Rob Vickery

The most impactful technology augments human capability. Take assembly line work as an example: Robots enhance speed and precision but still require human oversight. This dynamic mirrors our evolving relationship with AI, especially within the service-as-software paradigm shift. As Jaya and I wrote in our recent blog post, AI's evolution from a basic tool into an autonomous agent isn't about replacing jobs. It's about reshaping them. This shift is part of a $4.6 trillion opportunity where AI not only boosts efficiency but also creates new roles, blending tech with human insights. AI doesn’t just replace—it reinvents how we work, creating more value than ever.

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Well of course manufacturing companies are gaining in value as AI powers the next industrial revolution. Technological advances are always worth more when they enhance existing equipment and infrastructure because the costs of and hurdles to widespread adaptation are lower, while the speed to market penetration and scale is much higher. AI is rapidly emerging in so many forms and applications that virtually every company is finding ways to leverage it to improve performance. Companies with existing assets - such as manufacturing and other industrial concerns - simply have more to leverage, and thus more runway for improved financial performance. The upshot? "The unfolding spending boom means high valuations for industrial firms are less of a risk than usual." National Association of Manufacturers - NAM OpenAI xAI Council of Industry U.S. Chamber of Commerce NVIDIA Google ChatGPT #ai #manufacturing #americanmanufacturing #tech #technology #israelitech #valuations #infrastructure #economy #investmentbanking

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It's a mistake to assume that a seller has bought in to your desire to acquire their small to mid-sized business. An early Letter of Intent (LOI) can counterintuitively help sort this out. 1. The LOI is a 𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘄𝗮𝘆 to exclusive negotiations and due diligence. Without it, time and money are at risk. 2. It tests the level of 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 on the part of the seller. 3. It keeps the 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺 going. 4. When the seller realizes your LOI reflects your intent and can make or break the deal, it helps them treat you respectfully as a person who is able to close. 5. It gives the seller time to think through and get past issues of 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲. Ways to test for 'buy-in': - How long does it take for them to respond to your questions? - Are their responses thoughtful and complete, or guarded and partial? - Do they have key documents ready, or are they holding back? - Are they inviting you to spend time on Zoom with the team, or are they holding them back? - Are they seeking your feedback on the running of the organization? - How eager is their tone of voice during negotiation? - Are they represented by a broker or professional? - Are they familiar with the terms of the LOI? - Have they started talking about life after the sale? - Do they want to talk only on the phone or have a sequence of in-person meetings? Sometimes, the best thing to do is to ask.

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Introducing Stephan Little, a pioneer in entrepreneurship, investment, and mergers and acquisitions, who will be joining the AI Panel at the California Investment Forum in Anaheim, CA, on May 8-11. Steve's journey as a serial entrepreneur began at a young age, and he has since scaled six startups to private nine-figure acquisitions and raised over $2 billion in startup and growth funding for businesses across various industries. As the founder and managing director of Zero Limits Ventures and Zero Limits Capital, Steve has become renowned for generating accelerated value growth and delivering extraordinary acquisition value multiples for his portfolio companies and clients. With a keen eye for unique opportunities and a track record of identifying untapped potential, Steve has mastered the art of spotting valuation growth where others may not. In this introduction video, Steve highlighted the transformative power of AI in three distinct areas. Firstly, he touched on the creation and development of AI and generative tools, which are reshaping industries. Secondly, he delved into AI's practical applications within enterprises, emphasizing how integrating AI can dramatically enhance productivity and growth, ultimately increasing value for entrepreneurs. The third area Steve discussed was the middle ground of AI implementation, which presents an exciting opportunity for companies lacking in-house expertise. This gap in the market suggests a burgeoning demand for external AI knowledge and solutions, which can rapidly propel a company forward. AI is accelerating at an extraordinary pace and significantly impacting market dynamics. As an "older statesman" in the tech world, Steve expressed his excitement about being part of this "big bubble" of innovation. Join us at the California Investment Forum to hear Steve's insights and expertise on AI deployment, bridging the gap between generic AI models and task-specific enterprise applications. Learn how we can harness the power of AI to drive competitiveness, efficiency, and growth, improve productivity, and enhance business values in the next decade. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from one of the industry's most respected visionaries and game-changers. #AI #CIF Daniel Sieu Darlene Bryant (Chiu)

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Where-to-Play: More Than Just Diversification? Roger Martin explores the strategic nuances of "Where-to-Play" (WTP) in this Playing to Win/Practitioner Insights piece. He challenges two prevalent views: - WTP as pure diversification: Exciting but potentially unfocused. - WTP as preordained: Limiting and reactive. Instead, Martin proposes a nuanced approach that leverages WTP for long-term advantage. * What are your experiences with WTP? * How can we move beyond the extremes and use WTP strategically? #strategy #business #playingtowin #rogermartin https://lnkd.in/dFv8imKP

