For two decades, the best engineers built apps. Now they're building rockets, robots, and reactors. Hardware is having a moment—manufacturing is being reinvented, supply chains are being rebuilt, and deep tech is finally investable. We're looking for problems that require moving atoms, not just bits.
Physical robots are advancing rapidly, but the software is stuck in the 1990s. Robotics needs its 'web development moment'—intuitive tools that let developers build for robots as easily as they build for the browser. Create the React, Vercel, and GitHub for physical automation.
Novel material proposal was traditionally bespoke with limited access to computational design capability. Build autonomous lab systems proposing and synthesizing novel compounds for diverse industrial applications.
American metal mills have 8-30 week lead times because they optimize for tonnage, not speed. Modern software and automation can cut lead times to days while improving margins. Build the manufacturing stack that brings metal production into the 21st century.
Generated 3D models lack precision needed for manufacturing and construction applications. Combine generative models with validation and simulation for production-ready 3D assets.
Nvidia dominance in AI chip market limits competition and supply options. Build alternative chip solutions including TPUs, reconfigurable architectures, and latency-optimized inference hardware.
3D printing projected to grow at ~40% annually, reaching $180B by 2030. Manufacturers are bringing production in-house. Build the additive manufacturing future.
Industrial robotics expected to grow at 25% CAGR through 2030. AI humanoid robots approaching cost parity with human labor. Global robotics revenue opportunity exceeds $26T.
Self-driving trucks show 40% reductions in fuel costs and delivery times. Autonomous delivery could cut last-mile costs 50% by 2030. Build the future of freight.
Healthcare faces repetitive, time-sensitive supply and sample movement between departments. Deploy robots that generate revenue while collecting deployment data for continuous improvement.
Robotaxi cost per mile expected to drop below $0.25 by 2030. The global market could reach $10 trillion. Build the autonomous mobility platform.
Create monitoring and observability platforms for physical operations—facilities, supply chains, equipment—matching what we have for software systems.
American metal mills have 8-30 week lead times because they optimize for tonnage, not speed. Modern software and automation can cut lead times to days while improving margins. Build the manufacturing stack that brings metal production into the 21st century.
Physical robots are advancing rapidly, but the software is stuck in the 1990s. Robotics needs its 'web development moment'—intuitive tools that let developers build for robots as easily as they build for the browser. Create the React, Vercel, and GitHub for physical automation.
Healthcare faces repetitive, time-sensitive supply and sample movement between departments. Deploy robots that generate revenue while collecting deployment data for continuous improvement.
Nvidia dominance in AI chip market limits competition and supply options. Build alternative chip solutions including TPUs, reconfigurable architectures, and latency-optimized inference hardware.
Generated 3D models lack precision needed for manufacturing and construction applications. Combine generative models with validation and simulation for production-ready 3D assets.
Novel material proposal was traditionally bespoke with limited access to computational design capability. Build autonomous lab systems proposing and synthesizing novel compounds for diverse industrial applications.
Robotaxi cost per mile expected to drop below $0.25 by 2030. The global market could reach $10 trillion. Build the autonomous mobility platform.
Self-driving trucks show 40% reductions in fuel costs and delivery times. Autonomous delivery could cut last-mile costs 50% by 2030. Build the future of freight.
Industrial robotics expected to grow at 25% CAGR through 2030. AI humanoid robots approaching cost parity with human labor. Global robotics revenue opportunity exceeds $26T.
3D printing projected to grow at ~40% annually, reaching $180B by 2030. Manufacturers are bringing production in-house. Build the additive manufacturing future.
Create monitoring and observability platforms for physical operations—facilities, supply chains, equipment—matching what we have for software systems.
Sand is the most consumed natural resource after water. Construction-grade sand is being depleted faster than it regenerates, with illegal sand mining creating environmental devastation and organized crime.
The American Society of Civil Engineers gives US infrastructure a C- grade. 43% of public roads are in poor or mediocre condition. 7,500 bridges are structurally deficient.
Manufacturing productivity has grown 760% since 1945. Construction productivity has actually declined. We build things the same way we did in the 1940s.
Food fraud costs the global industry B+ annually. From olive oil diluted with cheaper oils to honey adulterated with corn syrup.
TSMC in Taiwan produces 90% of the world's most advanced chips. A single earthquake, drought, or geopolitical event could paralyze the entire global technology industry overnight.
US electricity demand is projected to increase 30%+ over the next decade due to AI data centers, EVs, and electrification.
Some problems are so large that solving them changes everything. Fusion energy. Brain-computer interfaces. Reversing aging. These aren't incremental improvements—they're civilizational shifts. We're looking for the technical breakthroughs and bold bets that seem impossible until they're inevitable.
The best businesses often start in markets that look too small. Vertical SaaS for dry cleaners. Tools for independent truckers. Software for yacht brokers. These niches are ignored by big companies but represent real pain for real people. Dominate a niche, then expand.
Work is being rebuilt from scratch. Remote collaboration. AI-augmented productivity. The death of the 9-to-5. The rise of the portfolio career. The companies that define how we work in 2035 are being built now. We're looking for the tools, platforms, and systems that will shape the next era of human productivity.
50 million people now consider themselves creators. Most make less than $500/year. The infrastructure is broken—discovery is algorithmic roulette, monetization favors platforms over people, and burnout is the norm. We need better tools for creators to build sustainable businesses around their work.
The science of aging is accelerating. Senolytics. Gene therapy. Epigenetic reprogramming. For the first time, extending healthy human lifespan is a serious engineering challenge, not science fiction. The companies solving these problems won't just build billion-dollar businesses—they'll change what it means to be human.
Financial infrastructure was built for a different era. Cross-border payments take days. 2 billion people are unbanked. Small businesses can't access capital. Crypto promised a revolution but mostly delivered speculation. We're looking for practical solutions that make money work better for everyone.