Kyle Doerksen

Excited to * publicly * share some of our roadmap @ Cofactr‎ 🎉 As our customer base has grown, we’re shipping a TON of new features based on real-time feedback across different teams. Here’s the plan: 1) Enhanced workflows In the coming months, we’re introducing a dedicated “smart buy” option for engineers to streamline their purchasing process and minimize distractions. Critically, procurement and supply chain teams will benefit from a completely revamped procurement app designed * specifically * for their workflow. 2) Actionable insights  Our data collection on electronic supply chains is getting more and more valuable as we scale.  Using Cofactr, teams will now be able to get access to actionable insights from past trends to predict (and proactively reduce) ongoing risks. 3) Embedded AI ⚡ We’re rolling out a new AI-powered feature that extracts information from a PDF datasheets – this will provide even better spec data and set the groundwork for alt recommendations and part discovery tools. Moving forward, I’m * incredibly * excited about the potential to expand Cofactr to more parts beyond electronics based on positive customer feedback + advancements in AI. To learn more about our roadmap and what we’re building, shoot me a note!

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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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The funding landscape for founders has been tough over the past two years—but for female founders, it's been even tougher. At Fierce Foundry, we're stepping up to change that. Like the trailblazing organizations How Women Invest and WE Global Studios, we’re fueling the flywheel of female investment. Our innovative approach isn’t just about making noise—it’s about making measurable impact. Join me at my info session today (and every other week - register via the link below) to learn how you can help drive meaningful change for female founders. Let’s make it happen! 🌟 https://lnkd.in/e9FUg9Uj

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Waymo's recent doubling of its paid ride volume is an impressive business result. But what does the feat say about the state of the self-driving industry? And how does Waymo stack up against self-driving rivals like Tesla, and ride-hailing giants like Uber? We dive into these questions on the latest episode of TWIST

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Autonomous Vehicle (AV) funding is surging, according to PitchBook with Q2 2024 seeing $2.9 billion invested in AV startups - the highest since Q3 2021. While self-driving cars grab headlines, innovative startups are finding unique applications beyond passenger vehicles. Key developments: - Supply chain optimization: Outrider is revolutionizing yard operations with autonomous electric vehicles, addressing a $60 billion market. - Specialized transport: Pyka's autonomous planes for cargo and Gatik's local distribution trucks are gaining traction. - Safety & efficiency: Evitado Technologies automates airside operations, mitigating airport collision risks. Of course, more established companies such as Lyft & Uber are working on AV rideshare integration via partnerships with Waymo, BYD, Zoox, and others. The AV sector is focusing on gradual integration and specific use cases. While concerns about job displacement exist, proponents argue that automation could shift human capital to higher-value roles. What those roles are remains to be seen. As the AV landscape evolves, it's clear that the future of transportation extends far beyond just self-driving cars on city streets. Check out the full article by Nadine Manske here: https://lnkd.in/g3HJXZHc? And access the PitchBook Mobility Tech Report here: https://lnkd.in/g4_xP5pr #VentureCapital #AutonomousDriving #FrontierTech #FutureMobility

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Thinking about starting a business? In my experience, the mistake founders make is in considering the financial/time investment, and not the emotional one, like is outlined below. Consider how you'd react to these situations? Do you get easily demotivated by "no" or does it fuel you? Do you have a strong support network (family, etc.) who can help you through it all? #foundersjourney #founderslife #entrepreneurship #startup

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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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“Last year, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared loneliness an epidemic, ringing the alarm that social isolation was causing mental and physical harm.” Where others, like Belong Center, are creating physical spaces for social interaction, we know it’s challenging for many seniors to go out and join these places. We ask, why not start with the most familiar object in every home? The television. Our platform turns this everyday device into a powerful tool for connection. Now seniors can now use their TVs to video call, enjoy photos and videos from loved ones, and more. Families have a way to support their loved ones and better insight into their routines and well-being. Using the biggest and most familiar screen in their homes we’re able to help seniors stay involved and independent. Our initiative aligns closely with health advisories, including those from the Surgeon General, emphasizing the importance of addressing loneliness as a public health concern. As we continue to innovate, we’re committed to ensuring that every senior has the tools they need to stay connected in an ever-evolving world.

