Raison | Family Office in Your Pocket

🔼On Wednesday, the second Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting on monetary policy of the year took place. The main points are as follows:

🟠The Committee kept the rate at the current level of 5.25-5.50%;

🟠The Committee will continue to reduce the balance sheet according to previously announced plans ($95 billion per month);

🟠The Federal Reserve notes economic activity is expanding at a confident pace.

🟠Job growth is slowing, but the unemployment rate remains low. Inflation over the past year has decreased but remains high.

The Fed's updated forecasts for 2024:

🟠GDP forecast raised from 1.4% to 2.1%;

🟠Unemployment forecast lowered to 4.0% from 4.1%;

🟠For core PCE (consumer spending), the regulator expects growth to 2.6% from 2.4%;

🟠The forecast for the ERFF rate level in 2024 remains unchanged at 4.6% but was raised for 2025 and 2026 from 3.6% to 3.9% and from 2.9% to 3.1%, respectively. 👇

Launch of Starship, Anduril, and Animoca Brands

🚀News from companies our venture fund has invested in.

◾️Animoca Brands

Animoca Brands has invested in Param Labs, supporting the growth of the Web3 gaming ecosystem thanks to Param Labs' innovations, such as Kiraverse. Concurrently, Animoca Brands is collaborating with KACST to develop the Web3 ecosystem and gaming in Saudi Arabia, and it is planning to establish a Web3 Hub in Riyadh.

◾️Anthropic

Anthropic plans to open its first office in Dublin. Ireland will be the company's main base thanks to its technology ecosystem.

◾️Anduril

The US Army tested the autonomous drone Anduril Ghost-X, demonstrating increased autonomy.

◾️SpaceX

SpaceX successfully conducted the Starship launch, demonstrating reliability after addressing previous safety concerns.

◾️StoreDot

StoreDot and EVE Energy have partnered to produce batteries with rapid charging devices.

🌐 Read more on our blog

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❗️Disclaimer. Content is informative, not financial advice or an invitation to subscribe for any financial products, services, or investments. All investments involve risks including loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Seek professional advice before making decisions. Further details on our website: raison.app

Anthropic announced the Claude 3 AI model, the Kraken Institutional launch, and more news.

🚀News from companies our venture fund has invested in.

▪️Anthropic

Anthropic, a startup founded by former OpenAI researchers, announced the next generation of Claude 3 AI models, including Opus. Testing of all models, including MMLU, GPA, GSM8K, MATH, Human Eval, and Hella Swag, confirmed that the Claude 3 Opus model outperforms the competition in all tests conducted, setting a new standard in text and data processing.

▪️Anduril

The Pentagon plans to invest $6 billion to develop uncrewed fighter jets using artificial intelligence, where Anduril Industries is one of the contenders. These uncrewed fighter jets will perform protective roles for crewed aircraft such as the F-35 and B-21 and can also perform reconnaissance missions and carry weapons. The project aims to enhance military capabilities and reduce the cost of traditional warplanes.

▪️Kraken

Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken is launching a new Kraken Institutional service for institutional clients. This brand will provide end-to-end solutions by combining Kraken's existing products and services, giving reliability, scalability, and ease of integration for institutions, hedge funds, and VIP clients.

▪️Animoca Brands

Animoca Brands is investing in Imaginary Ones, a Singapore-based startup specializing in entertainment. The company launched a thriving collection of 3D "bubble character" games in 2022. With interest in tokens waning in 2023, Imaginary Ones is expanding its services into games, content, and wearables. To do so, the company has raised a new round of funding with Animoca Brands, Cypher Capital, ED3N Ventures, and MH Ventures.

▪️Klarna

Sweden-based fintech company Klarna is discussing an initial public offering on a U.S. exchange. As Bloomberg reports, the event could be one of the most significant IPOs on the market this year. The company is consulting with investment banks, considering a valuation of about $20 billion. They occur in the third quarter, but details and timing could change. Klarna representatives refrained from commenting.

