Jack Hidary

This is just incredible. Neal Ghosh's demonstration of how #VentureIQ takes deeply technical and complicated content across a range of industrial use cases and ages/stages through an AI-generated conversational podcast (a la #notebookLM) is really mind-blowing. Check out his post, below, and if you haven't seen VentureIQ, yet, let's get you set up to learn more. You can visit VentureIQ.ai or DM any of us over here to book a demo!

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New Tesla Patent Reveals Clues to an Exciting Future of Humanoid Robots and AI Integration In a interesting discussion, Herbert Ong and Scott Walter dive deep into Tesla's recently published patent application WO2024072984A1 (link in comments). Entitled "Actuator and actuator design methodology," the patent primarily focuses on controlling robot movement through strategic actuator placement. However, the document also unveils important clues about the potential for end-to-end neural net training of humanoid robots, reminiscent of Tesla's approach to training its vehicles with FSD. Ong and Walter explore the concept of personalized humanoid skills. Imagine purchasing a bot with built-in capabilities, then having the option to augment and customize those skills through a "Skills Store" akin to Apple's App Store. This opens up a world of possibilities for tailoring robots to specific tasks and preferences. The discussion also touches on the potential for various robot form factors, each designed to excel at particular skills. Picture a tennis-playing robot that comes pre-trained with basic volleying instructions, but requires a "Skills Upgrade" to perform at a master level. This raises questions about the need to manufacture and train a diverse range of robot body types and sizes, mirroring how humans possess ideal physiological characteristics for different activities. Later, Ong and Walter discuss a scenario in which Tesla builds the hardware – including automobiles, humanoids, and other bot form factors – while xAI develops the brains. This arrangement opens up opportunities for licensing agreements between the two companies, that may help the companies navigate future antitrust concerns as these technologies are deployed at scale. The convergence of advanced robotics and artificial intelligence holds the potential to catalyze a profound societal transformation. As Tesla and xAI continue to push the boundaries of what's possible, I can envision a future where intelligent, adaptable robots become integral to various aspects of our lives – from manufacturing and transportation to healthcare, recreation, and beyond. The seamless integration of cutting-edge hardware and software will revolutionize the way we live and work, ushering in an era of unprecedented efficiency, productivity, and innovation. While there are still challenges to overcome and ethical considerations to address, the prospect of these combined technologies driving positive change on a global scale is awe-inspiring. #FrontierFrontier #Humanoids #AI #Robots

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🔦 Spotlight on Emerging Investment Trends: Energy Transition, Robotics, and Early-Stage Unicorn Sourcing 💡 At PaperJet Ventures, we’re always looking beyond the horizon for where technology and capital are converging to create transformative opportunities. In my latest Substack post, I dive into three major themes that are shaping our investment strategy: 1️⃣ Energy Transition & Data Centers: With the rising demand for AI infrastructure, energy consumption is set to skyrocket. We’re looking at novel material technologies that can make data centers scalable and sustainable. 🌍⚡ 2️⃣ Robotics Revolution: The race to build the next-gen robotics market is heating up, but it’s not just about software. Tackling hardware challenges will be key to unlocking the potential of humanoid robotics and solving global labor shortages. 🤖✨ 3️⃣ Sourcing Early-Stage Unicorns: With over 800 unicorns emerging in recent years, early-stage investment remains highly fragmented. That’s where we see an opportunity to identify and back outlier founders before they gain broader attention. 🚀🔍 Curious about our approach or want to share your thoughts? Check out the full post below and let’s connect on these emerging themes!👇 https://lnkd.in/gU9pfgUk #DeepTech #AI #VentureCapital #Investing #Robotics #EnergyTech #TechTrends

