Elon Musk has announced the Terafab project, a joint venture between Tesla, SpaceX and xAI, to build the “largest chip manufacturing facility ever.” In his usual grandiose fashion, Musk claims Terafab is the next step towards harnessing the power of the sun and creating a “galactic civilization.”
Musk, CEO of all three companies, announced plans for the Terafab in a livestream on X. As the name implies, the project’s ultimate goal is to produce a terawatt of computing power each year so that it can match the companies’ growing demand for chips. Musk explained during the livestream that he’s grateful to existing supply chain partners like Samsung, TSMC and Micron, but the current capacity of chip manufacturers only adds up to about two percent to what Tesla and SpaceX needs in terms of future computing power needs.
“We either build the Terafab or we don’t have the chips,” Musk said during the event. “And we need the chips so we’re going to build the Terafab.”
The Terafab project, estimated to cost at least $20 billion, will start with the Advanced Technology Fab in Austin, Texas, where Tesla is already headquartered. Musk said that the two types of chips will be produced in the Terafab: one for terrestrial purposes, like to power Full Self-Driving or Optimus robots, and another more high-powered, durable chip to be used in space. If you’re wondering what Musk has in store for space, the SpaceX CEO filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission to launch a million satellites to create an “orbital data center” earlier this year. As promising as this sounds, it’s worth noting that Musk has previously overpromised and underdelivered on other projects, like the Hyperloop, a $40,000 Cybertruck and fully autonomous driving.
Merino wool is a super fiber. The best merino wool clothing somehow manages to be comfortable in 95-degree heat, and merino base layers keep you warm well below freezing. Unlike synthetic fibers derived from petroleum, merino wool is natural and renewable.
Merino wool’s versatility means there’s a bewildering array of blends and options to choose from. Here are our favorite merino wool products that we’ve tested by wearing and washing (usually in cold water, and hung to dry, although we do machine dry them just to see what happens) over the course of months and even years in some cases. Once you’re done here, don’t forget to check out the rest of our apparel guides, like the Best Merino Wool T-Shirts, Best Base Layers, Best Puffer Jackets, Best Hoodies, and Best Hiking Boots.
Updated April 2026: We’ve changed out top pick boxers to Wool & Prince, added more hoodies, and the Ibex women’s Goat short sleeve. We also updated prices and links throughout.
Table of Contents
Why Is Merino Wool So Great?
Merino wool is great because you’re stealing a sheep’s ability to keep itself warm or cool based on the temperatures it’s in, a process often referred to as thermoregulation. If you’ve only ever worn the sort of itchy wool sweaters your proverbial grandmother supposedly made, you might wonder what all the fuss is. The answer is that Merino sheep have thinner, softer wool, which has evolved to keep them comfortable across a wide range of temperatures and is comfortable to wear next to your skin. Wool is sustainable, too.
One sheep can produce 4 to 5 pounds of wool per year. That’s because the sheep that make merino wool drink only the purest alpine waters and study the art of comfort under the tutelage of those stuck-up Pashmina goats, who, let’s face it, might know a thing or two about wonderfully pillowy softness. Just kidding. Merino sheep do have that softer wool though, and merino wool is a remarkable fabric that’s become the cornerstone of my wardrobe.
Merino wool comes in different weights, which you will frequently see listed as “200 gsm” or something similar. (The “gsm” refers to grams per square meter, sometimes listed as g/m.) What’s important is the scale and where your garment falls on it. At the low end, you have T-shirts and underwear, which are typically 150 gsm, though we have seen some as low as 120 gsm. Generally, anything below 200 gsm will be a good base layer or T-shirt. From 200 to 300 gsm are your mid-layers, and anything above 300 is a heavier garment.
If you’re more familiar with synthetic ratings like those often used on fleece, know that, in my experience, about 120–160 gsm wool corresponds to 100-weight fleece, 160–200 gsm wool roughly matches 200-weight fleece and 200+ wool is like 300-weight fleece. In every instance, the wool is warmer because it’s better at trapping heat, especially in the wind. (That said, there are reasons to go with fleece at times, like how incredibly lightweight it can be.)
Nuyarn is a merino wool/synthetic hybrid weave, wherein merino wool is wrapped around a nylon core for warmth, lightness, and extra durability. The idea is to get the temperature regulation benefits of merino, but to add some of the longevity of nylon. In my experience, Nuyarn mostly works. It’s our top pick for base layers, though I find it less necessary in more casual garments, where I prefer 100 percent wool.
How to Care for Merino Wool
Most merino products will have care instructions. Most likely it will be to wash cold and lay flat to dry. The latter is important, as hanging wool to dry will stretch it out (because of the water weight). While most merino labels say the garment can be machine washed, my experience has been that hand-washing merino will extend its life. This is particularly true of very lightweight (150 gsm) merino base layers and T-shirts. The exception is Minus33’s Microweight Raglan short sleeve T-shirt, which is machine-washable and dryer-friendly. Having done both to mine for over a year, I can vouch that it does indeed hold up.
I’ve never had a problem storing merino in my closet between wears, but for long-term storage, I recommend you take precautions against moths, which are notorious for eating holes in wool. I have lost merino garments to moths.
If you don’t want to smell like mothballs, there are better solutions. I make sure to wash and thoroughly dry whatever I am storing, then I seal it in a compression bag, like this. Another option is to put your merino garment in a cotton bag or otherwise wrap it in cotton and then put it in a plastic bin. It’s very important to make sure that the garment is completely dry before using any of these storage methods, otherwise your wool will smell musty and moldy. Other options include storing your garment in a cedar chest, which is a good natural deterrent for moths, or use moth traps or lavender sachets, which will repel the moths.
