Author Archives: Igor Mitreski

Chinese AI Startup Profoundly Committed to Advancing Humanity through Science Looks to Expand into the US Market

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Amid rising geopolitical tensions, many Chinese tech companies are recalibrating their overseas operations, often avoiding mention of their origins. A bold startup DP technology Stand out in the crowd. Working on the application of artificial intelligence to molecular simulations, DP (short for “Deep Potential”) believes that the collective power of “scientific research for humanity” will pave the way for its global expansion.

Founded in 2018 with renowned mathematician Weinan E as an advisor, DP provides a set of tools for performing scientific calculations. A process in which “computer simulations of mathematical models play an essential role in technology development and scientific research.” according to Definition by University of Waterloo. Areas that can benefit from scientific computing include: From biopharmaceutical research and automobile design to semiconductor development.

While the world is currently focused on using AI to generate text, images, and videos, DP is focusing on machine learning, which allows computers to automatically learn from the data they are given, and the real world. We found ourselves in a less developed field of combining molecular simulations for analysis. Products and systems via virtual models. Machine learning can be applied in combination to improve the speed and accuracy of simulations to solve problems in the physical world.

“Until now, in the absence of good computing or AI platforms, everyone relied on empirical trial and error. The process was often referred to as ‘cooking’ or ‘alchemy.'” DP CEO and founder Sun Weijie said in an interview with TechCrunch.

“This approach was relatively effective in the early stages of industrial development, when user expectations for iteration were not very high, but now [technological] “It’s progress,” he continued. “For example, consumers expect increased battery capacity every year and performance improvements with each new generation of vehicles. Traditional R&D models can no longer withstand these rapid market changes. you can’t.”

“Meeting the expectations of these rapid iterations will require breakthrough advances in research and development approaches,” he added.

To this end, DP has devised a software suite to help industry players discover and develop new products more efficiently. One is that we run a scientific computing platform that allows us to simulate physical properties such as magnetism, optics, and electricity. As a result of running these models, materials such as semiconductors and batteries can be designed faster and cheaper. He also operates his SaaS platform focused on preclinical research for drug discovery.

DP goes one step further by not only supplying software to industrial researchers and designers, but by selling services tailored to their needs and carrying out research and development processes for customers who cannot fully exploit the potential of their tools. I’m here.

This combination of SaaS and services business model has proven some early success in China. DP is expected to win contracts worth around 100 million yuan ($14 million) in 2023, up from “tens of millions of yuan” last year. The company is now preparing to bring that strategy to Western markets, where deep-pocketed giants like DeepMind dominate the space.

“There’s an old saying in China: ‘Children from poor families grow up early.’ We’re the poor kids compared to the likes of DeepMind and OpenAI because we have much less money on hand.” Sun said.

To date, the DP has focused on the following issues: $140 million Selected from a lineup of top Chinese VC firms, including Qiming Venture Partners and Hillhouse Ventures. For reference, 13-year-old DeepMind was acquired by Google in 2014 for over $500 million. The London-based AI giant made a whopping £477 million ($650 million) in 2020, reporting a profit of £44 million ($60 million). ) losses in 2019.

Sun claimed that despite having its physical headquarters in Beijing, DP was conceived with a global mindset thanks to the open source scientific and technical computing community it founded. deep modeling. Early stops in China were also more accidental than intentional. “Since international exchange has stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we decided to stop and work on monetization.” [in China] “For the first two years,” Sun said.

DP’s international expansion begins in the United States, where it opens offices and works with partners to market its products and services. The startup, which is looking to establish a presence in new markets, is looking to boost its reputation by leveraging the open source community and participating in what Sun describes as a relatively “close-knit” basic research exhibition. There is.

On the other hand, the DP’s international ambitions may run into obstacles from the ongoing decoupling that divides the United States and China in many areas, including scientific research. For example, back in August, Biden administration stretched narrowly The scientific partnership has underpinned U.S.-China relations since 1979.

