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28 "Shark Tank" Products That Even I Would Invest In

28 "Shark Tank" Products That Even I Would Invest In

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A Blueland cleaning kit with everything you need to tackle your less-than-sparkling-clean home. The cleaning solutions are safe around kids and pets, and come in reusable bottles (environment, you're welcome).
The kit comes with two reusable cleaning bottles, one reusable foaming hand soap bottle, and three tablets (fresh lemon multi-surface, eucalyptus mint bathroom, iris agave foaming hand soap). Blueland is a small business that aims to cut down on packaging waste. Promising review: "I couldn't be happier with the way that Blueland tablets work! They're the most sustainable model out there — no shipping heavy liquid-filled cleaners. I've had my 'forever bottle' for like two years and will keep going!" —Danielle R.Get it from Amazon for $38.99 or Blueland for $46.
ReadeREST magnetic holders so your sunglasses or reading glasses are right there when you need them. The strong magnets connect even through thick material like flannel shirts and khaki pants!
Promising review: "I can't tell you how many reading glasses I've killed in the past few years, largely from jettisoning them from my breast pocket or hooking them awkwardly in my shirt collar. These clips are amazing. They're discreet enough that I don't look like a goon wearing one on my shirt all day, and when I hang my glasses from them, I can tie my shoes without spilling them lens-first on the ground. What else can a fellow ask for?" —Phil SelmanGet it from Amazon for $18.99+ (available in two styles).
A silicone dog tag that doesn't jingle or clang into food bowls, making it the ideal choice for nervous pups or humans who enjoy peace and quiet.
This tag glows in the dark and comes with up to six lines of text.Promising review: "I am pleased with the Silidog ID tag that I ordered for my dog. The tag is a good size, and the information is easy to read. The tag is sturdy, and I expect it to last for quite a while. Shipping was surprisingly fast for a personalized item. The company provided excellent customer service." —DogIDGet it from Chewy for $19.99 (available in three shapes and eight colors) or Amazon for $19.99 (available in eight colors).
Brazi Bites Pizza Snacks, which are essentially like pizza rolls but with a twist — pao de queijo instead of pizza dough! That's right, it's cheese, sauce, and pepperoni wrapped in a delightful cheesy bread.
If you've never had pao de queijo before, the Brazil specialty is basically gluten-free bread made out of cheese! You can also buy a pack of those from Amazon for $44.98.Anyway, back to these Pizza Bites. These things are INCREDIBLE! If you grew up on Hot Pockets and Totino's Pizza Rolls, consider these a major step up. They're super tasty, and the texture is spot on. I could easily live off of these (although I imagine not very long). They're the perfect lil' pick-me-up snack when you're craving something cheesy. Promising review: "I'm a huge fan of Brazi Bites cheese bread, so when I saw these, I knew I had to try them. I'm so glad I did. I popped them in the oven, and they came out the perfect level of crispy on the outside with yummy pizza filling on the inside. I feel like they're larger than other pizza rolls/bites, too. They were super tasty with a side of homemade ranch, and I can't wait to make these for football Sundays! These instantly became a freezer staple for me. Thanks, Brazi Bites!" —DakotaGet eight bags from Amazon for $77.98 (clip the coupon on the product page to save 5%).
K-beauty hall-of-famer Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask with 2.5% pH-balanced AHA complex for gentle exfoliation, hyaluronic acid for hydration, watermelon enzymes for brightening, and niacinamide for maintaining your skin barrier. In other words, it proves that beauty sleep is a real thing.
A Stasher reusable silicone bag that's airtight, dishwasher and microwave safe, and sturdy as heck, making it the perfect replacement for disposable plastic bags. Captain Planet is on the phone, ready to congratulate you.
It's self-sealing, nonplastic, and safe for the dishwasher, microwave, and oven (up to 425 degrees). It's also free of BPA, PVC, and latex.Promising review: "I've tried a LOT of reusable bags as there are a lot of options out there all using a variety of materials. The fabric ones just get gross over time. The vinyl ones are hard to clean and aren't usually dishwasher-safe. There are other silicone ones that need a separate rod to close them that you can easily lose. This one is the most simple and easy to use. No separate pieces to lose. Can withstand any temperature/microwave/dishwasher/whatever. And if they get gunky, they are very easy to clean, and I trust that they aren't hiding gross crumbs in any of the crevices. My only complaint is the cost — they are the most expensive, and I wish they offered a bulk discount. If they were cheaper, I would use them for EVERYTHING (open cheese in the cheese drawer, all snacks on the go, etc.)." —Megan A.Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in 21 colors and a pack of three).
