In some ways, Y Combinator’s biannual Demo Day is somewhat predictable: There will be Stanford dropouts, last-minute pivots, and, as always, promises of near-term profitability. We even made a bingo board about it.

But one thing I can never guess ahead of time is the exact priorities of the season’s batch. Y Combinator stands by the fact that it backs people, not ideas, so its Demo Day technically unveils two things: who the accelerator bet on and what they decided to prioritize. This year was different for myriad reasons. First, YC Summer 2022 is the second batch to receive a $500,000 check instead of $125,000, as part of the accelerator’s expanded check size. Second, the batch was smaller than usual (see previous versions of this column here and here; it’s a different tone altogether) — a narrowing of focus the accelerator says was due to the downturn

Image: Image Credits: Bryce Durbin / TechCrunch

Obamacare was enacted on March 23, 2010. Every year since, Pundits predict the demise or significant alteration of Obamacare. The alternative to Obamacare is Othercare. In other words, employed and independent practitioners can struggle using old models of care and try to chase their tail every time the government and payers issue new rules, or, you can be innovative and be proactive. Skate with the puck v skating to where the puck will be. You need to adapt to several major trends like fee for service migrating to payment for valued care, improving the patient experience, the demand for care outstripping supply, and many more. It's time for doctors to take care of business since, if they don't, they will no longer be able to take care of patients.

The way Americans work has been in flux since 2020, but the working world finally appears to be approaching a more "normal" state. The percentage of workers reporting in-person (52% as of August 26) has risen steadily as COVID restrictions have eased, and the percentage of remote workers (29%) has dipped in kind, according to LinkedIn’s Workforce Confidence survey. Hybrid arrangements have gained in popularity since the onset of the pandemic, with 17% of workers saying they split their time between home and onsite work these days.

After two years of hastily throwing a business jacket over a T-shirt and sweatpants while letting people into our homes
during the Covid-19 pandemic, our tolerance for conformity — and discomfort — has changed. The business dress code is evolving. Have you been rethinking your work attire as you transition back into the office, but you’re worried about what others will think? In this piece, the author offers practical steps to try if you’re considering changing things up.

Working on microscopic pipes only a millionth as wide as a single strand of human hair, Johns Hopkins University researchers have engineered a way to ensure that these tiniest of pipes are safe from the tiniest of leaks.

Leak-free piping, made with nanotubes that self-assemble, self-repair, and can connect themselves to different biostructures, is a significant step toward creating a nanotube network that one day might deliver specialized drugs, proteins, and molecules to targeted cells in the human body. The highly precise measurements are outlined today in Science Advances.

Image: Nanopipes, visible as the thin green lines, attach to cells. IMAGE CREDIT: SCHULMAN LAB/JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

Have you ever listened to a talk by somebody who came across as an expert, only to find that they had no clue after all? Or perhaps you’ve been annoyed by a colleague who explains the obvious in a condescending way. The way expertise is expressed is very similar to how confidence is expressed. And despite the trope of mansplaining, this happens independent of gender, although communicative styles do tend to differ between the genders.

Soon you won’t have to put up with those annoying capsules to get quick and easy coffee at home. That’s because a company known as CoffeeB has created an innovative compostable coffee ball system, letting you enjoy your coffee without waiting on the plastic to break down over several months. It will retail for around $5 when it releases and will come with its own machine, too.

What's in a brand? The entire visual and narrative identity of your business, to start. When you founded your business, you had a clear idea and plan in mind — a void in your industry to fill, a problem to solve. The very thing that drove you to go out on your own and begin anew is the very first building block in your brand identity. A brand is so much more than a logo and a name. It's a look, a feel and a story that will connect your target audience to your mission and values. Building an authentic brand that can evolve with your company correlates directly to the consistent growth of your business.

Multiple sclerosis (MS), a progressive disease that affects 2.8 million people worldwide and for which there is no definitive cure, is likely caused by infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), according to a study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health researchers.

“The hypothesis that EBV causes MS has been investigated by our group and others for several years, but this is the first study providing compelling evidence of causality,” said Alberto Ascherio, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard Chan School and senior author of the study. “This is a big step because it suggests that most MS cases could be prevented by stopping EBV infection, and that targeting EBV could lead to the discovery of a cure for MS.”

Image: Multiple sclerosis (MS), a progressive disease that affects 2.8 million people worldwide and for which there is no definitive cure. (CREDIT: Creative Commons)

Hussain Almossawi' new book titled: 'The Innovator's Handbook’ is out.. To explain somehow what is the book is about — "It often has a lot to do with the way the corporate world is set-up. In many cases, it rewards the outspoken over the quiet ones, and allows egos and politics to get in the way of celebrating great ideas. This eventually pushes a lot of people to take the back seat and play it safe."

