David Thomson

The future of tech is here, and it's wearing glasses 🕶️ Here is an intriguing article about how Snap's CEO, Evan Spiegel, believes his company is leading the charge in AR smart glasses, with Meta and Apple set to follow. As someone who’s been following the AR space closely, I find it exciting to see companies like Snap pushing the boundaries of what smart glasses can do. Spiegel’s vision of using hands and voice to interact with augmented reality is a game-changer. Snap’s Spectacles, now in their 5th generation, are already making waves among developers. The goal is clear: to bring computing back into the real world, away from screens and closer to our daily lives. While Meta’s Ray-Ban Stories and Apple’s Vision Pro are also making significant strides, Snap’s approach to natural interaction and developer-friendly pricing could be the key to mainstream adoption. It’s an exciting time for AR, and I’m eager to see how these innovations shape our future. #AR #SmartGlasses #TechInnovation #FutureOfTech

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Breaking down our latest newsletter section by section, starting with our expanded focus in Deep Tech: --- We have built expertise in the robotics sector, and will continue to double (and triple) down on investing in this category, but we have been increasingly finding that robotics is naturally steering us into two exploding adjacent areas: Aerospace, and Advanced Manufacturing (which we define as industrials, semiconductors, materials science, and energy production). Stepping back, this expansion makes perfect sense. Robotics is an inherently horizontal platform - meaning it can be applied productively across multiple industries. This quality, paired with the fact that robotics has long shown the highest TRLs of any deep tech technology, makes it a kind of “gateway” to other sectors in the hard sciences. Now with the recent breakthroughs in AI for robotics, growing semiconductor demand, and the resurgence of aerospace and defense tech, we are seeing a dramatic uptake of robotics and relevant technologies in both advanced manufacturing and aerospace. As an added bonus of the expansion, many of the founder (and funder) networks across these landscapes have natural overlaps and linkages. For AlleyCorp Deep Tech this means that we can be extremely helpful, knowledgeable, and engaged across all three sectors right away, and continue to be the best-in-class investing team across these categories.  --- More in our newsletter: https://lnkd.in/ewiTuYq6

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3/3 (Final thought in this "poststorm" series) - AI application layer companies will have the following three characteristics: 🔥 A high touch services model 🔥 A Revenue model that is priced by outcome 🔥 A GTM motion that will require a top down access to the decision maker suite within an enterprise This unique GTM is where Pruven Capital can be a huge asset to the founders as we enable direct connectivity to the "decision maker" suite of the businesses and functions of our 10 LPs (large incumbents in Insurance/Asset Mgt/Fin services) thereby enabling these novel and harder GTM strategies, necessary for AI application companies built on the services as a software paradigm... Please reach out to the Pruven Capital team if we can help... Travis Skelly, Sudip Chakrabarti, Brian Quinn, Ava Chang, Jared Moberg, Rohit Ramkumar, Zsombor Vincze, Ramneek Gupta

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I’m thrilled to be announcing that Notion Capital is leading the $15m Series A investment in Cogna today. In the industry, we like to think that software has been eating the world. But when you look at the data a better description would be more of a nibble. Depending on what source you look at the software industry represents between 5-8% of global GDP. Contrast that with the services industry that represents between 60-70% of GDP and worth around $25 trillion on a global basis. Most services have been out of reach for the software industry. They have either been too complex or too specialized for off the shelf software to access in any economically viable way. But that’s beginnning to change with GenAI leading to the emergence of ‘service as a software.’ Cogna is at the forefront of this opportunity - building precision software at scale and delivering huge productivity gains for traditional industries. We know Ben Peters & Lars Mennen well having backed their previous company Five AI that was acquired by Bosch in 2022. And we’re very excited to be backing them again together with Hoxton Ventures & Chalfen Ventures Read my full blog post on why we invested here. Radu Bozga Ben Peters Lars Mennen Bryan G. Mike Chalfen Hussein Kanji Kirsten Connell https://lnkd.in/eh8mhcJb

