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        <title><![CDATA[David Mandel Blog - RSS Feed]]></title>
        <description><![CDATA[Early-stage emerging technology venture capital. Actively engaging in angel and start-up investing, Real-Estate investments and development projects.]]></description>
        <link>https://davidmandel.blog</link>
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            <title>David Mandel Blog - RSS Feed</title>
            <link>https://davidmandel.blog</link>
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        <lastBuildDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 07:23:49 GMT</lastBuildDate>
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        <pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 07:23:49 GMT</pubDate>
        <copyright><![CDATA[All rights reserved 2026, David Mandel]]></copyright>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[AI-Generated “Workslop” Is Destroying Productivity]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[‘Workslop’: AI-Generated Work Content Is Slowing Everything Down
AI slop has infiltrated the workplace, costing companies time and money.

AI slop isn’t limited to cringey cat videos on Facebook anymore; it has made its way into the workplace.

The Harvard Business Review recently coined a term for low-quality, AI-generated work documents—workslop. The respected business publication argues that this growing pile of phoned-in memos and reports is one reason many companies are seeing little return on their AI investments.

•	Harvard Business Review warns that a surge of low-quality, AI-generated documents—dubbed “workslop”—is dragging down company productivity. The report ties the phenomenon to lackluster returns on corporate AI investments.
•	In a survey of 1,150 U.S. full-time employees, 40% said they had received workslop in the past month and spent nearly two hours per incident cleaning it up. Researchers estimate the hidden cost at about $186 per employee per month, potentially totaling millions for large firms.
•	Workslop forces recipients to interpret or redo tasks, shifting effort downstream and nullifying promised efficiency gains. Over half of surveyed workers felt annoyed or confused by such outputs and viewed senders as less capable, eroding trust inside teams]]></description>
            <link>https://davidmandel.blog/blog/ai-generated-workslop-is-destroying-productivity</link>
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            <pubDate>Mon, 22 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[2025 - the year of AI Agents - and investing in Agentic AI startups]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Y Combinator is going all-in on AI agents, making up nearly 50% of the latest batch.
Y Combinator's Spring 2025 batch saw a significant focus on AI agent companies. Out of 144 startups in the batch, 67, or 46%, were identified as AI agent companies.


As of this writing, I am personally excited about the coming era of AI agents for every aspect of business and our personal lives, spending a lot of my reflection time contemplating what life will look like once these become ubiquitous and integrated into every aspect of our lives.
I genuinely see the next generation growing up with AI agents woven into every aspect of life, and they would not be able to imagine life before or without them. This is definitely a major paradigm shift.
YC, with its batch model, can invest in a broad base of the most promising startup teams all at once, betting that a few will wind up being the winners who have breakout success and go on to be the next Google or Amazon of the coming generation of tech giants.
]]></description>
            <link>https://davidmandel.blog/blog/2025-the-year-of-ai-agents-and-investing-in-agentic-ai-startups</link>
            <guid isPermaLink="true">https://davidmandel.blog/blog/2025-the-year-of-ai-agents-and-investing-in-agentic-ai-startups</guid>
            <pubDate>Sun, 15 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Venture debt is back in a big-way]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Venture Debt appears to be back in a big way.
With many mature venture-backed startups having raised at high valuations in 2020-2022, they would now likely have lower valuations should they seek to raise another round of VC funding.
Some firms are now offering non-dilutive structures to these companies as an alternative to a down round.
]]></description>
            <link>https://davidmandel.blog/blog/venture-debt-is-back-in-a-big-way</link>
            <guid isPermaLink="true">https://davidmandel.blog/blog/venture-debt-is-back-in-a-big-way</guid>
            <pubDate>Tue, 03 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Microsoft announces support of Google's new Agent-to-Agent protocol]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Microsoft has announced its commitment to supporting Google’s newly introduced open protocol, known as Agent2Agent (A2A), which facilitates communication among AI "agents." 
]]></description>
            <link>https://davidmandel.blog/blog/microsoft-announces-support-of-googles-new-agent-to-agent-protocol</link>
            <guid isPermaLink="true">https://davidmandel.blog/blog/microsoft-announces-support-of-googles-new-agent-to-agent-protocol</guid>
            <pubDate>Mon, 12 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Federal Trade Commission Announces Final “Click-to-Cancel” Rule Making It Easier for Consumers to End Recurring Subscriptions and Memberships]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[On October 16th,  the Federal Trade Commission announced a final “click-to-cancel” rule that will require sellers to make it as easy for consumers to cancel their enrollment as it was to sign up. Most of the final rule’s provisions will go into effect 180 days after it is published in the Federal Register.

