🕶️ Is WP Engine the bad guy in the WordPress saga?

Six bullets of updates

1. 📞 FTC's new rule eases subscription cancellations, addressing 70 complaints/day in 2024. Goodbye, tricks and traps!

2. 📰 The New York Times has ordered AI startup Perplexity AI to stop using its content without permission in search results.

3. 📢 Monzo employees petition the board to increase transparency regarding the company’s performance amid significant layoffs.

4. 🚀 SpaceX alums aim to raise a hefty $550M fund for deep tech startups, led by former SpaceX execs. Link

5. 🌟 Ex-HubSpot VP Elias Torres launches Agency with $12M seed to revolutionize customer success through AI.

6. 🚫 CapWay, a YC-backed fintech, shuts down amid funding struggles and fintech failures; Black founders raised just 0.3% of startup funds.

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Anthropic tightens the safety net on AI—Who’s next?

Anthropic has updated its Responsible Scaling Policy (RSP) to enhance the safety of its AI systems, including the Claude chatbot. The update introduces "Capability Thresholds," which identify when AI models require additional safeguards, targeting high-risk areas like bioweapons and autonomous AI research. The role of the Responsible Scaling Officer has also been expanded to ensure compliance with these safety measures.

This move reflects the growing focus on balancing AI innovation with safety, as AI models become more powerful. By implementing early-warning systems, Anthropic aims to prevent misuse of its technology and mitigate potential risks.

Anthropic’s policy could set a new standard for AI safety across the industry — phone rings for OpenAI —. Its tiered AI Safety Levels (ASLs) system encourages other companies to adopt similar frameworks, potentially sparking a "race to the top" in responsible AI development.

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Startup Events and Deadlines

1. Crash Course in Financial Modeling | October 23 | Webinar

2. Financial Modeling Bootcamp | November 11-15 | LIVE 1-week bootcamp

3. Techstars Columbus | November 20 | Columbus

4. Techstars New York City Accelerator | November 20 | New York City

5. Techstars Anywhere Accelerator | November 20 | Remote

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These companies just raised money

1. 🚀 Stockholm's Node.vc raises €71M to back Nordic startups, eyeing sectors like AI, gaming, fintech, and climate tech.

2. 💸 African crypto startup Yellow Card raises $33M to fuel its B2B pivot, skyrocketing transaction volumes to $3B.

3. 🤖 Capacity lands $26M Series D, acquires 3 firms to enhance AI-powered support platform; targets $50M ARR.

4. 🧠 Toronto-based Fable scores $25M to enhance tools for cognitive and hearing impairments, aiming for inclusive AI.

5. 🛍️ Autone snags $17M Series A to revolutionize retail supply chains for mid-market and premium brands.

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Mullenweg vs. WP Engine: the battle for the heart of WordPress

A major clash is unfolding in the WordPress world, involving its founder Matt Mullenweg and the hosting company WP Engine. WordPress, the free, open-source software powering around 40% of websites globally, allows people to either host their own sites or use companies like WP Engine to manage everything for them.

The trouble began when Mullenweg publicly criticized WP Engine, accusing them of disabling a crucial feature that tracks changes in posts and misleading users by making them think WP Engine is officially tied to WordPress.

This feud escalated into legal action, with both sides issuing cease-and-desist letters over trademark use, and WP Engine filing a lawsuit against Mullenweg’s company, Automattic. Mullenweg even temporarily blocked WP Engine’s access to vital WordPress resources, disrupting many websites that rely on WP Engine's services. The situation has rocked the WordPress community, leading to widespread concerns about who controls open-source projects and the potential risks for developers and site owners who rely on platforms like WordPress.

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How to raise startup funding: EVERYTHING you need to know

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