A Sleep Pod Move for anyone who wants to be gently squeezed to sleep. This particular model has a flap so you can tuck your feet in or let them breathe as you get up for a glass of water.
BuzzFeed writer Mal Mower loves her Sleep Pod: "I recently replaced my weighted blanket with a Sleep Pod, and I am never going back. I appreciated the comfort that I got from a weighted blanket, but it was so hot I wasn't able to last under it for long. It was also so heavy I couldn't take it with me anywhere. This design solves those problems. The fabric is breathable and so lightweight that I can comfortably use it in the summer and throw it in my tote bag on vacations. I feel calm and comforted every time I get in. I've used it while napping, while trying to calm down before going to bed at night, and while sitting on the sofa and needing some extra stress relief when binge-watching Chernobyl got too stressful. I can't rave enough about this thing, but I'll certainly keep trying!"Promising review: "I love this. It's so much lighter than a weighted blanket so I don't get hot. It is super soft. Easy to get in and out of. It instantly calms my nervous system and I sleep so well. I get so excited to put it on." —a smileyGet it from Amazon for $79.99+ (available in two sizes and two colors).
Fur Oil ready to tackle ingrown hairs, irritation, and dry skin with the help of clary sage oil and tea tree oil. Apply this hydrating, nongreasy oil anywhere you have hair, like your underarms, legs, chest, and face (just avoid your eyes), to help reduce redness, speed up the healing process, and even prevent future ingrown hairs.
A Springer dog water bottle genius in its simplicity: Just squeeze the bottle to fill the built-in bowl with water. When you're done, spill out the excess water and continue your walk.
Promising review: "The Springer dog water bottle is SUPER convenient!!! I go hiking and biking a ton with my dog, and this is by far the best water bottle I have found for him. He took to drinking out of it naturally and I love that none of the water gets wasted. It's so easy to just clip it on my hiking pack and go!! Definite five stars!!!" —EmilyGet it from Amazon for $21.99+ (available in three sizes and seven colors).
Controlled Chaos leave-in conditioner, a crowd-pleasing, pH-balanced formula people with all types of hair love for its ability to detangle, moisturize, repair, and de-frizz.
Controlled Chaos is a small business that sells hair care for people with thick, curly, or dry hair. Promising review: "It's hard to find products for curly hair that do not make your hair crunchy. I love how soft my hair is and how curly I am able to style it with this product. I saw it on Shark Tank, ordered it, and love it!!!!" —SandyGet the leave-in conditioner from Amazon for $35.
A tube of Grip Clean that'll cut through grease, oil, ink, odors, and more. It's made with gentle ingredients like coconut and olive oil, so even those with sensitive skin can use it regularly without suffering from dry, cracked, or irritated hands.
Promising review: "This works great for my husband, who works on cars all day. Other heavy-duty hand washes are so rough on his skin, but the alternative was scrubbing a few times to get most of the grease and grime off. I feel like one wash with this actually gets it ALL off, and I'm really impressed and happy about this." —GillianGet it from Amazon for $12.49+ (available in three sizes and in a kit).
Kinfield's Golden Hour bug spray made with a unique strain of Indonesian citronella that actually smells good — think citrus and vanilla. Customers looking to avoid DEET swear up and down that it really works.
Heads up: As far as "natural" bug sprays go, the CDC only recommends formulas with oil of lemon eucalyptus so I don't recommend using this in super buggy areas. That said, based on the reviews, you should be covered for casual picnics and backyard hangs. Promising review: "Mosquitos like to eat me up and make me puff up like an itchy water balloon, but I've had absolutely ZERO bites while wearing this stuff. I love that it's not a bunch of nasty, sticky DEET chemicals. I recommend applying it outside, though, if you have cats or dogs since essential oils aren't great for them to ingest or inhale. Made the mistake of applying inside one time, and it was very strong, so I cordoned my cats off from the area, lol. A lot of people seem to complain about the scent, but I personally love the smell of citronella, so it doesn't bother me. I'll be using this for LIFE!" —TJ R.Get it from Kinfield for $22.
