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Welcome to the latest edition of The Frontline!
A regular dispatch delivering intel, insights, and highlights from the Silicon Foundry global community and collective of professionals.
In this edition, explore why AI isn't the end of software-as-a-service as it is moving from passive tools into autonomous forces, meet the newest Venture Partners to join our team, and discover the latest trends in machine intelligence, and how it is integral in fundamental business transformation and integration.
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More than $1 trillion in software value has been repriced, but this isn’t the end of SaaS. In this piece, Tanya Privé notes that this moment marks the beginning of a new era where AI agents transform software from passive tools into autonomous workers. As systems increasingly execute tasks rather than assist with them, the foundations of the industry are being reshaped, shifting how value is created and then sustained. |
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We are pleased to announce our newest venture partner, Elaine Barsoom, who joins the team as former Global Head of AI & Tech Innovation Partnerships at Nike. She has over two decades of experience helping global organizations translate emerging technologies into real business impact, specializing in turning early-stage experimentation into enterprise-wide capabilities. Ultimately, her edge lies in turning what's next into what actually works.
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AI is no longer just a technological initiative, but a fundamental business transformation. The biggest trends to be aware of are meaningful AI integration and implementation, as organizations move beyond pilots toward scalable, value-driven deployments. The focus is shifting to embedding AI into core operations, strengthening data foundations, and building governance structures that enable sustainable, enterprise-wide impact. |
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Joining us as a Venture Partner is Nicolás Melero, who was the former Head of Digital Partnerships and Innovation at Falabella. Currently pursuing an MBA at MIT Sloan, Nicolás will bring in deep expertise in corporate finance to strategic analytics. At Silicon Foundry, he will continue to work closely with corporate innovation leaders to help accelerate digital transformation and turn emerging technologies into scalable outcomes. |
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State of Corporate Innovation 2026 — Contribute Your Perspective |
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We’re seeing a meaningful shift in how corporate innovation is defined and what it’s expected to deliver. What was once centered on startups and long-term bets is increasingly being redirected toward AI, core business performance, and near-term outcomes. For many leaders, the mandate is expanding, often without a clear peer set and with increasing pressure to cut through noise and find what actually works in practice.
To better understand how this is playing out, we’re conducting a short study with innovation leaders across industries. If you’re in this seat, we’d value your perspective. |
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A spotlight on
Our Offerings
at Silicon Foundry, featuring a Q&A series focusing on top insights and an in-depth look into our full suite of services. |
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Over the years, SiF has expanded our Offerings to support the distinct needs of corporates, CVCs, and startups. SiF Managing Director Mark Menell discusses Corporate Venture Capital, and how Silicon Foundry can act as a natural extension for corporate teams—providing end-to-end support from fund strategy and startup sourcing to post-investment execution and long-term value creation. |
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Where We've Been & Where We'll Be |
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Global industry events that our team has recently attended or will be at in the months ahead. Drop us a line to get the inside scoop, hear what we've learned and/or to get together if you will also be at one of these upcoming events! |
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March 22-24th
Dana Point, CA |
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April 6-9th
San Francisco, CA |
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April 2nd
San Francisco, CA |
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Recent headlines that caught our attention, related to corporate innovation activities, adoption of new technologies, venture investing trends, and key announcements from across our community of partners and members. |
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NVIDIA is pushing AI beyond software and into the physical world, by partnering and working with global robotics leaders to scale autonomous systems across industries. By combining simulation, training, and deployment, the initiative signals a shift toward AI that can perceive, decide, and act in real-world environments. (Nvidia) |
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Station F is beginning to bring corporates into its AI accelerator model, linking startups with industry partners in order to speed up real-world deployment. The move highlights a broader shift toward open innovation, where large companies engage earlier to co-develop and scale emerging technologies. (GCV) |
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Anthropic’s Claude is gaining rapid traction in enterprise AI, transforming developer-focused use cases into real revenue growth. At the same time, growing tensions with government contracts and competitors like OpenAI underscore how quickly AI is becoming both a commercial and geopolitical battleground. (Quartz) |
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Space tech is hitting new highs, unlike most startup sectors still recovering unevenly. Data shows investment in space and satellite startups surpassed $12 billion last year. The momentum is being driven by large bets on infrastructure, signaling sustained investor confidence in space economy's long-term growth. (Crunchbase) |
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Silicon Foundry is an innovation advisory firm that catalyzes opportunities and accelerates change to push the frontier of what’s possible. |
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