The Daily

A small but telling signal of where early AI money is moving: TechCrunch reports that OpenAI alumni have been deploying capital via a new vehicle called Zero Shot, and that it could ultimately raise around $100 million. The pitch is familiar but real: bets on teams building “foundation-model-adjacent” infrastructure and applications, with operators who have actually shipped frontier systems. The implication isn’t that $100M moves the market — it’s that experienced insiders are increasingly acting as the first filter before big growth rounds. In a frothy cycle, that kind of informed gatekeeping can matter.

Reuters: Broadcom signed a long-term agreement with Google to develop and supply future generations of Google’s custom AI chips and components for next-gen AI racks through 2031. In parallel, Broadcom also struck a deal with Anthropic for access to about 3.5 gigawatts of AI computing capacity that draws on Google’s processors, starting in 2027. Financial terms weren’t disclosed, but the strategic point is clear: hyperscalers are still doubling down on custom silicon to de-risk Nvidia dependence. If you’re building AI at scale, “own the chip roadmap” is becoming table stakes.

Google shipped a small, practical idea: an iOS app called Recorder that does on-device transcription and summarization, and can work offline (per TechCrunch). The bet is privacy + reliability: if the model runs locally, latency is predictable and sensitive audio doesn’t have to leave the phone. The useful detail: the app supports 50+ languages and can generate summaries from recordings, pushing “meeting notes” into a lightweight consumer workflow. If Apple keeps tightening platform privacy, offline-first is going to be a competitive advantage for everyone.

Neurocrine will acquire Soleno Therapeutics for $2.9 billion in cash, paying $53 per share (about a 34% premium), per CNBC. The prize is Vykat XR, the first U.S.-approved drug for hyperphagia associated with Prader–Willi syndrome — a rare genetic disorder where relentless hunger can drive severe obesity. Analysts cited in the piece peg Vykat XR at about $450M in 2026 sales and potentially >$2B globally by the mid‑2030s. The deal is expected to close within 90 days and will be funded largely with cash on hand plus modest, prepayable debt.

A brutal reminder of how regulatory timelines can break small biotechs: STAT reports that Kezar Life Sciences is shutting down operations and pursuing a sale of its remaining assets after a U.S. regulator delayed a response on a key program by about four months. The immediate impact is financial — fewer options, higher burn, and a faster slide into “strategic alternatives.” The broader implication is for anyone running lean clinical programs: even non-final delays can be existential if your capital plan assumes a fixed decision window. In this market, the margin for surprise is basically gone.

BioSpace frames Replimune’s upcoming April 10 PDUFA date for its advanced melanoma therapy RP1 as a read‑through on where FDA decision‑making is heading amid leadership churn. RP1 previously received a surprise complete response letter last July; the filing was resubmitted and accepted in October. The Phase 2 IGNYTE data cited include a 32.9% overall response rate and 15% complete response rate in combination with Bristol Myers Squibb’s Opdivo. Analysts quoted call the outcome close to a coin flip — but the industry is watching the precedent as much as the drug.

This open-access perspective in Leukemia (published March 31, 2026) makes a simple argument: you can’t manage CAR‑T outcomes (and rare disasters) without tracking the shape of CAR‑T expansion in the body. The paper highlights that ide‑cel expansion often peaks around day 11 post‑infusion, while cilta‑cel tends to peak around days 12–14, with enormous inter‑patient variability. The “bad/ugly” part is about hyperexpansion and delayed toxicities — including reports where parkinsonism after cilta‑cel had a median onset ~56 days after infusion and was slow to resolve. The practical implication: pharmacokinetics isn’t academic; it’s an early-warning system for who needs closer neuro/GI monitoring and faster intervention.

The University of Colorado Anschutz Gates Institute received FDA IND clearance for a CAR‑T therapy developed entirely on campus, targeting CD64 on aggressive leukemia cells (BioSpace / PRNewswire). The first-in-human Phase 1 trial is slated to start this summer, with enrollment anticipated to begin in June 2026 and patients treated at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital. It’s aimed at adults with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia — still one of the bleakest corners of hematologic oncology. The bigger story is operational: local biomanufacturing plus regulatory capability is starting to look like a competitive moat for academic centers.

