Steve Blank

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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🚀 Frontier technology is hard to understand. Those who build the technology and those who ultimately benefit most are multiple degrees removed from one another. So, the team at Third Vector developed a new research series called The Frontier is Here (thirdvector.substack.com) to bridge this divide. Through narratives of everyday people, we showcase the history and societal impact of frontier technologies, such as space technology. This week, we tackle GPS satellites. 🛰️ The more that we collectively understand the power of technology, the more than we can utilize these innovations to improve our lives and our neighbors' lives. Subscribe to The Frontier is Here to for free to receive first access to our perspectives, weekly. #frontiertech #spacetech #innovation #venturecapital

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Recently, Anthropic shared its perspective on California's proposed AI regulation bill, SB 1047, with the California Assembly. While recognizing the importance of safe AI development, Anthropic has raised substantial concerns about the bill's current form, which could potentially hinder innovation and harm the United States' competitive edge in AI. Anthropic's key points include shifting the focus from "pre-harm enforcement" to a more adaptable "outcome-based deterrence" model. They also advocate for regulations that focus more narrowly on frontier AI safety to avoid redundancy with federal requirements. Additionally, they suggest giving regulatory authority to the Government Operations Agency instead of creating a new state agency. Anthropic believes that these amendments will encourage innovation in risk reduction practices and incentivize companies to adopt measures that prevent catastrophic risks. In contrast, the AI Salon Policy & Civic Engagement Guild shares Anthropic's commitment to ethical AI and safe development but has broader concerns about the bills. We believe that overly burdensome regulations may discourage AI development and lead to job losses. Compliance requirements favor large companies, potentially driving smaller startups out of the market, and overregulation might cause California to fall behind other regions in AI development. Furthermore, compliance under penalty of perjury imposes significant personal risk on developers, and strict regulations could disadvantage California-based companies in the global AI market. On behalf of the over 1700+ members of the AI Salon, we urge our larger community to engage in this crucial dialogue about AI regulation. By advocating for well-balanced policies that protect public interests without stifling innovation, we can ensure California remains a leader in ethical and responsible AI development. Please sign the letters of support and join us in shaping a future where AI is developed and deployed with ethical integrity, social responsibility, and inclusive governance. Together, we can bridge the gap between AI technology and policymaking, fostering an environment where innovation thrives alongside robust safety measures. https://lnkd.in/e6MRBmcX #AIRegulation #EthicalAI #Innovation #PolicyEngagement #Anthropic #AISalon #PublicPolicy #TechPolicy Kyle Shannon Leah Fasten Brandon Tidd Stacie L. Matthew Karabinos, MAT Vikki Baptiste Jon Potter Jon Leland Cyndi Coon Daniele Hall

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It is serendipitous that I just posted about how forward thinking Nevada is and then this article popped up in my feed! Congrats Piotr Tomasik 🌊 Jeff Tatarchuk 🌊 Darrick Horton 🌊 you guys are on fire! #vegas #startups #tensorwave

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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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The most impactful technology augments human capability. Take assembly line work as an example: Robots enhance speed and precision but still require human oversight. This dynamic mirrors our evolving relationship with AI, especially within the service-as-software paradigm shift. As Jaya and I wrote in our recent blog post, AI's evolution from a basic tool into an autonomous agent isn't about replacing jobs. It's about reshaping them. This shift is part of a $4.6 trillion opportunity where AI not only boosts efficiency but also creates new roles, blending tech with human insights. AI doesn’t just replace—it reinvents how we work, creating more value than ever.

