Evaluation of Technology Solutions

𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 - 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱. Mining has long sat in the background of capital markets. Often lumped in with the broader commodity markets and seen as slow, capital-intensive, and lacking technological progression. Important, but not investable. Strategic, but stagnant. Well, that narrative is breaking. Critical minerals, while always seen as national security assets, have ascended to a top national priority. Electrification, AI infrastructure, and defense supply chains are all colliding with a system that historically took 10+ years to deliver a new mine - if delivered at all. Meanwhile, discovery rates are collapsing while permitting timelines are stretching, further compounding capital risk. Due to this growing demand gap and market tailwinds, we spent the last few months mapping where the real bottlenecks and areas of venture-scale opportunity across the mining value chain sit, touching on: ⛏️ Exploration and feasibility - the binding constraints 🤖 Use of AI - sensing are collapsing the drill → data → decision loop ⏱️ Time-to-value matters - often more than technical novelty 💰 Moving multiples - how tech can move assets from “mining multiples” to “growth industrial” outcomes 📊 Business model innovation - why royalty-like, equity-linked models may matter as much as the tech itself The result is a framework for evaluating mining-tech opportunities via capital intensity vs. time-to-value, with a focus on cycle-time compression, risk reduction, and scalable value capture. And the best part? This isn’t just theory, we’re already seeing signals in OEM offtake behavior, upstream verticalization, and a new generation of founders treating mining as a potentially data-rich industry ripe for transformation. If you’re building, investing in, or navigating mining, minerals, or industrial AI — give it a read and let’s compare notes! As they say these days, the [VCs] yearn for the mines ⛏️ [Link to full piece in comments, also drop a comment if you want the spreadsheet backup to the market map] CC: Cathay Innovation, Simon Wu, Elijah Yi, Rose Yuan, Jaclyn Hartnett, Daniela Caserotto Leibert #Mining #CriticalMinerals #IndustrialTech #AI #EnergyTransition #VentureCapital #Reindustrialization

Don't take someone's advice because they have a lot of followers. "Maybe" take it because they are speaking about a topic where they have shown their competence. There are many ways to gain followers, and having expertise is only one of those. So, it is better to look at the direct indicators of expertise rather than indirect metrics like follower count. Of course, this goes about me too even without explicitly mentioning it. For example - If I share something related to competitive programming, don't take the advice because I have 85K followers, "Maybe" take it because I have reached Master title on Codeforces.

NATO just got a reality check that should make every western defense planner uncomfortable. Exercise Hedgehog 2025 reportedly showed that a small team of Ukrainian drone operators could render two NATO battalions combat ineffective in a single day. Read that again. Two battalions. One day. And the most important part is this: it was not done with jets, tanks, or billion dollar systems. It was done through modern drone warfare fundamentals: persistent ISR, battlefield transparency, rapid kill chains, and low cost unmanned systems operating at scale. This is exactly what Ukraine has been proving since 2022, and it is why every serious conversation about NATO readiness and western deterrence must start with drones. The drone battlefield is not the future. It is the current operating environment. If your force cannot fight while being watched 24/7 by quadcopters, fixed wing drones, and FPV strike systems, then you are not ready for high intensity conflict in 2026. And if your counter UAS plan is still built around expensive interceptors and slow decision cycles, you are already behind. The West has spent decades optimizing for high end platforms and centralized command structures. Ukraine has optimized for speed, adaptability, mass production, and decentralized targeting. That gap is now one of the defining vulnerabilities for NATO modernization, U.S. force design, and the defense industry’s approach to scalable counter drone systems. I wrote a full analysis in my latest newsletter on what Hedgehog 2025 revealed, why drone warfare collapses traditional maneuver, and what NATO, the U.S. military, and western defense leaders must change immediately in doctrine, training, electronic warfare, and low cost counter UAS solutions. If you work in defense tech, counter UAS, ISR, electronic warfare, autonomy, AI enabled targeting, or NATO modernization, I want to hear your take. Because this is the kind of lesson you only get for free once. #DroneWarfare #NATO #Ukraine #CounterUAS #CUAS #UAS #ElectronicWarfare #ISR #DefenseTech #DefenseIndustry #NationalSecurity #ModernWarfare #MilitaryInnovation #Autonomy #AI #SwarmDrones #AirDefense #NATOStrategy #DefenseStartups #DoD

