DDIntel - Brain Inspired Computing, Riding the FemTech Wave, and Sorry Rich Guys

The human mind has inspired computing since its origins. But it wasn’t until the 1990s, and really the 2010s, that neural networks became powerful enough to process increasing amounts of data using increasingly powerful machines.

The rise of graphics cards, primarily developed for gaming, coincidently allowed the flourishing of machine learning, since GPUs can easily calculate matrix multiplications. Progress has been made on AI specific chips, moving beyond GPUs to neuromorphic chips.

Google has been working on Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) internally since 2015 and externally since 2018. If that wasn’t enough, Google announced in 2020 that they could use deep reinforcement learning to improve on chip design itself. In 2021, Tesla announced the D1 Dojo Chip, a card designed for self driving by neural network.

All this progress is leading some to wonder if neuromorphic chips will allow Moore’s Law to continue well into the 21st century. For more info about neuromorphic engineering and spintronic synapses, we recommend Ayon Datta’s article on the topic, Brain-inspired computing.

All the while progress has been made on many technological fronts including FemTech, a term coined in 2013 to describe companies focused on addressing women’s biological needs. In 2019, VC backing for FemTech startups was only ~$600 million, compared to the ~$500 billion in annual medical care for women, indicating a huge potential for growth.

Check out Dmytro Spilka’s article on the rise of FemTech and how investors can Ride the FemTech Wave.

Finally, in Sorry, Greedy Rich Guys, entrepreneur Cynthia Wylie argues that inflation can in fact be reduced by increasing taxes, contrary to Jeff Bezos’ assertions to the otherwise. Software PM Nate Meharg explains How to Prevent Buyer’s Remorse, Tavian Jean-Pierre How Adversity Shapes Our Best Entrepreneurs, and Sepehr How To Start Day Trading Rationally with Free Resources.

If you are a tech founder or entrepreneur, you may be interested to check out DDI Founder’s Network, where entrepreneurs, mentors, and investors(fund managers) turn intellectual sparks into tangible processes and results. If you have an idea that needs access to funding, we would like to have a chat with you. If you have a proven record of growing a business and are ready for your next series, the DDI Founder’s Network might just be the place for you.

Bonus Material: Oakley the sports equipment and eye-ware company is getting into gaming. And if you want to run the math on what it takes to make $1 million in 10 years, read data scientist Zain Ahmed’s calculations.

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This article is not for the faint of heart. It is quite technical; nevertheless, it is educational. Author Ayon Datta describes himself as passionate about neural networks, bioinformatics, cognitive science, neuromorphic chips, spintronic synapses, magnetic tunnel junctions and Nano-oscillators. He recently created his blog. Show some support by following him here.

In Riding the Femtech Wave, Dmytro Spilka makes the case for Progyny, a public company with focus on Women’s health. However, the article also covers the rise of Femtech and why it might just be a fast growing industry with high potential for profits.

Cynthia Wylie makes the case that inflation could be reduced by increasing taxes. Her argument is that the main variable for inflation is actually the national debt level, which can be decreased by raising taxes. Before you dismiss this with Laffer style thinking, we invite you to check this out, Sorry, Greedy Rich Guys.

Oakley, the company famous for it’s eyewear and sports equipment, recently announced a partnership with Envy Gaming, an esports company. Check out a deep dive on the announcement by author Rebecca Barnatt-Smith.

We are all too familiar with buyer’s remorse. You pay for one thing, and before you know it, you’ve got another! To avoid buyer’s remorse, software PM Nate Meharg suggests creating a whitespace, where you pause and think for a few days before buying. And don’t forget to factor in the total cost of ownership!

Adversity is a fact of life, and some of the best entrepreneurs are successful because of, not despite, adversity. From Lebron James to Gordon Ramsey, author Tavian Jean-Pierre explains why this is so. As Plato put it, “Necessity is the mother of invention.”

This title may be a bit subjective; author Zain Ahmed shows how to make a million dollars within a decade, i.e. what it would take. But this won’t exactly be a journey with “ease”. Nevertheless, for the financially curious and mathematically illiterate, this is what it actually takes to make a million dollars in a decade.

Day trading is one of those things that everyone would love to know how to do, yet most can’t. Statistically, less than 10% of traders are consistently profitable. But that’s not stopping you! So, if you do decide to dabble in the dark arts, we suggest you don’t go in blind, and start with a simple guide!