And a suction tool to help relieve the itchy agony of bug bites by sucking out insect venom, saliva, and other irritants under your skin. Finally, you can go outside after dark again!
Make sure you read all the directions before using so you don't accidentally give yourself a hickey! I've used this, and it totally works. It won't completely get rid of 100% of your bug bites, but it makes a noticeable difference. I haven't scratched once since this amazing device came into my life. Promising review: "I am a magnet for bites of all kinds and carry topical and medicines with me at all times — so I figured this would be a good product to see if it really works. I woke up with a bug bite on my arm, so I used this little tool (three times per the instructions) — immediately after using it, it stopped itching! And less than 24 hours later, the bump/bite gone! There is a very faint red mark from using the thing, but a small price to pay IMO. Bottom line: It's awesome. I'm carrying it with me everywhere!" —Rebecca Get it from Amazon for $9.95+ (available in five colors and multipacks).
A Bridal Buddy that will gather up large gowns into a manageable ball, so you can go to the bathroom without worrying about any...ahem...spills.
Promising review: "This was one of the first things on my list to buy for my wedding. I saw it on Shark Tank and thought it was a genius idea before I even got engaged. I had a very large ball gown with a long train and needed no help going to the restroom, thanks to this thing. It's easy to use and comfortable to wear all night. It's also short enough that it doesn't peek out the bottom. I'm very short at 5'1" and still had a couple of inches of clearance when pulled up to my waist." —TiraGet it from Amazon for $29.95 (available in seven sizes and two styles).
A bottle of Better Life Natural tub and tile cleaner, a plant-based cleaner that tackles soap scum, rust, mold, mildew, hard water stains, and mineral deposits just as well as bleach-based competitors. Just apply the foam spray, let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then wipe away years of grossness.
Promising review: "This is my favorite thing. I saw it on Shark Tank and had to get a whole bunch of their products. After I saw them rub raw chicken on a counter and clean with one product and still have bacteria, then cleaned with this and there was almost nothing... I had to have it!!! I use it to clean countertops and for anything, really. It's great for wherever you need to use it!" —Cents For My ScentsGet it from Amazon for $14.99+ (also available in a pack of two and a larger size).
An Ezpz food mat to thwart your child's attempts to toss the whole plate of food on the ground. It uses the power of suction to stay put, so your kid has no choice but to try the peas.
Ezpz is a mom-owned brand that aims to make mealtime easier for everyone. Promising review: "Does your child 'feed the dog' during meal time? While this dish won't guarantee they won't continue that fun habit, it sure helps. Instead of 'wiping all the food' off his high chair tray, now my grandson's food sits in this sturdy dish that can't move. And I mean, can't! It stays put, and the cut pieces are easy to pick up. Easy to clean too!" —ReeveGet it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in two styles and seven colors).
Aura Bora seltzer that comes in fancy flavors like lavender cucumber and strawberry basil for people who have burned through all the traditional flavors and are looking for something new.
Much to the disgust of my parents, I grew up chewing C Howard's violet gum, so OF COURSE I had to spring for the chance to try some botanical-flavored seltzers. The cans have beautiful illustrations and are bursting with flavor (or as much as a seltzer can have). They'll make a great addition to your spring bevy lineup.Promising review: "Yes, a little on the pricier side, but the taste is soooooo good! Very refreshing, doesn't have that yucky sweet metal aftertaste that so many of these type of drinks do. I highly recommend it. Lately, it's been my favorite summer refresher… 💜💚 Lavender cucumber is my absolute favorite!" —LunaWestGet a pack of 12 from Amazon for $21.89+ (available in four flavors).
A pair of weighted Bala Bangles to add a little resistance to your workout or everyday routine. Passive exercise? My favorite.
