Lori Berenberg
@loriberenberg.bsky.social
investing early in the future of work at Bloomberg Beta. managed products at MongoDB and AppNexus.
Full article here: www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
www.bloomberg.com
January 7, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Full article here: www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
For founders: the goal isn’t to avoid the loop entirely (good luck). It’s to make sure you’re not trapped inside someone else’s loop. The leverage you control (data, workflow ownership, distribution, trust, margins) matters even more in a frothy system.
Link to the full article below.
Link to the full article below.
January 7, 2026 at 5:01 PM
For founders: the goal isn’t to avoid the loop entirely (good luck). It’s to make sure you’re not trapped inside someone else’s loop. The leverage you control (data, workflow ownership, distribution, trust, margins) matters even more in a frothy system.
Link to the full article below.
Link to the full article below.
But when money circulates this efficiently, it can start to look like self-justifying growth: The deals validate the valuations, the valuations validate more deals, the deals pull forward spend, and around we go.
3/
3/
January 7, 2026 at 5:01 PM
But when money circulates this efficiently, it can start to look like self-justifying growth: The deals validate the valuations, the valuations validate more deals, the deals pull forward spend, and around we go.
3/
3/
Capital → compute → revenue → more capital → more compute… with the same few counterparties showing up at every step.
Partnerships are now equal parts distribution and financing instruments.
2/
Partnerships are now equal parts distribution and financing instruments.
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January 7, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Capital → compute → revenue → more capital → more compute… with the same few counterparties showing up at every step.
Partnerships are now equal parts distribution and financing instruments.
2/
Partnerships are now equal parts distribution and financing instruments.
2/
also.roybahat.com
December 30, 2025 at 5:00 PM
P.P.S. I’ll link Roy’s post below, which you should read!
December 30, 2025 at 5:00 PM
P.P.S. I’ll link Roy’s post below, which you should read!
At Bloomberg Beta, we believe that while there’s a place for all three, we want to see way more superpowers (cranes!) in the world.
P.S. DALL-E 3 generated this image using Roy’s prompt from his original post (which used DALL-E 2)… love to see the progress!
P.S. DALL-E 3 generated this image using Roy’s prompt from his original post (which used DALL-E 2)… love to see the progress!
December 30, 2025 at 5:00 PM
At Bloomberg Beta, we believe that while there’s a place for all three, we want to see way more superpowers (cranes!) in the world.
P.S. DALL-E 3 generated this image using Roy’s prompt from his original post (which used DALL-E 2)… love to see the progress!
P.S. DALL-E 3 generated this image using Roy’s prompt from his original post (which used DALL-E 2)… love to see the progress!
- Superpower: AI that lets people do things they otherwise couldn’t. Think: translation at scale, web scale search and synthesis, molecule discovery. What Roy calls a crane.
December 30, 2025 at 5:00 PM
- Superpower: AI that lets people do things they otherwise couldn’t. Think: translation at scale, web scale search and synthesis, molecule discovery. What Roy calls a crane.
- Assistant: AI that helps a human do the work faster or better, with the human still deciding. Think: drafting, summarizing, editing, analysis with review. What Roy calls a slide rule.
December 30, 2025 at 5:00 PM
- Assistant: AI that helps a human do the work faster or better, with the human still deciding. Think: drafting, summarizing, editing, analysis with review. What Roy calls a slide rule.
- Substitute: AI that replaces a human doing the work end to end. Think: support resolved without escalation, approvals without review, driving without a driver. What Roy calls a loom.
December 30, 2025 at 5:00 PM
- Substitute: AI that replaces a human doing the work end to end. Think: support resolved without escalation, approvals without review, driving without a driver. What Roy calls a loom.
Here’s my simple take: substitute vs superpower.
In the panic around AI taking jobs, it’s important to distinguish between the kinds of new technology enabled by AI, and how that might impact workers differently.
In the panic around AI taking jobs, it’s important to distinguish between the kinds of new technology enabled by AI, and how that might impact workers differently.
