Make sure you read the article since it doesn't look like they're doing that at all. The sentence you cited is pretty tricky to parse so your reaction is understandable.
Did you look at any alternative graph layout algorithms? There are non-quadratic ones that are quite good (like Barnes-Hut and its variants). I did a Typescript port of ForceAtlas2 a couple years ago that could run on a Web Worker (so as to not block the interactivity of the graph) but never got around to open sourcing it.
I'd be amazed to see what this level of profiling skill could do on a fancier algorithm.
This isn't really accurate. VCs would much rather get paid 20+% carry than 2% management fees (and raising a follow-on fund would be quite difficult if you failed to make returns and publicly blew most of your fund on a boondoggle like Magic Leap).
Will let the parent reply but at a high level (at least for comprehensive insurance) there is a) a fairly competitive market (and comparison shopping is possible) for car repairs and b) a limit to the cost of a repair (the value of a new comparable car) that we don't / won't place on human lives.
I spent _so_ many hours as a kid on RetroMUD. Nothing else will improve your typing and console scanning skills like being a healer during a massive boss fight.