<h2>Plan B</h2>
<p>It&#8217;s never a bad idea to have a back-up plan — especially when the fate of humanity hangs in the balance.</p>
<p>Climate change could render vast segments of the Earth <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/hothouse-earth-paris-agreement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">completely uninhabitable</a> to humans, and attempts to address the problem by <a href="https://futurism.com/new-data-shows-progress-in-fight-against-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cutting carbon emissions</a> might not be enough to save the planet.</p>
<p>We need a Plan B, and startup accelerator Y Combinator wants to help develop it.</p>
<h2>Out of the Air</h2>
<p>Y Combinator helps startups get off the ground by offering up to $150,000 in funding in exchange for a 7 percent stake in the company. The accelerator maintains a <a href="https://www.ycombinator.com/rfs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Request for Startups page</a> that lists areas it&#8217;s particularly interested in funding. On Tuesday, it added carbon removal technologies to the list.</p>
<p>&#8220;We have conviction that it’s a worthwhile endeavor to remove CO2 from the air and transform it into something else useful or figure out how to store it safely, long-term,&#8221; wrote Y Combinator CEO Sam Altman in a <a href="https://blog.ycombinator.com/frontier-carbon-removal-technologies/">blog post</a>. &#8220;They may seem like moonshots now, but our goal is to try to come up with technically feasible solutions at realistic costs.&#8221;</p>
<h2>Chasing Rainbows</h2>
<p>Some experts argue that carbon removal technology isn&#8217;t a realistic solution to our climate woes — they&#8217;ve even gone so far as to <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/report-climate-change-unrealistic-tech">call the proposed machines</a> &#8220;carbon unicorns,&#8221; since they don&#8217;t yet exist.</p>
<p>But just because we don&#8217;t have adequate carbon removal systems right now doesn&#8217;t mean some innovative entrepreneur couldn&#8217;t develop them with a little seed funding — the kind Y Combinator is now offering up.</p>
<p>Who knows? Perhaps this unicorn funding could lead to a planet-saving breakthrough.</p>
<p><strong>READ MORE:</strong> <a href="https://blog.ycombinator.com/frontier-carbon-removal-technologies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Frontier Carbon Removal Technologies</a> [Y Combinator]</p>
<p><em><strong>More on carbon capture: <a href="https://futurism.com/tax-incentive-carbon-capture" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Tax Incentive Might Finally Make Carbon Capture a Thing</a></strong></em></p>


The accelerator is looking for startups that suck (carbon from the atmosphere).

Y Combinator is turning its attention to carbon removal

CO2 Sucks

Y Combinator just sent out a request for startups working on carbon removal technology, which could help us address the problem of climate change.

Y Combinator Is Turning Its Attention to Carbon Removal

They want to transform this unicorn tech into a unicorn startup.

<p><strong>A BOLD PLAN.</strong> Y Combinator has an ambitious plan to test universal basic income. But it&#8217;s having trouble following through, which could be a sign that the general public just isn&#8217;t ready to get behind the idea of giving people &#8220;free&#8221; money.</p>
<p>Back in January 2016, the startup incubator&#8217;s president Sam Altman <a href="https://ycombinator.wpengine.com/basic-income/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> via blog post the company&#8217;s intention to fund a trial of basic income, a system in which everyone in a society receives a certain amount of guaranteed money with no strings attached.</p>
<p>Later that year, Y Combinator launched a <a href="https://www.inverse.com/article/17529-y-combinator-basic-income-oakland" target="_blank" rel="noopener">feasibility study</a>, giving a few dozen people in Oakland, CA, between $1,500 and $2,000 each per month for one year.</p>
<p><strong>THE BOTTOM LINE.</strong> In September 2017, Y Combinator offered more details on the trial. It plans to give 1,000 people living in two states each $1,000 per month for up to five years. Another 2,000 people will serve as the trial&#8217;s control, receiving just $50 per month.</p>
<p>The project will cost Y Combinator an estimated $60 million, 75 percent of which would go directly to the participants.</p>
<p>Elizabeth Rhodes, YC Research’s project director, told <em>WIRED</em> the company is talking to &#8220;individuals, national foundations, and local philanthropic groups&#8221; in an effort to secure that funding. They won&#8217;t start the trial until it&#8217;s in place. Right now, those leading the project estimate that&#8217;ll happen sometime in 2019, according to an email sent by Rhodes to Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf in July 2018 and obtained by <em>WIRED</em>.</p>
<p><strong>INTERESTED, BUT NOT COMMITTED.</strong> Whether Y Combinator will actually have the funding it needs in place by 2019 is debatable as the public response to basic income has been lukewarm at best; the kinds of organizations Rhodes is courting seem to think that other causes are more worthy of investment.</p>
<p>Across the globe, basic income projects are either <a href="https://futurism.com/basic-income-trial-ontario-ends/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ending early</a> or <a href="https://futurism.com/finland-basic-income-trial/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not expanding</a> after initial testing. A <a href="https://futurism.com/largest-basic-income-experiment-history-launched-kenya/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kenyan trial</a> seems to be off to a solid start and other projects are still in the <a href="https://futurism.com/california-city-test-universal-basic-income/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">planning stages</a>, but despite society&#8217;s seemingly growing interest in the system, we&#8217;ve yet to really see a basic income project lead to any sort of widespread adoption.</p>
<p>We&#8217;ll just have to wait to see whether Y Combinator&#8217;s trial can break free from that trend — assuming the project ever receives the funding it needs.</p>
<p><strong>READ MORE:</strong> <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/y-combinator-learns-basic-income-is-not-so-basic-after-all/?CNDID=13660475&amp;mbid=nl_082718_daily_list1_p1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Y Combinator Learns Basic Income Is Not so Basic After All</a> [<em>WIRED</em>]</p>
<p><em><strong>More on basic income: <a href="https://futurism.com/people-in-two-u-s-states-will-get-1000-a-month-in-a-new-basic-income-trial/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">People in Two U.S. States Will Get $1,000 a Month in a New Basic Income Trial</a></strong></em></p>