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I've been thinking a lot about how Tesla's vehicle infrastructure can leverage inference compute, distributing computational load and reducing data center energy usage. Dr. John Gibb does a nice job of summarizing these concepts in his video (Starting around 8:10). Inference Arbitrage: A Game Changer for AI Compute As AI continues to evolve, the demand for computational power is skyrocketing. Giants like OpenAI, Meta, and Google are pouring billions into training and inference compute, facing looming shortages of transformers and electricity. Here's where inference arbitrage, a novel concept leveraging Tesla's infrastructure, comes into play. The Challenge: Soaring AI Compute Costs Leading AI companies are investing billions to power their AI programs. However, the energy and computational needs are outpacing infrastructure capabilities. This bottleneck isn't just financial; it's physical. The growing demand for AI services could soon exceed available power and hardware. The Solution: Inference on the Edge xAI, in collaboration with Tesla, offers a groundbreaking solution: using Tesla vehicles for AI inference tasks. Tesla's fleet, equipped with powerful hardware and large batteries, can perform AI inference during idle times (about 90% of the time), reducing strain on central data centers How Inference Arbitrage Works Distributed Computing: Instead of relying solely on massive, centralized compute farms, inference requests (e.g., generating an email or image) are processed by idle Tesla vehicles. This distributed approach taps into the existing infrastructure efficiently. Energy Optimization: Tesla vehicles can perform inference tasks using their batteries during peak electricity demand times, avoiding high energy costs. At off-peak times, they recharge at lower costs, ensuring energy-efficient operations. Commercial Benefits: This model allows Tesla owners to earn money by utilizing their vehicle's idle time for AI computations. Tesla benefits from additional revenue streams with minimal overhead, and xAI gains a scalable, cost-effective solution for AI service delivery. Impact on the AI Industry By integrating AI inference with Tesla's distributed compute network, xAI can deliver services faster and more economically than competitors. This innovative use of existing resources not only addresses the infrastructure bottleneck but also offers a sustainable path forward for AI growth. Conclusion Inference arbitrage provides a strategic edge for xAI and Tesla, combining AI innovation with smart energy use. As the demand for AI compute continues to rise, this approach could redefine the landscape, positioning xAI and Tesla as leaders in efficient, scalable AI service delivery. Stay tuned as this exciting development unfolds and reshapes the future of AI. #ElectricVehicles #InferenceCompute #DataCenters #Electrification #AI #FrontierTechnology #FutureFrontier

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The clash between military procurement schedules and venture funding remains a major hurdle for startups, but we’re starting to see progress with new programs and initiatives from the DOD. There's still ground to cover for startups to truly thrive on the global stage, but I’m optimistic about where this industry is heading. Thanks to Marc Vartabedian for highlighting this in The Wall Street Journal and including my take on how these dynamics are shaping the future of #defensetech.

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🚀 San Francisco: Still the Undisputed Tech Capital of the World Despite headlines suggesting otherwise, new research from SignalFire reveals that San Francisco's tech scene is not just alive—it's thriving. Here's why SF remains the epicenter of innovation: 📊 Key Findings: - SF dominates in tech talent and capital concentration - The Bay Area has more big-tech engineers than the next 10 markets combined - SF, East Bay, and Silicon Valley have more top startup engineers and VC-backed startups than Seattle, New York, and Austin combined - 26% of seed or Series A rounds from top VCs are in SF, with numbers rising since 2022 🧠 AI Boom: San Francisco's lead is even more pronounced in AI, cementing its position as the "epicenter of the new AI gold rush." 💼 Startup Haven: Y Combinator startups increasingly choose SF as their home base, especially in AI. 🌉 Why SF? - Unparalleled concentration of tech talent - Proximity to VCs, clients, and other entrepreneurs - Resurgence of in-person networking and collaboration 💡 The Big Picture: While other cities are growing their tech sectors, SF's lead "looks unlikely to be challenged any time soon." The city's tech ecosystem creates a flywheel effect that continues to attract talent and capital. https://lnkd.in/gCnPCBRU

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Where is the money? "In Q1, funding to startups in the industries of military, national security and law enforcement dropped to $118 million, a 74% drop from the $459 million invested in such startups in Q1 of last year." #funding #investment #investmentstrategies #defence #dualuse #venturecapital #privateequity

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Friends, Q2 was a quarter of progress and learning for us at HawkTower, where we invest in early-stage startups applying breakthrough computing technologies to maximize California's natural resource markets. Our focus is on technology-enabled interventions (e.g., AI-enabled geospatial radars for lithium-ion batteries in the waste stream) for critical, market-level imperatives (e.g., disaster prevention) that can drive rapid commercial adoption (e.g., placed on every recycling truck in the world). Our current investment priorities are: - Agricultural productivity and efficiency - Biomanufacturing - Labor and mobility automation - Waste stream optimization and decarbonization - Disaster prevention and management Here’s a snapshot of what we’ve been up to: Milestones and Investments: - In late April, we officially launched our fund, filing with the SEC. Yay. - By June, we completed our first fund close ahead of schedule, with backing from family offices, foundations, high-net-worth individuals, and organizations aligned with California's future. - Our portfolio now includes three early-stage investments (Farm-ng, Agriful Software, and Nexstera Tech). Strategic Partnerships: - We believe that startups operating closer to their customers and resources, especially in agriculture and biomanufacturing, have a strategic advantage. For instance, the Salinas Valley, a major agricultural hub, is less than an hour from Silicon Valley and serves as a center of thought leadership in the convergence of agriculture and AI (from Western Growers, Taylor Farms, and others). - Similarly, the North San Joaquin Valley is emerging as a biotech and agtech innovation hub, and we are proud to support BEAM Circular, a startup hub for the circular bioeconomy. Key Relationships: - Karen Warner, CEO of BEAM Circular, joined HawkTower as a strategic advisor. - Jackie Cruz, Ed. D. Cruz, Hartnell College’s VP of Advancement, advises on Salinas Valley and workforce development. - Ben Palone from Western Growers, with his technical background in agriculture, became a trusted advisor. - Matthew Hoffman from Driscoll's Global R&D team provides insights on global agriculture, product positioning, and investment strategy. - We collaborated with Monterey Bay DART for workforce development and automation in agtech. - Dominic Milano and the Milano Technical Group from Merced collaborated on key initiatives and advised us on investments. - HawkTower is participating in Santa Cruz Works's accelerator cohort as a mentor and advisor. Thank you Doug Erickson. - We published an overview of entrepreneurship across the UC system with input from across the University of California system. Moving into the fall, we remain deeply committed to supporting founders shaping California's future natural resource markets. Stay tuned and be in touch! : ) Db

