and automates the soul-crushing repetitive tasks I used to waste hours on.

💬 Founder Mode Quotes

🙂 Fun Mode

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