Bala is a woman-owned business that sells various pretty exercise equipment. I have these bands and love 'em! They have super-strong hook-and-loop tape so you can strap them on tight (no sliding weights while punching, lifting, running, jumping, etc.). Best of all, they're just really, really pretty! Promising review: "I love them, and they feel more ergonomic than other ankle/wrist weights. They are surprisingly comfortable for being extra challenging at 3 pounds each for me, so I'm just going to have to start with 1 pound to avoid injury." —Isabella M.Get them from Bala for $55+ or Amazon for $55+ (available in two weights and up to six colors).
A Pluto Pillow personalized to your exact needs so you can say goodbye to neck pain and hello to blissful sleep. The company asks everything from height to sleep position to make sure you're getting your ideal pillow.
A beloved sports bra boasting over 15,000 5-star reviews celebrating the great fit that works for bodies of all shapes and sizes.
Shefit is a woman-founded business that has been making customizable sports bras since 2010. You can customize not only the fit of the bra but also the support. In this specific bra, the straps can be adjusted and also worn as an X-back or H-back. Plus, sizes 1Luxe and up have 1.25 inches of extra padding in the straps. The bra also has a 2-inch bust band that works to stabilize the breast tissue and make it more comfortable, no matter how hard your workout is. Promising review: "I am a fitness instructor who has struggled to find a supportive sports bra. This bra is perfect. I love that I can adjust it. It's easy to care for. I will be buying more." —Christine S.Get it from Shefit for $69 (available in women's sizes XS–6Luxe and 12 styles).
A dragon plush kit to encourage kids to use their creativity and dream big. The set comes with a plush toy, two board books, and downloadable content like coloring pages and activity sheets, all with the aim of connecting your kiddo with their creative side.
Slumberkins has different creatures to teach different skills like confidence, gratitude, and problem-solving. They're also machine washable. Promising review: "Bought this for my son for Christmas because he's very creative and into reading. Quality, size, and color are great, and I think he will love it!" —JosephGet it from Amazon for $49 (clip the coupon on the product page to save 20%; also available in 12 other creatures).
A pretty jigsaw puzzle featuring a nice oasis scene sure to soothe you while you slowly assemble it. The tube packaging makes it extra gifty, too!
This 800-piece set sports an illustration from Corinne Lent and comes with a tube of puzzle glue and straight-edge tool to spread it evenly. Jiggy is a woman-run company that works with artists (they get a direct percentage of the sales) to create elevated puzzles.Get it from Jiggy for $49.
A pack of Bottle Bright tablets to revive that old, slimy water bottle you kind of have been ignoring for...months. Just fill your dirty container with water, add a tablet, let fizz for half an hour, and then rinse.
A variety pack of Doughp cookie dough. It's made with heat-treated flour and no eggs, so you can eat it raw or bake it, with equally delicious results.
The Bestseller pack comes with: Cookie Monster, Brownie Beast, Ride or Die, and Dunk on 'Em.I love Doughp! The cookie dough is so amazing raw, that's it's pretty rare for me to actually take the time to bake it. I love being able to keep a pint of Doughp in the freezer and always have the ability to bake a cookie or two when the craving hits. This is sure to be a hit with anyone who used to buy the Pillsbury cookie dough tubes from the grocery store and eat it like a Go-Gurt. Get a four-pack of the best sellers from Doughp for $50.
A beloved Click & Carry grocery bag carrier made with special padding to help you comfortably lift up to 50 pounds worth of bags on each shoulder, so now you really can do it all in one trip.
A set of seat gap fillers to prevent things from tumbling down into what scientists have called the Black Hole of Vehicles. They're squishy, so they're compatible with virtually any car.
Promising review: "I have bought about six of these for myself and friends/family. Cell phones, wallets, keys, change, and everything else doesn't fall through. I will not have another car without it. I was in a friend's car, and my phone dropped through the seat. He got a Drop Stop the next day." —kellenGet the set of two from Amazon for $24.99 (clip the coupon on the product page to save $5).
A "dog bed for humans" perfect for people who watch their dogs snuggling up and get kinda jealous. Now you can satisfy that dog in you — the dog who loves to nap.
A tattoo aftercare salve you should really consider if you want to protect your new investment. It's designed with just seven vegan ingredients (like beeswax and shea butter) to soothe, protect, and enhance your ink, no matter how long you've been working on completing that sleeve.

