📰 Today's topic: The next big thing has arrived

Hey friends,

I need to tell you about something that's been keeping me up at night. And no, it's not my kids.

Over the past few weeks, tools like OpenClaw, Claude Cowork, and Claude Code have completely shifted what's possible with AI. 

I can’t lie…I got the bug, and I even splurged and got a Mac Mini.

I’m not the only one

If you’ve tried using Cowork, chances are high that you’ve caught the bug too.

I mean, we're talking about agents that take over your browser, triage your inbox, draft responses, and run tasks on a schedule while you sleep. I’ve always had a ton of ideas, but since I’m not a software engineer, I’ve always had a pretty limited toolset when it comes to building anything more robust than some Zapier automations.

The theoretical is becoming much more tangible. For example, one of our GPs has cut her email workload by 50% using a personal AI agent she built herself. My 7 year old daughter and I have been building fun math and reading apps that are much better than the games I’ve bought in the app store. 

No coding required, super intuitive, and done in minutes.

This isn't hype. It’s a fundamental shift in how companies are getting built.

Why you should care

Every major technological wave creates a new generation of massive companies. The internet gave us Google and Amazon. Social gave us Meta. Mobile gave us Uber and Airbnb.

This is that kind of wave.

Founders are building the infrastructure for how agents browse the web, make purchases, and communicate with each other. Think of it like 1995 for the internet, except this time we need an entirely new layer of the web built for machines, not humans.

That's a LOT of companies that need to get built. And built fast.

Which also means…right now is one of the best times in history to be a startup investor. 

Not just because of what's being built, but because the barriers to getting started have never been lower. 

This time, it’s different

This is the first generational platform shift where writing $1k checks is a legitimate option.

For the first time, you don’t need to be a full time VC or big shot angel investor that writes $100k checks to participate. Those days are over, and the proliferation of small check angels is here to stay.  

The best angels in our network started with small checks ($1k-$5k) across lots of companies, learned from their repetitions, and built valuable peer-networks along the way.

I write Small Bets weekly to help more people start that journey, and this time I’m taking it live…

You’re invited to our first ever…🎥 Small Bets LIVE: Angel Investing 101

We’ll be hosting a 45-minute LIVE bootcamp, with the same Small Bets punch you know and love. Whether you've been investing for years or you're just getting curious about this space, you’ll love it.

Here's what we’re planning:

• The Basics (15 minutes): We'll cover the basics of angel investing and the tactics you need to know to write your first check (or to ramp up). 

• The Pitch (30 minutes): A fundraising founder will pitch Hustle Fund GP Eric Bahn live, Shark-Tank style. No scripts or rehearsal, and you'll watch Eric evaluate the deal in real time. Maybe you’ll see him invest on the spot. 

See you there.

– Brian from Angel Squad

Overheard in SF…probably

“Our unit economics are underwater, but look at Instacart - they burned through billions and eventually figured it out. We just need 8 more years and a pandemic.”