---
title: "Railblocks ⬩ Blog"
description: "Notes from Railblocks on AI Operating Systems for investment firms: data, workflows, and the infrastructure under them."
url: "https://www.railblocks.com/blog/"
---

# Blog

[ Featured article ]

Essay 2026.09.30 ⬩ 6 min

## [Not your tools, not your rules](https://www.railblocks.com/blog/manifesto/)

The first invention of humanity was a tool. The next one is an Operating System you own.

Vladimir Oustinov Co-founder

## All posts

Essay 2026.10.08 ⬩ 4 min

### [Railblocks 2.0: AI Operating Systems for Investment Firms](https://www.railblocks.com/blog/railblocks-2-ai-operating-systems-for-investment-firms/)

Eric Friedman and Nate Snow join Railblocks as co-founders, continuing a shared mission at the intersection of finance, operations, and engineering.

Essay 2026.09.30 ⬩ 6 min

### [Not your tools, not your rules](https://www.railblocks.com/blog/manifesto/)

The first invention of humanity was a tool. The next one is an Operating System you own.

Essay 2026.09.08 ⬩ 11 min

### [Why your company needs an Operating System](https://www.railblocks.com/blog/why-your-company-needs-an-operating-system/)

The missing Operating System standing between AI and the rest of work

Case study 2026.06.23 ⬩ 6 min

### [How a16z built a AI-native admissions system](https://www.railblocks.com/blog/how-a16z-built-a-ai-native-admissions-system/)

We shipped a template-ready Admissions app: an AI-powered tool to screen applications for programs/fellowships, designed to be duplicated easily as new programs spun up.

Case study 2026.06.11 ⬩ 6 min

### [How Primer built its company brain on top of Notion](https://www.railblocks.com/blog/how-we-built-primers-company-brain-on-top-of-notion/)

We built a knowledge & context OS for them. Within weeks, the entire org had one place to find decisions, track projects, and store knowledge.

Case study 2026.05.13 ⬩ 8 min

### [How Dfns migrated from Salesforce to a custom system on top of Attio](https://www.railblocks.com/blog/how-dfns-migrated-from-salesforce-to-a-custom-system-on-top-of-attio/)

Once we treated the CRM as an operational layer, the work became a redesign of how revenue and customer operations flow end-to-end.

Essay 2025.11.12 ⬩ 6 min

### [The Case for the Ops Engineer](https://www.railblocks.com/blog/the-case-for-the-ops-engineer/)

Why every modern company needs a builder who treats operations like a product.

Case study 2025.04.17 ⬩ 4 min

### [How ODF handled 1000s of monthly applications with their custom CRM](https://www.railblocks.com/blog/odf/)

Learn more about ODF's Airtable application system

Case study 2025.04.08 ⬩ 3 min

### [How Lighthouse managed a 150% MoM volume increase without adding headcount](https://www.railblocks.com/blog/lighthouse/)

Learn more about the operational system that fuels Lighthouse's visa service

Essay 2025.04.08 ⬩ 5 min

### [Run your operations like a rail network](https://www.railblocks.com/blog/run-your-operations-like-a-rail-network/)

Our guide to Operational Systems

Essay 2025.04.08 ⬩ 3 min

### [The future of tooling is custom](https://www.railblocks.com/blog/the-future-of-tooling-is-custom/)

When Software-as-a-Block, vertical SaaS and AI coding tools converge

[ Newsletter ]

## The secrets behind the best-run teams

Discover the tools, systems and strategies top companies use to streamline their entire operations with AI.