Month: July 2025

Daily brief on deep tech and climate tech news from India and around the world.

DRDO successfully tests Pralay indigenous quasi-ballistic missile
Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), India’s top defense R&D agency, conducted two consecutive successful flight tests of the Pralay missile off Odisha’s coast, according to a government press release. The solid-propellant, quasi-ballistic missile — developed by multiple DRDO labs and industry partners — demonstrated precise targeting and robust system performance. The trials validate the missile’s range capabilities and pave the way for its induction into the Indian Armed Forces, enhancing India’s technological edge in missile systems.

India expands EV charging stations in Tier-2 cities under PM E-DRIVE
The Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India, reports that there are 4,625 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations are operational in Tier-2 cities as of April 2025. With a ₹2,000 crore allocation from the PM E-DRIVE Scheme, the government allows private entrepreneurs to install charging stations – no license needed – and offers policy incentives to accelerate infrastructure growth, reflecting a broader push towards electrification beyond India’s metros.

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DPIIT and Ather Energy join forces to boost India’s EV manufacturing
India’s Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has signed an MoU with Ather Energy Limited, one of India’s top electric vehicle makers, in Bengaluru. Under the Build in Bharat initiative, the partnership will provide mentorship, infrastructure support, and talent programs aimed at advancing India’s EV and clean mobility sector. The collaboration seeks to strengthen the startup ecosystem and drive the nation’s transition towards sustainable transportation.

Hyundai Motor India unveils hydrogen innovation hub with IIT Madras
Hyundai Motor India Limited has set up the Hyundai HTWO Innovation Centre in partnership with IIT Madras and the Government of Tamil Nadu. The Chennai-based 65,000 sq. ft. research hub aims to accelerate green hydrogen technology through advanced labs, digital twins, and pilot-scale testing for electrolyzers and fuel cells, according to a post on the IITM website. Hyundai pledged Rs. 100 crore to foster indigenous hydrogen innovation and workforce development, supporting India’s net-zero and energy independence goals.

Aeva, LG Innotek in $50 million lidar chip manufacturing pact
Aeva Technologies, a US-based developer of 4D lidar sensing systems in Mountain View, California, has struck a major chip manufacturing partnership with LG Innotek, the components subsidiary of Seoul-based LG Group, TechCrunch reports. LG Innotek will invest up to $50 million and manufacture Aeva’s Atlas Ultra 4D lidar sensor for automotive customers, with plans to expand into consumer electronics and industrial applications. The collaboration aims to accelerate production and adoption of silicon photonics-based FMCW lidar technology, which uniquely measures both distance and object velocity in real time.

Meta unveils wrist-based human-computer interface that uses hand gestures
Meta Platforms, parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has unveiled a breakthrough non-invasive wristband that translates hand gestures and subtle finger movements into digital commands. Using surface electromyography (sEMG) and AI trained on thousands of users, the device generalizes out-of-the-box, letting wearers control computers, type in the air, and interact with devices by intention alone. Focused on both mainstream and accessibility use—including for those with paralysis—the technology could be commercially available within a few years, marking a potential paradigm shift in human-computer interaction.

MIT unveils transmitter chip that boosts wireless device efficiency
Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in the US, have unveiled a transmitter chip that significantly improves the energy efficiency and reliability of wireless communications, MIT News reports. Designed for integration into existing and next-generation devices, the chip uses an innovative modulation scheme and a GRAND-inspired decoding algorithm to reduce signal errors, extending battery life and range for connected devices. The breakthrough, presented at a major industry symposium, could expedite advances in 6G and Internet of Things applications.

Quantum researchers propose scalable path for photonic option
An international scientific team has proposed a scalable path for photonic quantum computing by leveraging semiconductor quantum dots, Quantum Insider reports. These nanostructures can generate high-purity, indistinguishable single photons on demand—essential for building large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum processors. The study emphasizes integration with current chip fabrication techniques and highlights potential breakthroughs in modular design and hybrid system networking, bringing practical, scalable quantum photonic computers closer to realization.

