Pavan Pant

Standard Data (YC S24) enables manufacturing operators to query all of their data in plain English and build workflows on top of this base layer. Founders John Robison and Shaashwat Sharma worked together at Palantir in the manufacturing vertical, where John focused on industrial chemicals while Shaashwat worked on commercial defense. Their work on the ground exposed some incredible risks to American advanced manufacturing, particularly around how data is managed (or mismanaged) in an operational context. The problem is that data is stored in many formats, including various ERPs, PDFs, Word documents, and Excel files, across multiple different systems on the factory floor. This setup makes it difficult to answer basic questions, and answers are more often found in the heads of subject matter experts rather than in an easily accessible, uniform platform. Standard Data's AI Data Analyst enables manufacturers to: - Auto-integrate their disparate data into a singular knowledge base - Query this knowledge base in natural language to provide visibility across their core processes. - Implement workflows on top of this knowledge base to increase automation and improve overall decision-making. By capturing and leveraging operational knowledge more effectively, Standard Data wants to ensure American manufacturing can continue to expand capacity in the coming decades. Congrats, John and Shaashwat, on the launch! 🚀 https://lnkd.in/gW27YwJP

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Wonderful article about Emily Knight and the whole The Engine Accelerator team on the amazing work their doing changing the world with #ToughTech!

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john waller Jeff Bocan - this might be a new podcast y'all might really enjoy! Summary coverage from the most recent 3 shows: In recent episodes of the BG2Pod podcast, hosts Bill Gurley and Brad Gerstner explore the evolving landscape of tech investments and innovation. They discuss the changing dynamics of the pre-IPO market, with larger funds and increased capital affecting company behavior and IPO timelines. The hosts analyze the impact of AI advancements, including OpenAI's ChatGPT-4 and Google's Astra, on various industries and debate the potential for AI to disrupt or enhance existing software companies. They also examine the challenges faced by private unicorn companies in achieving liquidity events and the factors contributing to the current dearth of IPOs. Additionally, the podcast touches on broader themes such as the role of capitalism and immigration in driving innovation, the debate around AI regulation, and the implications of recent tech earnings and market conditions. CC Kim Burgaard #podcasts #ai #investing #vc

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Two announcements re: our upcoming first-of-its-kind-event: a) 70+ Attendees are registered! b) The upcoming SiliconXL LaunchAthon is perfect for Job Seekers, Software Engineers and Boston-based Startups For more info or to register, visit ---> https://lnkd.in/efPxJ6Fk www - launchathons - com/boston The upcoming SiliconXL LaunchAthon is designed to provide job seekers with an immersive, hands-on experience that goes beyond traditional training. Through targeted AI coding workshops, attendees will dive deep into advanced AI tools and coding platforms, equipping them with practical skills that employers actively seek. These workshops allow job seekers to build real-world projects in collaboration with industry mentors, creating tangible portfolio pieces that showcase their abilities and problem-solving prowess. For those looking to enter the tech field, our LaunchAthon is an invaluable opportunity to gain relevant, hands-on experience that will make them stand out in a competitive job market. Furthermore, the collaborative environment encourages networking with potential employers and peers, giving job seekers a head start on forming connections that may lead to employment opportunities. For software engineers already in the workforce, our LaunchAthon’s workshops provide a vital opportunity to upskill and explore emerging technologies that might not be part of their current roles. The hands-on experience in AI-powered coding workshops offers a practical way to stay updated with industry trends, experiment with new tools, and learn innovative problem-solving techniques. These workshops encourage engineers to think outside their regular scope of work, sparking creativity and enhancing their adaptability to new challenges. Attending the SiliconXL LaunchAthon can add value not only to their current skill set but also to their role within their organization, as they bring back fresh insights and advanced knowledge that can be applied immediately to drive innovation in their day-to-day work. or startup entrepreneurs, the upcoming LaunchAthon offers an unparalleled opportunity to bring their ideas to life through hands-on experience with cutting-edge AI tools and collaborative workshops. Entrepreneurs will benefit from an environment where they can test, validate, and iterate on their concepts with the guidance of industry mentors and experienced tech professionals. These sessions are designed to accelerate the development process, providing valuable insights into product design, rapid prototyping, and market alignment. Beyond just building, entrepreneurs will also network with potential co-founders, partners, and investors, creating connections that can support their startup’s growth. LaunchAthon is more than an event; it’s a launchpad for entrepreneurial visionaries looking to create impactful, scalable tech solutions in a high-energy, supportive setting.