It still hasn't secured the $60 million it needs to fund the program.

Y Combinator's basic income experiment is off to a slow start

Future Society

Y Combinator's basic income trial still doesn't have the funding it needs, so the company is pushing the program's launch to 2019.

Y Combinator's Basic Income Experiment Is off to a Slow Start

Basic income might not be ready for the mainstream. 

Y Combinator’s Basic Income Experiment Is off to a Slow Start

<p><strong>CLEAN MEAT.</strong> When it comes to betting on startups, Y Combinator knows <a href="https://news.crunchbase.com/news/yc-alumni-go-big-15-valuable-y-combinator-backed-startups/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how to pick some winners</a>. Since it launched in 2005, the accelerator has provided seed funding and advice to several companies that went on to become household names, including Airbnb, Reddit, and Dropbox.</p>
<p>Now, the company is ready to sink its teeth into a new challenge: help make <a href="https://futurism.com/future-meat-eat-wont-come-from-living-organisms/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plant-based and clean meat</a> — edible protein grown from animal stem cells — mainstream.</p>
<p><strong>NOT YOUR AVERAGE STARTUP.</strong> On Wednesday, Y Combinator hosted the second day of demos for its Summer 2018 startups, and one of those, <a href="https://www.gfi.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Good Food Institute (GFI)</a>, was pretty unique. It&#8217;s not a <em>company</em> per se —<a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90221400/y-combinator-is-funding-a-nonprofit-that-advocates-for-meat-alternatives" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> GFI is a nonprofit think tank</a> that will itself act as an accelerator for startups in the plant-based and clean meat sector. It&#8217;s basically accelerator inception.</p>
<p>GFI has its hands in pretty much anything that has to do with clean meat. It&#8217;s working with colleges to design clean meat-focused curriculums, launching a conference on the subject, and funding open-source research so that startups in the space can learn from each other&#8217;s work.</p>
<p>GFI also lobbies government organizations and traditional meat manufacturers to secure funding for clean meat startups. The institute has even launched three startups of its own.</p>
<p><strong>A POWERFUL PARTNER.</strong> GFI is hopeful that the partnership with Y Combinator will help bring attention to both its startups and the industry as a whole. Y Combinator, meanwhile, simply sees clean meat as the future.</p>
<p>“YC got interested in [clean meat] because of the innovation in this industry,” Gustaf Alstromer, a partner at Y Combinator, <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90221400/y-combinator-is-funding-a-nonprofit-that-advocates-for-meat-alternatives" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told <em>Fast Company</em></a>. &#8220;We think that if it works, this will revolutionize the entire meat industry, and we think that it will probably be entrepreneurs and startups that build the companies that produce that meat.”</p>
<p>As we&#8217;ve seen in the past, Y Combinator has a pretty solid track record of detecting industry trends, so if its decision to back GFI is any indication, we&#8217;re probably going to see a lot more clean meat in the future.</p>
<p><strong>READ MORE:</strong> <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90221400/y-combinator-is-funding-a-nonprofit-that-advocates-for-meat-alternatives" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Y Combinator Is Funding a Nonprofit That Advocates for Meat Alternatives</a> [<em>Fast Company</em>]</p>
<p><strong><em>More on clean meat: <a href="https://futurism.com/future-meat-eat-wont-come-from-living-organisms/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In the Future, the Meat You Eat Won’t Come From Living Organisms</a></em></strong></p>


Famed startup accelerator Y Combinator is throwing its support behind clean meat.

We’re about to get many more meat alternatives

Included in Y Combinator's 2018 batch of companies is the Good Food Institute (GFI), a non-profit focused on accelerating the adoption of clean meat.

We’re About to Get Many More Meat Alternatives

A new accelerator is sinking its teeth into lab-grown and plant-based meat.