100 Percent Merino vs. Blends
Should you buy 100 percent merino or should you go for a blend? The answer is … it depends. On the garment in question, the use case, and your preferences. Probably the best way to find out is to try several and see what you like. One advantage to blends is that they’re stretchy, which makes them better for active pursuits like hiking, rock climbing, and the like. I like 100 percent merino for heavier mid-layers like hoodies or jackets, but I prefer blends for lighter layers. My experience has been that the closer I get to my skin, the more blend I want, with Nuyarn being my top pick for base layers.
There are also some alpaca blends out there that are also wonderfully soft (I love everything I’ve tried from Paka and Arms of Andes). If you’re one of the rare people who do find merino itchy, you might be allergic to lanolin, which is the skin oil produced by sheep. Alpacas don’t make lanolin, and the fibers are thinner and finer than merino. That makes alpaca warmer and softer, but it’s also more expensive.
Merino vs. Synthetic Fibers
Which is better? The answer again is … it depends (sorry). But usually merino. By synthetics, I generally mean polyester, nylon, polypropylene, rayon, or blends of these and other fabrics—everything but cotton, wool, and linen.
Synthetics generally win for wicking away sweat, which means they tend to feel drier. They also tend to dry faster, so when it comes to things like socks and underwear, even most “merino” options are often more than 50 percent synthetic. Synthetics are just better at handling moisture. How much this matters depends on a host of personal factors. For example, I feel weird and almost clammy in anything synthetic, so I don’t really care how much moisture it wicks away.
The downside to that moisture wicking is that synthetics retain odor. There are some chemical treatments that can help, but I’ve never tried anything synthetic that was as odor-resistant as merino wool.
Another difference is breathability. Synthetics are passable in this department, but it’s where merino really excels. If you’re hot and are hiking up an exposed slope toward an open pass and then dropping down into the cool of a forest, merino is your friend, because the breathability means less sweat to cool you when you get out of the sun. Again, how much this matters depends on your body.
The final factor worth thinking about is durability. In some cases, synthetics will last longer than pure merino, particularly in scenarios where abrasion is a major source of wear. To my mind, this is just another reason to choose a merino blend rather than going all the way to synthetics, but it’s something to think about if you do a lot of off-trail hiking or rock climbing—any activity where your clothes are going to take a beating.
Base Layers
To really see how remarkable merino wool is, start at the bottom, with the clothes next to your skin. Merino really shines as a base layer. It’s warmer for the weight, wicks moisture well, and unlike synthetic fabrics, merino stays stink-free for days of wear. Be sure to read our layering guide for more on how to put it all together and stay comfortable in any weather. We also have a separate guide to the best base layers if you want know all your options, but here are our top merino picks from that guide.
Best Lightweight Base Layer
Ibex
Woolies Pro Tech Crew
The Ibex Woolies Pro Tech base layer crew is the best lightweight merino base layer we’ve tested. If you want a hard-wearing shirt, this it it. Woolies are Nuyarn (see above), which is 85 percent merino wool and 15 percent nylon—the merino wool is wrapped around a nylon core, which increases the warmth while being lighter (5 oz for the men’s large) and more durable. This is my top pick for all things technical. It’s what I bring hiking, backpacking, and it’s reviews editor Adrienne So’s pick for running, climbing and other high-aerobic activities when it’s cold. I also love the Woolies Pro Tech Bottoms ($115), which are what I bring backpacking in all but the warmest of weather. There’s also a quarter zip version of the shirt if you prefer.
Aside from comfort and warmth, a bit part of the reason we recommend Woolies is that they last. Ibex is what passes for a heritage company in this space; the company was founded in 1997 and has been cranking out merino garment for a long time. Adrienne’s parents bought her two sets of Ibex base layers in 2001 that she still wears today, in the year of our Lord 2025. Properly cared for, Woolies will keep you comfortable warm for years to come.
Best Heavyweight Base Layer
SmartWool
Merino Classic Long-Sleeve
When I want something a bit warmer than the lightweight Woolies above, I reach for Smartwool’s Classic long sleeve base layer. These may be the most popular merino shirts around, and for good reason: They’re very comfortable, tending to the looser side, feature heavy duty seams that don’t rub, and sit off the shoulder for more comfort when wearing a pack. At 87 percent merino wool (blended with nylon), these are also very durable while remaining lightweight (10.3 oz for a men’s large). This Smartwool shirt, along with the matching pants ($125), are great for chilly winter days.
Courtesy of Unbound Merino
Unbound Merino
Long-Sleeve Merino Crew
The picks above all have what my wife calls “that sporty look,” which the industry refers to as “technical.” This 100 percent merino shirt from Unbound is the opposite: it just looks like a long sleeve shirt. It’s incredibly soft and while it does pill a bit if you run it through the dryer (don’t), it’s proved itself plenty durable—I’ve been wearing it constantly for over a year now and it still looks like it did when I got it. It’s the long-sleeve, base layer twin to our favorite T-shirt (see below). It’s on the thin side for a base layer, which makes it perfect for those cool weather mornings in the shoulder seasons. It’s versatile too; it can be used as a base layer, but it also works as a T-shirt when it’s not too chilly. Fit runs true to size, and if the one you want is sold out, be patient; Unbound frequently updates its stock.
There are so many! Here’s a few more to consider, but really, go read the base layer guide.
Ridge Merino
Aspect High Rise Base Layer Bottoms
These are another great option fro women looking for something that can be worn around town as well as on the trail. My daughter has even worn them under shorts for no-gi juijitsu and they’ve held up great, which is a testament to their durability.
