Great SaaStr article. First thought: private valuations aren't real prices, hence the gap. But Lemkin makes a compelling case - 55% vs 29% growth at $5B ARR plus that NRR divergence (158%→125% vs 140%) justifies more than I expected.
www.saastr.com/databricks-v...
#SaaSValuations
BG2Pod
Feeling a bit guilty for neglecting BlueSky these past few months, but I’m looking forward to reconnecting and learning from you all again
To age verify my account, BlueSky let me choose between a face scan and a 5p charge. Turns out my privacy is worth less than a Freddo.
⚖️ Trade war? No contest. Seeing the scale and speed of China’s ecosystem firsthand… the US has no chance in a prolonged trade war. China’s capacity is just on another level.
🏭 Canton Fair = manufacturing powerhouse. Walking the halls made it crystal clear—China’s industrial base is deep, diverse, and highly capable. From textiles to advanced robotics, it’s all there.
🎢 Chimelong Resorts = massive. Four huge theme parks and resorts. Whole other scale.
⛰️ Zhangjiajie (Avatar mountains): So many shuttle buses. And the longest glass bridge + tallest outdoor lift in the world. Probably forgot a few other records too.
🏞 Tourism infrastructure is next level. Not surprising—they’ve been catering to 1B+ local tourists long before foreigners started arriving.
🚄 The Shanghai Maglev is wild. Smooth, fast, futuristic… just wish the ride was longer.
🚗 Local EVs are everywhere. Rode in a few—great ride quality, modern design. China’s way ahead here.
🍱 Food delivery perfection. Had a hot meal delivered onto our train during a 5-hour high-speed journey—timed to one of the stops. 🤯
📶 Get a local SIM. Super useful for food delivery, vending machines, and ride-hailing. Many hotels have a designated spot for deliveries to be dropped off and collected from.
📱 Digital wallets run the show. Alipay and WeChat Pay are everywhere. You can mostly get by linking your credit card to Alipay, but bring cash just in case—some merchants can’t handle foreign cards.
🧼 Spotless and safe. Anecdotally, from distant relatives, a lot of this transformation has happened in just the last 10 years (!).
☕️ Specialty coffee is taking off. Randomly found a café on the outskirts of Guangzhou doing V60 pours with beans from Sey and other international roasters. According to the barista, Chinese coffee drinkers are moving fast towards light, complex roasts.
🌆 Massive scale. Even the “small” cities can be overwhelming. Everything feels supersized.
Just got back from an incredible two-week holiday in China 🇨🇳 Some quick impressions that stuck with me:
#ChinaOnTheRise
⚖️ Trade war? No contest. Seeing the scale and speed of China’s ecosystem firsthand… the US has no chance in a prolonged trade war. China’s capacity is just on another level.
🏭 Canton Fair = manufacturing powerhouse. Walking the halls made it crystal clear—China’s industrial base is deep, diverse, and highly capable. From textiles to advanced robotics, it’s all there.
🎢 Chimelong Resorts = massive. Four huge theme parks and resorts. Whole other scale.
⛰️ Zhangjiajie (Avatar mountains): So many shuttle buses. And the longest glass bridge + tallest outdoor lift in the world. Probably forgot a few other records too.
🏞 Tourism infrastructure is next level. Not surprising—they’ve been catering to 1B+ local tourists long before foreigners started arriving.
🚄 The Shanghai Maglev is wild. Smooth, fast, futuristic… just wish the ride was longer.
🚗 Local EVs are everywhere. Rode in a few—great ride quality, modern design. China’s way ahead here.
🍱 Food delivery perfection. Had a hot meal delivered onto our train during a 5-hour high-speed journey—timed to one of the stops. 🤯
📶 Get a local SIM. Super useful for food delivery, vending machines, and ride-hailing. Many hotels have a designated spot for deliveries to be dropped off and collected from.
📱 Digital wallets run the show. Alipay and WeChat Pay are everywhere. You can mostly get by linking your credit card to Alipay, but bring cash just in case—some merchants can’t handle foreign cards.
🧼 Spotless and safe. Anecdotally, from distant relatives, a lot of this transformation has happened in just the last 10 years (!).
☕️ Specialty coffee is taking off. Randomly found a café on the outskirts of Guangzhou doing V60 pours with beans from Sey and other international roasters. According to the barista, Chinese coffee drinkers are moving fast towards light, complex roasts.
