AI commanded the attention of VCs last year, but while investors debated whether to bet on image-generation AI or medtech AI, several extremely consequential startup sectors ended up being overshadowed. Perhaps the most interesting field in startups right now is space exploration, with uses ranging from making space travel more accessible, to asteroid mining for rare metals ' including those needed for clean energy tech. Space hasn't always been a VC sweetheart due to huge upfront costs and high risk. But today, sending products into space is cheaper than ever through private companies like SpaceX. This allows new ventures to test out their technologies at (relatively) minimal cost. Space exploration offers untold opportunities to improve life on earth. Startups like Odyssey Spaceworks are launching science labs in Earth's orbit, seeking to accelerate areas like cancer research. Others are helping connect our world with satellite internet or vehicles that break the sound barrier....
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