Hey everyone,
Welcome back to the newsletter. In this monthβs edition, we will cover a range of exciting updates including:
Updates from the AlleyCorp Portfolio
Robotics in Advanced Manufacturing
Hispanic Heritage Month
Upcoming Travel & Events
Don't hesitate to email, message, or comment with any thoughts, questions, or feedback.
Enjoy!
Brannon | LinkedIn, X, Substack
Aescape was named as one of TIME Magazineβs best inventions of 2024. Congratulations to the team for the tremendous work! Read the full announcement here!
Eyebot unveiled their first collaboration product: the Zenni Optical Vision Center, developed with Zenni Optical! Together, they are bringing accessible, high-quality prescriptions and glasses to the masses.
Hereβs how it works:
With Eyebot's state-of-the-art vision testing kiosk, you can get a 90-second vision test and a prescription from a licensed tele-doctor for just $20. Need glasses? The prescription numbers are seamlessly applied at Zenni checkout for new glasses starting at $12.99, and if you spend $49, the prescription is FREE!
Why does this matter?
30 Million Americans live with poor vision or outdated glasses.
Those in the lowest income brackets are half as likely to visit an eye doctor as those in higher brackets.
25% of U.S. counties donβt have a single eye doctor.
Eyebot and Zenni Optical are here to change that. Their mission is simple: Make vision care affordable and accessible to everyone, everywhere, equally.
Read more on the Boston Globe, CNET, and Retail Touchpoints
Mapless AI announced their partnership with Aero Corporation, one of the largest Avis Budget Group franchisees in North America!
Together, they will integrate the Mapless tele-operations platform on Aero vehicles to unlock and test new driverless use cases that are a first in the rental industry. These include instant rental car delivery, new approaches to fleet charging and shuttling, and curbside pick-up and drop-off for a premium rental experience.
Aero is the first major rental fleet owner in the U.S. to pilot tele-operations in their fleet. We couldn't be more excited to seem them pushing the boundaries of next-gen car rental together with their leadership.
Full press release at https://lnkd.in/eJJZ9hew
Over the last few decades, U.S. manufacturing has faced numerous challenges, leading to a steady decline in global competitiveness. Offshoring, labor shortages, and outdated infrastructure have weakened the industry, making it difficult to keep pace with nations that have embraced modern manufacturing practices⦠However, a new wave of technological advancements, particularly in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), is driving a renaissance in American manufacturing. These innovations promise to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and create new jobs, positioning the U.S. as a global leader in advanced manufacturing once again.
Source: Pitchbook
Advanced Manufacturing: Capital Invested & Deal Count | Annual
Source: Pitchbook
As investment in US manufacturing rises, then there will be an increased need (and therefore demand) for advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics solutions, and adjacent infrastructure, services, & supply chain innovations. The investing opportunity set here is excellent, because many of these sectors are currently under funded
The U.S. manufacturing sector has been on a downward trajectory since the late 20th century. Key challenges include:
Labor shortages: As older generations retire, the industry struggles to attract younger workers. The manufacturing sector has a reputation for being labor-intensive and low-tech, which deters new talent.
Global competition: Countries like China and Germany have invested heavily in modernizing their manufacturing industries, leading to increased output and efficiency. U.S. manufacturers, constrained by legacy systems and higher labor costs, find it challenging to compete.
Outdated infrastructure: Many U.S. manufacturing facilities operate with technology that is decades old, unable to meet the demands of todayβs market, including customization, rapid prototyping, and just-in-time delivery.
The consequences of these challenges have been significant. The U.S. has lost manufacturing jobs, production capabilities, and global market share. However, the rise of robotics is offering a solution.
Robotics and AI are transforming the U.S. manufacturing landscape. These technologies enable manufacturers to achieve levels of efficiency, precision, and safety previously unimaginable.
Address Global Competitiveness and Outdated Infrastructure
Increase Efficiency: Robots can perform repetitive tasks tirelessly - and with high precision - significantly boosting productivity and output.
Improve Quality: Robots are also remarkably consistent.. Unlike humans, robots do not experience fatigue or lapses in concentration, allowing them to achieve micro-level accuracy, maintain quality across large production runs and eliminate variations caused by human error.
