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Usually, I have an analysis and then a little bird (all my inside information is reserved for you). But today I’m including them because I have a lot of little birds telling me about the new talent wars.
About seven years ago, a self-driving car developer told me that competing with the likes of That’s it for talent was “like fighting with a knife.” Now it seems there is a new war on poaching going on, according to a few small birds. And it’s pushing the starting salary (not including cash and other benefits) to between $300,000 and $500,000.
Here’s what’s going on. The most challenging part of AI is filled with robotics and security technology companies that are looking for people with certain skills (to quote Liam Neeson). And these people work for companies that make self-driving cars and robotaxis.
As these workers gravitate to other sectors — including defense — automakers and startups are being forced to raise wages or lose talent to better-paying “AI” jobs.
The ideal candidate for an independent company has a mix of skills, including old robotics and AI skills, according to one founder. It is this understanding of how to integrate AI into hardware such as humanoid robots, industrial robots, and autonomous forklifts, and with construction, mining, and agricultural equipment that companies are fighting for talent.
Defense technology startups appear to be more generous when it comes to reimbursement, thanks to the Department of Defense’s open wallet. Jobs looking for an applied researcher or AI support engineer (or something similar) are hot tickets right now.
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This probably won’t hurt Waymo. As one founder pointed out, Waymo is inexpensive. But startups and autos, which have outsold self-driving cars, could be hit hard, several young birds told me.
I predict two results. Atomic manufacturers will have a hard time holding on to engineers who are working on the drive themselves, causing them to leave. In the meantime, startups will either need to raise more capital or be smarter about how that money is spent.
A little bird
Well, you’ve already found the little bird of the week. Scroll up! But I’m saving this cute picture to remind you all to talk, call, or email me with advice!
Do you have a warning for us? Email Kirsten Korosec at kirsten.korosec@techcrunch.com or my Signal at kkorosec.07, or email Sean O’Kane at sean.okane@techcrunch.com.
Sales!
Remember in 2016 when the term “self-driving” on the highway seemed to immediately hit the paper? While the vibes of 2016 have extended into 2026, startups and investors have moved on. Now, as you can see, it’s all about physical AI, a loose category that goes beyond robotaxis and self-driving cars.
Palo Alto-based venture firm Eclipse has positioned itself at the center of AI systems and now has another one $1.3 billion investment. The $1.3 billion in new funding is split between $591 million in early stage funding and one focused on early stage growth.
I chatted with my Eclipse friend Jiten Behl about the fund and where the money is going. I was very interested in his thoughts on Eclipse’s role in developing startups. Eclipse didn’t cut any new checks, but Behl said the company will expand on more startups and said, “We’re working on some really cool projects.”
So, stay awake. And see the full article here.
Some products that impressed me…
Candlea Swedish electronics company, landed a 20-boat system and Norwegian operator Boreal. Currently, Candela is the founder and CEO Gustav Hasselskog they are coming down. Sofia Graflund is the new CEO and Hasselskog will assume the role of executive chairman.
Hermesa Los Angeles-based security startup that develops unmanned aerial vehicles, earned $350 million is worth $1 billion. The funding includes a $200 million investment led by Khosla Ventures. The remaining $150 million comes as debt.
Sora oilaviation fuel startup in Cambridge, Massachusetts, raised $14.6 million in a round led by Spero Ventures and Inspired Capital, Axios reported.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy he said in an interview on CNBC that there is airport integration in the United States.
Popular reading and more
Avride is the latest autonomous vehicle company to come under fire from people outraged by the behavior of its robotaxis. In this case, it involved an autonomous vehicle (with a driver for public safety) which he ran and killed the mother duck in Austin, Texas, near Mueller Lake. “It didn’t slow down or slow down at all, it just went by,” one witness said. Read this article to find out how Avride is doing.
Oil prices it’s not the only thing that adds up used for EV sales.
John Deere reach a A $99 million settlement to settle “right to edit” lawsuits pending in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Wired has some advantages the destruction of the story and why this is important.
In case you didn’t get the memo, startups and Big Tech companies alike are working on physical AI and automation. Mariana Mineralswhich focuses on mining, is one of them. Senior reporter Sean O’Kane he was asked the initiator Turner Caldwella former Tesla engineer who launched the startup in 2024, about the company’s latest partnership with an independent car company. Pronto (and yes, this is Pronto founded by Anthony Levandowski which was just acquired by Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick Atomu startup).
Remember the time Elon Musk said a small, cheap $25,000 EV is useless and stupid? Well, according to Reuters sources, Tesla they are making a A small, affordable electric SUV.
Volkswagen they will not give birth again all lights ID.4 at its US factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee. On the contrary? High-performance vehicles like the upcoming gas-powered Atlas SUVs.
The ID.4 will be available to US buyers while supplies last. VW tells me it should last until 2027.
Meanwhile, the Volkswagen company MOIA America is making some progress on autonomous vehicles. MOIA America is Uber he started trying autonomous microbus in Los Angeles ahead of the robotaxi project that the company plans to launch by the end of 2026. Caveat! When the application starts, it will not be driverless at first. The company hopes to pull a public safety driver into the vehicles in 2027. Also, the term “microbus” may be an extension; there will be only four of these cars.
That’s it and Waze started a pilot program for data sharing which will contribute to traffic collected by robotaxis to Waze’s free platform designed for cities. Any city or state (or regular ol’ Waze user) where Waymo operates will have access to that information as the app grows.
In other Waymo news, the Alphabet company owns it opened his own robotaxi service for people in Nashville. Eleven cities and counting.