<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:googleplay="http://www.google.com/schemas/play-podcasts/1.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Foundations by Axented]]></title><description><![CDATA[Foundations by Axented is a weekly newsletter exploring the technologies, systems, and strategic shifts shaping modern organizations.]]></description><link>https://foundations.axented.com</link><image><url>https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!IvIS!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8a4c814e-0765-45d0-9c05-01639a1cad99_256x256.png</url><title>Foundations by Axented</title><link>https://foundations.axented.com</link></image><generator>Substack</generator><lastBuildDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2026 15:43:26 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://foundations.axented.com/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><copyright><![CDATA[Daniel Rodriguez]]></copyright><language><![CDATA[en]]></language><webMaster><![CDATA[danrdz@gmail.com]]></webMaster><itunes:owner><itunes:email><![CDATA[danrdz@gmail.com]]></itunes:email><itunes:name><![CDATA[Daniel Rodriguez]]></itunes:name></itunes:owner><itunes:author><![CDATA[Daniel Rodriguez]]></itunes:author><googleplay:owner><![CDATA[danrdz@gmail.com]]></googleplay:owner><googleplay:email><![CDATA[danrdz@gmail.com]]></googleplay:email><googleplay:author><![CDATA[Daniel Rodriguez]]></googleplay:author><itunes:block><![CDATA[Yes]]></itunes:block><item><title><![CDATA[Foundations by Axented]]></title><description><![CDATA[Alibaba Leads $290 Million Investment, Anthropic Temporarily Suspends OpenClaw Creator&#8217;s Claude Access, UK MHRA Expands AI Airlock Programme With &#163;36 Million Funding Boost]]></description><link>https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-4dc</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-4dc</guid><pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 2026 21:45:46 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/76174ff9-c8e5-402e-a41a-a1fa8e747db8_420x300.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Table of Contents:</h2><ul><li><p><strong>AI | Artificial Intelligence</strong></p><ul><li><p>Alibaba Leads $290 Million Investment in ShengShu for New AI &#8216;World Model&#8217; Push</p></li><li><p>Anthropic Temporarily Suspends OpenClaw Creator&#8217;s Claude Access</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>VC | Startup &amp; Funding</strong></p><ul><li><p>Finally Foods Raises Pre-Seed Funding for Potato-Based Dairy Protein Technology</p></li><li><p>UK MHRA Expands AI Airlock Programme With &#163;36 Million Funding Boost</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>HI | Hardware &amp; Infrastructure</strong></p><ul><li><p>OpenAI Pauses UK Data Centre Deal Over Energy Costs and Regulation</p></li><li><p>Nvidia Demonstrates Neural Texture Compression Slashing VRAM Usage</p></li></ul></li></ul><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:15337,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/187454728?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>Alibaba Leads $290 Million Investment in ShengShu for New AI &#8216;World Model&#8217; Push</h3><p><a href="https://www.alibabacloud.com/en?_p_lc=1">Alibaba Cloud</a> has led a 2 billion yuan ($290 million) funding round for Chinese startup <a href="https://www.shengshu.com/en">ShengShu</a>, the company behind AI video platform Vidu, as it expands beyond traditional large language models into &#8220;world model&#8221; artificial intelligence.</p><p>The investment will support development of AI systems trained on video and physical-world data to better simulate real-world environments for uses such as robotics and autonomous driving.</p><p>The move reflects growing industry interest in AI models designed to understand physical space and sensory input rather than text alone.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/10/alibaba-cloud-invests-world-model-ai-shengshu-vidu.html">CNBC</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Anthropic Temporarily Suspends OpenClaw Creator&#8217;s Claude Access</h3><p><a href="https://www.anthropic.com/">Anthropic </a>briefly suspended developer Peter Steinberger, creator of the <a href="https://openclaw.ai/">OpenClaw AI </a>agent framework, from accessing Claude after flagging his account for suspicious activity before later reinstating it.</p><p>The incident follows Anthropic&#8217;s recent decision to stop allowing Claude subscriptions to cover usage through third-party tools like OpenClaw, instead requiring separate API-based billing.</p><p>Steinberger criticized the move, suggesting Anthropic is restricting open-source tools while expanding its own competing agent offerings.</p><p>The episode has fueled broader debate over Anthropic&#8217;s relationship with outside developers building on its models.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/10/anthropic-temporarily-banned-openclaws-creator-from-accessing-claude/">Tech Crunch</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Get the latest news in your inbox!</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p>Join the newsletter for regular updates on artificial intelligence, venture activity, and core systems!</p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:17883,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/187454728?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>Finally Foods Raises Pre-Seed Funding for Potato-Based Dairy Protein Technology</h3><p>Food biotech startup <a href="https://finally-foods.com/">Finally Foods</a> has secured pre-seed funding to advance its molecular farming platform that produces casein, a key dairy protein, in genetically engineered potatoes.</p><p>The company aims to create animal-free dairy ingredients for cheese and other products while reducing the environmental footprint associated with conventional dairy production.</p><p>The funding will support research, scale-up efforts, and continued development of its protein extraction process.</p><p>Finally Foods is part of a growing group of startups pursuing plant-based molecular farming as an alternative protein production method.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.greenqueen.com.hk/finally-foods-pre-seed-funding-molecular-farming-casein-protein-potatoes/">GreenQueen</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>UK MHRA Expands AI Airlock Programme With &#163;36 Million Funding Boost</h3><p>The UK&#8217;s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is expanding its AI Airlock programme with &#163;36 million in funding over the next three years to support testing of AI-powered healthcare technologies.</p><p>The programme provides developers with a regulatory sandbox to trial medical AI systems while working directly with regulators on compliance and safety issues.</p><p>Officials said the expanded funding will allow more projects to participate and strengthen the UK&#8217;s regulatory infrastructure for emerging health technologies.</p><p>The initiative is intended to accelerate safe adoption of AI medical tools while maintaining oversight standards.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mhra-expands-ai-airlock-programme-with-a-36-million-funding-boost-over-three-years">Gov.uk</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:20622,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/187454728?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>OpenAI Pauses UK Data Centre Deal Over Energy Costs and Regulation</h3><p><a href="https://openai.com/">OpenAI </a>has paused plans for a major UK data centre project, citing concerns over high energy prices and regulatory barriers that executives say make Britain less attractive for large-scale AI infrastructure investment.</p><p>The company had been evaluating the UK as part of its broader international expansion but is now reassessing the proposal while continuing talks with government officials.</p><p>Industry figures have warned that the UK risks losing technology investment unless it improves power availability and streamlines planning rules for data centre construction.</p><p>The development adds pressure on ministers as they seek to position Britain as a global hub for artificial intelligence.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyd032ej70o">BBC</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Nvidia Demonstrates Neural Texture Compression Slashing VRAM Usage</h3><p><a href="https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/">Nvidia </a>has showcased new Neural Texture Compression technology that reduced VRAM consumption in a demo from 6.5GB to 970MB while maintaining near-original image quality.</p><p>The system uses small neural networks to compress and decode textures more efficiently than traditional block compression methods, potentially allowing for smaller game installs and reduced memory requirements.</p><p>Nvidia said the approach could also preserve more visual detail at equivalent memory budgets compared with current techniques. The technology is part of the company&#8217;s broader push into AI-assisted rendering beyond DLSS.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://videocardz.com/newz/nvidia-shows-neural-texture-compression-cutting-vram-from-6-5gb-to-970mb">VideoCardz</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-button-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-4dc?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;}" data-component-name="CaptionedButtonToDOM"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading Foundations! If you nodded along, feel free to share!</p></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-4dc?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-4dc?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p></div><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Foundations </strong>is written by the Axented team.</h3><p>Axented works with companies around the world to design, build, and scale digital products, teams, and AI-driven systems.</p><p>If you&#8217;re building or scaling a technology-driven business and want to explore how these signals apply to your context, you can learn more about how we work at <a href="https://www.axented.com/">axented.com</a>.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png" width="1456" height="350" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:350,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:274676,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/181698654?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Foundations by Axented]]></title><description><![CDATA[Claude Code leak puts Anthropic on copyright battle, Nomadic raises $8.4 million, AI data center waste heat could be used for water purification]]></description><link>https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-f47</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-f47</guid><pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 20:00:19 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/1fedc83b-3e97-4999-9e32-68a72cb3c060_420x300.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Table of Contents:</h2><ul><li><p><strong>AI | Artificial Intelligence</strong></p><ul><li><p>Claude Code leak puts Anthropic on the other side of the copyright battle</p></li><li><p>MIT researchers use AI to uncover atomic defects in materials</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>VC | Startup &amp; Funding</strong></p><ul><li><p>Nomadic raises $8.4 million to manage data from autonomous vehicles</p></li><li><p>Yupp shuts down after raising $33M from a16z crypto and others</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>HI | Hardware &amp; Infrastructure</strong></p><ul><li><p>AI data center waste heat could be used for water purification and carbon capture</p></li><li><p>Data centers&#8217; climate impact is larger than reported</p></li></ul></li></ul><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:15337,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/187454728?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>Claude Code leak puts Anthropic on the other side of the copyright battle</h3><p><a href="https://www.anthropic.com/">Anthropic </a>moved to issue copyright takedown notices after accidentally leaking parts of its Claude Code software on GitHub, exposing internal tools used to run its AI coding assistant.</p><p>The incident, caused by human error during a software update, did not compromise core models or user data but revealed enough technical detail to interest competitors.</p><p>It comes as Anthropic and other AI firms face ongoing lawsuits over alleged misuse of copyrighted material in training data. This highlights a contradiction between the company&#8217;s reliance on copyright protections and the legal challenges it faces over its own data practices.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/anthropic-copyright-infringement-claude-code-2026-4">Business Insider</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>MIT researchers use AI to uncover atomic defects in materials</h3><p><a href="https://web.mit.edu/">MIT</a> scientists developed an AI system capable of identifying atomic-scale defects in materials with high precision, a task that traditionally requires extensive manual analysis.</p><p>The model analyzes microscopy images to detect subtle irregularities that influence a material&#8217;s properties, potentially accelerating research in electronics, energy storage, and advanced manufacturing.</p><p>Researchers demonstrated that the system can generalize across different materials, improving both speed and consistency compared to conventional methods. The work could enable faster discovery and optimization of materials for technologies such as semiconductors and batteries.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://news.mit.edu/2026/mit-researchers-use-ai-uncover-atomic-defects-materials-0330">MIT News</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Get the latest news in your inbox!</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p>Join the newsletter for regular updates on artificial intelligence, venture activity, and core systems!</p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:17883,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/187454728?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>Nomadic raises $8.4 million to manage data from autonomous vehicles</h3><p>Nomadic has secured $8.4 million in funding to address the growing volume of data generated by autonomous vehicles. The company provides infrastructure to organize, process, and analyze sensor data, helping developers improve performance and safety.</p><p>As AV systems generate massive datasets, managing that information efficiently has become a key bottleneck in the industry. Nomadic aims to streamline workflows for companies building self-driving technology.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/31/nomadic-raises-8-4-million-to-wrangle-the-data-pouring-off-avs/">TechCrunch</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Yupp shuts down after raising $33M from a16z crypto and others</h3><p><a href="https://yupp.ai/">Yupp</a>, a startup backed by Andreessen Horowitz&#8217;s crypto arm, has shut down despite raising $33 million to build a decentralized social platform.</p><p>The company struggled to gain sustained user traction and faced challenges common to crypto-based consumer apps, including unclear value propositions and market volatility.</p><p>Its closure underscores broader difficulties in turning Web3 social products into viable businesses. Investors and founders are increasingly reassessing the viability of consumer-focused crypto ventures.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/31/yupp-ai-shuts-down-33m-a16z-crypto-chris-dixon/">TechCrunch</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:20622,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/187454728?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>AI data center waste heat could be used for water purification and carbon capture</h3><p>The European Commission highlighted research showing that waste heat from AI data centers could be repurposed for applications such as water purification and carbon capture.</p><p>As data centers expand rapidly, their energy consumption and heat output have become significant environmental concerns.</p><p>Using this excess heat could improve overall efficiency and reduce emissions while supporting sustainability goals. The approach is being explored as part of broader efforts to make digital infrastructure more environmentally friendly.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://environment.ec.europa.eu/news/ai-data-centre-waste-heat-could-be-used-water-purification-and-carbon-capture-2026-03-30_en">European Commission</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Data centers&#8217; climate impact is larger than reported</h3><p>Data centers&#8217; environmental footprint may be significantly underestimated, with indirect emissions and supply chain impacts often excluded from official figures.</p><p>As demand for AI and cloud computing grows, energy use and water consumption are rising &#2340;&#2375;&#2332;&#2368;, putting pressure on local resources and climate targets.</p><p>Experts warn that without better transparency and efficiency measures, the sector&#8217;s impact could expand rapidly. The report calls for more comprehensive accounting and stronger policies to manage the industry&#8217;s environmental costs.