Azeem Azhar

That feeling when you watch the macro forces that undergird your Industrial Transformation & Supply Chain Technology investment thesis at ⁦‪REFASHIOND Ventures: The Industrial Transformation Fund unfolding every single day: Escalating Geopolitical Tensions; The Climate Crisis & Severe Weather; Consumer Behavior & Demographics. At most venture capital firms, Industrial Transformation & Supply Chain Technology is a tiny, emerging “area of interest” . . . At REFASHIOND Ventures, it’s our entire world. Join us. #IndustrialTransformation #SupplyChain #Innovation #Technology #Startups #VentureCapital

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Data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) illustrates the current "readiness" of #ClimateTechs + their potential impact on carbon reduction. As shown, many techs are at an early stage of being able to have a material impact. Concerningly, some tech funds recently returned capital back to investors recently + closed their funds - citing inability to fund capital intensive techs, found in areas like ClimateTech. This in part may be contributing to the $2 trillion shortfall in ClimateTech, that Deloitte estimates. What this may mean for the future? - The migration of LPs to global, super VC funds within ClimateTech, given the large capital pools needed to fund tech development - Greater specialization from smaller funds, energizing more niche elements of the ClimateTech market - but also altering their / LP's risk profile - A greater role to be played by debt financing in funding growth entities at an earlier stage - impacting cashflow dynamics Will be an interesting space to watch moving forward. We at The Proptech Connection are constantly working with all parts of the Proptech ecosystem. From the leading LPs, funds, techs and adopters in market, providing an independent view. Reach out to us today to find out how we can help. #InvestorTrends #Strategy #Global Ivo van Breukelen Stuart Daun Kiki C. Ethan Ward

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Accelerating technology translation to help researchers commercialise their work is key to creating the innovative start-ups that will address some of the key challenges facing society. More financing to support research through the proof-of-concept stage is needed to create a sustainable pipeline of investible opportunities. Karin Immergluck at Stanford also sees this as the number one challenge in the US. It's not just about funding but also about building an ecosystem that identifies and develops the talent and opportunities within universities. Industry needs to be more involved. Collaboration to pull through research into industry should be encouraged and funded. Initiatives like #MatcelerateZero bring together world-leading materials research universities, global corporations, and international investors together in a unique partnership to help address these gaps and support the transition to #NetZero. The question is not whether the opportunity exists. Public data shows there were 3600 invention disclosures to universities across the UK in 2022-2023 alone. The challenge is how the UK, and its world leading universities, can combine their offering to leverage the UK’s position as the centre of international capital to deliver a commercially innovative economy driven by scientific research. You can learn more about what #MatCelerateZero is doing to accelerate climate solutions in advanced materials here: https://lnkd.in/ezygvxn2 #DeepTech #Innovation #Investment #TranslationalFunding #VentureCapital #TechTransfer #Startups #Spinouts

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The European Union has published its proposed €200bn draft budget for 2025 with significant cuts to technology spending. The draft EU budget includes €13.5 billion for research and innovation, of which mainly €12.7 billion for Horizon Europe, the Union’s flagship research programme, down by €100m on 2024. With high inflation and financing subsidies to chip makers under the European Chips Act under Horizon Europe and through redeployment from other programmes, this is a significant cut in real terms for research projects.

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Fantastic event (and ecosystem) that Patrick Meier, PhD and his team at the Climate Robotics Network are creating. Highly recommend you check out the Climate Robotics Summit, done in partnership with EPFL, SOSV, Cybernetix Ventures, ETH Zürich, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. I just had the pleasure of moderating a panel just now on investing in climate robotics, alongside Urvi Nagrani, Malini Samtani, Sashi Jayatileke and Fady Saad. Here are some of the key insights: 1) Applications for robotics to climate challenges (adaptation AND mitigation) are enormous: support to farmers as conditions for humans become too hot to farm for long hours, drones that help capture data on forests and wildlife, supporting with installation of maintenance in large solar fields, wind turbines, circular economy applications - e.g. de-manufacturing - to just name a few. 2) Investing in robotics is simply different - it doesn't fit the standard SAAS VC strategies, often having a lot of engineering input and require non-dilutive funding upfront - e.g. similar barriers to investing in hardware writ large. Thus, it sits in a bit of its own asset class, so investors and entrepreneurs alike need to understand how these solutions behave, esp. in the early-stages of building/testing. That said, there is a growing pool of funds that have been specializing in this area. 3) So how do we move robotics solutions up the TRL ladder faster? It can take a LONG time for any robotics solution to be truly market ready. Even when there is theoretical product-market fit doesn't mean that it's ready in investors' eyes. Lots of testing as well as setting proper expectations with customers is critical, and part of this long process. Non-dilutive funding is rare to find in most countries, but in the US in particular there is a growing pool of grant funding that can help. 4) Development finance institutions and donors have a critical role here, especially in vulnerable countries/communities: Robotics could have bit impact in supporting climate solutions in vulnerable communities, but we need to ensure that there is an enabling environment for these solutions, which means that the policy, academic, and traditional finance space (e.g. local commercial banks)