▪️StoreDot

StoreDot, a leader in extreme fast charging (XFC) technology for electric vehicles, has confirmed the stable performance of its silicon technology in winter conditions. Recent lab tests have shown that at -10°C, the silicon cells achieve 80% capacity at standard charging speeds and retain more than 70% capacity at -20°C. XFC technology delivers high capacity and charging speeds, ensuring long life and consistent performance in all climatic conditions.

🌐 Read more on our blog

👉🏻 You can invest in private companies with us.

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❗Disclaimer. Content is informative, not financial advice or an invitation to subscribe for any financial products, services, or investments. All investments involve risks including loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Seek professional advice before making decisions. Further details on our website: raison.app

▪️Rubrik

Rubrik is recognized as the Customers' Choice in the Enterprise Backup and Recovery Software Solutions market on Gartner® Peer Insights™.The company has received this award for five consecutive years, emphasizing its commitment to innovations in data security.

▪️Animoca Brands

Companies Param Labs and Animoca Brands have announced a strategic partnership to enhance and promote the gaming industry in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and beyond. Param Labs is introducing its Pixel To Poly platform for Animoca Brands' projects. The partnership is geared towards revolutionizing the creation of gaming assets using artificial intelligence. It allows both companies to redefine the gaming landscape and emphasize the value of gamers owning their digital assets.

▪️Sift

Nexo, a prominent player in the digital assets sector, has revealed a partnership with Sift to enhance fraud prevention measures and ensure the security of its 6 million users. Leveraging Sift's technology, Nexo fortifies payment and account security, ultimately improving overall security and user experience. The collaboration also grants Nexo access to Sift's global data network, solidifying its standing as a leader in blockchain trust.

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#raison_digest

❗Disclaimer. Content is informative, not financial advice or an invitation to subscribe for any financial products, services, or investments. All investments involve risks including loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Seek professional advice before making decisions. Further details on our website: raison.app

Param Labs and Animoca Brands, SpaceX's moon flight, and other news

🚀News from companies our venture capital fund has invested

▪️Anduril

The U.S. Navy selected Dive-LD for remote sensing and cargo delivery. Dive-LD addresses the cost challenges of autonomous systems, and Anduril emphasizes the reliability of Dive-LD, committing to advancing maritime operations.
Anduril introduced the Iris sensor family for aerial sensing. Iris, adapted for various aerial vehicles, utilizes artificial intelligence and CPI technology to enhance performance.

▪️SpaceX

• SpaceX launched a lunar lander for a Moon mission. The spacecraft, nicknamed Odyssey, was undertaken using the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, hoping to land near the Moon's South Pole on February 22. If successful, it would be the first American spacecraft to reach the Moon in half a century.

• SpaceX plans to remove approximately 100 satellites from the Starlink global internet system. This approach ensures space safety without impacting the user experience of Starlink.

• Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, announced on Wednesday that SpaceX has relocated its state of incorporation from Delaware to Texas. Musk stated on the platform formerly known as Twitter, "SpaceX has moved its state of incorporation from Delaware to Texas! If your company is still incorporated in Delaware, I recommend moving to another state as soon as possible."

▪️Neuralink

Neuralink has relocated its place of incorporation from Delaware to Nevada, according to business portals in both states. This decision occurred a week after Elon Musk announced that Tesla would hold a shareholder vote to transfer its jurisdiction from Delaware to Texas. This move resulted from a court decision invalidating Musk's $56 billion compensation package.

▪️Klarna

•Sebastian Siemiatkowski, Klarna's CEO, stated that the company will likely conduct an IPO “quite” soon. Siemiatkowski discusses his plans regarding the IPO and mentions that he is currently leaning towards the U.S. markets in an interview with BNN Bloomberg.

•Klarna has introduced "Sign in with Klarna" for convenient shopping and data control. The service, available in 23 countries, ensures quick checkouts and personalized offers with user consent for data exchange. This move poses competition for Apple, Facebook, and Google in the global verification industry. Successfully tested in Sweden, the service attracts interest from many merchants and is expected to become famous.

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🌐 Great news in the morning: Raison has become a Nasdaq Private Market (NPM) member!

❓ About NPM: Nasdaq Private Market was established in 2013 as a joint project of NASDAQ and SharesPost—a platform designed for private fast-growing companies.

