Austin, Texas, June 2026 iStart Valley, a leading nonprofit startup accelerator focused on innovation and entrepreneurship, today announced that it has successfully helped facilitate an initial $150,000 investment into enterprise AI startup Tessact, marking another milestone in its mission of connecting high-potential startups with strategic invest...
Paying for college is one of the biggest financial concerns for families across the United States. With tuition, housing, books, and other educational expenses continuing to rise, scholarships have become one of the most effective ways to reduce the financial burden of higher education. As students begin exploring scholarship opportunities, they of...
A new school year is a fresh opportunity to set goals, embrace new challenges, and build habits that lead to long-term success. While shopping for school supplies and organizing class schedules are important, preparing with the right skills can make an even bigger difference in a student's academic journey. Today's high school students are preparin...
Entrepreneurship is no longer just about starting a business. It is about developing the mindset, confidence, and practical skills needed to solve problems, think creatively, lead teams, and adapt to an ever changing world. Today, colleges and employers are looking for students who demonstrate initiative, innovation, and leadership. Whether you dre...
Technology is changing the world faster than ever before. From Artificial Intelligence and robotics to healthcare innovation and space exploration, today’s students will enter a future driven by problem-solving, creativity, and innovation. This is why STEM education has become more important than ever. Modern STEM programs do more than teach scienc...
Artificial intelligence is shaping the future faster than ever before. From voice assistants like Siri and Alexa to recommendation systems on YouTube and Netflix, AI has already become part of everyday life. As technology continues evolving, one question many parents are asking is: When should students start learning AI? The answer may surprise man...
In a powerful commencement address at Carnegie Mellon University, Jensen Huang, Founder and CEO of NVIDIA, declared that today’s students are entering “the beginning of the AI revolution.” His message was clear: the future belongs to those who can adapt, innovate, build responsibly, and work alongside AI technologies. This vision aligns closely wit...
Do high school internships help Ivy League admissions? The answer is yes, but only when done strategically. Today, top universities don’t just look for perfect grades. They want students who show initiative, real-world experience, and a clear sense of direction. This is why high school internships for college applications are becoming increasingly ...
When students search for paid internship vs unpaid internship, the discussion often revolves around one factor. Compensation. But for high school students preparing for competitive college admissions and future leadership paths, the better question is this: What kind of internship builds depth, distinction, and direction? The difference is not simp...
Recognizing Youth Leadership & Innovation During PVSA Pause At iStart Valley, we believe that service is not just about hours - it is about impact. For years, iStart Valley has proudly nominated deserving interns and youth leaders for the Presidential Volunteer Service Award (PVSA), administered by AmeriCorps. This prestigious national recognit...
High school internships in the USA are fast becoming one of the most effective ways to gain real-world experience before college. Unlike traditional summer courses, these internships allow students to work on real business problems, collaborate with startups, and develop leadership, innovation, and critical thinking skills that colleges and employe...
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education plays a critical role in preparing students for the modern workforce. As the United States continues to lead innovation across industries such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, aerospace, and data science, demand for strong STEM foundations has never been higher. The top ST...
Admission to Harvard University and Ivy League schools has become increasingly competitive. Top universities now seek students who demonstrate academic excellence, original research, leadership, and real‑world impact, not just strong test scores. Over the past three consecutive years, students from the iStart Valley internship and STEM programs hav...
Startup Snapshot, a think tank uncovering the unspoken realities of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, has released its latest report, The Untold Toll (Part 2): Navigating Stress, Wellbeing, and Burnout in Startup Teams. The emotional and mental state of startup teams has emerged as one of the most overlooked drivers of company performance. Startup Sna...
Dec 09, 2025 Category Books My partner Seth Levine has an important new book out today titled Capital Evolution: The New American Economy. I saw it last night at the Boulder Bookstore in the New Hardback Non-Fiction section (bottom left in the photo below) and am going to the launch event at Composition Shop in Longmont. Join us, say hello, and buy...
Skip to content Back to Blog Google seems a little confused. It was even confused about my age the other day, but at least it has that right now. It was a little confused on December 1st. I mean, c’mon Google. Use all those chips you have to get it right!
Three weeks ago, I tested something that completely changed how I think about organic traffic. I opened ChatGPT and asked a simple question: "What's the best course on building SaaS with WordPress?" The answer that appeared stopped me cold. My course showed up as the first result, recommended directly by the AI with specific reasons why it was valu...
My father Stan and I in our default states. lsof -ti:3000 | xargs kill -9 2>/dev/null; npm run dev I’ve been wandering up to 60 for a while. During my extreme-extroversion around Give First: The Power of Mentorship I described myself as “almost 60” a bunch of times just to try it on. It feels comfortable. Several people responded with “60 is the...
Give First is now available to pre-order in Audiobook format (it will be officially released on 12/2/26). I’m the reader, so if you are an audiobook person, you’ll have to listen to me for a few hours. It was fun doing the recording (I’ve done the audio recording for two other books – Venture Deals (Jason and I alternated chapters) and Startup Life...
I’ve been a long-time Cory Doctorow fan. His new book Enshitification is delicious. Yup – I understand that a shit emoji doesn’t inspire deliciousness. Now that I’m back in hibernation (and figuring out what it actually means), I’m reading and writing a lot. I’ll probably blog some (a little, a lot, who knows) while in hibernation because I work ou...