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Stepping into adjacent containers, digital, physical, magical to just, oh I don't know, keep it spicy. "Seira, a series of digital video artworks, is a synthesis of modern day technology and the yearning for profound human experiences. Utilizing TouchDesigner, AI software, code, and my original designs, I explore the intersection of the digital and the organic– drawing inspiration from technoromanticism, ancient Greek sirens, and synesthesia.   At its heart, this series is an exploration of the complex relationship between death and _l'appel du vide_—the call of the void. This psychological phenomenon, which tempts humans with the allure of self-destruction, is mirrored in the ancient myth of the sirens. The siren's song, like the void, is a lure that challenges us to confront our deepest impulses—the pull towards oblivion and the simultaneous yearning for transcendence. I intentionally draw a parallel between _l'appel du vide_ and the siren’s call, as both are manifestations of our intrinsic fascination with the unknown, with that which lies beyond the boundaries of safety and rationality." Seirá, Meditations on l'appel du vide (2024) by Neesh Chaudhary https://lnkd.in/gDm_3KTS

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We’re experiencing a massive platform shift to LLMs. Lightspeed's Michael Mignano and I discussed what this shift means for Grammarly, what the industry needs to do to ensure #genAI adoption and value creation, and where I predict true efficiency gains through AI will come from. Hint: it’s not about creating more content. Thanks for having me on, Michael! https://lnkd.in/gpruc99i

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Insightful look into bioplatform strategy, and what it takes to raise a Series A from my partner, Omri Amirav-Drory: https://lnkd.in/dFv7GbF6

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💭 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗜'𝘀 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱: 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 In 2019, 𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗦𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗻 made a statement that still echoes in the AI world: let computation, not human intuition, take the lead. This idea laid the groundwork for models like GPT-3 and GPT-4, yet Rodney Brooks’ perspective also resonates – sometimes, practical AI needs a bit of human-designed insight to keep things efficient. Lately, I’ve been thinking about how AI is evolving beyond just scaling up models. We’re moving towards 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀 that iterate and refine, making our outputs closer to the thoughtful processes humans use. At Creao AI, we’re exploring what it means to truly balance these visions. Can we create agents that design, adapt, and operate on their own, yet still draw on the best of human insight? This blog captures some of my thoughts on how AI might get there. 🔗 Check out my latest blog post for more on these reflections as CREAO takes steps toward a more 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀, 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗔𝗜 future. 👉 https://lnkd.in/gxqWC7Wh #AGI #CREAO #AgentWorkflows #ArtificialIntelligence #AutonomousAI

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GenAI is rapidly transforming industries. *Blink* and you’ll miss the next development. Having elderly and remote family members, I closely observe GenAI's impact on healthcare. Healthcare has long explored AI and data to improve patient care. LLMs accelerated this progress exponentially. Now, AI is no longer a 'nice to have'—it's a 'cannot ignore.' AI is improving patient outcomes in many ways. Three examples: 1️⃣ Faster, cheaper drug discovery AI models swiftly sift molecular data, shortlisting promising drugs and simulating disease effects. 2️⃣ Personalized treatment plans 20 years ago, IBS patients received nearly identical management plans. Now, AI combines patient data, medical histories, and latest research to generate tailored recommendations. 3️⃣ Enhanced medical imaging AI assists in detecting subtle patterns and anomalies, aiding diagnosis and suggesting further investigation. Beyond these, I see three crucial categories where AI is revolutionizing senior care specifically: → AI-powered vertical software for senior living → Monitoring and prediction for aging in place → Assistive technology within senior healthcare In these areas, AI can be present wherever a human can't, significantly improving seniors' safety and well-being. Medical professionals will always make the final call. But AI is becoming an invaluable healthcare assistant—supporting doctors in making the best choices for patients. GenAI is revolutionizing healthcare across the board, from drug discovery to personalized care for our aging population. 👉 Building an AI-native company in healthcare, especially senior care tech? I'm always eager to connect with technical founders tackling this $30B market opportunity. Leave a comment or send me a message.

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To all the new or #expecting #parents, Ubenwa Health has developed a unique #AI-powered app designed for those who are still learning how to intuit their infant’s emotions. Through listening/studying to various different baby cries, #NanniAI is here to help you distinguish between their wants and needs, and which decisions is the most likely to soothing them in the meantime. Yes, it is named "Nanni," and yes it is AI powered — however it’s not intended to replace parents, it’s more of a #supplement to help support and encourage good #parenting skills. Nanni AI is the culmination of years of research and data collection in Nigeria, Montreal, Canada and Brazil, which was used to train an algorithm that sorts "thousands and thousands" of cries and tries to categorize your baby's needs accurately. The developer mentioned earlier, Ubenwa Health raised a $2.5 million pre seed financing round led by AI-focused funds. What do you think of this app? If you are a parent, would you consider using Nanni AI?

