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Two robots could spend the night folding towels. They could basically work 24/7. It was difficult to use robots outside of an industrial use-case before. Not because of hardware, but because of software. Now with AI, robots can be used anywhere. Edit: A lot of questions have come up if these robots are run by AI or teleoperated by humans. That's beyond the point. The point is that there *are* robots that can fold laundry, tie shoes and even repair other robots - autonomously. They learned those things from human demonstration and reinforcement learning, in other words, AI. The point of this post is simply to highlight that there are robots that can fold towels and perform tasks 24/7 autonomously. As for this specific video, if the robots in the video are operated by humans I think it would be fair to guess that there is some level of training data being generated and that autonomous versions of these robots are not far away. In either case, AI will allow robots to perform tasks outside of typical industrial manufacturing environments.

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UCL are using no code to generate additional revenue 🎓 Here's how they built a SaaS tool on Bubble👇🏽 UCL are one of the top universities in the world. The Medical School were fed up of their dated Microsoft Access system. Things were moving too slow, and they needed a change. They explored traditional software development but it was too expensive. They came across Bubble and got building. #1 They built a personal tutoring app The idea was to assign students a tutor. Students could see the notes, and the tutor could respond. #2 They built an app to manage student records #3 They build a curriculum map app - which now has 12,000+ users It guides students on their learning and helps them prepare for exams. The tool is so good that other departments and universities started reaching out. So good that UCL have started reselling this as a SaaS tool with customisations... Goodspeed Bubble Taylor Bennie

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I’m excited to share that I’ve decided to document my journey as I build FinchTech AI into a successful startup. I’ll be sharing what I’ve done so far, my weekly goals, the challenges I face, and the successes I achieve along the way; the good, the bad, and the ugly. So far, I’ve built my initial website from scratch, established the FinchTech AI brand, and begun developing the MVP for my first AI tool, CalculAI. This tool is designed to assist engineers in selecting the best materials and manufacturing processes. It’s already functional, with a conversational interface that can handle basic material selection tasks, though there’s still work to do. What I’ve Accomplished: • Trained and integrated a RandomForestClassifier model for material recommendations. • Built a conversational interface for user interaction. • Improved the AI’s ability to handle different scenarios and make better recommendations. This Week’s Focus: • Enhancing the AI’s decision-making with a decision tree structure. • Improving scenario recognition to make the AI more intuitive. • Implementing a hybrid approach to better guide users through complex decision-making. • Start the build of website 2.0. Long-Term Goals: My vision is to launch CalculAI as a valuable tool for the engineering industry, secure funding to expand my team, and develop additional AI tools to address other engineering challenges. Challenges: With no technical background in software development and experience as a project manager in the engineering industry, I’ve self-taught myself web design and AI development. The journey has been filled with obstacles; many times I’ve wanted to quit, but each day I pushed a little further. Today, I’m proud to say I have a working AI tool, even if it’s just the bare minimum right now (Plan to show a demo later this week) 🚀 . I’m inviting you all to join me on this journey. If you have advice, I’m all ears, and if you have questions, I’m happy to answer. Let’s connect, share insights, and support each other as we navigate the startup world. #AI #Startup #Engineering #MachineLearning #TechInnovation #Entrepreneurship #ProductDevelopment #Resilience #Leadership #Innovation

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Exciting developments in robotics! 🤖✨ Advancements in robot hardware, compute, data infrastructure, and especially generative AI are creating the perfect conditions for robotics to thrive. Here are some key insights: Data Challenges in Robotics: Not Enough Data: Training AI models for robots requires vast amounts of multimodal data (like LiDAR, camera, and tactile inputs), which is hard to collect. Innovative methods like using simulations, synthetic data, and better translating human actions into robot commands are helping overcome this scarcity. Too Much Data: Once robots are deployed, they generate massive amounts of data from various sensors, making it challenging to process and analyze. New platforms are emerging to manage this data deluge effectively. AI Accelerating Robotics: Faster Time to Market: AI is speeding up robot development by enabling rapid iteration and improvement without extensive coding. Versatility and Adaptability: Generative AI models help robots understand and interact with their environment more naturally, allowing them to generalize tasks and adapt to new situations. Ease of Deployment: AI advancements make it easier to program and deploy robots through natural language prompts and adaptive control systems. Hardware Advancements: Declining Costs: The price of robot hardware, including sensors and actuators, is decreasing, making robots more affordable and accessible. Better Performance: Improvements in sensors, processors, and compute systems enable robots to perform complex tasks more efficiently. Rapid Progress: Quick Iterations: Companies are developing new robot models and capabilities at unprecedented speeds, indicating a promising future for the industry. Now is a thrilling time for robotics, with technology overcoming previous limitations and opening up new possibilities. The intersection of AI and robotics is set to transform industries and everyday life. #Robotics #AI #Innovation #FutureTech

