Assembly Ventures

One of the issues that popped up in the recent elections in both the UK and France was the growing lack of good paying manufacturing jobs. Here are two articles highlighting that. 🇬🇧 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 - https://lnkd.in/e-fsVQgt 🇫🇷 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐨𝐛𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐄𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞’𝐬 𝐅𝐚𝐫 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞 - https://lnkd.in/enJyD4ap This makes me wonder where the US stands on this. Here are just some of the arguments made here in the States for a 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: 🏭 Strengthening Domestic Supply Chains: A dedicated department could help reduce dependency on foreign manufacturing, ensuring more resilient and secure supply chains. This has become especially important in light of disruptions caused by global events like the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical tensions. 🏭 Boosting Innovation and Competitiveness: By focusing on advanced manufacturing technologies and processes, the department could drive innovation, helping U.S. manufacturers stay competitive on a global scale. Programs like Manufacturing USA, currently under the Department of Commerce, are already working towards these goals by fostering collaboration between industry, academia, and government. 🏭 Economic Growth and Job Creation: Manufacturing is a significant contributor to the U.S. economy, providing high-wage jobs and fostering commercial innovation. A dedicated department could further enhance these contributions by supporting industrial growth and revitalizing communities dependent on manufacturing. 🏭 Environmental Sustainability: A Department of Manufacturing could play a crucial role in promoting sustainable practices within the industry. This includes reducing carbon footprints, enhancing energy efficiency, and minimizing waste, aligning with broader environmental goals and regulations. 🏭 Coordinated Policy and Investment: Having a single department focused on manufacturing would allow for more cohesive and strategic policymaking. This could streamline efforts across various sectors and ensure that investments are aligned with national priorities, such as those outlined in the CHIPS Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, which have already spurred significant manufacturing investments. 🏭 International Competitiveness: Establishing a dedicated department could help the U.S. better compete with other nations that have strong governmental support for their manufacturing sectors. It would facilitate the development of strategies to enhance the global competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers. What do you think? Does the US need a Department of Manufacturing?

Could China Be Entering A Period of Economic Stagnation? Persistent Deflation Harkens Back to Japan's Lost Decades. As China experiences its fifth consecutive quarter of deflation, some economists fear the world’s second-biggest economy might follow in the footsteps of Japan, which suffered two lost decades of deflation after asset bubbles burst. What could an economic slow down mean for Western competitiveness and the CCP's priorities? "In both Japan then and China today, deflation is a symptom of lacklustre demand. China’s retail sales, for example, grew by only 2% in nominal terms in June, compared with a year earlier. Vehicle sales shrank by more than 6%. The slump in property rumbles on. Even the push to finish half-built homes, one of the government’s priorities, seems to have lost momentum. The amount of floor space completed by developers in June was almost a third less than a year earlier." Read more from The Economist here: https://lnkd.in/etVjdNez #AssemblyVentures #UnitedStates #China #MoveToWin #Detroit #Berlin #SiliconValley

🚗 Car or Spy Machine?🕵♂️ In his latest newsletter, Assembly Ventures Operating Advisor Michael Dunne explores the overlooked risk that is embedded within the modern era of software-defined vehicles. "It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to figure out how a foreign adversary like China...could use [intelligence from cars] to pose a serious risk to our national security and the privacy of U.S. citizens,’’ Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told reporters. How would they do this? Michael explains the three most likely scenarios: 1. Covert Surveillance - Take advantage of modern camera suites to gather data around the clock both inside and outside of the vehicle. 2. Simultaneous Cyberattacks - Utilize the car's software capabilities to launch a variety of cyberattacks, including DDoS. With 100,000 Chinese vehicles bought by Americans in 2023 alone, these cars could come together to create the computing equivalent of a hyperscale data center within the US. 3. Taking Control of Vehicles - Enemies could override the car's system and either shut down or take away control from the driver. At a large scale, this type of attack would unleash unprecedented chaos. These scenarios highlight the importance of robust cybersecurity and strategic vigilance from all stakeholders in the evolving automotive landscape. If you are interested in learning more, please subscribe to the Dunne Insights LLC newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/gZ_pe-zZ #Mobility #Automotive #Software #ConnectedCars #VentureCapital #USA #China #Detroit #SiliconValley #Berlin #MoveToWin #MoveTheWorld

One of our core values at Two Boxes is to Value the Process. A shorthand within the company is to describe this as "1% better everyday." Since the earliest stages of the company, Evan Stalter and I have tried to surround ourselves with great advisors who push us to consistently improve. I'm proud to announce that Ryan P. is the newest member of our Two Boxes Advisory Board. Ryan is one of the most thoughtful folks I've had the privilege to meet since launching the company. His experience at Pipe17, Ryder System, Inc., Whiplash, and Easyship is an incredible asset to us as we continue to build our go-to-market capabilities at Two Boxes. Thanks, Ryan! We're excited to continue to learn from you alongside Maia Benson, Aaron Schwartz, James Marks, Matthew Hertz, and Kyle Hency. #ecommerce #returns #twoboxes #3pllogistics

