MFV Partners

A few weeks after an election win, the #Trump transition team’s plan to kill the consumer tax credit on #EVs has already surfaced. Although this type of #climate-focused subsidy cut was widely rumored, the news still sent Tesla and Rivian shares sharply lower. I believe It’s a critical inflection point - not just for EVs - but for the entire #climatetech sector, which must evolve quickly from being subsidy-dependent to delivering standalone business value under Trump 2.0. Moving forward, solutions need to be better, cheaper, or lighter—not just greener. I've expanded on my thoughts in this article here on LinkedIn, which first appeared on Fortune today ➡️

Landmark announcement in Humanoid Robots: Our portfolio company, Agility Robotics, just landed a strategic investment and a large-scale robot purchase agreement with Schaeffler Group, a global motion technology leader. Key takeaways: - Schaeffler plans major humanoid robot deployment across 100 global plants by 2030 - Follows Agility's groundbreaking RaaS deployment with GXO earlier this year - Agility CEO commits to cage-free human-robot collaboration within 24 months Why it matters: This isn't just another corporate investment—it is a validation that Agility is leading the charter in graduating humanoid robotics from R&D to real industrial deployment at scale. Our take: The race for automated manufacturing is accelerating. Companies that don't have a humanoid robotics strategy will be left behind in the next industrial revolution. https://bit.ly/AgSch24 #robotics #automation #manufacturing #humanoids

What is the key balance between #scalability and product development in early-stage #robotics #startups? 🎯 Framing the problem: Over-optimizing too soon can prevent the development of a viable product and hinder problem-solving. On the other hand, overlooking scalability considerations may necessitate a complete re-engineering effort later on, possibly starting from scratch. So, how can Deep Tech #founders find the right balance? 🤔 Here are 3 takeaways I learned from my inspiring conversation with Karthee Madasamy, Founder and Managing Partner at MFV Partners. 𝟭. 𝗔𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 It's better not to focus excessively on scalability in the very early stages. The initial priority is to get the project moving and to learn extensively throughout the process. Prematurely optimizing for scalability can lead to solving the wrong problem or spending a significant amount of time on irrelevant issues. 𝟮. 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱 While building the project, it's important to keep scalability in mind by considering questions like, "Can this be scaled up?" or "Is this process scalable?" Noting any potential scalability challenges allows for addressing them before they become major obstacles. Ignoring modularity and scalability concerns might result in reaching a point where progress is hindered. 𝟯. 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 Therefore, it's recommended to remain vigilant for any steps or processes that could pose significant challenges in terms of modularization or scalability. Beyond that, the focus should be on completing the initial product, presenting it to customers, and learning from their feedback. Assumptions made during development might need to be revised based on real-world insights. Don't miss the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/dVkdz4WM #DeepTech #HardTech #VentureCapital #VCs #Entrepreneurship #PhD

TIME's new cover: Introducing the Best Inventions of 2024 https://ti.me/40jkXvI

This week Peggy Johnson and Digit took center stage at The Wall Street Journal Tech Live conference. Peggy gave voice commands to Digit like "Put the Tech Things shirt into the basket". Digit then used a VLM to scan the table and find the right item, autonomously putting it in the laundry basket. Thanks to our host Joanna Stern for an authentic and enjoyable Tech Things segment.

We've been busy at MFV, and here’s a summary of our recent updates - New Entrants: Chef Robotics and PhenoTA have officially emerged from stealth mode. Industry Firsts: Agility Robotics unveiled the first factory for building humanoids, and their Digit robot became the first of its kind to be deployed commercially. Strategic Partnerships: Sun Mobility partnered with Indian Oil, and PsiQuantum made a significant agreement with the State of Illinois. Company Recognition: Ati Motors and Irrigreen were featured in Forbes for their breakthrough technologies. For a more in-depth look at these developments, including data on deep tech exits and the critical role of hardware solutions in addressing climate change, check out our October newsletter - https://bit.ly/mfvoct24

I look forward to attending the Chicago Quantum Summit today. I wrote an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune arguing that Chicago is rapidly establishing itself as a global leader in quantum computing. The city's strong public-private partnerships, visionary leadership, and robust talent pipelines are driving significant advancements in this field. Initiatives like the Chicago Quantum Exchange and the Polsky Center at the University of Chicago are fostering collaboration among research institutions and accelerating the commercialization of quantum technologies. Governor JB Pritzker's strategic support, coupled with federal funding and the recent flagship announcement of our portfolio company PsiQuantum's new campus, further solidifies Chicago's position as a quantum hub. https://lnkd.in/gWGhbeym University of Chicago Samir Mayekar Duality Accelerator