bolt.new vs Lovable

Bolt.new makes its first acquisition: Dokai

On September 29, 2026, Bolt.new, the StackBlitz platform for building full-stack web applications with natural language, announced its first acquisition: Dokai, a San Francisco AI startup focused on autonomous agents for enterprise go-to-market workflows. Dokai co-founder Gerry Fernando Patia and the Dokai team will join Bolt.new's AI and machine learning organization. Terms were not disclosed. Dokai's agent technology will be integrated into the Bolt.new platform, with first enterprise capabilities expected in late fall.

• On September 29, 2026, Bolt.new announced its first acquisition: Dokai, a San Francisco-based AI startup.
• Dokai co-founder Gerry Fernando Patia and the Dokai team join Bolt.new's AI and machine learning organization.
• Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

What is Bolt Forge?

Bolt Forge is a new Bolt.new agent that runs on open-source AI models, giving every individual Pro plan up to 50X more usage at no extra cost through October 14, 2026. Opted-in sessions help train open-weight models with Arcee AI.

Visual Edits: edit your app by clicking on it

On September 3, 2026, StackBlitz's Bolt.new launched Visual Edits, a click-and-change editing layer available to all users on free and paid plans. It lets users select any element in a running app, apply styling and text edits via a toolbar, then batch all approved changes to the AI model in one round trip. The initial release focuses on text and styling, with drag-and-drop layout changes not yet supported.

• Visual Edits launched in Bolt.new on September 3, 2026, available to every user on free and paid plans.
• The feature batches approved changes and sends them to the currently selected model in one round trip, consuming tokens like a prompt.
• Editable elements get plain-language names; the toolbar's color picker reads colors from the rendered page's palette.

Squarespace lays off 19% of workforce in restructuring

Squarespace, the web hosting and website building company, is laying off approximately 19% of its global workforce, affecting around 300 employees. The layoffs were confirmed by a public relations specialist and first reported by The Verge. The restructuring aims to simplify operations, sharpen priorities, and enable the company to move faster, positioning it for its next phase of growth. The move comes amid significant changes in the website building industry due to the rise of generative AI and 'vibe-coding' tools that allow users to create websites with simple prompts. Competitors like Wix have acquired AI-powered builders, and Google has launched similar features. Squarespace has also been pushing into AI with tools like Blueprint and the upcoming Forma platform. The company went public in 2021 and went private again in 2024 in a $7 billion deal.

• Squarespace is laying off approximately 19% of its global workforce, affecting around 300 employees.
• The layoffs were confirmed by a PR specialist and reported by TechCrunch, with The Verge initially reporting the news.
• The restructuring is intended to simplify operations, sharpen priorities, and enable faster movement.

Lovable Apologizes After Ads Claimed Handmade Website as AI Work

Swedish vibe-coding startup Lovable ran a paid Instagram ad featuring Forge Automotive's website as an example of its AI-built work, but designer Joe Taylor of 12 Studio, who hand-coded the site over two months (with AI only for some images and QA), accused Lovable of misrepresentation. Lovable apologized, pulled the ad, and launched an investigation into how it was approved. Taylor is seeking legal advice on copyright and unauthorized commercial use. The incident highlights ongoing tensions between creatives and AI companies over intellectual property and the devaluation of human labor, though this case involves advertising rather than training data. Lovable, which has raised $400 million in Series C at a $13.3 billion valuation, continues to grow but faces scrutiny over its marketing practices.

• Lovable ran a paid Instagram ad featuring Forge Automotive's website as an example of AI-generated work, but designer Joe Taylor accused it of misrepresentation.
• Taylor built the website by hand over two months, with AI used only for some images and quality assurance.
• Lovable apologized publicly, pulled the ad, and launched an investigation into how it was approved.

Project A's Heinemann: European VCs are suppliers to top US investors

In the 'Royal GS' podcast, Project A founding partner Florian Heinemann discussed European early-stage VC strategy. Project A, a Berlin-based early-stage investor, focuses on pre-seed and seed rounds, sometimes Series A, with a €325 million fund. Heinemann emphasized that European early-stage VCs act as 'suppliers' for top US investors, preparing startups for later US-led funding rounds. He advised founders to limit dilution to 20% per round and to maintain market-standard valuations. He cited Trade Republic as a success, noting Project A's ~9% stake cashed out during a secondary round at a €12 billion valuation. He criticized overvalued rounds by late-stage startups like ElevenLabs and Lovable, questioning the defensibility of such high valuations and noting that such rounds often facilitate secondaries for early investors.

• Project A manages a €325 million fund for early-stage investments.
• Florian Heinemann advises founders to limit dilution to max 20% per round.
• Project A cashed out part of its ~9% stake in Trade Republic during a secondary round at a €12 billion valuation.