AI sets sail on a fancy, new partnership ⛵

Researchers are making waves with the development of innovative paper tests for monitoring health and environmental safety. The venture capital world hits some turbulence, as Q1 fundraising numbers plummeted to their lowest since 2013. Google and Nvidia team up, merging their startup accelerator programs to create a powerhouse for nurturing the next generation of tech companies.

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A dangerous data world needs trust & safety

AI is coming for the workforce, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's coming for your job. MIT scientists achieve a breakthrough in converting harmful carbon dioxide into useful chemicals, offering a glimmer of hope for our climate-challenged planet. Incognito exposed! Google reaches a settlement, agreeing to destroy or de-identify billions of data points collected during "Incognito Mode" browsing.

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Funding on 🔥 ... for climate tech & 1 surprising startup

The Biden administration takes a bold step towards tackling climate change by pledging a hefty $6 billion to decarbonize industrial plants. Speaking of green, a new VC firm named Silence joins the scene with $35 million to invest in clean tech startups. Google and XPrize team up to offer a $5 million prize to anyone who can crack the code on impactful applications for quantum computing.

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What Goes Around: OpenAI got board + Colossal achievements

OpenAI makes a surprising move by inviting Sam Altman back onto the board — maybe absence really does make the heart grow fonder. Weight-loss drug company Novo sends Wall Street into a frenzy with its clinical trial success, proving there's big money to be made in shrinking waistlines. A startup rightly named Colossal takes a giant leap towards bringing back woolly mammoths by creating the first elephant stem cells.

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As far as the AI can see ...

Google becomes the first customer of Stack Overflow's new pay-to-play scheme, showing that even the tech giants have to pay to train their chatbots. Anthropic throws its hat in the AI ring with Claude 3, claiming it could be the new record-holder for near-human LLMs. Energy-focused startups are seeing a surge in funding, suggesting a greener future might be on the horizon.

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A week all about firsts 1️⃣

Particle.news takes a bold step into the future with its AI-powered news reading experience. Researchers in Japan reach for the stars (literally) by building and testing the first-ever wooden satellite. Deep tech gets a major boost with the launch of Ven^x, the first venture collaborative dedicated to fostering collaboration and accelerating progress in the deep tech industry.

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Kaley UbellackerComment
All A👀s on YCombinator's newest wishlist

Catch a glimpse into the future, courtesy of YCombinator's latest startup wishlist. From mind-boggling spatial computing to life-saving healthcare solutions, YCombinator is casting a wide net for innovators. Necessary Ventures' portfolio company Arc Boats makes a splash with a new, sleek electric sportsboat. OpenAI works more magic with the release of Sora, creating hyper-realistic videos from just a few words.

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Kaley UbellackerComment
AI will never forget it

The US Patent and Trademark Office ruled AI can't be a patented inventor. ChatGPT upgrades its memory game, promising to remember your last witty remark and every embarrassing typo. Across the pond, Europe takes the lead in climate tech innovation, showing the world that going green is more than just a trend: it's patent-worthy progress.

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Kaley UbellackerComment
VC's Most Wanted (Biotech Edition)

A new VC, Niremia Collective, splashes onto the scene with $22.5 million dedicated to wellbeing tech. Meanwhile, Tesla finds itself in hot water facing a lawsuit over hazardous waste disposal, and Meta takes a step towards transparency by tagging AI-generated images with invisible markers.

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Kaley UbellackerComment
ChatGPT goes to school 📔

From online conversations to classroom collaborations, ChatGPT steps into the world of higher education. Meanwhile, Quantinuum, a quantum computing leader, scored big money. And in eco news, ArcTern's back with a green cash injection to fight climate change.

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Kaley UbellackerComment
Elon Musk does laundry 👕

Elon Musk unveils humanoid robot Optimus with a brand new trick, and you won’t believe how it all unfolds. Google sheds 1000 hardware heads, leaving the future of AR a bit foggy. Anthropic paints the chilling picture of rogue AI agents hiding in plain sight, while the Biden administration throws fuel on the EV fire – literally. Rounding out the wild ride, a Virginia-based startup proposes a reversible vasectomy method.

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It's time to turn an 👀AI towards 2024

The new year roars in with investments, innovation, and... litigation? Red Cell Partners pumps millions into healthtech and defensetech, while the metaverse gets ready to blur the lines between reality and augmented/extended experiences. In a twist worthy of sci-fi, the NY Times throws down the gauntlet, accusing OpenAI and Microsoft of playing dirty with copyrighted content. Buckle up because 2024 promises to be anything but boring!

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Funding is down; Stability AI is scaling up

It’s time for seedling startups to plant some new roots as Zelda and Motivate Ventures just joined the pre-seed party. As much hype as there is around pre-seed, Series A is experiencing some tough love. Meanwhile, Stable Diffusion scaled up with a shiny new subscription offering, and retired EV batteries can get a second life powering the grid before hitting the recycling bin.

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Kaley UbellackerComment
Tech Babies: ChatGPT and Embryo DNA

This edition best falls into the three categories of the age-old icebreaker, “Rose, Bud, Thorn.” Rose: Bitcoin is booming. Bud: ChatGPT celebrated its first birthday, and Orchid launched a first-of-its-kind embryo sequencing report. Thorn: Spotify laid off 17% of its workforce.

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Kaley UbellackerComment
Mega Days at Microsoft & Pre-Seed Updates

To no one’s surprise, Microsoft is on the move. OpenAI ousted Sam Altman, who promptly landed a job at Microsoft. Microsoft unveiled new AI chips to challenge Nvidia and Intel. From the pre-seed lens, New York-based VC firm Twelve Below closed on $108 million for pre-seed investments.

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