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Unlocking Enterprise Data Value: Iron Nation Invests in Illumex's Generative Semantic Fabric We're thrilled to announce our investment in illumex, a revolutionary company empowering enterprises to unlock the full potential of their data! Illumex's groundbreaking Generative Semantic Fabric empowers enterprises to ask 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 and get 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀, making them truly GenAI-ready. "Thanks to Iron Nation's investment and belief in our vision," says Inna Tokarev Sela, Founder & CEO of Illumex, "we can continue our mission to revolutionize enterprise data utilization." "Harnessing AI for the business is a top priority for CIOs," states our co-founder and managing partner, Jason Wolf, a former SVP at SAP with extensive experience in data & analytics strategies for Fortune 500 companies. "Illumex is the perfect enabler to bring AI productivity to any organization." Special thanks to Shirly Zuckerman Baruch from Intel Corporation for her invaluable guidance during Illumex's due diligence! https://lnkd.in/e8_ca95Q Gil Friedlander Chen Linchevski Jason Wolf Sivan Goltzman Ilan Tevet Chemi Peres Calanit Valfer Moshe Lichtman Daniel Cohen Charlie Federman Aaron Applbaum Rony Patishi-Chillim Eilon Tirosh  Dr. Ami Appelbaum  Haim Shani  Ronen Nir  Eyal Lifschitz #EnterpriseData #AI #DataUtilization #Innovation 

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In vertical SaaS, the very best companies landed with a product solving a specific, burning pain point that horizontal solutions solved badly and then became broad product suites over time (ServiceTitan, Veeva Systems, Doximity, etc). My partner Gordon Ritter calls this “layering the cake”. In vertical AI, the landing wedges are much more brittle. While the painpoints they solve are very real (and often unaddressable by SaaS alone), they’re also much more likely to commodotize in the near term as the tech advances. 👀 Therefore, the need to layer the cake in vertical AI is much more urgent than in vertical SaaS. 👀 The best vertical AI CEOs not only recognize the dynamic, but talk about it openly. Helps those around them keep up the speed of innovation and their eyes on the bigger prize.

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In his latest piece, Paul Graham dives into a thought-provoking realization sparked by Brian Chesky's memorable talk at a recent YC event: **what if the conventional wisdom on scaling companies is fundamentally flawed for founders?** Graham dissects why advice that works for professional managers often fails founders, leading to disastrous results. He introduces the concept of "Founder Mode" — a distinct approach to running a company that clashes with traditional management practices. Graham argues that embracing this mode could be the key to unlocking greater success for startups, potentially revolutionizing how founders scale their companies. Made me think. https://lnkd.in/exHmEE5M

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DeepCast shipped a number of really cool new features recently in advance of a broad outreach push to podcast listeners. One new feature is our new Daily DeepDigest tool that sends you a concise daily email including any new episodes from the trailing 24 hours from any podcasts you Subscribe to (on DeepCast). Think daily podcast cliff notes or podcast news ticker tape, with a hint of Morning Brew various brews or PitchBook News—it's increasing information throughput when you're pressed for time. And this feature is rapidly evolving to distill other key extractions from shows you're already interested in, but also exposing you to other shows you might be unfamiliar with that also have nuggets to share—and thus increasing your aperture yet still conscious of your time. Want to go deeper on any given episode? Click the episode detail and you're off to an episode on DeepCast, where you can subsequently read a longer form distillation of that episode or go straight to the source and listen to the episode. (And podcaster friends, these pages are definitely increasing indexing and thus Google entry points to your shows!) I'm loving this feature as a user, personally. Can't wait to see what others think! #BuildingInPublic #Podcasts #AllTheWorldsInformation #HowYouWantIt

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Elevate your networking game with our #SiliconValley VC contact list. Access 200+ #VC firms and 1800+ professionals, along with 1500 emails to help you make valuable connections. Learn more: https://payhip.com/b/eUIyc #venturecapital #startups #funding #startupfunding #startupinvestors #privateequity #founders #entrepreneurs

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Wrapped Day 1 at Re:work AI in Finance NYC, and one thing is sure: 2024 is the year where entreprises want AI in production. To me, it looks very different from previous innovation cycles where large companies would rather wait a technology’s maturity to develop solutions internally and start “digital transformation projects”. More than a buzzword, it feels like professionals are pulled into a new world of opportunities and have plenty of specific applications in mind already. Of course, there are still a lot of unknowns in « how » we get there, but needs are real, and the pace is fast. If you are building in AI, keep building. If you are not, it’s not too late. There is something in the AIr 😅