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On the surface, tech transfer operations (e.g. the process of transferring research and IP into commercialized opportunities) and early-stage startups may seem quite different. But when we at 9point8 Collective dug a little deeper, there was tons of overlap which speaks to the essence of zero-to-one development: 1️⃣ Innovation Focus: both tech transfer and early-stage startups aim to commercialize new technologies or solutions that can address real-world problems or create new opportunities. There is no blueprint to follow. 2️⃣ Intellectual Property: tech transfer ventures usually come with robust IP portfolios, including patents and trade secrets, and early-stage startups often focus on developing and protecting their IP to create a competitive advantage. Leverage IP as an asset is a key part of the strategy. 3️⃣ Market Potential: both tech transfer and early-stage startups target markets with high growth potential. They often aim to disrupt existing industries or create entirely new market segments, so targeting the right markets is essential. 4️⃣ Risk Profile: both types of ventures carry extreme risk and ambiguity due to the uncertainties associated with bringing new technologies or business models to market. With all this overlap, we innovated different versions of our diligence and assessment tool #VentureIQ to focus on tech transfer. Instead of a pitch deck as the raw inputs, we used patent filings instead. We wanted to see if our tech could generate credible insight on how raw technologies can be commercialized. The results have been pretty solid so far. From a single patent filing, we can extract technology readiness levels, target markets, competitors and benchmarks with similar technology, and even sources of public and private funding. From what our design partners have validated for us, these are monumental leaps in the development process -- saving thousands of dollars and weeks of time -- all done with #AI. Know of an interesting #techtransfer use case? Send me a DM so we can chat about it!

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Data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) illustrates the current "readiness" of #ClimateTechs + their potential impact on carbon reduction. As shown, many techs are at an early stage of being able to have a material impact. Concerningly, some tech funds recently returned capital back to investors recently + closed their funds - citing inability to fund capital intensive techs, found in areas like ClimateTech. This in part may be contributing to the $2 trillion shortfall in ClimateTech, that Deloitte estimates. What this may mean for the future? - The migration of LPs to global, super VC funds within ClimateTech, given the large capital pools needed to fund tech development - Greater specialization from smaller funds, energizing more niche elements of the ClimateTech market - but also altering their / LP's risk profile - A greater role to be played by debt financing in funding growth entities at an earlier stage - impacting cashflow dynamics Will be an interesting space to watch moving forward. We at The Proptech Connection are constantly working with all parts of the Proptech ecosystem. From the leading LPs, funds, techs and adopters in market, providing an independent view. Reach out to us today to find out how we can help. #InvestorTrends #Strategy #Global Ivo van Breukelen Stuart Daun Kiki C. Ethan Ward

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AI Tech in Focus   AI and Nanotechnology Used to Detect Toxic Gases Researchers at University of Virginia School of Engineering have developed an advanced neural network and corresponding nano sensors to detect and track toxic gases. The system mimics the human sense of smell using tiny clusters of metal catalysts that are embedded in a graphene surface. When a toxic gas interacts and binds to the graphene, the conductivity of the sensors change, signaling the presence of the gas. The overall surface area of the clusters allows detection of leaks with extreme sensitivity and accuracy. Those gas sensors are paired with machine learning algorithms to pinpoint gas leaks in complex areas and communicate that data in real time to identify potential sources of leaks. According to the researchers, The World Health Organization attributes approximately 4.2 million premature deaths worldwide to outdoor air pollution due to respiratory conditions like asthma and COPD. It is hoped that further iterations of the system could be used in industrial, residential and urban settings to monitor air quality and provide more accurate and sensitive leak detection. VC Investors are always adjusting their "Play Book" with a variety of options for investing. Mikal Ventures is one of those alternatives, offering curated solutions to real world problems. Reach out if you have questions on how we can be of assistance and bookmark https://mikalventures.com/ for additional insights and information.

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If you work in tech transfer this is a good read-in on how our diligence tech can assess and evaluate assets with minimal inputs. The best way to learn more is to see it live! Reach out to me directly to learn more!

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Manufacturing accounts for +25% of global energy use and +15% of gross world product, yet most manufacturing processes are poorly optimised and controlled. Conventional process control software and even the latest deep learning controllers fail with real-world uncertainty and variability, leaving significant amounts of value and energy efficiency unrealised. Controllers not only need to adapt to unpredictable environments and outlier scenarios, but also be considerably more computationally efficient to run on the very edge. This is what Luffy AI has achieved. Luffy.ai has developed the world’s first adaptive AI controllers, which are based on Luffy’s unique, biologically inspired adaptive AI framework - a type of AI that is modelled on the way neural networks are formed and utilised in the human brain. Luffy’s controllers continuously self-tune and learn in real time, they work on a small fraction of a Raspberry Pi, and they don’t need large data sets to train their models. We believe this will boost the performance of industrial processes (and robotic systems), which is why we are very excited to be backing Matthew Carr, Alex Meakins and their fantastic team. Stay in control with adaptive intelligence! 

