August 2026 Summaries

Convex argues that long-term growth depends on earning trust, demonstrating sustained product and ecosystem momentum, and receiving enthusiastic recommendations from respected builders. After testing paid ads, newsletter sponsorships, creator partnerships, an AEO agency, and launch content, the company found that these efforts produced low-quality traffic and few or no conversions despite continued revenue growth. Its startup program, by contrast, has performed strongly: participating high-growth startups reportedly increase Convex spending by an average of 30 times over 24 months, benefit from reduced infrastructure complexity, and often recommend the platform to peers. The company attributes this success to its product, the founders’ established reputations in infrastructure engineering, and trust built through personal networks and organic endorsements. Convex plans to end or reduce unsuccessful marketing investments and focus instead on supporting demanding startup customers, hosting higher-quality in-person events, and communicating more directly and authentically with potential users.

Mike Cann describes building “Cannvas,” a 40-inch portrait touchscreen family hub that updates his earlier smart-mirror project, retaining displays for time, weather, and family videos while adding interactive household tools. The device combines an inexpensive television, an infrared touch-frame kit, an acrylic protective panel, a Raspberry Pi, and a wall mount, though the build involved troubleshooting a defective initial touch frame, replacing an unsuitable mount, and improvising hardware attachments with glue, wood, and zip ties. Custom software, developed rapidly with Codex AI and Convex, provides a screensaver-style dashboard and apps for a daily whiteboard, chore and pocket-money tracking, Google-synced calendars and tasks, smart-home controls, network monitoring, and location tracking. The project cost about A$1,050 in total, or about A$617 excluding pre-owned equipment and a mistaken wall-mount purchase, and Cann concludes that it successfully serves as a central family interface despite limitations involving the TV’s uneven weight distribution, the acrylic panel’s flexibility, and the display size.