STARTUP X
The F42 brief #022
Here’s your Monday dose of The F42 Brief.
What’s inside »
📈 Trending Now
The one thing that’s making all the noise …. with a bit of fact checking.
💸 New Funds looking to give you cash
Who has launched a new fund to invest in startups last week.
💡Innovator Spotlight
Founders that are doing stuff differently.
🛠️ Tool of the Week
Something useful to up your startups velocity.
📌 Note to Self
Stuff I constantly remind myself about, don’t want make the same mistakes again.
📈 Trending Now
Elon Musk’s xAI Unveils Grok 3 – “The Most Intelligent AI on the Planet”
Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, has just launched its latest flagship model, Grok 3, and it’s making waves. Released on 18 February 2025, Musk himself is calling it “the most intelligent AI on the planet.”
What’s New with Grok 3?
This latest version comes with some serious upgrades:
Powerful Processing – Trained on a whopping 200,000 GPUs, giving it 10x more processing power than Grok 2.
Smarter Thinking – Improved reasoning and autonomy, making it far more capable.
Outperforms Rivals – Beats competitors in maths, science, and coding tests.
New Features – Includes “Think” and “Big Brain” buttons for different levels of processing.
DeepSearch – A new function that scans the internet and X (Twitter) for deeper insights.
Who Can Access It?
Grok 3 is rolling out in stages:
First access goes to X’s Premium+ subscribers.
Coming soon to the Grok app and Grok.com via “SuperGrok.”
Standalone versions for macOS and Windows are in development.
Android users can pre-register now.
How Does It Stack Up?
With this release, xAI is pushing harder to outshine OpenAI and China’s DeepSeek. Early benchmarks suggest Grok 3 is delivering impressive academic and real-world performance, putting it firmly in the race against the biggest AI players.
Personally, I think Grok 3 takes Musk’s "woke virus" rhetoric too far. It’s less sharp wit, more playground banter—aggressive rather than intelligent. AI humour should be clever, not crude. If xAI wants Grok to be taken seriously, it should focus on its intelligence, not cheap digs.
Grok's Voice Ara expresses her thoughts on OpenAI:
(Don’t listen if are easily offended. 18+)
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💡Innovator Spotlight
The UK government has launched an ambitious "Future of Flight" action plan aiming to integrate advanced aerial technologies, such as flying taxis and drones, into daily life by 2030.
This initiative outlines several key milestones:
2026: First piloted flying taxi flight.
2027: Regular drone delivery services commence.
2028: Routine flying taxi services become operational.
2030: Demonstrations of autonomous, pilotless flying taxis.
Studies estimate that the Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) market could contribute up to £45 billion to the UK economy by 2030, provided the technology is widely adopted.
While the plan is forward-thinking, experts highlight challenges such as infrastructure development and public acceptance. The cost of these services is also a factor, with estimates ranging from €35 to €140 for a 65-kilometre journey; however, prices are expected to decrease as the technology matures.
This initiative signifies a significant shift in urban transportation, positioning the UK as a leader in sustainable aviation and innovative mobility solutions.
UK Future-of-flight-action-plan
Other countries with UAS ambitions.
United Arab Emirates: The UAE is mapping air corridors for air taxis and cargo drones, aiming to have operational services by 2026. Dubai has begun constructing vertiports, with the first near Dubai International Airport. Companies like Joby Aviation have signed agreements to launch air taxi services in the Emirate by early 2026.
United States: Port San Antonio in Texas is positioning itself as a hub for electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles (eVTOLs). Plans include constructing a vertiport and establishing regional air routes, with companies like Lilium and Joby Aviation aiming to launch eVTOL operations in Texas by 2026.
China: The nation is ambitiously planning to introduce up to 100,000 electric air taxis and personal flying vehicles over its cities by 2030. This initiative aims to revolutionize urban transportation, serving as taxis, delivery vans, and family vehicles.
Japan: In preparation for the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, Japan plans to orchestrate nearly 30,000 eVTOL air taxi flights. Companies like SkyDrive are developing air mobility solutions, with the government supporting infrastructure development to facilitate this new mode of urban transport.
France: Paris is set to showcase eVTOL air taxi flights during the 2024 Olympic Games. Groupe ADP is constructing multiple vertiport locations in the city, aiming to integrate flying taxis into the urban landscape and reduce congestion.
Germany: Companies like Volocopter and Lilium are at the forefront of developing eVTOL aircraft. Volocopter plans to introduce air taxi services in Singapore within the next few years, while Lilium is developing jets capable of regional air mobility, with plans for operations in multiple countries by 2030.
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🛠️ Tools of the Week.
After having a quick look at Proxy by Convergence.ai, it appears to be an AI-powered digital assistant designed to automate various tasks through simple conversational commands. Users have praised its efficiency in handling repetitive activities, freeing up time for more critical work. For instance, one user noted its quick performance and convenience in setting up automations for administrative tasks.
A review by TechRadar highlights Proxy's practical utility, mentioning that while it may not always be faster than manual completion, it effectively manages tasks without requiring user intervention—a significant benefit for busy individuals.
Proxy seems to be a valuable tool for those seeking to automate routine tasks and enhance productivity. Its user-friendly interface and positive feedback suggest it's worth considering for individuals and businesses aiming to streamline their workflows.
For a visual overview and more insights into Proxy's capabilities, you might find this video helpful:
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📌 Note to Self
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Derek
This was a great read! With 200,000 GPUs powering it, do you think Grok 3 is truly a game changer or is it just catching up to competitors like OpenAI and DeepSeek?