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2026/03/30/climate/data-centers-are-having-an-unde">CNN</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-button-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-f47?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;}" data-component-name="CaptionedButtonToDOM"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading Foundations! If you nodded along, feel free to share!</p></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-f47?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-f47?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p></div><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Foundations </strong>is written by the Axented team.</h3><p>Axented works with companies around the world to design, build, and scale digital products, teams, and AI-driven systems.</p><p>If you&#8217;re building or scaling a technology-driven business and want to explore how these signals apply to your context, you can learn more about how we work at <a href="https://www.axented.com/">axented.com</a>.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png" width="1456" height="350" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:350,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:274676,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/181698654?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Foundations by Axented]]></title><description><![CDATA[OpenAI Shuts Down Sora Video App and Ends $1bn Disney Partnership, Google&#8217;s TurboQuant Breakthrough Shrinks AI Models, Deccan AI Raises $25M]]></description><link>https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-4d6</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-4d6</guid><pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 18:30:55 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f5dc702b-c0e3-4ea3-9451-fe48ea792c0b_1200x630.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Table of Contents:</h2><ul><li><p><strong>AI | Artificial Intelligence</strong></p><ul><li><p>Google&#8217;s TurboQuant Breakthrough Shrinks AI Models While Preserving Performance</p></li><li><p>OpenAI Shuts Down Sora Video App and Ends $1bn Disney Partnership</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>VC | Startup &amp; Funding</strong></p><ul><li><p>Conntour Secures $7M to Turn Security Footage into Searchable AI Data</p></li><li><p>Deccan AI Raises $25M to Scale Human Workforce Powering AI Training</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>HI | Hardware &amp; Infrastructure</strong></p><ul><li><p>UK Tax Authority Backs AWS Transition from Data Centres to Cloud</p></li><li><p>ABB and VoltaGrid Deepen Partnership to Power Next-Generation Data Centres</p></li></ul></li></ul><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:15337,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/187454728?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>Google&#8217;s TurboQuant Breakthrough Shrinks AI Models While Preserving Performance</h3><p><a href="https://about.google/">Google </a>researchers introduce TurboQuant, a new compression technique that significantly reduces the size and computational demands of large AI models while preserving performance. The approach combines aggressive quantization with optimization strategies that maintain accuracy across key benchmarks.</p><p>This enables faster inference and lower energy use, making advanced AI more practical for deployment on limited hardware. The work reflects ongoing efforts to make AI systems more efficient and scalable without requiring ever-increasing compute resources.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://research.google/blog/turboquant-redefining-ai-efficiency-with-extreme-compression/">Google Research</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>OpenAI Shuts Down Sora Video App and Ends $1bn Disney Partnership</h3><p><a href="https://openai.com/">OpenAI </a>has discontinued its <a href="https://sora.chatgpt.com/explore">Sora </a>video-generation app less than two years after its high-profile launch, alongside cancelling a planned $1bn content deal with <a href="https://www.disneyplus.com">Disney</a>.</p><p>The company said it is shifting focus toward areas like robotics and autonomous &#8220;agentic&#8221; AI, moving away from video-generation tools entirely. Sora struggled with monetisation, generating far less revenue than <a href="https://chatgpt.com/">ChatGPT</a>, while also facing issues around misinformation, copyright, and misuse.</p><p>The closure reflects growing competitive pressure and strategic reprioritisation as OpenAI seeks more sustainable and scalable AI applications.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3w3e467ewqo">BBC</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Get the latest news in your inbox!</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p>Join the newsletter for regular updates on artificial intelligence, venture activity, and core systems!</p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:17883,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/187454728?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>Conntour Secures $7M to Turn Security Footage into Searchable AI Data</h3><p>Startup <a href="https://www.conntour.com/">Conntour </a>has secured $7 million in funding led by <a href="https://www.generalcatalyst.com/">General Catalyst</a> and <a href="https://www.ycombinator.com/">Y Combinator</a> to develop an AI-powered search engine for security video systems.</p><p>Its platform aims to make large volumes of surveillance footage searchable using natural language queries, improving efficiency for enterprises and security teams.</p><p>The company positions its technology as a way to extract actionable insights from otherwise underutilized video data. The funding will support product development and expansion into new markets.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/26/conntour-raises-7m-from-general-catalyst-yc-to-build-an-ai-search-engine-for-security-video-systems/">Tech Crunch</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Deccan AI Raises $25M to Scale Human Workforce Powering AI Training</h3><p><a href="https://deccanexperts.ai/">Deccan AI </a>has raised $25 million to expand its workforce focused on training and refining AI models, leveraging talent based in India. The company provides human-in-the-loop services that help improve model accuracy, particularly for complex or domain-specific tasks.</p><p>Investors see growing demand for high-quality data annotation and model evaluation as AI adoption accelerates. The funding will be used to scale operations and enhance training infrastructure.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/25/deccan-ai-raises-25m-as-ai-training-push-relies-on-india-based-workforce/">Tech Crunch</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:20622,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/187454728?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>UK Tax Authority Backs AWS Transition from Data Centres to Cloud</h3><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs">HM Revenue &amp; Customs</a> is facilitating <a href="https://aws.amazon.com/">Amazon Web Services</a>&#8217; transition from traditional data centres to cloud-based infrastructure as part of a broader modernization effort. The move is expected to improve efficiency, reduce operational costs, and align with sustainability goals.</p><p>HMRC&#8217;s involvement includes regulatory and logistical support to ensure compliance and smooth implementation. The shift reflects a wider trend among large organizations moving toward scalable cloud solutions.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://datacentremagazine.com/news/how-hmrc-is-supporting-aws-shift-from-data-centres-to-cloud">Data Centre Magazine</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>ABB and VoltaGrid Deepen Partnership to Power Next-Generation Data Centres</h3><p><a href="https://www.abb.com/global/en">ABB </a>and <a href="https://voltagrid.com/">VoltaGrid </a>have extended their collaboration to deliver advanced power infrastructure solutions for data centres, addressing rising energy demands driven by AI and digital services. The partnership focuses on integrating flexible, scalable energy systems to improve reliability and efficiency.</p><p>Both companies aim to support rapid data centre expansion while managing environmental and operational challenges. The agreement underscores the critical role of power innovation in sustaining digital growth.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://new.abb.com/news/detail/134418/abb-and-voltagrid-extend-collaboration-on-data-center-power-infrastructure">ABB News</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-button-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-4d6?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;}" data-component-name="CaptionedButtonToDOM"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading Foundations! If you nodded along, feel free to share!</p></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-4d6?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-4d6?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p></div><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Foundations </strong>is written by the Axented team.</h3><p>Axented works with companies around the world to design, build, and scale digital products, teams, and AI-driven systems.</p><p>If you&#8217;re building or scaling a technology-driven business and want to explore how these signals apply to your context, you can learn more about how we work at <a href="https://www.axented.com/">axented.com</a>.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png" width="1456" height="350" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:350,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:274676,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/181698654?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Foundations by Axented]]></title><description><![CDATA[Table of Contents:]]></description><link>https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-251</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-251</guid><pubDate>Fri, 20 Mar 2026 19:30:35 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/78dcfc8f-2637-450b-8aac-b4343ea68593_420x300.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Table of Contents:</h2><ul><li><p><strong>AI | Artificial Intelligence</strong></p><ul><li><p>Generative AI improves a wireless vision system that sees through obstructions</p></li><li><p>DoorDash launches a new tasks app that pays couriers to submit videos to train AI</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>VC | Startup &amp; Funding</strong></p><ul><li><p>General Catalyst backs California&#8217;s AutoScience in $14M round to replace researchers with AI</p></li><li><p>Sequen snags $16M to bring TikTok-style personalization tech to any consumer company</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>HI | Hardware &amp; Infrastructure</strong></p><ul><li><p>Nvidia networking division building a multibillion-dollar behemoth to rival its chips business</p></li><li><p>Ecolab to acquire CoolIT Systems for $4.75 billion</p></li></ul></li></ul><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:15337,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/187454728?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>Generative AI improves a wireless vision system that sees through obstructions</h3><p><a href="https://www.mit.edu/">MIT </a>researchers have enhanced a wireless sensing system by integrating generative AI to reconstruct the shapes of objects hidden behind walls or obstacles.</p><p>The approach uses reflected radio signals to form partial images and then fills in missing details with trained AI models, significantly improving accuracy over prior methods.</p><p>The system can also map entire indoor environments and track human movement without cameras, preserving privacy.</p><p>Researchers say the technology could improve robotics applications such as warehouse automation and assistive home systems.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://news.mit.edu/2026/generative-ai-improves-wireless-vision-system-sees-through-obstructions-0319">MIT News</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>DoorDash launches a new tasks app that pays couriers to submit videos to train AI</h3><p><a href="https://www.doordash.com/">DoorDash </a>has introduced a new app that pays delivery workers to capture and upload short videos of restaurants and surroundings to help train its AI systems.</p><p>The collected footage is intended to improve mapping, store accuracy, and operational data used across the platform.</p><p>The initiative reflects a broader trend of companies sourcing real-world data from gig workers to enhance machine learning models.</p><p>DoorDash positions the program as a flexible way for couriers to earn additional income.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/19/doordash-launches-a-new-tasks-app-that-pays-couriers-to-submit-videos-to-train-ai/">Tech Crunch</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Get the latest news in your inbox!</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p>Join the newsletter for regular updates on artificial intelligence, venture activity, and core systems!</p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>General Catalyst backs California&#8217;s AutoScience in $14M round to replace researchers with AI</h3><p><a href="https://www.autoscience.ai/">AutoScience</a>, a California-based startup, has raised $14 million led by General Catalyst to develop AI systems aimed at automating scientific research processes.</p><p>The company is building tools that can generate hypotheses, design experiments, and analyze results with minimal human involvement.</p><p>Its goal is to accelerate discovery while reducing reliance on traditional lab workflows.</p><p>The funding highlights growing investor interest in AI-driven approaches to research and development.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techfundingnews.com/general-catalyst-backs-californias-autoscience-in-14m-round-to-replace-researchers-with-ai/">Tech Funding News</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Sequen snags $16M to bring TikTok-style personalization tech to any consumer company</h3><p><a href="http://www.sequen.ai">Sequen </a>has raised $16 million to expand a platform that enables businesses to deliver highly personalized, short-form content experiences similar to <a href="https://www.tiktok.com">TikTok</a>.</p><p>Its technology uses AI to tailor feeds and recommendations in real time based on user behavior.</p><p>The company aims to help consumer brands increase engagement and retention without building complex in-house systems.</p><p>Investors are betting that demand for advanced personalization tools will grow beyond social media platforms.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/18/sequen-snags-16m-to-bring-tiktok-style-personalization-tech-to-any-consumer-company/">Tech Crunch</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>Nvidia networking division building a multibillion-dollar behemoth to rival its chips business</h3><p><a href="https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/">Nvidia&#8217;s </a>networking division has grown rapidly into a multibillion-dollar business, driven by demand for infrastructure that supports AI workloads.</p><p>The unit, bolstered by acquisitions such as Mellanox, provides high-speed interconnects critical for data centers running large-scale AI models.</p><p>Executives see networking as a major long-term growth driver alongside the company&#8217;s dominant chip business.</p><p>The expansion reflects how AI computing increasingly depends on both processing power and advanced data movement technologies.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/18/nvidia-networking-division-building-a-multibillion-dollar-behemoth-to-rival-its-chips-business/">Tech Crunch</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Ecolab to acquire CoolIT Systems for $4.75 billion</h3><p><a href="https://ecolab.com/">Ecolab </a>has agreed to acquire liquid cooling company <a href="https://www.coolitsystems.com/">CoolIT Systems</a> for $4.75 billion as demand rises for data center cooling solutions.</p><p>CoolIT specializes in advanced cooling technologies used in high-performance computing environments, including those supporting AI workloads.</p><p>The deal signals increasing investment in infrastructure needed to manage the heat generated by modern data centers.</p><p>Ecolab aims to expand its presence in the fast-growing digital infrastructure market through the acquisition.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/ecolab-acquire-coolit-systems-475-billion-2026-03-20/">Reuters</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-button-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-251?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;}" data-component-name="CaptionedButtonToDOM"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading Foundations! If you nodded along, feel free to share!</p></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-251?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-251?