Reflections and key takeaways from books, articles, and ideas that shape how we think about technology, business, and the future.
DEEPTECH x AI
A detailed narrative for those who couldn't attend. Written by Bogdan Cristei, PLAUD and Manus AI | September 25, 2025 Executive Summary Actuate 2025, hosted by Foxglove on September 23-24, 2025, marked a pivotal moment in the physical AI revolution. The conference brought together over 500 attendees from leading
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You have a brilliant idea, the passion to execute it, and the drive to build something that matters. Whether you're a seasoned tech professional, a recent graduate, or a career-changer ready to take the entrepreneurial leap, launching a startup in Silicon Valley requires navigating a complex landscape of
DEEPTECH x AI
Figure 1: Data center energy consumption surges amid the AI boom, with dramatic increases projected through 2030 Executive Summary: As we enter the latter half of 2025, the deep tech landscape is undergoing a seismic transformation defined by two powerful, intersecting currents: the undeniable rise of physical AI and a
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A comprehensive analysis of current market conditions, equity dynamics, and funding trends for founders and entrepreneurs Executive Summary The startup funding landscape has undergone a dramatic transformation since the end of the zero interest rate policy (ZIRP) era in 2021. What was once a predictable 18-month funding cycle has evolved
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Executive Summary: As we enter the second half of 2025, the artificial intelligence and robotics landscape is experiencing unprecedented convergence. From China's world-first subway delivery robots to North Carolina State's breakthrough in autonomous materials discovery, the boundaries between digital intelligence and physical capability are dissolving at
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Executive Summary The venture capital landscape in Q1 2025 presents a complex narrative of market maturation, selective capital deployment, and emerging structural shifts that demand strategic attention. This inaugural issue of Venture Pulse synthesizes critical data from Carta's comprehensive reports on pre-seed funding and VC fund performance, alongside
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Issue #1 The latest developments in artificial intelligence and robotics are accelerating at an unprecedented pace, with groundbreaking innovations emerging from research labs and startups that promise to fundamentally transform how we interact with intelligent machines. Introduction: The Convergence of Intelligence and Physicality The past few weeks have witnessed a
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In an era where Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping industries and job functions, leaders face a critical choice: embrace AI as a strategic partner or risk being left behind. Geoff Woods, in his international bestseller "The AI-Driven Leader: Harnessing AI to Make Faster, Smarter Decisions," offers a
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Book written by Angela Duckworth Summary prepared for investor/founder community, by Bogdan Cristei and Manus AI Executive Summary Angela Duckworth's "Grit" fundamentally challenges the conventional wisdom that talent and intelligence are the primary drivers of success. Through over a decade of psychological research, Duckworth demonstrates
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In the landscape of 20th-century literature, few novels have sparked as much debate, admiration, and controversy as Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged. Published in 1957, this 1,168-page epic stands as both a gripping dystopian thriller and a comprehensive philosophical manifesto that continues to influence political and economic discourse
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In an era where headlines are dominated by trade wars, military posturing in the South China Sea, and diplomatic tensions between Washington and Beijing, Harvard scholar Graham Allison's "Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides's Trap?" feels remarkably prescient. Published in 2017,
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I recently revisited The Lessons of History by Will and Ariel Durant—a short but towering work that distills thousands of years of human civilization into deeply insightful reflections. What drew me to the book—and why I keep returning to it—is the authors' rare ability to blend