$6M in 9 months, $1M in 8 weeks, and why billionaires want to live forever

Hi ,

AI for Founders is where we stash the good stuff: interviews with the builders, product reviews that cut through hype, workshops that don’t waste your time, and news from the edges of what’s next.

Think of us as your unfair advantage.
See what’s inside: aiforfounders.co

Let’s dive in.

This week from the AI for Founders podcast on Spotify:

How SmartLab Builds STEM Identity LINK
Jennifer Berry (CEO, SmartLab) explains how project-based STEM labs manufacture “aha moments” that build student STEM identity and prepare future-ready talent.

Zero to $6M ARR with AI SDRs LINK
Gaurav Bhattacharya (CEO, Jeeva.ai) reveals how agentic AI sales teammates scaled to $6M ARR in nine months by replacing six tools with one.

Swan AI Hit $1M ARR in 9 Weeks LINK
Amos Bar-Joseph (CEO, Swan AI) shares how a 3-person team hit $1M ARR in eight weeks by designing agentic workflows and building the world’s first autonomous business.

Tip of the spear:

Chinese Surveillance in Silicon Valley LINK
A Chinese surveillance tech firm with ties to Uyghur repression has quietly set up shop in Silicon Valley, raising alarms over national security.

Altman: Bots Broke Social Media LINK
Sam Altman warns that bot swarms are making social media “feel fake,” further eroding trust online.

Solar Cells That Work Indoors LINK
Scientists have created solar cells that harvest power from indoor light—promising endless energy for IoT devices.

Silicon Valley’s Immortality Quest LINK
Tech billionaires are pouring fortunes into AI and biotech labs chasing the ultimate prize—defying death itself.

Developers Lean on AI for Half Their Code LINK
A survey of 32 senior developers revealed nearly half their code now comes straight from AI tools.

Bubble-Powered Robots Could Replace Needles LINK
Engineers are building bubble-driven microrobots that could deliver drugs without needles, changing medicine forever.

Zuckerberg’s Hot Mic Trump Moment LINK
Mark Zuckerberg was caught on a hot mic telling Trump he didn’t know how much AI investment to promise America.

Big Tech Courts Trump at White House Dinner LINK
Meta and Apple executives cozied up to Trump at a White House dinner, sparking questions about AI policy influence.

Prompt of the week:

Now do it the way I asked the first time.

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Keep it moving

Apple’s Slow Burn AirPods Strategy LINK
A leaker says Apple will roll out AirPods Pro 3 across multiple years—drip-feeding features instead of one big launch.

AppLovin, Robinhood Join S&P 500 LINK
AppLovin and Robinhood have officially joined the S&P 500, cementing their place among Wall Street heavyweights.

Tesla’s Master Plan 4 LINK
Tesla is teasing its boldest “Master Plan” yet—hinting at radical moves in EVs, AI, and energy.

Stripe Builds Blockchain Dream Team LINK
Stripe is assembling a powerhouse lineup—Anthropic, OpenAI, Paradigm—to build the future of blockchain payments.

OpenAI Backs AI-Animated Film LINK
OpenAI is funding an AI-generated animated movie called Critterz, signaling its ambitions in entertainment.

Google Admits the Open Web Is Dying LINK
In a stunning court filing, Google confessed the open web is in “rapid decline” as walled gardens tighten their grip on the internet.

Snap Crashes Into Startup Squads LINK
Facing slowing ad revenue, Snap is embedding itself into startup teams to spark growth and grab fresh users.

Code Story Podcast: It’s like therapy for startup founders, except the therapist is a microphone and everyone’s listening. Code, chaos, and confessions served weekly.

What I’m thinking about:

• Give people their flowers when they earn them. Interview

• The Founder Challenge Quiz Survey

• The illusion we opt into. Interview

• How plant medicine can change the way we lead, love, and live. Interview

• Are podcast transcripts training the next generation of AI? Blog

Uncover the AI tools (here) you didn’t ask for, but now you’re weirdly into.

Thanks for being here.

-Ryan

p.s. When you are ready, here’s how I can help.

We have successfully booked podcast interviews for over 800 funded startup founders, entrepreneurs with exits, and C-suite executives. If you're ready to lead your company from the front, let Kitcaster handle your podcast scheduling and create a powerful stream of content for you and your brand.

I write about Revops, Product, and Founder-led marketing on Linkedin, Twitter, and my blog.