All picks

PUBM’s AI ad-tech pivot: Tier B story getting interesting

PubMatic, Inc. Class A Common Stock

Most ads you see on streaming TV, apps, and websites are decided by software in milliseconds. PubMatic builds that software, and they’re now baking **AI** into it.[1][8] As more ad dollars shift from old‑school TV and print into streaming, social, and retail media (ads tied to shopping data), winners in this space can grow for years.[8] PubMatic is leaning into AI agents that help brands automate campaigns and target better, which could make their platform more valuable if advertisers keep moving that way.[8] For everyday investors, it’s a way to play the digital‑ad and AI trend without betting on the biggest household‑name platforms.

TBLA: AI-fueled ad engine turning the corner on profits

Taboola.com Ltd. Ordinary Shares

If you’ve ever clicked a recommended article or ad at the bottom of a news page, you’ve probably used Taboola without knowing it.[4][10] As more advertising shifts online and into AI-powered recommendation engines, companies that help publishers and advertisers get better results can become the “picks and shovels” of digital media.[8] Taboola is trying to be that backbone for the open web, using data and AI to match ads and content more smartly.[8] With the internet’s ad money still moving away from old-school banners toward performance-driven, measurable campaigns, a profitable, growing platform in the middle of that traffic can be an interesting story to follow.[6][10]

TDUP’s resale engine: a climate‑friendly fashion story gaining steam

ThredUp Inc. Class A Common Stock

Most of us know fast fashion is rough on the planet — it means tons of clothes made, shipped, and tossed quickly. ThredUp is trying to flip that script by making it normal to buy used instead of new.[11][13] If more shoppers shift even part of their wardrobe to resale, that’s less waste and less demand for new production. For investors, TDUP sits at the intersection of **online shopping** and **climate‑friendly consumption**: a digital platform that could benefit as younger consumers choose “pre‑loved” clothes both to save money and feel better about their footprint.[3][13]

IPGP: Fiber lasers riding the AI and factory boom

IPG Photonics Corporation

Fiber lasers are the “cutting and welding tools” behind big trends regular people know: more robots in factories, more electric cars and batteries, and more complex chips for AI.[1][2][6][9] When automakers, battery makers, and electronics plants ramp up, they need precise, reliable lasers to cut metal, weld battery cells, and mark parts. IPG is one of the global leaders in this niche.[1][9] If the world keeps investing in AI data centers, electric vehicles, and smart manufacturing, companies like IPG can be steady picks-and-shovels plays tied to that growth.

SHLS rides the solar-and-battery build‑out with a fresh setup

Shoals Technologies Group, Inc. Class A Common Stock

Big picture: Shoals sits in the middle of the clean‑energy build‑out. Every utility‑scale solar farm or grid battery needs safe, reliable electrical gear to connect it all — that’s Shoals’ lane.[6] Governments and companies are pouring money into clean power and energy storage to handle data centers, AI, electric vehicles, and a more demanding grid.[3][9] Instead of betting on one solar panel brand, Shoals is a picks‑and‑shovels play on the wiring and equipment that almost every project needs. If large‑scale solar and batteries keep expanding, Shoals grows with that wave.[1][3][11]

CEVA’s AI edge story keeps gaining ground

CEVA Inc.

CEVA sits behind the scenes in the stuff people actually use: faster phones, connected cars, Wi-Fi gear, and the chips that help devices do AI work without going to the cloud.[1][5] That matters because the big trend is simple: more gadgets are getting smarter, and they need efficient brains and better wireless links. If CEVA keeps winning design deals, it can collect royalties as those products ship, which is a cleaner business than selling one-off hardware.

COHU: riding the AI chip-testing wave, with momentum

Cohu Inc

Most people hear about AI through Nvidia and cloud companies, but all those chips have to be carefully tested and handled before they’re useful. That’s Cohu’s lane.[1][10] As AI data centers, high‑end laptops, and smarter cars need more powerful chips, demand grows for the gear that makes sure those chips work correctly at scale.[6][10] If AI and advanced computing keep expanding, companies like Cohu that sit in the “picks and shovels” part of the chip supply chain can see long, durable demand, even if they stay behind the scenes.[6][11]

ALNT’s quiet robotics engine: motion control riding the AI wave

Allient Inc. Common Stock

If you believe robots, smart weapons, and AI-heavy data centers are going to need more precise hardware, Allient sits right in that plumbing. They don’t make the flashy AI software; they make the motion, control, and power pieces that let machines aim, lift, and move exactly where they’re supposed to.[10] As more factories automate and defense and data-center budgets stay strong, companies that quietly supply the guts of those systems can see steady, long-term demand.[2][7][11]

HYLN’s KARNO pivot is turning into a real 2026 story

Hyliion Holdings Corp.

