Y Combinator’s latest Demo Day featured a distinctive group of startups, with a noticeable shift toward deep technology compared to previous cohorts. Early-stage venture capitalists highlighted nine startups that stood out for their innovative solutions and potential impact.
Atomarine is developing nuclear-powered data centers on floating barges, aiming to address power shortages and local opposition to land-based facilities. Utilizing seawater for cooling, the company plans a gas-powered pilot by 2028 and a transition to nuclear-powered ships by 2032. It has reportedly secured over $4 billion in customer interest.
Dipole Labs focuses on improving data center efficiency by creating optical networking hardware that eliminates the energy-intensive conversion between light and electricity. This technology targets AI data centers where GPU clusters often waste time waiting for data transfer.
Isengard produces jet-powered strike and counter-drones domestically within allied countries, offering a cost-effective alternative to traditional defense contractors. Founded by a former Australian Army officer and a defense entrepreneur, it has generated $10 million in revenue and attracted significant investor attention.
Lamb Labs is developing custom inference chips with AI model weights hardcoded into silicon, aiming to reduce energy consumption during AI inference by eliminating memory bandwidth bottlenecks.
Another startup collects real-world video data of humans performing tasks to train robots, collaborating with publicly traded companies and capturing data across diverse environments. This approach supports businesses in determining which tasks are best suited for automation.
Nori offers an affordable humanoid robot designed to assist with household chores like cleaning and folding clothes. Priced around $1,600, it presents a more accessible option compared to other humanoid robots on the market.
One company is building autonomous robots capable of heavy lifting, currently installing solar panels across the U.S. with $25 million in contracts through 2027. Their long-term vision includes automating construction for Mars colonization, aiming for an exploratory mission by 2028.
Parasma explores using human brain cells to power computing, seeking a more energy-efficient alternative to traditional AI hardware.
Waddle Labs provides an API that enables developers to control robots through natural language commands. By leveraging large language models to generate and verify robot control code, it aims to simplify programming and accelerate robotics development.
This cohort’s focus on deep tech reflects growing investor interest in foundational technologies addressing energy efficiency, automation, and advanced computing. Their innovations could influence multiple industries, from data centers and defense to robotics and space exploration.