Green flags for defense tech and Silicon Valley's longevity obsession | Equity Podcast

Space Industry Investments

• Reflect Orbital, a company developing satellites that use mirrors to reflect sunlight to specific points on Earth, received backing from Sequoia. (4m29s)
• Sean Maguire, the lead partner at Sequoia who invested in Reflect Orbital, has a history of investing in long-shot, hard tech companies. (5m2s)

SpaceX and Solar Farms

• SpaceX's plan to use satellites to reflect sunlight onto solar farms is not a viable business strategy due to the high cost of satellites and the decreasing cost of solar panels. (7m29s)

Pica: Electric Autonomous Planes

• Pica is a company developing electric autonomous planes that initially focused on crop dusting and has since expanded to cargo carrying. (8m28s)
• Pica has received funding from venture capitalists and is finding potential customers in both the military and civilian sectors, with the military market being less regulated and potentially providing funding while the company navigates civilian regulations. (10m55s)

Defense-Oriented Pivots

• An executive from a drone company shared his experience of working with companies that pivoted from consumer-focused to defense-oriented, leading to cultural dissonance among employees who were initially hired for a different target market. (11m56s)

Space-Based Data Centers and Refueling Stations

• Lumin Orbit, a company focused on developing data centers in space, was mentioned as an example of an interesting and forward-thinking company operating in the space sector. (14m51s)
• Spacium Inc., a startup developing a network of in-space refueling stations, was highlighted as an example of a company operating within the "SpaceX economy," supporting businesses utilizing SpaceX launches. (15m32s)

AI and Large Language Models

• Anthropic, an AI company, has a valuation of around \$40 billion, which seems absurd given that the company doesn't have a clear competitive advantage. (17m2s)
• While large language models (LLMs) like Anthropic's and OpenAI's were once considered essential for commercial AI applications, smaller, open-source models are quickly catching up in terms of capability and performance. (17m51s)
• The true value in AI may lie not in building foundational models, but in productizing and commercializing them, potentially through companies that utilize APIs from companies like OpenAI. (18m51s)

Non-Invasive Glucose Monitoring

• A company called CnX Medical, founded by Ben Nashman, is developing a non-invasive glucose monitor that uses miniaturized MRI technology. (22m32s)
• The device, currently the size of a toaster, aims to provide a more convenient alternative to traditional blood tests by measuring glucose, amino acids, lactates, and ketones. (22m41s)
• While the device's potential applications for diabetes management are highlighted, its high cost raises questions about its accessibility and target market, particularly within the context of Silicon Valley's interest in longevity and health optimization. (23m50s)

Longevity Research and the Thiel Fellowship

• A 16-year-old individual was interested in pursuing longevity research, specifically experimenting with drugs to extend lifespan. (27m30s)
• This individual is a Teal Fellow, and there is a pattern of Teal Fellows being involved in gene editing and longevity-related companies. (28m31s)
• Peter Thiel, the founder of the Thiel Fellowship, actively supports and funds young individuals working on longevity research. (28m49s)