Retail investors can understand Hyliion as a bet on a simple idea: the world needs more power, and the grid is getting strained by AI data centers, defense systems, and cleaner-energy goals. KARNO is meant to run on different fuels, so it fits several big themes at once without forcing customers into one fuel choice. That matters because buyers want reliable power now, not a science project. If Hyliion can turn its prototype work into real orders, it could ride the same demand wave pushing power equipment, data-center infrastructure, and defense spending in 2026.[2][8]

INDI’s auto-chip pivot is starting to look real

indie Semiconductor, Inc. Class A Common Stock

This is a stock tied to a big everyday trend: smarter cars and machines that need better eyes and ears. If self-driving features, driver assist, factory robots, and warehouse robots keep growing, companies like indie can sell the chips that help cars see lanes, objects, and people[4][7]. In plain English, the story is not about a flashy app; it is about the tiny hardware inside the products people already use. That makes it relevant to the AI and robotics boom, but in a more practical, picks-and-shovels way[4][7].

ELVA’s industrial batteries: a small-cap riding the Amazon wave

Electrovaya Inc. Common Shares

Think of every Amazon‑style warehouse: rows of electric forklifts and robots moving packages 24/7. All of them need reliable batteries. Electrovaya focuses on this “boring but essential” part of the AI and e‑commerce boom, where downtime is costly. Revenue and profits are actually growing, not just promised, and big names are already writing checks.[9][6] If warehouses, automation and robotics keep spreading, companies that keep that equipment powered can quietly ride the same wave without needing to be flashy consumer brands.

NEO’s cancer-testing comeback is gaining real traction

NeoGenomics, Inc.

If you care about the genomics trend, NEO is a simple way to play more cancer testing without betting on a tiny startup. The story is easy to understand: doctors are using more advanced lab tests to help spot, classify, and track cancer, and NeoGenomics is trying to become the go-to one-stop shop for that work.[2][11] For retail investors, the appeal is that this is tied to a real healthcare need, not a fad. The risk is that it is still a mid-sized business trying to prove it can turn faster test growth into steadier profits.[9][11]

ALLO’s off‑the‑shelf cancer cells: small cap, big swing

Allogene Therapeutics, Inc. Common Stock

If ALLO’s “off‑the‑shelf” cell therapies work, they could turn a niche, made‑to‑order cancer treatment into something faster, cheaper, and easier to scale.[6][10] That fits right into the broader healthcare tech trend: using advanced biology and genetics to make serious diseases more treatable, not just with pills but with living cell therapies.[4][6] For regular investors, this is a classic small‑cap biotech swing: no sales today, but a few clinical trial results over the next couple of years could dramatically change how the market values the company.[3][10][12]

CCCC’s protein-degrader bet: small-cap biotech swinging for big wins

C4 Therapeutics, Inc.

C4 sits at the intersection of two big health trends: using genetics to understand disease and designing smarter drugs that destroy harmful proteins instead of just blocking them. That’s a fancy way of saying they’re trying to “tag” bad proteins so the body’s own trash‑disposal system throws them out. If this works, it could lead to longer‑lasting cancer treatments, possibly with fewer side effects than older chemo‑style drugs.[4][5] For regular investors, this is a classic higher‑risk, higher‑reward biotech: one or two clear clinical wins or a big‑pharma deal can reprice the stock quickly, but setbacks can hit hard.[2][4]

AUR’s driverless trucks: a Tier B bet on the robot highway

Aurora Innovation, Inc. Class A Common Stock

If you believe highways will be full of robot trucks in your lifetime, AUR is one of the purest ways to bet on that idea. The company builds the “brain” and software that let big rigs drive themselves, then sells miles driven as a service to shippers and fleets, not just one‑off hardware.[3][11][13] This ties into two huge trends regular investors know: e‑commerce needing cheaper, faster shipping, and automation taking over repetitive jobs. If Aurora can safely run trucks 24/7 with fewer drivers, it could cut freight costs and grab a slice of a massive trucking market.[13]

ASPN’s climate-tech comeback: battery safety meets cash in the bank

Aspen Aerogels, Inc.