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p></div><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Foundations </strong>is written by the Axented team.</h3><p>Axented works with companies around the world to design, build, and scale digital products, teams, and AI-driven systems.</p><p>If you&#8217;re building or scaling a technology-driven business and want to explore how these signals apply to your context, you can learn more about how we work at <a href="https://www.axented.com/">axented.com</a>.</p><div 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Foundations by Axented]]></title><description><![CDATA[Anthropic sues US government, Wonderful raises $150M Series B at $2B valuation, UK approves &#163;10B AI data centre campus in North Lincolnshire]]></description><link>https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-097</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-097</guid><pubDate>Fri, 13 Mar 2026 19:30:44 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e53b0f39-955f-4a65-bf0f-1dd8281fb92b_1200x630.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Table of Contents:</h2><ul><li><p><strong>AI | Artificial Intelligence</strong></p><ul><li><p>Anthropic sues US government after being labelled &#8220;supply chain risk&#8221;</p></li><li><p>AI to help researchers see the bigger picture in cell biology</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>VC | Startup &amp; Funding</strong></p><ul><li><p>Wonderful raises $150M Series B at $2B valuation</p></li><li><p>Sales automation startup Rox AI hits $1.2B valuation</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>HI | Hardware &amp; Infrastructure</strong></p><ul><li><p>BlackRock invests $100M in AI infrastructure workforce</p></li><li><p>UK approves &#163;10B AI data centre campus in North Lincolnshire</p></li></ul></li></ul><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:15337,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/187454728?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>Anthropic sues US government after being labelled &#8220;supply chain risk&#8221;</h3><p><a href="https://www.anthropic.com/">Anthropic </a>has filed a lawsuit against the US government after the Pentagon labelled it a &#8220;supply chain risk&#8221; following a dispute over military use of its AI systems.</p><p>The conflict escalated after CEO Dario Amodei refused to remove safeguards in defence contracts that restrict uses such as autonomous lethal weapons and mass surveillance, prompting the Trump administration to direct agencies to stop using the firm&#8217;s tools.</p><p>Anthropic argues the designation is unlawful retaliation that harms its reputation and violates constitutional free-speech protections, while the White House says the company is attempting to dictate military policy.</p><p>The lawsuit seeks a court ruling overturning the designation rather than financial damages, and could ultimately reach the US Supreme Court.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq571w5vllxo">BBC News</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>AI to help researchers see the bigger picture in cell biology</h3><p>Researchers at <a href="https://www.mit.edu/">MIT</a> and collaborating institutions have developed a machine-learning framework that integrates multiple types of cellular measurements to better understand how cells function.</p><p>The system distinguishes which biological information is shared across different measurement methods and which is unique to each technique, enabling a more complete picture of a cell&#8217;s state.</p><p>By mapping these relationships, the approach could help scientists study diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer&#8217;s, and diabetes more effectively and guide decisions about which experiments to run.</p><p>The research appears in Nature Computational Science and aims to improve how complex cellular data is analyzed.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://news.mit.edu/2026/ai-help-researchers-see-bigger-picture-cell-biology-0225">MIT News</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Get the latest news in your inbox!</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p>Join the newsletter for regular updates on artificial intelligence, venture activity, and core systems!</p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:17883,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/187454728?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>Wonderful raises $150M Series B at $2B valuation</h3><p>Israeli startup <a href="https://www.wonderful.ai/">Wonderful </a>has raised $150 million in a Series B funding round led by <a href="https://www.insightpartners.com/">Insight Partners</a>, valuing the company at $2 billion just four months after its Series A.</p><p>The company develops AI agents designed to handle enterprise customer service tasks, with a focus on tailoring systems for non-English-speaking markets and integrating them directly into client operations.</p><p>Wonderful says it operates in 30 countries across Europe, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific and plans to expand further using the new capital.</p><p>The funding will also support a rapid hiring push as the company scales its deployment teams and technology platform.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/12/wonderful-raises-150m-series-b-at-2b-valuation/">Tech Crunch </a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Sales automation startup Rox AI hits $1.2B valuation</h3><p><a href="https://www.rox.com/">Rox</a>, a startup building autonomous AI agents to improve sales productivity, has reached a $1.2 billion valuation following a new funding round led by returning investor General Catalyst, according to sources.</p><p>Founded in 2024 by former New Relic executive Ishan Mukherjee, the company develops an AI-driven revenue operating system that integrates with existing tools like Salesforce and Zendesk.</p><p>The platform deploys agents that monitor accounts, identify opportunities, and automatically update CRM systems to streamline sales workflows.</p><p>Rox was expected to finish 2025 with about $8 million in annual recurring revenue and counts companies including Ramp and MongoDB among its customers</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/12/sales-automation-startup-rox-ai-hits-1-2b-valuation-sources-say/">Tech Crunch</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:20622,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/187454728?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>BlackRock invests $100m in AI infrastructure workforce</h3><p><a href="https://www.blackrock.com/corporate">BlackRock </a>has committed $100 million to workforce development programs aimed at training skilled tradespeople needed to build infrastructure supporting artificial intelligence.</p><p>The funding will support initiatives that train electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, and other workers critical to constructing data centers and related systems.</p><p>The investment reflects growing concern across the technology sector that shortages of skilled labor could slow the expansion of AI infrastructure.</p><p>BlackRock said the program will partner with nonprofits and training organizations to strengthen the pipeline of workers required for large-scale digital and energy projects.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://datacentremagazine.com/news/blackrock-invests-100-million-us-dollars-ai-infrastructure-workforce">Data Center News</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>UK approves &#163;10bn AI data centre campus in North Lincolnshire</h3><p>Plans for one of the UK&#8217;s largest artificial intelligence data centre campuses have been approved in North Lincolnshire, with the Elsham Tech Park development set to be built near Elsham Wolds Industrial Estate.</p><p>The project could attract up to &#163;10bn in investment and deliver around 900 long-term skilled jobs, alongside thousands of construction roles during a decade-long build.</p><p>The 435-acre site is planned to include up to 15 data centre buildings and provide as much as 1GW of computing capacity, placing it among the country&#8217;s largest proposed AI infrastructure projects.</p><p>Developers also plan to use waste heat from the facilities to power a greenhouse complex that would grow agricultural produce.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y63pl88m5o">BBC News</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-button-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-097?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;}" data-component-name="CaptionedButtonToDOM"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading Foundations! If you nodded along, feel free to share!</p></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-097?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-097?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p></div><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Foundations </strong>is written by the Axented team.</h3><p>Axented works with companies around the world to design, build, and scale digital products, teams, and AI-driven systems.</p><p>If you&#8217;re building or scaling a technology-driven business and want to explore how these signals apply to your context, you can learn more about how we work at <a href="https://www.axented.com/">axented.com</a>.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png" width="1456" height="350" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:350,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:274676,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/181698654?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Foundations by Axented]]></title><description><![CDATA[AI model predicts Alzheimer&#8217;s using MRI brain volume changes, Cybervergent raises $3M, OpenAI releases GPT-5.4 while uninstallations surge after U.S. Department of Defense AI deal.]]></description><link>https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-bf9</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-bf9</guid><pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 18:30:37 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/29c4165e-f845-4ed8-94ba-ceefa7482319_420x300.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Table of Contents:</h2><ul><li><p><strong>AI | Artificial Intelligence</strong></p><ul><li><p>OpenAI releases GPT-5.4 with major upgrades for reasoning and professional tasks</p></li><li><p>AI model predicts Alzheimer&#8217;s using MRI brain volume changes with nearly 93% accuracy</p></li><li><p>ChatGPT uninstallations surge after U.S. Department of Defense AI deal</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>VC | Startup &amp; Funding</strong></p><ul><li><p>Cybervergent raises $3 million to expand AI-driven compliance platform across Africa</p></li><li><p>City Detect raises $13M Series A</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>HI | Hardware &amp; Infrastructure</strong></p><ul><li><p>AI cloud firm Iren orders 50,000 Nvidia B300 GPUs for large-scale data centers</p></li><li><p>Banking &amp; payments services disrupted after Amazon UAE data centers hit in drone strikes</p></li></ul></li></ul><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:15337,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/187454728?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>OpenAI releases GPT-5.4 with major upgrades for reasoning and professional tasks</h3><p><a href="https://openai.com/">OpenAI </a>has introduced <a href="https://openai.com/index/introducing-gpt-5-4/">GPT-5.4</a>, a new AI model designed to improve reasoning, coding, and complex professional tasks.</p><p>The release includes variants such as GPT-5.4 Thinking for deeper reasoning and GPT-5.4 Pro for demanding workloads, along with a context window of up to one million tokens through the API.</p><p>According to OpenAI, the model reduces hallucinations by roughly 33% compared with earlier versions and performs strongly on benchmarks related to knowledge work and computer use. The update also expands tool-use capabilities, allowing the model to integrate external resources more efficiently.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/ai-robotics/gpt-5-4-openai-ai-model-release">Interesting Engineering</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>AI model predicts Alzheimer&#8217;s using MRI brain volume changes with nearly 93% accuracy</h3><p>Researchers at <a href="https://www.wpi.edu/">Worcester Polytechnic Institute</a> developed a machine-learning system that analyzes MRI scans to detect early signs of Alzheimer&#8217;s disease with 92.87% accuracy.</p><p>The model examined volume measurements across 95 brain regions using 815 MRI scans from patients with normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer&#8217;s.</p><p>It identified significant shrinkage in regions including the hippocampus, amygdala, and entorhinal cortex as key indicators of disease progression. The researchers say the approach could help enable earlier diagnosis and guide treatment strategies.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-ai-alzheimer-mri-brain-volume.html">Medical Xpress</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>ChatGPT uninstallations surge after U.S. Department of Defense AI deal</h3><p><a href="https://chatgpt.com/">ChatGPT </a>uninstallations reportedly rose by 295% following news of OpenAI&#8217;s partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense, which drew criticism from some users concerned about military applications of AI.</p><p>The agreement involves using AI systems to support defense operations, prompting backlash among individuals opposed to such uses.</p><p>Despite the spike in removals, analysts note that overall ChatGPT adoption remains strong across businesses and consumers. The response highlights ongoing debate over the role of advanced AI systems in government and military contexts.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techputs.com/chatgpt-uninstalls-surge-295-percent-dod-deal/">Techputs</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Get the latest news in your inbox!</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p>Join the newsletter for regular updates on artificial intelligence, venture activity, and core systems!</p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:17883,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/187454728?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>Cybervergent secures $3M seed funding to expand AI-driven compliance platform in Africa</h3><p><a href="https://www.cybervergent.com/">Cybervergent </a>has raised $3 million in seed funding to expand its AI-powered regulatory compliance platform across African markets. The platform helps organizations automate compliance monitoring, risk assessments, and cybersecurity management using machine-learning tools.</p><p>The company plans to use the funding to accelerate product development, expand its market reach, and grow its team. Demand for automated compliance solutions is increasing as businesses across Africa face more complex regulatory and data protection requirements.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techafricanews.com/2026/03/06/cybervergent-secures-3m-seed-funding-to-expand-ai-driven-compliance-platform-in-africa/">Tech Africa News</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>City Detect raises $13M in Series A</h3><p>Startup <a href="https://www.citydetect.com/">City Detect</a> has developed an AI platform that analyzes video from city cameras to identify safety hazards, vandalism, and sanitation problems in real time.</p><p>The system can detect issues such as illegal dumping, graffiti, damaged infrastructure, and suspicious activity, allowing municipal workers to respond more quickly.</p><p>By integrating with existing camera networks, the technology aims to reduce operational costs and improve city service efficiency. Several municipalities are currently testing the system as part of broader smart-city initiatives.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/06/city-detect-uses-ai-to-help-cities-stay-safe-and-clean/">Tech Crunch</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:20622,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/187454728?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>AI cloud firm Iren orders 50,000 Nvidia B300 GPUs for large-scale data centers</h3><p>AI cloud provider <a href="https://iren.com/solutions/gpu-cloud/ai-cloud">Iren </a>has agreed to purchase 50,000 <a href="https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/">Nvidia</a> B300 GPUs to expand infrastructure for large-scale artificial intelligence workloads. The chips will be deployed across new and existing data centers to support enterprise AI training and inference.</p><p>The order reflects surging demand for advanced GPU capacity driven by generative AI development. It also highlights increasing competition among cloud providers to secure high-performance hardware needed to run next-generation AI systems.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/ai-cloud-iren-purchases-50000-nvidia-b300-gpus/">Data Center Dynamics</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Banking &amp; payments services disrupted after Amazon UAE data centers hit in drone strikes</h3><p>Escalating tensions involving Iran have raised concerns about drone attacks targeting infrastructure near major cloud data centers in the United Arab Emirates. Security analysts warn that facilities supporting companies such as <a href="https://aws.amazon.com/">AWS </a>could face indirect risks if regional conflict spreads.