Swisscom Outpost Silicon Valley

How did AI Shaped Silicon Valley's 2024 Investment Landscape? We looked at the AI investments in Silicon Valley for pre-series rounds in 2024. We did a breakdown by business function. Here's where the money went: 1. AI Dominance: AI Agents led the charge with a staggering $1,644M in investments, primarily targeting Development ($429.5M) and End User applications ($388.9M). This underscores the growing reliance on AI to drive innovation and enhance user experiences. 2. Generative AI's Rise: With $635.7M invested, Generative AI is making significant strides, particularly in Development ($127.3M) and End User sectors ($297.1M). This highlights the increasing importance of AI in creating content and solutions tailored to user needs. 3. Sector-Specific Focus: Health Services ($86M) and IT Infrastructure ($114.3M) were notable beneficiaries, reflecting a strategic emphasis on sectors critical to societal well-being and technological backbone. 4. Quarterly Investment Patterns: The first quarter saw the highest investments in Development ($224.4M) and End User applications ($116.3M), indicating a strong start to the year with a focus on building foundational technologies and user-centric solutions. 5. Emerging Opportunities: Sectors like Transportation and Logistics ($60.2M) and Security and Safety ($48.3M) are gaining traction, suggesting a pivot towards enhancing operational efficiencies and safeguarding digital environments. As we move to 2025, these investment patterns will reveal a clear trajectory for AI integration across various sectors, driving both innovation and efficiency. The focus on foundational technologies and user-centric applications will likely continue to shape the future of Silicon Valley's investment landscape. Let us know if you want to see a breakdown of another technology. #VentureCapital #AI #Innovation #SiliconValley #InvestmentTrends2024

??CES 2025 - Day 3 Highlight Wrapped ?? SK Telecom’s AI Innovations in the Spotlight As part of our CES 2025 coverage, we’re turning our focus to SK Telecom's impressive showcase under the theme “Innovative AI, Sustainable Tomorrow.” SK Telecom’s booth is a hub of groundbreaking AI technologies aimed at transforming industries while paving the way for a sustainable future. Here are some standout innovations that caught our attention: 1?? AI Data Center Solutions (AIDC): SK Telecom introduced four cutting-edge solutions tailored for AI, energy, operation, and security. A striking LED pillar at the booth symbolizes the dynamic data flow of these systems. 2?? Aster (A):* Their global AI agent, set to launch in beta for North America this March, wowed attendees with live demos of its capabilities. 3?? AI-Powered Security: The award-winning ScamVanguard technology, recognized as a CES 2025 Best Innovation, impressed with its ability to combat mobile financial fraud. 4?? Core AI Innovations: Litmus Plus for crowd and network data analysis, X Caliber for veterinary diagnostics, AI Quantum Camera for applications in robotics, security, and media, GenAd for AI-driven advertising, and AI Media Studio for enhanced content processing. Just as in previous years, SK Telecom’s presence leaves us impressed. Their vision at CES aligns closely with the future of telecom, tech, and sustainability—a direction that inspires innovation across the whole industry. ?? Have you visited their booth or explored any of these technologies? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

