Berkeley Talks: Leaping robots, AI companies and a NASA mission: Stories of Berkeley student innovation

news.berkeley.edu Aug 22, 2026

Berkeley Talks: Leaping robots, AI companies and a NASA mission: Stories of Berkeley student innovation

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Aug 22, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

UC Berkeley Professor Pieter Abbeel highlighted the exceptional achievements of former students from his robotics labs during a recent Berkeley Talks podcast episode. Abbeel recounted the story of Aravind Srinivas, who joined the lab in 2020 after proving his dedication through intense research. Srinivas later co-founded Perplexity, an AI company known for source-grounded responses, after working at OpenAI. Abbeel also shared the journey of Woody Hoburg, who arrived at Berkeley from MIT in 2011 with the ambitious goal of becoming a NASA astronaut. Despite acknowledging the low probability of success, Hoburg pursued his dream and eventually achieved it. These narratives illustrate the determination and curiosity driving Berkeley researchers. The professor emphasized how these individuals transitioned from academic settings to significant roles in technology and space exploration. Their stories reflect the broader impact of Berkeley’s engineering program on global innovation. Abbeel’s reflections underscore the value of perseverance in scientific and technical fields. The podcast serves as a testament to the enduring influence of mentorship and rigorous academic training on career trajectories in robotics and artificial intelligence sectors today.

💡 Why It Matters

· The narrative challenges the conventional view of academic success by prioritizing relentless personal drive over institutional gatekeeping.
· It demonstrates how individual perseverance can bypass structural barriers to achieve breakthroughs in high-stakes fields like AI and space exploration.

Read full article on news.berkeley.edu

Lionel Martellini (EDHEC Quantum Institute): Why business leaders need quantum awareness, not…

Lionel Martellini, a finance professor at EDHEC Business School and former astrophysicist, founded the EDHEC Quantum Institute—the first quantum-focused unit inside a European business school. In an interview with Yuval Boger, Martellini explains his dual career in finance and physics, his PhD work on gravitational waves with the LIGO‑Virgo collaboration, and his belief that quantum literacy must extend beyond specialist circles. The institute’s curriculum aims to give undergraduate, graduate and MBA students a foundational understanding of quantum concepts and the realistic prospects for quantum applications in finance, without training them as engineers. Martellini warns against “quantum washing,” the hype‑driven overselling of quantum solutions, and stresses the need for practical, evidence‑based education as second‑generation quantum technologies mature.

💡 Business leaders who can separate genuine quantum use cases from hype will allocate resources wisely, accelerating the adoption of technologies that can reshape risk modeling and optimization.

semiconductor-digest.com · Aug 22

Qnity Appoints Semiconductor Finance Veteran Ken Rizvi Chief Financial Officer

Qnity Electronics, Inc. has appointed Ken Rizvi as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective October 1. Rizvi, a veteran semiconductor finance executive with over 25 years of experience, replaces Michael Goss, who served as interim CFO. Goss will transition to Vice President, Finance and Controllership. CEO Jon Kemp praised Rizvi’s track record in capital allocation and operational excellence, stating his leadership will support the company’s growth strategy. Rizvi previously served as CFO of Synaptics and Smart Global Holdings, overseeing global finance, investor relations, and corporate development. His career includes roles at UTAC Group, Isola Group, Micron Technology, and ON Semiconductor. Rizvi emphasized the critical role of materials innovation in technology advancement. He expressed excitement about partnering with Kemp to capitalize on industry opportunities. Qnity operates across the semiconductor value chain, providing technology solutions. The appointment aims to strengthen financial discipline and value creation for customers, investors, and employees. Rizvi’s extensive background spans semiconductor design, manufacturing, memory, packaging, and supply-chain businesses, bringing broad strategic leadership to the role.

