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When Seth Winterroth left his job at GE Ventures to help launch Eclipse Ventures in 2015, he noticed a lack of interest in early-stage robotics startups. However, fast forward 10 years, and Winterroth, along with other investors like Kira Noodleman and Fady Saad, are seeing a surge in investor interest in robotics.

Thanks to advancements in hardware, software, and falling hardware costs, the robotics startup market has matured, attracting engineers and helping companies figure out product-market fit. While AI has played a role in advancing robotics tech, the real catalyst for the industry gaining momentum can be traced back to Kiva Systems’ acquisition by Amazon in 2013.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union announced on Wednesday that a tentative agreement has been reached with Boeing for striking defense workers. The agreement, set to last five years, includes better wages and the restoration of a signing bonus, with final voting by union members scheduled for this Friday. The union, primarily based in St. Louis, Missouri, includes workers who assemble and maintain F-15 fighter jets and missile systems.

This development comes after more than 3,000 workers had been on strike since August, turning down a contract offer that included wage increases and signing bonuses. Boeing’s CEO expressed confidence in managing through the effects of the strike, as the company previously hired new workers for its defense unit to meet demand. This defense strike follows a similar seven-week strike by unionized machinists building commercial aircraft last year.

Uber has announced a new partnership with Joby Aviation to bring helicopter rides to its platform as soon as 2026. Through its acquisition of Blade, a helicopter and air transportation company, Joby aims to integrate its quiet, zero-emissions aircraft into the Uber app, offering customers a glimpse into the future of travel. This move follows Uber’s previous partnership with Joby in 2019 and the sale of its Elevate flying taxi division in 2020.

As the companies work towards regulatory approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, Uber president Andrew Macdonald believes this partnership will usher customers into the next generation of air transportation. Stay tuned for more details on booking rides in the years ahead.

Last week’s massive immigration raid at a Hyundai facility in Georgia, targeting nearly 500 workers, mostly South Korean nationals, has highlighted the escalating crackdown on illegal immigration by the Trump administration. The raid, conducted on a site jointly owned by Hyundai and LG Energy Solution, revealed that the detained workers were employed by contractors or subcontractors, raising concerns for other companies relying on foreign labor.

The demand for AI-specific tech talent in key cities like San Francisco, New York, Seattle, Toronto, and Washington, D.C. is fueling real estate growth across office, residential, and retail sectors. The pool of tech workers with AI skills has grown by over 50% in the U.S. and Canada, with notable increases in cities like New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Toronto, and Washington, D.C.

Microsoft has announced that starting next year, employees will be required to work in an office three days a week. This policy will initially apply to employees near Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, Washington, and the Puget Sound area, with plans to expand to other U.S. locations and international offices.

The company cited the need for employees to work together in person to build AI products and solve challenging problems. Despite recent layoffs, Microsoft emphasized that this shift in policy is not about reducing headcount, but about meeting customer needs and fostering collaboration among employees. The announcement comes after Microsoft reported better-than-expected financial results, bumping the company’s market cap past $4 trillion.

Nasdaq has filed a proposal with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to allow trading of tokenized securities, marking a significant move in the world of finance. If approved, this would be the first instance of tokenized securities being traded on a major U.S. stock exchange, showcasing a bold attempt by Nasdaq to bring blockchain-based settlement into the national market system. The move comes amidst a global rise in demand for tokenized assets, with proponents arguing that tokenization can improve liquidity in the financial system.