December 30, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Here’s my simple take: substitute vs superpower.
In the panic around AI taking jobs, it’s important to distinguish between the kinds of new technology enabled by AI, and how that might impact workers differently.
In the panic around AI taking jobs, it’s important to distinguish between the kinds of new technology enabled by AI, and how that might impact workers differently.
So when he asked me what I thought about his viral blog post “Looms vs Cranes” I couldn’t help but be honest: the analogy makes no sense.
What’s a slide rule? Are there really autonomous looms? And how do those two relate to cranes?
Of course, he challenged me to come up with a better analogy.
What’s a slide rule? Are there really autonomous looms? And how do those two relate to cranes?
Of course, he challenged me to come up with a better analogy.
December 30, 2025 at 5:00 PM
So when he asked me what I thought about his viral blog post “Looms vs Cranes” I couldn’t help but be honest: the analogy makes no sense.
What’s a slide rule? Are there really autonomous looms? And how do those two relate to cranes?
Of course, he challenged me to come up with a better analogy.
What’s a slide rule? Are there really autonomous looms? And how do those two relate to cranes?
Of course, he challenged me to come up with a better analogy.
Questions we don't ask: github.com/Bloomberg-Be...
Manual/1 - Manual.md at main · Bloomberg-Beta/Manual
You were probably looking for our website... this is it. We moved our website here, so you can see the insides of how we work. - Bloomberg-Beta/Manual
github.com
December 22, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Questions we don't ask: github.com/Bloomberg-Be...
Founders: what’s the best question a VC has asked you? (And if you want to share…the most cringe!)
And if you’re curious, I’ve linked the questions we DON’T ask below.
And if you’re curious, I’ve linked the questions we DON’T ask below.
December 22, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Founders: what’s the best question a VC has asked you? (And if you want to share…the most cringe!)
And if you’re curious, I’ve linked the questions we DON’T ask below.
And if you’re curious, I’ve linked the questions we DON’T ask below.
3. Why is what they’re building surprising to customers?
A founder can only know what surprises customers if they deeply understand the customer's workflows and pain points. That founder tends to sell more effectively too.
A founder can only know what surprises customers if they deeply understand the customer's workflows and pain points. That founder tends to sell more effectively too.
December 22, 2025 at 5:04 PM
3. Why is what they’re building surprising to customers?
A founder can only know what surprises customers if they deeply understand the customer's workflows and pain points. That founder tends to sell more effectively too.
A founder can only know what surprises customers if they deeply understand the customer's workflows and pain points. That founder tends to sell more effectively too.
2. What keeps them up at night?
A relationship built on trust requires sharing the ugly truth. That includes talking about the worst problem a founder is currently facing: the customer that might churn, the technical problem they can’t solve, or even an issue with a team member.
A relationship built on trust requires sharing the ugly truth. That includes talking about the worst problem a founder is currently facing: the customer that might churn, the technical problem they can’t solve, or even an issue with a team member.
December 22, 2025 at 5:04 PM
2. What keeps them up at night?
A relationship built on trust requires sharing the ugly truth. That includes talking about the worst problem a founder is currently facing: the customer that might churn, the technical problem they can’t solve, or even an issue with a team member.
A relationship built on trust requires sharing the ugly truth. That includes talking about the worst problem a founder is currently facing: the customer that might churn, the technical problem they can’t solve, or even an issue with a team member.
1. Why is this the founder’s life’s work?
If a founder wants to spend the next decade+ of their life on a company, they have to care deeply (maniacally!) about the problem and the customers, not just about “being a founder.”
If a founder wants to spend the next decade+ of their life on a company, they have to care deeply (maniacally!) about the problem and the customers, not just about “being a founder.”
December 22, 2025 at 5:04 PM
1. Why is this the founder’s life’s work?
If a founder wants to spend the next decade+ of their life on a company, they have to care deeply (maniacally!) about the problem and the customers, not just about “being a founder.”