🚀 NPM Opportunities: NPM attracts many institutional clients, including family offices, hedge funds, and secondary funds. Investing in the private market opens doors to unique profitability opportunities and strategies unavailable in public markets.

Alexander Zaytsev, CEO and board member of Raison:

"Membership in the Nasdaq Private Market provides more efficient and transparent access to fast-growing companies even before they go public, significantly expanding opportunities for our clients. Additionally, Raison clients will have exclusive access to a range of offerings available only through this platform.

♟️Joining the Nasdaq Private Market is a significant step in our company's development, allowing us to continue providing our clients access to high-quality investment opportunities.

▪️Klarna

The company is transitioning to a subscription model through an app and is launching Klarna Plus. According to Marketing Director David Sandstrom, Klarna's research shows users are eager to enhance their shopping quality through a subscription model.

The global e-commerce subscription market is thriving and is expected to reach a value of $2419.69 billion by 2028, driven by changing consumer preferences in shopping, including the ongoing expansion of e-commerce.

Klarna Plus debuts at a time when Klarna is growing in the U.S. market, transitioning from BNPL to a 360-degree ecosystem. Over the past year, Klarna's customer base in the U.S. has increased by 32%, reaching 37 million consumers. This growth is attributed to Klarna's continuous market innovations.

▪️Rubrik

The company announced that Rubrik Security Cloud — Government has passed StateRAMP certification. With StateRAMP, Rubrik can expand its capabilities for state and educational institutions.

To date, Rubrik Security Cloud — Government has achieved:

• “In Process” status for FedRAMP® and security certificates for Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) following the Security Policy and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

• Confirmation of 3PAO compliance with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) requirements for secure software development, as outlined in the White House Executive Order 14028 on Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity.

▪️Sift

The company appointed former Cisco Executive Director Raviv Levi as the Director of Product. In his new role, Levi will oversee Sift's product strategy and focus on developing Sift's core platform to protect enterprises and improve user engagement. The company recently announced that it had received 40 patents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office; it was also the only company named a leader in all three categories of fraud detection, e-commerce, and risk-based authentication in the Winter Grid reports by G2.

▪️Animoca Brands

The company announced a strategic partnership with Hong Kong's licensed virtual asset exchange, HashKey Exchange. HashKey Exchange and Animoca Brands aim to create new developments in virtual assets, including public education events about Web3. The partnership highlights HashKey Exchange's plans to expand its digital assets. It aligns with Animoca Brands' vision for the mass adoption of blockchain games and other products, contributing to a more inclusive digital economy.

👉 You can invest in private companies with us.

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#raison_digest

❗Disclaimer. Content is informative, not financial advice or an invitation to subscribe for any financial products, services, or investments. All investments involve risks including loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Seek professional advice before making decisions. Further details on our website: raison.app

First person with Neuralink chip, Anduril in CCA programme and others

🚀 News from companies our venture capital fund has invested in.

▪️Anduril

Anduril was selected as one of five suppliers to develop Combined Combat Aircraft (CCA), a flagship program of the Air Force. Details of the contracts are not disclosed. Last year, Anduril acquired Blue Force Technologies, which developed the advanced unmanned aircraft Fury. Anduril also produces Lattice, which the company describes as an “AI-supported software platform that allows teams to collaborate to accomplish complex tasks dynamically.” This could also be significant for the CCA program.

▪️Neuralink

Elon Musk reported the successful implantation of a chip in the first human. The patient with the implanted chip is “recovering well,” the entrepreneur noted. He said the first results showed “promising detection of neural spikes.” The implant allows the person to control digital devices with their mind. According to Reuters, Neuralink's valuation reached $5 billion in early June 2023. This valuation is based on Neuralink's private deals in recent months before the company announced that U.S. regulators approved testing of its technology on humans.

▪️Chainalysis

Omesh Agam has joined the company as the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). He will lead the company's global security team, including developing security systems, operations, and compliance. Omesh has 20 years of experience in cybersecurity. Before joining Chainalysis, he served as CISO responsible for trust and security at technology companies Celonis and Appian.

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