</p><p>Although no major cloud disruptions have occurred, companies are reviewing contingency plans and strengthening physical security measures. The situation highlights the potential vulnerability of critical digital infrastructure during geopolitical conflicts.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/03/iran-war-uae-drone-strikes-aws-data-centers.html">CNBC</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-button-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-bf9?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;}" data-component-name="CaptionedButtonToDOM"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading Foundations! If you nodded along, feel free to share!</p></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-bf9?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-bf9?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p></div><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Foundations </strong>is written by the Axented team.</h3><p>Axented works with companies around the world to design, build, and scale digital products, teams, and AI-driven systems.</p><p>If you&#8217;re building or scaling a technology-driven business and want to explore how these signals apply to your context, you can learn more about how we work at <a href="https://www.axented.com/">axented.com</a>.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png" width="1456" height="350" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:350,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:274676,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/181698654?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Foundations by Axented]]></title><description><![CDATA[Hyundai drives South Korea&#8217;s $6.3B AI push, Nokia and AWS pilot AI automation for real-time 5G network slicing, Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank test agentic AI for trade surveillance.]]></description><link>https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-af1</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-af1</guid><pubDate>Fri, 27 Feb 2026 19:30:45 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/19764f42-b43a-4ca1-8060-58602e91b314_420x300.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Table of Contents:</h2><ul><li><p><strong>AI | Artificial Intelligence</strong></p><ul><li><p>Nokia and AWS pilot AI automation for real-time 5G network slicing</p></li><li><p>Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank test agentic AI for trade surveillance</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>VC | Startup &amp; Funding</strong></p><ul><li><p>Dutch AI inference chipmaker Axelera AI raises $250M</p></li><li><p>Y Combinator-backed AI insurance brokerage Harper raises $45M</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>HI | Hardware &amp; Infrastructure</strong></p><ul><li><p>Google acquires 900-hectare site in Finland for data center development</p></li><li><p>Hyundai drives South Korea&#8217;s $6.3B AI push with data center energy plan</p></li></ul></li></ul><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:15337,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/187454728?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>Nokia and AWS pilot AI automation for real-time 5G network slicing</h3><p><a href="https://www.nokia.com/">Nokia </a>and <a href="https://aws.amazon.com/">Amazon Web Services </a>have unveiled a pilot deployment of an agentic AI-powered 5G-Advanced network slicing solution that uses AI agents to monitor live network conditions and automatically adjust resource allocation across virtual network slices.</p><p>The collaboration integrates Nokia&#8217;s AirScale and MantaRay platforms with AWS&#8217;s Bedrock AI to infer patterns from network KPIs and real-world data like events, traffic and weather, enabling intent-based service provisioning without manual reconfiguration.</p><p>Operators du and Orange are testing the system on live networks, aiming to deliver adaptive, premium connectivity for enterprise, mission-critical, and high-demand scenarios.</p><p>The innovation is designed to help carriers unlock new revenue streams and improve service level adherence by making slicing decisions in real time.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.artificialintelligence-news.com/news/nokia-and-aws-pilot-ai-automation-for-real-time-5g-network-slicing/">AI News</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank test agentic AI for trade surveillance</h3><p><a href="https://www.goldmansachs.com/">Goldman Sachs</a> and <a href="https://www.db.com/">Deutsche Bank</a> are exploring the use of agentic artificial intelligence for trade surveillance, seeking to automate pattern detection and compliance workflows traditionally handled by humans.</p><p>The initiative reflects a broader shift within financial services toward leveraging autonomous AI agents to manage high-volume, rules-based processes like fraud detection and regulatory monitoring.</p><p>While early discussions highlight the potential for increased efficiency, banks are also focused on explainability and audit trails to ensure decisions made by AI are transparent and defensible.</p><p>Adoption at this stage is experimental, with firms still refining how agentic models integrate with existing systems and governance frameworks.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.artificialintelligence-news.com/news/goldman-sachs-and-deutsche-bank-test-agentic-ai-for-trade-surveillance/">AI News</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Get the latest news in your inbox!</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p>Join the newsletter for regular updates on artificial intelligence, venture activity, and core systems!</p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:17883,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/187454728?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>Dutch AI inference chipmaker Axelera AI raises $250M</h3><p><a href="https://axelera.ai/">Axelera AI</a>, a Netherlands-based startup specializing in energy-efficient AI inference hardware and software, has raised $250 million in a funding round to accelerate the development and commercialization of its edge AI solutions.</p><p>The company focuses on low-power AI inference platforms for applications spanning security, automotive, industrial automation, IoT and healthcare.</p><p>The investment will support scaling operations and advancing its chiplet and software stack to meet growing demand for distributed AI compute outside traditional cloud environments.</p><p>Axelera AI&#8217;s growth reflects broader investor interest in specialized AI hardware optimized for performance and efficiency at the network edge.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://siliconangle.com/2026/02/24/edge-ai-chip-startup-axelera-ai-raises-250m-funding-round/">Silicon Angle</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Y Combinator-backed AI insurance brokerage Harper raises $45M</h3><p><a href="https://www.harperinsure.com/">Harper</a>, an AI-native commercial insurance brokerage founded by Dakotah Rice and Tushar Nair, has secured $46.8&#8211;$47 million in combined seed and Series A funding led by <a href="https://www.emcap.com/">Emergence Capital</a>, with participation from <a href="https://www.ycombinator.com/">Y Combinator</a> and others.</p><p>The platform uses AI to automate labor-intensive brokerage tasks such as application processing, submission routing, and underwriter engagement, enabling coverage decisions in one to two days versus the traditional five-to-seven-day timeframe.</p><p>Harper currently serves over 5,000 small and mid-sized business clients across more than 160 carriers and plans to use the new capital to expand engineering, deepen carrier relationships, and scale operations.</p><p>Investors noted the round represents one of the largest publicly disclosed Series A financings by a Black founder.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/25/ai-insurance-brokerage-harper-raises-45m-series-a-and-seed/">Tech Crunch</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>Google acquires 900-hectare site in Finland for data center development</h3><p><a href="https://about.google/">Google </a>has acquired approximately 900 hectares of land near Vaala in central Finland to support future data center development, marking a significant expansion of its infrastructure footprint in the region.</p><p>The site, located close to a major substation, positions Google to leverage Finland&#8217;s abundant land, renewable energy and strategic location for additional cloud and AI-oriented facilities, though specific development plans have not been disclosed.</p><p>Finland&#8217;s data center market has been attracting global operators due to cost-effective green energy and supportive local policies.</p><p>The acquisition builds on Google&#8217;s existing presence in the country, including long-standing sites in Hamina and other planned developments nearby.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/google-acquires-900-hectare-site-in-finland-for-data-center-development/">Data Center Dynamics</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Hyundai drives South Korea&#8217;s $6.3B AI push with data center energy plan</h3><p><a href="https://www.hyundai.com/">Hyundai Motor Group</a> is advancing a KRW 9 trillion (about $6.3 billion) investment to establish an integrated industrial hub in Saemangeum, South Korea, centered on AI data center infrastructure, robotics manufacturing, and clean energy production.</p><p>The plan includes building an AI data center with up to 50,000 GPUs, hydrogen and solar power facilities to support renewable energy generation, and an AI-enabled &#8220;Hydrogen Smart City&#8221; concept.</p><p>Hyundai&#8217;s strategy aims to create a closed-loop ecosystem linking physical AI development, manufacturing and energy, while boosting regional economic activity and advancing the company&#8217;s technological transformation beyond automotive manufacturing.</p><p>Construction of core data center and energy facilities is slated to begin in 2027 with completion targeted for 2029.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/build-design/hyundai-drives-south-korea-s-6-3b-ai-push-with-data-center-energy-plan">Data Center Knowledge</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-button-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-af1?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;}" data-component-name="CaptionedButtonToDOM"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading Foundations! If you nodded along, feel free to share!</p></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-af1?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-af1?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p></div><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Foundations </strong>is written by the Axented team.</h3><p>Axented works with companies around the world to design, build, and scale digital products, teams, and AI-driven systems.</p><p>If you&#8217;re building or scaling a technology-driven business and want to explore how these signals apply to your context, you can learn more about how we work at <a href="https://www.axented.com/">axented.com</a>.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Foundations by Axented]]></title><description><![CDATA[Google launches Gemini 3.1 Pro, OpenAI funding round nears record $100B raise, AI chip startup Taalas raises $169m, Nvidia Secures Major AI Hardware Partnership with Meta]]></description><link>https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-999</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-999</guid><pubDate>Sat, 21 Feb 2026 00:09:07 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/63e64ee0-d530-4d26-99e0-95bf6e4450e5_420x300.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Table of Contents:</h2><ul><li><p><strong>AI | Artificial Intelligence</strong></p><ul><li><p>AGI achievable in the next 5-8 years, says Google DeepMind&#8217;s co-founder and CEO</p></li><li><p>Google launches Gemini 3.1 Pro</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>VC | Startup &amp; Funding</strong></p><ul><li><p>OpenAI funding round nears record $100B raise, valuation targets $850B</p></li><li><p>AI chip startup Taalas raises $169m, unveils HC1 processor optimized for Llama 3.1 8B</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>HI | Hardware &amp; Infrastructure</strong></p><ul><li><p>Micron invests $200 billion to overcome memory chip shortages in the AI era</p></li><li><p>Nvidia Secures Major AI Hardware Partnership with Meta</p></li></ul></li></ul><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>AGI achievable in the next 5-8 years, says Google DeepMind&#8217;s co-founder and CEO</h3><p><a href="https://deepmind.google/">Google DeepMind</a> co-founder and CEO Demis Hassabis said artificial general intelligence could be achieved within five to eight years, citing rapid advances in large language models and multimodal systems.</p><p>He noted that current systems already demonstrate reasoning and problem-solving abilities that were once considered distant goals.</p><p>Hassabis emphasized the need for robust governance and safety frameworks alongside technical progress to manage risks associated with increasingly capable AI systems.</p><p>He added that collaboration between governments, industry, and academia will be essential as development accelerates.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/agi-achievable-in-the-next-5-8-years-says-google-deepminds-co-founder-and-ceo/article70646021.ece">Businessline</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Google launches Gemini 3.1 Pro</h3><p><a href="https://about.google/">Google </a>introduced Gemini 3.1 Pro, describing it as its most advanced AI model to date with improvements in reasoning, coding, and multimodal understanding.</p><p>The company said the model delivers stronger performance across benchmarks while offering more reliable outputs and longer context handling.</p><p>It is designed for enterprise and developer use cases, with enhancements aimed at complex problem-solving and large-scale deployment.</p><p>Google also highlighted ongoing efforts to improve safety, efficiency, and cost optimization for users.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/models-and-research/gemini-models/gemini-3-1-pro/">Google</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Get the latest news in your inbox!</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p>Join the newsletter for regular updates on artificial intelligence, venture activity, and core systems!</p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1272w, 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>OpenAI funding round nears record $100B raise, valuation targets $850B</h3><p><a href="https://openai.com/">OpenAI</a> is reportedly nearing a funding round that could raise up to $100 billion and value the company at around $850 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.</p><p>The prospective deal would rank among the largest private capital raises in history and reflects strong investor demand for AI infrastructure and applications.</p><p>The report indicates that major institutional investors and technology partners are in discussions to participate. </p><p>The fundraising effort comes as OpenAI expands its product offerings and invests heavily in computing capacity and research.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://blocknow.com/openai-funding-round-nears-record-100b-raise-valuation-targets-850b/">Blocknow</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>AI chip startup Taalas raises $169m, unveils HC1 processor optimized for Llama 3.1 8B</h3><p><a href="https://taalas.com/">Taalas</a> has raised $169 million in funding and introduced its HC1 processor, designed specifically to run Meta&#8217;s Llama 3.1 8B model efficiently.</p><p>The company said its architecture is optimized for inference workloads, aiming to reduce power consumption and improve performance compared with general-purpose GPUs.</p><p>Taalas positions its chip as a cost-effective alternative for enterprises deploying open-source large language models.</p><p>The funding will support further development and scaling of its hardware platform.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/ai-chip-startup-taalas-raises-169m-unveils-hc1-processor-optimized-for-llama-31-8b/">DatacenterDynamics</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>Micron invests $200 billion to overcome memory chip shortages in the AI era</h3><p><a href="https://www.micron.com/">Micron Technology</a> announced plans to invest $200 billion to expand memory chip production in response to surging demand driven by artificial intelligence.</p><p>The investment will fund new fabrication facilities and upgrades to existing plants, primarily in the United States, as part of efforts to strengthen domestic semiconductor manufacturing.</p><p>Micron said advanced memory products such as high-bandwidth memory are critical to AI data centers and next-generation computing.</p><p>The move reflects broader industry efforts to address supply constraints and secure long-term capacity.