But Sun exuded confidence in science’s resilience in the face of geopolitical complexity. “Both the fields of basic science and biopharmaceuticals are shared by all of humanity and are relatively open and inclusive. Relatively speaking, I think these regions are doing okay,” he said.

Source: techcrunch.com

The Role of Microorganisms in Creating Cheddar Cheese’s Distinctive Flavor

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Cheddar cheese often has a creamy, nutty flavor, but can also have fruity, meaty notes.

Julian Eales/Alamy

Cheddar cheese’s nutty, creamy flavor depends slightly on a delicate balance of bacteria that scientists have now identified. Understanding how these bacteria interact can help cheesemakers achieve the specific flavor they are trying to create, and even help create starters with the right balance of microbes. This could lead to computer simulations for formulating cultures.

All fermented foods and beverages, including cheese, kimchi, and kombucha, rely on complex interactions between microorganisms. To make cheese in particular, a starter culture is added to milk to begin fermentation, acidifying the dairy product and giving it a slightly tangy taste.

Cheese makers have long known that some of the important bacteria involved in this process are: thermophilus and types LactococcusHowever, little was known about how these interact and whether those interactions affect the flavor of cheese.

Kratz Melkonian Researchers from Utrecht University in the Netherlands focused on cheddar cheese, one of the world’s most popular cheeses.

They used variations of four starter cultures to create different cheese samples. One was from an industrial producer of such starters and included both. thermophilus bacteria and types Lactococcusmainly seeds L. lactis and its variants L. cremoris. Others were made by researchers and either contained the same bacteria as before or not. thermophilus bacteria or there is no type Lactococcus.

After a year, the research team found that the cheese made from the starter thermophilus bacteria The population of the type of ~ was much smaller Lactococcus Better than anything else, even a starter of nothing Lactococcus The type to start with.this suggests thermophilus bacteria important to strengthen Lactococcus It will grow, Melkonian said.

When it comes to taste, L. cremoris It seems to control the production of diacetyl and acetoin, the chemicals that give buttery flavor, but in too high a quantity can cause an “unpleasant” taste.

L. cremoris It also increased the concentration of compounds that add subtle meaty, fruity notes, the researchers wrote in the paper. Without this variant, cheese tended to contain high levels of chemicals that add nutty and creamy flavors.

There was no difference in the microbial activity or taste of cheeses using the same starter bacteria, regardless of whether the starter was made industrially or by the team.

Overall, these findings indicate that the flavor within cheddar cheese is easily influenced by various bacterial interactions. This could help cheesemakers fine-tune the taste of the cheese they’re making, Melkonian says. “We now have targets whose interactions can affect different bacteria.” Computer simulations can help you formulate starters with the right proportions of different bacteria to achieve the desired flavor. You could do that, he says.

topic:

  • microbiology/
  • Eating and drinking

Source: www.newscientist.com

Engineers’ Provocative Role in Product Innovation

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Jarrett Webb He is the Technology Director at argodesign, where he leads a cross-disciplinary team that designs and builds digital products and experiences.
Product design is at a moment of profound change and redefinition, as technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and spatial computing dramatically impact the computing experience. AI in particular may have only a small impact on interface design, but it will have a huge impact on the overall product and ecosystem experience. Spatial computing, on the other hand, changes human-computer interaction and disrupts our understanding of what a computer is.
In this innovation cycle, product design requires a broader view of the interconnections between platforms and technologies, and there is a strong need for engineers and designers to participate in the process together.
Innovation is permanent for any successful product or business. There is a never-ending search to find the next new thing that enhances the user experience, expands product range, increases revenue, or all three at once. Product design is a multidisciplinary process with structures and frameworks to foster innovation, making it less difficult to innovate and increasing your chances of success. Engineers have a role in the process that goes beyond their normal responsibilities of simply validating a technology or concept. Before we discuss non-traditional ways for engineers to participate in product innovation, let’s consider innovation and product design conceptually.

Rather than forcing technology onto the product, the design process flows into the technology. In this way, technology becomes a natural solution.