<h2>YC Bio</h2>
<p>Business accelerator <a href="http://www.ycombinator.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Y Combinator</a> is known for making intriguing and often wise investment decisions. They provided early support to now well-known companies, such as Airbnb and Coinbase, and have also backed smaller experimental ventures focused on everything from <a href="https://futurism.com/these-six-startups-from-y-combinators-demo-day-1-are-ready-to-transform-our-world/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">materials science</a> to <a href="https://futurism.com/the-most-futuristic-companies-that-just-launched-at-y-combinator-demo-day-1/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wearables for cows</a>. On January 11, Sam Altman, Y Combinator&#8217;s president, announced YC Bio, a <a href="https://blog.ycombinator.com/yc-bio/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new experiment</a> that will fund life science companies.</p>
<figure style="width: 360px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/so-you-want-to-live-forever-infographic/"><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2016/08/Want-to-live-forever_home_v3-900x557.jpg" alt="So You Want to Live Forever? [INFOGRAPHIC]" ></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text center"><strong><a href="https://futurism.com/images/so-you-want-to-live-forever-infographic/" target="_blank">Click to View Full Infographic</a></figcaption></strong></figure>
<p>Due to the size of the biology field, Altman explained that Y Combinator thought it made the most sense to focus on one specific area at a time. He said the company has also found that &#8220;companies working in similar areas get a lot of value from being around each other.&#8221;</p>
<p>The first area of focus for YC Bio is &#8220;healthspan&#8221; and age-related disease. Healthspan centers on the idea that medicine should not just help people live longer, but allow those people to enjoy good health and a high quality of life over the course of their years.</p>
<p>&#8220;We think there’s an enormous opportunity to help people live healthier for longer, and that it could be one of the best ways to address our healthcare crisis,&#8221; Altman wrote in his blog post announcing the venture.</p>
<h2>Let the Funding Begin</h2>
<p>Like their YC AI track, which exclusively funds companies focusing on artificial intelligence (AI), companies participating in YC Bio will first go through the accelerator&#8217;s regular batch before receiving their offer.</p>
<p>Instead of the standard YC deal of $120,000 in exchange for 7 percent ownership, YC Bio companies will receive an offer between $500,000 and $1 million for between 10 percent and 20 percent ownership.</p>
<p>In addition to this seed funding, YC Bio companies will receive free lab space and other special deals, such as access to a &#8220;wide range of experts,&#8221; according to Altman.</p>
<p><iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-ZYFYRPbUK4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>In 2014, Y Combinator funded their first biotech company, Ginkgo Bioworks, and that company recently raised $275 million to build their new production facility, <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2017/12/14/gingko-bioworks-secures-275-million-in-series-d-valuing-the-company-at-over-1-billion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bringing their total value to $1 billion</a>.</p>
<p>This past success is particularly encouraging given that one of the pioneers in anti-aging research recently expressed that, while the field is <a href="https://futurism.com/first-results-of-a-clinical-trial-to-cure-aging-using-young-blood-just-came-in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rife with promising ideas</a>, there has simply <a href="https://futurism.com/funding-anti-aging-research/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not been enough funding</a> to facilitate solid research. Perhaps YC Bio will be able to fill that void.</p>


Y Combinator is ready to invest big money in anti-aging research.

A new experiment aims to cure aging once and for all

dementia.stock.photo.site

Health & Medicine

YC Bio, a Y Combinator funding track specifically for biotech startups, will initially fund companies looking to help humans live longer, healthier lives.

A New Experiment Aims to Cure Aging Once and for All

YC Bio aims to help people live healthier lives for longer. 