Minus33
Heavyweight Yukon Thermal Long Sleeve
If you’re going to be in extreme cold, New Hampshire-based Minus33 is the company to shop. Where I live winter temps regularly dip below 0F and the Yukon comes into its own. The 400 gsm weave of 100 percent merino is more like a sweatshirt than a base layer, but if you live in the north, you need it.
Turtle Fur
Merino Pipe Dream Neck Gaiter
Don’t forget your neck. I live in this Turtle Fur gaiter during the winter and I also use the lighter, superfine version for hiking at elevation in the summer to keep the sun off my neck without resorting to sunscreen. It’s wonderfully soft, not overly tight, and never smells.
Merino Mid Layers
Fleece has its place, but I rarely wear it these days. I prefer merino for my mid layers. It’s better at helping your body regulate its temperature. The one place fleece still wins for me is backpacking. It’s almost always lighter for comparable warmth, at least in mid layers.
Like the Northern Lights or the McRib, the thickest Ibex wool hoodie appears irregularly and with some fanfare. The Mammoth Hoodie is indeed a big, furry beast of a garment—it’s basically the weight of the classic American Giant hoodie but made of 85 percent wool cut with 15 percent nylon for added warmth and stretch. Ibex says it’s the warmest hoodie they’ve ever made, and in my week of testing, I’ve used it in place of a jacket in mid-30s temps. It has an athletic cut with zippered pockets and thumb holes. I do wear a stocking hat with it in the cold because the scuba hood is meant to fit under a helmet which means it’s too small to provide enough warmth for my large shaved head on its own. —Martin Cizmar
During Minecraft Live, Mojang announced its next drop: Chaos Cubed. While the drop doesn’t have a confirmed release date as of yet, we’re already excited for the chaotic potential it’s sure to unleash. Among the things coming to Minecraft in Chaos Cubed is the brand new Sulfur Cube, which sees its physics and properties change as it absorbs various materials, though how that might work remains a mystery for now. We’re taking the “Chaos” in Chaos Cubed pretty seriously, though.
Based on our first look, we’re imagining that feeding Sulfur Cubes wood will cause them to become sturdy, structural blocks, while perhaps sneaking them a slime ball will turn them into gelatinous, bouncy bundles of fun. While Mojang hasn’t gone into the specifics of the physics that can be affected, that hasn’t stopped us pondering the possibilities. You’ll be able to feed a Sulfur Cube manually, or it can choose to absorb a material of its own accord, as long as it’s in range.
The Sulfur Cube will be found in the new Sulfur Caves environments. These areas can spawn in many of the overworld’s biomes, meaning there should never be one too far away. Digging down should lead you to a cave with sulfur pools and new blocks to mine. Be careful though–sitting near these pools of water for too long will cause you to obtain the noxious effect, which we imagine will cause you damage over time.
I LOVE color and creating color palettes from pictures/images I love. Bright, vibrant beautiful colors. They make me so happy, cheer me up when I’m sad, make my world a more pleasant place to live. I just love being surrounded by beautiful colors.
But sometimes mixing and matching colors for your projects can be tough.
What shade goes with what?
What colors go together?
How many colors can you really add in together and still look cohesive?
The more I started designing (I design printables) 😊 the more I began to be inspired by ART. Colors are everywhere and they can go together if you’re creative with them.
Lucky for you, if you’re not good at mixing and matching colors, I’ve taken some inspiration right out of some of the pictures I love.
Today’s post is all about color palette ideas inspired by Easter, my favorite holiday of the year! Whether you prefer soft, light and cool pastel colors as your spring color inspiration, neutral tones or bright, warm and deep hues – there is something to suit all tastes and styles! Perfect for home decor ideas, craft designs, fashion and clothes, for weddings and for blogs and printables!
So, scroll down and get-chore color on with these fun and vibrant 25 Easter color palettes with hex codes!!!
Wanna get your creative juices flowing even further? I’ve put together a binder with a TON of color palettes including these Easter design assets in the shop here. It’s a whopping 560 pages with inspiration from 20+ themes like seasons, holidays, travel destinations, abstract art, flowers, the sky, the ocean, sweet treats, and MORE!!!You’ll be buzzing with ideas! Get your color palettes binder here.
Beautiful Easter Color Schemes For Your Seasonal Projects
Picking out the right colors for your website, crafts, designs, or home decor can be quite difficult sometimes!
Get the best inspiration you can get from these spring hex codes. Let me tell you, all of your projects will look awesome with these Easter color palette combinations!
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33was one of 2025’s biggest and best games, and players fell in love with it. For fans of the game’s art style, a book collecting it all will soon hit North America for your viewing pleasure.
Publishers UDON and Pix’n Love have teamed up for a new version of the game’s art book. It’s been adapted into English after previously being just in French, and will come in standard and collector’s editions. Both feature concept art, design notes, and developer insights from Sandfall, but the $100 collector’s edition has some extra add-ons. These goodies include a golden cardboard slipcase in the colors of Alicia’s mask, prints of the game’s cast on textured paper, and a cardboard portfolio with exclusive art.
“This exclusive large-format hardcover volume gathers, across more than 300 pages, hundreds of previously unseen documents and illustrations used in the creation of one of the most fascinating games of recent years,” reads the description. “This making-of artbook takes readers on a journey through an extraordinary human and creative adventure.”
Compared to its combat and narrative, the art of Expedition 33 doesn’t get quite as much attention, but it’s a stunner regardless. It’s also apparently too good to be true: in February, Polygon reported on an incident where one player had small art book included in the game’s collector’s edition held by Iraqi customs because the pages had “drawings of monetary value.” The player, Reddit user Ahmed15252, laughed it off at the time, calling it a “10/10 experience, will definitely accidentally import history again.”
