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The path from innovation to scaled-up production represents a critical juncture for hardware startups. For companies developing novel technologies, selecting the right manufacturing partners can determine whether a breakthrough technology turns into a viable product and whether the company successfully commercializes its developments. When selecting a manufacturing partner, startups often gravitate toward established industry giants. However, I've observed that eagerness to collaborate with new technologies is often inversely correlated with the size and maturity of the potential partner. Every new manufacturing process carries inherent risk. Larger, more conservative companies tend to avoid these risks by either rejecting the project outright or shifting costs onto the startup. They may also demand long-term capacity commitments ' an unrealistic expectation for a new business with an uncertain growth trajectory. On the other hand, smaller, more agile contract manufacturers often seek opportunities to differentiate themselves. They tend to be more risk-tolerant and better aligned with a startup's innovation cycle. While they may not guarantee unlimited production capacity three years down the road, they provide the flexibility that is critical in early-stage manufacturing....
Keep in mind, this was the same week that Apple pulled back on launching its AI features due to accuracy concerns. And at HumanX the statement that 'only 6% of AI projects make it to production' blared across screens ' the statistic, from an AWS study, serving as a blunt reminder of the experimentation and challenge in deploying AI. The conference mixed panels and product launches on multiple stages in a large expo hall with offshoots of Q&A sessions and product demos in smaller rooms. Throughout the voluminous spaces were lounge seating, pods, and an app to meet and make connections. There was a lot of content, but perhaps what piqued my interest most were the perspectives, just over two years since the launch of OpenAI's ChatGPT made generative AI mainstream, from some of the leading model companies. Kevin Weil, the company's chief product officer for the past 10 months, noted that the days of a 12-month lead are gone, with the current reality of a three- to six-month lead still 'really valuable.'...
At this year's South by Southwest festival, in Austin, film premieres weren't the only major events. The buzziest affair, arguably, took place inside a truck: a facsimile of the Criterion Collection's fabled office closet, bursting with select editions of its deep and idiosyncratic film catalog. For three minutes each, movie lovers could enter the Criterion Closet truck to rifle through the company's expansive archive of canonical works, plucking DVD and Blu-ray copies to purchase and take home. Part of the fun is that the experience is captured on video, giving visitors their own personal installment of the beloved 'Criterion Closet Picks' YouTube series, which features famous artists explaining their favorite selections. The hundreds of festivalgoers waiting their turn suggest a draw beyond the physical pleasures of picking out and buying a handful of Criterion films, though. The real appeal of the Criterion Closet is emotional. It's a place to let your movie obsessions'your obscure taste, your love of cult classics, your knowledge of directorial deep cuts'run wild and then be recognized for them....