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Excellent analysis by CB Insights. Excellent-er summary by Panagiotis Kriaris. So much potential. So many opportunities. So little time. Gen AI, can you please clone me? I want to be in so many places at the same time this AI decade. 😎 #AIDecade #InvestorDecade

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Find errors with SUMPRODUCT 👇 Here's the formula: =SUMPRODUCT(--iserror([range])) Note: In the video I incorrectly say "double negative 🙃," but Matthew Herbert of BizTrix pointed out that "the double minus is an operator, not negation. The double minus is the unary operator and it explicitly converts logical values into numbers (true converts to 1 and false converts to 0). ISERROR returns a logical value. This is why SUM(ISERROR(range)) or SUMPRODUCT(ISERROR(range)) returns 0 but placing the unary operator in front of ISERROR returns >0 when there is an error." Even as an experienced user and instructor there's always something new to learn! ~~~ 👋 Hey, I'm Chris Reilly, and I teach Financial Modeling based on real Private Equity and FP&A experience. 𝘱.𝘴. please ♻️ share this with your network if you found it helpful, thanks!

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Don't you just love it when you come across an article that corroborates your particular perspective? I just read this article (https://lnkd.in/gimYNgfp.) by Keith Elphick of Airline Hydraulics Corporation and found myself in full agreement with so many of his observations and conclusions. "There’s no denying the economic attractiveness of factory automation. As robot prices decrease and computing power and networking technologies advance, manufacturers increasingly turn to automation to enhance productivity and reduce expenses. The result significantly boosts productivity and efficiency in modern digital-first factories." "The decline in US factory jobs is a complex issue influenced by various factors beyond automation. Globalization, trade policies, and evolving consumer demands have significantly impacted the manufacturing landscape. A comprehensive, forward-thinking approach that includes investment in education and worker support initiatives can help address this issue, ensuring a resilient workforce ready to face the future." Very accurate. #automation #manufacturing #manufacturingjobs #manufacturingpolicy #americanmanufacturing #production #robotics #manufacturingtech #factory #modernmanufacturing #digitalmanufacturing

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"Most of what EtA search is about has to be experienced through trial and error and just practice. You can’t really learn it, you just have to experience it and like any entrepreneurial venture: experiment, practice and pivot." It can be hard to measure/anticipate ROI from any single activity in search... but I've found that action leads to action, and a step in any direction is better than none at all. Jim Stein Sharpe has some other great insights in this blog post: https://lnkd.in/e2WyJJwh #EtA #searchfunds #entrepreneurship #smb

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A lot of conversation around #AI could feel repetitive, but luckily for us, MIT Sloan Management Review has recently delivered us brand new research and insights into how to effectively utilize #generativeAI: including how to optimize performance and productivity with AI, and importantly, how to set reasonable #sustainability goals and build discovery groups to promote #diversity in the workplace! The article goes a lot more in-depth than my short post could do justice — including lists of upcoming trends and technological shifts to be mindful of in 2024, as well as a webinar series by MIT Sloan lecturer George Westerman that aims to demystify and contextualize the role of AI in near-future. Definitely give this a read when you have some time. I’ve been arguing that ultimately, AI is a tool not unlike a calculator — new technology will feel less scary and disruptive once we have had time to fully understand it. These reports prove my point, and even just one full year into the big AI boom, we have a model of #ethical and #sustainable rules to set as a precedent for the future. How do you feel about this? If you have had time to read the full article, do you have any new takeaways?

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Mastering LangChain: Part 1 - Introduction to LangChain and Its Key Components https://lnkd.in/eRWcMnaA #ai #llm

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If you're a startup, inbound from VCs should be seen as an opportunity to build leverage for your GTM. For example, FTV Capital tracks 20k companies a year and speaks with ~5k, resulting in around 8 investments/yr from ‘21-’23. That's a ton of connections! Ultimately, this matters because you want a warm intro from the VC in order to arrange a top-to-top call between a very small selection of your C-Suite and a prospect's. Partners on company boards are typically best positioned to provide such an intro, but partners are rarely outbounding. Who is regularly leveling with CXOs in the portfolio and outbounding? Firms vary(!), but often VPs and typically Principals. Principals are usually seen as being on the path to Partner and have more influence, but VPs should not be overlooked. They’re essentially super-niche project managers who manage sourcing, due diligence, and portfolio support. Due to the nature of their jobs, they’re also engaged with a much broader set of companies who they view as investment prospects OR who they’ve built a rapport with but did not invest in. Things can get complicated here, but if your company receives inbound from a VP or Principal you should view it as an opportunity to receive a prospect intro. But what to do? (1) Determine whether your Co-Founder(s) or another designated team member should take the call (If you’ve done your homework, this should be an easy choice.) (2) Schedule a call to pitch, include 1-2 companies from their portfolio who fit your ICP. (3) Manage questions without over-sharing. (4) Ask *them* what next steps they’d like to take. If they say, “I’m going to bring this back to my partners…” OR "Let's check in in a couple quarters" it’s unlikely you’ll receive any prospect intro. If they say, “Let’s get (Your Co-Founder) and (My Partner) on the phone by (This Date)” OR “This seems like a great fit for (X Company). Let me talk to (X Company Co-Founder) and email you by (date within 2 weeks) if relevant,” you have a chance. This is only one part of the broader VC GTM. but have a system in place for handling this kind of inbound. These folks are often hustlers with influence, and treating them with conscientiousness and integrity can go a long way. #vc #pe #gtm #partnerships #fintech #saas