<h2>Smart Investment</h2>
<p>Y Combinator wants to give people another way to invest in the startups it works with, utilizing the blockchain and cryptocurrency to offer wider access. Sam Altman, the company&#8217;s president, expressed a desire to &#8220;democratize&#8221; the process <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/20/yc-wants-to-let-people-invest-in-its-startups-through-the-blockchain/" target="_blank">speaking at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference</a>.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s thought that Y Combinator is currently investigating how cryptocurrency might be used to broaden the investment pool. There are various legal factors that need to be taken into consideration before such a system can be put in place.</p>
<p><iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cMhYFnNpdlc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>The idea of using these platforms for investments is broadly similar to the initial coin offerings (ICOs) that are often used to <a href="https://futurism.com/initial-coin-offerings-are-now-illegal-in-china/" target="_blank">launch a new cryptocurrency</a>. However, Altman had some pointed remarks about the nature of ICOs in their current form.</p>
<p>“Do I think ICOs are silly, bordering on scams? Yes, they are,” he argued. “But, there are a few that are important, and the blockchain is more important than not…ICOs need to be regulated.”</p>
<h2>Crypto Crowdfunding</h2>
<p>ICOs have come under scrutiny in recent weeks. China just <a href="https://futurism.com/initial-coin-offerings-are-now-illegal-in-china/" target="_blank">enforced a ban on the practice</a>, which caused tremors across the cryptocurrency market, but authorities have since explained that this is a <a href="https://futurism.com/according-to-chinese-official-chinas-ban-on-initial-coin-offerings-is-only-temporary/" target="_blank">temporary measure</a> intended to allow for proper regulations to be put in place.<figure style="width: 360px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/technology-for-good-how-edtech-startups-are-democratizing-education/"><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2016/05/HomeThumb_v2-2.jpg" alt="Six EdTech Startups Democratizing Education [Infographic]" ></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text center"><strong><a href="https://futurism.com/images/technology-for-good-how-edtech-startups-are-democratizing-education/" target="_blank">Click to View Full Infographic</a></figcaption></strong></figure></p>
<p>It&#8217;s not difficult to see why there&#8217;s some trepidation about the legality of ICOs. It&#8217;s a largely unregulated form of crowdfunding that&#8217;s capable of bringing in huge amounts of money — in July, Tezos ran an ICO that accrued <a href="https://futurism.com/tezos-just-finished-the-worlds-largest-ico-hitting-more-than-200-million-worth-of-cryptocoins/" target="_blank">over $230 million in cryptocurrency</a>.</p>
<p>However, the nature of ICOs demonstrate how cryptocurrency might be used by companies like Y Combinator to create room at the table for people who aren&#8217;t necessarily high-net-worth investors.</p>
<p>&#8220;More of the wealth creation here is not available to most people,&#8221; said Altman, speaking about Silicon Valley. &#8220;And I think that’s very bad in a society with already so much wealth inequality.&#8221;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400">Disclosure: Several members of the Futurism team, including the editors of this piece, are personal investors in a number of cryptocurrency markets. Their personal investment perspectives have no impact on editorial content.</span></em></p>


Cryptocurrency networks could help to democratize investment opportunities.

Y Combinator is helping people invest in startups using blockchain

Cybercrime Concept

Y Combinator wants to utilize blockchain and cryptocurrency to offer wider access for ICOs, in an effort to "democratize" the process.

Y Combinator is Helping People Invest in Startups Using Blockchain

Cryptocurrency can give more people the opportunity to invest in the next big thing.

<h2>$1,000 for 1,000</h2>
<p>Startup incubator <a href="http://www.ycombinator.com/" target="_blank">Y Combinator</a> is <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/21/silicon-valley-giant-y-combinator-to-branch-out-basic-income-trial.html" target="_blank">expanding their research</a> into the benefits of <a href="https://futurism.com/joe-biden-just-chose-a-side-in-the-universal-basic-income-debate/?src=featured" target="_blank">universal basic income (UBI)</a>.</p>
<p>In a new blog post <a href="https://basicincome.ycr.org/blog/2017/8/24/basic-income-research-proposal" target="_blank">published on the company&#8217;s website</a> this week, they reveal their plans to pick 3,000 individuals from two states at random to receive a monthly cash handout. 1,000 participants will receive $1,000 per month for a period up to five years, while the other 2,000 will receive $50 per month, serving as the control group.</p>
<p><iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PArYs-fdJeM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>&#8220;A randomized trial is considered one of the best ways to evaluate the impact of a proposed social policy,&#8221; wrote research director Elizabeth Rhodes. &#8220;By comparing a group of people who receive a basic income to an otherwise identical group of people who do not, we can isolate and quantify the effects of a basic income.&#8221;</p>
<p>This study will draw on lessons learned from the one-year project that Y Combinator recently carried out in Oakland. The sample size used in that experiment was too small to offer up the desired insights into UBI, but its goal was primarily to establish the proper procedure for this large-scale trial.</p>
<h2>Show Me the Money</h2>
<p>Y Combinator hopes to find out how basic income can help people respond to economic instability and uncertainty, or perhaps even find alternatives to UBI that achieve the same purpose. The overarching goal of this trial is to advance the debate about the <a href="https://futurism.com/what-will-the-currency-of-a-workless-cashless-future-be/" target="_blank">future of work</a>.</p>
<figure style="width: 360px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/universal-basic-income-ubi-pilot-programs-around-the-world/"><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2017/01/UBI-home_v1-900x600.png" alt="Universal Basic Income: UBI Pilot Programs Around the World" ></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text center"><strong><a href="https://futurism.com/images/universal-basic-income-ubi-pilot-programs-around-the-world/" target="_blank">Click to View Full Infographic</a></figcaption></strong></figure>
<p>Silicon Valley is certainly being vocal when it comes to UBI. The likes of <a href="https://futurism.com/mark-zuckerberg-the-u-s-should-learn-from-this-states-basic-income-program/" target="_blank">Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg</a> and <a href="https://futurism.com/elon-musk-automation-will-force-governments-to-introduce-universal-basic-income/" target="_blank">Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk</a> have shared their support for the idea, <a href="https://futurism.com/another-silicon-valley-exec-joins-the-ranks-of-universal-basic-income-supporters/" target="_blank">along with others</a>.</p>
<p>Despite this support, however, UBI isn&#8217;t the kind of policy that can be put into place without extensive testing. Other trials are already in the works in countries like <a href="https://futurism.com/scotland-will-begin-funding-universal-basic-income-experiments/" target="_blank">Scotland</a>, <a href="https://futurism.com/canada-has-unveiled-the-details-of-its-highly-anticipated-ubi-program/" target="_blank">Canada</a>, and <a href="https://futurism.com/what-we-can-learn-from-finlands-basic-income-experiment/" target="_blank">Finland</a>, and unlike Y Combinator&#8217;s study, those projects have government support.</p>
<p>With millions of people <a href="https://futurism.com/experts-because-of-ai-millions-of-people-are-at-risk-of-unemployment/" target="_blank">at risk of unemployment</a> due to advancing technology, any and all potential solutions to keep these people above the poverty line are worth considering.</p>


The experiment is expected to last up to five years.

People in two U.S. states will get $1,000 a month in a new basic income trial

Tech startup fund Y Combinator has announced plans for a new basic income trial in the U.S. in which participants receive $1,000 monthly.

People in Two U.S. States Will Get $1,000 a Month in a New Basic Income Trial

A tech startup fund is spending big bucks to test UBI stateside.

<h2>Eliminating Poverty</h2>
<p>There&#8217;s a swelling interest in Silicon Valley to explore and implement Universal Basic Income (UBI) policies, which give every citizen a guaranteed &#8220;salary&#8221; without stipulation. The goal of UBI is to bring everyone out of poverty and allow for a more even playing field of opportunity. Individuals and families who do not have to struggle to make enough money to cover their daily necessities like food and shelter will be empowered to contribute more to society through risk-taking and following their own interests.</p>
<p>Sam Altman, the President of Y Combinator, a seed accelerator with well-known names like Airbnb and Dropbox in its portfolio, has joined other tech giants, like <a href="https://futurism.com/another-silicon-valley-billionaire-is-in-favor-of-universal-basic-income/">Stewart Butterfield</a> of Slack and Flickr, <a href="https://futurism.com/elon-musk-automation-will-force-governments-to-introduce-universal-basic-income/">Elon Musk</a> of Tesla and SpaceX, and <a href="https://futurism.com/mark-zuckerberg-just-voiced-his-support-for-universal-basic-income/">Mark Zuckerberg</a> of Facebook, in throwing their support behind UBI.</p>
<p>In an <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/06/silicon-valley-exec-on-cash-handouts-eliminate-poverty-for-americans.html">interview with </a><i><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/06/silicon-valley-exec-on-cash-handouts-eliminate-poverty-for-americans.html">CNBC</a></i>, Altman said, &#8220;I think about the amount of human potential that is being wasted by people that are not doing what they want to do. I think about how great it would be to undo that. And that&#8217;s really powerful to me.&#8221;</p>
<p><iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fhNbq_J8vjc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<h2>Putting Up the Funds</h2>
<p>Evidence indicates that eliminating the stress of struggling to meet the basic requirements of life is just one factor that can improve the <a href="https://futurism.com/evidence-indicates-that-universal-basic-income-improves-human-health/">overall health</a> of humanity. Altman understands this, saying &#8220;There&#8217;s so much research about how bad poverty is. There&#8217;s so much research about the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26192216">emotional and physical toll</a> that it takes on people.&#8221;</p>
<p>Altman is backing up these thoughts with action. Y Combinator is conducting a study in Oakland, California to see how giving people unconditional cash will impact their lives. The study is still ongoing, however, so Altman isn&#8217;t forthcoming with what data may be showing thus far.</p>
<p>Other experiments are also underway in places like <a href="https://futurism.com/finland-has-finally-launched-its-universal-basic-income-experiment/">Finland</a> and <a href="https://futurism.com/scotland-will-begin-funding-universal-basic-income-experiments/">being considered </a>in Scotland. These social experiments will allow data to be collected from a variety of demographics to help formulate a more justified opinion about the potential of UBI.</p>


Another Silicon Valley exec joins the ranks of universal basic income supporters

The President of Y Combinator, Sam Altman, has come out in favor of universal basic income.

Another Silicon Valley Exec Joins the Ranks of Universal Basic Income Supporters

Many believe that this could be a crucial tool in ending poverty.

<h2>A Room Full of Ideas</h2>
<p>Great ideas, given the proper support, can change the world. That&#8217;s one of the reasons seed funding provider <a href="http://www.ycombinator.com/" target="_blank">Y Combinator</a> helps innovative startups acquire the financial resources they need to put their ideas into action. Since 2005, they&#8217;ve funded about 1,500 startups, and two times every year, they present some of those companies to investors via a three-day event known as Demo Day.</p>
<p>For the first day of <a href="https://www.ycombinator.com/demoday/" target="_blank">Y Combinator&#8217;s Summer 2017 Demo Day</a> event, the startup accelerator presented 50 companies that all have remarkable potential. While you can <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2017/08/21/y-combinator-summer-2017/" target="_blank">check them all out on <em>TechCrunch</em>,</a> the following six startups earn our vote as the most futuristic of them all.</p>
<h2>Forever Labs</h2>
<p>Founded by a group of medical doctors and biomedical research scientists, <a href="https://foreverlabs.com/pages/why-store" target="_blank">Forever Labs</a> combines two of the most advanced fields in modern medicine: <span class="wp-glossary wpg-tooltip" data-termid="73239" data-content="full" data-qtipstyle="dark">stem cells</span> and anti-aging research.</p>
<p>The startup&#8217;s current staff of 20 doctors wants to take a different approach to fighting age-related diseases by cryogenically freezing stem cells that can be used to combat such diseases when a person is older.</p>
<p>According to the company, stem cell storage could grow into a $56 billion market, and the figure doesn&#8217;t seem outlandish considering <a href="https://futurism.com/researchers-are-finding-remarkable-ways-to-combat-aging-and-extend-human-health/" target="_blank">the rapid pace</a> at which anti-aging studies and stem cell research have been advancing lately.</p>
<p><iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2REo_oVNDhU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<h2>Sunu</h2>
<p><a href="http://sunu.io/index.html" target="_blank">Sunu</a> is another startup with a health-focus, only instead of combatting aging, their goal is to help those who suffer from visual impairments.</p>
<p>The company wants to help blind people navigate streets without having to depend on a cane or a guide dog. To do this, the startup has developed a sonar bracelet or smartwatch that vibrates to alert visually impaired people of nearby objects.</p>
<p>&#8220;Sunu band combines sonar or echolocation with gentle precise vibrations to inform the user about objects or obstacles within their environment,&#8221; according to the company&#8217;s website. After beta-testing the device for six months, Sunu says it managed to reduce the chances that their vision-impaired users got into accidents by 90 percent.</p>
<p><iframe width="500" height="375" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P-f2NzPEy1k?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<h2>Kestrel Materials</h2>
<p>Not all of the startups featured at Demo Day were focused on health and medicine, though — this next one combines materials engineering with textile science.</p>
<p><a href="http://materialcomforts.com/" target="_blank">Kestrel Materials</a> has designed a fabric that&#8217;s a step-up from breathable and waterproof types, and their goal is simple enough: &#8220;reduce the need for bulky layers.&#8221; To do this, the startup has created an adaptive material that reacts to cold and warmth.</p>
<p>When exposed to cold surroundings, the fabric flexes and creates air pockets that trap heat and keep people warm. During warmer weather, the air pockets collapse and prevent heat from being trapped in the clothing. Since the material uses common fibers, such as nylon and polyester, the applications for such an adaptive fabric are as plentiful as the styles of clothes people wear.</p>
<p><iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CSAVfWf8YNk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<h2>Skyways</h2>
<p>Few things scream &#8220;future&#8221; quite like flying cars, and the next two startups are looking to extend their reach into that space.</p>
<p>First is <a href="http://skyways.com/" target="_blank">Skyways</a>, a startup based in Austin, Texas, that&#8217;s building vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) delivery drones. While they aren&#8217;t exactly the kinds of flying cars you may expect to one day operate yourself, delivery drones like Skyways&#8217; are positioned to be just as big a part of that flying future.</p>
<p>Skyways&#8217; drones are capable of hauling loads of up to roughly 20 kilograms (45 pounds), and the company wants to use them to provide the military with a transportation service that doesn&#8217;t put people&#8217;s lives at risk.</p>
<figure style="width: 360px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/flying-cars-of-tomorrow-infographic/"><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2016/06/Homepage-Thumbnail-7-900x600.jpg" alt="Flying Cars: A Future Buyer&#8217;s Guide [Infographic]" ></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text center"><strong><a href="https://futurism.com/images/flying-cars-of-tomorrow-infographic/" target="_blank">Click to View Full Infographic</a></figcaption></strong></figure>
<h2>Pyka</h2>
<p>Now, this startup takes flying cars to the next level.</p>
<p><a href="https://flypyka.com/" target="_blank">Pyka</a> wants to make <span class="wp-glossary wpg-tooltip" data-termid="73858" data-content="full" data-qtipstyle="dark">autonomous</span> single-person aircraft a part of our reality, and they&#8217;ve already built a 181 kilogram (400 pound) one that can fly itself.</p>
<p>While they&#8217;re ironing out the tons of regulations required for commercial use of this transportation system, Pyka&#8217;s taken on a side gig in New Zealand as an autonomous crop duster.</p>
<figure id="attachment_97057" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="size-large wp-image-97057" src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2017/08/pyka-whitebg-2746-1200x331.jpg" alt="y combinator demo day future startups" width="1200" height="331" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Image Credit: Pyka</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Modular Science</h2>
<p>Speaking of autonomous tech and farming, this startup wants to employ robots as vegetable farmers.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.modularscience.com/" target="_blank">Modular Science</a>, as their name suggests, is into building modular machines for agriculture, and one of their products is a specialized plant-farming robot. The company&#8217;s goal is to automate 99 percent of the vegetable farming process in the next six months.</p>
<figure id="attachment_97113" style="width: 960px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="size-full wp-image-97113" src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2017/08/Farming.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="637" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Image Credit: Skitterphoto / Pixabay</figcaption></figure>


They just need the funding to bring their innovative visions to life.

Of the 50 companies Y Combinator presented at the first day of their Summer 2017 Demo Day event, these six provide the most exciting vision of the future.

These Six Startups From Y Combinator’s Demo Day 1 Are Ready to Transform Our World

From robot farmers to autonomous aircraft, these companies are thinking outside the box.

<h2>Investor Interest</h2>
<p>Since Rigetti Computing<a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2014/08/20/11-startups-to-watch-from-y-combinators-demo-day.html" target="_blank"> launched three years ago,</a> the Berekely and Fremont-based startup has attracted a host of investors — including private American venture capital firm, <a href="https://a16z.com/" target="_blank">Andreessen Horowitz</a> (also known as A16Z). As of this week, Rigetting Computing has raised a total of $64 million after successfully hosting a Series A and Series B round of funding. <figure style="width: 360px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/supercomputers-moores-law/"><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2016/03/supercomputer_home_v1-900x600.jpg" alt="Supercomputers: To Moore&#8217;s Law and Beyond" ></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text center"><strong><a href="https://futurism.com/images/supercomputers-moores-law/" target="_blank">Click to View Full Infographic</a></figcaption></strong></figure></p>
<p>The startup is attracting investors primarily because it promises to revolutionize <span class="wp-glossary wpg-tooltip" data-termid="72810" data-content="full" data-qtipstyle="dark">quantum computing</span> technology: &#8220;Rigetti has assembled an impressive team of scientists and engineers building the combination of hardware and software that has the potential to finally unlock quantum computing for computational chemistry, machine learning and much more,&#8221; <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2017/03/28/rigetti-quantum-computing-y-combinator-a16z.html" target="_blank">Vijay Pande</a>, a general partner at A16Z, said when the fundraising was announced.</p>
<h2>Quantum Problem Solving</h2>
<p>Quantum computers are expected to <a href="https://futurism.com/ibm-aims-build-the-first-commercial-quantum-computer-in-the-next-few-years/" target="_blank">change computing</a> forever in large part due to their speed and processing power. Instead of processing information the way existing systems do — relying on bits of 0s and 1s operating on miniature transistors — quantum computers use<a href="https://futurism.com/3-researchers-have-directly-tested-two-quantum-computing-technologies/" target="_blank"> quantum bits</a> (or qubits) that can both be a 0 or a 1 at the same time. This is thanks to a quantum phenomenon called <span class="wp-glossary wpg-tooltip" data-termid="72809" data-content="full" data-qtipstyle="dark">superposition</span>. In <a href="https://futurism.com/the-most-controversial-quantum-computer-ever-made-just-got-an-upgrade/" target="_blank">existing versions</a> of quantum computers, this has been achieved using individual photons.</p>
<p>&#8220;Quantum computing will enable people to tackle a whole new set of problems that were previously unsolvable,&#8221; <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2017/03/28/rigetti-quantum-computing-y-combinator-a16z.html" target="_blank">said Chad Rigetti</a>, the startup&#8217;s founder and CEO. &#8220;This is the next generation of advanced computing technology. The potential to make a positive impact on humanity is enormous.&#8221; This translates to computing system that are capable of handling problems deemed too difficult for today&#8217;s computers. Such applications could be found everywhere from advanced medical research to even<a href="https://futurism.com/1-evergreen-how-quantum-computers-would-destroy-todays-encryption-methods/" target="_blank"> improved encryption</a> and cybersecurity.</p>
<p><iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IpoASc18P5Q?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>How is Rigetti Computing planning to revolutionize the technology? For starters, they&#8217;re building a quantum computing platform for artificial intelligence and computational chemistry. This can help overcome the logistical challenges that currently plague quantum computer development. They also have an API for quantum computing in the cloud, called Forest, that&#8217;s recently <a href="http://forest.rigetti.com/" target="_blank">opened up private beta testing</a>.</p>
<p>Rigetti expects it will be at least two more years before their technology can be applied to real world problems. But for interested investors, investing in such a technological game-changer sooner rather than later makes good business sense.</p>


Robots & Machines

Instead of processing information the way existing systems do, quantum computers use quantum bits (or qubits) that can both be a 0 or a 1 at the same time.

This Startup Plans to Revolutionize Quantum Computing Technology Faster Than Ever

Investors are eager to get in on the ground floor of this revolutionary technology.