Both versions of the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 art book will release on November 25. Pre-orders go live this Monday, March 23 on the UDON, IGN, and Pix’n Love stores.
AI Project Cost Estimation: 2026 Pricing Breakdown for Manufacturing Leaders
Between January and April 2025, we analyzed comprehensive industry research from Coherent Solutions, Zylo, CloudZero, BCG, and Standard Bots to understand the cost structures, timelines, and return on investment associated with artificial intelligence implementations across manufacturing, supply chain, healthcare, and financial services sectors. This report provides transparent, data-driven insights into AI project pricing, helping manufacturing executives develop accurate budgets and set realistic expectations for AI initiatives.
Our findings reveal that AI project costs range from $20,000 for basic implementations to over $1,000,000 for complex enterprise systems. However, understanding the specific cost drivers—from model complexity and data requirements to infrastructure and talent—enables manufacturing organizations to make informed investment decisions and achieve measurable business outcomes.
At USM Business Systems, we specialize in helping manufacturing leaders navigate AI project investments with full cost transparency, particularly as they evaluate Agentic AI implementations that promise autonomous operational capabilities. This analysis provides the benchmarks you need to build defensible business cases.
AI Project Cost Ranges by Solution Type — 2026
Project costs vary dramatically based on AI sophistication, customization requirements, integration complexity, and the level of autonomy needed to achieve manufacturing business objectives.
The cost differential between basic and enterprise AI solutions can reach 20-50x, driven primarily by customization depth, data complexity, integration requirements with existing MES/ERP systems, and the sophistication of autonomous decision-making capabilities required for manufacturing environments.
Organizations starting with basic AI pilots often underestimate scaling costs—transitioning from a proof-of-concept ($30K-$60K) to full production deployment typically increases total investment by 250-400% due to infrastructure scaling, data pipeline development, and integration complexity.
Success rates decline as complexity increases (from 75-85% for basic projects to 45-60% for enterprise platforms), highlighting the importance of starting with achievable scope, proving value incrementally, and building organizational AI maturity before attempting transformational deployments.
Cost Distribution by Project Phase — 2026
Understanding how costs distribute across the AI development lifecycle helps manufacturing enterprises budget more accurately, identify optimization opportunities, and avoid the most common causes of budget overruns.
Development Phase
% of Total Cost
Cost Range
Key Activities
Budget Variance
Risk
Common Cost Overruns
Model complexity & design
30-40%
$20K – $180K
Architecture selection, algorithm design, model training
Model complexity consistently represents 30-40% of total costs, with training a 6 billion parameter model costing approximately $23,594 per month in compute resources alone, highlighting why most manufacturing AI projects should leverage pre-trained foundation models rather than training from scratch.
Data preparation accounts for 15-25% of total project costs, with annotation of 100,000 data samples ranging from $10,000-$90,000 depending on complexity and the domain expertise required—particularly expensive for specialized manufacturing quality inspection mobile applications.
Organizations in regulated industries face an additional 5-10% cost premium for compliance frameworks, audit capabilities, explainable AI features, and documentation requirements necessary to satisfy FDA, ISO, or other manufacturing quality standards.
Infrastructure Cost Examples for AI Projects — 2026
Cloud infrastructure represents a significant ongoing expense, with costs varying based on project scale, model size, inference frequency, and uptime requirements critical for manufacturing operations.
Infrastructure Configuration
Monthly Cost
Annual Cost
Budget Variance
Best Suited For
Manufacturing Application
Uptime SLA
Small development (2-4 CPUs, 1 GPU)
$1,500 – $3,000
$18K – $36K
±15%
PoC, basic chatbots, simple analytics
Initial testing, pilot projects
95-98%
Medium production (8-16 CPUs, 2-4 GPUs)
$8,000 – $15,000
$96K – $180K
±20%
Computer vision, recommendation engines
Single-line quality inspection
98-99.5%
Large enterprise (32+ CPUs, 8+ GPUs)
$23,000 – $45,000
$276K – $540K
±25%
LLM training, multi-model systems
Factory-wide predictive maintenance
99.5-99.9%
Model training cluster (16+ high-end GPUs)
$35,000 – $65,000
$420K – $780K
±30%
Custom model development, continuous learning
Advanced agentic AI development
99.9%+
Key Insights:
A typical 12-month AI project utilizing AWS infrastructure for medium-scale deployment costs approximately $283,464 for compute, storage, and networking resources, based on industry benchmarks for continuous manufacturing operations requiring high availability.
Training large language models demands substantial compute investment—organizations training 6+ billion parameter custom models should budget $200,000-$400,000 annually for infrastructure alone, which is why USM typically recommends fine-tuning existing foundation models for manufacturing use cases.
Organizations moving from development to production deployment often experience 2-3x infrastructure cost increases due to scaling for 24/7 operations, implementing redundancy for fault tolerance, adding disaster recovery capabilities, and meeting manufacturing uptime requirements of 99.5%+.
Team Composition and Labor Costs — 2026
Human expertise represents one of the most significant and often underestimated components of AI project costs, with specialized manufacturing AI talent commanding premium salaries due to scarcity.
API development, system integration, cloud platforms
+8-15%
Project Manager (AI)
$100K – $160K
€50K – €90K
$18 – $35
15-25%
Agile, stakeholder management, technical literacy
+5-12%
QA/Testing Specialist
$90K – $140K
€45K – €80K
$15 – $30
15-30%
Test automation, bias detection, validation frameworks
+8-15%
Key Insights:
A typical enterprise AI project team of 6-8 specialists costs $400,000-$600,000 annually in the US, versus $200,000-$330,000 when leveraging offshore development teams in EU regions, representing a 40-50% cost differential that makes hybrid team models attractive.
