Industrial Vanguard Vol. 25

Introduction

This week underscores the accelerating convergence between AI and industrial systems. As AI agents move from lab demos to enterprise deployment, the U.S. industrial base is adapting quickly from quantum chip testing and embedded AI to factory automation and next-gen energy storage. Notably, TerraPower secured $650M and Finland flipped the switch on the world’s largest sand battery. Meanwhile, geopolitical shocks and closed-door CEO summits highlight that national resilience now hinges on intelligent infrastructure.

Materials

• AIM unveils world’s first AI platform for heavy machinery and secures $50M in funding. Read more

Energy

• Energy and tech CEOs huddle in closed-door AI meeting. Read more

• Chart: The biggest risk to oil supplies today. Read more

• Finland warms up the world’s largest sand battery. Read more

• Eos Energy closes $336M in equity and convertible notes. Read more

• Policy update: IRA, nuclear, LNG, and coal in motion. Read more

• TerraPower raises $650M from NVIDIA, Bill Gates & others. Read more

• Applied Computing raises £9M to scale industrial AI. Read more

• Co-Power secures €6.4M to cut industrial energy costs. Read more

Design & Development

• Sequoia partners with Nominal to reshape hardware development. Read more

• Extend raises $17M for cloud-based document processing. Read more

• Diskover raises $7.5M and acquires CloudSoda for data ops. Read more

• Uncountable raises $27M Series A to accelerate R&D. Read more

• OrangeQS raises €12M for quantum chip testing. Read more

• Embedl raises €5.5M for efficient embedded AI. Read more

• Applied Intuition raises $600M, doubling down on defense. Read more

Manufacturing

• JetZero to build futuristic blended-wing aircraft in NC. Read more

• Economist: Factory work is overrated — what’s next? Read more

• Meta launches V-JEPA 2, AI model for physical reasoning. Read more

• Sunrise Robotics emerges with $8.5M seed for plug-and-play automation. Read more

• Future Fields raises $8M to scale fly-based protein production. Read more

• Amazon opens another robotic fulfillment center. Read more

Supply Chain & Logistics

• P&G begins major supply chain redesign for resilience. Read more

• Sandia Labs debuts brain-like supercomputer for simulations. Read more

Recycling

• Oregon PET recycling startup gains federal support. Read more

Venture Capital & Private Equity

• Corporate VC deals fell 25% in May amid macro volatility. Read more

• SEC opens new VC access pathways for retail investors. Read more

• Elizabeth Warren criticizes private equity in 401(k)s. Read more

• Silicon Valley pushes to revive game-changing tax benefits. Read more

Markets, Policy & News

• Nvidia to exclude China from future forecasts. Read more

• Israeli startup hubs brace under missile fire. Read more

• Microsoft and OpenAI in competitive collaboration standoff. Read more

• U.S. and U.K. finalize trade deal. Read more

• Intel to lay off 20% of foundry staff. Read more

• U.S. EV sales outlook dims, but Ford vows cost parity with China. Read more – EV outlook, Read more – Ford

Thank you for reading the Industrial Vanguard newsletter.

Each week, we track the critical shifts reshaping materials, energy, design, manufacturing, supply chains, and recycling We deliver a signal through the noise of the industrial technology landscape.

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