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Rigetti Computing, Inc., founded in 2013 by Chad Rigetti, is a pioneering company in the field of quantum computing, headquartered in Berkeley, California. The company has established itself as a full-stack quantum computing provider, designing and fabricating quantum chips, developing necessary software, and offering cloud-based quantum computing services. ### Founding and Early History Chad Rigetti, a physicist with a background in quantum computers from IBM, established the company after participating in the Y Combinator startup incubator in 2014. Rigetti Computing also went through The Alchemist Accelerator, a venture capital program, the same year. The company has received significant funding, including Series A and B rounds led by Andreessen Horowitz and Vy Capital, respectively. ### Technology and Products Rigetti's key technological offerings include: 1. Quantum Processors: The company has developed several quantum processors, including the 9-qubit Novera QPU and the 84-qubit Ankaa-2 system, which boasts a 98% median 2-qubit gate fidelity. 2. Forest Cloud Platform: A cloud computing platform allowing developers to write and execute quantum algorithms using the Quantum Instruction Language (Quil) and open-source Python tools. 3. Fab-1 Manufacturing Facility: Located in Fremont, California, this facility is dedicated to the rapid prototyping and fabrication of integrated quantum circuits. ### Recent Developments - December 2022: Subodh Kulkarni appointed as President and CEO - July 2023: Launch of a single-chip 84-qubit quantum processor - December 2023: Public availability of the 84-qubit Ankaa-2 system - Announced plans for the Ankaa-3 system (targeting 99% median 2-qubit gate fidelity by end of 2024) and the 336-qubit Lyra system ### Public Listing and Funding In March 2022, Rigetti completed a SPAC merger and began trading on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol RGTI. This move aimed to raise additional funding to accelerate the company's growth and scale its quantum processors. ### Services and Clients Rigetti offers cloud access to quantum processors, algorithm development, benchmarking, and software development services. The company serves commercial enterprises, government organizations, and international government entities, including the UK's National Quantum Computing Centre and the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL). ### Recognition Rigetti Computing has been recognized as one of the leaders in the quantum computing space, alongside companies like IBM and Google. It was named one of the 50 smartest companies of 2017 by MIT Technology Review.

Avalanche (AVAX) is a sophisticated blockchain platform designed to rival Ethereum in speed, scalability, and versatility. This comprehensive overview highlights its key features and functionalities: ### Architecture and Blockchains Avalanche operates as a 'network of networks' with three primary blockchains: - **Platform Chain (P-Chain)**: Manages staking, coordinates validators, and enables creation of new Layer 1 (L1) blockchains. - **Contract Chain (C-Chain)**: Runs smart contracts, compatible with Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). - **Exchange Chain (X-Chain)**: Facilitates asset creation, exchanges, and cross-chain transfers. ### Consensus Mechanism Avalanche employs the Snowman Consensus Protocol, a proof-of-stake (PoS) algorithm offering fast transaction finality (typically <2 seconds) and supporting thousands of validators with minimal energy consumption. ### Customizability and Interoperability The platform is known for its customizable and interoperable L1 blockchains (formerly subnets), which can be tailored for specific use cases, benefiting enterprise, institutional, gaming, and consumer applications. ### Ecosystem and Use Cases Avalanche supports a wide range of decentralized applications (dApps) and autonomous blockchains, with significant adoption in DeFi, tokenization, gaming, and arts/culture sectors. It features native interoperability between blockchains and a shared liquidity hub via Avalanche Warp Messaging/Teleporter. ### Upcoming Developments The Avalanche9000 initiative, including the Etna Upgrade, aims to enhance scalability and interoperability through: - Reduced staking requirements for L1 validators - Interchain Messaging (ICM) for seamless communication between L1s - Core Integration for improved user interactions with multiple L1s ### Tokenomics AVAX, the native token, has a cap of 720 million and is used for network security, transaction fees, and governance. Transaction fees are burned to reduce circulating supply and increase scarcity. ### Advantages and Challenges Avalanche offers fast transaction processing, incentivized participation, and support for numerous blockchain projects. However, it faces competition from Ethereum and other platforms, with challenges in ecosystem expansion and maintaining scalability and security. ### Sustainability Avalanche is noted for its energy efficiency, consuming energy equivalent to only 46 US households per year, according to the Crypto Carbon Ratings Institute. In summary, Avalanche is a highly scalable, customizable, and interoperable blockchain platform addressing weaknesses of earlier blockchains while providing a robust ecosystem for developers and institutional users.

