Big idea:

• Shinkei Systems has developed an automated fish harvesting technology that improves fish quality through humane practices, specifically using the Japanese ike-jime method to preserve freshness.

Why it matters:

• Traditional fish harvesting methods often result in stress and bacterial contamination, leading to reduced quality, waste, and shorter shelf life. Shinkei’s technology addresses these issues by ensuring fish are harvested in a way that maintains quality and supports local processing, making it economically viable. 
• If widely adopted, Shinkei’s approach could help reduce overfishing and enhance safety by creating specialized roles and reducing dangerous tasks within the industry. This aligns with broader trends where emerging technologies generate jobs and reshape traditional industries.

Key details:

• Shinkei’s system uses the ike-jime method, a rapid spiking technique that kills fish instantly, reducing stress and bacterial spread.
• Integrated computer vision identifies fish species and locates the brain for precise execution, while an ice bath exsanguination process further preserves quality.

What's next:

• Shinkei aims to conduct further trials and partner with fishing companies to expand the technology’s reach. With broader adoption, Shinkei’s approach could reshape industry practices and set new humane standards for fish harvesting. 
• The company has raised $6 million in funding and aims to deploy ten machines by year-end, enhancing reliability and adaptability for different fish species.
• Continued advancements in AI-guided processing will likely prompt industry players to explore more tech-driven approaches in fisheries.

Proof points: 

• Early partnerships and industry interest underline the appeal of Shinkei's humane, quality-focused harvesting method, which extends shelf life and enhances market value, benefiting both consumer satisfaction and industry efficiency.

Big idea:

• Physical Intelligence, an AI startup focused on creating a universal “brain” for robots, raised $400 million in funding from high-profile investors led by Jeff Bezos, Thrive Capital, and Lux Capital, with support from OpenAI, Redpoint Ventures, and Bond.

Why it matters:

• The startup's technology represents a shift towards general-purpose AI in robotics, enabling a single system to power various robots across industries, from consumer applications to industrial tasks. By advancing automation, this trend can redefine business operations, cost structures, and labor dynamics.
• The $400 million funding also highlights the growing impact of new technologies and disruptive trends in the robotics industry.

“What we’re doing is not just a brain for any particular robot. It’s a single generalist brain that can control any robot,” said CEO Karol Hausman.

Key details:

• The company was founded in 2023 by Karol Hausman (formerly at Google Robotics), Sergey Levine (UC Berkeley professor), and Lachy Groom (former Stripe executive).
• The funding round valued Physical Intelligence at approximately $2 billion from its earlier $70 million seed financing.
• Their software, π0 (pi-zero), enables robots to perform complex tasks like folding laundry and clearing tables. This innovation paves the way for adaptable robotic solutions in manufacturing, logistics, and service industries.

• Key competitors in the field include Skild, Figure AI, and Covariant, each focusing on similar advancements in general-purpose and industrial robotics.

Concerns:

• Developing a generalist model requires extensive data on real-world operations, which is scarce. This has forced the startup to build datasets to train its AI models.
• The pi-zero software is compared to OpenAI’s early GPT-1 model, indicating it’s in an early stage with room for growth, however, a breakthrough could arrive sooner than expected—or much later.

What's next:

• While predictions are uncertain, breakthroughs similar to ChatGPT could happen sooner or later. Future breakthroughs could accelerate the adoption of general-purpose robots in everyday tasks, reshaping industries dependent on automation. 

Proof points: 

• Physical Intelligence’s pi-zero current abilities, such as folding laundry and clearing tables, demonstrate practical use cases that hint at broad applications.
• High-profile funding and rapid valuation reflect a strong belief in the disruptive potential of general-purpose AI in robotics to redefine industrial and business processes.

Big idea:

• CREW Carbon has raised $5.3 million in seed funding to scale its carbon capture technology that targets wastewater treatment facilities to remove carbon dioxide (CO₂) through enhanced weathering.

Why it matters:

• Approximately 10 gigatons of CO₂ must be removed annually by 2050 to meet global climate targets. 
• CREW's solution uses existing wastewater infrastructure to cost-effectively capture CO₂ by removing biogenic carbon. This approach provides valuable co-benefits for wastewater operators, making it an attractive and easily adoptable option within the industry.

Key details:

• Developed at Yale, CREW’s technology uses enhanced weathering within the earth’s water cycle to store CO₂ permanently.
• The technology focuses on biogenic CO₂ in wastewater, leveraging wastewater’s natural CO₂ concentration for scalable carbon removal.
• CREW is already operating in several plants and plans to expand operations next year, aiming for thousands of tons of CO₂ removed.
• The funding round was oversubscribed and led by Counteract, with participation from several other investors including ReGen Ventures, ANIMO, and Connecticut Innovations.

“Robust greenhouse gas removal is needed, and needed swiftly, to limit the effects of climate change and to meet our climate goals,” stated Dr. Joachim Katchinoff, CREW Co-Founder and CEO.

What's next:

• CREW plans to use the seed fund to expand the team, deploy systems at additional plants, and enhance its proprietary carbon monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) system.

Proof points:

• Strong investor interest suggests wide industry support, positioning CREW as a viable leader in scalable carbon removal.
• CREW has already achieved successful pilot projects demonstrating cost reduction and improved operational efficiency in wastewater treatment.
• The solution is seen as scalable and cost-effective, addressing climate change while addressing operational challenges in wastewater treatment plants.