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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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Here’s a roundup of a handful of startups I read about last week that secured investment and stood out to me with bold ideas and a clear vision for the future. 🌍💡 Openvolt Founders: Don O'Leary, Dave Curran A Dublin-based startup developing a carbon emissions data API. Funding Amount: €1.5 million (Seed round) from Cavalry Ventures, Übermorgen Ventures Overstory Founders: Indra den Bakker, Anniek Schouten An Amsterdam-based company using AI to manage vegetation and prevent power outages. Funding Amount: $14m (Series A), October 2024 from B Capital , Convective Capital, Semapa Next, Bentley iTwin Ventures, Pale blue dot, CapitalT, Moxxie Ventures, and Overwater Ventures honei Founders: Bernat Relats, Sergi Borja Gutiérrez A Spanish startup digitising restaurant experiences with QR code-based ordering and payment systems. Funding Amount: €1.45 million (Seed round) November 2025 from 4Founders Capital , Abac Nest Ventures, Wayra, Decelera Cradle Founders: Stef van Grieken A Dutch-Swiss biotech startup that empowers scientists to 'reverse engineer' proteins with desired specific properties, utilising a machine learning platform to design and program 'cell factories' more efficiently. Funding Amount: €69.5 million (Series B) from IPV Capital,  Index Ventures and Kindred Capital VC Safran.AI (ex Preligens) Founders: Arnaud Guérin, Renaud Allioux A Paris-based company providing AI-powered geospatial monitoring solutions for defense and intelligence sectors acquired by Safran for €220 million (October 2024) Quanscient Founders: Juha Riippi, Valtteri Lahtinen, Alexandre Halbach A Finnish technology company specialising in cloud-based multiphysics simulation and quantum algorithms to enhance product development processes. Funding Amount: €5.2 million from Crowberry Capital, SPEEN HOLDING AG, Maki.vc, and First Fellow Partners

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Tuesday insight 💡 Anyone who ever took an undergrad course in physics, knows that choosing the right coordinate systems is amongst the most critical steps to achieve a correct and elegant solution... As I sit through numerous startup pitches, it's fascinating how in the competitive analysis slide, every company manages to come up with their own XY axis (that seems legit and relevant to the naive tourist) that positions them up and to the right, and everyone else in the surrounding deserts. 📈 If only AI could come with a transformation function that puts them all on the same plane... 🤯 #AGI #ai #startups #investing #vc #venturecapital

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Very interesting read on #Robotics and a confluence of innovations and developments which is leading to more reliable, affordable and useable robots! 🤖 👨‍💻 🚀

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Adam Keating discussing how AI is going to change manufacturing and how CoLab Software is helping them make that transition with ReviewAI

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In a world drowning in data, most people tread water. Systems thinkers build submarines. Systems thinking is a powerful lens that reveals the hidden connections shaping our world. It's a crucial tool for designers and founders navigating our hyper-connected, data-driven reality. It's how you turn chaos into clarity, whether you're designing a product that puts a dent in the universe or turning your garage-born idea into a billion-dollar business. The Iceberg Model illustrates this beautifully: → Events (What everyone sees above the waterline) → Patterns (The trends hiding in plain sight) → Structures (The invisible architecture) → Values (The bedrock of it all) Most people only see events—the tip of the iceberg. I've seen countless startups capsize because they were too fixated on surface-level symptoms. The ones that thrive dive deep, challenging assumptions and rewiring systems. Systems thinkers dive deeper. Founders and designers, when you hit a wall, don't simply bang your head against it. Work to understand the system and the interconnections between its various components, all with a mind toward uncovering the hidden levers you can pull and the non-obvious leverage points you can push. Your superpower is connecting dots others don't know exist. You've got the submarine. Now chart a course that reshapes the seascape. Your move, systems thinkers.

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Summary: The article discusses the challenges faced by climate tech startups as they transition from the lab to commercial outfit. These companies, which work on hardware and infrastructure projects for climate solutions, struggle to raise necessary funds and often face difficulties in scaling up production. Key takeaways: The transition from early-stage startup to commercial operation is difficult, especially for hardware and infrastructure projects in the climate tech industry. The lack of financing options and specialized expertise for these types of projects creates a "commercial valley of death" that many companies struggle to overcome. Startups often fall into the trap of trying to expand their business too quickly, losing sight of their core value proposition and failing to ensure proper execution. Counter arguments: Some may argue that this "first of a kind" problem is not unique to the climate tech industry and can be seen in other industries as well. Others may argue that with the increasing focus on climate change and need for sustainable solutions, more funding and support will become available for these startups. #venturecapital #vc #startups

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Hey everyone! Andrew Lambrecht & I have just started a podcast together where we chat about EVs & what's happening in the world of charging as we've experienced it. Please check it out on Spotify (https://lnkd.in/etgegd83) or Youtube (https://lnkd.in/eVauGsgf) and let us know your thoughts as well!