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In #semiconductor manufacturing, Humatics microlocation is transforming the automation of packaging processes. As progress in chips increasingly turns to packaging as a key vector of improvement and value, this is a big deal. This video illustrates the work beautifully, as Humatics enables robots to do precision machine tending....stay tuned for further developments :)

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According to the June 28 WSJ article "EV-Battery Maker Raises $375 Million", Sila CEO Gene Berdichevsky agrees that " the reality is that EVs are just not good enough for consumers. The solution is better batteries such as the one Sila makes". This was said in the context of consumers remaining concerned about range, the slow pace of charging and an insufficient number of charging stations.   Clearly, fast charging - on the order of several minutes and a battery with high energy density will lessen all of these concerns while reducing the number of batteries in EVs that are currently needed to help reduce range anxiety. Fewer but better batteries will also reduce costs or at the least off-set any potential higher battery unit costs.   Sila's battery uses silicon based anodes to take advantage of silicon's much higher capacity to accept and hold a charge compared to graphite. Certainly other manufacturers are working to improve battery performance, but silicon based anodes represent the potential for large improvements on the order of 2-4X versus 10-20% improvements with graphite anodes. Clearly silicon is the way to go if cost effective. Sila needs to demonstrate this.   Better battery performance and lower manufacturing cost is also the goal for Bess-Tech which has developed and successfully tested a nickel silicide anode made in a one-step process w/o a clean room using commercially available plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition technology. This points to a lower cost anode. Bess-Tech is looking for funding or a partner to commercialize the process, or a buyer for this technology which is patented in 7 countries.    Interested companies can contact me or our CEO, Fernando Gomez-Bacquero, through Linked-In.

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Innovation AND execution exemplified....but why did Tesla succeed? EV's are everywhere and there is so much demand. There is Rivian, Lucid and multiple others... At the end of the day, this is why many great ideas in VC ultimately fail...execution and lack to a path of profitability. Here is why Tesla succeeded vs Ford but many others are struggling: 1. First Mover Advantage: Tesla has been producing EVs at scale for over a decade, giving it a head start in refining manufacturing processes, supply chain management, and cost reduction. - Economies of Scale: With a significantly larger production volume than newer competitors, Tesla benefits from lower per-unit costs. 2. Control Over Supply Chain: Tesla designs and produces many of its components in-house, including batteries and software. This reduces reliance on third parties and allows better cost control and faster innovation. 3. Manufacturing Innovations: Gigafactories: Tesla’s Gigafactories are designed for scale and efficiency, incorporating automation, innovative production lines, and co-location of battery production. Gigapress: Tesla uses massive casting machines (Gigapresses) to produce large, single-piece components, reducing assembly complexity and costs. Focus on Simplicity: Tesla's designs emphasize simplicity, using fewer components and standardizing across models, which reduces manufacturing complexity. 4. Scale: Lucid and Rivian are producing at much lower volumes, leading to higher per-unit costs. At the end of day, Tesla makes $9,264 per vehicle (profit) while Rivian loses $38,784 per vehicle and Lucid loses $137,150 per vehicle. Same idea, right? Just done very differently... #venturecapital #endowments #familyoffices

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Embedded in everything we do at Baukunst —whether building an ecosystem of innovative minds or investing in new startups—is a goal to reinforce the potency of a building ethos that melds technology expertise with critical design thinking. We believe this intersectional approach is what wields wildly new tools that exceed, or sometimes wholly divert from, expectation. Within this cross-section is where we are betting the “magic” of the future lies. In our work supporting founders on their journey of starting a company, we witness firsthand another form of magic: the process of transforming an idea into reality. In this “chrysalis” phase of any startup, there’s never quite a 10 point plan or one size fits all approach to getting it right. At Baukunst, we relish in this messy magic, as it is fundamental to the art of building. Despite our desire to build a perfect plan, errors and diversions that change our course inevitably take place. A founder’s big idea sometimes spawns from a seemingly magical coincidence. As a company builder, they need to refine and utilize their intuition as often as, if not more than, their strategy. To build something ambitious, there is a need to tap into a sort of sixth sense. https://lnkd.in/gKv6RYgW