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.agenzianova.com/en/news/micron-investe-200-miliardi-di-dollari-per-superare-la-carenza-di-chip-di-memoria-nellera-dellia/">Ageniza Nova</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Nvidia Secures Major AI Hardware Partnership with Meta</h3><p><a href="https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/">Nvidia </a>has secured a significant AI hardware partnership with <a href="https://www.meta.com/about/">Meta </a>to supply advanced GPUs for large-scale artificial intelligence workloads.</p><p>The agreement strengthens Nvidia&#8217;s position as a leading provider of AI accelerators amid intensifying demand from major technology firms.</p><p>Meta is expected to use the hardware to support its expanding AI initiatives, including model training and inference at scale. </p><p>The partnership underscores continued investment by big tech companies in AI infrastructure.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.ad-hoc-news.de/boerse/news/ueberblick/nvidia-secures-major-ai-hardware-partnership-with-meta/68594576">Ad Hoc News</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-button-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-999?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;}" data-component-name="CaptionedButtonToDOM"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading Foundations! If you nodded along, feel free to share!</p></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-999?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-999?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p></div><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Foundations </strong>is written by the Axented team.</h3><p>Axented works with companies around the world to design, build, and scale digital products, teams, and AI-driven systems.</p><p>If you&#8217;re building or scaling a technology-driven business and want to explore how these signals apply to your context, you can learn more about how we work at <a href="https://www.axented.com/">axented.com</a>.</p><div 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Foundations by Axented]]></title><description><![CDATA[Alibaba unveils RynnBrain, 64% of young people used generative AI in 2025, Anthropic raises another $30B in Series G & AMD surpasses 40% share of server CPU revenue]]></description><link>https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-b87</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-b87</guid><pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 18:30:34 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b08cc347-f47a-4a37-8d01-71e16146de91_420x300.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Table of Contents:</h2><ul><li><p><strong>AI | Artificial Intelligence</strong></p><ul><li><p>Alibaba unveils RynnBrain, an embodied AI model designed to power robotics</p></li><li><p>64% of young people aged 16&#8211;24 in the EU used generative AI in 2025</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>VC | Startup &amp; Funding</strong></p><ul><li><p>Anthropic raises another $30B in Series G, with a new value of $380B</p></li><li><p>Didero lands $30M to put manufacturing procurement on &#8216;agentic&#8217; autopilot</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>HI | Hardware &amp; Infrastructure</strong></p><ul><li><p>AMD surpasses 40% share of server CPU revenue for the first time</p></li><li><p>Taiwan says relocating 40% of its semiconductor capacity to the U.S. is &#8216;impossible&#8217;</p></li></ul></li></ul><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:15337,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/187454728?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSY3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8f3ce84-5c54-4b1e-b753-551cd230c7d9_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>Alibaba unveils RynnBrain, an embodied AI model designed to power robotics</h3><p><a href="https://www.alibaba.com/">Alibaba&#8217;s </a>Damo Academy has introduced RynnBrain, an open-source embodied intelligence AI model built on its Qwen3-VL architecture that enables robots to perceive, reason about and act within physical environments.</p><p>The model demonstrated advanced spatial understanding and task execution capabilities, reportedly setting new performance benchmarks in comparisons with systems from <a href="https://about.google/">Google </a>and <a href="https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/">NVIDIA</a>.</p><p>Alibaba aims to position RynnBrain as part of its broader push into &#8220;physical AI,&#8221; an area of competition with major Western tech firms. </p><p>Its release signals an intensified focus on robotics and real-world AI applications in China&#8217;s technology landscape.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/10/alibaba-ai-model-robotics-rynnbrain-china.html">CNBC</a></p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>64% of young people aged 16&#8211;24 in the EU used generative AI in 2025</strong></h3><p>In 2025, 63.8 % of European Union residents aged 16&#8211;24 used generative artificial intelligence tools, nearly double the share of the broader population aged 16&#8211;74 at 32.7 %.</p><p>Usage for private and educational purposes was distinctly higher among this younger cohort, reflecting broader adoption trends of digital tools across life domains. </p><p>The figures, based on the survey published by <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/main/home">Eurostat </a>on 10 February 2026, highlight demographic differences in AI engagement within the EU.</p><p>These data contribute to understanding the penetration of AI technologies among various age groups across member states.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/w/edn-20260210-1">Eurostat</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Get the latest news in your inbox!</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p>Join the newsletter for regular updates on artificial intelligence, venture activity, and core systems!</p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:17883,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/187454728?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!agLp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52480711-eb4e-4e68-a9f6-ae0afb486847_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>Anthropic raises another $30B in Series G, with a new value of $380B</h3><p><a href="https://www.anthropic.com/">Anthropic </a>has completed a $30 billion Series G financing round that values the AI startup at approximately $380 billion, more than double its prior valuation.</p><p>The round was led by Singapore&#8217;s <a href="https://www.gic.com.sg/">GIC </a>and investment firm <a href="https://www.coatue.com/">Coatue</a>, with participation from a broad set of global investors, underscoring strong capital inflows into AI development. </p><p>Funds are expected to support expansion of research, infrastructure and enterprise AI products amid intense competition with peers in the AI sector.</p><p>Anthropic also reported significant revenue growth, with an annualized run rate in the billions as enterprise adoption of its Claude models accelerates.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/12/anthropic-raises-another-30-billion-in-series-g-with-a-new-value-of-380-billion/">Tech Crunch</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Didero lands $30M to put manufacturing procurement on &#8216;agentic&#8217; autopilot</h3><p>Startup <a href="https://www.didero.ai/">Didero </a>has raised $30 million in a Series A funding round co-led by <a href="https://www.chemistry.vc/">Chemistry </a>and Headline, with participation from <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/es-mx">Microsoft&#8217;s </a>M12, to deploy generative AI agents that automate complex manufacturing and distribution procurement tasks.</p><p>The company&#8217;s platform integrates with existing ERP systems and ingests natural language communications such as emails and orders to autonomously manage workflows like sourcing, negotiation, order tracking and updates.</p><p>Didero&#8217;s AI layer aims to replace much of the manual effort historically required for procurement, enabling teams to focus on strategic work.</p><p>The startup already counts dozens of customers, including sustainable packaging provider Footprint, as it targets supply chain automation for manufacturers and distributors.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/13/coheres-240m-year-sets-stage-for-ipo/">Tech Crunch</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:20622,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/187454728?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q4HD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83313b88-13f2-4360-83b7-94b1c7b1faec_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>AMD surpasses 41.3% share of server CPU revenue for the first time</h3><p><a href="https://www.amd.com/en.html">Advanced Micro Devices</a> (AMD) has reached a record high in the server CPU market, capturing approximately 41.3% of server CPU revenue in the fourth quarter of 2025 according to industry data.</p><p>This milestone marks the first time AMD has exceeded the 40 % revenue share threshold in this segment, reflecting strong demand for its EPYC processors. </p><p>The company&#8217;s growth in revenue share outpaces its unit shipment share, indicating greater penetration in high-value server deployments. </p><p>This achievement underscores AMD&#8217;s increasing competitiveness against rivals in data center computing.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://videocardz.com/newz/amd-surpasses-40-server-cpu-revenue-share-for-the-first-time">VideoCardz</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Taiwan says relocating 40 % of its semiconductor capacity to the U.S. is &#8216;impossible&#8217;</h3><p>Taiwan&#8217;s Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun stated that moving 40% of the island&#8217;s semiconductor manufacturing capacity to the United States would be &#8220;impossible,&#8221; pushing back against U.S. proposals to significantly shift production overseas.</p><p>The government emphasized that the semiconductor ecosystem built up over decades cannot be relocated and that domestic production will continue to grow.</p><p> While Taiwanese firms may expand their presence in the U.S., core manufacturing and research will remain in Taiwan.</p><p>This position comes amid ongoing trade discussions and efforts to balance global chip production.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/semiconductors/taiwan-rejects-possibility-of-transferring-40-percent-of-the-islands-semiconductor-capacity-to-u-s-production-on-taiwan-expected-to-increase-in-lockstep-with-increases-in-u-s-based-production">Toms Hardware</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-button-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-b87?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;}" data-component-name="CaptionedButtonToDOM"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading Foundations! If you nodded along, feel free to share!</p></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-b87?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-b87?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p></div><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Foundations </strong>is written by the Axented team.</h3><p>Axented works with companies around the world to design, build, and scale digital products, teams, and AI-driven systems.</p><p>If you&#8217;re building or scaling a technology-driven business and want to explore how these signals apply to your context, you can learn more about how we work at <a href="https://www.axented.com/">axented.com</a>.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png" width="1456" height="350" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Foundations by Axented]]></title><description><![CDATA[Intel CEO says company will make GPUs, Memory Prices Surge Up to 90% From Q4 2025, Anthropic&#8217;s launches of AI legal tool and Ad-free Claude.]]></description><link>https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-19b</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-19b</guid><pubDate>Fri, 06 Feb 2026 20:15:46 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/dc75dc8a-afc7-4817-bb84-cea76a3bb4e4_420x300.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Table of Contents:</h2><ul><li><p><strong>AI | Artificial Intelligence</strong></p><ul><li><p>Anthropic&#8217;s launch of AI legal tool hits shares in European data companies</p></li><li><p>Claude and the Case Against Advertising in AI</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>VC | Startup &amp; Funding</strong></p><ul><li><p>Fundamental raises $255M Series A with a new take on big data analysis</p></li><li><p>AI SRE Resolve AI confirms $125M raise, unicorn valuation</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>HI | Hardware &amp; Infrastructure</strong></p><ul><li><p>Intel CEO says company will make GPUs, has hired lead executive</p></li><li><p>Memory Prices Surge Up to 90% From Q4 2025</p></li></ul></li></ul><div><hr></div><p><strong>Get the latest news in your inbox</strong>!</p><p><strong>Join the newsletter for regular updates on artificial intelligence, venture activity, and core systems.</strong></p><div><hr></div><h2>AI | Artificial Intelligence</h2><h3>Anthropic&#8217;s launch of AI legal tool hits shares in European data companies</h3><p>Shares in major European publishing, data and legal software firms dropped sharply after Anthropic announced a new AI tool for corporate legal teams that can automate tasks like contract reviewing, compliance triage and legal briefings.</p><p>Relx, Wolters Kluwer, Pearson, London Stock Exchange Group and Experian all saw double-digit declines, while Nasdaq-listed Thomson Reuters fell significantly on investor concerns about AI disrupting traditional data-driven business models.</p><p>Anthropic said the tool does not provide legal advice and should be used with oversight from licensed attorneys.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/feb/03/anthropic-ai-legal-tool-shares-data-services-pearson">The Guardian</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Claude and the Case Against Advertising in AI</h3><p>Anthropic published a statement confirming that its Claude AI assistant will remain completely free of advertising, arguing that ads could distort the assistant&#8217;s usefulness and conflict with its role as a focused tool for thoughtful work.</p><p>The company framed the ad-free approach as core to maintaining trust and positioning Claude as a differentiated offering in a market where competitors are exploring ad-supported models.</p><p>This reflects a broader strategic choice about how AI products should balance monetization with user experience.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-is-a-space-to-think">Anthropic</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png" width="1100" height="220" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:220,&quot;width&quot;:1100,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:26526,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://blog.adquiere.co/i/181912781?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><div><hr></div><h2>VC | Startup &amp; Funding</h2><h3>Fundamental raises $255M Series A with a new take on big data analysis</h3><p>AI startup Fundamental raised $255 million in a Series A funding round to commercialize its Nexus model, designed specifically for analyzing large, structured datasets more efficiently than traditional transformer-based models.</p><p>The company&#8217;s architecture aims to handle massive enterprise datasets without the context limitations of conventional language models, and it has already secured several large contracts and strategic partnerships.</p><p>The funding values the company at roughly $1.2 billion and supports its push into complex business analytics applications.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/05/fundamental-raises-255-million-series-a-with-a-new-take-on-big-data-analysis">Tech Crunch</a></p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>AI SRE Resolve AI confirms $125M raise, unicorn valuation</strong></h3><p>Resolve AI, a startup developing AI-driven tools for automating system reliability engineering (SRE), confirmed it has raised $125 million in a Series A funding round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, giving the company a valuation of $1 billion.</p><p>The company uses artificial intelligence to detect and resolve production system issues, reflecting growing investor interest in operational AI solutions that streamline complex engineering workflows.</p><p>The confirmed funding solidifies Resolve AI&#8217;s position as a unicorn in the emerging AI operations space.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/04/ai-sre-resolve-ai-confirms-125m-raise-unicorn-valuation">Tech Crunch</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:28688,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://blog.adquiere.co/i/181912781?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><div><hr></div><h2>HI | Hardware &amp; Infrastructure</h2><h3>Intel CEO says company will make GPUs, has hired lead executive</h3><p>Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan confirmed that the company plans to develop its own graphics processing units (GPUs), targeting the data-center and AI accelerator market.