Industrial Vanguard Vol. 18

This week’s edition highlights ongoing shifts in industrial policy, investment, and technology. The U.S. government is fast-tracking mining permits, energy companies are expanding grid and storage capacity, and major players in tech and manufacturing are reallocating supply chains. Meanwhile, venture capital continues to show strong interest in infrastructure, AI, and materials innovation.

Materials

• Trump to fast-track permits for 10 U.S. mining projects, targeting critical minerals for energy and defense. Read More

• Plans to accelerate deep-sea mining raise environmental concerns but aim to reduce reliance on foreign sources. Read More

• Lynas seeks federal aid for its Texas rare earth refinery as construction costs surge. Read More

• Ukraine signs mineral supply agreement with the U.S., deepening its strategic resource role. Read More

• Sumitomo and Builders Vision invest in Phoenix Tailings, a rare earths recycling startup. Read More

• UK’s Materials Market and U.S.-based Field Materials raise capital to digitize building supply chains. Read More

• Battery materials startup Sila seeks to become a viable alternative to China in the EV supply chain. Read More

• U.S. House subcommittee debates new policy tools to ensure domestic mineral sourcing. Read More

Energy

• Department of the Interior enacts emergency permitting procedures to boost domestic energy infrastructure. Read More

• CATL reveals breakthrough battery charging 320 miles in 5 minutes, claiming an edge over Tesla-killer BYD. Read More

• Utilidata raises $60M to scale distributed AI across the grid, bolstering energy analytics. Read More

• Corning expands Michigan solar wafer facility to $1.5B, reinforcing domestic solar manufacturing. Read More

Design & Development

• Huawei launches new AI chip to rival Nvidia, signaling deepening chip race between China and U.S. Read More

• P-1 AI emerges from stealth to build engineering AGI for physical systems. Read More

• IBM commits $150B to U.S. tech development, accelerating domestic digital infrastructure. Read More

• EdgeRunner raises $17.5M for on-device AI in defense applications, advancing battlefield computing. Read More

• Doppel raises $35M to combat social engineering and digital threats, focusing on enterprise cybersecurity. Read More

• ChEmpower secures $18.7M to advance chip manufacturing innovation, eliminating abrasives in planarization. Read More

Manufacturing

• Apple pivots iPhone production for U.S. to India, accelerating its move away from China. Read More

• Dow expands restructuring to save $6B, in response to macro pressures and tariff uncertainty. Read More

• AI becomes a tool for tracking tariffs, as developers build predictive supply chain analytics. Read More

• Slate Auto, backed by Jeff Bezos, selects Indiana for $25K electric truck factory. Read More

• DN Solutions cancels $1.1B IPO, citing market volatility. Read More

• Defense tech startup Mach Industries seeks $100M in new funding, highlighting investor appetite for dual-use tech. Read More

Supply Chain & Logistics

• Endor Labs secures $93M to scan AI-generated code for vulnerabilities, strengthening cyber supply chains. Read More

• Volvo truck sales decline amid tariff headwinds, reflecting broader freight uncertainty. Read More

• UPS to cut 20,000 jobs, attributing layoffs to Amazon’s delivery pullback. Read More

• Arkieva receives strategic growth investment from Banneker Partners, to advance supply chain optimization. Read More

Recycling

• XPRIZE awards $100M for carbon removal innovations, making history in climate technology. Read More

• Amazon-backed Glacier secures $16M to expand its robot-powered recycling fleet. Read More

• Carbon removal industry pitches alignment with Trump-era mining priorities, signaling a strategy shift. Read More

• DePoly raises $23M to launch a 500-ton plastics recycling showcase plant. Read More

Markets, Policy, & Venture Capital

• China exempts some goods from U.S. tariffs, potentially easing trade tensions. Read More

• Cerberus raises $75M for its inaugural venture fund. Read More

• Allied Industrial Partners closes $300M fund, surpassing $1B in assets under management. Read More

• Trump administration outlines phased approach for new trade and tariff negotiations. Read More

• Industrial & logistics vacancy rates increase, reflecting softening demand in warehousing. Read More

• Trump softens auto tariffs, signaling targeted exceptions amid broader trade escalation. Read More

• Singapore seeks U.S. concessions on pharmaceuticals and semiconductors. Read More

• Figure AI sends cease-and-desist letters to secondary market brokers over unauthorized trading. Read More

• Tesla board begins CEO succession planning as Elon Musk hints at transition. Read More

• U.S. economy contracts in Q1, with imports surging ahead of anticipated tariffs. Read More

• Cocoon Capital closes over half of its $50M Fund III, supporting Southeast Asian startups. Read More

• Retail investors gain ground in secondaries, while delayed IPOs become the norm. Read More

• Detroit breaks from Silicon Valley orthodoxy, offering a new vision for industrial innovation. Read More

• Nuvo raises $34M from Sequoia and Spark to build a B2B trade network. Read More