Staying sane in the fast-paced world of startups is no small feat. As a founder, you're juggling countless tasks—from securing funding to building a product that resonates with your audience. In such a dynamic environment, catching up with the latest industry trends, growth strategies, and insights can make all the difference between success and failure.
However, with the sheer volume of information out there, it’s tough to keep up. Therefore, subscribing to the right resources can be a tipping point. Ultimately, you discover the newsletters that condense the most valuable content, delivering it straight to your inbox.
But with so many options, which ones should you choose? We’ve curated a list of the most insightful and practical newsletters that every startup founder should consider signing up for. Let's see what they have to offer.
1. Founder Insights
Overview: Surprise, surprise, The Founder Institute has a neat newsletter! In it, we spotlight inspiring founder stories, share proven frameworks, and provide beneficial tools to smoothen your entrepreneurial journey.
Founder Insights is dedicated to sharing the lessons learned and insights gained by successful startup founders.
Value Proposition: Delivers actionable advice from those who have been in the trenches, making it invaluable for founders looking to learn from the experiences of others.
Frequency: Weekly
Key Topics: Leadership, product development, fundraising, team, growth strategies, product-market fit, and founder experiences.
Content Quality: High-quality content that’s both practical and motivational, with a focus on real-world application.
Ideal Audience: Early-stage founders who would appreciate hands-on advice and inspiration from successful peers.
Why Is It Different: It has two versions - Updates and Editorial - both extremely handy and easy to digest. Gives access to a wide variety of content: videos, webinars, blog articles, social media posts, podcasts, etc.
Subscribe here
2. Open Source CEO
Overview: A community built by Bill Kerr, founder and CEO at Athyna, focusing on content about tools and resources, ranging from playbooks, databases, courses, and more.
Open Source CEO is a newsletter that explores the intersection of technology, startup, and thought leadership. It’s ideal for those interested in tech entrepreneurship.
Value Proposition: Offers in-depth analysis of tools and technologies that can be leveraged to build and scale startups.
Frequency: Several times a week
Key Topics: Tools, tech development, deep dives on famous visionary leaders, and step-by-step breakdowns of thriving projects.
Content Quality: Detailed and well-researched, with hints that are particularly useful for technically-minded founders.
Ideal Audience: Founders and CTOs involved with the technical and business growth aspects of startup development.
Why Is It Different: Serious topics are elaborated in a fun way; lots of pop culture references and designs.
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3. Houck’s Newsletter
Overview: Houck’s Newsletter, written by serial entrepreneur Michael Houck, offers a unique blend of startup advice, industry analysis, and personal insights.
Value Proposition: Provides a mix of strategic advice and thought-provoking commentary, helping founders thrive in the broader startup ecosystem.
Frequency: Twice a week
Key Topics: Startup strategy, market trends, investment insights, and personal development.
Content Quality: Shrewdl and engaging, with a focus on both practical advice and big-picture thinking.
Ideal Audience: Founders and startup leaders looking for tactical recommendations on building, growing, and raising capital for their startups.
Why Is It Different: Comprehensive, profound, and a treasure trove of frameworks.
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4. Seedtable
Overview: Seedtable is a data platform and newsletter on European tech founded by Gonz Sanchez, a marketing leader with experience scaling brands, teams, and revenue at hyper-growth startups. Their newsletter brings analysis, news, and insights on startups and venture capital.
Value Proposition: Covers in detail the European startup scene and how it affects society, making it a must-read for those operating in or interested in this market.
Frequency: Weekly
Key Topics: European tech, venture capital, startup news, and market analysis.
Content Quality: High-quality, with a strong emphasis on data-driven analysis and regional insights.
Ideal Audience: Founders, investors, and entrepreneurs interested in the European tech landscape.
Why Is It Different: Convenient links and access to a vast amount of sorted global data.
Subscribe here
5. MKT1
Overview: Emily Kramer is the primary voice behind MKT1 Newsletter. Over the last 15+ years, she has worked with some of the fastest-growing startups as Head of Marketing, 1st marketer, advisor, and investor. In this marketing-focused newsletter, she’s sharing what she has learned along the way.
Value Proposition: Provides actionable marketing advice from industry veterans, making it an essential resource for startup founders looking to build and scale their marketing efforts.
Frequency: Monthly
Key Topics: Startup marketing, growth strategies, customer acquisition, and brand building.
Content Quality: Actionable, with a focus on practical tips and strategies that can be immediately applied.
Ideal Audience: Startup founders, CMOs, marketers, and growth teams looking for expert, pragmatic guidance on marketing in a startup environment.
Why Is It Different: Laser-focused, organized, and spanning basically all aspects of B2B marketing.
Subscribe here
6. The Founder Playbook
Overview: The Founder Playbook, brought to you by The Hustle Fund, is a sharp newsletter offering tactical, straightforward advice on fundraising and scaling your startup.
Value Proposition: Relies on the expertise of seasoned investors and entrepreneurs, helping founders tackle real-world challenges and grow their businesses effectively.
Frequency: Weekly
Key Topics: Fundraising, growth strategies, startup management, and investor insights.
Content Quality: High-quality, straightforward content that focuses on delivering actionable tips and clear takeaways.
Ideal Audience: Early-stage founders and startup leaders looking for practical, investor-backed guidance.