EVs and cleaner energy aren’t going away, even if the headlines bounce around. Aspen sells the “padding” that keeps EV batteries cooler and safer, and the insulation that helps pipes and industrial energy systems run more efficiently.[1][3] If automakers like GM and European brands ramp EV production again, and global energy companies keep building LNG and subsea projects, Aspen’s specialty materials could see rising demand.[2][3] For a smaller company, a few solid contracts and a clearer path to break‑even can move the stock a lot, in both directions.[1][7]

ADUR’s recycling pivot: small cap, big clean-tech swing

Aduro Clean Technologies Inc. Common Stock

If you want the plain-English version, Aduro is trying to turn dirty plastic waste into something more useful, which sits right in the middle of the bigger recycling and climate-tech story. That makes it interesting to people who follow the same megatrends as AI infrastructure or energy transition plays: the market is looking for the next step after experiments, not just more science projects. Aduro’s value is in whether its process can become a repeatable factory business, not just a one-off lab result[1][4].

NSIT: a mid-cap IT fixer riding the AI infrastructure wave

Insight Enterprises Inc

Big companies are scrambling to modernize their tech — moving to the cloud, locking down cybersecurity, and wiring up systems so they can safely use AI at scale. Someone has to connect all those dots: choosing gear, integrating software, securing data, and keeping it all running. That’s Insight’s lane.[7][1] As more businesses treat AI like a must‑have tool instead of a toy, they’re likely to lean on partners that already manage complex IT for thousands of customers worldwide. If Insight keeps growing its services and cloud work, it could quietly become one of the behind‑the‑scenes winners of the AI infrastructure boom, without needing to invent the next flashy chatbot.[7][10]

YOU: Clear Secure’s travel ID boom is hitting cruising altitude

Clear Secure, Inc.

Clear Secure sits right at the intersection of **airport travel**, **digital identity**, and **biometric security** — trends most of us see every time we fly. As more people travel and airlines and airports look for faster security lanes, CLEAR’s fingerprint and face-based ID checks are getting baked into the experience.[9][11] At the same time, online accounts and ticketing need safer logins, and Clear is positioning its tech beyond airports into everyday identity.[9][11] If you believe lines will keep getting shorter and identity will keep going digital, YOU is one of the pure-play ways to ride that shift.

IDT (IDT): steady fintech‑plus growth, not just a phone company

IDT Corporation Class B

For everyday investors, IDT is a way to tap into three trends you already see around you: bodega checkout screens, money sent home by immigrants, and cloud‑based business phone systems.[1][7][9] NRS puts ad‑enabled touchscreens and payment systems into small stores, then sells ad space on those screens.[5][7] BOSS Money pushes people from physical cash windows into cheaper and higher‑margin digital transfers.[9] Net2phone helps companies move their phones to the cloud. Put together, you get a relatively small company quietly building recurring, subscription‑style revenue in areas most people use without thinking about who’s behind them.[3][5][7]

NEXT’s Rio Grande LNG: a $3.5B bet on future gas exports

NextDecade Corporation Common Stock

LNG is basically natural gas chilled into a liquid so it can be shipped overseas. With wars and supply shocks affecting global energy, buyers in Europe and Asia are hungry for reliable gas from the U.S.[6] NEXT is trying to turn one stretch of the Texas coast into a steady cash machine feeding that demand. If they finish construction on time and stay on budget, the company could shift from today’s losses to meaningful cash generation once exports start. For investors who believe gas will stay important as the world moves away from coal, this is a focused way to play that story.

HIVE (HIVE): from Bitcoin miner to AI power plant

HIVE Digital Technologies Ltd. Common Shares

If you believe AI will keep needing huge amounts of computing power, companies that own and run large, efficient data centers become very interesting. HIVE started as a Bitcoin miner, but now it’s re‑using that infrastructure to rent out high‑end chips and servers to AI and cloud customers through BUZZ HPC[5][4]. That means HIVE’s future isn’t tied only to crypto prices; it has a shot at tapping into the same megatrend powering the biggest tech names today. For a regular investor, it’s a way to get exposure to both Bitcoin and AI infrastructure in one stock, without having to guess which single AI app will win[5][10].

THR’s power-and-AI grid story, now turbocharged by CECO deal

THERMON GROUP HOLDINGS, INC.

