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Former Meta execs are launching a nonprofit to take on the wave of scam ads flooding social platforms, while Netflix gears up for its next big play: video podcasts arriving in 2026. India joins the U.S. in adopting AI-powered navigation with real-time safety alerts on Google Maps, and Starlink hits 8 million users as it expands into airline and cellular coverage.
Keep reading for more!
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🎙 Catch the punchline hidden in this week’s headlines 🎙
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Six bullets of updates
🕵️♂️ Ex-Meta execs launch a nonprofit to fight scam ads overrunning up to 30% of social media campaigns.
🎙️ Netflix is betting big on video podcasts, recruiting creators for a 2026 launch to expand its streaming lineup.
🗺️ India gets advanced AI-powered navigation with real-time safety alerts on Google Maps, joining the U.S. as an early adopter.
🛰️ Starlink passes 8M users and expands cell coverage with new spectrum and airline deals.
🏠 Asset tokenization opens access for 1.7B unbanked globally, letting users buy and sell real estate and art from their phones.
📚 Ebook authors can now reach millions more readers with instant AI-powered translations via Kindle Translate.
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Next-Gen hybrid electric RV startups disrupt traditional recreation vehicle market
Photo by Diego Jimenez on Unsplash
Anker-backed startup Evotrex just launched from stealth with a hybrid RV trailer that uses a small gas engine to recharge its battery — basically glamping without worrying about plugs.
Unlike Lightship, Pebble, or Grounded, which make all-electric RVs, Evotrex is aiming at younger campers who go farther off-grid. The company says its generator is quieter and reuses heat, and plans to show the trailer at CES 2026, with shipments by the end of 2026. It’s raised $16M and has about 40 employees split between the U.S. and China.
Challenges include tariff risks from building in China and finishing in California, plus the question of whether hybrids can stay competitive if electric RVs get cheaper. For now, dealers might see it as a useful bridge product while towing still hurts EV range.
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Space Junk, Smart Rings, and a Trillion-Dollar Ego
🎙️ This Week on the Slidebean Stand-up Podcast: Slidebean’s CEO Caya and comedian Kevin break down the week’s startup chaos with sharp takes, sarcasm, and zero corporate filters.
Watch our most recent live shoot: it’s equal parts news, therapy, and stand-up.
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Find your customers on Roku this Black Friday
As with any digital ad campaign, the important thing is to reach streaming audiences who will convert. To that end, Roku’s self-service Ads Manager stands ready with powerful segmentation and targeting options. After all, you know your customers, and we know our streaming audience.
Worried it’s too late to spin up new Black Friday creative? With Roku Ads Manager, you can easily import and augment existing creative assets from your social channels. We also have AI-assisted upscaling, so every ad is primed for CTV.
Once you’ve done this, then you can easily set up A/B tests to flight different creative variants and Black Friday offers. If you’re a Shopify brand, you can even run shoppable ads directly on-screen so viewers can purchase with just a click of their Roku remote.
Bonus: we’re gifting you $5K in ad credits when you spend your first $5K on Roku Ads Manager. Just sign up and use code GET5K. Terms apply.
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📘 Writing a book can boost authority and leads—if it fits your strategy and budget; decide before you commit.
🤝 Strong leaders set edges and let teams design the middle as meaningful feedback drives 80% engagement.
AI Pitch Deck Reviewer
Slidebean has been helping startups craft pitch decks for over 10 years. We recently built an AI Pitch Deck Review tool, that processes the text and visuals on your presentation, and provides actionable feedback on the story, potential missing items, and recommendations on how to improve each slide.
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Amazon and big tech face legal scrutiny over dark patterns
Photo by Marten Newhall on Unsplash
In September, Amazon agreed to pay $2.5 billion to settle the FTC’s case over using “dark patterns” to get people to sign up for Prime. The New Stack says product teams should drop these tricks before regulators—or customers—force them to.
Beyond bad PR, manipulative design skews conversion data, risks auto-renewal violations, and creates messy UX debt engineers have to fix later. In contrast, honest, simple flows reduce chargebacks, support tickets, and lawsuits.
Smart design rules: use clear opt-ins, give equal choices, make canceling easy, show transparent pricing, and log everything. The takeaway for founders? Build trust into your product now—or pay for it later.
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Startup Events and Deadlines
Today! Neurotech Happy Hour l Nov 7 l SFO
Talent TechWalk l Nov 16 l Chicago
Crash Course on Startup Fundraising with Caya (Slidebean CEO) l Nov 17 l Webinar