Product design is a process, not a discipline or a product. It’s easy (understandably) to limit product design to color selection, content layout, and aesthetics. Design is often reduced to just the act of beautifying the user’s interface. Product design is much deeper and broader than visual design assets. For example, product design can provide direction and focus to business strategy, user experience strategy, or technology exploration.
This process establishes guide rails throughout any innovation effort. At the heart of product design is intuitive decision-making to make the best decision at the most appropriate time. Product design reduces risk and leads to more effective innovation through quality decision making.

The progressive role of engineers

Engineers play a strategic role in product innovation, and in addition to being methodical, they need to bring a metaphysical perspective. Our job is to communicate the essence of technology and think strategically about applying technology to problem areas. We are most constructive when we translate the technology “how to make X into Y” into “the types of products and services that can be achieved with technology X.”
For most technology leaders and software developers, this is a reversal of mode from traditional tactical, direct interaction with technology. Switching context from everyday construction and operation is difficult, but paramount to developing successful and innovative products. We are uniquely positioned to generate strategic insights from dense technical details that drive innovative business cases and product experiences.
Innovations must solve business problems such as improving operational efficiency, expanding existing revenue streams, or creating new revenue streams. Problem areas can be customer-facing (e.g., how can we deliver new functionality?) or internally-facing (how can we make processes more efficient?). The problem is of greatest concern. The specific technology or innovation used to solve a problem is often not that important. You can’t lose perspective on your business needs. Otherwise, the activity becomes too academic or a paid hobby.
A common household analogy is hanging pictures. The hole size, bracket, or tool used to hang the picture doesn’t matter as long as the picture is hung straight on the wall. The details of your processes and technologies are important because they relate to how well they solve problems, the cost of doing so, and the overall end-user experience.
Product innovations are experimental and cannot always be expected to yield productive results. It requires a learning curve and patience, as the results are often ambiguous and unclear. Business leaders sometimes struggle with this perspective. This is because this perspective is indeterminate (in terms of results and timelines) and it is difficult to translate pure technology innovation into value creation. A gap develops between technology and product teams, and technology teams struggle to articulate the capabilities and value of technology innovations, resulting in unfulfilled promises, a perception of “technology for technology’s sake,” and a lack of “search for problems.” This gives rise to jokes like “The solution to this problem”. ”
The current hype cycle in AI serves as a great concrete example. The challenge for technology and product executives is how to do more than check the box for AI – how to meaningfully incorporate AI into products. Rather than forcing technology onto the product, the design process flows into the technology. In this way, technology becomes a natural solution.
As technology or technology stack experts, we can convey abstract insights or contribute in a more conceptual context. Engineers add value to the product design process by sharing their expertise on technology properties. Designers use this information to shape and leverage technology in the visual and interaction design process. In this way, engineers inform new interaction models, interface metaphors, and product channels. This commitment creates confidence and conviction in the promise of the design.
Think of digital technology as a material like paint, stone, or wood. In order for craftsmen to create using materials, they need to understand the ontology and phenomenology of the materials. Artists should understand the difference between oil, acrylic, and watercolor paints. This is because each material has different properties that affect how it is created and what it contains. Engineers need to “find the essence” of technology. In this way, they become intermediaries between the abstract nature of design and the pedantic nature of technology. This philosophical perspective is especially important when your product is in a growth stage or uses new technology.
Whether your product is in a growing or stable stage, employing established or emerging technologies, integrating engineers into your product strategy and design process will improve your bottom line. There is a technology perspective that goes beyond the code “factory floor” operations and mechanics, and that sparks innovation. Sometimes this leads to small, impactful moments of innovation, and sometimes it’s a great revolution.

Source: techcrunch.com

Overcome the lava flow and rebuild from the ashes

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Above: Photo taken from an astronaut aboard the International Space Station on February 13, 2016 (before the eruption). Below: Photo taken from astronauts aboard the International Space Station on August 18, 2023.

