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Building & Product

What is MCP, and why does it matter for my agents?

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard, started by Anthropic in late 2024 and since adopted by OpenAI and Google, that works like a USB-C port for AI: one plug that connects any agent to any tool or data source. Instead of writing a custom integration per app, you point your agent at ready-made MCP servers for Gmail, Notion, GitHub, your database and thousands more. For a founder it means your agent can reach your actual business systems in minutes, though every new connection also widens what the agent can touch, so grant access deliberately.

Go deeper

18 resources.

More in AI Agents

What actually is an AI agent, in plain language? 18 → Why would a founder use agents instead of a chatbot or automation? 18 → What real tasks are founders delegating to agents today? 20 → How do I build my first agent without being technical? 20 → Which platform or framework should I build my agents on? 18 → How much do AI agents cost to run, and how do I keep the bill under control? 18 → How do I test an AI agent and know when it's reliable enough to trust? 18 → What can go wrong when an agent acts on my behalf, and how do I keep it safe? 16 → Should I build one agent or a team of agents working together? 18 → Can coding agents like Claude Code actually build my product? 18 → Is there a real startup opportunity in building vertical AI agents? 19 → How should I price a product built on AI agents? 18 → Why do most AI agent projects fail, and what do the winners do differently? 19 → How do I give my agent the right context and memory so it stops forgetting? 18 →

Also in Starting Up

The same ground, over in Build the product, our Starting Up track.

What actually counts as an MVP, and what's the smallest one I can get away with? 20 → Which no-code tool should I use to build my first product? 20 →
eChai Partner Brands The partnership →