Top all-time · #7588
Pioneer Square Labs
Company blog · psl.com/feed-posts · on HN as trebligstartupsbusiness
Pioneer Square Labs is the company blog at psl.com, writing about startups and business. Since 2020, 10 different Hacker News readers have linked it 15 times, most often “An engineer's observations on Web3 and its possibilities”. It is still writing: the last post was on 2026-10-27, and you can follow it by feed.
Too few sampled comments (8) to say how often HN recommends it.?
Why HN links it
HN readers link PSL's feed post on web3 (web3-engineer-take), which commenters describe as a level-headed, even-handed analysis of what is and isn't interesting about web3. Other links are to a startup case study.
Summarised by Claude from a sample of 8 HN comments that link here. Each comment is marked recommending, critical or neutral (citing without judging); how this works.
PSL is a startup studio and early-stage venture capital fund in Seattle, WA.
Most-linked posts?
- An engineer's observations on Web3 and its possibilities3 people · 6 mentions · first linked 2021-11-23
- How to Kill a Startup Idea with Google Keyword Planner and AdWords: A Case Study2 people · 2 mentions · first linked 2020-01-21
What Hacker News says?
This does a better job than any comment could summarize: https://www.psl.com/feed-posts/web3-engineer-take
Comment linking /feed-posts/web3-engineer-take
on “In second largest DeFi hack, Blockchain Bridge loses $320M Ether”Submitted How to Kill a Startup Idea with Google Keyword Planner and AdWords: A Case Study as a story · 568 points
HN discussionAside from the usual litany of talking points from the last decade that everyone is well aware of, this person is missing the forest for the trees when discussing "composability". Nevermind that this seems to be starting from their priors and working backwards. Here's a much more level-headed(and detailed) analysis of what is interesting, and not-so-interesting, about "web3": https://www.psl.com/feed-posts/web3-engi…
Comment linking /feed-posts/web3-engineer-take
on “Web3? I have my DAOts”Submitted An engineer's observations on Web3 and its possibilities as a story · 324 points
HN discussionPioneer Square Labs (PSL) | Principal Engineer | Onsite - Seattle, WA | Full-Time | psl.com At the PSL studio, we build startups from zero to launch. Over the past 9 years, we've validated 450+ ideas and spun out north of 40 companies. Our core team of engineers works to validate the technical feasibility of idea/seed stage companies and build prototypes for them once we've reached conviction on the market. We have…
Comment linking /jobs/job?gh_jid=7885441002
on “Ask HN: Who is hiring? (March 2025)”Submitted Prospektor – Running customer validation on autopilot as a story · 14 points
HN discussionI'm sorry but this take is pure ignorance. https://www.psl.com/feed-posts/web3-engineer-take
Comment linking /feed-posts/web3-engineer-take
on “Web3 is not going to change the world”Submitted A Short List of Hard Questions: How We Killed Arcus as a story · 11 points
HN discussionIt's already changing the world. Here's a much more even-handed view of what is(and isn't!) interesting in the nascent "web3" space: https://www.psl.com/feed-posts/web3-engineer-take
Comment linking /feed-posts/web3-engineer-take
on “Web3 is not going to change the world”Submitted The Software Stacks Our Early-Stage Companies Are Using in 2020 as a story · 5 points
HN discussionhttps://www.psl.com/feed-posts/web3-engineer-take discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29321987 My problems with NFTs are (1) it's a bubble (or fraud) being pitched as a good investment and (2) NFTs are pitched as offering "ownership" but none of them do.
Comment linking /feed-posts/web3-engineer-take
on “Ask HN: What's so bad about NFTs?”Submitted Your Guide to Identifying AI Agent Applications Today as a story · 2 points
HN discussionIf your product is something that market already demands, one idea is to set up a site and run a small ad campaign. "How to Kill a Startup Idea with Google Keyword Planner and AdWords: A Case Study" https://www.psl.com/feed-posts/psl-studio-kill-xylo Earlier HN discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22110004 I also recommend Rob Walling's book Start Small Stay Small. https://startupbook.net/ The book is mo…
Comment linking /feed-posts/psl-studio-kill-xylo
on “Ask HN: How to get first 10 paying customers?”Submitted In deep with blockchain data: two new projects as a story · 1 points
HN discussionHave you considered a startup studio? Assuming your handle indicates location, Pioneer Square Labs[1] and the Allen Institute[2] both have incubators to connect skilled people with promising ideas for startups. [1]: https://www.psl.com/jobs/job?gh_jid=4418268002 [2]: https://jobs.ai2incubator.com/jobs
Comment linking /jobs/job?gh_jid=4418268002
on “Tech Layoffs Are Feeding a New Startup Surge”
