Good evening!
Are you a fan of Granola?
Here are the 7 things you missed today:
1. 💰 Databricks is Buying Open Source Startup Neon for $1Bn
Data analytics platform Databricks is acquiring open-source database startup Neon for $1 billion, aiming to enhance its AI agent capabilities with Neon's serverless relational database management system – an open source alternative to AWS Aurora Postgres. (TechCrunch)
2. 🥵 Hot Take: You Don’t Need More Leads...
...you need to wake the ones already on your list, inside your CRM, or the ones visiting your website every day.
We helped a SaaS CMO turn their “sleepy” 750-person email list into a revenue machine. The secret? 12 touchpoints.
🧲 Ads grow your list
🧠 Smart filters surface buyers
📬 Emails keep the rest warm
Max’s Lead Ads Funnel gets you booked calls with people who already trust you, increasing your call close rate and ROI on your sales team.
3. 📝 Granola (not the food) Raised $43M at $250M Valuation
AI-powered note-taking app Granola has raised $43 million at a $250 million valuation, in a Series B funding round led by NFDG. Alongside the funding, Granola is launching a new collaboration feature that lets users share transcripts and notes with teammates. (TechCrunch)
4. 🌎 What are companies like Google, IBM, and RingCentral doing in South Africa?
If you’re hiring SDRs or salespeople in 2025 listen up! Some of the world’s biggest tech companies are outsourcing their cold calling and SDR teams to South Africa and it’s not hard to see why.
💡 Over 5 million people speak NATIVE English in the country and thousands of reps with experience selling in industries like tech, finance, marketing, and many others.
👉🏼 The average base salaries start at around $700/month, so… if you’re serious about building a sales team on a budget that can actually get results:
5. 🚕 Waymo is Recalling 1,200 Self-Driving Cars
Waymo is recalling over 1,200 self-driving cars due to a software glitch that led to minor collisions with roadway barriers. The issue, which was already addressed with a software update, doesn't affect current operations but adds to the scrutiny of autonomous vehicle safety. (Quartz)
6. 🔎 Google Added ‘AI Mode’ to Search
Google is experimenting with an "AI Mode" button on its search bar, replacing the traditional "I'm Feeling Lucky" option. This feature aims to provide users with AI-generated responses, reflecting Google's efforts to stay competitive amid the rise of AI chatbots like ChatGPT. (Quartz)
7. 📉 Klarna Shrunk Workforce By 40% Due to AI
Klarna's CEO revealed that AI implementation allowed the company to reduce its workforce by 40%, in large part due to investments in AI. Last year alone, its AI customer service assistant was doing the work of 700 customer service agents. (CNBC)
Bonus. 🤖 Level Up Your AI Game
Join hundreds of my readers who have become more proficient in AI with one of HubSpot's easy-to-follow free guides:
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