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Congrats to Christopher Robson, Kurtis Broda and Kristen Cote at Wyvern on bringing on fantastic new investors Guy Filippelli, Dan Madden and Isaac Carp, CFA at Squadra Ventures. I'm a broken record at this point, but we're in the early innings of the Earth Observation market, and as we're seeing with Wyvern there is more demand for hyperspectral data than supply. As we will see in the coming years, there will be all kinds of problems that can be addressed by understanding our world beyond what our eyes can see. https://lnkd.in/gEzTjYks

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There is so much that is so damn impressive about Nominal's execution. The team identified a truly needed product in the world. More than that... They serve their customers. Sometimes Nominal is saving days of work for an engineer detangling the performance of new hardware in an autonomous fixed wing drone. Other times, helping implement a transformational change for engineering orgs, delivering iteration speed from simulation to range to unlock an RFP goal and contract win. They are building dual use -- powering the best of commercial and public sector teams. Whether a government contractor delivering on a $12b contract. A scaled public company, integrating AI into your roadmap on to your existing HW platform. A startup which is willing a first product into existence. Nominal is there for all the dual use hardware builders who live real time, live in physical world time. The real world runs real time. The real world runs Nominal and so excited to be on the journey. Also, hiring, https://www.nominal.io/, kind of a lot. If you are awesome, they want to talk to you.

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We’re excited to announce that Pyka has raised $40M in Series B funding to accelerate the commercialization of their autonomous electric aircraft! Led by Obvious Ventures, with support from Piva Capital, Prelude Ventures, Metaplanet, and Y Combinator, this investment will expand Pyka’s impact in sectors like agriculture, cargo transport, and defense logistics. With commercial operations already underway across multiple continents and partners like Dole and Embraer, Pyka is transforming aviation while driving sustainability and decarbonization. ⚡✈️ More here from TechCrunch: https://lnkd.in/gGYfc824

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Team San Diego! I though you may find this as surprising as I did...we are not alone. Read this quick article from Jon Prentice's (Silicon Valley Bank) interview with with James Newell (Voyager Capital), published in GeekWire on Seattle's innovation ecosystem....they lament the SAME issues as we do in San Diego: * Lack of angel investors, (Especially, it calls out, given the local giant tech co's) * "We need low-conviction check writers." * Lack of "cachet associated with being an angel investor" - We have similar efforts (as described in the article) to drum up angel activity: NuFund Venture Group and, Interlock Capital (read the article and you'll see why the Interlock effort is tops as relates to "paying back into the ecosystem") Connect.org strives to 'connect' innovative companies with investors of all types (angel, VC, PE...) - just see "Innovation Day". Their Springboard program provides another great way for experienced entrepreneurs to give back through mentorship...as for the companies going through Springboard: "Ask for advice, and you often get $$" Your thoughts on the article or San Diego innovation ecosystem? https://lnkd.in/gfwq6mfq

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This is what I mean when I say AI x DEEPTECH A revolution is coming. Upending entire swaths of our economy that have been previously ignored. Nearly $10 Trillion of our GDP rebuilt with AI and software.

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Smart execution is the key to success in hardware startups Boom Supersonic's Blake Scholl discusses: - The importance of leveraging existing technologies - Refinement over reinvention - Prioritizing practical and user-centered design

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It is great to see DARPA engaging broadly with startups and the private sector (as it always has) to discuss what technologies could be most critical to future national security. In such a conversation today ppl mentioned quantum computing, encryption and sensing, semiconductor design and manufacturing, new materials and chemistries, AI Safety and risk of AI aided bioterrorism and biological warfare, zero knowledge proofs, fully homomorphic encryption, US weapons and broader defense manufacturing capacity, hydrogen production technologies, and autonomous swarms.

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