If you care about where AI and clean energy meet the real world, THR is playing in that space. Data centers, rail systems, and industrial plants all need reliable, efficient power and heating to stay online. Thermon’s gear helps keep those systems running safely and efficiently, while new liquid load banks help data centers test and manage huge amounts of electricity.[10] As AI, electrification, and grid upgrades accelerate, companies solving these practical “keep the lights on” problems can grow alongside those megatrends.

MASI: Danaher’s $180-a-share bet on smart patient monitoring

Masimo Corporation

If you’ve ever had your finger clipped into a little device to check your oxygen levels, you’ve probably met Masimo’s world. They build the sensors and monitors that quietly watch over patients in hospitals and, increasingly, at home.[4] As healthcare gets more digital and data‑heavy, and as aging populations need more constant monitoring, companies that can reliably track your vital signs are in a sweet spot.[2][4] A big, respected buyer like Danaher stepping up with real cash is a vote of confidence in that long‑term trend—and in Masimo’s role in it.[4][7]

AOSL: quietly wiring the power behind AI data centers

Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Limited

AI and cloud apps need huge server farms, and those farms need reliable, efficient power chips so they don’t overheat or waste electricity. AOSL designs the “plumbing” that helps move power safely around AI servers, smartphones and industrial gear, instead of chasing headlines with flashy consumer gadgets.[2][5] As AI workloads grow, every big server rack needs more power control, cooling fans and charging circuits, which is exactly where AOSL is leaning in. For everyday investors, that’s a classic “picks and shovels” angle on the AI boom—selling the tools rather than betting on any one app.

RPD’s AI-security reboot: a Tier B cybersecurity comeback story

Rapid7, Inc. Common Stock

Everyone hears about data breaches, ransomware, and hackers targeting hospitals, banks, and schools. Rapid7 lives right in the middle of that problem. They sell software and services that watch company networks, spot weird behavior, and help teams respond before damage spreads.[4][5] Now they’re layering in AI and automation through the Kenzo Security platform so machines can handle more of the heavy lifting.[1][5] If they pull it off, Rapid7 could be one of the smaller players that benefits from the long‑term cybersecurity and AI boom – or even becomes a takeover target as bigger vendors look to bolt on AI‑ready platforms.

OSPN’s digital security makeover: a small-cap story getting interesting

OneSpan Inc. Common Stock

If you’ve ever worried about someone breaking into your bank app or forging your digital signature, you already understand OneSpan’s world. They help banks and enterprises verify who you are and protect apps and documents so fraudsters can’t pretend to be you.[2][5] As more of life moves into phones, online banking, and remote work, identity and app security become as basic as locks on doors. OneSpan sits right in that megatrend, with a mix of cybersecurity tools and secure digital signing that benefit from rising online crime and tighter regulations on financial institutions.[2][4]

FIVN: Call-center software quietly turning into an AI story

FIVE9, INC.

Almost every big company you deal with—banks, airlines, cable, e‑commerce—runs some kind of call center. Five9 is the behind‑the‑scenes software that powers those phone and chat conversations for thousands of agents. Now they’re layering AI on top of that, with digital “voice agents” that can talk, listen, and respond like humans, and tools that blend AI with live agents.[6] If this shift works, Five9 could become a key player in how customer service feels in an AI world: fewer long holds, more self‑service that actually works, and a lot of sticky, recurring software income tied to that trend.[3][6]

BWA’s quiet EV comeback: BorgWarner’s Tier B battery story

BorgWarner Inc.

If you believe more cars, trucks and even data centers are going electric, BorgWarner sits right in that traffic lane.[5] It makes the guts that help electric and hybrid vehicles move and helps traditional engines run cleaner, which ties directly into big trends like climate tech and stricter emissions rules.[1][5] The company is also stepping into power solutions beyond cars, including a turbine generator system for data centers, which connects it to the growing demand for reliable power behind cloud and AI computing.[5] For everyday investors, BWA is a way to play the EV and clean‑energy shift through an established, profitable industrial name.

SLP’s AI drug‑simulation engine faces a big buyout moment

Simulations Plus, Inc.

Most new medicines still take years and billions of dollars to develop, with a lot of failures along the way. Simulations Plus is part of the push to change that by letting pharma companies run "virtual" trials using AI and digital human models before spending huge sums in the real world.[8] That fits squarely into the AI and genomics wave: more data about how bodies work, and smarter software to predict what a drug will do. If this approach works at scale, it could make drug development faster, cheaper, and more tailored, which matters for anyone who cares about better treatments and healthcare costs.[3][5][8]

HPP’s studio‑office comeback: a Tier B recovery story

Hudson Pacific Properties, Inc.