?? CES 2025 - Day 2 Highlights Wrapped ?? Robo Vacuums,?Mobility, TVs & more 1?? Robotic Vacuums: An Odyssey of Innovation ?? Robotic vacuum manufacturers are in an intense experimentation phase, exploring what comes next for the industry. Some examples include: - Roborock Saros Z70: featuring a retractable arm and claw capable of identifying objects on the floor, grabbing them, and moving them aside. While innovative, its capabilities are limited (handles objects up to 300g, slow)—raising questions about practicality. - Some companies are testing vacuums with legs, capable of climbing small steps and navigating uneven surfaces. - The SwitchBot K20+ Pro stands out with its ability to carry a small table equipped with modular add-ons (e.g. security camera, air purifier) while performing specific tasks. The company practices open innovation by opening its platform for third parties to make their own accessories. - A detachable hand-held vacuum (eufy's Clean E20) offers manual cleaning, showing a versatile approach to design. The experimentation in robotic vacuums reminds us of developments around smart glasses, with their various configurations, showing that while the industry hasn’t yet found the next big breakthrough, the enthusiasm for innovation is strong. 2?? Mobility: A Shift in Focus ?? Compared to past CES events, the presence of German brands (e.g. Mercedes-Benz, VW,..) was notably reduced, while Asian brands (e.g. Zika, GWM) are more prominent. Drones were scarce, but the XPENG AeroHT, a small personal helicopter that fits into a car, caught attention. This “modular flying car” or “land aircraft carrier” hints at exciting possibilities for personal aerial mobility. Sony’s Afeela car finally revealed pricing after much anticipation: $90k. Reactions have been mixed, with some questioning the value at that price point. 3???TVs: Incremental Innovations ??? Big players showcased their latest advancements incl. more affordable devices, OLED panels and transparent TVs. There was little to suggest any groundbreaking or immediately practical innovations. 4???Meta’s Strategic Timing ?? Meta chose CES to announce a major policy change: dropping most fact-checkers and reducing censorship significantly. While the reactions have been polarized, it’s probably no coincidence that Meta aimed to leverage its CES presence to reassure advertisers and retain their business. 5?? What Was Missing? ?? Sometimes, it’s interesting to see what’s not there! Robots, apart from vacuums, were in short supply. There was minimal presence of humanoids (apart from e.g. Unitree Robotics / DEEP Robotics). We expected more. An exoskeleton success story stood out: A user recovering from a knee injury shared how a Kickstarter-funded device now allows them to walk several miles a day. This was a heartening example of technology moving from the show floor into real-world use. ?? What’s your take on the shifts in focus this year? Let’s debate in the comments!

?? CES 2025 – Day 1 Highlights Wrapped ?? Learn more about the Delta Sphere Keynote, Startups in Sports and Kitchen, Wearable Glasses and Rings, and Swiss Presence. 1?? The Delta Air Lines Keynote Experience ?? Delta, the second brand to use the Sphere for a keynote and concert, unveiled exciting announcements by CEO Ed Bastian, including new partnerships with YouTube, Viola Davis, NFL star Tom Brady for an exclusive in-flight series, Uber to expand Skymiles, Joby Aviation to make flying taxis a reality, and GenAI concierges for travel assistance. The immersive Sphere experience went beyond traditional IMAX, especially during Lenny Kravitz's closing concert. The dynamic colors and visuals complemented the performance, offering a glimpse of the future of entertainment. While there are rumors about potential Spheres in London or Singapore, these plans face significant challenges due to the venue's technological complexity. 2?? Startups: Sports and Kitchen ?? The sports space presented VR setups for golf (e.g. Uneekor, Inc.) and motorized devices for snow sports (e.g. Sternboard by SQ-Motors France). After the digitization of our living rooms, kitchen spaces seem to be the next frontier, with a fast variety of solutions for compact, smart appliances such as ovens, toasters or dishwashers (e.g. Daan Tech) 3?? Wearables ?? Rings as wearable tech are rising in popularity, with ōURA leading and others following. Swiss startup Senbiosys introduced its VELIA smart ring, a sleek alternative to smartwatches—ideal for those who want Swiss craftsmanship. Rings also offer benefits for sports activities and more reliable blood pressure monitoring than non-metallic wristbands. Smart glasses continue to be a trend. In addition to Meta, Halliday (a Chinese brand) impressed with its design. Their glasses integrate an almost invisible display and features like voice control and live translation. After testing them, we can confidently say they work well and look great! 4?? Swiss Startups ???? Switzerland was strongly represented at CES, with a prominent Swiss Tech Booth. We reconnected with Swistor, former Startup Challenge participant, now thriving in data centers, a strategic pivot that will remain a focus. We also caught up with Rimon Technologies, who collaborates with cablex AG, showcasing their knowledge management platform that uses wearable cameras to capture and share expertise in real-time. Among many exciting Swiss startups, the following stood out: - Wearin': Smart vests for blue-light organizations, used by police at the Paris Olympics 2024, with plans to expand to the U.S. - E-outdoor SA - (E-skimo): The first electrical-assisted E-ski mountaineering device, for easier ascents. - Calopad?: An ultra-thin device for deep heat and cold therapy to accelerate healing. - Ecorobotix: Revolutionizing agriculture with AI and precision technology. What are your highlights and impressions? Let's discuss below! ??