Manufacturing AI specialization commands 8-25% salary premiums due to the additional domain expertise required to understand production processes, quality systems, supply chain logistics, and the operational constraints unique to industrial environments.
Cloud computing (57% demand) and data engineering (56% demand) are the most in-demand AI skills, with high salary expectations and talent scarcity representing the greatest challenges in AI hiring, particularly for organizations outside major tech hubs.
Requesting a Strategic AI Cost Assessment
This research reflects USM Business Systems‘ commitment to transparent AI cost analysis and strategic implementation guidance for manufacturing enterprises. Unlike generic AI consultants, our team brings deep manufacturing domain expertise developed through dozens of successful implementations in production environments.
We specialize in helping manufacturing executives navigate AI investments—from accurate initial estimates and TCO planning to implementation strategies that maximize ROI while managing risk. Our particular expertise in Agentic AI systems positions us uniquely to help you evaluate next-generation autonomous manufacturing capabilities.
Schedule Your Free AI Cost & ROI Assessment
Our manufacturing AI experts will:
Analyze your specific use case and operational context
Provide a detailed cost estimate with phase breakdowns
Model 5-year TCO and expected ROI timelines
Identify cost optimization opportunities
Recommend optimal project approach (pilot vs. full deployment)
30-minute complimentary strategy call—no sales pitch, just expert guidance.
There’s an understated beauty to immersing yourself in a sprawling anime series. A thousand-episode-plus saga like One Piece might feel daunting, but investing in such an epic character journey is extremely rewarding — especially when the creators of a beloved franchise reinvent their narrative in progress midway, as JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure does with the Netflix adaptation of Steel Ball Run.
That said, committing to a lengthy anime series over multiple seasons demands a significant amount of time, and it can be overwhelming to choose between all the excellent options. Sometimes you just need a one-season anime series, a dozen episodes that can be binged over a weekend, without the need to invest beyond the immediate premise.
One-season titles that tell a complete, self-contained story include classic choices likeCowboy Bebop or Death Note, but there are many under-the-radar stories worth checking out as well. So if you’re in the mood for a one-and-done narrative experience, these 20 one-season anime can help scratch that itch.
20
Nana
Image: Madhouse
Number of episodes: 47
Where to watch: Hulu
Ai Yazawa’s slice-of-life manga Nana has a staggering aesthetic influence. It references everything from game-changing British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood to Harajuku subcultures like Gyaru and Mori to tell a layered, devastating story about Japanese girlhood. These visual fairs come alive in Madhouse’s Nana anime, whose 47-episode run feels much shorter due to the fluid nature of the story. Our protagonists, Nana Komatsu and Nana Osaki (“Hachi”), form a tender friendship once they meet in Tokyo, where they each harbor distinct dreams. While Nana wants to establish a music career with her band, Hachi wants to secure romantic stability while doing some soul-searching.
Their vastly different personalities (expressed through Nana’s edgy alternative clothing and Hachi’s warm pastel costumes) find a way to co-exist in a world that challenges these girls on an intimate level. Yazawa’s manga is currently on indefinite hiatus, but this one-season anime adaptation is the perfect conduit to immerse yourself in Nana and Hachi’s vibrant worlds. This is a story grounded in heartbreaking realism, but it also makes space for the vulnerability that comes with the softer moments in life. —Debopriyaa Dutta
19
Paranoia Agent
Image: Madhouse
Number of episodes: 13
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
Satoshi Kon (Paprika, Perfect Blue, Millennium Actress) is known for his radical approach to animation, for using surreal imagery to challenge established conventions. Kon’s one-season anime Paranoia Agent is no exception. The premise hooks the audience in immediately: Character designer Tsukiko Sagi is suddenly attacked by a roller-skating schoolboy (dubbed Lil’ Slugger) at night, which begins a long string of assault cases revolving around this unlikely perpetrator. In a baffling turn of events, none of the victims can remember the boy’s face, which complicates matters from a legal standpoint.
Kon and Madhouse combine these eccentric elements to cook up a narrative drenched in abject horror, where Lil’ Slugger’s actions unravel dark truths about every character involved. A thematic preoccupation with repressed trauma and its shocking manifestations is at work here, as characters like Tsukiko are tugged toward their darkest impulses without true awareness of their actions. Getting to the root of trauma can be intense and uncomfortable, and Paranoia Agent reminds us that fear can hold greater power in our lives than we think. Kon uses a mix of his signature abstract symbolism and crude animation to highlight the despair that encircles these characters’ lives. —DD
18
Deca-Dence
Image: NUT
Number of episodes: 12
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
Talking about why an anime fan should watch Deca-Dence without spoiling the series’ most ingenious twist is difficult, though not impossible. Directed by Yuzuru Tachikawa (Death Parade, Mob Psycho 100) and written by Hiroshi Seko (Attack on Titan, Vinland Saga), the series takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where the remnants of humanity have taken refuge inside a gigantic fortress city known as Deca-dence and engage in a never-ending battle against alien lifeforms known as the Gadoll.
Natsume, a young girl who lost both her father and her right arm to a Gadoll attack, aspires to become a warrior to avenge her family. To achieve this, Natsume enlists the mentorship of Kaburagi, a veteran armor repairer and former warrior, to train her. Reluctantly agreeing to help her, Kaburagi is driven by his motives and interests, as well as a profound secret that, if revealed, could jeopardize humanity’s survival.