Two years after the Cumbre Vieja eruption in the Canary Islands, some roads have been rebuilt.

astronaut on board international space station (ISS) took these photos of La Palma Island while in orbit over the North Atlantic Ocean. La Palma is part of Spain’s Canary Islands, approximately 480 kilometers (300 miles) off the coasts of Morocco and Western Sahara. The island is basalt shield volcano This volcano consists of two volcanic centers. One is the old collapsed Caldera de Taburiente and the other is the young and active Cumbre Vieja.

From September to December 2021, eruption Lava flows, lava fountains, and volcanic ash clouds occurred on the southwest flank of Cumbre Vieja. The mission lasted about 85 days and gave astronauts on the space station the opportunity to take photos of plumes and glowing lava flows at night.

In total, the lava flow and ash covered more than 12 square kilometers (5 square miles) of La Palma and extended 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the fissure to the coastline.Ash and lava damaged Over 3,000 buildings and some banana plantations, caused yellowing of pine forests.

These photos were taken in February 2016 (top) and August 2023 (bottom) and show the landscape several years before and after the eruption. In the two years since the eruption, some roads have been rebuilt and are visible as thin, brightly colored lines cutting through the lava flow. This road will reconnect the town of Los Llanos de Aridane with Puerto Naos and other nearby communities. In this photo, the eruption crack is clearly visible as a brighter, linear feature halfway down the side of the volcano.

Although not noticeable in the spatial resolution of these images, sparse trees and shrubs continue to grow within the deposited volcanic ash. canary islands pine (Pinus canariensis).This fire resistance serotinic Coniferous trees, endemic to the Canary Islands, use the heat from fires to melt the resin surrounding their pine cones and produce viable seeds.

Astronaut photo ISS069-E-62382 was acquired on August 18, 2023 with a Nikon D5 digital camera using a focal length of 400 millimeters. Astronaut photo ISS046-E-40929 was acquired on February 13, 2016 with a Nikon D4 digital camera using a focal length of 400 millimeters. Images provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observation Facility and the Johnson Space Center Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit. The images were taken by Expedition 69 crew members and Expedition 46 crew members. Images have been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast and lens artifacts have been removed. The International Space Station Program supports this laboratory as part of the ISS National Laboratory, allowing astronauts to take the most valuable photographs of Earth to scientists and the public, and to make those images available on the Internet. We support it so that it can be used freely. Caption by Cadan Cummings, Jacobs, JETS II Contract NASA-JSC.

Source: scitechdaily.com

Navigating the 2024 Venture Environment: Strategic Insights for Technology Founders from Seed to Series A

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mike cardamom
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Mike Cardamone is CEO and Managing Partner. forum venturesAt , we’re focused on developing the Forum’s investment strategy, with a mission to make the B2B SaaS journey easier, more accessible, and more successful for early-stage founders.

I do not have any questions 2023 was a tough year for the venture and technology ecosystem. Carta revealed that the total number of funding rounds and total investments have decreased dramatically. 64% decrease in Q1 2023 Total investment was down 86% from its peak in Q4 2021. Forum Ventures has invested in more than 100 B2B SaaS companies across accelerators and seeds this year, and we’ve seen first-hand how difficult the funding environment can be for founders at every stage of this market. funds. Michael Cardamone, his CEO and managing partner at Forum Ventures, spoke to up-and-coming executives about the state of the market, saying, “This has been the most difficult to raise money in a long time.”

in recent reports, Forum Ventures surveyed 70 funds and 167 closed pre-seed and seed funds between January and October 2023 to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of the early-stage B2B SaaS investment landscape. We analyzed the round data.

Key findings from this report include:

  • Data across these rounds shows a 10% decrease from the same survey conducted last year, with 75% of respondents citing a decrease in valuations from 2022 onwards.
  • The average valuation at pre-seed was $9 million post, and the same for pre-revenue until the ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue) for the entire round for which data was collected was $250,000.
  • Companies with an ARR of $250,000 or more raised at an average valuation cap of $15 million.

seed round

As a founder, manage your cash flow wisely, convince top talent to join your company, and focus on building the product your customers want.