?? Best of Tech 2024 ?? As we wrap up the year, our team reflected on the trends that impressed us the most — from AI security and quantum breakthroughs to immersive VR and longevity tech reshaping industries. Swipe through to see the highlights and join the conversation: ?? What were your top tech moments of 2024? Let us know in the comments! Here’s to an innovative 2025 ahead! ?? #Innovation #TechTrends2024 #AI #QuantumComputing #LongevityTech #VR #CyberSecurity #AISecurity #Robots

#ReInvent, Amazon Web Services (AWS) flagship annual conference, once again lit up?Las Vegas??? right after Thanksgiving, drawing more than 65,000 cloud enthusiasts from around the globe. Throughout the week, attendees gained first-hand insights into the latest AWS product announcements, improved their technical skills in hands-on workshops, and discovered various innovative solutions in the cloud ecosystem. It was also an excellent opportunity to connect, share experiences, and debate the tech trends that shape our digital future. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a strategic partner of Swisscom, with #AI and #Cloud ranking among the top innovation fields for Swisscom Outpost Silicon Valley. That is why this year,?Stefan Petzov?and?Vladimir Michalec?joined the list of participants, diving deeply into telecom cloudification strategies and generative AI applications specific to the telecom industry. Their “Vegas mission” was to engage with vendors and potential partners, gather fresh perspectives, technical know-how, and strategic insights, leveraging AWS’ advancements to drive Swisscom Outpost’s future innovative projects ??. It is impossible to summarize all the announcements and more than 2,000 technical sessions in one post, but here are a few key milestones that?Vlado?and?Stefan?found important: Generative AI Developments: ? Amazon Nova Models: AWS introduced the Nova series—Micro, Lite, Pro, and the forthcoming Premier—designed for diverse applications like text, image, and video generation. These models are accessible via Amazon Bedrock, AWS’s fully managed service for building generative AI applications???. ? Project Rainer: In partnership with?Anthropic, AWS is developing Project Rainer, which is anticipated to be one of the world’s largest AI supercomputers, leveraging AWS’s Trainium 2 chips to enhance AI training capabilities ??. Compute and Infrastructure Enhancements: ? Trainium 3 Chips: AWS announced Trainium 3, the next-generation AI training chip. It offers four times the performance of its predecessor and is expected to be available in late 2025 ?. ? Node Management in AWS Systems Manager: A new node management experience in AWS Systems Manager simplifies the management of nodes across various environments, providing a centralized view for efficient operations ??. Analytics and Data Management: ? Amazon SageMaker Lakehouse: This new service unifies data lakes and warehouses, enabling seamless analytics and machine learning workflows on a single data copy through open #Apache Iceberg APIs and fine-grained access controls ??. ? DynamoDb Integration with SageMaker Lakehouse: AWS introduced a zero-ETL integration between?Amazon DynamoDB?and?SageMaker Lakehouse, allowing for effortless analysis of operational data without the need for custom pipelines ??. Don’t worry if you could not participate—almost all the sessions were recorded and are published free on the?AWS ReInvent webpage. Dive in and stay inspired! ????