What begins as a standard post-apocalyptic mash-up of Attack on Titan by way of Immortal Engines quickly (and boy, do I mean quickly) morphs into a cerebral post-human sci-fi story about environmentalism, consciousness, and artificial intelligence. If for no other reason, you should at least give the first two episodes of Deca-Dence alone a shot. You’ll know the twist when you see it. —Toussaint Egan
17
Do It Yourself!
Image: Pine Jam
Number of episodes: 12
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
If you’re looking for a breezy slice-of-life anime with a unique premise, Do It Yourself! is an easy recommendation. The series follows Serufu Yua and Miku Suride, two next-door neighbors and childhood friends whose estrangement is further exacerbated when the latter is accepted to an elite magnet high school for technology studies and the former… well, isn’t. While on her way to her first day of classes, Serufu accidentally wrecks her bike and is aided by Rei, a third-year student at her new school and the head of DIY Club.
After spending the day with Rei, Serufu finds her calling: teaching herself how to repair the bench that she and Miku used to sit on as children… and repair their friendship along the way. From there, the anime evolves into a lighthearted ensemble comedy about a group of eccentric, inquisitive girls teaching themselves how to use power tools, find materials, and undertake various do-it-yourself projects around campus.
Do It Yourself! is simply a joy to watch, with cute character designs complemented by a bubbly sense of humor and lovingly detailed animation. The series also fits in a surprisingly thoughtful take on the merits of artisanship over automation, in addition to its themes of friendship and self-reliance — one more reason to give it a watch. If you count yourself as a fan of anime like Bocchi the Rock! and Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!,Do It Yourself! is a perfect must-see series. —TE
16
Odd Taxi
Image: OLM Team Yoshioka/P.I.C.S.
Number of episodes: 13
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
Odd Taxi tells the story of a 41-year-old walrus taxi driver named Odokawa living in a world of talking anthropomorphic animals. When Odokawa inadvertently becomes the suspect in a young girl’s disappearance, he’s preyed upon by conniving yakuza and crooked cops eager to track the young woman down for their own nefarious ends. On top of that, he has to deal with his begrudging affection for a young alpaca nurse named Miho, as well as elude a vicious masked stalker with a murderous vendetta against him.
Directed by Baku Kinoshita (who also served as the series’ character designer), written by Kazuya Konomoto, and co-produced by creative company P.I.C.S and anime studio OLM, Odd Taxi is a fascinating, well-paced crime thriller that easily earned its place on our best anime of 2021 list. Plus, it’s got a gorgeous opening title sequence. —TE
15
Samurai Champloo
Image: Manglobe
Number of episodes: 26
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
Shinichirō Watanabe’s directorial follow-up to Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, is a contemporary, hip-hop-infused story set against a historical backdrop. The series follows waitress Fuu and her two hired bodyguards, samurai Mugen and ronin Jin, as they set out to find a mysterious samurai in an alternate Edo-era Japan. Samurai Champloo is a largely episodic series, but it has a charming momentum that makes it perfect for a quick binge. Fans of Cowboy Bebop’s referential storytelling, contemplative themes, and inclusive world-building will also find a lot to love in the series. —Sadie Gennis
14
Steins;Gate
Image: White Fox
Number of episodes: 24
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
[Ed. note: While this is a terrific series overall, there is one instance of poor localization in the English dub that comes across as racially insensitive at best. We recommend the sub for this reason.]
The idea of hooking a cell phone up to a microwave in order to send texts to the past is very silly, but Steins; Gate is definitely not a silly show. A tightly plotted sci-fi drama, Steins; Gate follows Rintaro Okabe, an egotistical “mad scientist” who, along with his two friends and colleagues, unexpectedly discovers a way to send messages — and eventually memories — into the past. It’s an exceptional time travel story with a compelling cast of characters, thrilling mysteries, and edge-of-your-seat action. —SG
13
Terror In Resonance
Image: MAPPA
Number of episodes: 11
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
Shinichirō Watanabe’s series Terror in Resonance isn’t as lengthy as his Cowboy Bebop or Samurai Champloo, but it is a hard-hitting psychological thriller that deserves more popularity than it currently enjoys. This 11-episode anime presents an alternative version of the present, where teenagers Nine and Twelve steal a prototype atomic bomb while orchestrating a terrorist attack. Their goals come off as cryptic, as they upload a video threatening to destroy Tokyo unless someone comes forward to solve a complicated riddle.
Watanabe makes excellent use of the short serialized format to create taut tension, allowing Terror in Resonance’s conspiracy aspectsto shine bright. The prospect of uncovering Nine and Twelve’s true identities and motives is just one aspect of the mystery, as the anime compels us to ponder the helpless, one-sided relationship we have with corrupt systems. These kids aren’t acting on a whim, after all — they’re raging against a world rigged against them while challenging what we know about our governments. That said, Watanabe doesn’t nosedive into bleakness — he paints fleeting moments of human connection as precious and worth fighting for. —DD
12
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off
Image: Science Saru
Number of episodes: 8
Where to watch: Netflix
Science Saru’s anime adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s hit graphic novel series is full of surprises. The biggest is the true meaning behind the series’ name. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off isn’t a one-to-one adaptation so much as a pseudo-reboot-sequel that exists in conversation with the events of the original comic and Edgar Wright’s 2010 movie, similar to what Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno did with the tetralogy of Rebuild films.
In choosing to treat the comics as more of a launchpad than a verbatim script, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off affords its characters the space to grow and evolve beyond what audiences and fans might have otherwise come to expect. This isn’t a Scott Pilgrim story made for the early aughts, but for the 2020s — a story told from an older, wiser perspective that’s able to parse the elements that made the comic such an enduring phenomenon from the parts that haven’t quite aged as well.