If a founder wants to spend the next decade+ of their life on a company, they have to care deeply (maniacally!) about the problem and the customers, not just about “being a founder.”
4) Determination is the closest thing to a constant.
Across lots of founders and outcomes, the through-line we kept coming back to is staying power: the ability to keep going through ambiguity, rejection, and the “this is harder than we thought” moments.
Across lots of founders and outcomes, the through-line we kept coming back to is staying power: the ability to keep going through ambiguity, rejection, and the “this is harder than we thought” moments.
December 17, 2025 at 4:01 PM
4) Determination is the closest thing to a constant.
Across lots of founders and outcomes, the through-line we kept coming back to is staying power: the ability to keep going through ambiguity, rejection, and the “this is harder than we thought” moments.
Across lots of founders and outcomes, the through-line we kept coming back to is staying power: the ability to keep going through ambiguity, rejection, and the “this is harder than we thought” moments.
3) Conviction + coachability, together.
The founders we’re most excited about tend to hold two things at once: real conviction in the mission and a genuine openness to new information.
They’re not looking for validation. They’re looking to pressure-test assumptions and get better fast.
The founders we’re most excited about tend to hold two things at once: real conviction in the mission and a genuine openness to new information.
They’re not looking for validation. They’re looking to pressure-test assumptions and get better fast.
December 17, 2025 at 4:01 PM
3) Conviction + coachability, together.
The founders we’re most excited about tend to hold two things at once: real conviction in the mission and a genuine openness to new information.
They’re not looking for validation. They’re looking to pressure-test assumptions and get better fast.
The founders we’re most excited about tend to hold two things at once: real conviction in the mission and a genuine openness to new information.
They’re not looking for validation. They’re looking to pressure-test assumptions and get better fast.
2) They communicate with focus.
A small but telling habit: the strongest founders tend to be clear and concise, especially over email.
Not because “short = smart,” but because clarity usually reflects sharp priorities, good decision-making, and respect for everyone’s time.
A small but telling habit: the strongest founders tend to be clear and concise, especially over email.
Not because “short = smart,” but because clarity usually reflects sharp priorities, good decision-making, and respect for everyone’s time.
December 17, 2025 at 4:01 PM
2) They communicate with focus.
A small but telling habit: the strongest founders tend to be clear and concise, especially over email.
Not because “short = smart,” but because clarity usually reflects sharp priorities, good decision-making, and respect for everyone’s time.
A small but telling habit: the strongest founders tend to be clear and concise, especially over email.
Not because “short = smart,” but because clarity usually reflects sharp priorities, good decision-making, and respect for everyone’s time.
1) They move toward the hard part.
When something is broken, great founders don’t procrastinate.
They’ll surface the issue quickly, dig in, and make progress, even if it’s messy. It’s a pattern of choosing the highest friction work first.
As Amjad Masad (Replit CEO) says: “Seek Pain.”
When something is broken, great founders don’t procrastinate.
They’ll surface the issue quickly, dig in, and make progress, even if it’s messy. It’s a pattern of choosing the highest friction work first.
As Amjad Masad (Replit CEO) says: “Seek Pain.”
December 17, 2025 at 4:01 PM
1) They move toward the hard part.
When something is broken, great founders don’t procrastinate.
They’ll surface the issue quickly, dig in, and make progress, even if it’s messy. It’s a pattern of choosing the highest friction work first.
As Amjad Masad (Replit CEO) says: “Seek Pain.”
When something is broken, great founders don’t procrastinate.
They’ll surface the issue quickly, dig in, and make progress, even if it’s messy. It’s a pattern of choosing the highest friction work first.
As Amjad Masad (Replit CEO) says: “Seek Pain.”
Early signs of an outlier are hard to spot reliably, and the best founders are basically a game of exceptions.
Still, a few things we kept circling back to:
Still, a few things we kept circling back to:
December 17, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Early signs of an outlier are hard to spot reliably, and the best founders are basically a game of exceptions.
Still, a few things we kept circling back to:
Still, a few things we kept circling back to: