Industrial Vanguard Vol. 20

Introduction

This week’s issue of Industrial Vanguard comes fresh off the heels of the Automate conference in Detroit, where industry leaders showcased cutting-edge robotics, AI-powered manufacturing solutions, and next-generation mobility tech. The energy was electric, from humanoid robots welding in shipyards to startups deploying autonomous logistics networks. If one message rang clear: automation is no longer optional, it’s table stakes.

Below are the key developments across materials, energy, design, manufacturing, logistics, recycling, and venture markets.

Materials

• China Targets Rare Earths: China plans to restrict exports of rare-earth materials in anticipation of U.S. trade negotiations — a strategic lever in the broader supply chain standoff. Read more

• InventWood’s Breakthrough: InventWood is gearing up to mass-produce a super-material — wood stronger than steel, poised to disrupt building materials and transportation components. Read more

• Exterra Raises CAD$20M: Canadian carbon tech startup Exterra secured Series A funding to commercialize mineral-based carbon capture. Read more

• Hyundai & Posco Ally: Strategic partnership formed to localize steel and battery materials for U.S. EV production, bolstering domestic supply chain resilience. Read more

Energy

• Fusion Falters, Then Rallies: General Fusion cuts staff amid funding shortfalls, while Realta Fusion raises $36M for its “fusion-in-a-bottle” design. Read more Read more

• Battery & Solar Momentum: Breathe secured $21M to predict battery health, while a silicon solar firm raised $21M to scale production. Read more Read more

• Nuclear Heats Up: Ontario’s SMR project gains traction as GE predicts it will lead the West. Google also inked a deal to develop 1.8 GW of next-gen nuclear. Read more Read more

• Grid & Fuel Expansion: Georgia breaks ground on 765 MW of battery storage; Swiss startup develops solar-to-diesel conversion; ZeroAvia eyes $150M to scale hydrogen aviation. Read more Read more Read more

Design & Development

• AI Investment Spree: Emmi AI raised $17.1M; Fastino raised $17.5M using gaming GPUs for model training; Perplexity AI’s valuation surged to $14B. Read more Read more Read more

• Cloud & Compute Growth: TensorWave raised $100M for AMD-based AI cloud infra; CoreWeave seeks $1.5B amid IPO woes. Read more Read more

• Manufacturing Software: InfinitForm closed $12.7M for AI-driven design tools; PowerBridge secured backing to expand data center capacity. Read more Read more

• Quantum & Chip AI: WSJ spotlighted quantum software bets while Manufacturing Dive outlined AI’s current limits in semiconductor production. Read more Read more

Manufacturing

• Humanoid Robotics Surge: HD Hyundai and Persona AI will deploy humanoid welding robots in shipbuilding; former Synapse CEO eyes $100M raise for a new robotics startup. Read more Read more

• EV Capacity Expands: Waymo ramps robotaxi production in Arizona; Rivian launches Supplier Park in Illinois. Read more Read more

• Legacy Leaders Adapt: Caterpillar modernizes its assembly operations; Honda delays $11B Canadian EV plant investment due to tariff risks. Read more Read more

• Startups in Motion: CarbonSix and 3D Spark each raised seed rounds; IPercept raised €5M to digitize industrial equipment monitoring. Read more Read more Read more

Supply Chain & Logistics

• Autonomous Shipping: Orca AI raised $72.5M, backed by defense and Starlink, to bring autonomy to maritime trade. Read more

• Smart Freight & Planning: Flock Freight raised $60M Series E for shared truckloads; Optimal Dynamics received $40M from Koch; Arkestro and Onebeat raised rounds for AI-based supply planning. Read more Read more Read more Read more

• Warehousing & Distribution: Stord raised $200M to help brands compete with Amazon via integrated logistics platforms. Read more

Recycling

• Polymer & Textile Innovation: DePoly raised $23M to scale chemical recycling of plastics; eeden closed €18M to recycle textiles. Read more Read more

• Circular Infrastructure: Replenysh raised $8M to digitize community recycling logistics. Read more

Markets, Policy, & Venture Capital

• Global Shifts: Chinese EVs expected to enter U.S. market; Detroit automakers push back on Trump’s UK trade deal. Read more Read more

• VC Themes Evolve: Future Ventures doubles down on bold bets; a U.S. firm makes rare move to back European defense tech. Read more Read more

• Funds & Exits: Dynamo Ventures closes $54M fund focused on supply chain; Waymo recalls 1,200 robotaxis; Microsoft cuts 3% of workforce. Read more Read more Read more

• Policy Shakeups: Trump admin rolls back Biden-era AI guidelines, reigniting debates on AI governance. Read more

Thanks for reading Industrial Vanguard. Stay tuned for more insights on the evolving frontier of industrial tech.