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Thank you Severin Borenstein for sharing this insightful analysis of California's Income-Graduated Fixed Charge (IGFC) for electricity customers. It’s encouraging to see data-driven evaluations highlighting the nuances of the new rate design. The IGFC seems to be a balanced approach, aiming to reduce volumetric rates while introducing a fixed charge that scales based on income. It's notable that while the fixed charge might appear significant, it is designed to be offset by reduced per-kilowatt-hour costs, ultimately aiming for revenue neutrality. Critics' concerns about increased bills are understandable, but the analysis suggests that the impact will vary, primarily benefiting those in hotter climates and higher consumption brackets. The approach to support low-income customers through lower fixed charges is commendable, showing a clear intention to protect vulnerable households. It’s interesting to see that the debate also touches on fairness in cost distribution. Transitioning to this model may present challenges, especially given the varied energy consumption patterns across different demographics and climate zones. However, the data indicates that most CARE customers will benefit, and the overall financial impact on non-CARE customers will be relatively modest. Ultimately, this reform reflects a step towards making electricity costs more equitable and manageable, particularly in the context of broader goals like electrification and climate change mitigation. Continued analysis and adjustments will be crucial to refine this model and ensure it meets the needs of all Californians effectively. Looking forward to further developments and discussions on this topic. Thank you for your comprehensive analysis!

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Having a Cars and Capital event tomorrow in Southern California with Oren Klaff. If you want to join message me. https://lnkd.in/gDQ4D39u Oren Klaff Bridger Pennington #InvestorEvent #FamilyOffice #InvestmentOpportunity #CarlsbadEvent #PrivateEquity #WealthManagement #InvestmentConference #CapitalRaising #NetworkingEvent #IndustryLeaders #FinancialGrowth #InvestorsMeetup #WealthBuilding #BusinessGrowth #InvestmentForum

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There is so much that is so damn impressive about Nominal's execution. The team identified a truly needed product in the world. More than that... They serve their customers. Sometimes Nominal is saving days of work for an engineer detangling the performance of new hardware in an autonomous fixed wing drone. Other times, helping implement a transformational change for engineering orgs, delivering iteration speed from simulation to range to unlock an RFP goal and contract win. They are building dual use -- powering the best of commercial and public sector teams. Whether a government contractor delivering on a $12b contract. A scaled public company, integrating AI into your roadmap on to your existing HW platform. A startup which is willing a first product into existence. Nominal is there for all the dual use hardware builders who live real time, live in physical world time. The real world runs real time. The real world runs Nominal and so excited to be on the journey. Also, hiring, https://www.nominal.io/, kind of a lot. If you are awesome, they want to talk to you.

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How much does it cost to build the first factory? History shows its a wide range and depends on the type of manufacturing. Across these 13 facilities that recently came online, publically released information shows an average forecasted cost per square foot of $540 and an average facility cost of $100M. Help your fellow factory builders plan better and share how much your factory will cost! https://lnkd.in/dSUcdyEZ See the interactive chart here - https://lnkd.in/eZqzVvkA Ted Wiley, Chris Dougher, Sean Hunt, Mark Rohan, Darby Dunn, Douglas Hardesty, Matt McCall, David Eaglesham, Kevin Kassekert, Rick Tewell, Mateo Jaramillo, Nelson Mora, Chris Lillywhite, Jeff Rosen, Tim Latimer Lyten meati™ MycoWorks Machina Labs CelLink Corporation Terabase Energy Ascend Elements VulcanForms Inc. Monolith LanzaJet Solugen Fervo Energy

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I highly recommend this to board directors. There are a lot of experts preaching a range of board oversight standards with AI and some have said to ramp up Quantum acumen. There is also use experimentations exploding which is creating pilot purgatory. The challenge will only increase. Steady attention and adaptation is the new normal for navigating this exciting era of AGI tools and business system design and operations.

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