Here's why there's so much "bad advice" on LinkedIn: 1. Most advice is context-specific. The resumes, interview tips, networking strategies, etc. that work for a recent grad are very different from what's expected for an executive with 30 years of experience, or based on what country you're in, or your industry, or the size and scale and maturity of the companies you're applying to. So yes, the advice coming from the CEO of a 10-person company for how they're building their leadership team will sound ridiculous to the recent grad applying for entry level roles. The advice coming from the recruiter for rocketship mechanics isn't gonna be helpful to the Sr. Director transitioning from the federal government to the private sector. The advice that landed someone their first job out of college in 2005 isn't going to be relevant to someone trying to land their first job out of college in 2025. 2. Bad advice performs better on social media. Good, helpful, actionable advice isn't gonna go viral. It's got too many details, the hooks aren't gonna grab your attention, it's not revolutionary. What does go viral is polarizing statements, controversy, drama, content that a lot of people will disagree with and can't scroll past - they just have to stop and comment. And most people don't post on social media to be helpful; they do it to elevate their personal brand, to get good vanity metrics, or to make sales by dramatizing pain points. 3. Everyone sees themselves as an expert at job searching and recruiting Pretty much the only universal experience that everyone on this platform shares is that they have had to get a job at some point. So everyone thinks they're an expert and have a unique perspective to offer. If it worked for them, it must be great advice that applies to everyone. If it's something they were looking for the one time they hired someone, they assume that everyone thinks the same way. And of course the most active group on this platform are jobseekers who spend hours scrolling and trying to connect with people so this is content that performs well, which leads to more people who don't actually have much expertise sharing their thoughts. *** As much as I'd like to, we're not going to correct all the bad advice and misinformation on this platform. My buddy Mike Peditto reminds me of this daily. So my best advice: 1. Find people who are currently in the jobs you want and listen to their advice. 2. Find people currently hiring for the roles you're interested in right now and listen to their advice. 3. Find people currently working at companies you're interested in and listen to their advice. View everything else as entertainment!

This week’s defining shift for me is that XR is becoming a marketing medium. What once felt like a technology for experimental activations is maturing into a channel for ongoing engagement and sales. Across industries from retail to real estate, XR is transforming how people experience products, events, and spaces, creating immersive experiences that connect with customers and deliver measurable results. This week’s spatial computing news surfaced signals like these: 🍕 Pizza Hut’s AR racing game turns pizza boxes into a campaign platform, letting customers scan a QR code to unlock an interactive Supercars experience tied to the Bathurst 1000. 😎 Banuba’s new eyewear try-on for Shopify gives online retailers an easy way to integrate AR into e-commerce, letting customers “try before they buy” directly from their devices. ⛵ SailGP’s RaceScape XR app blends live video and an AR tabletop racing experience on Vision Pro, making mixed reality part of how the league engages fans worldwide. 🪞 Aircards’ £3M raise will expand AR mirrors, LED tunnels, and spatial analytics, helping brands transform retail and event spaces into measurable, immersive experiences. 🏡 Three Space Lab’s $3M seed round scales VR real estate tours that act as both sales and marketing tools for luxury property developers across global markets. Why this matters: We’re still early, but XR is no longer limited to one-off activations. CPG, sports, retail, real estate, and fashion are all exploring ways to integrate it into their marketing and sales strategies. Once this kind of cross-sector momentum builds, it rarely fades. #realestate #marketing #advertising #brands #CPG #QSR #retail #ecommerce #mixedreality #augmentedreality #virtualreality #XR