Ramona Flowers, for example, takes on a more central role as the protagonist of the story, and the so-called “League of Evil Exes” is afforded more dimension and backstory. Make no mistake, however: This is the story of Scott Pilgrim, but a version whose ambitions and scope far exceed what its first episode might otherwise suggest. The ending of Scott Pilgrim Takes Off suggests the possibility of more adventures with these characters, but with Netflix opting out of a second season, the series functions as a terrific one-off. —TE
11
Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song
Image: Wit Studio
Number of episodes: 13
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
Created and written by Tappei Nagatsuki and Eiji Umehara (Re: Zero-Starting Life in Another World-), directed by Shinpei Ezaki (Banana Fish), and produced by Wit Studio (Ranking of Kings, Spy x Family), the 13-episode original anime Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song centers on the story of a young android songstress named Diva. She is recruited by Matsumoto, an AI from a hundred years in the future, to intervene in major historical events and prevent a future where androids annihilate humanity.
Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song is the perfect choice for anyone looking for a stellar anime with great music and breathtakingly beautiful fight sequences. It’s a sci-fi drama with an emphasis on the cruel passage of time and the purpose of music and art in a world of artifice, while also being a poignant story about personal growth and defying fate.
The series as a whole is worth watching, but episode 9 is the standout entry, featuring a pulse-pounding sequence between Vivy and Matsumoto in a modular cube-like body fighting against a vengeful android assailant with a powerful arm cannon. Trust me — if you haven’t watched Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song, you’ve missed out on one of 2021’s most spectacularly animated fight scenes. —TE
AJA BRIDGE LIVE enables broadcasters and production teams to convert remote SRT contribution feeds into baseband SDI for seamless integration into facility workflows. In a recent walkthrough, AJA Technical Support demonstrated how to configure a BRIDGE LIVE pipeline to receive MPEG-TS over SRT, set appropriate latency buffers for stable public internet delivery, and decode the signal directly to SDI. The process also includes configuring audio mapping and passing through metadata such as closed captions or SCTE-35, making it a complete solution for reliable remote contribution and broadcast integration. Check out the full breakdown:
An anonymous Substack post published this week accuses compliance startup Delve of “falsely” convincing “hundreds of customers they were compliant” with privacy and security regulations, potentially exposing those customers to “criminal liability under HIPAA and hefty fines under GDPR.”
Delve is a Y Combinator-backed startup that last year announced raising a $32 million Series A at a $300 million valuation. (The round was led by Insight Partners.) On Friday, the startup attempted to refute the accusations on its blog, calling the Substack post “misleading” and saying it “contains a number of inaccurate claims.”
The Substack post is credited to “DeepDelver,” who described themselves as working at a (now former) Delve client.
DeepDelver recounted receiving an email in December claiming the startup had “leaked a spreadsheet with confidential client reports.” While Delve CEO Karun Kaushik apparently assured customers in a subsequent email that they were in compliance and that no external party gained access to sensitive data, DeepDelver said they and other customers had become suspicious.
“Having the shared experience of being underwhelmed with the Delve experience, and having the overall sense that something fishy was going on, we decided to pool resources and investigate together,” they wrote.
Their conclusion? That Delve “achieves its claim of being the fastest platform by producing fake evidence, generating auditor conclusions on behalf of certification mills that rubber stamp reports, and skipping major framework requirements while telling clients they have achieved 100% compliance.”
DeepDelver went into considerable detail about those claims, accusing the startup of providing customers with “fabricated evidence of board meetings, tests, and processes that never happened,” then forcing those customers to “choose between adopting fake evidence or performing mostly manual work with little real automation or AI.”
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DeepDelver also claimed that virtually all of Delve’s clients seem to have gone through two audit firms, Accorp and Gradient, which they described as “part of the same operation,” one that operates primarily in India, with only a nominal presence in the United States.
Those firms, they said, are just rubber-stamping reports that were generated by Delve. As a result, DeepDelver said the startup “inverts” the normal compliance structure: “By generating auditor conclusions, test procedures, and final reports before any independent review occurs, Delve places itself in the role of both implementer and examiner. This is not a technicality. It is a structural fraud that invalidates the entire attestation.”
In addition to accusing Delve of misleading its customers, DeepDelver said the startup is helping those customers “mislead the public by hosting trust pages that contain security measures that were never implemented.”
DeepDelver said that while their company was discussing its issues with Delve, the startup “sent us multiple boxes of donuts already to keep us happy.” Nonetheless, DeepDelver’s employer supposedly unpublished its trust page and no longer relies on the startup for compliance.
Delve responded to the accusations by saying it does not issue compliance reports at all. Instead, it’s an “automation platform” that ingests information about compliance, then provides auditors with access to that information.
“Final reports and opinions are issued solely by independent, licensed auditors, not Delve,” the company said.
Delve also said that its customers “can opt to work with an auditor of their choosing or opt to work with one from Delve’s network of independent, accredited third-party audit firms.” Those auditors, the startup said, are “established firms used broadly across the industry, including by other compliance platforms.”
In response to the accusation that it’s providing customers with “fake evidence,” Delve countered that it’s simply offering “templates to help teams document their processes in accordance with compliance requirements, as do other compliance platforms.”
“Draft templates are not the same as ‘pre-filled evidence,” the company said.
Delve added that it is “actively investigating any leaks” and is “still reviewing the Substack.”
TechCrunch sent an email seeking additional comment to the media contact address listed on Delve’s website; the email bounced. We have also reached out to DeepDelver for additional comment.
Quick Answer: Neuro Gum’s estimated net worth in 2025–2026 ranges between $60 million and $100 million, with some industry analyses citing growth metrics that suggest valuations approaching higher figures. The company was founded by Kent Yoshimura and Ryan Chen in 2015 and appeared on Shark Tank Season 11, where they rejected all offers and walked away without a deal — a decision that proved transformative for their long-term value.
