February 6, 2025

Talk about it

Hi there, 

Here is this week’s Hot or Not.

Hot: Voice agents

Voice AI is on the rise, largely thanks to progress at the model layer in 2024. 

Fast, capable voice “agents” promise to enable always-on support across customer service, HR (e.g., interviewing), sales (e.g., outbound calls), finance (e.g., collections), and more.

One early signal of the traction in the space: companies building AI voice applications are making up bigger chunks of Y Combinator’s cohorts, as a16z recently mapped out below. 

We put together a list of the YC-backed voice agent startups here on CB Insights so you can track all of their data in real time — business model, commercial maturity, funding, company health, and much more.

Source: a16z

Not: Figure x OpenAI

Humanoid robotics developer Figure is breaking up with OpenAI. 

CEO Brett Adcock announced on X the company built its own in-house AI models that it will leverage going forward. 

The companies go a ways back — OpenAI’s Startup Fund backed Figure’s Series B and the two signed a partnership last year.

Figure isn’t OpenAI’s only robotics bet. It's also invested in 1X and Physical Intelligence. 

OpenAI has also filed some trademark applications recently that suggest it might be making its own moves into humanoids.

So Figure may be making this move in anticipation of OpenAI becoming a competitor.

Track OpenAI’s entire portfolio here. 

Hot: Grid tech & nuclear

Climate tech funding is in the gutter (40% YoY drop).

One bright spot: grid tech.

Among climate tech markets, those targeting the grid and power generation show the strongest growth potential, according to CB Insights Mosaic startup health scores.

Energy demands from AI data centers are creating tailwinds for areas like small modular reactors and grid storage providers.

Dive into the full State of Climate Tech Report here.

Not: AI unicorn maturity

AI startups are hitting $1B+ valuations at record speed… before proving they can scale. 

In 2024, AI unicorns made up nearly half of all new unicorns, reaching the milestone in a median of 2 years compared to 9 years for non-AI peers.

Still, more than half are in early validation or deployment stages, per CBI Commercial Maturity scores — indicating their valuations are driven more by potential than proven business models.

See how AI hype is reshaping startup growth in our State of AI Report.

The +1

Somebody save me. I spent so long livin’ in (chart) hell.

I love you.

Anand

@asanwal 

Co-Founder & Exec Chair

P.S. We identified 9 technologies that are going to change the world over the next decade. Want the scoop? Download the free report here. 

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