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Startups & Venture·May 25, 2026·1 min read

Launch HN: Chert (YC P26) – Twilio for iMessage

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Programmable iMessage turns Apple’s walled garden into a high-intent, high-open-rate channel — if Chert survives the platform risk, this becomes a default surface for support, sales, and agents. If your customer comms stack is email + SMS only, you’re leaving conversion and retention on the table.

Startups & Venture

Star Citizen, a video game in development since 2012, has reached $1B in lifetime funding; it remains in alpha and does not have a confirmed release date (Jennifer Maas/Variety)

A single game in perpetual alpha pulling $1B in funding is proof that community, narrative, and optionality can outprice shipped product. If you’re building long-horizon platforms, your real asset is a monetized, emotionally invested user base—treat them as co-owners of the roadmap, not just pre-order customers.