Kent Yoshimura and Ryan Chen met as student-athletes in college, both searching for a convenient, clean energy solution that didn’t require carrying a coffee cup or cracking open an energy drink. Their solution — a small piece of functional gum containing natural caffeine, L-theanine, and B vitamins — became the foundation of one of the most compelling post-Shark Tank success stories in recent years. Today, Neuro Gum is a recognized leader in the functional wellness market with a presence in over 10,000 retail locations worldwide.
Key Takeaways
Neuro Gum’s 2025 estimated valuation: $60–$100 million; some projections suggest $200M+ by 2027.
Founders Kent Yoshimura and Ryan Chen rejected Robert Herjavec’s $1M offer for 20% equity on Shark Tank Season 11.
Annual revenue reached approximately $10–12 million by 2023, growing significantly since.
Products available in 10,000+ retail locations including Walmart, Target, CVS, Whole Foods, and Amazon.
Over 50 million pieces of gum and mints have been sold since founding.
Neuro Gum: Company Overview
NeuroGum produces vegan, sugar-free, aspartame-free chewing gum and mints infused with natural green tea caffeine (equivalent to about half a cup of coffee per piece), L-theanine, and B6 and B12 vitamins. The product is absorbed through the oral mucosa rather than the digestive tract, making it faster-acting than traditional energy drinks or caffeine pills. Each piece costs approximately $0.67 to manufacture and retails around $3.99 per pack, delivering healthy margins that have been critical to the brand’s growth without external investment.
The Shark Tank Moment That Changed Everything
Yoshimura and Chen entered Shark Tank Season 11 seeking $750,000 for 5% equity — valuing the company at $15 million. At the time, they were generating $3.5 million in annual revenue with $1.5 million the prior year. Two Sharks made offers: Robert Herjavec offered $1 million for 20% equity, and Kevin O’Leary offered $750,000 for 5% equity plus a $0.50-per-unit royalty. The founders declined both deals — primarily rejecting the royalty structure and Herjavec’s equity percentage — and walked off the set without a deal.
Rather than a setback, the Shark Tank exposure proved to be rocket fuel. Website traffic multiplied dramatically after the episode aired, sales surged, and major retailers began approaching the brand rather than vice versa. This rapid growth has significantly contributed to the rising neuro gum net worth, which is now estimated to be around $50–$60 million in recent years. By 2023, the company had sold over 50 million pieces and crossed $12 million in annual revenue — all without Shark investment diluting founder equit
Neuro Gum Net Worth & Valuation Timeline
Year
Milestone
Est. Valuation
2019
Shark Tank appearance (Season 11)
$15M (founders’ ask)
2021
Entered CVS, early retail expansion
~$20–25M
2023
50M+ pieces sold; $12M+ annual revenue
~$40–50M
2024
10,000+ retail locations; $50M valuation reported
$50M
2025–26
Multi-channel growth; ongoing expansion
$60–$100M+
Product Line & Distribution
Neuro has expanded beyond its original caffeine gum to include products targeting different functional needs: Neuro Clarity (focus and cognitive performance), Neuro Calm (stress reduction), and Neuro Sleep mints (pre-sleep relaxation). This diversification has opened new consumer segments and corporate wellness channels, with companies purchasing bulk orders for employee wellness programs — a B2B revenue stream that supplements direct-to-consumer and retail sales.
Retail availability spans Walmart, Target, CVS Pharmacy, Whole Foods, Meijer, Amazon (where it became a category bestseller), and the company’s direct-to-consumer subscription website. The subscription model generates recurring revenue with strong retention rates.
Business LessonThe Neuro Gum story is one of the most studied examples of Shark Tank’s “exposure effect” — where the television platform delivers marketing value that can far exceed the capital value of any deal made on camera. The founders’ willingness to prioritize equity preservation over immediate capital access is now cited in business school case studies as a model of founder conviction.
FAQ — Neuro Gum Net Worth
How much is Neuro Gum worth in 2026?
Industry estimates place Neuro Gum’s 2025–2026 valuation between $60 million and $100 million, reflecting its growth from a $15 million Shark Tank pitch valuation to a category-defining brand in the functional wellness market. Some optimistic projections based on revenue growth and market comparables suggest potential valuations approaching $200 million by 2027.
Did Neuro Gum get a deal on Shark Tank?
No. Founders Kent Yoshimura and Ryan Chen appeared on Shark Tank Season 11 seeking $750,000 for 5% equity. Robert Herjavec and Kevin O’Leary both made offers, but neither matched the founders’ terms. The duo walked away without a deal — a decision widely considered one of the best in Shark Tank history in hindsight.
What are the ingredients in Neuro Gum?
Neuro Gum contains natural caffeine derived from green tea (approximately 40mg per piece, equal to half a cup of coffee), L-theanine (an amino acid that promotes calm focus), and B6 and B12 vitamins. The gum is vegan, sugar-free, gluten-free, and aspartame-free. The oral absorption mechanism makes it faster-acting than beverages or capsules.
Where can I buy Neuro Gum?
Neuro Gum is available at over 10,000 retail locations including Walmart, Target, CVS Pharmacy, Whole Foods, and Meijer. It’s also sold on Amazon and through the official NeuroGum.com website, which offers subscription pricing for regular buyers.
Who owns Neuro Gum?
Neuro Gum is co-owned by founders Kent Yoshimura (CEO) and Ryan Chen (CFO), who have retained majority ownership since declining Shark Tank investment. Their combined founder net worth is estimated in the $15–25 million range based on their equity stake in the company’s current valuation.
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