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The best ideas are often timeless. Insights from AI pioneers, like Allen Newell and Herbert Simon, have made a lasting impact and remain relevant even today. Joon Sung Park spoke about how important it is to balance the novel capabilities of cutting-edge technology with the time-tested principles of effective product development. Here's our full conversation: https://lnkd.in/gs4vAD2p

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The launch of ChatGPT was a "Sputnik moment". In making tangible decades of progress it shot AI to the fore of public consciousness. This attention is accelerating AI development as dollars are poured into scaling models. And just like Sputnik, ChatGPT demarcates a starting line, rather than the finish point. What is the next stage in this journey? And where is the destination? I'm privileged to be joined by the brilliant Nell Watson. Nell offers a broad perspective on the possible trajectories. She sits in several IEEE groups looking at AI Ethics, safety & transparency, has founded AI companies, and is a consultant to Apple on philosophical matters. Nell makes a compelling case that we can expect to see agentic AI being soon adopted widely. We might even see whole AI corporations. In the context of these possible developments, she reasons that concerns of AI ethics and safety — so often siloed within different communities — should be understood as continuous. Along the way, we talk about the perils of hamburgers and the good things that could come from networking our minds. https://lnkd.in/gr68g5uC

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How do we design funding mechanisms that are regenerative and built to last? In the latest Rehash episode, Sophia Dew from Celo Foundation joins me to talk about what blockchain enables for public goods funding, frameworks for designing regenerative onchain funding apps, and what it takes to build and maintain a layer 2 blockchain. Tune into our full conversation at the links below:

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Just finished reading "The Next Giant Leap" by Space Capital - a pioneering VC investing in the emerging Space Economy. The report speaks to how SpaceX’s Starship is more than just the most powerful rocket ever built—it is poised to reshape the global space economy in profound ways. With its immense payload capacity, reusable design, and lower cost per launch, Starship will unlock entirely new industries and transform existing business models. But how should industries and businesses evolve to align with this paradigm shift? 📈 Rethinking Business Strategies & Supply Chains - For businesses, Starship represents an era of mass-production over precision engineering. This means moving away from the focus on mass efficiency toward cost-effective, redundant, and scalable production. - In terms of supply chains, this opens opportunities for new players in manufacturing, materials, and space components. The demand for off-the-shelf parts and non-aerospace suppliers will rise dramatically. 💡 New Use Cases & Opportunities   The opportunities Starship unlocks go beyond launching satellites. - In-space manufacturing of high-value products like pharmaceuticals and advanced materials that cannot be created on Earth. - Mega-constellations of satellites for global broadband, expanding on what Starlink has already begun. - In-orbit assembly and servicing, allowing for larger space structures like telescopes or even habitats to be built in orbit, radically reducing costs. - Lunar infrastructure and resource extraction will become more viable, paving the way for sustainable human presence on the Moon and, eventually, Mars. 📊 What Should Businesses Do Now?   1. Embrace Redundancy & Scale – Instead of focusing on one-off, high-cost solutions, businesses should embrace redundancy and mass production.    2. Simplify Design – With Starship’s payload capacity, there is less pressure to optimize for mass efficiency. Simplified, scalable designs will allow for faster production and iteration cycles, akin to how SpaceX rapidly tests and evolves Starship itself. 3. Develop Strategic Partnerships – Collaborating with forward-thinking space startups, suppliers, and even non-aerospace sectors will be essential to capitalize on the opportunities Starship provides. 🌌 A New Era of Innovation   Starship will democratize access to space, lowering the barriers for businesses to create and scale. The next decade will witness breakthroughs in scientific exploration, energy production, and in-space transportation that we can only begin to imagine today. #SpaceEconomy #Starship #Innovation #SupplyChain #Manufacturing #SpaceTech #Entrepreneurship #FutureOfSpace https://lnkd.in/gNdbwXdq

