On March 26, 2025, a guy named Alex Konrad started something cool called Upstarts Media on Substack. It’s all about telling the real stories of startups—those small companies trying to make it big. Think of it like a friend catching you up on the latest: who’s starting what, how they’re doing it, and why it matters. Alex wants to share the good, the bad, and the wild parts of building a business, and people are already excited.
Who’s Alex Konrad?
Alex Konrad knows startups inside and out. He used to write for Forbes, a big magazine, where he covered new companies and tech stuff for years. Now, he’s doing his own thing with Upstarts Media.
“Too many startup stories get missed or feel confusing,” he said in his first Substack post.
He’s tired of that and wants to make it clear and fun for everyone—not just the fancy business folks.
He’s not alone either. Alex has a team to help him share stories through a newsletter, videos, podcasts, and even meetups. Plus, a company called Brex is paying for a free weekly update so anyone can read it. Pretty neat, right?
What’s Upstarts Media All About?
So, what’s this thing? Upstarts Media is a place to get the scoop on startups. It’s not just boring words on a page—it’s got:
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A newsletter you can read for free or pay for extra stuff.
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Videos and podcasts with real people talking about their companies.
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Plans for events where folks can hang out and chat about startups.
As, Brex is helping out so some of it stays free for newbies, while the deeper details are for subscribers. It’s a smart way to reach everyone who’s curious.
It kicked off on March 26, 2025, right at midnight Eastern time, on Substack—a site where people write their own stuff. Alex hinted about it on X a few days before, and by morning, folks were already talking about it online. You can check it out from anywhere with Wi-Fi, but it’s probably going to click most with people in big startup spots like California or New York.
Why Now?
Startups are hot these days. Even with money stuff being tricky, Crunchbase reported people poured $344 billion into new companies in 2024. That’s a lot! But Alex thinks the news doesn’t always tell the full story—like how hard it is or what makes a company win.
“People want the real deal,” he told Axios.
And Substack’s a great spot for it, with other writers doing big things there too.
Suggestion: Stick an easy chart here showing how much money startups got lately—Crunchbase has the numbers.
How’s It Different?
Real Stories, Not Just Headlines
Upstarts Media won’t just say “this company made money.” It’ll tell you the juicy bits—like why someone quit their job to start it or how they almost gave up but didn’t. It’s for anyone, whether you’re dreaming of your own business or just like a good story.
Alex wants to do events too—think hanging out online or in person with startup folks. That’s not something you get from a regular news site.
With Brex helping out, Alex can focus on making it awesome, not just fast. It’s about trust, not tricks.
Upstarts Media is more than a newsletter—it’s a fresh way to get startup news without the blah-blah. Alex Konrad is leading the charge, and with stories, videos, and more, it might just become the go-to spot for anyone who cares about new businesses.
Peek at Substack and see for yourself—it’s worth a look.