“Too often, businesses make people jump through endless hoops just to cancel a subscription,” said Commission Chair Lina M. Khan. “The FTC’s rule will end these tricks and traps, saving Americans time and money. Nobody should be stuck paying for a service they no longer want.”]]></description>
            <link>https://davidmandel.blog/blog/federal-trade-commission-announces-final-click-to-cancel-rule-making-it</link>
            <guid isPermaLink="true">https://davidmandel.blog/blog/federal-trade-commission-announces-final-click-to-cancel-rule-making-it</guid>
            <pubDate>Sun, 20 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Angels, Exits, and Acquisitions]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Angel investing in the tech startup ecosystem demands a keen understanding of market dynamics and strategic evaluation of potential investments. Key factors include identifying startups with high-growth potential, prioritizing solid execution, and staying attuned to the evolving venture capital environment. Investors should be aware of common pitfalls and focus on the critical aspects that determine long-term success in their investment portfolios.]]></description>
            <link>https://davidmandel.blog/blog/angels-exits-and-acquisitions</link>
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            <pubDate>Mon, 02 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Tech Investing 101: Navigating Seed-Stage Ventures in the US and Canada]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[The "The Investor Talk" video series on EquityMatch features interviews with well-known investors. All people around the world will have access to this. The majority of its target market consists of ambitious business owners who are serious about looking for sources of seed investments to expand their enterprises. We believe that entrepreneurs will have a significant advantage in successfully starting their businesses if they know how to approach venture investors.]]></description>
            <link>https://davidmandel.blog/blog/tech-investing-101-navigating-seed-stage-ventures-in-the-us-and-canada</link>
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            <pubDate>Wed, 03 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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            <title><![CDATA[The Compassionate Capitalist Show With Host Karen Rands interviews David Mandel on Venture Investing (March 2024)]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[In this insightful episode, Karen is joined by thought leader and prolific angel investor David Mandel. David, known for his expertise in finance, insurance, advanced mathematics, and computer science, pivots into the world of venture investing after successfully exiting multiple traditional businesses. Since 2014, he has dedicated himself fully to the tech startup ecosystem, investing in over 500 startups and focusing on innovations in insurance-tech and fintech, as well as AI.

David and Karen dive deep into the intricacies of late seed stage investments, safe notes, and the market disruptions they're causing. Alongside the excitement, David shares his mixed feelings about the future of AI balancing enthusiasm for technological advancements with concerns over rapid automation and its impact on future job markets. They also explore the incremental yet transformative progress in AI and its various applications across industries like legal tech and autonomous vehicles.

Join us as we uncover the challenges and opportunities in venture investing, the impact of AI, and the evolving landscape of technology and startups. This episode is a treasure trove of insights for seasoned and aspiring angel investors alike.]]></description>
            <link>https://davidmandel.blog/blog/the-compassionate-capitalist-show-with-host-karen-rands-interviews-david</link>
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            <pubDate>Mon, 04 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[The case for venture investing, specifically in the Late-Seed stage ]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[The pre-seed investor is taking a significantly higher risk without any significant reward.