</p><p>Tan said Intel has hired a chief GPU architect, Qualcomm veteran Eric Demmers, to lead the effort and is already engaging with customers to define their needs.</p><p>The initiative is part of Intel&#8217;s broader strategy to compete with established players such as Nvidia in AI-focused hardware.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/03/intel-gpu-chief-architect-ai-lip-bu-tan.html">CNBC</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Memory Prices Surge Up to 90% From Q4 2025</h3><p>Memory chip prices saw dramatic increases in the fourth quarter of 2025, with some segments up as much as 90% due to supply shortages and rising demand from AI and cloud infrastructure buildouts.</p><p>Both DRAM and NAND markets experienced tight inventories, leading to higher costs for manufacturers and potential inflationary effects on consumer electronics.</p><p>The surge reflects ongoing imbalances in semiconductor supply chains amid booming demand for data-intensive applicationsc</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://counterpointresearch.com/en/insights/Memory-Prices-Surge-Up-to-90-From-Q4-2025">Counterpoint</a></p><div><hr></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-19b?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-19b?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Weekly Tech Pulse</strong> is written by the Axented team.</h3><p>Axented works with companies around the world to design, build, and scale digital products, teams, and AI-driven systems.</p><p>If you&#8217;re building or scaling a technology-driven business and want to explore how these signals apply to your context, you can learn more about how we work at <a href="https://www.axented.com/">axented.com</a>.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png" width="1456" height="350" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:350,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:274676,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/181698654?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Foundations by Axented]]></title><description><![CDATA[SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI in talks to merge, Amazon is reportedly in talks to invest $50B in OpenAI, & Apple&#8217;s new M6 chip could launch surprisingly soon.]]></description><link>https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-590</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-590</guid><pubDate>Fri, 30 Jan 2026 19:59:52 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e45c7b49-06f9-469d-baad-62d041ab4e45_1200x630.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Table of Contents:</h2><ul><li><p><strong>AI | Artificial Intelligence</strong></p><ul><li><p>Elon Musk&#8217;s SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI in talks to merge, according to reports</p></li><li><p>Sandisk stock soars 14% after blowout earnings report shows overwhelming AI demand</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>VC | Startup &amp; Funding</strong></p><ul><li><p>Apple buys Israeli startup Q.ai as the AI race heats up</p></li><li><p>Amazon is reportedly in talks to invest $50B in OpenAI</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>HI | Hardware &amp; Infrastructure</strong></p><ul><li><p>Apple&#8217;s new M6 chip could launch surprisingly soon, per report</p></li><li><p>Nvidia to reportedly shift 2028 chip production to Intel, reshaping TSMC strategy</p></li></ul></li></ul><div><hr></div><p><strong>Get the latest news in your inbox</strong>!</p><p><strong>Join the newsletter for regular updates on artificial intelligence, venture activity, and core systems.</strong></p><div><hr></div><h2>AI | Artificial Intelligence</h2><h3>Elon Musk&#8217;s SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI in talks to merge, according to reports</h3><p>Elon Musk&#8217;s <a href="https://www.spacex.com/">SpaceX</a>, <a href="https://www.tesla.com/">Tesla </a>and <a href="https://x.ai/">xAI</a> are engaged in early-stage discussions over potential merger scenarios that could fold at least one of the companies into SpaceX ahead of its planned IPO later this year.</p><p>One scenario under consideration would merge SpaceX and Tesla, while another could bring SpaceX and xAI together, potentially uniting assets from rockets and satellites to AI products like Grok under one corporate structure.</p><p>Recent corporate filings in Nevada for &#8220;K2 Merger Sub&#8221; entities suggest preparatory steps, but no formal agreements or public confirmations have been made by the companies involved.</p><p><strong>Source: </strong><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/29/elon-musk-spacex-tesla-xai-merger-talks-ipo-reuters">TechCrunch</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Sandisk stock soars 14% after blowout earnings report shows overwhelming AI demand</h3><p><a href="https://www.sandisk.com/">SanDisk&#8217;s </a>stock climbed sharply after the company posted fiscal second-quarter results that significantly outpaced analysts&#8217; expectations, driven by booming demand for memory and storage tied to AI workloads.</p><p>The company reported adjusted earnings of $6.20 per share on $3.03 billion in revenue and forecasted even stronger fiscal third-quarter revenue and profit, with guidance well above consensus.</p><p>Surging data-center demand, particularly for AI applications, has tightened supply and supported higher pricing and margins across the memory market.</p><p>SanDisk also extended a major flash memory supply agreement, reinforcing long-term capacity amid ongoing industry shortages.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/30/sandisk-stock-earnings-ai-memory-demand.html">CNBC</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png" width="1100" height="220" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:220,&quot;width&quot;:1100,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:26526,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://blog.adquiere.co/i/181912781?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><div><hr></div><h2>VC | Startup &amp; Funding</h2><h3>Apple buys Israeli startup Q.ai as the AI race heats up</h3><p><a href="https://www.apple.com/">Apple </a>has acquired Israeli AI startup <a href="https://www.q.ai/">Q.ai</a>, known for imaging and machine-learning technology including capabilities to interpret whispered speech and enhance audio performance.</p><p>The deal, reported to be worth nearly $2 billion, is among Apple&#8217;s largest AI acquisitions and brings Q.ai&#8217;s founders and engineering team into Apple.</p><p>Apple intends to leverage Q.ai&#8217;s technology across devices, particularly for audio features and future products like Vision Pro, as part of its broader push into AI innovation.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/29/apple-buys-israeli-startup-q-ai-as-the-ai-race-heats-up">Tech Crunch</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Amazon is reportedly in talks to invest $50B in OpenAI</h3><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/">Amazon </a>is reportedly negotiating a potential investment of about $50 billion in <a href="https://openai.com/">OpenAI </a>as part of a large funding round that could value the AI company near $830 billion.</p><p>The discussions are being led by Amazon CEO Andy Jassy and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, according to reporting, and include interest from sovereign wealth funds and other major tech firms.</p><p>A deal of this scale would make Amazon a major investor in OpenAI and deepen its strategic engagement in AI, even as it maintains significant ties to competing firms like Anthropic through AWS infrastructure partnerships.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/29/amazon-is-reportedly-in-talks-to-invest-50-billion-in-openai">Tech Crunch</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><div><hr></div><h2>HI | Hardware &amp; Infrastructure</h2><h3>Apple&#8217;s new M6 chip could launch surprisingly soon, per report</h3><p>Apple&#8217;s next-generation M6 chip might arrive sooner than typical product cycles, potentially debuting in the near future despite coming shortly after the recent M5 rollout.</p><p>This accelerated timing would be unusual given Apple&#8217;s recent chip cadence, though it aligns with the company&#8217;s rapid silicon development pattern.</p><p>The M6 could appear in some configurations ahead of currently expected product launches, but specific devices and launch dates remain unclear.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://9to5mac.com/2026/01/26/apples-new-m6-chip-could-launch-surprisingly-soon-per-report">9to5Mac</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Nvidia to reportedly shift 2028 chip production to Intel, reshaping TSMC strategy</h3><p>Industry reporting indicates <a href="https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/">Nvidia </a>may diversify its 2028 AI chip manufacturing by using <a href="https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/homepage.html">Intel&#8217;s </a>fabrication and advanced packaging capabilities for certain components, potentially reducing reliance on TSMC&#8217;s advanced nodes.</p><p>The shift is framed as part of broader diversification amid cost, capacity and geopolitical pressures affecting the semiconductor supply chain.</p><p>Under the reported structure, Intel could handle portions of advanced packaging and non-core production while TSMC continues to produce primary dies. This adjustment reflects industry trends toward multi-sourcing in high-performance computing hardware.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.digitimes.com/news/a20260128PD213/tsmc-intel-nvidia-packaging-2028.html">Digitimes</a></p><div><hr></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-590?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-590?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Weekly Tech Pulse</strong> is written by the Axented team.</h3><p>Axented works with companies around the world to design, build, and scale digital products, teams, and AI-driven systems.</p><p>If you&#8217;re building or scaling a technology-driven business and want to explore how these signals apply to your context, you can learn more about how we work at <a href="https://www.axented.com/">axented.com</a>.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png" width="1456" height="350" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:350,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:274676,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/181698654?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Foundations by Axented]]></title><description><![CDATA[OpenAI test AI in African healthcare, ChatGPT users are about to get hit with targeted ads, Intel stock plunges 13%. NamiTech raises $4 million & Elyos AI raises $13 million.]]></description><link>https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-38a</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-38a</guid><pubDate>Fri, 23 Jan 2026 19:00:58 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/1896be0a-c898-432a-8eb9-5eb2750ed2b9_1200x630.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Table of Contents:</h2><ul><li><p><strong>AI | Artificial Intelligence</strong></p><ul><li><p>Gates Foundation and OpenAI test AI in African healthcare</p></li><li><p>ChatGPT users are about to get hit with targeted ads</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>VC | Startup &amp; Funding</strong></p><ul><li><p>Data centers will consume 70 percent of memory chips made in 2026, spreading shortages</p></li><li><p>Intel stock plunges 13% on soft guidance, concerns about chip production</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>HI | Hardware &amp; Infrastructure</strong></p><ul><li><p>Humans&amp;, a human-centric AI startup founded by Anthropic, xAI, and Google alums, raised a $480M seed round</p></li><li><p>Elyos AI raises $13 million to build AI agents for trades and field services</p></li><li><p>NamiTech raises $4 million in funding</p></li></ul></li></ul><div><hr></div><p><strong>Get the latest news in your inbox</strong>!</p><p><strong>Join the newsletter for regular updates on artificial intelligence, venture activity, and core systems.</strong></p><div><hr></div><h2>AI | Artificial Intelligence</h2><h3>Gates Foundation and OpenAI test AI in African healthcare</h3><p><a href="https://www.gatesfoundation.org/">The Gates Foundation</a> and <a href="https://openai.com/">OpenAI </a>are piloting AI tools in primary healthcare clinics in Africa, beginning with Rwanda, to support overburdened health workers.</p><p>The initiative focuses on administrative and clinical support tasks such as patient intake, triage assistance, and medical record management rather than autonomous diagnosis.</p><p>Organizers say the goal is to improve efficiency and access to care in regions facing severe staff shortages. The project will be evaluated for safety, effectiveness, and scalability before wider deployment.</p><p><strong>Source</strong>: <a href="https://www.artificialintelligence-news.com/news/gates-foundation-and-openai-test-ai-in-african-healthcare/">AI News</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>ChatGPT users are about to get hit with targeted ads</h3><p><a href="https://openai.com/">OpenAI </a>has announced it will begin testing limited, topic-targeted advertisements within <a href="https://chatgpt.com/">ChatGPT </a>conversations for users on its free and Go tiers in the United States. </p><p>The ads will appear at the bottom of chats and be based on the subject of the conversation, though users will be able to dismiss ads, view explanations, and disable personalization.</p><p>OpenAI said ads will not influence chatbot responses, will not be shown to users under 18, and that user data will not be sold to advertisers. More expensive paid tiers, including Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise, will remain ad-free for now.</p><p><strong>Source</strong>: <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/16/chatgpt-users-are-about-to-get-hit-with-targeted-ads/">TechCrunch</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png" width="1100" height="220" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:220,&quot;width&quot;:1100,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:26526,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://blog.adquiere.co/i/181912781?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><div><hr></div><h2>VC | Startup &amp; Funding</h2><h3>Data centers will consume 70 percent of memory chips made in 2026, spreading shortages</h3><p>Data centers are projected to consume about 70% of global memory chip production in 2026, driven largely by demand for AI and cloud computing infrastructure. Chipmakers are prioritizing high-margin server memory, limiting supply available for consumer electronics and industrial applications.</p><p>Analysts warn this imbalance could extend and broaden existing semiconductor shortages. The shift is expected to raise prices and delay product availability across multiple sectors.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/ram/data-centers-will-consume-70-percent-of-memory-chips-made-in-2026-supply-shortfall-will-cause-the-chip-shortage-to-spread-to-other-segments">Toms Hardware</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Intel stock plunges 13% on soft guidance, concerns about chip production</h3><p><a href="https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/homepage.html">Intel </a>reported fourth-quarter 2025 revenue of $13.7 billion, beating expectations, but posted a net loss of about $600 million and issued weak guidance for early 2026. The company forecast first-quarter revenue of $11.7 billion to $12.7 billion, below analyst estimates, citing supply constraints and manufacturing challenges.</p><p>Intel said it is struggling to meet surging demand for data center and AI-related chips despite running factories at full capacity. The outlook triggered a sharp decline in the company&#8217;s stock and highlighted ongoing pressure from rivals and production bottlenecks.</p><p><strong>Source</strong>: <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/22/intel-intc-earnings-report-q4-2025-.html">CNBC</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:28688,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://blog.adquiere.co/i/181912781?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><div><hr></div><h2>HI | Hardware &amp; Infrastructure</h2><h3>Humans&amp;, a human-centric AI startup founded by Anthropic, xAI, and Google alums, raised a $480M seed round</h3><p><a href="https://humansand.ai/">Humans&amp;</a>, an AI startup founded by alumni from <a href="https://www.anthropic.com/">Anthropic</a>, <a href="https://x.ai/">xAI</a>, and <a href="https://about.google/">Google</a>, has raised a $480 million seed round at a multibillion-dollar valuation. The company says it is developing AI systems designed to enhance human collaboration and decision-making rather than replace workers.</p><p>The unusually large early-stage round reflects strong investor confidence in alternative, human-centered approaches to AI. Backers include major technology investors and strategic partners.