A Smarter Way to Evaluate Vendors Over the years, I've assessed hundreds of vendors - from global tech giants to niche consultancies — all making bold claims about capability, speed, and impact. To cut through the noise, I developed a simple evaluation lens: the CECE framework. 1. Capability - Does the organisation have the capabilities to deliver what we need - methodologies, research & development investment, frameworks, approaches, quality management - their IP? What do they bring to the table beyond the people and the product? 2. Experience - Have they done the thing we want them to do for similar customers, in similar industries and similar scale? Do they say "we would do it this way" more than "we have done it this way before"? 3. Capacity - Do they have the people, technical scale, and staying power? It's not just about headcount, it's also about their ability to absorb risk and scale when needed, both in size and reach. 4. Expertise - Do they have the smartest people with the skills and qualifications you need? Do they continue to invest in their people or do they rely on what they brought with them when they joined? Keep in mind, this framework evaluates your confidence in the vendor as a partner, and sits above the “requirements vs. proposed solution, price, etc” RFx evaluation. What else would you include?

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗥𝗣 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗹𝘀 As independent ERP Consultants, we facilitate pragmatic, unbiased and auditable ERP Vendor Evaluations. Selecting a new ERP Vendor and Solution isn’t just about ticking functional boxes, it’s about reducing risk and making confident and well-founded decisions. A structured RFP scoring process to support the ERP Evaluation is imperative as it: ✅ 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 When scoring the RFP submissions we encourage our clients to focus on Vendor transparency, completeness, references, methodology and attention to detail, not just shiny software features. ✅ 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝗶𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗺 Vendor self-scoring is useful, but usually optimistic by nature. A weighted and standardised scoring matrix enables emphasis on the most critical functions and ensures scoring outcomes are consistent and comparable across the ERP Vendors. ✅ 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗝𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 Quantitative scoring (cost, financials, compliance) combined with qualitative inputs (comments, cultural fit, demo performance) produces rankings you can trust without pretending the numbers are absolute. ✅ 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 Normalising pricing and assessing 1, 5 and 10 year total cost of ownership ensures decisions are based on long-term value, not just headline short term price models. ✅ 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 Outlier scores are flagged, discussed and resolved with the ERP Evaluation Team as a group. Comments capture rationale. Everyone sees the same information, stored centrally, working from the same version of the truth. ✅ 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 Clear timelines, ownership and scoring effort expectations prevent last-minute rushes and decision fatigue especially over holiday periods. The result is a pragmatic and fair ERP Vendor and Solution shortlist that provides the leadership a decision based primarily on evidence, not just gut feel. If you’re evaluating ERP Vendors and Solutions right now, the process you use to score them is just as important as the ERP Solution itself. #erp #crm #erpconsultant

While the world continues to be captivated by the advances in Artificial Intelligence, there’s another silent revolution unfolding, one that’s not just powering minds, but enhancing how we perceive, feel, and engage with reality. 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 (𝐀𝐑), 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 (𝐕𝐑), 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 (𝐗𝐑) 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐬 They are here, they are practical, and they are solving real-world problems in ways traditional technology cannot. In India, where the challenges of geography, affordability, access, and diversity intersect, AR, XR, and VR are becoming critical enablers of transformation—especially when integrated thoughtfully with AI. India is emerging as not only a fast adopter but also a high-potential creator in this space. In the 🎯 healthcare sector, Indian giants like Apollo Hospitals and healthtech platforms like MedAchievers have adopted VR-based training and patient rehabilitation. AR-assisted surgeries are helping surgeons visualize and execute complex procedures with higher precision. In the 🎯 manufacturing and heavy engineering sector, Tata Motors and Larsen & Toubro are leveraging AR for remote diagnostics, equipment training, and quality control on the assembly line. VR simulations are replacing costly physical prototypes in the design stage, and digital twins powered by XR are reducing error margins and boosting productivity—proven to increase operational efficiency by up to 30% according to McKinsey. 🎯In Rajasthan, VR-enabled science labs are enabling students in government schools to explore anatomy and physics beyond textbooks. 🎯 Real estate has embraced immersive technology with open arms. Noida-based startup SmartVizX has transformed project walk-throughs using VR, allowing clients—especially NRIs—to explore properties remotely. Top brands like Godrej Properties and DLF have reported a 25–30% higher lead conversion using VR-assisted sales kits. 🎯 Retail and e-commerce too are evolving beyond product images. Lenskart’s AR-powered virtual try-on, Tanishq’s immersive try-before-you-buy feature, and Reliance Trends’ AR dressing rooms are reducing product return rates and enhancing buyer confidence. These experiences build brand loyalty in an increasingly digital-first customer base. 🎯 In the tourism and culture sector, the Archaeological Survey of India and Incredible India campaigns have begun integrating AR/VR for virtual explorations of monuments like Hampi, Ajanta Caves, and Konark. We must not overlook the invisible interface layer that makes all this accessible, experiential, and real. AR/VR/XR is not just about entertainment or gaming; it’s about operational transformation, deeper engagement, and scalable problem-solving. If AI is the brain, XR is the nervous system connecting, visualizing, and enabling actions across sectors. #augmentedreality #virtualreality

