TECH IN THE NEWS

Trump's Shutdown Push — President Elect Trump and Elon Musk opposed the government spending bill, with Musk calling for no bills to pass until the inauguration.

Market Meltdown — The Dow Jones plunged 1,123 points after the Fed signaled only 2 rate cuts for 2025, marking it the index’s longest losing streak since 1974.

Holiday Strikes — Amazon workers at 7 US facilities staged a Teamsters-led strike demanding contract negotiations, though impact remains limited with small numbers.

Google's Thinking Model — Google released Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking, an experimental self fact-checking "reasoning" AI model with Gemini Flash 2.0 speeds.

Shadow Banking Alert — The G20's FSB body warned of risks in the non-bank financial sector after 130% growth since 2009, now representing nearly half of global assets.

Fee Transparency — The FTC has banned hidden "junk fees" for events, hotels, and rentals, requiring upfront disclosure of all charges at the time of opt-in.

COMPANIES TO WATCH

GlobalWafers — The US granted $406M in CHIPS Act grants to the Taiwanese chipmaker for its first high-volume wafer production facilities in Texas and Missouri.

Anysphere — The AI coding assistant startup raised $100M at a $2.6B valuation led by Thrive Capital, marking its second round in four months.

Oklo — The Sam Altman-backed nuclear startup partnered with Switch to build small modular reactors generating 12GW for data centers.

Cohere — AI startup Cohere has partnered with defense and cyberintelligence giant Palantir to deploy AI technology to defense customers.

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THE HOTTEST THING IN TECH
SandboxAQ’s Quantum AI Bridge

Today, we're diving deep into the world of Eric Schmidt’s startup SandboxAQ and its unique approach to quantum-inspired computing and large quantitative models (LQMs). This Alphabet spinout startup is looking to fundamentally reshape industries through the power of mathematics, physics and cutting-edge AI. SandboxAQ is essentially creating a bridge to the quantum future, so its models can be used today on classical systems, even before quantum computing hardware is widely available.

The company just raised a $300M round, valuing it at $5.6B backed by NY investment firm Fred Alger Management, T. Rowe Price, and Breyer Capital. It previously raised $500M in 2023 backed by these firms as well as Marc Benioff's TIME Ventures.

What is SandboxAQ?

SandboxAQ  spun out in 2022 as a moonshot project focused on the convergence of quantum computing and AI with former Google CEO Schmidt as chairman and Jack Hidary as CEO. It has since been on a mission to harness the power of quantum physics to solve real-world problems. But rather than building quantum computers, it’s focused on developing software and algorithms that can run on both classical and quantum computers to create this accessible bridge to quantum models.

Why Do LQMs Matter?

Large Quantitative Models (LQMs) are essentially complex mathematical and statistical models. Instead of training on text, LQMs train on vast numerical data, analyzing equations to generate data and make predictions. Think of them as the computational engine that powers scientific research, financial modeling, and complex systems analysis. Instead of looking at language like LMs do, “Quant models” crunch vast volumes of data in real-time for quantitative analysis in order to focus on identifying patterns, predicting outcomes, and optimizing strategies. 

The Significance of SandboxAQ's Approach

A number of quant trading firms like Renaissance, Citadel, Two Sigma, and Jane Street have been using LQMs for some time for algorithmic trading. However, SandboxAQ goes further in its positioning as a quantum tech and AI company serving multiple industries beyond finance, including healthcare, telecommunications, materials science, aerospace and defense, energy and logistics, and cybersecurity. SandboxAQ’s work represents a paradigm shift in several key areas including:

• financial modeling with "quantum-inspired" algorithms across both classical and quantum computing.

• Advanced Data Analytics for better pattern recognition, more accurate predictions, and deeper insights.

• Quantum-ready risk models that provide more accurate risk assessments.

Examples of projects the company is working on include, extending battery life with battery company Novonix, developing GPS-independent navigation systems for the U.S. Air Force, Creating a new medical device for imaging the heart with U.S. hospitals, and exploring new modules for drug discovery and materials science.

Post-Quantum Cybersecurity 

A key area SandboxAQ is focused on is the growing sector of post-quantum cryptography. Globally, organizations are scrambling to protect financial systems and other sensitive data from the increasingly real problem of quantum computing security threats and attacks as quantum computers become more powerful. The company acquired Paris-based cybersecurity company, Cryptosense in 2022 to strengthen its cryptography management capabilities in this area and is already working with clients to implement quantum cybersecurity solutions.

The Implications For TechBuzz Readers

SandboxAQ is pioneering a new era of computation. Its ability to bridge the gap between classical and quantum computing makes it a strategic investment for those looking at the future of technology. A combination of early mover advantage, broad market reach across industries, and future-proof technology across both classical and quantum computers positions it as a market leader.

Market Outlook

Experts predict the quantum computing market to grow substantially over the next decade. Financial institutions and other large organizations will need to start transitioning to quantum-ready systems now to remain competitive and secure. This means that companies like SandboxAQ that provide post-quantum cryptography and data insight solutions will be essential for global infrastructure. Other synergistic tech that could benefit from this sector include quantum computing hardware, AI chip manufacturers, data analytics platforms, cybersecurity firms, and FinTech.

Other LQM Startups In the USA

There are a few other startups operating at the intersection of QC and AI. Silicon Valley startup QCWare is focused on financial services and quantum ML, offering solutions poised to transform data analysis and decision-making. And, Boston’s Zapata Computing is making advancements in quantum ML and optimization, making it a key player for investors eyeing breakthroughs in enterprise quantum software and algorithm development. These smaller startups are at the forefront of a new wave of technological innovation blending the power of AI, quantum mechanics, and traditional mathematics to reshape how industries operate. They represent a crucial step towards the quantum future that are already highly relevant now. 

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TRENDING TOOLS AND BUZZY TECH
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Tray.ai — Unleashes “Merlin” low-code platform for building AI agents.

Code Assist — Google's enterprise-focused coding assistant, gets 3rd-party tools.

OpenAI — Full API access to o1 model, 60%+ efficient than preview version.

Trend Micro — New AI brain system for automated cybersecurity.

Meta — Adds live AI assistant, translations, Shazam to smart glasses.

UAE TII — Falcon 3 open-source LLMs outperform Llama on lightweight hardware.

Nvidia — $249 Jetson Orin Nano Super for AI development, 70% faster than V1.

Tech

Commonwealth Fusion — VA will get first commercial fusion plant by 2030.

Exxon — Building massive natural-gas plant to power data centers.

Chip-Based Laser Neuron — Quantum-dot neurons are 1B x faster than human.

New Type of Magnetism — “Altermagnetism” to make electronics 1000x faster.

Biotech — 1. FCI successfully grows human spine from stem cells. | 2. 3rd person gets GE pig kidney transplant. | 3. CRISPR advanced cancer therapies go to clinic. | 4. Protein discovery cracks cancer’s hidden defense

China — 1. World's largest compressed-air energy storage power station opens. | 2. Uranium extracted from seawater using candle wax.

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