Kurzliste: AMOR FATI (bis 11.4., Obolo 1020) · Gratis-Liederabend (13.4., Ehrbar-Saal 1040) · Kost‑Nix‑Flohmarkt (13.4., Nachbarschaftszentrum 16) · „Es war einmal … der Schilling“ (bis 3.7., Geldmuseum 1090) · Wissens°raum (24.4., 1050)
Wenn man Wien im April ernsthaft genießen will, sind es oft genau diese Formate: kleine Ausstellungen, niedrigschwellige Kulturabende und Gratis‑Workshops, die den Kalender füllen, ohne gleich den ganzen Abend zu fressen. 1000things sammelt die großen „To‑dos“ — ich hab mir daraus bewusst nur Termine herausgeschnitten, die ab heute noch Sinn ergeben. Der Trick: nicht zu viel planen, aber zwei fixe Anker setzen (13.4. + 24.4.) und den Rest spontan.

Kurzliste: Ehrbar‑Saal (13.4., 19:00) · Kost‑Nix‑Flohmarkt (13.4., 13–15 Uhr) · Schilling‑Ausstellung (bis 3.7.) · Wissens°raum „Werkstatt für Neugierige“ (24.4., 15–18 Uhr)
MeinBezirk hat eine praktische Gratis-Liste — und ja, sie enthält auch Dinge, die schon vorbei sind. Relevant (Stand heute): Am 13. April gibt’s gleich zwei low‑budget Highlights, und am 24. April einen MINT‑Nachmittag für Neugierige (Kinder ab 8). Dazu die Schilling‑Ausstellung im Geldmuseum als „jederzeit“-Option für eine Stunde, wenn’s draußen grindig ist.

Travel Weekly (AU) flags a near-term travel friction point: from April 10, the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) replaces passport stamping with a digital process for non‑EU travellers entering Schengen. That means fingerprints, a facial scan, and extra travel info at the border. Industry groups cited in the piece warn processing times have already risen by up to 70% during rollout, with waits of up to two hours at peak times. If you’re flying into Europe soon, the boring advice is the correct one: budget extra time on arrival.

Skift reports that InterGlobe-owned lifestyle brand Miiro is deliberately slowing down after opening six European hotels in roughly 18 months. CEO Neena Gupta says there are no new openings planned until at least the end of 2027, with future targets like Hamburg or Prague under consideration. The most Vienna-relevant detail: the sixth property, Miiro Spittelberg, opened on April 1. The implication is operational maturity over growth — a refreshingly unglamorous strategy that usually pays off in guest experience.

Denver needed extra time, but Nikola Jokic finished with 40 points and 13 assists as the Nuggets beat San Antonio 136–134 in overtime, per Deadspin / Field Level Media. Jokic scored seven points in OT, including a late floater and a short jumper with 10 seconds left to close it out. Victor Wembanyama was monstrous too: 34 points, 18 rebounds, and 16-for-17 at the line (a career high in made free throws). The implication isn’t just a result — it’s that playoff-level shot-making is arriving early.

Orlando took care of business at home: Paolo Banchero scored 31, Desmond Bane added 25, and the Magic beat Detroit 123–107 on Monday night, per AP. The key context is roster management: Detroit had already clinched the top East seed and sat a long list of players, including Cade Cunningham (out with a collapsed lung, per AP, 11th straight game). Orlando, meanwhile, is still fighting for position in the crowded middle of the East with three games left. Translation: the game mattered a lot more to one side — and it showed.

Kurzliste: Kost‑Nix‑Flohmarkt (13.4., 13–15 Uhr, 1160) · Wissens°raum „Werkstatt für Neugierige“ (24.4., 15–18 Uhr, Kinder ab 8, 1050) · „Es war einmal … der Schilling“ (bis 3.7., Geldmuseum 1090)
MeinBezirk hat eine längere April-Liste — ich hab sie auf drei Optionen runtergekocht, die (a) nichts kosten und (b) ab heute noch Sinn machen. Der Wissens°raum ist der beste „schlechtes Wetter“-Joker: ein fixes Zeitfenster, Hands-on, ohne dass man gleich den ganzen Tag verplant. Und ja: der Kost‑Nix‑Flohmarkt ist auch mit Kindern überraschend nett, weil man dort gut „finden & weitergeben“ erklären kann.

Kurzliste: Kunstvermittler:innen vom KHM · inspiriert von „Canaletto & Bellotto“ · Start Sa, 02.05. um 10:30 · Location: Café Decentral
Falter empfiehlt das Kinderkunstcafé als „einfach vorbeikommen“-Format — genau das, was man für Familien oft braucht: kein Stress, kein großes Setup, aber etwas, das über „Spielplatz“ hinausgeht. Das Konzept: kurz anschauen/erzählen, dann selber machen. Tipp: wenn’s voll ist, lieber früher da sein und danach noch einen Donaukanal-Spaziergang dranhängen.