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4 Monster Stocks to Buy and Hold for the Next Decade
4 Monster Stocks to Buy and Hold for the Next Decade

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

4 Monster Stocks to Buy and Hold for the Next Decade

Microsoft's AI and cloud business is growing at a rapid pace. Meta's AI investments are translating into deeper user engagement and higher advertising revenue. Amazon and Vertex are rapidly building wealth for investors. 10 stocks we like better than Microsoft › The U.S. equity market has been anything but calm in 2025, as several factors, including persistent trade tensions, rising macroeconomic uncertainties, and geopolitical challenges, have weighed on overall investor sentiment. But seasoned investors know this: Periods of market volatility offer a chance to acquire fundamentally strong, high-quality stocks with robust growth prospects and a strong competitive moat at attractive valuation levels. Historically, this strategy has yielded handsome returns for patient investors. Against this backdrop, here's why these four stocks can prove exceptional buy-and-hold picks in the next decade. Few companies are better positioned to ride the artificial intelligence (AI) wave than Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT). The company plays a critical role in building AI infrastructure worldwide. Its deep partnership with ChatGPT developer OpenAI enabled it to infuse AI across its entire ecosystem. Copilot, its AI-powered assistant, integrated across the Office 365 productivity suite and GitHub, is all set to become a key revenue driver in the coming years. Then there's Azure, Microsoft's cloud computing platform, which now commands a 22% market share globally in the AI infrastructure space. The company is also building new data centers globally, opening new facilities in 10 countries in the third quarter alone. This has laid the foundation for Azure's future growth. Its highly diversified business model with recurring revenue streams truly sets Microsoft apart. The company's annuity mix (the proportion of its revenue derived from recurring sources like subscriptions and long-term contracts) was a very high 98% in the fiscal third quarter of 2025, which ended March 31. Commercial remaining performance obligations, a barometer to gauge future revenue visibility, also grew 34% year over year to $315 billion. The balance sheet is also robust, with a cash balance of $79.6 billion. This has allowed Microsoft to pursue an aggressive AI investment strategy while returning $9.7 billion to shareholders as dividends and share repurchases. All these factors make Microsoft a smart pick now. Meta Platforms' (NASDAQ: META) dominance in digital advertising and solid growth prospects make it attractive for long-term investors. The company generated nearly $41.4 billion in revenue in the recent quarter by reaching 3.4 billion people daily across its social media applications, almost 40% of the global population. Meta's AI investments are already showing tangible returns. The company's AI-powered content recommendation system has increased time spent on Facebook by 7% and Instagram by 6% in the past six months. The new AI-powered ads recommendation model for Reels has boosted the ad conversion rates by 5%. The Meta AI virtual assistant has nearly 1 billion monthly active users. Furthermore, there are also other avenues to monetize Meta's large customer base. The company aims to leverage WhatsApp's massive user base to strengthen its business messaging and mobile commerce position in developed markets. Meta is a highly profitable and free cash flow-positive company that plans to invest nearly $64 billion to $72 billion in fiscal 2025. Considering the robust tailwinds, Meta seems a worthwhile pick now. Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) stands to benefit from several growth catalysts in the next decade. AWS dominates the cloud infrastructure services market with a 29% share. The cloud computing platform achieved a $117 billion annualized revenue run rate with a 40% margin as of the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2025. The company's e-commerce business is also getting stronger thanks to a newly redesigned inbound network, increasing adoption of robotics and automation, and expansion of the same delivery sites. Finally, advertising has also become a significant growth driver, generating $13.9 billion in revenue in the first quarter. Amazon is also leveraging its advanced AI capabilities across e-commerce, cloud computing, advertising, and all other business areas to boost productivity and improve cost efficiencies. CEO Andy Jassy confirmed the AI business is already a "multibillion-dollar annual run rate" that is "growing [at] triple-digit year-over-year percentages," despite being in its nascent stages. The company offers custom Trainium 2 chips, which have 30% to 40% better price-to-performance ratios than competitors. Meanwhile, their proprietary Nova foundation models and Bedrock platform are helping multiple large clients build custom AI applications. With a robust core business and a rapidly growing AI business, Amazon can become a significant wealth-generating machine in the coming years. Vertex Pharmaceuticals' (NASDAQ: VRTX) dominance in the cystic fibrosis (CF) market and its successful diversification into pain management position it as an exceptional long-term investment opportunity now. Vertex generated over $10 billion in annual revenue from the CF franchise. The company's triple combination CF drug Trikafta (also known as Kaftrio outside the U.S.) is the primary revenue driver and can treat nearly 95% of CF patients in core markets. Additionally, the recently approved CF drug Alyftrek has demonstrated even better therapeutic efficacy in clinical trials and is effective for 31 additional genetic mutations of CF not covered by Trikafta. Plus, the drug offers improved patient convenience with once-daily dosing as compared to Trikafta's twice-daily dosing. This can further expand Vertex's penetration in the CF market. Beyond CF, Vertex's pain management drug Journavx is showing strong early adoption and expanding payer coverage. With the U.S. government policy firmly in favor of non-opioid pain management alternatives, the company sees tremendous growth potential for this oral non-opioid drug. Vertex's pipeline includes multiple late-stage programs with three potential filings expected by 2026. The company's acquisition of Alpine Immune Sciences has also added multiple potential kidney disease drug candidates to its research pipeline. Vertex is financially stable with $11.4 billion in cash on its balance sheet. Hence, the company has significant financial flexibility to invest in organic and inorganic growth initiatives. Considering Vertex's multiple tailwinds and financial strength, the stock is a compelling pick now. Before you buy stock in Microsoft, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Microsoft wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $651,049!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $828,224!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 979% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 171% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 19, 2025 John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Manali Pradhan has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 4 Monster Stocks to Buy and Hold for the Next Decade was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio

I visited Amazon's robot factories and got an inside look at how it builds and trains them
I visited Amazon's robot factories and got an inside look at how it builds and trains them

Business Insider

timean hour ago

  • Business Insider

I visited Amazon's robot factories and got an inside look at how it builds and trains them