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We are living in a world that embodies our Industrial Transformation & Supply Chain Technology investment thesis at REFASHIOND Ventures: The Industrial Transformation Fund: Escalating Geopolitical Tensions & Great Power Competition; The Climate Crisis & Severe Weather; Consumer Behavior & Demographics. Join us. #IndustrialTransformation #SupplyChain #Innovation #Technology #Startups #VentureCapital

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We are delighted to present the concluding installment based on our paper, "Vision 2035: The Emergent Singularity" (link in the comments). In this final section, we illuminate the three critical components that will prove instrumental for companies as they navigate the transformative landscape of machine intelligence: 1. The Role of Data: In the age of machine intelligence, data reigns supreme. As we navigate this data-rich landscape, challenges emerge in harnessing its full potential. The concept of "Big Data" evolves rapidly, demanding advancements in edge computing, natural language processing (NLP), and even quantum computing. Despite this growth, there's a growing reluctance to share data, hindering accessibility. Startups can serve as pivotal players, breaking down barriers and showcasing the value of innovative solutions. From technical to regulatory hurdles, the path to data accessibility is fraught with challenges, but also ripe with opportunities for venture-backed initiatives to lead the way. 2. Open-stack technologies: Rooted in openness across software, data, storage, and computation, open-stack technologies are analogous to open-source software in many ways. By embracing open-stack, companies transcend closed system limitations, fostering innovation and enabling agile, cost-effective development through collaborative ecosystems. Leveraging existing communities potentially reduces customer acquisition costs while cultivating dedicated user bases for lasting relationships. 3. Collective intelligence: Ecosystems built on shared, community, and aggregate knowledge offer prime opportunities for open-stack-centric machine intelligence startups. The emergent benefits from group knowledge can speed up product development and broaden customer reach. Collective intelligence approaches like federated learning can also streamline data processes, minimize data sharing while maintaining control and adaptability, enhance model accuracy, and mitigate technical and product risks across an ecosystem. We hope you have found our series of summary analysis on the realm of machine intelligence to be insightful. As highlighted in our longer vision paper, we are convinced that the value creation potential of winners in this space will amount to a remarkable two orders of magnitude (100x) compared to today's companies. Lastly, we may follow up with a little encore in two weeks. Keep your eyes peeled! Patrick & Sri Machine Ventures #singularity #machineintelligence #ai

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Pervasive AI Disruption Knows No Bounds Emerging technologies are now built almost exclusively around the diverse cognitive capabilities of Integrated AI (what I call Multiple Intelligences for Machines). This is creating a world of Pervasive AI, spanning across and uniting the world of both physical and digital. in this world, constantly emerging new products, processes, experiences and ventures create massive increases in productivity, democratization and speed / adaptability / agility. This is how emerging technology can be used to create the kinds of game-changing asymmetries that overturn markets. And those that transform history. https://lnkd.in/dwSbuzwF

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One of our focus areas: AI + Climate The Bezos Earth Fund today unveiled an AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge – under which up to $100 million in grants will be awarded. In its first round, the Grand Challenge will advance solutions in three focus areas: Sustainable proteins Biodiversity conservation Power grid optimization It will also include a “Wild Card” category for powerful ideas outside the focus areas. https://lnkd.in/eU8t8pPE Remarkable Ventures Climate

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When founding ETA Technologies, choosing Cambridge as our headquarters was a decision driven by a blend of strategic and historical advantages. Here are the top five reasons why it stands out: 1, Cambridge is renowned as the intellectual property hub of the UK, fostering an environment rich in cutting-edge research. 2, Leading Europe in the creation of spin-out companies, Cambridge offers a fertile ground for entrepreneurial ventures. 3, With a remarkable track record of producing #unicorns, Cambridge is a magnificent breeding ground for high-growth #startups. 4, Cambridge's #startups generate an impressive $17 return for every $1 invested, showcasing the unparalleled efficiency and profitability of the local innovation ecosystem. 5, The Cambridge tech ecosystem boasts a valuation exceeding £150 billion, surpassing the combined worth of Italy and Spain's tech sectors. 5+1, ETA Technologies leverages psychometric testing powered by #AI to help investors identify teams with the greatest potential. Psychometric testing also has its roots in Cambridge... Cambridge isn't just our location; it's a cornerstone of our identity and a catalyst for our mission to revolutionize investment insights. https://lnkd.in/dB4m2tfS