Australia’s launch vehicle Eris from Gilmour Space crashes on test
Gilmour Space Technologies, a launch vehicle and satellite manufacturer headquartered on Australia’s Gold Coast, saw its Eris rocket crash just 14 seconds after liftoff during its historic debut at the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in Queensland. The three-stage vehicle, carrying only a jar of Vegemite as payload, began sliding sideways shortly after launch and exploded near the pad. While no orbit was achieved, CEO Adam Gilmour called it a major milestone, as critical systems functioned and flight data was collected to inform future test flights.

The video below is courtesy the Aussienaut YouTube channel.

Unitree Robotics offers humanoid robot R1 at $5,900
Unitree Robotics, headquartered in Hangzhou, China, has unveiled the R1 humanoid robot at just $5,900 — significantly undercutting rivals to drive mass adoption, according to The Robot Report. The 1.2m-tall, 25kg robot features 26 joints, in-house components, and options for AI development. Despite advanced agility and development tools, full autonomy still requires additional work, reflecting both R1’s potential and the sector’s stage.

Daily brief on deep tech and climate tech news from India and around the world.

Wipro Infrastructure Engineering launches new division with $60 million plan
Wipro Infrastructure Engineering, part of billionaire Azim Premji’s Wipro Enterprises in Bengaluru, has inaugurated a new printed circuit board (PCB) materials division, with plans to invest Rs. 500 crore (about $60 million) in a new copper clad laminate facility, the company said in a press release. The move enhances India’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem and supports growth in domestic and export PCB markets.

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1Komma5 secures €150M pre-IPO to fuel AI energy platform
1Komma5, a German home electrification company headquartered in Hamburg that specializes in home solar, energy storage, and EV charging, has raised €150 million to expand across Europe and Australia and accelerate AI-based energy management, Tech Funding News reports. The funding, co-led by G2 Venture Partners and CalSTRS, positions the company for a potential 2026 IPO, supporting residential clean energy transitions.

Reka gains $110 million to scale enterprise adoption
Reka, an AI venture in Sunnyvale, California, known for its advanced multimodal AI platforms and products, including Reka Flash and Reka Vision, has raised secured $110 million from investors like NVIDIA and Snowflake, aiinvest.com reports. The funding will drive global expansion and faster tech development, positioning Reka as a top AI provider for business applications.

Zenobē secures €325 million to scale European electric vehicles
Zenobē, a London-based fleet electrification provider, has raised €325 million in debt funding to expand its electric bus, truck, and charger offerings across Europe, Electrive reports. The investment will support up to 1,000 new electric vehicles, covering markets including Spain, Germany, and the UK, reinforcing Zenobē’s position in clean fleet transition.

Sanofi acquires UK’s ViceBio for up to $1.6 bln to boost vaccine portfolio
Sanofi, a Paris-based pharmaceuticals giant, has agreed to purchase ViceBio, a biotech company focused on respiratory viral vaccines, for up to $1.6 billion, the company said in a press release last week. The deal will add ViceBio’s molecular clamp technology and strengthen Sanofi’s next-gen vaccine development efforts, with closure expected in Q4 2025.

Oxford Quantum Circuits, appoints Gerald Mullally as CEO to lead global growth
Oxford Quantum Circuits, a UK quantum tech venture headquartered in Reading, has named Gerald Mullally its permanent CEO after a successful interim term, Business Cloud reports. Mullally, with a background in government and consulting, steered US expansion and key tech milestones, now tasked with scaling and commercializing the UK’s leading quantum platform.

IonQ appoints Marco Pistoia as SVP of industry relations
IonQ, a Maryland-based startup that’s a frontrunner in trapped-ion quantum computers, has named former JPMorgan Chase quantum lead Marco Pistoia as Senior Vice President, Industry Relations, The Quantum Insider reports. The hire highlights IonQ’s push to bridge next-gen quantum tech with industry partners for broader adoption.

Apera AI closes Series A to expand machine vision, adds to leadership
Apera AI, a Vancouver-based industrial AI company specializing in 3D machine vision for manufacturing, has closed a Series A round and added four new executives to its leadership team, according to The Robot Report. The funding will help accelerate development of its AI vision software, advancing automation across industrial sectors.

