Welcome back to your daily memorandum talking tech, business, AI, markets, and more. 🗞️

In today’s edition, we are tackling the following:

🤖 Koah raises $5M to embed advertising inside AI-powered applications globally.
📡 Microsoft reroutes Azure traffic after Red Sea cable failures disrupt connectivity.
💰 Two winners split $1.8B Powerball prize, the second-largest in U.S. history.
🚨 Russia launchesthe largest air attack on Ukraine, killing civilians in Kyiv.
🦾 Humanoid robots enter warehouses and factories as AI breakthroughs accelerate.

TECHNOLOGY

• Koah raises $5 M to bring ads into AI apps

  • Koah secured a $5 million seed round, aiming to embed advertising monetization into AI-powered applications globally.

  • Co-founder Nic Baird argues ads will be the scalable path for AI apps beyond wealthy prosumer markets.

  • Koah focuses on the ‘long tail’ of apps built on major AI models, not targeting giants like OpenAI directly.

• This robot lawnmower is designed to pick fruit and throw your dog a ball

  • At IFA 2025, NexLawn debuted the Master X Series robomower concept equipped with a fully functional, extendable robotic arm.

  • The meter-long arm supports interchangeable trimmer and edging attachments for tasks ranging from debris removal to fruit picking.

  • The prototype can even play fetch with pets, although there’s no release date or pricing yet for consumers.

• This stand can automatically lift, tilt, and turn your laptop toward you

  • Lenovo’s Smart Motion Concept stands at IFA 2025, can track your face and reposition laptops to ergonomic eye level.

  • It includes built-in cooling fans, a USB hub, and can be controlled with gestures or Lenovo’s experimental AI Ring.

  • The stand builds on the earlier Auto Twist concept, aiming to enhance accessibility across broader user needs.

BUSINESS

• ASML becomes Mistral AI’s top shareholder

  • ASML invested €1.3 billion in Mistral’s €1.7 billion Series C round, becoming the startup’s largest shareholder.

  • The deal values Mistral at €10 billion, making it Europe’s most valuable AI company.

  • ASML will likely gain a board seat, pairing AI startup capabilities with EUV chipmaking expertise.

• Microsoft says Azure cloud service disrupted by fiber cuts in the Red Sea

  • Multiple undersea cable failures in the Red Sea are causing higher latency for Azure users in Asia and the Middle East.

  • Microsoft has rerouted traffic via alternate paths but warns users previously relying on Middle East cables may still experience delays.

  • The incident highlights the vulnerabilities of global digital infrastructure dependent on undersea connectivity.

• Two Players to Split $1.8 Billion Powerball Jackpot, the Second-Largest Prize in U.S. Lottery History

  • Two tickets—sold in Texas and Missouri—split the $1.787 billion Powerball prize, ending a three-month jackpot drought.

  • Winners can choose a $410 million lump sum or nearly $893 million annuity over 29 years before tax.

  • The win followed 42 consecutive draws without a jackpot winner and occurred amidst broader concerns about long-term lottery management.

MARKETS

WORLD

• Russia launches largest air attack on Ukraine, strikes government targets

  • Russia used over 800 drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles to hit Kyiv government buildings and civilian zones.

  • Four civilians, including an infant, were killed, and dozens more were injured, while Ukraine’s air defenses intercepted most threats.

  • Ukrainian officials condemned the assault as Putin’s disdain for peace talks, calling for greater international pressure on Moscow.

• Israeli military warns Gaza City residents to leave and bombs a high-rise tower

  • The Israeli military ordered Gaza City residents to evacuate to southern humanitarian zones before striking a high-rise tower.

  • Predicted to house Hamas operatives, the building also sheltered civilians; at least 23 people were killed across Gaza.

  • Israel now controls about 75 percent of the Gaza Strip, escalating concerns over mass displacement and civilian casualties.

• How wealth tax became a battleground in Norway’s election

  • Norway’s wealth tax has sparked fierce debate ahead of elections, dividing the public between fairness and economic fears.

  • Labour’s Stoltenberg proposes a cross-party review, while opposition pledges to scrap or slash the tax amid a billionaire exodus.

  • Critics claim the tax deters investment and drives capital abroad, despite economists’ warnings that the economic damage remains limited.

CONTENT

• How Airbnb Scaled from 3 Guests to 2 Billion 

  • Nathan Blecharczyk recalls Airbnb’s early cereal-box funding stunt and moments he realized the idea could truly scale.