Big Oil's Next Bet? Electric Vehicles. Oil companies that have historically avoided renewable energy generation are now placing an indirect energy transition bet: lithium mining. "Big oil’s enthusiasm for lithium makes sense. Demand for the stuff is likely to rise as more of the world’s machines go electric. In contrast to running the unfamiliar businesses of solar and wind power, oil firms already have expertise that is useful in lithium mining. Extracting the white metal involves tapping saltwater brine, often underground. This requires careful mapping of reservoirs and precision drilling—skills oilmen have honed over decades of subsurface crude extraction." "In contrast to big dirt, big oil has the profits and the balance-sheets to take on capital-intensive ventures. But does it have the commitment? A quarter of a century before it merged with Mobil in 1999, Exxon dabbled in battery technology after the Arab oil embargo of 1973 frightened the world into considering alternatives to fossil fuels. One of its star researchers at the time was Stanley Whittingham, who went on to share the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2019 with two other pioneers of lithium-ion batteries. He left Exxon in 1984—around the time that the company threw in the towel on this sort of research." Read more from The Economist here: https://lnkd.in/e6mKQ5gR #AssemblyVentures #ElectricVehicles #EnergyTransition #MoveTheWorld #Detroit #Berlin #SiliconValley

🚧 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞: 𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐳𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 🇨🇭 The ASTRA Bridge A1 is a groundbreaking solution for motorway maintenance. This mobile bridge revolutionizes resurfacing and repair work by eliminating the need for lane closures and preventing traffic jams. 🛠️ 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬: 🔖 1. 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧: The steel bridge can be quickly assembled and disassembled, making it highly transportable. 🔖 2. 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: Vehicles are diverted above the bridge on two lanes, maintaining smooth traffic flow. 🔖 3. 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐙𝐨𝐧𝐞: Workers access a 100-meter space beneath the bridge, ensuring safety and efficiency. ✨ 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬: - 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Keeps the motorway operational during maintenance. - 𝐄𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲: Separates traffic from the work area. - 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐔𝐩 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬: Enables faster completion of maintenance tasks. This innovation is a testament to the power of smart design and its impact on infrastructure management. 🌍✨ #Innovation #Infrastructure #SmartMaintenance #ASTRABridge #Transportation #DigitalTransformation #SmartCities #Engineering #RoadSafety #Efficiency #Sustainability

GPS runs the modern world but it is under attack daily. In 2024 alone, researchers estimate that more than 60,000 commercial flights have been hit with counterfeit GPS signals, highlighting a critical vulnerability - especially in active combat zones like the Middle East and Russia/Ukraine. However, the threat isn't limited to just signal interference. As nations continue to bolster their capabilities in space, the risk of kinetic attacks on satellites has shifted from science fiction to a legitimate concern. To prepare for these growing threats, global superpowers have taken different steps to fortify their respective networks: 🇨🇳 With nearly 60 satellites, China's BeiDou network has more than double the amount of satellites as GPS. Further, China has developed an extensive "backup plan," installing 12,000 miles of fiber-optic cables throughout the country that can provide time and navigation without satellites. 🇪🇺 The EU has prioritized technological innovation, incorporating Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) and High Accuracy Service (HAS) into their Galileo satelite network to combat counterfeit signals. 🇺🇸 Despite its leadership in space, the U.S. has fallen behind its peers in both technology and proactive policy to protect GPS. A backup plan, similar to China's approach, was proposed nearly a decade ago but has made little progress. To maintain GPS dominance, the U.S. must further prioritize innovation and accelerate plans for "backup" capabilities. Read more from the The New York Times: https://lnkd.in/e6-wXaaE #VentureCapital #Mobility #GPS #Satellites #Space #USA #China #EU

When Public and Private Incentives Clash: What The Rise of Non-State Actors Could Mean for Semiconductors. Despite U.S. export controls designed to impede Chinese military innovation, Nvidia is set to deliver more than 1M H20 chips in China this year (almost twice as many as Huawei will sell of its China-made rival product). “Our business in China is substantially lower than the levels of the past and it’s a lot more competitive in China now, because of the limitations on our technology . . . However, we continue to do our best to serve the customers in the markets there.” - Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s CEO. Meanwhile, Nvidia has seen this drop in Chinese sales more than outweighed by the growth of more geopolitically-friendly markets. Will private and public interests in the sector eventually converge? How will the outcome impact innovation, security, and Western competitiveness? Read more from the FT here: https://lnkd.in/e9chg_Ze #MoveToWin #MoveTheWorld #Semiconductors #UnitedStates #Detroit #Berlin #SiliconValley

I'm incredibly proud to see Vontier being recognized by TIME and Statista as one of the World’s Most Sustainable Companies 2024. This is a testament to our team's hard work and core values in action, as we demonstrate excellent results in areas from worker safety to emissions reductions across the board. #Sustainability is a core strategy at Vontier and to be recognized as a global leader in this space is a tremendous achievement. https://ow.ly/mQ0z50SpcIA

It only takes one attack to bring a trillion-dollar industry back to pen and paper. Last month, approximately 15,000 U.S. car dealerships were impacted by a cyberattack on service provider CDK Global. This disruption slowed everything from sales to servicing for dealers, causing significant losses during a typically strong period for automotive sales. Similarly, a recent attack on Findlay Auto Group, a large Southwest U.S. auto retailer, highlights this troubling trend. Bad actors have identified automotive data as both valuable and vulnerable. To prevent future disruptions, OEMs, dealerships, and other automotive stakeholders must further prioritize data privacy and cybersecurity. Read more from MotorTrend Group here: https://lnkd.in/g2Mj9eYg #Cybersecurity #VentureCapital #Mobility #Innovation #AutoIndustry #TechInvesting #Detroit #Berlin #SiliconValley #MoveToWin #MoveTheWorld