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Fantastic event (and ecosystem) that Patrick Meier, PhD and his team at the Climate Robotics Network are creating. Highly recommend you check out the Climate Robotics Summit, done in partnership with EPFL, SOSV, Cybernetix Ventures, ETH Zürich, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. I just had the pleasure of moderating a panel just now on investing in climate robotics, alongside Urvi Nagrani, Malini Samtani, Sashi Jayatileke and Fady Saad. Here are some of the key insights: 1) Applications for robotics to climate challenges (adaptation AND mitigation) are enormous: support to farmers as conditions for humans become too hot to farm for long hours, drones that help capture data on forests and wildlife, supporting with installation of maintenance in large solar fields, wind turbines, circular economy applications - e.g. de-manufacturing - to just name a few. 2) Investing in robotics is simply different - it doesn't fit the standard SAAS VC strategies, often having a lot of engineering input and require non-dilutive funding upfront - e.g. similar barriers to investing in hardware writ large. Thus, it sits in a bit of its own asset class, so investors and entrepreneurs alike need to understand how these solutions behave, esp. in the early-stages of building/testing. That said, there is a growing pool of funds that have been specializing in this area. 3) So how do we move robotics solutions up the TRL ladder faster? It can take a LONG time for any robotics solution to be truly market ready. Even when there is theoretical product-market fit doesn't mean that it's ready in investors' eyes. Lots of testing as well as setting proper expectations with customers is critical, and part of this long process. Non-dilutive funding is rare to find in most countries, but in the US in particular there is a growing pool of grant funding that can help. 4) Development finance institutions and donors have a critical role here, especially in vulnerable countries/communities: Robotics could have bit impact in supporting climate solutions in vulnerable communities, but we need to ensure that there is an enabling environment for these solutions, which means that the policy, academic, and traditional finance space (e.g. local commercial banks)

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Today I want to put the spotlight on Arelys Sosa, Thomas Tingelöf and Kent Moore who are the amazing founders of DREV.🔦 The problem they are tackling is that battery gigafactories, semi-conductor factories, and battery recycling plants face big challenges collecting hazardous metal micro-particles, slowing production, and they are squandering precious materials, and endangering staff. These are all individually big problems and combined this is huge.☣️ Drev has the solution to all to this with The Vault, an innovative technology powered by patent-pending dry brush technology and a revolutionary canister design, eliminates water and chemicals from the cleaning process, improves safety, and enables the adaptive reuse of valuable materials that would otherwise be thrown away with save manufactures millons. 🧹 The Drev team has the unique domain experience for solving a particular problem that we're always looking for when we are backing founders at the Norrsken Accelerator. Arelys is an industrial engineer who was part of the original team at Panasonic Energy at Tesla’s Gigafactory 1 so she has seen this problem first hand for years. Thomas has a PhD and he has been the CTO of PowerCell and VP at Volvo Cars and has massively scaled technologies before.🤩 The interest from the industry is huge and they are currently running projects with some of the leading battery manufacturers. You can read more and contact them here: https://lnkd.in/d7V-mKrx

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JUST IN - New Study: How Bitcoin Mining reduces Methane Emissions on Landfills "In this study, we reveal it is not only feasible but economically viable & environmentally beneficial to use landfill gas for Bitcoin mining" TL;DR: ♻ "In the span of 240 days, we prevented the release of ~1.3 million SCF of methane into the atmosphere" 🚘 "over the course of 240 days, the project mitigated the equivalent of 6,627 gas-powered passenger cars" 💡 "techniques and insights gained from this project open the door to new opportunities at landfill sites [to turn] wasted energy sources into productive, more sustainable assets" https://lnkd.in/gCNwgZeP

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As a person with background in fundamental and applied physics I couldn’t agree more:) I often hear: “Why we need to spend billions of dollars on such researches. Those billions are next to nothing compared to the positive effects on our lives and economy in the future. I’m happy to see private investors supporting such initiatives! Alexandra Vidyuk , thanks for bringing up this topic!

