LaunchSquad

25 years ago this week, LaunchSquad opened our doors for the first time in a little one-room office on California St. in San Francisco. Today, we’re kicking off a year-long celebration of the past two and a half decades. We’ll be publishing a series about our work—both past and future—to guide us into the next quarter century of innovation, change and exciting unknowns. We’re proud of the impact LaunchSquad has had, both through the team we’ve built and the clients we’ve helped. In 25 years, we’ve partnered with 900+ companies to bring their technologies and products to the world—many of which were history-making innovations. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of our journey. We feel privileged to continue to do this work every day. It’s a good place to be. Follow along each month as we dig into a different era of transformation—and what we predict is coming next. Read our kick-off post below. Jason Mandell, Brett Weiner and Jesse Odell

Who helps you make sense of AI’s rapid evolution? 🧐 💡 In The Prompt, LaunchSquad’s AI storytelling newsletter, we put together our first list of must-follow AI tastemakers—from journalists and newsletter writers to podcasters and aggregators. Some standouts:  Rachel Metz (Bloomberg), Ben Thompson (Stratechery), Dan Shipper (AI & I), and TLDR AI. AI moves fast. These voices help us stay sharp. Check out the full list. https://lnkd.in/gfJPSN5H

Manufacturing, jobs, and economic advantages can no longer be the appetizers at the buffet of climate solutions – they’re the main course. Check out our latest edition of The Cooler as we explore why abandoning climate conversation doesn’t necessarily mean abandoning climate outcomes and how companies can shift gears to focus on this new economic imperative: https://lnkd.in/gmm4ceJV #TheCooler #climatecommunications

This week, we’re highlighting some of our favorite writers and tastemakers in AI - they’re the folks we read and listen to in order to help hone our own thinking.

LaunchSquad has a bit of a shoe obsession. If you were to look at a list of our entire consumer portfolio, you’d see a lot of breakout startups, beloved heritage brands, mission-driven products…and a whole lot of shoes. 👞 👢 👟 👠 From Rothy’s and Allbirds, to Ariat and On—we’ve gone deep on the science, fashion, and story of footwear. So what is it about shoes that make for rich storytelling? Three of LaunchSquad’s resident consumer experts— Lisa Picasso, Laura Abbott and Caroline Cammarano—recently sat down to try and answer that question for our ongoing series marking LaunchSquad’s 25th anniversary.  They ended up chatting about lessons learned from stories that worked (and some that didn’t), insights into the changing ways consumer brands reach audiences, and how this work has changed their own relationship to the shoes on their feet. Check it out here on our blog: https://lnkd.in/gxCr_DJc #LaunchSquad25 #B2C #Communications

Innovation drives progress—and Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies list shines a light on those leading the charge. We're proud to celebrate a staggering 12 incredible clients recognized this year: Apptronik, Climeworks, Equatic.tech, Netflix, On, Oxide Computer Company, Ozlo, Perfect Corp., Samara, Simbe, STAX Engineering, and Waabi. These teams are pushing boundaries, building groundbreaking technologies, and shaping a better future 👏 Check out the full list below and join us in celebrating their achievements! https://lnkd.in/ekxmwYzp

Big Technology's Alex Kantrowitz paid a visit to client Precision Neuroscience last week. He predicts 2025 will be the break out year for brain-computer interface technology, and that Precision is a company to watch 🧠 💻 Check out his highlight clip here:

Safety, waste & climate are three driving topics when talking about the future of sustainable materials—that’s according to Leah M. Ford, Director of Marketing at CJ BIOMATERIALS, Inc. ♻️ Check out our Q&A with Leah for insights on the evolution of bioplastics, effective communication strategies, and the vital role consumers play: https://lnkd.in/gNWMhjFF #TheCooler #bioplastics

We’re big readers at the Squad 📚 Account Manager Madhav Dutt recently narrowed down a “Required Reading List for the AI Curious”. Check out his quick take on each: - The Alignment Problem by Brian Christian: “A sweeping and nuanced look at aligning AI with human values, this book offers a great history of the field’s progress while also noting the ethical challenges inherent in making AI systems both highly performant and safe. ” - The Beginning of Infinity by David Deutsch: “Explores the power of knowledge and argues that all scientific progress is fueled by humanity’s endless search for better explanations. David’s framing of humans as “universal explainers and constructors” is profound. Regularly cited as a favorite book by technologists. - Brief History of Intelligence by Max Bennett: “Traces the evolutionary and neuroscientific origins of intelligence framed around key breakthroughs (steering, reinforcement, simulating, mentalizing, and language). Max argues that understanding the brain’s development is key to creating and coexisting with AI.” - God, Human, Animal, Machine by Meghan O’Gieblyn: “What does it mean to be human in the age of AI? A philosophical exploration of how technology, consciousness, and religion intersect, Meghan’s memoir is unique, beautifully written, and deeply thought-provoking.” - Chip War by Chris Miller: “A sharp and fast-paced examination of the geopolitical and economic battles over semiconductors that highlights how chips became the most crucial resource of our era. A great read as nations across the globe ramp up their strategic moves around chips and data centers.” Books are linked in the comments below. Happy reading! #AI #LaunchSquad25 P.S. if you haven’t read Madhav’s deep dive on the LaunchSquad blog exploring how storytelling and comms is shaping AI, don’t miss it: https://lnkd.in/gKiTmfeQ

This week, we're using a visual gag from an 1892 humor magazine to talk about how to help your audience - whether broad or niche - get to the real heart of your story. Take a read, and while you're at it, let us know what animal you see first!