(00:21) China’s Zhuque-3 reaches orbit but crashes on landing
Chinese rocketmaker Landspace’s stainless steel, methalox-fuelled Zhuque-3 reached orbit on its debut flight from Jiuquan, successfully deploying its expendable second stage before the reusable first stage failed during landing and exploded near the target zone. The company said the test still met key recovery objectives and noted Zhuque-3’s Falcon 9–class payload capability to low Earth orbit.
(00:53) RNA drug TY1 taps hidden DNA repair pathway
Scientists at Cedars-Sinai have created TY1, an RNA-based therapy that switches on a recently identified DNA repair pathway, enhancing the body’s ability to mend genetic damage and regenerate injured tissue. In preclinical studies, TY1 boosted repair processes without relying on traditional DNA-repair mechanisms, suggesting potential applications in treating cancer, age-related decline and degenerative diseases if future trials confirm its safety and efficacy.
(01:30) MIT’s light-based sensor aims to replace glucose finger pricks
MIT researchers have created a shoebox-sized Raman spectroscopy device that measures blood glucose through the skin, matching the accuracy of commercial continuous glucose monitors in an initial study on a healthy volunteer. The team has already built a cellphone-sized wearable prototype and plans larger clinical trials, with a long-term goal of a watch-like, noninvasive glucose monitor for diabetics.
(02:01) Planys raises Rs. 100 crore for global and defence push
Underwater robotics startup Planys Technologies has raised Rs. 100 crore in a round led by investors including Ashish Kacholia and Lashit Sanghvi, with participation from existing backers. The capital will support global scale-up of its underwater inspection systems and the launch of defence unit Planys Ark to develop indigenous unmanned underwater vehicles and set up a new production facility near Chennai.
(02:30) Activate launches $75m fund for early deep tech
Aakrit Vaish, co-founder of Haptik, and Pratyush Choudhury, former principal investor at Together, have unveiled Activate, a $75 million venture fund targeting India’s earliest-stage deep tech and AI startups, including teams at the ideation stage. The fund plans to write cheques of about $0.5–3 million, supported by a global LP network, and has already begun deploying capital into young AI-first companies.
(03:02) EU backs 40 women-led deep tech startups
EU-funded project Women TechEU has selected 40 women-led deep tech startups from 1,107 applicants in its fourth and final call, awarding each a EUR 75,000 non-dilutive grant plus tailored business support. Winners span 20 countries and focus mainly on AI, biotech and clean tech, with a follow-on initiative planned to continue support beyond 2026.
(03:35) IIT Madras incubator tops 500 deep-tech startups
IIT Madras Incubation Cell has incubated 511 deep-tech startups with a combined valuation of over Rs. 53,000 crore, creating more than 11,000 direct jobs and cementing its status as India’s largest deep-tech hub. In FY 2024–25, it onboarded 100+ startups under the “Startup Shatam” mission, with portfolio companies spanning space, mobility, climate-tech, semiconductors and frontier AI.
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