I evaluate AI tools for a living. Or at least now, that's a surprising chunk of my day-to-day. I've noticed clients make real decisions based on benchmark scores. - Which coding agent to use - Which AI platform to buy - Which vendor to trust So this UC Berkeley paper landed nicely on my lap today. A team built an automated agent that hacked 8 major AI benchmarks. Achieved near-perfect scores on all of them. Without solving a single actual task... SWE-bench - the coding benchmark everyone quotes - scored 100% using a 10-line config file that forces all tests to pass. These are the benchmarks that shape buying decisions, investment rounds, and vendor selection across the industry. The models aren't being dishonest in any human sense. They're doing exactly what they're optimised to do. Find the path of least resistance to a high score. That's the bit that should concern you. Because if this is happening in coding benchmarks - where the tasks are relatively well-defined and the outputs are verifiable - what's happening in the benchmarks for marketing tools? GTM platforms? AI SDRs? Content generation tools? Those evaluations are far fuzzier. The success criteria are harder to pin down. The shortcuts are easier to hide. When a vendor tells you their tool scores 94% on some personalisation benchmark, or leads the leaderboard on outreach quality - what exactly is being measured? Who built the eval? Could a 10-line script game it? Most people buying these tools have no idea. They're trusting a number. The UC Berkeley paper includes an Agent-Eval Checklist for building benchmarks that actually work. Worth reading if you're building evals internally. But the practical takeaway for anyone choosing tools right now is simpler. Treat benchmark scores as a starting point, not a verdict. Run your own tests on your own data. Measure outputs that matter to your specific use case. And be sceptical of any vendor whose primary evidence is a leaderboard position. The tools that are genuinely good don't need to game the eval. Paper: https://lnkd.in/esr584Ev

Imagine a world where all the plastic we produce can be endlessly recycled. Where facilities exist to transform any type of plastic waste back into valuable raw materials, ready to be used again and again in a truly circular economy. This is the promise of advanced recycling technologies that are emerging around the globe. Over 10 billion tonnes of plastic have been produced since the 1950s, with over 8 billion tonnes of that ending up as waste. Each year, the world generates 350 million additional tonnes of plastic waste. Much of this ends up in landfills, incinerators, or polluting our oceans and environment. Microplastics have infiltrated every corner of our planet and our bodies. We are literally consuming the plastic we throw away. But advanced recycling offers us a path forward. Through chemical processes like pyrolysis, gasification and solvolysis, dirty and mixed plastic waste can be broken down into its basic chemical building blocks. These can then be purified and remanufactured into new plastics that are identical to those made from fossil fuels. Except now, that plastic can be recycled over and over, without limit. Other valuable chemicals can also be recovered in the process. This is not a far-off dream, but a rapidly maturing suite of technologies. Over 100 advanced recycling projects are already operating or under development in Europe alone. The US has seen over $7 billion invested in this space since 2017. Major consumer brands are starting to put products in packaging made from these recycled plastics on store shelves. But to realize the full potential, we need coordinated global action. We need ambitious targets and policies to drive adoption of advanced recycling and phase out virgin plastic production. We need support for further research and infrastructure development. And critically, we need to bring the public along, rebuilding trust in recycling systems.