Satellite data shows Earth’s continents are drying out at record pace
Long-term satellite monitoring, in a study led by Arizona State University, reveals unprecedented continental freshwater loss since 2002, forming four “mega-drying” zones in the Northern Hemisphere, Earth.com reports. Groundwater overuse and climate change are primary drivers, with 75 percent of people in countries experiencing freshwater declines—posing threats to agriculture and global water security.

Physicists make progress on negative capacitance and the Schottky limit in next-gen electronics
Recent research by scientists in the universities of California at Santa Barbara and Berkeley, and University of Stanford, advances understanding of negative capacitance and the Schottky limit, paving the way for ultra-efficient, low-power semiconductors, IEEE Spectrum reports. Breakthroughs in transistor design could help sustain Moore’s Law and drive innovations in nanoscale electronics.

Solar drone with jumbo-jet wingspan aims for months-long flights
A new solar-powered drone, boasting a wingspan wider than a Boeing 747, could remain airborne for months, New Scientist reports. The design of the drone, developed by the US-based venture Skydweller Aero, paves the way for persistent stratospheric monitoring, offering a sustainable alternative to satellites for Earth observation and communications.

Endiya names Anvesh Ramineni partner to sharpen focus on enterprise, deep tech
Endiya Partners, an enterprise and deep tech focused VC firm in Bengaluru, has named Anvesh Ramineni as a Venture Partner. Anvesh joins Endiya from MassMutual Ventures, where he co-led their Asia & Europe fund with an AUM of $450 million and invested in companies such as Biofourmis, Qapita, CloudSEK, and Qure.ai – spanning enterprise software, cybersecurity, fintech, and digital health.

Anvesh’s career spans investment banking at Citi in Hong Kong and venture capital roles in Singapore and India, giving him a unique cross-border perspective and strong networks across Asia and Europe, according to an update by Endiya.

As Venture Partner, he will work closely with Endiya’s portfolio companies and help sharpen the firm’s investment focus in AI, SaaS, Security, Deep Tech, and Healthcare.

Daily brief on deep tech and climate tech news from India and around the world.

Wipro Infrastructure Engineering has unveiled a new division, Wipro Electronic Materials, as part of an effort to bolster India’s electronics manufacturing industry. The Bengaluru-based company will invest Rs. 500 crore in a plant in Karnataka that is slated to begin production in 2026, targeting output of over 6 million copper-clad laminate sheets annually and generating around 350 jobs, Wipro Infra said in a press release.

“This marks a first-of-its-kind investment in India’s electronics manufacturing landscape, made possible through the timely support of the Government of Karnataka and MeitY,” said Pratik Kumar, CEO, Wipro Infrastructure Engineering and MD, Wipro Enterprises.

The strategic move comes as India steps up its ambition to reduce dependence on imports for high-performance base materials used in Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs), an area that underpins fast-growing sectors like telecommunications, automotive electronics, consumer devices, industrial systems, and AI infrastructure.

“The electronics manufacturing sector is facing a critical supply chain challenge, with 100% of copper-clad laminates currently imported. Wipro Electronic Materials is proud to bridge this gap by producing high-quality base materials locally,” said Neeraj Pandita, Founder & Co-CEO of the new division. “This strengthens our ability to serve key sectors like telecom, automotive, consumer electronics, and AI—while positioning Wipro as a supplier focused on serving global customers and OEMs.”

The company said the facility would drive innovation at scale, emphasising proprietary resin formulations and an integrated R&D ecosystem. “This first-of-its-kind facility is built to drive innovation at scale, with strong capabilities in resin formulation, process engineering, and product design. We are creating a specialised R&D ecosystem focused on proprietary technologies, IP generation, and high-performance materials for next-generation electronics,” added Tarun Amla, Founder & Co-CEO, Wipro Electronic Materials.

Kumar noted, “This highly advanced CCL facility reflects our strategic vision to build future-ready capabilities and enable India to play a larger role in the global electronics technology ecosystem. By giving Indian manufacturers reliable access to locally produced, high-quality materials, we are strengthening supply chain resilience and accelerating global competitiveness.”