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AI Tech in Focus   Brain Scans and AI Used to Detect Dementia Nine Years Before Conventional Diagnosis Researchers at Queen Mary University in London used machine learning to assess cognitive communication between 10 areas of the brain that have been shown to be vulnerable to dementia. The study involving 1,100 people found that using AI analysis of the MRI brain scans of these neural networks accurately predicted about 80% of cases of dementia nine years before a formal diagnosis was actually made. Further, the AI technology was able to predict within two years exactly how long it would take before the onset. The test takes 10 minutes. Dementia is caused by certain proteins in the brain, but patients can live for years with those proteins and show no signs of dementia. Current methods used to detect dementia involve memory tests and measurements of brain shrinkage. It’s hoped that the early detection using the AI trained scans will help identify people who are going to develop dementia and benefit from early treatments. VC Investors are always adjusting their "Play Book" with a variety of options for investing. Mikal Ventures is one of those alternatives, offering curated solutions to real world problems. Reach out if you have questions on how we can be of assistance and bookmark https://mikalventures.com/ for additional insights and information.

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I had a fascinating chat with Richard Murray co-founder and CEO of ORCA Computing about quantum computing market, datacentres and what it takes to grow a quantum startup, for BI Foresight. Link below 👇 #quantum #innovation #businessinnovation

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What do you do when a radical new technology puts your main product right in the crosshairs of disruption? Listen to David Okuniev — co-founder of Typeform | Ask awesomely — discuss the challenges of innovation within existing structures. David shared a game-changing insight: Radical innovation is really, really difficult to do inside your own product. He emphasized the need to break free from the constraints of familiarity and embrace change from outside the box. Henrik Werdelin and I have both seen our fair share of this in our respective careers. What struck us most was how David leveraged structure to overcome the innovator’s dilemma. By creating a culture of experimentation and providing space for bold ideas, he propelled Typeform beyond incremental improvements. What other hacks have you seen or employed to help your organization overcome the innovator’s dilemma? Share your stories below! 👇 And if you want to dive deeper into our conversation, click the link in the comments to catch the full podcast episode!

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Interesting to observe the evolving landscape of family offices, adopting a more proactive and direct investment approach. This shift is now making a tangible impact on the funding dynamics within academia and research, driven by for-profit objectives aimed at advancing scientific progress.

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While LLMs are becoming commoditized, the real opportunity I believe in AI lies in vertical integration and deep specialization. By targeting traditional industries and harnessing proprietary data, I believe companies can transform processes and deliver exceptional user experiences. Focusing on innovation within a specific industry can unlock significant value. https://lnkd.in/gmZeiF8S

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Partnering with startups can help companies to "solve a product problem, create a new avenue for revenue, accelerate R&D, or accelerate time to market for a specific product," according to Otilia Barbuta, principal at HP Tech Ventures, the venture capital arm of HP. She was talking at a breakout session at Circularity 2024. "There are solutions in the market created by startups and in this circularity realm, I think it's more important than ever to partner with [them]." #climatetech #startups #climateVC

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🚀 Join Us at AI Forge Incubator: Meet Solo Founders Seeking Co-Founders! 📅 When: Wednesday, 29th May 📍 Where: The Old Street Gallery, 62 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4DQ 🕒 Time: 5pm-9pm Are you a visionary CTO, CPO, or commercial expert ready to make your mark in the AI start-up space? Here's your golden opportunity! ✨ What's Happening? Our solo founders are in week 5 of a 12-week intensive incubator program. They are actively seeking co-founders to join them as CTOs, CPOs, or in commercial roles. These companies will be pitching to 450+ investors during the week commencing 8th July, with a high probability of securing funding. 🌟 Why You Should Attend: Dive into the world of promising AI start-ups. Contribute your skills immediately by joining an existing business. Be part of the prestigious AI Forge incubator program. Potentially integrate your own business ideas into an evolving proposition. Network with talented individuals and successful entrepreneurs. Gain invaluable insights and advice from seasoned founders and mentors. 🔎 Types of Businesses Seeking Co-Founders: Our 9 solo founders are leading ventures in: EdTech SalesTech LegalTech FemTech MedTech MarTech 🎉 Event Highlights: 💬 Speed Dating Sessions: Quick, focused interactions to maximize connections. 🔍 Pre-Matchmaking: Initial meetings set up to streamline the matchmaking process. 🤝 Networking Opportunities: Explore collaboration possibilities with like-minded entrepreneurs. Don't miss out on this unique chance to partner with innovative AI start-ups and accelerate your career in the tech industry. Register at Seeking AI Co-Founders · Luma - https://lu.ma/f22d1ih9 #AIStartups #CoFounders #TechInnovation #Entrepreneurship #Networking #AIForge

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I remember reading Soft Energy Paths by Amory Lovins in 1982 which inspired me in co-founding SunShares... he went on to found RMI which has just published this report The Cleantech Revolution -- demonstrating the inexorable acceleration of solar, wind, storage, and efficiency -- which we at SJF Ventures have been investing in for 25 years. Great to step back and see the progress... but we need to accelerate! https://lnkd.in/eJdaCTY2 Chock full of great graphs and insights.

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Industry experts call for tailored AI rules in post-election UK

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