IFC backs GFCL EV with $50 mln, Hyundai launches MobED autonomous mobile robot, Viavi, QNu team up

Hyundai Motor Group's MobED AMR on display at an exhibition. Image source: Hyundai.
Hyundai Motor Group’s MobED AMR on display at an exhibition. Image source: Hyundai.
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(00:20) Mobile robots market to nearly double by 2030

Global demand for mobile robots is set to surge, with the market projected to grow from $27.39 billion in 2025 to $52.11 billion by 2030, driven by AI, 5G, e-commerce, and labour shortages, while Asia-Pacific leads adoption and high costs, regulatory hurdles, and integration challenges remain important constraints.

(00:50) Hyundai debuts MobED autonomous robot platform at iREX 2025

Hyundai Motor Group has unveiled MobED, a production-ready autonomous mobility robot platform, at the iREX 2025 robotics show in Tokyo, positioning it as the company’s first mass-produced mobility robot for industrial and everyday applications, with Pro and Basic variants set for market launch in the first half of 2026.

(01:17) IFC backs Gujarat Fluorochemicals’ EV unit with $50 million

IFC will invest about $50 million in Gujarat Fluorochemicals’ EV venture GFCL EV Products to build India’s first fully integrated battery-materials plant, supporting local production of key inputs for electric vehicle and energy storage batteries and reducing import dependence while strengthening the country’s position in global clean-energy supply chains.

(01:46) Viavi, QNu Labs team up on quantum-safe network security

Viavi Solutions and QNu Labs, a quantum cybersecurity startup in India, have formed a strategic R&D partnership to develop test frameworks, standards, and reference architectures for quantum-safe network security, spanning post-quantum cryptography, quantum key distribution, quantum random number generator, and hybrid systems, with plans for a broader industry consortium to help operators and enterprises transition from classical to quantum-resilient infrastructures.

(02:20) Skylark Drones, WELL Labs ink MoU on data-led water intelligence

Skylark Drones has signed an MoU with Bengaluru-based WELL Labs to build data-driven water-resource intelligence platforms, according to a press release. The platforms will fuse large-scale drone-based mapping with hydrological science, supporting watershed management, flood resilience, and climate-linked water planning for governments and communities across India.

(02:46) Shastra VC launches SDEX deep-tech fellowship with $100,000 grants

Shastra VC has launched SDEX, Shastra Deep-Tech Excellence Fellowship, a 16–24-week programme to help researchers at IITs, IISc, NITs and other labs turn frontier technologies into venture-ready startups, with the first cohort set to pick up to 15 teams and provide each with equity-free funding and resources of up to $100,000 dollars.

(03:20) Chiratae launches Sonic DeepTech with cheques up to $2 million

Chiratae, a VC firm in Bengaluru, has launched the Sonic DeepTech programme to back early-stage Indian deep-tech startups with seed cheques of up to $2 million, promising 48-hour investment decisions, and access to domain experts, corporate partners, and portfolio founders to help teams move quickly from lab prototypes to market-ready products.

(03:45) ChemLex raises $45m for AI-driven autonomous drug discovery lab in Singapore

ChemLex, an AI-for-science startup, has raised 45 million dollars led by Granite Asia and is establishing its global headquarters and a 24/7 self-driving chemistry lab in Singapore to accelerate small-molecule drug discovery, supported by new technical hires and an MoU with Singapore’s Experimental Drug Development Centre.

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