<h2>Investing in the Future</h2>
<p>Today, <a href="http://www.ycombinator.com/about/" target="_blank">seed funding provider Y Combinator</a> introduced 52 startups at Day One of its W17 Demo Day, which is actually a two-day event. The companies hailed from a wide range of industries, including <span class="wp-glossary wpg-tooltip" data-termid="58570" data-content="full" data-qtipstyle="dark">artificial intelligence (AI)</span>, <span class="wp-glossary wpg-tooltip" data-termid="58748" data-content="full" data-qtipstyle="dark">virtual reality (VR)</span>, and health and medicine, and many showcased apps that aim to improve one aspect or another of our daily lives.</p>
<p>After the last Demo Day, we highlighted <a href="https://futurism.com/y-combinator-s16-demo-day-1-the-10-most-remarkable-startups/" target="_blank">10 of the most promising startups</a> featured on Day One. Now, we&#8217;ll give you the five companies we thought were the most futuristic — or, at the very least, interesting.</p>
<h2>Pantheon VR</h2>
<p>Though the technology has been around for a while, VR remains a potential game changer, and <a href="https://www.pantheonvr.com/" target="_blank">Pantheon VR</a> wants you to be part of that change. Its VR game creation tool lets you sculpt and add textures to shapes. You can create your VR world, then use a drag-and-drop tool to add in simple game mechanics. Creators can publish their works instantly to the platform, which hopes to become the YouTube of VR gaming.</p>
<figure style="width: 480px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2017/03/download.gif" alt="Image credit: Pantheon VR" width="480" height="198" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Image credit: <i>Pantheon VR</i></figcaption></figure>
<h2>Vinsight</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.vinsight.co/" target="_blank">Vinsight</a> wants to help farmers earn more money by not losing crops due to bad forecasting. The startup&#8217;s crop yield forecasting tool uses <span class="wp-glossary wpg-tooltip" data-termid="53162" data-content="full" data-qtipstyle="dark">machine learning</span>, satellite imagery, weather data, and historical reports to generate insight — or actionable intelligence — that the company claims is four times better than what&#8217;s currently available. Vinsight is already being used by the world&#8217;s largest winery and second largest almond producer. It charges $25 per acre, which isn&#8217;t much compared to the $11 billion a year that U.S. farmers lose from bad forecasting.</p>
<figure style="width: 798px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2017/03/macbookproVinsightApp-1-1030x580.png" alt="Image credit: Vinsight" width="798" height="380" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Image credit: <i>Vinsight</i></figcaption></figure>
<h2>Cambridge Bio-Augmentation Systems (CBAS)</h2>
<p>Of course, in any lineup of futuristic tech, you&#8217;ll find at least one focused on robotics or, in this case, robot prosthetics. Cambridge Bio-Augmentation Systems (CBAS) wants to be the standard for bionic implants. &#8220;We work on solving and standardizing the connection between bionic devices and neural &amp; soft-tissue systems within the body,&#8221; <a href="http://www.cbas.global/technology" target="_blank">according to their website</a>. Currently, the company is working on a low-cost implant that can connect a bionic device to any part of the body.</p>
<figure style="width: 680px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2017/03/ck6fbjhwyaafze.jpg" alt="Image credit: CBAS" width="680" height="380" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Image credit: <i>CBAS</i></figcaption></figure>
<h2>Cowlar</h2>
<p>Because helping animals stay healthy is part of any happy future, Demo Day also featured a startup that wants to do just that for bovines. <a href="https://cowlar.com/" target="_blank">Cowlar is a wearable tech</a> for cows (obviously) that keeps track of the animal&#8217;s temperature, activity, and other data. It uses a solar-powered &#8220;cow router&#8221; to collect all this data in real-time and then makes it available to farmers.</p>
<figure style="width: 798px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2017/03/Strap_Cowlar-1200x952.jpg" alt="Image credit: Cowlar" width="798" height="380" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Image credit: <i>Cowlar</i></figcaption></figure>
<h2>Sinovia</h2>
<p><a href="https://futurism.com/apple-google-and-microsoft-smartphones-could-have-foldable-displays-in-2018/" target="_blank">Flexible displays</a> are gaining traction, and <a href="https://www.sinoviatech.com/" target="_blank">Sinovia Technologies hopes to be at the forefront of the trend</a>. The startup wants to make OLED displays for devices with smaller screens 80 percent cheaper using a technology that allows them to print paper-thin, transparent, flexible displays roll-to-roll, the same way newspapers and magazines are printed.</p>
<figure style="width: 798px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2017/03/sinovia1.jpg" alt="Image credit: Sinovia, screenshot" width="798" height="380" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Image credit: <i>Sinovia, screenshot</i></figcaption></figure>
<p>Truly, the event featured far too many interesting startups to mention them all here, and we&#8217;re only through Day One. Tomorrow is sure to bring just as much innovation — though perhaps not quite as many wearables for farm animals.</p>


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