In today’s newsletter we discuss Jerry Seinfeld is working on “something”, AMD buys AI startup Nod.ai, Saronic’s autonomous military ships, Mercedes-Maybach partners with Space Perspective on luxury space balloon rides, and living on a self-made floating island for 31 years.

Business

It looks like AMD is playing catch up to the big boys of Nvidia and Intel. AMD just announced it acquired an AI software startup called Nod.ai in order to enable “companies to deploy AI models that are tuned for AMD's chips more easily. Nod.ai sells its technology to large data center operators, among other customers.” Terms of the deal weren’t released, but Nod.ai had raised $36.5 million.

I don’t think there is going to be a winner-takes-all in AI Chip manufacturing, but clearly Nvidia is way out ahead of the competition with Nvidia bringing in $26.914 billion in 2022 compared to the recent IPO from ARM who’s revenue of $2.68 billion. Yea, not even close.

AMD to acquire AI software startup in effort to catch Nvidia

Tech

You had me at autonomous ships. The race to add autonomy and self driving to every type of vehicle known to man isn’t stopping at the marine industry. A new startup named Saronic has been developing autonomous ships for the defense industry. They just raised $555 million lead by some heavyweight VCs including Andreessen Horowitz and Lightspeed Venture Partners.

According to the article “Saronic’s CEO Dino Mavrookas, a former Navy SEAL, launched the company last year with the goal of building autonomous surface ships for the Navy and U.S.-aligned defense customers.”

The defense industry is increasingly funding startups, and in 2022 the “U.S.-based defense tech startups raised a total of $2.1 billion across 53 total deals, which includes defense firm Anduril’s $1.5 billion Series E. Looks like a nice time to dip your toe in the defense tech startup industry.

Saronic, a defense startup building autonomous ships, raises $55M

Space

In what can only be called an out of this world announcement Mercedes-Maybach has partnered with a company named Space Perspective who’s ship called Spaceship Neptune uses a SpaceBallon and claims to be the world's first carbon neutral space flight experience company. Together they're going to "offer customers missions free luxury rides to 100,000 ft in space for those wishing a space experience like no other."

No word yet on how much these trips will cost, but if Blue Origin’s typical ticket price of between $200,000 – $300,000 per person, and flights on Virgin Galactic cost between $250,000 and goes up to $450,000, my guess is these luxury Mercedes-Maybach/Space Perspective flights could cost between $300,000-$500,000 per ticket. That’s some out of this world prices if you ask me!

Mercedes partners with the world’s only carbon-neutral spaceship

Entertainment

Yada Yada is all I have to say to this next one (well actually I have a lot to say about Seinfeld, but that would take up this entire issue and don’t nobody got time for that).

It seems Jerry Seinfeld has something up his sleeve, and “something” (that’s a direct quote) might happen. Could you be any more vague!?!? (said in Jerry Seinfeld’s accent).

If you are cursed with remember the ending of the final Seinfeld episode, you’re not alone. It seems many people were unhappy with how things were left, including possible Jerry Seinfeld too.

Jerry Seinfeld says he’s up to something related to the ‘Seinfeld’ finale: ‘Something is going to happen’.

With the Seinfeld show being picked up by Netflix in 2021 for $500 million, and Jerry Seinfeld’s net worth hovering just under $1 billion dollars as of Summer 2023, it’s safe to say he isn’t working on a new project just to make more money. For him it sounds like an existential mission to right a perceived wrong with the final episode of his show. The big question is will his fans care about a potential new ending or what happens next when the entire show is based on being about nothing. That’s a question for the ages.

Jerry Seinfeld says he’s up to something related to the ‘Seinfeld’ finale: ‘Something is going to happen’

Real Estate

I think everyone has imagined at one time in their life living on an island away from civilization, but a woman in Canada made that dream come true with her late husband 31 years ago when they built their own private floating island.

What started as a small floating structure quickly evolved into a multi-building network of homes and creative spaces for the couple to stretch out and relax as their Island began to grow. Located 10 miles from the nearest signs of civilization Catherine King now lives alone, after her husband Wayne Adams passed away. Today the island has evolved to “include several greenhouses, a chicken coop, and a large kitchen, as well as a water-purification system.”

For the most part the island and all the structures have been built for free using donated or discarded supplies and equipment, as well as whatever washed up ashore. With mortgage interest rates on a 30-year mortgage rising closer to 8%, maybe the idea of a self-made private floating island isn't such a bad idea.

https://www.insider.com/woman-lives-on-island-built-with-late-husband-decades-ago-2023-10 

So much news, so little time. Until tomorrow we’re signing out.

— Chris