Language learning serviceBabbel is one of Berlin’s quiet startup success stories. While it was once on the brink of shutting down, today it’s a thriving company with hundreds of employees who work in a sprawling office in the middle of Berlin — and it’s the market leader in large parts of Europe. Unlike competitors like Duolingo, though, Babbel is a paid service. You can get a free trial, but after that you have to pay up if you want to keep using it.

Trust Apple to be courageous enough to strip away all of the old-fashioned USB ports. And trust the rest of us to realize that 90 percent ofour peripherals still run on the old standard. Apple’s retort is to sell you a one-way ticket to dongle hell. Then Homey comes along with its Indiegogo campaign to show the fruit giant how it’s done. The elevator pitch is simple: Take a USB-C charger, add three USB-A ports, make sure the two can talk to each other and job done.

By this time last year, one tech company had gone public. there was one. Already this year, nine tech companies have gone public on U.S. exchanges. Needless to say, public exits are looking up. That comparison becomes starkerwhen you compare SecureWorks, 2016’s first IPO, to Snap, which went public in 2017. SecureWorks priced under range, and it has since fallen nearly 38 percent from its IPO price. Snap, in contrast, priced above range and then saw its share price quickly ascend.

TC is coming to Israel at the end of June for our second TC Meetup + Pitch-off, and if last year is any indication, it’s going to be off the chain. Israel is one of the world’s fastest-growing and impressive startup ecosystems, and we simply can’t resist paying a visit. As part of that, ten startups from the area will have the chance to pitch their product in sixty seconds or less to a panel of expert judges, including local VCs and TC editors.

The desire to create is a hard one to kill. I’ve had it all my life, from the comic books and music I made with my grade school friend Rick to the books I wrote and tried to write to the projects I built over the years. Now it’s become easier and, in a way, harder, to make something meaningful online so, after shutting down one startup last year, I’ve decided to work on another one, Jaywalk, with a new team. My first startup was a deep learning experience.

Aol founder and noted venture capitalist Steve Case is coming to Disrupt NY this May and there’s plenty to talk about. Since leaving AOL in 2005, Case has invested in startups in smaller markets and the last few years he’s traveled the country, exploring and highlighting budding startup scenes outside of Silicon Valley. There are challenges and barriers to overcome in these markets.

Thanks to his work at Politico, Mike Allen has been described as “The Man the White House Wakes Up To.” But he left the site last year and teamed up with Politico’s Jim VandeHei to launch Axios, a media startup that combines brevity withrealreporting. Axios (the name comes from the Greek word for “worthy”) isn’t the only site focusing onshort, punchy stories.

When a guy like Greg Mark emails it pays to reply. Mark, who is the eccentric and excitable founder of Markforged, a 3D printer systems that spits out ready-made carbon fiber and metal products, is always good for a glimpse into the future. This week he pinged me with a quick message: “We’re putting metal in the microwave.” And boy is he ever.