In careful review and analysis of both my angel portfolio and the fund’s portfolio, I developed a clear understanding that the best value in the current tech startup market is at the Seed stage and that pre-seed, in particular, in most cases, is not worthwhile, participating in. It’s best to have the discipline to wait and watch and then join in the eventual Seed round.]]></description>
            <link>https://davidmandel.blog/blog/the-case-for-venture-investing-specifically-in-the-late-seed-stage</link>
            <guid isPermaLink="true">https://davidmandel.blog/blog/the-case-for-venture-investing-specifically-in-the-late-seed-stage</guid>
            <pubDate>Fri, 01 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[The Anti-Silicon Valley Investor: How to Find Success in Early Stage Startups with David Mandel]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Many early-stage startups fail or become "zombies" after taking angel money. The investment thesis focuses on execution: building, selling, and finding people to pay for the product. David’s advice to founders: build it yourself, find a co-founder, go to an accelerator program. Startups outside of Silicon Valley were struggling to figure out how to raise funding. Southern California has great support for life sciences, social space, e-commerce direct-to-consumer brands, and entertainment.]]></description>
            <link>https://davidmandel.blog/blog/the-anti-silicon-valley-investor-how-to-find-success-in-early-stage-startups</link>
            <guid isPermaLink="true">https://davidmandel.blog/blog/the-anti-silicon-valley-investor-how-to-find-success-in-early-stage-startups</guid>
            <pubDate>Wed, 04 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Podcast Interview of David Mandel with Adam Gower, Ph. D. on GowerCrowd]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[David Mandel full podcast interview by Adam Gower, Ph.D. of the GowerCrowd Podcast]]></description>
            <link>https://davidmandel.blog/blog/podcast-interview-of-david-mandel-with-adam-gower-ph-d-on-gowercrowd</link>
            <guid isPermaLink="true">https://davidmandel.blog/blog/podcast-interview-of-david-mandel-with-adam-gower-ph-d-on-gowercrowd</guid>
            <pubDate>Tue, 13 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Investor Talk with David Mandel]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[David joins Massimilano Sulpizi on The Investor Talk Podcast.]]></description>
            <link>https://davidmandel.blog/blog/investor-talk-with-david-mandel</link>
            <guid isPermaLink="true">https://davidmandel.blog/blog/investor-talk-with-david-mandel</guid>
            <pubDate>Wed, 13 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[UNCAGED with David Mandel]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[David joins Bant Breen on The Uncaged Show.]]></description>
            <link>https://davidmandel.blog/blog/uncaged-with-david-mandel</link>
            <guid isPermaLink="true">https://davidmandel.blog/blog/uncaged-with-david-mandel</guid>
            <pubDate>Fri, 27 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Storytime with David Mandel, Professional “Super Angel” Investor]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[David talks diversification in tech startups, the importance of having real estate in startup angel investors’ portfolio, and having fun investing in the future.]]></description>
            <link>https://davidmandel.blog/blog/storytime-with-david-mandel-professional-super-angel-investor</link>
            <guid isPermaLink="true">https://davidmandel.blog/blog/storytime-with-david-mandel-professional-super-angel-investor</guid>
            <pubDate>Tue, 26 Oct 2021 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Investor Interview: David Mandel]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[David Mandel joins Unicorn Events for a chat about investing.]]></description>
            <link>https://davidmandel.blog/blog/investor-interview-david-mandel</link>
            <guid isPermaLink="true">https://davidmandel.blog/blog/investor-interview-david-mandel</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 10 Jun 2021 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Technical products need technical founders]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[David Mandel, Board Member of Pasadena Angels and Managing Partner of Emerging Ventures Fund, talks to (JP) Jeffery Potvin on early stage investing, emerging tech, fund economics, and his investment process.]]></description>
            <link>https://davidmandel.blog/blog/technical-products-need-technical-founders</link>
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            <pubDate>Wed, 21 Apr 2021 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Trucking Tower Podcast Episode 28]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[David Mandel joins Andy Hedrick on the Trucking Tower Podcast to discuss tips for success and pitfalls to avoid in the world of venture capital.]]></description>
            <link>https://davidmandel.blog/blog/david-mandel-managing-partner-of-emerging-ventures-and-board-member-of</link>
            <guid isPermaLink="true">https://davidmandel.blog/blog/david-mandel-managing-partner-of-emerging-ventures-and-board-member-of</guid>
            <pubDate>Mon, 19 Apr 2021 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Y-Combinator Demo-Day Winter-2021 Batch]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Today is Demo-Day for the YC (the famous Y-Combinator accelerator program) Winter-2021 batch.]]></description>
            <link>https://davidmandel.blog/blog/yc-demo-day-winter-2021-batch</link>
            <guid isPermaLink="true">https://davidmandel.blog/blog/yc-demo-day-winter-2021-batch</guid>
            <pubDate>Tue, 23 Mar 2021 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[The Purpose Innovates Podcast]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[David join the Purpose Innovates Podcast to discuss the importance of showing your ability to execute, if you are a startup looking for venture capital funding. We also examine the role venture capital has played in enabling innovation around the world.]]></description>
            <link>https://davidmandel.blog/blog/the-purpose-innovates-podcast</link>
            <guid isPermaLink="true">https://davidmandel.blog/blog/the-purpose-innovates-podcast</guid>
            <pubDate>Wed, 18 Nov 2020 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[SoCal Super Angel – Why Accelerators?]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[In this episode, we’ll talk about who Super angels are, what they invest in how they think, and how they make their decisions.]]></description>
            <link>https://davidmandel.blog/blog/socal-super-angel-why-accelerators</link>
            <guid isPermaLink="true">https://davidmandel.blog/blog/socal-super-angel-why-accelerators</guid>
            <pubDate>Mon, 12 Oct 2020 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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