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Welcome back to Founder Mode!

Another week, another crazy amount of AI news.

An independent research group spent 11 weeks examining how much AI is helping Anthropic build better AI models. Their conclusion? Anthropic's models appear to be improving at nearly twice their previous rate, with AI itself likely contributing to much of that acceleration.

We're getting to the point where AI is helping researchers develop the next generation of AI, potentially speeding up the entire development cycle.

Meanwhile, Google has announced a massive US$15 billion investment in Malaysia, humanoid robots are heading to the stock market, and investors are pouring hundreds of millions into securing AI agents.

On the StartupX front, we've also got four interesting opportunities coming up in Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan.

Let's get into it.

METR, an independent AI research organisation, spent 11 weeks examining Anthropic's internal research processes.

They found that Anthropic's models have been improving on certain benchmarks at approximately 1.9 times their previous rate, with much of that acceleration likely coming from researchers using AI to develop better AI. There's still significant uncertainty around these findings, and AI isn't independently conducting the most important parts of the research yet, but the implications are pretty interesting.

If better AI helps us build even better everything else and AI, what happens to the pace of technological development? I think we're going to see some remarkable discoveries over the next few years.

Google just announced plans to invest US$15 billion in Malaysia over the next two years to expand its AI data centres and digital infrastructure.

The investment includes new facilities in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, alongside commitments to clean energy, water infrastructure and workforce training. That's a lot of money even for Google.
What's interesting is how quickly Southeast Asia is becoming an important part of the global AI infrastructure race.

Remember all those videos of humanoid robots dancing, running and doing backflips?

Well, Agility Robotics, the company behind the Digit humanoid robot, is going public through a reverse merger expected to raise US$465 million in new capital. Its Digit robots are already being deployed in industrial environments to move heavy objects and handle repetitive warehouse tasks.

The company still has plenty to prove commercially, but this feels like another important milestone for robotics. A good bet that physical AI is going to be one of the most exciting technology sectors over the next decade.

How do you make sure these agents don't do something they're not supposed to?

CrowdStrike is acquiring two AI security startups, Fiddler AI and Dreadnode, in deals reportedly worth approximately US$495 million combined.

Fiddler helps companies monitor AI systems, while Dreadnode focuses on security testing. I think this is going to become an increasingly important part of the AI ecosystem. Businesses are already concerned about cybersecurity, privacy and compliance. Now imagine giving AI agents access to company systems and allowing them to take actions autonomously.

There's going to be a huge market for companies that help make this safe and reliable.

We're working with our Japanese partner, Campus Create, to organise a five-day market immersion programme centred around SEMICON Japan.

The programme is designed to help startups explore Japan's innovation ecosystem, with proposed corporate introductions, curated business matching, industry engagements and potential startup pitching opportunities in Yokohama.

Ideal for: Startups in AI, semiconductors, robotics, advanced manufacturing, Internet of Things (IoT) and deep tech looking for Japanese customers, partnerships and market entry opportunities.

Cost: Programme participation fees are being finalised. Participants should budget for flights, accommodation, transportation and personal expenses.

Business meetings and pitching opportunities are subject to confirmation.

Express your interest | SEMICON Japan website

We're bringing a small StartupX-led delegation to Hong Kong for HKTDC Entrepreneur Day.

It's a great opportunity for founders looking to explore the Hong Kong and Greater Bay Area markets, connect with investors and potential partners, and learn more about the local startup ecosystem.

The visit includes startup showcases, industry discussions, networking and potential facilitated business introductions.

Ideal for: Founders exploring international expansion, partnerships, fundraising and opportunities in Hong Kong.

Limited places remaining. If you're interested, do reach out soon!

Express your interest | Event information

If you're interested in how AI is transforming workplace productivity, this one's worth checking out.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) and WPS Office are hosting an afternoon exploring AI-powered document creation, data analysis and collaboration.

You'll get to learn about Amazon Bedrock, discover WPS's latest AI capabilities and experience hands-on demonstrations of WPS 365's enterprise productivity tools.

Ideal for: Enterprise and SME founders, business leaders and anyone looking to improve productivity through AI.

Register for the event

12 November 2026 | 6:00–9:00 PM
SGInnovate, 32 Carpenter Street, Singapore

We're back with our 10th edition of AI Salon Singapore, this time in partnership with SGInnovate!

We've got another great lineup bringing together perspectives from global technology companies, government, venture capital and startups.

Featuring:

We'll be discussing AI entrepreneurship, investment, commercial adoption and where the next opportunities are emerging.

As always, it's also a chance to meet interesting people from Singapore's growing AI community.

Hope to see you there!

Follow StartupX's Events Calendar

Simply reply to this email and let us know which opportunity you're keen on.

If you've registered with us before, there's no need to fill in the form again. Just reply with the opportunities you're interested in.

Hope to see you at one of these opportunities.

AgentMail

AgentMail is essentially Gmail, but built specifically for AI agents.

Instead of giving your AI agent access to your personal inbox, you can give it its own email address. It can send and receive emails, manage conversations, process attachments and communicate with other services on your behalf.

Imagine having an AI agent that can independently handle customer enquiries, coordinate meetings, follow up with suppliers or manage an entire email-based workflow.

What's particularly interesting is that it gives AI agents their own digital identity, allowing them to interact with people and services through something as universal as email.

Got a tip, used a cool new tool or idea? Hit reply and let me know. Your note can be as quick as a meme or as deep as a pitch deck. Either way, I read every email.

If this newsletter sparked joy, please pass it along to a friend who should be in Founder Mode. Sharing is free and motivates me to help bring you the best every week.