The book is coming out on September 6, make sure to order here.

INSANE All-New Solar Panel For Home Breakthough Could Change Everything Solar 3.0: This New Technology Could Change Everything Exploring Solar Panel Efficiency Breakthroughs in 2022

NASA released an impressive desktop app some years back called “NASA’s Eyes Visualization,” which allowed you to check out the solar system, along with all the spacecraft exploring it. But who installs programs anymore? It graduated to the web recently, and now it has an updated interface and tools. Simply head to the “Eyes on the Solar System” site on your device of choice, and start exploring.

The main interface of the new site is simply the orbits of the planets, color-coded with highlights to show you their current positions. The layout is accurate for the current time, but you can use either buttons or the slider at the bottom to speed up or reverse time. It goes as high or as low as three years per second. You have to figure this revamp was supposed to coincide with NASA’s Artemis program, but that’s taking a bit longer than expected to get off the ground.

Humans produce more concrete than any other material on the planet. It is the literal foundation of modern civilization – and for good reason.

Concrete is strong, durable, affordable and available to almost every community on the planet. However, the global concrete industry has a dirty little secret – it alone is responsible for more than 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions – more than three times the emissions associated with aviation. Those emissions doubled in the past two decades as Asian cities grew, and demand is continuing to expand at an unprecedented rate.

The Missouri Technology Corp. (MTC) is pursuing new initiatives to boost startups statewide, including a $95 million capital program for small businesses, exploring a first-of-its-kind financing model for entrepreneurs and creating an internship program to connect more young people with upstart companies.

Those are a few of the items outlined in a blueprint unveiled last week by MTC, part of state government, as it seeks to elevate entrepreneurship in Missouri. Created by the Missouri General Assembly, MTC is a public-private partnership designed to promote entrepreneurship and provide investment to startups and entrepreneur support organizations.

Image: Dedric Carter, chairman of the Missouri Technology Corp. WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

The ocean’s waves are immensely powerful. Harnessing that energy for grid-scale electricity production would be a major boon to the clean energy industry, but building durable, powerful, and cost-effective wave energy converters has proven difficult. Now though, an influx of federal funding is helping many U.S. companies gear up to test their latest wave energy technologies, giving many in the industry hope that wave power will see massive growth over the next few decades.

Image: https://www.cnbc.com/ - From Video

A recent study published in Journal of Happiness Studies shows happy people perform better. Yep: Employee happiness and well-being accurately predicts performance. (Hi, Captain Obvious!)

But knowing something works doesn't always mean knowing how to actually do it.

So how can you actually make people you work with -- and while you're at it, your family and friends -- happier? Here are five simple ways.

With the global sports tech industry estimated to surpass $40 billion by 2026, Amsterdam-based digital venture capital platform Venturerock today launched its $75 million sports tech venture investment company (VIC).

The VIC, which includes athlete investors including former Dutch soccer player Mark van Bommel and former New York Jets cornerback Bryson Keeton, utilizes a 72-step, four-phase program where investing is based on startups hitting key performance indicators (KPIs) and milestones.

Image: Bob van Oosterhout (left) and Danny Cortenraede are spearheading Venturerock's $75 million sports tech venture investment company. - COURTESY OF ROBERT VERBOON

Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive types of brain cancer known to man. For many, the chance of survival is often low. However, a new type of brain tumor therapy could help change things for the better. The therapy, which relies on destroying the “power source” of the cancer, has shown considerable success in mice. The scientists are hopeful it will work the same in humans.

The original iPhone went on sale June 29, 2007 for $499 for a 4GB model, and $599 for an 8GB version. Just a little over two months later, on September 5, Apple dropped the 4GB model and lowered the price on the 8GB iPhone by $200--which, if you were holding out to buy one during the holidays, was a great deal. If, however, you were one of the people who bought one when it was released, it was a smack in the face.

Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Steve_Jobs_Headshot_2010-CROP_(cropped_2).jpg

Nike has a new material that the company claims is their biggest innovation since Dri-Fit. Nike Forward is a material that is not the typical knit or woven fabric but instead turns fiber into textile using a needle-punch process. This material uses significantly less energy and has a lighter density than traditional fleece products and is 70% recycled content by weight. And what better product to debut the material in than the classic grey sweatshirt, which will be available in both hoodie and crewneck silhouettes.

Image: https://www.acquiremag.com