$2B for No Product, Robots Under $3K & Australia's Massive Miss

Title: $2B for No Product, Robots Under $3K & Australia's Massive MissHosts: Scott Wilcox (W & Elycium) & Matt Perrott (BuildPass)This week, Scotty & Matt explore the seismic shifts in AI talent acquisition, humanoid robots reaching consumer price points, and Australia's untapped potential to become a tech superpower.Episode HighlightsThe Great AI Talent MigrationThinking Machines raises unprecedented $2B seed round at $10B valuation with no product, just talentOpenAI leadership exodus creating billion-dollar startups overnightThe new reality: buying teams vs traditional hiring in AIWearable AI RevolutionLimitless pendant deep dive: AI coach vs note-taker reality checkFuture convergence of analog watches and AI technologyDe-optimization movement challenging data-driven lifestyle trackingRobotics BreakthroughHugging Face humanoid robots priced under $3K (cheaper than MacBooks)Open-source revolution democratizing robotics developmentTesla robo-taxi milestone: 20+ rides with zero interventionsAustralia's Trillion-Dollar Missed OpportunityEnergy policy crisis: shipping coal while paying 10% more for domestic powerDarwin/Geelong innovation hub vision as "Australian Shenzhen"Cultural barriers: tall poppy syndrome vs American business optimismKey SegmentsHeadlines & Hot Takes (00:00)Limitless pendant early impressionsNoosa beach remote work setupThinking Machines $2B mystery round breakdownAI Tool Showdown (32:50)11 Labs conversational AI vs ChatGPT voice modeY Combinator AI startup school insightsElon's 12-month AGI prediction analysisTool of the Week (48:35)iPhone home screen optimization for AI-powered productivityRobot Rundown (52:20)Sub-$3K humanoid robots changing the gameSoftBank's $1T Arizona AI manufacturing hubAutonomous vehicle update: Tesla vs Waymo strategiesAustralia Tech Policy Deep Dive (01:02:15)Energy crisis impact on tech competitivenessInnovation hub strategy discussionCultural transformation needed for tech leadershipCompanies & Resources MentionedAI Startups:Thinking Machines (Mira Murati)Cluely AI (A16Z-backed)Limitless (AI pendant)Eleven LabsMajor Players:OpenAI, Y CombinatorHugging Face, Tesla, WaymoSoftBank Vision Fund, TSMCA16Z (Andreessen Horowitz)Key Figures:Mira Murati, Sam Altman, Elon MuskMasa Son (SoftBank)Why This Episode MattersThe AI talent wars are reshaping venture capital, with teams commanding billion-dollar valuations before building products. Meanwhile, open-source robotics and autonomous vehicles are hitting critical adoption thresholds. Australia sits at a crossroads - blessed with resources but held back by policy and culture.Perfect for: Founders, VCs, tech operators, and anyone tracking the intersection of AI, robotics, and geopolitics.Built 2 Scale delivers weekly deep dives into the tech trends reshaping business. Subscribe for founder-focused insights on startups, AI agents, robotics, and the future of work.Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTubeSubscribe: @built2scale

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