🪨 Under Pressure

👋 Hey — Egemen here.

Pressure.

When you have a lump of coal, you stick it under immense pressure. That pressure does either of two things:
- makes it crumble, turns it into dust, and renders it useless
- or turns it into the diamond that you always hoped it could be

Startup life is almost always a constant challenge of whether you crumble when the pressure is on.

Today, we’re talking about that a little bit.

Here’s a snapshot of what’s on the menu today:

💡 Spotlight: n8n

n8n is a powerful, open-source workflow automation tool that combines low-code simplicity with developer flexibility.

You can visually connect 400+ apps, add custom code when needed, and even build AI-powered automations.

It’s self-hostable, scalable, and ideal for teams that want full control over their workflows without vendor lock-in.

🧠 Deep-Dive: Pressure - Don’t take VC Money

There is an unending pressure to take VC money, or see fundraising as a goal, rather than a tool to deliver value to users.

I’ve talked to many founders who have been heavily pressured and criticized to take a VC deal – not necessarily a good deal – just because that’s the “right thing to do”.

Well, with build times getting shorter and shorter each week with AI, cost of launching and building something decreasing tremendously, I often suggest otherwise.

Maybe you don’t need that VC money, maybe that pressure doesn’t necessarily make you crumble.

Maybe that’s an opportunity to focus on what you do best, reflect, and operate your startup in a lean, efficient way.

Think about it.

You’ll start wondering: “Should I go bigger? Am I aiming too low?”

That kind of doubt creeps in fast. Especially when you’re surrounded by people raising money and scaling fast. I’ve been there. I know that pressure.

But here’s the thing I had to learn (the hard way): bigger doesn’t always mean better.

Staying small is not a lack of ambition—it’s a deliberate choice. A smart one, if what you value most is independence and peace of mind.

A founder friend of mine is at a crossroads right now. He’s got a solid product and an offer for VC funding on the table. But it doesn’t sit right with him. He’s hesitating—and wondering if he’s just being risk-averse.

Here’s my honest take: funding changes the game.

When you take outside money, you invite new priorities and expectations. The stakes shift. The freedom you started with starts to shrink.

Not everyone needs to chase the unicorn path. There’s a different model—bootstrapped, profitable, intentional—that’s just as valid. For some, it’s the better model.

It’s not about avoiding growth. It’s about growing on your own terms. Slowly. Sustainably. With purpose.

I hope this resonates with some of you out there – feel free to reply to this email and reach out to me if you wanna chat.

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⚾️ Catch: The Global Startup Ecosystem Report

• Global startup ecosystem value dropped 31%—first major decline in years.

• Fewer big exits + IPOs = tougher fundraising landscape.

• Asian hubs (Shenzhen, Seoul, Shanghai) are rising fast.

• AI is the central theme, with a new “AI-Native Transition” metric introduced.

• Policymakers are urged to go all-in on AI or risk falling behind.

☝️ Scaled This Past Week: Harvey

Harvey, the legal AI platform used by law firms and corporate legal teams worldwide, has raised $300 million in a Series E funding - it’s the scale of the week!

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