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Top stories today:
- Neuralink implants 1st human patient, says Elon
- Amazon abandons iRobot purchase given "no path" to approval
- Vision Pro sells 200K units
- U.S. VCs have record $311B in unspent cash
- ChatGPT remains #1 most used chatbot
0. Data and calendar
All values as of 6 AM ET / 3 AM PT, other than S&P500 and NASDAQ close (4 PM ET / 1 PM PT).
All times are ET.
1. Neuralink implants 1st human patient, says Elon
āPromising neuron spike detection,ā meaning computers have detected neuron activity.
$5B: Neuralinkās last valuation in June 2023.
Elon said Neuralink's goal is to enable users to control āalmost any device, just by thinkingā
2. Amazon abandons iRobot purchase given "no path" to regulatory approval
$1.7B: original value of deal.
$0.5B: current market cap.
iRobot to lay off 31% of employees, terminating 350 people.
iRobot stock -9%.
Our view: the current anti-M&A regulatory environment threatens startups and innovation
Having IPOs as the only exit option is too limiting for most startups, especially those with <$100M in revenue, for whom being independent may not make sense.
3. Vision Pro sells 200K units, with in-store pickups still available for Fri
Home delivery still only for March. It looks like Apple is encouraging people to go to its stores.
Zoom announced its Vision Pro app, supporting Apple's Persona (digital representation) feature
Meanwhile, competitor Xreal just raised $60M at a $1B valuation
Xreal's Air 2 Ultra costs $700, vs $3,500 for the Vision Pro.
$300M raised in total, since 2017 inception.
100K units sold over the past 3 months.
350K units sold since 2017 inception.
LEV Foundation was co-founded by Dr. Aubrey de Grey, one of the early pioneers in the longevity field.
Their 2 main projects are Robust Mouse Rejuvenation and Transplants on Demand.
Your donation can literally save your life, or the life of your closed ones. - Donate to the LEV Foundation.
*Sponsored.