While seed valuations remain stable from 2022 to 2023, it has become more difficult to achieve the traction needed for these rounds, which can create false expectations for founders. In 2020-2021, it is relatively common for $3-5 million seed rounds to close with little if any traction, depending on the space and founder. They were typically completed at a valuation of $12 million to $25 million. ‘Background.

While there are exceptions, today’s market is looking for big traction early on, and companies typically need $250,000 to $1 million in ARR to raise a $3 million+ seed round, and these rounds is typically completed with about 20% to 25% dilution (i.e. $12 million post $3 million, $1 million to $15 million post, or $16 million to $20 million post $4 million). The hurdles to raising an institutional seed round are much higher, and founders and companies often need to prove more of a track record in today’s market than ever before. This dynamic means that many founders must first raise a pre-seed round to reach those milestones, and thus multiple rounds to reach Series A. To do.

Source: techcrunch.com

Intrinsic, supported by Y Combinator, is developing essential infrastructure for trust and safety teams

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Karine Mellata and Michael Lin met several years ago while working on Apple’s Fraud Engineering and Algorithmic Risk team. Both Mellata and Lin were involved in addressing online fraud issues such as spam, bots, account security, and developer fraud among Apple’s growing customer base.

Despite their efforts to develop new models to respond to evolving patterns of abuse, Melata and Lin feel they are falling behind and stuck in rebuilding core elements of their trust and safety infrastructure. I did.

“As regulation puts increased scrutiny on teams that centralize somewhat ad hoc trust and safety responses, we are helping modernize this industry and build a safer internet for everyone. We saw this as a real opportunity to do that,” Melata told TechCrunch in an email interview. “We dreamed of a system that could magically adapt as quickly as the abuse itself.”

Co-founded by So Mellata and Lin essentialis a startup that aims to give safety teams the tools they need to prevent product fraud. Intrinsic recently raised $3.1 million in a seed round with participation from Urban Innovation Fund, Y Combinator, 645 Ventures, and Okta.

Intrinsic’s platform is designed to moderate both user-generated and AI-generated content, allowing customers (primarily social media companies and e-commerce marketplaces) to detect and take action on content that violates their policies. We provide the infrastructure to do so. Intrinsic focuses on integrating safety products and automatically orchestrates tasks like banning users and flagging content for review.

“Intrinsic is a fully customizable AI content moderation platform,” said Mellata. “For example, Intrinsic can help publishers creating marketing materials avoid giving financial advice that carries legal liability. We can also help marketplaces discover listings such as:

Mellata notes that there are no off-the-shelf classifiers for such sensitive categories, and even for a well-resourced trust and safety team, adding a new auto-discovered category can take weeks of engineering. They claim it can take several months in some cases. -House.

Asked about rival platforms such as Spectrum Labs, Azure, and Cinder (almost direct competitors), Mellata said Intrinsic is superior in terms of (1) explainability and (2) significantly expanded tools. I said I was thinking about it. He explained that Intrinsic allows customers to “ask questions” about mistakes they made in content moderation decisions and provide an explanation as to why. The platform also hosts manual review and labeling tools that allow customers to fine-tune moderation models based on their own data.

“Most traditional trust and safety solutions were inflexible and not built to evolve with exploits,” Melata said. “Now more than ever, resource-constrained trust and safety teams are looking to vendors to help them reduce moderation costs while maintaining high safety standards.”

Without third-party auditing, it is difficult to determine how accurate a particular vendor’s moderation model is or whether it is susceptible to some type of influence. prejudice It plagues content moderation models elsewhere. But either way, Intrinsic appears to be gaining traction thanks to its “large and established” enterprise customers, who are signing deals in the “six-figure” range on average.

Intrinsic’s near-term plans include increasing the size of its three-person team and expanding its moderation technology to cover not just text and images, but also video and audio.

“The widespread slowdown in the technology industry has increased interest in automation for trust and safety, and this puts Intrinsic in a unique position,” Melata said. “COOs are concerned with reducing costs. Chief compliance officers are concerned with mitigating risk. Embedded helps both. , to catch more fraud.”

Source: techcrunch.com