The genus *Lilium*, commonly known as lilies, encompasses a diverse group of herbaceous flowering plants with a rich history in ornamental and medicinal uses. Distribution and Habitat: *Lilium* species are primarily native to the Northern Hemisphere, with a wide distribution across temperate regions of Eastern Asia, Europe, and North America. They extend into subtropics and as far south as the Philippines. Botanical Characteristics: Lilies are bulbous, herbaceous perennials that grow from underground bulbs. They range in height from 30-180 cm and feature linear to elliptic leaves. The large, showy flowers typically have six tepals and come in various shapes and colors, except blue. Traditional and Medicinal Uses: Historically, *Lilium* species have been used in traditional medicine to treat conditions such as lung deficiency, anxiety, asthma, and vomiting. They have also been utilized as galactagogues, expectorants, and revitalizing tonics. Phytochemistry and Pharmacology: The genus contains a wide range of bioactive compounds, including steroidal saponins, polysaccharides, and flavonoids. These compounds have shown anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties. Cultivation and Care: Lilies prefer well-drained, fertile soil and full sun to part shade. Regular watering is necessary, but overwatering should be avoided to prevent bulb rot. Mulching helps keep the root zone cool. Toxicity and Precautions: *Lilium* species are highly toxic to cats and can also be toxic to rabbits and deer. The plants can be affected by pests like the lily beetle and diseases such as bulb rot. Cultural Significance: Lilies hold significant cultural and symbolic value, often featured in literature and art. They are popular as cut flowers and in various garden settings. In summary, the *Lilium* genus is notable for its diverse traditional uses, rich phytochemistry, and significant ornamental value, while also requiring careful handling due to toxicity concerns.

Twelve Labs is a pioneering AI company specializing in advanced video understanding technology. Their innovative approach brings human-like comprehension to video analysis, offering a range of powerful capabilities and applications. ### Core Technology Twelve Labs develops sophisticated AI models that can analyze and interpret videos with a level of understanding comparable to human cognition. These models are trained to map text to various elements within videos, including actions, objects, and audio content. ### Key Features 1. **Video Search**: Users can search through videos for specific moments, generate summaries, or ask detailed questions about the content. 2. **Customization**: Unlike general-purpose multimodal models, Twelve Labs' solutions are optimized specifically for video analysis and can be customized using clients' proprietary data. 3. **Multimodal Embeddings**: The company's Embed API creates multimodal embeddings for videos, text, images, and audio files, capturing complex relationships between different data points. ### Products and Services - **Marengo Model**: A versatile model capable of searching across images, audio, and video, accepting various reference inputs to guide searches. - **API Integration**: Twelve Labs provides APIs that seamlessly integrate with existing data pipelines, as demonstrated by partnerships with Databricks and Snowflake. ### Applications Twelve Labs' technology finds applications across various sectors: - **Media and Entertainment**: Content moderation, ad insertion, and auto-generation of highlight reels. - **Enterprise**: Real-time threat detection and enhanced data analysis. - **Public Sector**: Improving emergency response times and traffic management for municipalities. ### Funding and Growth Twelve Labs has secured $107.1 million in total funding, including a recent $30 million investment from prominent backers such as Nvidia, Samsung, Intel, and Snowflake. This financial support fuels product development and talent acquisition. ### Leadership Led by co-founder and CEO Jae Lee, Twelve Labs has recently expanded its leadership team with the appointment of Yoon Kim as President and Chief Strategy Officer. This strategic move aims to drive future growth, facilitate key acquisitions, and expand the company's global presence.