Why Is It Different: Incredibly simplified, The Founder Playbook flows effortlessly and captivates.
Subscribe here
7. The Hustle
Overview: The Hustle is a daily newsletter that delivers a mix of business news, tech updates, and startup stories with a punchy, often humorous tone.
Value Proposition: Perfect for staying informed on the latest trends and stories in the business world, with a format that’s both engaging and easy to digest.
Frequency: Daily
Key Topics: Business news, tech industry updates, entrepreneurship, and emerging trends.
Content Quality: High-quality, concise, and engaging, with a blend of hard news and lighter
Ideal Audience: Entrepreneurs and business professionals who want a quick, entertaining overview of what’s happening in the world of startups and tech.
Why Is It Different: Visually appealing and with an endless array of themes.
Subscribe here
8. Bay Area Times
Overview: The Bay Area Times informs about the tech scene, covering global news, trends, and events.
Value Proposition: Essential for founders who like to consume with concise visual analysis for each story, joined by a community of 250,000+ subscribers.
Frequency: Daily
Key Topics: Tech news, data-driven insights on tech, business, and AI.
Content Quality: High-quality, with a focus on relevant and timely information.
Ideal Audience: Founders, entrepreneurs, and executives.
Why Is It Different: Links visualizations to stories, making them easy to understand and memorize.
Subscribe here
9. Lenny’s Newsletter
Overview: Lenny’s Newsletter, created by former Airbnb product lead Lenny Rachitsky, is investigating the anatomy of product management, growth strategies, and startup best practices.
Value Proposition: Serves a blend of extensive reviews and sensible suggestions, making it particularly valuable for product managers and growth leaders.
Frequency: Weekly
Key Topics: Product management, growth strategies, leadership, and market trends.
Content Quality: Exceptionally detailed and well-researched, with a combination of case studies, interviews, and Lenny’s own insights.
Ideal Audience: Founders, product managers, and growth leaders looking for clear direction.
Why Is It Different: There is also the Lenny’s Podcast for diving even deeper into the subject matter.
Subscribe here
10. Not Boring
Overview: Not Boring by Packy McCormick merges storytelling and crisp analysis on tech, startups, and venture capital.
Value Proposition: Combines engaging narratives with research, making complex topics accessible and interesting for founders.
Frequency: Weekly
Key Topics: Tech, startups, venture capital, future of business.
Content Quality: High-quality, with a strong focus on making complex concepts engaging and easy to understand.
Ideal Audience: Founders and startup enthusiasts who enjoy exploring new ideas and perspectives through well-crafted stories.
Why Is It Different: Unlimited topics and catchy headlines like The Daily Dose of Optimism.
Subscribe here
11. First Round Review
Overview: First Round Review is an extension of First Round Capital’s library of startup knowledge, offering actionable advice from industry leaders.
Value Proposition: Provides in-depth articles, interviews with successful founders, and guides that you can directly apply to your business.
Frequency: Monthly
Key Topics: Leadership, growth, product development, and fundraising.
Content Quality: Exceptionally high, with well-researched articles featuring exclusive wisdom from industry experts.
Ideal Audience: Early-stage founders and curious startup teams looking for deep dives and validated tactics.
Why Is It Different: Remarkably on-point, educational, and inspirational at the same time.
Subscribe here
12. StrictlyVC
Overview: StrictlyVC is a newsletter dedicated to the venture capital landscape, providing news, analysis, and insights for founders and investors.
Value Proposition: Shares insider news and trends in venture capital, helping founders seeking investment understand the VC ecosystem.
Frequency: Daily
Key Topics: Venture capital, fundraising, startup news.
Content Quality: Highly informative and particularly useful for those navigating the world of venture capital.
Ideal Audience: Founders actively fundraising or interested in learning more about the VC landscape, venture capitalists, and corporate innovators.
Why Is It Different: It has a diverse audience and always follows a specific, clean structure.
Subscribe here
13. Every
Overview: Every is a long-form daily newsletter revealing different perspectives on business, tech, and personal development. It is written by authors who have real-life experience.
Value Proposition: Delivers a wide range of forecasts and outlooks in an essay form: ‘’It’s not news, it’s context and opinion.’’
Frequency: Daily
Key Topics: Business strategy, tech trends, productivity, AI, and industry analysis.
Content Quality: Premium, thought-provoking content with a focus on original viewpoints and expert commentary.
Ideal Audience: Impact-driven entrepreneurs and professionals.
Why Is It Different: It’s truly one of a kind for its outstanding design and beautiful writing.
Subscribe here
Making the Most of These Resources
Staying informed is not just a luxury—it's a necessity. The right newsletter can provide you with the insights, strategies, and knowledge you need to rise above the challenges of entrepreneurship. By subscribing to newsletters that align with your needs and goals, you can ensure that you’re always a step ahead.
Take the time to explore the ones that resonate most with you, and make them part of your routine. Moreover, they will reveal a whole new world of other resources ready to be investigated. Knowledge is gold, especially when coming from experience.
The Founder Institute is the world’s most proven network to turn ideas into fundable startups, and startups into global businesses. Since 2009, our highly-structured accelerator programs have helped entrepreneurs raised over $1.8BN in funding across over 200 cities worldwide.
Learn more about the Founder Institute at FI.co, join an upcoming startup event at FI.co/events, or subscribe to our Insights Newsletter.