</p><p><strong>Source</strong>: <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/20/humans-a-human-centric-ai-startup-founded-by-anthropic-xai-google-alums-raised-480m-seed-round/">TechCrunch</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Elyos AI raises $13 million to build AI agents for trades and field services</h3><p>UK-based <a href="https://elyos.ai/">Elyos AI </a>has raised $13 million to expand its AI agents designed for tradespeople and field service businesses.</p><p>The software automates tasks such as answering customer calls, managing messages, and scheduling jobs to reduce administrative workload.</p><p>The funding round was led by <a href="https://www.blackbird.vc/">Blackbird Ventures</a>, with participation from <a href="https://www.ycombinator.com/">Y Combinator</a> and <a href="https://pilabs.vc/">Pi Labs</a>. Elyos plans to use the capital to enhance its product and scale internationally.</p><p><strong>Source</strong>: <a href="https://thetechfounders.co.uk/news/elyos-ai-raises-13-million-in-funding-to-build-ai-agents-for-trades-and-field-services/">The Tech Founders</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>NamiTech raises $4 million in funding</h3><p>Vietnam-based AI company <a href="https://www.namitech.io/">NamiTech </a>has raised $4 million in a funding round led by Japan&#8217;s <a href="https://www.tohogas.co.jp/lang/en/">Toho Gas</a>, with participation from <a href="https://www.tvs.vn/en">Thien Viet Securities.</a></p><p>The startup specializes in voice-based AI technologies, including biometric authentication and speech analytics for enterprises.</p><p>The new funding will support regional expansion and further development of its voice AI platform. The deal highlights growing investor interest in applied AI solutions in Southeast Asia.</p><p><strong>Source</strong>: <a href="https://vir.com.vn/namitech-raises-4-million-in-funding-145097.html">Vietnam Investment Review</a></p><div><hr></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-38a?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-38a?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Weekly Tech Pulse</strong> is written by the Axented team.</h3><p>Axented works with companies around the world to design, build, and scale digital products, teams, and AI-driven systems.</p><p>If you&#8217;re building or scaling a technology-driven business and want to explore how these signals apply to your context, you can learn more about how we work at <a href="https://www.axented.com/">axented.com</a>.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png" width="1456" height="350" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:350,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:274676,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/181698654?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Foundations by Axented]]></title><description><![CDATA[OpenAI signs $10B deal for compute from Cerebra, Deepgram raises $130M at $1.3B valuation, Moroccan retail-tech startup Woliz raises $2.2m pre-seed funding round]]></description><link>https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-b42</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-b42</guid><pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2026 20:01:49 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c08eac24-62b1-41ce-9792-d69db7e20126_420x300.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Table of Contents:</h2><ul><li><p><strong>AI | Artificial Intelligence</strong></p><ul><li><p>AI medical diagnostics race intensifies as OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic launch competing healthcare tools</p></li><li><p>OpenAI signs deal, worth $10B, for compute from Cerebra</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>VC | Startup &amp; Funding</strong></p><ul><li><p>Moroccan retail-tech startup Woliz raises $2.2m pre-seed funding round</p></li><li><p>Deepgram raises $130M at $1.3B valuation and buys a YC AI startup</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>HI | Hardware &amp; Infrastructure</strong></p><ul><li><p>Gigabyte CEO explains Nvidia&#8217;s potential GPU supply strategy amid crushing memory shortages</p></li><li><p>Taiwan to invest $250B in US semiconductor manufacturing</p></li></ul></li></ul><div><hr></div><p><strong>Get the latest news in your inbox</strong>!</p><p><strong>Join the newsletter for regular updates on artificial intelligence, venture activity, and core systems.</strong></p><div><hr></div><h2>AI | Artificial Intelligence</h2><h3>AI medical diagnostics race intensifies as OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic launch competing healthcare tools</h3><p><a href="https://openai.com/">OpenAI</a>, <a href="https://about.google/">Google</a>, and <a href="https://www.anthropic.com/">Anthropic </a>have each unveiled specialised medical AI capabilities within days of one another, signalling competitive momentum rather than coincidence, though none of the tools has regulatory clearance or approval for clinical use.</p><p>OpenAI introduced <a href="https://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-health/">ChatGPT Health</a> with integrations for US users&#8217; medical records, Google released <a href="https://deepmind.google/models/gemma/medgemma/">MedGemma 1.5</a> with expanded imaging interpretation, and Anthropic launched <a href="https://www.anthropic.com/news/healthcare-life-sciences">Claude for Healthcare</a> with compliance features targeting enterprise workflows.</p><p>All three systems focus on administrative tasks such as prior authorisation, claims, and documentation rather than direct patient diagnosis, emphasising privacy and disclaimers about clinical use.</p><p>Regulatory ambiguity, lack of clinical validation, and ongoing integration challenges temper adoption in healthcare settings.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.artificialintelligence-news.com/news/medical-ai-diagnostics-openai-google-anthropic/">AINews</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>OpenAI signs deal, worth $10B, for compute from Cerebra</h3><p>OpenAI announced a multi-year agreement with <a href="https://www.cerebras.ai/">Cerebras Systems</a> securing delivery of 750 megawatts of compute capacity through 2028 in a deal reportedly valued at over $10 billion.</p><p>The partnership aims to integrate Cerebras&#8217;s wafer-scale processors to accelerate low-latency inference and enhance the performance of OpenAI&#8217;s AI services for customers.</p><p>Both firms highlight the importance of real-time AI outputs and faster response times, positioning the deal as part of OpenAI&#8217;s broader compute diversification strategy.</p><p>The agreement also occurs amid Cerebras&#8217;s ongoing capital raises and delayed IPO plans, with OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman noted as an investor in the chipmaker.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/14/openai-signs-deal-reportedly-worth-10-billion-for-compute-from-cerebras/">Tech Crunch</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png" width="1100" height="220" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:220,&quot;width&quot;:1100,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:26526,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://blog.adquiere.co/i/181912781?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><div><hr></div><h2>VC | Startup &amp; Funding</h2><h3>Moroccan retail-tech startup Woliz raises $2.2m pre-seed funding round</h3><p>Moroccan retail-tech startup <a href="https://woliz.com/">Woliz </a>has closed a $2.2 million pre-seed funding round led by Sanlam Maroc to accelerate the development of its AI-powered, fintech-enabled platform aimed at digitising neighbourhood retail.</p><p>Woliz&#8217;s platform provides small merchants with tools for digital stock ordering, sales tracking, and income verification, helping formalise operations and improve access to credit and financial services.</p><p>The investment will support team expansion and merchant onboarding across multiple Moroccan cities, with the company planning later expansion into other African markets facing similar retail infrastructure challenges.</p><p>Woliz&#8217;s approach places independent shop owners at the core of a unified ecosystem connecting commerce, finance, telecoms, institutions, and consumers.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://disruptafrica.com/2026/01/15/moroccan-retail-tech-startup-woliz-raises-2-2m-pre-seed-funding-round">Disrupt Africa</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Deepgram raises $130M at $1.3B valuation and buys a YC AI startup</h3><p><a href="https://deepgram.com/">Deepgram </a>has secured $130 million in a Series C funding round led by AVP, valuing the voice-AI company at $1.3 billion.</p><p>The round included participation from existing investors such as <a href="https://www.alkeoncapital.com/">Alkeon</a>, <a href="https://www.iqt.org/">In-Q-Tel</a>, <a href="https://www.madrona.com/">Madrona</a>, Tiger, Wing, and <a href="https://www.ycombinator.com/">Y Combinator</a>, along with new investors like <a href="https://www.av.vc/">Alumni Ventures</a>, Columbia University, Princeville Capital, Twilio, and SAP, bringing total funding to over $215 million.</p><p>The raise reflects strong enterprise demand for voice AI in applications like contact centres, sales, and customer support, where Deepgram&#8217;s speech recognition and conversational APIs are widely used.</p><p>Deepgram also acquired a Y Combinator-backed AI startup to bolster its offerings and plans to use the capital to expand global support, multilingual capabilities, and penetration into new sectors such as restaurants.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/13/deepgram-raises-130m-at-1-3b-valuation-and-buys-a-yc-ai-startup/">Tech Crunch</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:28688,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://blog.adquiere.co/i/181912781?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><div><hr></div><h2>HI | Hardware &amp; Infrastructure</h2><h3>Gigabyte CEO explains Nvidia&#8217;s potential GPU supply strategy amid crushing memory shortages</h3><p><a href="https://www.gigabyte.com/">Gigabyte&#8217;s </a>CEO outlined how <a href="https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/">Nvidia </a>might prioritise production of certain GPUs in 2026 amid constrained GDDR7 memory supplies, suggesting allocation decisions could hinge on gross revenue per gigabyte of memory.</p><p>With some RTX 50-series consumer GPUs being phased out or shifted to end-of-life status, Nvidia may favour segments that maximise revenue from limited memory resources, potentially affecting availability of mid-range cards.</p><p>The discussion comes against a backdrop of broader memory shortages and industry challenges in balancing supply, demand, and profitability.</p><p>Insights from a CES interview hint that product supply could be adjusted based on calculated revenue contributions per memory unit, influencing what models are produced and prioritised.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/gpus/gigabyte-ceo-explains-nvidias-potential-gpu-supply-strategy-amid-crushing-memory-shortages-gross-revenue-per-gigabyte-of-gddr7-memory-could-decide-what-products-thrive">Toms Hardware</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Taiwan to invest $250B in US semiconductor manufacturing</h3><p>A landmark trade deal between the United States and Taiwan will see Taiwanese semiconductor and tech firms invest $250 billion into US semiconductor, energy, and AI manufacturing capacity to boost domestic production.</p><p>The agreement, announced by the US Department of Commerce, includes substantial Taiwanese investments and credit guarantees, while the US commits to reciprocal investment in Taiwan&#8217;s semiconductor, defence, AI, telecommunications, and biotech sectors.</p><p>The pact aims to mitigate reliance on foreign supply chains and address national security concerns, noting that only about 10 % of semiconductors are currently produced in the United States.</p><p>Additional tariffs on advanced AI chips are also part of the broader strategy to reshape the global semiconductor landscape.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/15/taiwan-to-invest-250b-in-us-semiconductor-manufacturing/">Tech Crunch</a></p><div><hr></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-b42?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-b42?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Foundations</strong> is written by the Axented team.</h3><p>Axented works with companies around the world to design, build, and scale digital products, teams, and AI-driven systems.</p><p>If you&#8217;re building or scaling a technology-driven business and want to explore how these signals apply to your context, you can learn more about how we work at <a href="https://www.axented.com/">axented.com</a>.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png" width="1456" height="350" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:350,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:274676,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/181698654?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Foundations by Axented]]></title><description><![CDATA[Google Gemini web traffic grows 28%, Introducing ChatGPT Health, & Harness valued at $5.5 billion]]></description><link>https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented</guid><pubDate>Fri, 09 Jan 2026 16:31:20 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/455d20c2-d940-496a-9b08-a502dc70f6cc_420x300.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Table of Contents:</h2><ul><li><p><strong>AI | Artificial Intelligence</strong></p><ul><li><p>Google Gemini web traffic grows 28% in a month, ChatGPT sees a 5% dip</p></li><li><p>Introducing ChatGPT Health</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>VC | Startup &amp; Funding</strong></p><ul><li><p>Lux Capital lands $1.5B for its largest fund ever</p></li><li><p>AI software startup Harness valued at $5.5 billion in latest financing round</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>HI | Hardware &amp; Infrastructure</strong></p><ul><li><p>NVIDIA rumored to bring GeForce RTX 3060 production back this quarter</p></li><li><p>Samsung, SK Hynix reportedly reject long-term DRAM contracts and raise prices by up to 70%</p></li></ul></li></ul><div><hr></div><p><strong>Get the latest news in your inbox</strong>!</p><p><strong>Join the newsletter for regular updates on artificial intelligence, venture activity, and core systems.</strong></p><div><hr></div><h2>AI | Artificial Intelligence</h2><h3>Google Gemini web traffic grows 28% in a month, ChatGPT sees a 5% dip</h3><p>Traffic to <a href="https://www.google.com/">Google&#8217;s </a><a href="https://gemini.google.com/?hl=es">Gemini </a>platform rose sharply in December 2025, increasing roughly 28 % month-over-month following the launch of Gemini 3, while web traffic to <a href="http://chatgpt.com">ChatGPT </a>declined by about 5 % in the same period.</p><p>Despite this shift, ChatGPT maintained a significantly larger total audience, with around 5.5 billion visits in December versus 1.7 billion for Gemini, but analysts note the gap is narrowing.</p><p>The growth in Gemini&#8217;s usage is attributed to its wider integration across Google products such as Search, Gmail and Android, contrasting with ChatGPT&#8217;s reliance on direct site visits. Other AI platforms remain far behind both leaders in overall traffic.</p><p><strong>Source</strong>: <a href="https://www.moneycontrol.com/technology/google-gemini-web-traffic-grows-28-in-a-month-chatgpt-sees-a-5-dip-article-13764892.html">Moneycontrol</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Introducing ChatGPT Health</h3><p><a href="https://openai.com/">OpenAI </a>announced <a href="https://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-health/">ChatGPT Health</a>, a specialized version of its generative AI tailored for healthcare contexts, designed to offer medical information, symptom checking and support tools for users and clinicians.</p><p>The platform emphasizes safety, accuracy, and privacy, with features to provide evidence-based summaries and context-aware responses while discouraging diagnostic use without professional oversight.</p><p>OpenAI outlines guardrails intended to minimize misinformation and promote responsible use in health-related queries. The rollout reflects growing demand for AI tools in medical settings while recognizing limitations and the necessity of human clinical judgment.</p><p><strong>Source</strong>: <a href="https://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-health/">OpenAI</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png" width="1100" height="220" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:220,&quot;width&quot;:1100,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:26526,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://blog.adquiere.co/i/181912781?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yd3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7749ba5-cb64-4a66-8235-880056f7e92e_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><div><hr></div><h2>VC | Startup &amp; Funding</h2><h3>Lux Capital lands $1.5B for its largest fund ever</h3><p><a href="https://www.luxcapital.com/">Lux Capital</a> closed its ninth venture fund with $1.5 billion in commitments, marking the largest fundraising in the firm&#8217;s history and bringing total assets under management to about $7 billion.