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Vinod Khosla, founder of Sun Microsystems and Khosla Ventures, dropped a lot of insights, fun facts, and bold predictions at yesterday's Pear VC speaker event. Here are some: • "AI will replace every job. In 15 years, work will be treated like a hobby.” • “If you’re 100% right, you’re not taking enough risks.” • In 2018, Khosla Ventures invested in OpenAI, putting in 2x the size of any previous investment. • “Bipedal robots will be a bigger market than cars.” 🚗➡️🤖 • Vinod calls himself a venture assistant, not a venture capitalist. The message: he’s there to help founders, not the other way around. • "It's better to try and fail than fail to try." • And on handling stress? Vinod’s approach: take action where you can, and don’t worry about what you can’t control. His wife finds his calmness… occasionally stressful. It was a great event, and we're excited to host more like this, including the founder of DoorDash next week! Sign up for Pear's newsletter to stay in the loop.

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At SignalFire, it's long been our thesis that the next decade of healthcare will follow the trends of how the ecommerce industry evolved in the past decade - increasingly using big data to hyper personalize and target its audience. Isn't it crazy that our healthcare industry is reactive? If you are reading this post, then you are likely one of us - privileged and educated to be proactive about our health. Most Americans aren't. They show up at a doctor's office only when they need help. And that's where things start breaking down - months of wait times, big out of pocket costs, and a frustrating experience all around. Companies like One Medical and Praia Health are fundamentally redefining what proactive healthcare means - engaging patients exactly the way each person wants for the best outcomes. Excited to have been featured on Healthcare Rap Podcast with Jared Johnson to jam about the future of consumer healthcare at length! #healthcare #healthcaretech #innovation https://lnkd.in/gFpmmu6y

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The known knowns and known unknowns about AI relative to the unknown unknowns provide sufficient certainty of economic value creation for founders to build generational companies. We know scaling laws will hold for a bit longer and that model inference is depreciating at a rapid clip. We don't know where breakthroughs will come from once we hit a data wall in 2028, but we know 'unhobbling' latent model capabilities would already drive significant economic value. The range of possible futures we can backcast from, therefore, is already vast. https://lnkd.in/ekaeMX69

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Excited to announce the launch of Bracket by BoldCap 🚀 India's first Go-To-Market platform for entrepreneurs building global AI companies. For the past year, Bracket has been exclusively supporting our portfolio founders to tackle the complexities of scaling AI-native products in the global market, especially North America. Today, I am excited to launch Bracket; to provide all AI builders with the same GTM accessibility.. 🎯 The new landscape shift has made it absolutely clear that traditional SaaS playbooks no longer fit the bill for AI-native products. We are redefining this through Bracket – our closely curated community of 50+ GTM operators across North America and Europe who offer the resources, networks, and the new-age playbooks that founders need in their $0-$1M journey of building an AI company from India to the world. 🌍 We work with some of the smartest minds in GTM globally– from the Revenue director at Clari, Pricing leader at DocuSign, GTM leader at Databricks, Sales leader at Outreach to Growth Leader at Snowflake and many more– all exceptionally talented operators who have built multiple GTM motions from scratch and are now committed to support the upcoming generation of entrepreneurs along with us. We deeply believe this is what our ecosystem needs: accessibility to the right leaders in the global market, and we aim to bridge this for Indian founders. Thanks to our early GTM partners Jyoti Swarnkar Samuel Sunderaraj Kiran Surapaneni Merritt Baer Murali K Atul Sahai Ramana Narayanam Sara Archer Sara Jones Shiv Sundar Stan Rymkiewicz Andreas Drakos Andres Lozano Sanudo Ashwath M. Brant W. Cody Harris Connor Williams Daniil Krets Jake Haselden Jeff de Ruyter Karthik Ramamoorthy Kevin Flitcroft Laura Handy LeeRon Yahalomi Paul McGhee Shane O'Neill (and the list goes on.... unfortunately not able to tag more) who shaped Bracket into a powerful community along with us. Big shout out to Aditi Gera for all her effort on putting this together and to the rest of the BoldCap team Shiv Tayal Pratham Chadha Kevin D'Souza. Thank you Bhuvana Kamath and YourStory Media for this exclusive coverage - https://lnkd.in/gZBXTsmv If you're founder in the AI software space, we are excited to work with you! BoldCap

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