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Apollo Atomics wants to make nuclear power cheaper by shrinking an overlooked part; plus, Detroit startup Grounded raises $5M to customize electric and gas-powered vans Aug 21, 2026

Show notes

Y Combinator alumnus Apollo Atomics is shrinking a key nuclear reactor part, which promises to slash the cost of electricity below natural gas.

Also, Grounded has shifted from making van-life builds to custom outfitting vehicles for small businesses, all while the EV landscape in the US changed dramatically.

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AI isn’t close to curing cancer. Vivodyne says it knows what it will take; plus, TerraPower’s nuclear reactor has a secret weapon for powering AI data centers Aug 20, 2026

Show notes

A handful of AI-designed drugs have proceeded into human trials — one as far as Phase III, widespread human testing — but the reality is that the roadblocks aren’t necessarily ones that AI can solve today.

Also, TerraPower's nuclear power plant possesses a strategic advantage over competitors, especially when chasing after data center deals.

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DOJ’s probe into Andreessen Horowitz over board seats baffles VCs; plus, Etched’s valuation doubles to $21B in a month Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

Since portfolio companies often pivot and expand into competing markets, investors view occasional conflicts of interest as unavoidable for large VC firms.

Also, Jane Street has installed Etched's first shipped AI cluster system, and was so impressed, it led another massive round, the startup says.

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Sound-powered fire protection startup gets $15M to snuff out fires before they turn catastrophic; plus, Wispr looks beyond dictation Aug 18, 2026

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Sonic Fire Protection raised its new funding to help get its sound-powered fire protection system into everything from commercial kitchens to apartment buildings.

Also, Wispr’s total funding is now over $361 million.

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SpaceX officially closes its Cursor acquisition; plus, Stripe will reportedly acquire AI gateway startup OpenRouter for $7B+ Aug 17, 2026

Show notes

AI coding startup Cursor is now officially a part of SpaceX.

Also, OpenRouter's CEO recently described the startup as Stripe for AI.

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How a $250 million acquisition collapsed into allegations of fraud and forged signatures Aug 14, 2026

Show notes

Investors are still waiting for their share of the $250 million windfall, and VideoVerse co-founder Vinayak Shrivastav is now at the center of multiple legal cases.

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Reservoir raises $8M to make water heaters that people and the grid will actually want; plus, AI code-testing startup Blacksmith’s valuation jumps almost 10x Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

Reservoir has built an ultra-efficient water heater that can predict hot water demand, store energy, and detect plumbing leaks throughout a home.

Also, Blacksmith says revenue has grown more than tenfold over the past year.

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Tech industry is buzzing after a Claude agent hacked into a gym; plus, Kyoto Fusioneering starts work on key fusion power plant device Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

An OpenClaw agent hacked into a gym's reservation system to bump its human boss higher on a class's waitlist. And the tech industry took notice.

Also, fusion power startups are turning to Kyoto Fusioneering to supply components for future power plants. The Japan-based startup just received a grant to build a part of the fuel system.

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Discovered Materials is playing AI whack-a-mole to hunt cooler chips Aug 11, 2026

Show notes

Discovered Materials raised $9 million to fund the hunt for more novel materials to build more efficient chips.

Plus, embattled hedge fund Situational Awareness invests $400M in chip startup Source Foundry.

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This former notorious red-light district is now one of the world’s top AI hubs Aug 10, 2026

Show notes

More than 20 years ago, King's Cross was one of the seediest area's in London. Now it's sprouting something new.

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