☕️ Innovation Espresso #1
☕️ Innovation Espresso #1
Welcome to the first episode of Innovation Espresso! Grab your cup, sit back, relax, and enjoy your weekly dose of innovation!
Welcome to Innovation Espresso, a quick yet powerful dose of curated news, articles, videos, reels, newsletters, and podcasts that I’ve found particularly interesting throughout the week. While we focus on Open Innovation and Corporate Venturing, you'll find this quick yet potent dose covers more ground. Enjoy with your morning coffee!
💊 Innovation Pills
Like its rival, Google, Amazon has launched an AI-powered video generator
Microsoft gives Copilot a voice and vision in its biggest redesign yet
☕️ Your weekly sip of Corporate Venturing news
OpenAI and the Italian state lender CDP have teamed up to explore AI applications for startups. The collaboration is set to boost Italy's AI ecosystem and foster new opportunities for innovation. Read more.
Korean startups are scrambling to secure corporate investors as the ecosystem faces a funding crunch. With local VC firms becoming more conservative, corporates are stepping in to fill the gap. Is this the start of a new trend? Read more here.
Motier Ventures has unveiled La Maison, a new community space for the French tech ecosystem. The initiative aims to connect founders, investors, and entrepreneurs under one roof in Paris. Could this be a model for other tech hubs worldwide? Check it out here.
Verizon Ventures has decided to halt new investments as it reassesses its strategy. Is this a sign of a broader trend among corporate venture arms, or a specific move for Verizon? Find out more.
Toyota has poured another $500 million into Joby Aviation, an electric air taxi startup. This investment further solidifies Toyota’s commitment to the urban air mobility sector and positions Joby as a major player in the space. Read more here.
Salesforce Ventures doubles AI commitment to $1bn with new fund
Salesforce Ventures has expanded its investment in AI with a new $1 billion fund, aiming to support startups that are developing innovative AI solutions. This move underscores Salesforce’s strategy to leverage AI advancements and stay competitive in an evolving tech landscape. Read more.
📹 Something to watch
Catherine Brownstein dives deep into the intersection of OpenAI and genetics. In this talk, she discusses how AI is being applied to solve complex genetic challenges and what this means for the future of personalized medicine. It's a fascinating blend of technology and biology that's worth a watch!
🎧 Something to listen
AI data centers are so hot right now.
Every time a generative AI service processes your query, it consumes a massive amount of energy. This has raised concerns about sustainability and the environmental impact of AI technologies. One proposed solution? Running data centers underwater to use the surrounding seawater for cooling. However, this approach isn’t as straightforward as it sounds.
In this episode, WIRED writers Paresh Dave and Reece Rogers discuss undersea data centers and the challenges of balancing AI’s growth with environmental concerns.
🛠️ Something to try
Ideogram.ai is a creative tool that leverages AI to generate text-based images and designs. It’s perfect for creating custom logos, typographic art, and more with just a few prompts. If you’re looking to blend visuals and text into a unique style, Ideogram.ai is definitely worth exploring.
🥐 Espresso is not enough?
When Not to Take Corporate Money
This Sifted article discusses situations where startups should be cautious about accepting corporate investment. While corporate money can provide valuable resources and networks, it can also lead to misalignment in goals, strategic constraints, or even stifled innovation. The piece outlines red flags, such as when a corporation is more interested in controlling technology than nurturing it, or if the startup’s long-term vision is compromised.
Read more about when to avoid corporate investment here.
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See you next week,
Davide