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Big news from Cephable! This team is transforming interactions with the digital world and creating the accessible future we all deserve. There is nothing better than investing in leaders like Alexander Dunn. Congratulations Cephable and thank you for including Hyperplane in your journey! ➡️ See them in action (I still get goosebumps): https://lnkd.in/eHfCp3iD ➡️ Read the full release here: https://lnkd.in/e68MS2CP

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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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In an era where data privacy has become a make-or-break issue for enterprises, New York-based Ethyca is taking a radically different approach to solving the challenge. While traditional solutions have focused on legal teams and checkbox compliance, this engineering-first company is completely rethinking how organizations can build privacy into their core infrastructure. Fresh off a new funding round, Ethyca's rapid adoption by major tech companies suggests they may have cracked the code on one of technology's most pressing challenges.

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Dive into essential tactics for managing hypergrowth in startups, inspired by Elad Gil's High Growth Handbook. Keep your momentum without losing control. https://lnkd.in/gef5xiht

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Last week was TechCrunch in San Francisco where innovative companies presented and discussed their proposed solutions to current and future challenges and the associated risks. Khosla Ventures founder Vinod Khosla spoke about entrepreneurship politics, and solving larger societal challenges. He addressed advancements in the AI tech world, outlining the opportunities and risks AI may pose to humanity regarding future employment, trade and eroding trust in facts, each other, institutions, and governments, highlighting how social media and the lack of regulation enables misinformation to spread faster than it can be debunked. He brushed on his views of Fusion, Musk, Trump, values and the existential risks posed by sentient AI. https://lnkd.in/dXaD7UF8 Other interesting sessions included Ashton Kutcher and Guy Oseary of Sound Ventures / Maverick Management discussing their AI perspectives and investments, Tony Fadell spoke on building the next generation of deep tech startups. Colin Kaepernick also participated, discussing his transition from athlete to activist, investor to entrepreneur. Here’s a list of all the Speakers from #Techchrunch Disrupt 2024. https://lnkd.in/g9FSjnFc Contact us at ScaleTech Solutions if you need support building transformative AI, #Sportstech, #MediaTech, #HealthTech, #AutoTech, #MarTech.. #AshtonKusher #ElonMusk #KhoslaVentures #VinodKhosla, #GuyOseary #AI #LLMs #Fusion #Scaletechsolutions #tcdisrupt2024 #TechCrunch #TechCrunchDisrupt2024 #A #SoundVentures #MaverickManagement, #TonyFadell #ColinKaepernick #NFL

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A SAFE and convertible note had a baby and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati was the midwife- out popped the D-SAFE! 👶🏽🎉 A new #climatetech funding instrument was announced by Elemental Excelerator last week. One of the company’s main goals is to support smaller, up and coming companies during the awkward “Scale Gap” phase between #VC funding and natural growth. It’s called the #DSAFE (Development Simple Agreement for Future Equity) and it aims to aid the process by giving companies a small amount of cash to overcome initial risks and expenses during the developmental stages of a product launch or company. How does it work? D-SAFE has a redemption clause meaning companies can choose to have their payments offered as a loan or convert to equity at the investor’s discretion. Funders and companies will have clear communication and expectations about where the money is going and how it will be applied to either the company or the projects at hand. Financiers and companies will work together with more #transparency, and that’s a great boon for #startups and VC alike. As of this month, Elemental has already invested using D-SAFE in eight different companies, including Dimensional Energy and Origen — both companies investing in innovative and out-of-the-box solutions to environmental issues! Seems like a win-win on the surface. What do you all think about the D-SAFE? Alfredo Coppola Momoka Ueda Tim Wagner Stephen D. Torres Olya Irzak Natsuho Toyama Noriya Tarutani Shin Ogawa

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🔋 #TodayinVC - All of the biggest deal announcements in venture capital - October 15th, 2024. Sourced from Litquidity's Exec Sum. · Logik.io, an AI-enabled CPQ platform, raised a $25M Series B from Emergence Capital, High Alpha, and more · Liner, a Korean global AI search startup, raised a $20M Series B2 led by Atinum Investment and InterVest capital partners · ApertureData, a multimodal AI database, raised an $8.2M seed round led by TQ Ventures · Aerleum, a startup converting CO2 to cargo fuel, raised a $6M seed round led by 360 Capital and HTGF | High-Tech Gründerfonds  · Concretene, a nanotech firm decarbonizing the concrete industry, raised a $3.8M round led by Molten Ventures  · Dreamwell AI, a startup automating influencer marketing, raised a $2.5M pre-seed round led by Draper Associates Congrats to all teams! Follow for daily #venturecapital news! 📆

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