💡 Rizvi’s deep industry pedigree signals Qnity’s intent to leverage specialized financial expertise for strategic expansion. His proven ability to drive margin expansion and manage complex transactions positions the company to navigate the volatile semiconductor supply chain more effectively.

stratechery.com · Aug 22

2026.34: App Snore

The latest edition of This Week in Stratechery, titled “2026.34: App Snore,” provides a comprehensive overview of recent content within the Stratechery bundle. The newsletter highlights several key articles and updates for subscribers, emphasizing that selected links remain free for all readers. Featured content includes a Sharp Text article by Andrew Sharp analyzing recent diplomatic interactions between Trump and South Korea. Additionally, the publication offers insights from “Dithering” with Ben Thompson and John Gruber, alongside geopolitical analysis in “Asianometry” with Jon Yu and “Sharp China” with Bill Bishop. Topics covered range from Wang Yi’s visit to South Korea to US-China relations ahead of Xi’s upcoming trip. The weekly Sharp Tech video focuses on leadership turnover at DeepMind. Subscribers are reminded they can customize their email delivery settings to manage these updates, ensuring they receive only the content they prefer without any associated podcast component.

💡 The DeepMind leadership shift signals potential strategic realignments in the AI sector, while the detailed US-China diplomatic breakdown offers critical context for understanding emerging geopolitical tensions.

techcrunch.com · Aug 22

Michael Polansky is training an AI model on skin that’s still alive

Michael Polansky, co-founder of Outer Biosciences and partner to Lady Gaga, is training an AI model on living human skin tissue kept alive outside the body for over a month. Polansky, a Harvard graduate in applied mathematics and computer science, previously worked at Bridgewater Associates and as a principal at Founders Fund alongside Peter Thiel and Sean Parker. He later managed Parker’s family office and helped establish the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. Polansky met Germanotta in 2019 through philanthropic connections. The couple manages her global tour operations and her cosmetics brand, Haus Labs, which collaborates with Outer Biosciences. Germanotta serves on Outer’s board. Polansky entered life sciences through his decade-long involvement in cancer immunotherapy. His current work focuses on maintaining living tissue ex vivo, a significant technical achievement in biotechnology. The startup operates discreetly, with Polansky balancing his high-profile personal life with his scientific endeavors. He describes his transition from finance to biotech as accidental but driven by a desire for meaningful work. The collaboration between his ventures highlights an intersection of celebrity influence and serious scientific research.

💡 Polansky’s success in sustaining living tissue ex vivo for over a month validates a critical bottleneck in drug discovery and personalized medicine. This breakthrough allows for more accurate, long-term biological testing without relying on animal models or short-lived cell cultures.

hindustantimes.com · Aug 21

Elon Musk pitches Starlink for rural India amidst stalled launch

Elon Musk has promoted Starlink as a public‑service solution for rural India, emphasizing its potential to bridge the connectivity gap in underserved villages. The satellite internet provider awaits final regulatory clearance from the Indian government before commencing commercial operations. Rural tele‑density stands at 60.89%, compared to 153.43% in urban areas, leaving roughly 40% of the rural population without individual mobile or fixed‑line service. While the BharatNet project has laid 850,000 route‑kilometres of fibre, 11,256 villages still lack 4G coverage, underscoring the urgency of alternative solutions.

💡 Starlink’s entry could accelerate digital inclusion in India’s vast rural hinterland, offering a rapid, low‑cost alternative to fibre that may reshape the nation’s broadband strategy.

energy-storage.news · Aug 21

‘Company wasn’t ready in 2021’: ESS Inc CEO on pivoting away from…

ESS Inc., a SPAC‑listed energy‑storage firm, has struggled to commercialize its iron flow battery technology, leading to a steep decline in share price and a looming going‑concern warning. In January, investment banker Drew Buckley became CEO and announced a strategic pivot to sodium‑ion batteries, citing cost, timeline, and market acceptance challenges with the iron platform. Buckley plans a corporate overhaul, potential merger with an adjacent energy company, and a renewed focus on scalable, profitable deployments.

💡 The shift signals a broader industry reevaluation of alternative battery chemistries, underscoring the urgency for viable, cost‑effective long‑duration storage solutions.