Big Bets, Robots Rise

📡 Radar

💻 OpenAI in Talks to Acquire Windsurf for $3B

OpenAI is in talks to acquire Windsurf (formerly Codeium) for $3B, potentially disrupting its own investment in Cursor, a rival AI coding assistant. With $40M in ARR and backing from Greenoaks and General Catalyst, Windsurf could deepen OpenAI’s push into developer tools—though the move raises questions about Startup Fund conflicts. Read more on Tech Crunch

🤖 Figure AI’s Big Bet on Robotics

Figure AI is drawing massive investor attention despite having no commercial product or revenue. The startup's goal to build general-purpose humanoid robots is seen as a moonshot bet on AI's ability to perform physical labor. Backers include Microsoft, Nvidia, and Jeff Bezos. Read more on Yahoo Finance

📈 Kraken Expands Beyond Crypto: Launches U.S. Stock and ETF Trading

Crypto exchange Kraken is going traditional. The platform is rolling out support for U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs, opening a new front in its competition with Robinhood and Coinbase. Retail investors can now trade equities directly within Kraken’s ecosystem. Read more on Kraken

🛩️ Shield AI Boosts AI Pilot Training with Crowdbotics’ Acquisition

Shield AI has acquired Crowdbotics’ Dynamic Digital Range (DDR) software to strengthen its AI-powered pilot training tools. The move enhances Shield’s ability to simulate complex flight scenarios autonomously as it pushes toward smarter, safer aerial combat systems. Read more on UAS Weekly

📝 xAI’s Grok Now Helps Create Docs and Apps with a Canvas-Like Tool

xAI’s Grok just got more useful. The chatbot now features a canvas-style interface for building apps, writing docs, and structuring workflows—all powered by natural language. It’s a push to make LLMs more interactive and collaborative. Read more on TechCrunch

🧠 Wisdom

📕 What We’re Reading

No time for books this week. Instead, Chris is deep in the weeds reading our Form ADV filing (100+ pages) for our ERA registration and so we can launch LFG funds in the future (without getting tackled by the SEC).

💬 Quote of the Week

💣 Perspective

Amazon ships 66,000+ orders every hour. That’s more than 18 packages per second—while you’re reading this, a small town just got delivered.

💬 Prompt of the Week

What can I help you with?

Train my replacement. Act as the version of me that’s 10x more effective. Build systems, write outreach, delegate tasks. Identify what I should automate, outsource, or delete entirely?

📣 Updates

💸 Taxes

Chris paid his IRS tax bill with Bitcoin using Strike.

🔦 Portfolio Spotlight 

Strike is a great platform to buy and trade Bitcoin with ultra-low fees, superior security, high trading limits, and best in class support. Use this referral link to waive fees on your first $500 of Bitcoin trades.

🎧 What We’re Listening To

No time for podcasts this week, but our headphones are still. Lane 8 is often our go-to while working. Chris caught his live show in Clearwater last weekend, where phones were locked in secure pouches to keep new music under wraps and ensure everyone stayed present. Few words, all vibes.

🤝 Get in the Room

Private investing for (almost) everyone*

We are a curated network of exceptional angels, VCs, family offices, founders, and industry experts investing in pre-IPO companies. We back sharp operators and high-leverage deals. We move fast. We bring value. We don’t miss around the edges. Deals don’t wait. Neither do we.

*Vibes and values must be aligned. Must be an "accredited investor."