  • He shares challenges of co-founding with friends, managing crises, and turning near-failures into long-term opportunities.

  • Blecharczyk explains lessons on resilience, fear of failure, and how constant reinvention fueled Airbnb’s exponential global growth.

• How AI is reshaping the product role

  • Oji and Ezinne Udezue discuss product management’s evolution, stressing curiosity, humility, and agency as critical skills today.

  • They describe frameworks like “shipyard” and ‘sharp problems’ for leading effective AI-driven product development teams.

  • Conversation highlights why engineers move faster with AI, leaving product managers as bottlenecks in shipping innovation.

• Why venture capitalists are suddenly terrified of AI

  • Kevin Rose shares how AI advancements unsettle venture capital, threatening startup economics and traditional investor models.

  • He and Tim Ferriss explore AI’s disruptive role alongside personal topics like sobriety, health, and daily habits.

  • The episode underscores rising VC fear that AI platforms could dominate markets, leaving little room for startups.

FUTURISM

• Humanoid Robots Were a Sci-Fi Dream. Suddenly, They’re Everywhere.

  • Humanoid robots are increasingly entering warehouses and factories thanks to AI breakthroughs, improved mobility, and investments.

  • Agility Robotics’ bots are deployed in logistics, while Meta, Amazon, Google, and startups invest heavily in humanoid research.

  • Despite progress, robots still require teleoperation, lack dexterity and autonomy, and raise efficiency and safety concerns.

• Google finally details Gemini usage limits

  • Free Gemini 2.5 Pro users now receive 5 prompts, 5 Deep Research reports, and 100 image generations daily.

  • AI Pro subscribers gain 100 prompts and 1,000 images, while AI Ultra permits 500 prompts and 1,000 images.

  • The update clarifies daily caps, increasing transparency and helping users manage expectations across Gemini’s subscription tiers.

• Why Language Models Hallucinate

  • OpenAI researchers argue that hallucinations stem from training procedures that reward confident guesses over admitting uncertainty.

  • Standard evaluations encourage plausible outputs even when models lack facts, amplifying false statements presented with confidence.

  • Researchers propose new approaches emphasizing uncertainty calibration, retrieval integration, and training adjustments.

• The end of overpriced software

  • AppSumo is where entrepreneurs save big on the software they actually need to grow.

  • Lifetime deals mean you pay once and own it forever—no endless subscriptions since 2010.

  • Get 10% off and enjoy a 60-day money-back guarantee, making every deal completely risk-free.

EXTRAS

• Ross Ulbricht Reemerges as Crypto Celebrity After Trump Pardon

  • Ross Ulbricht, Silk Road’s founder, received a presidential pardon and has re-emerged in the cryptocurrency spotlight.

  • He remains unapologetic, admitting Silk Road contributed to addiction but not expressing remorse, saying addiction weighs heavily.

  • His return sparks heated debate across the crypto world about redemption, legacy, and public memory of dark web infamy.

• Larry Ellison Is Spending Billions to Reshape Oxford and His Own Legacy

  • Oracle’s Larry Ellison is plowing billions into Oxford University projects, enhancing infrastructure and academic prestige on campus.

  • His investments include modern facilities and philanthropic endeavors intended to leave a lasting cultural and educational legacy.

  • Ellison even attempted to acquire the historic Eagle and Child pub, signaling ambition and personal imprint on Oxford’s heritage.

• Hyundai’s eVTOL Startup Supernal Pauses Work Following CEO and CTO Departures

  • Supernal, Hyundai’s electric air-taxi venture, paused its eVTOL development after the sudden exits of its CEO and CTO.

  • The company also laid off approximately 5 percent of its staff and relocated its global headquarters to California recently.

  • These disruptions cast doubt on its planned 2028 launch timeline for a commercial five-seat air-taxi service and future progress.

AND MORE

• Stellantis to recall nearly 92,000 U.S. vehicles over drive-power loss issue.

• Surfer dies from shark bite at a Sydney beach—the first such incident in years.

• 160k+ readers from Google, TikTok, OpenAI, and Deel love Open Source CEO deep dive business content.*

• Greece announces wide new income tax breaks to ease cost-of-living pressure.

• U.S. launches ‘Patriot 2.0’ immigration sweep in Massachusetts targeting criminal aliens.

• U.S. yet to approve any aid after devastating Afghanistan earthquake, sources say.