I started the day at the North Reading office. A lineup of Amazon's robots past and present greets visitors at the entrance. The green one at the front is Amazon's latest mobile drive unit, Proteus, which can sense objects and humans in its path and move around them. The robots get older the further along the line you go. The facility is huge, stretching 209,000 square feet. From my view on the mezzanine, I could see mobile drive units that had just been built on the assembly line. The blue robots, called Hercules, move pods of items around a fenced area of a fulfillment center. Each Hercules robot can lift a pod that weighs up to 1,250 pounds. The green robots, called Proteus, do similar tasks but move autonomously. The North Reading facility was previously home to Kiva Robotics before Amazon acquired the company in 2012. Julie Mitchell, director of robotic sortation technology at Amazon Robotics, told me how the company approaches robot design. She said that Amazon works with teams in its fulfillment centers to understand which areas could be made more efficient with automation. Robots go through early alpha testing and then beta testing before they are ready for mass production. "We work backwards from our customer needs and think about which systems will help enable better delivery and faster speeds to our customers," she said. "We look to try to develop systems that will add value within one to two years in our fulfillment network." Looking to the left, I could also see other robots being tested. On the middle floor are Pegasus robots, which transport packages around sortation centers. The yellow robotic arm below is Robin, which uses suction to pick up packages. I got a closer look at the Pegasus robots as we made our way down to the manufacturing floor. They zoomed around the floor, testing out new software updates. The Pegasus robot is an evolution of the Hercules robot, using the same base but with a conveyor belt on top. The orange robots are older, from before Amazon rebranded its Prime services to blue. I also got my first up-close look at Proteus. The eyes indicate he's spotted me. Proteus is designed to work alongside employees on a shipping dock. Those workers don't get specific training to work with robots. "It was really important to us to make Proteus intuitive to understand so the human-robot interaction is seamless," Mitchell said. "We used the eyes as a way to communicate." When we got down to the manufacturing floor, I saw this poster that had been signed by Jeff Bezos. Amazon has now built more than 750,000 mobile robots, in addition to its robotic arms and sortation systems. Erica McClosky, director of manufacturing and technical operations at Amazon Robotics, leads teams that build and test robots before they are sent to fulfillment centers. About 300 people work on the physical side of building and maintaining Amazon's robotic fleet. The majority of those employees are on the assembly line, while others receive and ship materials and test and repair robots. "We're in a very controlled, stable environment here, so we're able to, for all of our new products, continuously look at how we optimize the entire flow," McClosky said. Here, workers put together subassemblies that will be incorporated into Proteus' design. Amazon's manufacturing stations have built-in automation, too, including torque tools. "If you're supposed to install, let's say, four fasteners, it'll make sure that you only store four fasteners and that it has the right rotation," McClosky said. Employees receive parts to be installed on the robots. The parts are scanned so that they can be traced as they travel through Amazon's ecosystem. "If there were ever to be a problem, we could trace back and understand what's happening," McClosky said. Amazon sources its robotic parts globally as well as from some local suppliers. I saw one assembly line building Hercules robots and another building Proteus. Lights above each station signal green when everything is in place and red when something is wrong. The North Reading facility has four assembly lines with 10 stations each. Employees at each station complete their assembly tasks in about seven and a half minutes, using a lift assist for heavy items. The last step of the assembly process for Hercules is putting the blue cover on top. Amazon asked that I not take close-up photos of the robots without their covers on due to the sensitivity of the technology. The assembly process for Hercules takes about an hour from start to finish. When the robots are complete, they're picked up from the assembly line by this lift and placed onto the floor. Lift assists are in place in various parts of the manufacturing process so that workers don't strain to pick up heavy objects. After the robots come off the line, they take a few minutes to get their batteries charged. They then line up to be tested in these blue-fenced structures. McClosky said Amazon's testing technology is one of the biggest and most helpful innovations it's rolled out in recent years. She said that Amazon used to test its robots by filling big pods with bricks and having them drive around the factory floor for hours. "What used to take us hours for testing here on the production floor is now done in minutes," McClosky said. "It's looking at environments that it would see in the fulfillment center, so under different loads, making sure that it is fully, fully functional." Proteus has its own diagnostic center where it calibrates its cameras and sensors to maintain "clear vision," Mitchell said. Proteus uses AI to "see" the space it's navigating and decide whether it can safely navigate around an object or needs to stop moving forward. Hercules is the robot Amazon has made the most units of over the years. "It's