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Can poop save the planet? 🤔 Well, in Silicon Valley, it's not just a punchline—it's a multimillion-dollar climate solution. Big players are teaming up with startup Vaulted Deep, paying $58.3 million, to pump organic waste underground. The deal was brokered by Frontier Climate, a coalition launched in 2022 by Stripe, Alphabet, Meta, Shopify, and McKinsey Sustainability. But why are tech giants getting their hands dirty with sewage and manure? Vaulted Deep's technology, rooted in decades-old methods used for oil and gas fracking cleanup, gives them an edge. But instead of sludge, they're tackling carbon-rich waste, aiming to sequester CO2 underground. They plan to sequester 152,480 tons of carbon dioxide by 2027 as part of the deal (That equates to 36,000 gas cars off the road for a year). Is this greenwashing, or a silver bullet? Critics warn of cost, the need for rigorous carbon accounting, and potential environmental trade-offs - i.e. emission prevention versus carbon removal. #decarbonization

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The global significance of the electric vehicle (EV) revolution lies in its potential to reshape transportation, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and drive economic growth. Despite recent challenges like high prices and consumer concerns about charging infrastructure, the EV market is accelerating. 2023 global EV sales surged, particularly in China, Europe, and the U.S., indicating a solid shift towards sustainable mobility. As significant automakers invest heavily in EV technology and governments implement stricter emissions regulations, the transition to electric vehicles is inevitable. This shift is crucial for achieving climate goals, mainly as EVs are set to dominate the automotive market by 2035, potentially surpassing traditional gasoline vehicles much sooner than expected. The ongoing advancements in battery technology and infrastructure development will further enhance the affordability and convenience of EVs, making them accessible to a broader audience worldwide. #CleanEnergy #PINCommunityAdvocate #EVCharging

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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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Little can be added to those statements. Hardware can be one of your best competitive advantages, if done right.

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As an entrepreneur, the journey to product-market fit often feels like walking a tightrope—balancing between speed, learning, and adaptation. Michael Seibel's advice is a powerful reminder: launching ‘something bad’ is not about compromising quality but about accelerating learning. Startups don’t grow in isolation; they grow through real user feedback, hard questions, and rapid iteration. The key is to stay close to your users, listen actively, and hold the solution lightly while embracing the problem fully. This approach not only builds better products but strengthens the resilience of your team and your mission. Remember, feedback isn’t just an input; it’s the foundation of growth. Let’s focus on progress, not perfection.

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I have invested in some consumer electronics hardware startups for over a decade, and have seen some fail and some succeed. Consumer hardware is HARD. Consumers expect close to perfect products that at least promise to do many things for them, product price can typically only go down from launch day onwards, and there are so many balls to juggle simultaneously in taking product through launch + shipping. Biggest mistake is often this: perfect is the enemy of good. Steve Jobs may have said consumers don't know what they want, but you are no Steve Jobs - so get real consumer feedback as early as possible vs building in stealth forever. Lastly, plan ahead for next 2-3 rounds of financing. Money will be hardest to get when you need it most, and quality of investors drops sharply because there are few exit paths half-way through. This is something most executives who come from large consumer electronics companies and may have great experience in product design, engineering, supply chain management, manufacturing, logistics, pricing, distribution channels, marketing etc, don't know enough about.

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I'm not sure why when I post this YouTube video it doesn't auto play on LinkedIn, but if anyone wants a peak at what we were up to in South Korea, here it is: https://lnkd.in/eecUeRH2 And if you know how to correctly post YouTube videos on LinkedIn, that would be helpful too #founders #venturecapital Antler

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