?? Exciting times in #innovation! Last week’s Plug and Play Tech Center's Winter Summit brought together Startups, VCs, and Corporates to explore our biggest challenges. The #future of business is being shaped by cutting-edge technologies like #AI, #sustainability, and #MaterialScience. Here are some of the key takeaways: ? AI continues its transformational march. But this time, we heard more talk about #SmallLanguageModels. These offer less hallucination than their large counterparts, and can be better suited for vertical specific use cases. ?? #BusinessModelInnovation: A potentially huge shift is how companies pay for software: historically, we went from licenses to subscriptions to usage-based pricing models. Now, confident AI companies are starting to do outcome-based pricing, which aligns customer and vendor incentives more closely. ?? Innovations in sustainability: #CarbonCapture and #efuels are the main drivers, as well as #hydrogen. And if you’re in Switzerland and working on hydrogen, follow Plug and Play Tech Center because they’re organizing a hydrogen week in Switzerland in February! ?? Advances in materials science: genAI is helping iterate hardware prototyping and create new materials, including #DiamondSemiconductors, proteins, antibiotics and #PhotonicComputing. ?? What are your thoughts on these emerging trends? #energy #materialsScience?#startups #SiliconValley

Thank you all HWZ Digital Leaders for visiting Swisscom Outpost last Tuesday! It was a pleasure meeting you and talking to you all, we hope you got some nice insights and innovative ideas from us or other companies you visited here in Bay Area. It is always very motivating for us to present in front of people, who are eager to learn something new (and can also teach us a thing or two). This way we can help to "bring" a bit of Silicon Valley innovation mindset back to Switzerland. Special thank you Sven Ruoss, Laura Leber, Gert Christen ?? for organising the visit. The more we can help to spread the knowledge about technology and innovation, the better future we are creating! ??

?? Exploring AI Trends at the Open-i Event: Insights from Silicon Valley ?? Yesterday, I had the privilege of speaking at the Open-i event, the pioneering Swiss innovation and dialogue platform for the economy and science sectors. Together with my colleagues from Swisscom, we shared diverse perspectives on the evolving world of AI. My focus was on AI in Silicon Valley—a region where innovation isn’t just a buzzword but a way of life. Here are some key takeaways from my talk: ?? AI is omnipresent in Silicon Valley—the region is home to 43% of all global AI startups, and the culture reflects this dominance. Even highway billboards target niche AI audiences, demonstrating the unique openness and dynamism that drives disruption. ?? Rapid growth of AI startups—in March 2023, platforms like There’s an AI for That listed around 3,000 AI tools. Today, this number grows significantly, with thousands of new tools emerging monthly. The so-called Cerebral Valley alone hosts 80+ AI-focused events every month, reinforcing Silicon Valley’s role as a global innovation hub. ?? The AI Premium—early-stage AI startups in 2023 experienced a noticeable surge in valuations compared to non-AI startups, driven by investor confidence in technologies like generative AI. ?? VC trends reflect quality over hype—while venture capital investment in AI has decreased since 2021, this indicates a shift toward backing sustainable, impactful innovations over short-lived trends. At Swisscom, our 25-year presence in Silicon Valley provides us with a unique advantage. Our team at the Swisscom Outpost Silicon Valley identifies high-quality opportunities and builds impactful partnerships. Whether it’s steering clear of overhyped projects or championing game-changing innovations, we’re shaping the future with long-term value in mind. A heartfelt thank you to my talented colleagues Sarah Levy for her invaluable insights on how to make AI projects successful. Rolf Neukom who introduced our smart GenAI-based chatbot, Sam. Daniel Dobos for showcasing our collaborations with universities and research institutions. Olaf Schulze for his excellent moderation, guiding the discussions and ensuring a seamless flow throughout the event. As well as Silvan Lohri, Maran Pereirasamy, MBA, Thomas Hochstrasser, Olaf Schulze, Philipp Schmid, Bruno K., Tina Willibald And a special thanks to the Open-i community for fostering meaningful dialogue. Events like this highlight the importance of connecting global innovation with Swiss excellence ??? #AI #Innovation #Swisscom #SiliconValley #Openi

Not all heroes wear capes — some attend the Internet Identity Workshop! ??♂???♀? Our Swisscom duo just returned from #IIW with exciting insights into the future of identity and privacy tech. Dive into their adventure below! Passionate about digital trust? Let's start a conversation! #Identity #DigitalTrust #Innovation