kind of our workhorse in the fulfillment centers," McClosky said. After the robots have been charged and tested, they line up for "robot graduation." The robots actually drive themselves to the loading dock and put themselves on an individual pallet. Since Hercules can't detect humans the same way that Proteus can, this is a restricted area. They're now ready to be shipped out to fulfillment centers and be put to work. Next up, I watched a robotic arm called Robin pick up packages from a conveyor belt. Robin works in conjunction with Pegasus, the mobile robot with a conveyor belt we saw earlier. The packages I saw Robin pick up were all Amazon-branded, but the robot also frequently encounters packaging from third-party brands using Amazon's fulfillment centers. "We're constantly using AI to train Robin to see different package types, different surfaces, different types of materials that it has to grasp," Mitchell said. "We can change the way we grasp it by changing which actuator we send down to pick up the package. That helps cover the gamut of different shapes." I also saw Proteus in action, practicing transporting carts around the floor. This robotic arm, Cardinal, scans packages' labels, determines which cart to place them into, and tightly packs them in like Tetris. Cardinal works in conjunction with Proteus. "When Cardinal finishes the stacking and creates a complete container, it will signal to Proteus to come and take that container and replenish that container," Mitchell said. "The two robotic systems working together has created an end-to-end automated path from sorting to loading that container onto our trailers and our ship dock." It's a powerful machine. After the tour wrapped up, we traveled to the other Amazon Robotics facility in the Boston area. Both this facility and the one in North Reading also have corporate offices and research and development labs located directly off the manufacturing floor. Amazon views this as a competitive advantage in that it allows for a more direct feedback loop. McClosky said that engineers and manufacturing staff work "shoulder to shoulder." This facility is even bigger than the one in North Reading. Looking out from the mezzanine, it felt like the factory floor stretched on forever. Madeline Stone It covers about 350,000 square feet of space. Tye Brady, the chief technologist for Amazon Robotics, spoke about the work Amazon is doing in physical AI. Madeline Stone He compared the way Amazon is thinking about robotics and physical AI to the way people thought about the computer in the 1950s. "I think if you were to roll ahead in time, you're going to see more and more physical AI agents used as tools to help people be more human, to help people be more capable of who they are, to allow people to connect to one another more readily," he said. I got a good look at Amazon's storage and sortation robot, Sequoia, from above. Madeline Stone Sequoia is a containerized storage system that brings pods over to a station where employees pick items out of totes so that they can be shipped to customers. On the left is a traditional fabric pod that can be moved by Amazon's mobile robots and brought to employees for picking. Madeline Stone Brady said the items stored in each pod are somewhat random and chosen more so to fill the space. This is how Amazon has traditionally stored items, and it's actually what the original Kiva system did even before it was part of Amazon. Amazon's newest robot, Vulcan, can pick from these pods using a sense of touch. However, Sequoia uses plastic containers to store items instead of the yellow fabric pods. Brady pointed to a screen that displays what the robot is doing at each moment. Madeline Stone The totes have all kinds of goods, from water bottles to toys to Amazon Basics cables. "This is where automation really helps us because we can take just about any object that fits inside one of these totes and place it in there," Brady said. A unique code on each tote helps keep track of what's inside. The robotic system brings the totes to an employee work station. The conveyor belt is positioned at the optimal height for picking in order to reduce injuries. Madeline Stone Brady explained how Sequoia helps workers in fulfillment centers to pick customers' orders. "When a customer goes on and they make an order, we look at the entirety of the Amazon network, we figure out which building has the goods closest to the customer, how we can make a meaningful delivery route for that customer, and then at the right time, we'll call the right pod to a station where we can now have the goods that the customer has ordered inside this tote," he said. Sequoia can also be used to process and stow items that are just arriving at a fulfillment center. Madeline Stone "I just pick the item out and then place it into another container to be packed and processed downstream," he said. Our last stop on the tour was to see the Sparrow robotic arm. Madeline Stone Unlike the other robotic arms I saw earlier, Sparrow handles individual items rather than packages. Sparrow is responsible for consolidating items into totes. Hercules robots bring pods to the Sparrow station. Madeline Stone "The robotic system extracts the tote, presents it to the Sparrow arm," Brady said. "That arm has its own end effector on it, and what it's going to do is pick up objects and try to create a more full tote." Sparrow can pick up more than 200 million different items. Madeline Stone It uses an AI system that looks down from above to differentiate between objects, look for damage, and determine the best path to place it into a bin. "That's really the holy grail when it comes to manipulation: being able to successfully identify and manipulate a huge variety of goods," Brady said.

