Silicon Florist links arrangement for January 13, 2026

Here’s a roundup of interesting startup links I came across today:

Assessed Intelligence Networking Happy Hour · Luma

Join Assessed Intelligence for an end-of-January AI networking happy hour bringing together professionals working in artificial intelligence, data, and intelligent systems. This relaxed, after-hours gathering is designed for thoughtful conversation, new connections, and idea sharing in an informal setting. Whether you’re building, deploying, or guiding AI initiatives, we’d love to have you join us.

Pebble founder says his new company is ‘not a startup’ | TechCrunch

“We’ve structured this entire business around being a sustainable, profitable, and hopefully, long-running enterprise, but not a startup,” Migicovsky told TechCrunch on the sidelines of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week.

Five Oregon startups land early stage funding from state program – Portland Business Journal

The investments are part of the State Small Business Credit Initiative, which was created from federal funds as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. As part of this program Elevate was awarded between $10 million and $15 million last year to invest in early-stage companies. These funds have to be matched with private investment.

The new biologists treating LLMs like an alien autopsy

By studying large language models as if they were living things instead of computer programs, scientists are discovering some of their secrets for the first time.

OPINION: Local Journalism Is How Democracy Shows Up Close to Home – Bucks County Beacon

When local reporters attend meetings most of us can’t, sift through public records, and follow issues over time, they make public life legible. They help citizens see not just what happened, but why it matters, who made the decision, and what the consequences may be. Without that work, power doesn’t disappear – it simply operates out of view.

What is an Engineer? » Code Simplicity

Really, all of this comes down to that last question: what really is an engineer, anyway? Well, I have an answer for that that I think will help bring clarity to a lot of people. To get there, however, we’re going to have to go through a few logical steps that will seem stupidly obvious at first. At the end, though, it will be super eye-opening.

Microsoft Has a Plan to Keep Its Data Centers From Raising Your Electric Bill | WIRED

In response to a growing backlash, Microsoft said it would take steps to ensure that data centers don’t raise utility bills in surrounding areas and address other public concerns

Oregon Military Department and Oregon UAS Accelerator Announce Strategic Partnership in Uncrewed Systems Innovation – The Courier Journal

“The Oregon UAS Accelerator is excited to partner with the Oregon Military Department to bridge the gap between innovation and operational reality,” said Joseph Wyno, President & Executive Director of the Oregon UAS Accelerator. “This partnership delivers strategic value on multiple levels, providing OMD with access to a curated pipeline of leading-edge UxS deal flow, while enabling our startups to benefit from the specialized statewide training facilities, institutional support, and unique opportunities that only OMD is positioned to offer.”

PDX Code & Coffee @ DeadStock Beaverton, Mon, Jan 19, 2026, 9:00 AM | Meetup

Code and Coffee is an inclusive, informal co-working session. Drink some coffee, bring your laptop, and have engaging conversations. This is a great opportunity to learn from others, share your knowledge, and possibly collaborate on side projects, online courses, or even your day-to-day work tasks.

Vibe Check: Claude Cowork Is Claude Code for the Rest of Us

The asynchronous, agentic workflow developers love is finally accessible to everyone—but the polish isn’t there yet

Canva’s Path to Product-Market Fit: How a Two-Hour Founder Date Led To a $42B Design Platform

Cameron Adams goes deep on finding early evangelists, the unconventional tactics that led to massive growth, and more.