Boston Dynamics’ Atlas shows off autonomous skills

Top News

• Atlas humanoid executes automotive parts picking: Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot is making big strides in autonomy. In a recent video, Atlas demonstrated impressive precision by moving engine parts and adapting to its environment—all without any pre-set instructions or remote control. This advancement, combined with a new partnership with Toyota Research Institute, signals Boston Dynamics’ push to bring Atlas into automotive factories, showcasing the potential for smarter, more adaptable robots in industrial settings.

• AI biotech startup emerges from stealth: Archon Biosciences has launched with $20M in seed funding to develop AI-driven protein “cages” that could amplify antibody treatments and streamline drug development. As the first startup spun out of the University of Washington's Baker Lab, founded by Nobel laureate David Baker, Archon aims to improve antibody effectiveness by clustering them in dodecahedral structures, enhancing their binding potential. With backing led by Madrona Ventures, we’ll be interested to see what kind of biomolecules Archon can build with their fresh funding.

• Coinbase Turns Q3 Profit on Surging Trading Volume: Coinbase reported a profitable third quarter, driven by strong trading volumes that more than doubled to $185 billion, pushing transaction revenue to $572.5 million. The company’s total revenue rose to $1.21 billion, benefiting from increased interest in crypto as regulatory clarity advances. With 2024 elections on the horizon, CEO Brian Armstrong noted growing political support for crypto, further positioning Coinbase within mainstream finance.

TWiST500: News from Circle

Today we bring you news from a TWiST500 company. Circle, the company behind the stablecoin USDC, is focused on bringing digital currency to mainstream finance. You may also remember Circle from E2004 when Alex sat down with Jeremy Allaire to discuss all things stablecoin.

Now, the startup is back in the spotlight this week after upping its fees again. For USDC redemptions over $2 million, near-instant cash-outs now come with a starting fee of 0.03%, climbing to 0.1% for large sums above $15 million. This move, Circle says, is about keeping instant liquidity available worldwide, though users can still redeem for free if they’re willing to wait up to two days. With rising fees, some clients are wary of USDC’s appeal, especially as Tether’s USDT dominates the stablecoin market. Meanwhile, Circle is pressing on with its plans to go public, despite an earlier attempt that didn’t go through.

If Circle does go public, it could bring well-deserved attention to the TWiST500 — just more proof that Alex knows how to spot companies gearing up for big moves.

— Erika and Maddie

A message from Squarespace

Turn your idea into a new website! Go to https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

This Week in Startups

E2035: Alex interviews Linda Gray about Mastertech.ai, exploring its impact on the auto repair industry and its benefits for technological adoption. They dive into AI-driven diagnostics, OEM approval process, and the role of AI in anomaly detection. Plus, a demo of Mastertech.ai’s diagnostics shows the potential of AI to revolutionize repair workflows. Later, Lior Gavish joins to explore data observability and AI's role in accelerating Monte Carlo's growth and strategy.

E2034: Jason and Alex kick off Live News by discussing earnings week predictions and the national debt. Mattias Scheek (founder of Mayht) joins to talk about his journey in audio tech, the Sonos acquisition, and challenges for hardware startups. They also cover election security, YouTube monetization, Google's new AI model, and Apple’s app permissions approach.

E2033: Alex talks with Shensi Ding from Merge, who shares her transition from finance to tech and highlights the critical role of integrations in modern businesses. They explore the challenges of building and maintaining these integrations, emphasizing the importance of standardized data models. The conversation covers trust-building, enhancing integration observability, and expanding Merge's offerings to include AI applications. They also touch on financial efficiency, growth strategies, and Merge's evolution beyond APIs, concluding with insights into future plans and potential acquisition interest.

TWiST Partner Offers

• Vanta: Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at https://www.vanta.com/twist

• Coda: Coda empowers your startup by bringing words, tables, and teams together. Strategize, plan, and track goals effectively with all your valuable data in one place. Go to https://www.coda.io/twist to get started for FREE and get 6 free months of the Team plan..

• Kalshi: Kalshi—the largest regulated predictions market—now lets you trade on US elections. Visit kalshi.com/twist to see live odds, trade, and get $20 when you deposit $100.

LAUNCH Cloud Kitchens Incubator

Applications are open for Cohort 2 of the LAUNCH CloudKitchens Incubator (LiCK). We're looking for food entrepreneurs who wish to expand into the ghost kitchen space or tech founders with a team and a great idea. The application and more information can be found at https://ck.launch.co/.

The TWiST500 newsletter is the new, updated, and improved TWiST Ticker.