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One of our focus areas: AI + Climate The Bezos Earth Fund today unveiled an AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge – under which up to $100 million in grants will be awarded. In its first round, the Grand Challenge will advance solutions in three focus areas: Sustainable proteins Biodiversity conservation Power grid optimization It will also include a “Wild Card” category for powerful ideas outside the focus areas. https://lnkd.in/eU8t8pPE Remarkable Ventures Climate

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🧩 One thing we've noticed with #VentureIQ technology is how well it can distill and communicate complex technical material 🧩 Whether it's a #deeptech venture, a novel #AI application, or even a patent submission, we can quickly distill the business and strategic implications for investors...and sometimes even the founders/PIs themselves! 🤯 Based on our work so far, the tech can handle a wide array of research areas and technological sectors -- anything from blockchain algorithms to vaccine development. It handles the nuance of the field, the specific terminology, and extracts the key concepts which matter for venture-building. 🤓 To demonstrate, I took a patent I helped write with Eric Laber on reinforcement learning. I ran it through #Ventureiq to build a commercial assessment (key differentiators, target markets). Then for fun I had #NotebookLM make a podcast out of it. I've uploaded the result it here (DM me if you'd like the actual report): https://lnkd.in/eiTejsny This is more than just automation or streamlining operations - it's about unlocking clarity and insight when it was previously unattainable, and the ability to do it over and over again no matter the sector or vertical. Interested in more info? DM me so we can chat.

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That feeling when you watch the macro forces that undergird your Industrial Transformation & Supply Chain Technology investment thesis at ⁦‪REFASHIOND Ventures: The Industrial Transformation Fund unfolding every single day: Escalating Geopolitical Tensions; The Climate Crisis & Severe Weather; Consumer Behavior & Demographics. At most venture capital firms, Industrial Transformation & Supply Chain Technology is a tiny, emerging “area of interest” . . . At REFASHIOND Ventures, it’s our entire world. Join us. #IndustrialTransformation #SupplyChain #Innovation #Technology #Startups #VentureCapital

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Octavia Carbon, a 🇰🇪 Kenyan-based #cleantech startup, has raised a $5 million seed round. The company will use the funds to build its Direct Air Capture (DAC) storage plant. 💨 Direct air capture technology removes #carbon dioxide directly from the #atmosphere by drawing #air into a machine, filtering out the carbon dioxide, and storing it safely underground. Excess #CO2 in the atmosphere depletes the earth’s ozone layer, increasing ultraviolet (UV) radiation that can cause skin cancer, cataracts, and plant damage. 🌱 Launched in 2022 by Martin Freimüller and Duncan Kariuki, Octovia Carbon designs, builds, and uses machines to capture CO2 from the atmosphere. Those machines take carbon dioxide and store it underground, keeping it out of the atmosphere. ➡️ More here: https://lnkd.in/ernSDynp

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Founding father of Bittensor Jacob Steeves just shared some very profound insights on how the consensus algorithm of the network was designed … and what it points to. 🌱 “We built the API and consensus algorithm to be as general as possible—necessary for the first digital commodity we were evaluating which focused on miners producing information-theoretic value. Pure information is so fuzzy and high-dimensional that we had to abstract the consensus algorithm to work over a weights matrix, not tied to any single digital commodity. Note: this is similar to what makes neural networks powerful: deep learning invented tools that could learn anything, rather than prior algorithms that focused on specific tasks (e.g., detecting edges by coding edge concepts directly). So you're partially correct: Bittensor's blockchain has no ML on it (though the consensus algorithm is heavily influenced by ML; it uses sigmoids and weight matrices). We didn't want to apply crypto to AI or AI applied to crypto—we wanted to be both. Getting esoteric: I believe doing anything in this space will require uncovering the deeper reality to both crypto and ML: ML is the language of minimizing loss curves; crypto is the language which organizes incentive-maximizing individuals and machines. They only fit together because they're expressions of the same thing: This is how nature organizes -- it uses the flow of energy dissipation through distributed systems to organize. We're not ML; we're not crypto; we're trying to leapfrogged both and go where they are pointing.” https://lnkd.in/ggE-MQ-x

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