Address Labor Shortages
Augment Workforce: Robotics and co-bots can help address the skills gap by allowing a smaller workforce to manage larger and more complex operations. Contrary to popular belief, robots will actually create jobs in manufacturing, not replace them!
Enhance Safety: Robots can handle hazardous tasks and work in dangerous environments, reducing risks to human workers.
These improvements will help the US compete in global markets by reducing costs and improving performance, allowing the US manufacturing base to do more with less and bring jobs back to our market.
Path Robotics developes AI-enabled robotic welding systems. Their AF-1 welding robot is designed for high throughput, smaller parts, while AW-3 tackles large industrial projects.
The company raised a $100M Series D round this month and the investment will help Path continue addressing labor shortages in the welding industry with cutting-edge autonomous solutions.
Multiscale Technologies, an AlleyCorp Deep Tech portfolio company, is revolutionizing AI for manufacturing with their AI-enabled Mind 3.0 software platform. Multiscale makes advanced R&D 10x faster by streamlining data ingestion from manufacturing processes, combining that with materials informatics, and leveraging world class, bleeding edge AI.
These two ventures are a perfect example of how U.S.-based companies are creating disruptive technologies that are transforming manufacturing operations, making them more efficient, sustainable, and globally competitive.
Policy and Investment Landscape
The U.S. government has recognized the importance of revitalizing the manufacturing sector and is actively supporting the integration of robotics and AI. Key initiatives and opportunities for public and private investment include:
Tax incentives and grants: Federal and state governments are offering tax incentives for companies investing in advanced manufacturing technologies. Programs like the Manufacturing USA initiative provide grants to companies that are modernizing their operations with robotics and AI.
Workforce development programs: Addressing the skills gap in manufacturing is critical. Public-private partnerships are funding training programs that focus on advanced manufacturing, ensuring that U.S. workers are equipped with the skills needed for the future.
Investment trends: The investment strategies of venture capital firms do not follow the trend of overall manufacturing construction spending increasing rapidly. We suspect that firms are underinvesting in advanced manufacturing.
Robotics and AI are unlocking the future of U.S. manufacturing. By addressing long-standing challenges such as labor shortages, inefficiency, and outdated infrastructure, these technologies are paving the way for a manufacturing renaissance. Continued investment in AI and robotics, coupled with supportive public policies, will be key to maintaining this momentum. As companies like Multiscale continue to innovate, the U.S. is well-positioned to reclaim its leadership in global manufacturing.
In honor of Latin-American Heritage Month (which ran 9/15-10/15), please join me in celebrating some of the exceptional contributions from these pioneers in deep tech.
1οΈβ£ Guillermo GonzΓ‘lez Camarena β (Color TV)π¨πΊ
Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dG4B-jXm
2οΈβ£ Mateo Jaramillo β (Iron-Air batteries, CEO Form Energy) β‘οΈπ
Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dSrxxY5F
3οΈβ£ Cristina Amon β (Electronics thermal management )π₯π±
Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dykPyNCs
4οΈβ£ Arturo Arias β (Earthquake Sensing Technology) π«¨πͺ¨
Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dfUV7959)
5οΈβ£ Albert BΓ‘ez β (X-Ray Microscopes) π©»π¬
Read more here: https://lnkd.in/d2PwUtiB
Iβm inspired by these leaders whose creativity not only drives innovation in deep tech but also paves the way for the next generation of underrepresented x deep tech builders.
If that's you, please reach out to us.
Guillermo GonzΓ‘lez Camarena
Abe will be in LA November 6th-7th! Reach out if you will be around and want to meet up.
Catch Brannon at AfroTech 2024! If you will be there or are in the Houston area - let me know and we can grab a coffee!
We hope you found it insightful, and if youβre still with us, nowβs a great time to subscribe. As always, weβre eager to hear your feedback, questions, or ideas. And of course, weβre always on the lookout for passionate Deep Tech foundersβso donβt hesitate to connect. Thanks for reading, and keep innovating!
Cheers,
AlleyCorp Deep Tech team (Abe & Brannon)
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