Billionaire Bill Ackman Wants to Be the Next Warren Buffett, and He Is Buying an AI Stock Up 855% in 10 Years (Hint: Not Nvidia)
Billionaire Bill Ackman Wants to Be the Next Warren Buffett, and He Is Buying an AI Stock Up 855% in 10 Years (Hint: Not Nvidia)

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Billionaire Bill Ackman Wants to Be the Next Warren Buffett, and He Is Buying an AI Stock Up 855% in 10 Years (Hint: Not Nvidia)

Billionaire Bill Ackman will turn Howard Hughes Holdings into a modern-day Berkshire Hathaway in an effort to recreate Warren Buffett's success. Ackman's hedge fund Pershing Square Capital Management recently took a stake in Amazon, an artificial intelligence stock up 855% in the last decade. Amazon has three major growth opportunities in e-commerce, digital advertising, and cloud computing, and the company is using AI to boost revenue and improve margins. 10 stocks we like better than Amazon › In 1965, Warren Buffett took control of Berkshire Hathaway. He said that in hindsight it was a "doomed" textile mill "headed for extinction." But he saved the business, and laid the foundation for lasting growth, by shifting its focus to insurance. That brilliant decision created a steady inflow of investable capital in the form of insurance premiums, and Buffett used that cash to great effect over the years. Berkshire's market value has increased more than 5,500,000% since Buffett took control, for an average annual return of 20% over six decades. Buffett deserves much of the credit. He (along with the late Charlie Munger) engineered acquisitions, stock purchases, and share buybacks that ultimately turned Berkshire into a trillion-dollar business, one of only 11 in the world at this writing. While Buffett plans to step down as chief executive at Berkshire this year, billionaire Bill Ackman hopes to recreate his success with Howard Hughes Holdings. Ackman recently added another 900 million shares to his hedge fund, bringing his total ownership to 46.9%. He plans to turn Howard Hughes into a "modern-day version of Berkshire" by acquiring controlling interests in private and public companies. If Ackman succeeds, he could become the "next Warren Buffett." Here's the artificial intelligence stock he just bought. Bill Ackman ranks among the 20 most successful hedge-fund managers as measured by net gains, according to LCH Investments. And Pershing Square outperformed the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) by 24 percentage points over the last five years. Those accomplishments make Ackman an excellent source of inspiration. Importantly, he purchased three stocks during the first quarter: Hertz Global, Uber Technologies, and Brookfield Corporation. Those trades were disclosed in a Form 13F filed last month, but Pershing more recently added Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), an artificial intelligence (AI) stock that rocketed 855% over the last decade. Pershing's chief investment officer Ryan Israel said: "We felt that the company would be able to work through any slowdown in the cloud computing division Amazon Web Services, and we did not judge that tariffs would have a material impact on the earnings in the retail business." Interestingly, Ackman has a very concentrated portfolio that included fewer than a dozen stocks as of the first quarter. Chipmaker Nvidia was not one of those stocks. Amazon's market value exceeds $2 trillion today, but it could be much larger in a few years. The company has a strong presence in three growing industries, as detailed below: Not only does Amazon run the largest online marketplace in the U.S., but it also expects to gain market share this year. Domestic retail e-commerce sales are forecast to increase 8% annually through 2028, according to eMarketer. Amazon is the third-largest adtech company in the world and is rapidly taking share from industry leaders Google (part of Alphabet) and Meta Platforms. Retail ad spending is forecast to increase 17% annually in the U.S. through 2028, according to eMarketer. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the largest public cloud operator, as measured by infrastructure and platform services spending. Cloud computing sales are forecast to grow at 20% annually through 2030, according to Grand View Research. Importantly, retail advertising and cloud services revenues not only are growing faster than online retail sales, but also have higher margins. That will make Amazon more profitable over time. But the company is also developing about 1,000 generative AI applications that will improve productivity and efficiency across its retail business, from front-end tasks like customer service to back-end tasks like coding. AWS is ideally positioned to monetize AI. It already operates the largest public cloud as measured by revenue and customers, but it has also introduced new products at all three layers of the computing stack. That includes custom chips for AI training and inference at the infrastructure layer, AI-model development tools like Bedrock at the platform layer, and AI applications like Amazon Q at the software layer. That three-tiered strategy is paying off. CEO Andy Jassy recently told analysts: "Our AI business has a multibillion-dollar annual revenue run rate," and "continues to grow triple-digit year-over-year percentages." Amazon shares soared 855% over the last decade as the company built strong positions in online retail, digital advertising, and cloud computing. And Wall Street is still predominantly bullish. Among the 71 analysts who follow the company, 96% rate the stock a buy, and the median target price is $235 per share, which implies 14% upside from the current share price of $205. Wall Street expects Amazon's earnings to increase at 10% annually through 2026. That makes the current price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 33 look somewhat expensive. But I think analysts are underestimating the company, as they have in the past -- Amazon topped the consensus earnings estimate by an average of 21% during the last six quarters. Long-term investors should feel comfortable buying a small position today. Before you buy stock in Amazon, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Amazon wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $651,049!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $828,224!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 979% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 171% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 19, 2025 John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Trevor Jennewine has positions in Amazon and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, Brookfield, Brookfield Corporation, Howard Hughes, Meta Platforms, Nvidia, and Uber Technologies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Billionaire Bill Ackman Wants to Be the Next Warren Buffett, and He Is Buying an AI Stock Up 855% in 10 Years (Hint: Not Nvidia) was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

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