If you’ve watched the West Coast office crash and Hollywood production swings from the sidelines, HPP is basically a live experiment in whether these assets can bounce back. They own high‑profile studio and office properties tied to streaming, gaming, and media work people recognize, like Sunset Studios and Netflix’s Los Angeles hub.[2][3] The stock has more than doubled over the past few months as investors warm to the idea that cleaner debt, more leasing, and steadier studio activity could turn big past losses into growing cash flow. For everyday investors, HPP is a way to bet on whether coastal offices and content production space survive and adapt in a world of hybrid work and constant streaming demand.[2][3]

Premium · archive July 14, 2026

Premium · archive (6)

RUM’s big pivot: from YouTube rival to AI-compute player

Rumble Inc. Class A Common Stock

If you care about the AI boom but don’t want to pick chip makers or tiny startups, RUM is trying to become a picks-and-shovels player: it sells the raw computing power that AI companies need.[2][4][9] Northern Data’s GPUs and Quake AI’s big contracts put RUM in the business of renting high-end hardware, not just hosting political videos.[2][9] At the same time, its Rumble platform still serves tens of millions of monthly users and is rolling out Shorts, Rumble Wallet, and a Perplexity partnership that could draw more creators and viewers.[1][2][3][4] It’s an unusual mix: social media plus AI data centers under one roof.[2][9]

Premium · archive July 14, 2026

VOYG’s NASA mission win puts this space upstart on the map

Voyager Technologies, Inc.

Space is moving from a government‑only thing to a commercial business, the way the internet did 20 years ago. Voyager is trying to be one of the key “plumbers” of that new space economy – helping run missions to the space station, build the next‑gen Starlab station, and eventually support a moon base.[4][6][7][8] If NASA really does hand more low‑Earth‑orbit and lunar work to private companies, the winners could see years of growing sales and more steady contracts. VOYG is still small and loss‑making, but it’s now involved in the ISS, future commercial stations, defense and lunar projects – all big, long‑term themes.[3][4][6][8]

CRS: specialty metals riding the aerospace and defense boom

Carpenter Technology Corp

If you care about planes, missiles, and the power grid staying up, CRS matters. The company makes the specialty metals that go into jet engines, defense systems, and advanced energy hardware.[1] As countries spend more on defense, modern aircraft, and tougher energy infrastructure, demand for these high‑performance materials is rising. That ties CRS directly into themes most investors watch: aerospace, defense, and reliable power for data centers and factories. You’re not buying a flashy AI app here, but the metal that keeps all that heavy hardware running.[1][5]

LPTH: tiny defense optics player chasing a big backlog

Lightpath Technologies Inc

If you care about the rise in defense tech—smart missiles, night vision, border security, drones—LightPath sits in the plumbing of that trend. They make the specialized lenses and infrared cameras that help soldiers and systems “see” in the dark and through smoke. As governments boost spending on high‑tech gear, suppliers that can reliably deliver these parts can grow for years. You’re not betting on one gadget; you’re betting on a picks‑and‑shovels player behind modern defense imaging.[2][1][7]

ALMU’s government-backed photonics bet: a Tier B moonshot

Aeluma, Inc. Common Stock

If you care about where AI, cloud, and defense tech are headed, Aeluma touches all three. Its chips are designed to help computers talk to each other using light, which is a big deal as data centers and supercomputers get more crowded and power-hungry.[3] On top of that, U.S. agencies like **DARPA**, **NASA**, and other defense groups are throwing money at homegrown chip tech, and Aeluma is already in that club with multi‑million‑dollar contracts and a seat at key industry events.[2][3][1] For a small company, that kind of access can be life‑changing if it successfully moves from lab projects to repeat product sales.

GRRR’s AI data‑center sprint: Tier B growth with teeth

Gorilla Technology Group Inc. Ordinary shares

If you believe AI is going to need huge amounts of computing power, someone has to build and run those server farms. Gorilla is aiming to be one of those behind‑the‑scenes providers, focusing on AI‑ready infrastructure in Asia and beyond.[2][3] Instead of trying to guess the next hot app, this is more like investing in the roads and power lines that make AI possible. Big multi‑year contracts, if they pan out, could turn lumpy project work into more stable, long‑term revenue tied to a megatrend most people expect to keep growing.[2][3]