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Progress Update on CalculAI: Delays, Challenges, and Pushing Forward 🚀 As much as I hoped to release the beta MVP of CalculAI this week, I’ve faced a few more hurdles—unless a miracle happens! Being self-taught and new to startups, I’m learning a lot on the fly. While using Jupyter Notebook and other tools to test and build the core functions went smoothly, building the user interface has thrown up some unexpected challenges. I’ve been dealing with missing code, incorrect page routing, visual issues, and missing functionality—all of which have caused delays. But the good news is: I’m getting closer to release! For those asking, what’s a beta MVP? 💡 The Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is a product that provides a small but valuable feature set to early users. The beta MVP may offer similar features but will have some rough edges. The dynamic chat function will already bring immense value, but other parts of the tool are still in early stages and will greatly benefit from your feedback. The vision for CalculAI is big—it’s not just about transforming material selection. I want to revolutionise the supply chain and even the design process for engineers. Taking it one day at a time, I know I’ll get ever closer to this goal. If you’re curious and want to learn more, feel free to message me or drop a comment—I’m more than happy to answer your questions. And if you’re interested in getting involved and building something that will one day redefine engineering processes, I’d love to connect! #AI #StartupJourney #MVP #TechDevelopment #Innovation #SupplyChain #MaterialSelection #DesignEngineering #EngineeringTools #CalculAI #Entrepreneurship #MachineLearning #ProductDevelopment #Startup #Investor

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CONTROVERSIAL OPINION: the “VC is an apprenticeship model” trope is a lazy excuse not to train junior VCs. There is this idea in the industry that the way to learn VC is simply by working with more experienced VCs and learning through observation. The implication is that classroom training is unnecessary and a waste of time. This is false. There are two types of knowledge in VC: 1. Knowledge Learned from Experience 2. Knowledge Learned from Practice When people say “VC is an apprenticeship model,” they refer to Knowledge Learned From Experience. For example, knowing what qualities to look for in a founder can only be honed through lots of time spent with a more senior VC who has been evaluating founders for a long time. However, understanding the concepts in a term sheet is something ANYONE can learn without spending ANY time with a more senior VC. It is Knowledge Learned From Practice. The same goes for modeling cap tables, benchmarking metrics, running cohort analyses, valuing companies, understanding how boards work, etc. You can learn these skills by yourself in a classroom. When I hire junior VCs, I want them to start day one, having ALREADY mastered the VC Knowledge Learned from Practice (see my prior post on the Big 13). That way, they can be productive immediately, and we can focus our time on Knowledge Learned from Experience. This is a more efficient use of my time and theirs. Disagree? Let me know below 🤓👇 #venturecapital

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One of the podcasts I recorded earlier was on VCs, predominantly on early-stage funding within climate / construction tech. A certain part of the podcast focused on this VC's thesis around their strategy, and how they support these new start-ups. I try to do as much prep as possible. And if I do say so myself, the podcast is very good. It'll be edited. But there's certain aspects that just can't be edited; otherwise, it'd just sound odd.. And for some unknown reason, I couldn't get the word 'thesis' out. Probably about 5-6 different iterations of the word 'thesis'. It's hilarious listening back to it. It reminds me of this clip of Benedict Cumberbatch narrating a documentary on penguins, and having the same issue saying the word 'penguins'. Sign up to Climate Tech Spotlight to: 1. Learn about early-stage VC Climate/Construction Tech funding. 2. Laugh at my ability to say 'thesis'. Link in the comments. #climatetech

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The robots are coming.....for the pick and pack jobs. Congratulations to the founders of Covariant , a University of California, Berkeley -based robotics startup, who were recently acquihired by Amazon. This move may signal a significant shift in warehouse automation. It will be fascinating to observe how politicians, economists, and the media "adjust" their narratives about job creation and its impact on the economy and stock market over the coming years. Remember, the monthly job report can swing the stock market several percentage points in either direction, as we saw last Friday (September 6th). The question looms: What happens when increasing robot jobs = improved productivity = lower cost of production = potentially higher *human* unemployment? https://lnkd.in/g3pBzRKx #FrontierTechnology #AI #Robots #UCBerkeley

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Great opportunity to learn about the fascinating world of robotics including challenges faced today and how the future might transform if robots gain generative powers. #Robotics #GenAI #Innovation #FutureTech #SimulationTraining #OnlineEvent #TechTalk #FutureOfRobotics #Entrepreneurship #AI #SimulationTraining #datagathering

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