</p><p>The oversubscribed fund reflects continued investor appetite for frontier technology sectors, including AI, national security, and deep science, despite a broader downturn in new U.S. venture funds.</p><p>Lux has a longstanding track record of early investments in companies such as Anduril, Applied Intuition, Hugging Face and MosaicML that span defense tech and generative AI. The capital will support both early- and later-stage startups pursuing breakthroughs across physical and computational sciences.</p><p><strong>Source</strong>: <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/07/lux-capital-lands-1-5-billion-for-its-largest-fund-ever/">TechCrunch</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>AI software startup Harness valued at $5.5 billion in latest financing round</h3><p>AI software delivery platform <a href="https://www.harness.io/">Harness </a>raised $240 million in a Series E financing led by <a href="https://www.goldmansachs.com/">Goldman Sachs</a>, valuing the company at $5.5 billion, a roughly 49 % increase from its previous valuation.</p><p>The round also includes participation from IVP, Menlo Ventures and Unusual Ventures via a planned $40 million tender offer for existing shareholders.</p><p>Harness provides AI-enabled tools to automate stages of the software delivery lifecycle beyond code writing, such as testing, deployment and security, addressing growing enterprise demand for scalable software operations.</p><p>The funding will support platform expansion and global growth as enterprises adopt AI-assisted development workflows.</p><p><strong>Source</strong>: <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/11/harness-is-worth-5point5-billion-in-round-led-by-goldman-sachs.html">CNBC</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png" width="1344" height="256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:256,&quot;width&quot;:1344,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:28688,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://blog.adquiere.co/i/181912781?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dhPC!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F126436fe-27a3-4775-8e6b-44bc0ad0cc4f_1344x256.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><div><hr></div><h2>HI | Hardware &amp; Infrastructure</h2><h3>NVIDIA rumored to bring GeForce RTX 3060 production back this quarter</h3><p>Industry chatter suggests <a href="https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/">Nvidia </a>may restart production of its older GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card model during the current quarter, potentially to mitigate ongoing memory supply constraints and high demand for GPUs amid broader hardware shortages.</p><p>The rumor, originating from industry forums and a Videocardz report, points to manufacturers revisiting legacy product lines that use more readily available components as supply chain pressures persist.</p><p>There is no official confirmation from Nvidia, and the discussions remain speculative, with broader trends showing constrained availability of current-generation GPUs.</p><p><strong>Source</strong>: <a href="https://videocardz.com/newz/nvidia-rumored-to-bring-geforce-rtx-3060-production-back-this-quarter">Videocard</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Samsung, SK Hynix reportedly reject long-term DRAM contracts and raise prices by up to 70%</h3><p><a href="http://www.samsung.com">Samsung </a>Electronics and SK Hynix have reportedly increased quoted prices for server-grade DRAM by as much as 60&#8211;70 % for the first quarter of 2026 compared with late 2025 levels, as demand outpaces supply in the memory market.</p><p>Both companies are also said to be shunning long-term pricing contracts, opting instead for shorter arrangements that better reflect rapid price rises driven by AI data center growth.</p><p>These price hikes underscore tight memory supply conditions, with manufacturers prioritizing more lucrative segments such as high-bandwidth memory for AI workloads.</p><p>The moves reflect broader industry dynamics where constrained supply and robust demand are driving material cost increases.</p><p><strong>Source</strong>: <a href="https://www.digitimes.com/news/a20260106PD224/samsung-sk-hynix-dram-price-increase.html">DigiTimes</a></p><div><hr></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Foundations is written by the Axented team.</h3><p>Axented works with companies around the world to design, build, and scale digital products, teams, and AI-driven systems.</p><p>If you&#8217;re building or scaling a technology-driven business and want to explore how these signals apply to your context, you can learn more about how we work at <a href="https://www.axented.com/">axented.com</a>.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Weekly Tech Pulse]]></title><description><![CDATA[Execution Is Becoming Cheap &#8212; How AI, infrastructure, and capital are reshaping the economics of software.]]></description><link>https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-a-new-chapter</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-a-new-chapter</guid><pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 16:02:50 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ed8e7182-6f04-4d99-bf09-e988f667a1f9_420x300.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><hr></div><h2>Table of Contents:</h2><ul><li><p><strong>AI | Artificial Intelligence</strong></p><ul><li><p>Mozilla&#8217;s new CEO is doubling down on an AI future for Firefox</p></li><li><p>ChatGPT&#8217;s mobile app hits new milestone of $3B in consumer spending</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>VC | Startup &amp; Funding</strong></p><ul><li><p>Vibe-coding startup Lovable raises $330M at a $6.6B valuation</p></li><li><p>Seattle-area startup Govstream.ai raises $3.6M to improve city permitting processes using AI</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>HI | Hardware &amp; Infrastructure</strong></p><ul><li><p>Nvidia plans heavy cuts to GPU supply in early 2026</p></li><li><p>UK government expands end-user tech framework to &#163;24B</p></li></ul></li></ul><div><hr></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Get the latest news in your inbox!</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p>Join the newsletter for regular updates on artificial intelligence, venture activity, and core systems.</p><div><hr></div><h2>AI | Artificial Intelligence</h2><h3>Mozilla&#8217;s new CEO is doubling down on an AI future for Firefox</h3><p>Mozilla&#8217;s newly appointed CEO, Anthony Enzor-DeMeo, outlined strategic priorities centered on integrating AI into Firefox while emphasizing user privacy and control.</p><p>He described plans to enhance the browser with optional AI features, ensuring transparency around data use and user choice.</p><p>Enzor-DeMeo framed this direction as a way for Firefox to remain competitive in a landscape where AI capabilities are increasingly expected.</p><p>The interview highlighted Mozilla&#8217;s intent to balance innovation with its foundational principles of openness and trust.</p><p><strong>Source</strong>: <a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/845216/mozilla-ceo-anthony-enzor-demeo?utm_source=chatgpt.com">The Verge</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>ChatGPT&#8217;s mobile app hits new milestone of $3B in consumer spending</h3><p><a href="https://chatgpt.com/">ChatGPT&#8217;s</a> mobile application has surpassed $3 billion in lifetime consumer spending worldwide since its debut in May 2023, driven largely by a sharp increase in 2025 revenue.</p><p>Consumer expenditure on iOS and Android this year accounted for the majority of the total, with spending far outpacing figures from 2024.</p><p>The app&#8217;s pace to this milestone surpasses many top entertainment and social apps, reflecting significant adoption of paid AI services.</p><p>Ongoing monetization efforts include subscriptions and the recent launch of an integrated app store feature.</p><p><strong>Source</strong>: <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/18/chatgpts-mobile-app-hits-new-milestone-of-3b-in-consumer-spending/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">TechCrunch</a></p><div><hr></div><h2>VC | Startup &amp; Funding</h2><h3>Vibe-coding startup Lovable raises $330M at a $6.6B valuation</h3><p>Swedish AI &#8220;vibe-coding&#8221; startup <a href="https://lovable.dev/">Lovable </a>secured $330 million in a Series B round led by <a href="https://www.capitalg.com/">CapitalG </a>and <a href="https://menlovc.com/">Menlo Ventures</a>, lifting its valuation to $6.6 billion, more than triple its level five months earlier.</p><p>The company&#8217;s platform lets users build software through natural-language prompts and has rapidly grown revenue and usage since its 2024 launch.</p><p>Lovable plans to invest the new capital in deeper third-party integrations, enterprise features, and infrastructure to support full application development.</p><p>The startup counts major customers and reports high daily project creation on its platform.</p><p><strong>Source</strong>: <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/18/vibe-coding-startup-lovable-raises-330m-at-a-6-6b-valuation/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">TechCrunch</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Seattle-area startup Govstream.ai raises $3.6M to improve city permitting processes using AI</h3><p>Seattle-based <a href="https://www.govstream.ai/">Govstream.ai</a> raised $3.6 million in a seed funding round led by 47th Street Partners to advance its AI-driven permitting tools for municipal governments. </p><p>The startup&#8217;s platform uses conversational AI to streamline permit review and reduce administrative workload, aiming to shorten timelines significantly.</p><p>Funds will support expansion of engineering and AI teams and enhancements to its permitting system.</p><p>The technology is designed to integrate with existing municipal systems to improve efficiency for planners and reviewers.</p><p><strong>Source</strong>: <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/seattle-area-startup-govstream-ai-raises-3-6m-to-improve-city-permitting-processes-using-ai/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">GeekWire</a></p><div><hr></div><h2>HI | Hardware &amp; Infrastructure</h2><h3>Nvidia plans heavy cuts to GPU supply in early 2026</h3><p><a href="https://www.nvidia.com/en-in/">Nvidia</a> is reportedly preparing substantial reductions in its GeForce GPU production in early 2026, cutting supply by up to 40 percent due to constraints in memory availability, particularly GDDR7.</p><p>The reductions are expected to affect several RTX 50 series models as Nvidia reallocates limited components and focuses on future product lines.</p><p>The move reflects broader supply chain challenges rather than lack of demand, with strategic adjustments to prioritize newer hardware.</p><p>Industry observers view the cuts as a response to memory shortages that could influence pricing and availability.</p><p><strong>Source</strong>: <a href="https://overclock3d.net/news/gpu-displays/nvidia-plans-heavy-cuts-to-gpu-supply-in-early-2026/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">Overclock3D</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>UK government expands end-user tech framework to &#163;24B</h3><p>The UK Crown Commercial Service has published an expanded procurement framework covering up to &#163;24 billion for off-the-shelf hardware, software, and associated services, including end-user devices and cloud solutions, to run from 2027 to 2030.</p><p>The framework aims to standardize procurement across public sector entities and secure discounted pricing for a wide range of technology products. It includes laptops, tablets, smartphones, software licenses, and related support services.</p><p>The initiative is part of broader efforts to modernize government technology sourcing and achieve better value for public spending.</p><p><strong>Source</strong>: <a href="https://www.theregister.com/2025/12/16/ukgov_expands_enduser_tech_framework/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">The Register</a></p><div><hr></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-a-new-chapter?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://foundations.axented.com/p/foundations-by-axented-a-new-chapter?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Foundations</strong> is written by the Axented team.</h3><p>Axented works with companies around the world to design, build, and scale digital products, teams, and AI-driven systems.</p><p>If you&#8217;re building or scaling a technology-driven business and want to explore how these signals apply to your context, you can learn more about how we work at <a href="https://www.axented.com/">axented.com</a>.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PsgG!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d3bc897-436e-44d2-8266-b5e27812a654_4167x1001.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" 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loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[A New Chapter]]></title><description><![CDATA[Why this publication is evolving &#8212; and what it means for how we cover technology, markets, and execution.]]></description><link>https://foundations.axented.com/p/a-new-chapter</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://foundations.axented.com/p/a-new-chapter</guid><pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 15:03:12 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3492dfec-9fd4-44cb-9ccd-000b7cc97fdd_1200x630.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When we started <strong>Founders Launchpad</strong>, the goal was to share stories and lessons from founders building companies around the world.</p><p>Over time, the publication evolved into something broader.</p><p>We became a consistent source of news and context around:</p><ul><li><p>Technology and AI developments</p></li><li><p>Startups and fundraising</p></li><li><p>Market signals across the US, Europe, and LATAM</p></li></ul><p>As that happened, the focus naturally moved beyond founders alone.</p><p>The most meaningful conversations today aren&#8217;t just about <em>starting</em> companies &#8212; they&#8217;re about how technology, capital, and systems are shaping organizations at every stage.</p><p>To reflect that evolution, <strong>Founders Launchpad is becoming </strong><em><strong>Foundations by Axented</strong></em><strong>.</strong></p><p>What&#8217;s changing</p><ul><li><p>The name of the publication</p></li><li><p>The scope and framing of the content</p></li></ul><p>What&#8217;s not changing</p><ul><li><p>The focus on relevant, curated tech and startup news</p></li><li><p>Coverage across international markets and LATAM</p></li><li><p>The editorial tone and depth</p></li></ul><p>Weekly Tech Pulse, evolving with it&#8217;.</p><p>The flagship format you already read, <strong>Weekly Tech Pulse</strong>, is evolving to reflect how technology is actually being built today.</p><p>While we&#8217;ve historically focused on software, SaaS, startups, and fundraising, Weekly Tech Pulse will increasingly cover:</p><ul><li><p>AI and machine intelligence</p></li><li><p>Infrastructure and platforms</p></li><li><p>Foundational technologies across the stack &#8212; including areas we previously touched less, such as hardware and hard tech</p></li></ul><p>This expansion gives us room to connect the dots between software, infrastructure, capital, and execution &#8212; without losing the signal that made the newsletter valuable in the first place.</p><p><strong>Foundations by Axented</strong> is a newsletter published through the <em>Weekly Tech Pulse</em>, focused on the technologies, systems, and strategic shifts shaping modern organizations.</p><p>This isn&#8217;t a reset.<br>It&#8217;s a continuation &#8212; with a name and scope that better reflect what the publication has become.</p><p>If you&#8217;ve been reading to stay informed about <strong>tech, startups, markets, and how they intersect across regions</strong>, you&#8217;re exactly where you should be.<br>Thank you for reading, and welcome to the next chapter.</p><p>&#8212;</p><p>The <a href="https://www.axented.com/">Axented</a> Team</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!pwk7!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04439290-381f-40fc-8dc8-79a463f12414_4167x1001.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!pwk7!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04439290-381f-40fc-8dc8-79a463f12414_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!pwk7!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04439290-381f-40fc-8dc8-79a463f12414_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!pwk7!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04439290-381f-40fc-8dc8-79a463f12414_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!pwk7!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04439290-381f-40fc-8dc8-79a463f12414_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!pwk7!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04439290-381f-40fc-8dc8-79a463f12414_4167x1001.png" width="1456" height="350" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/04439290-381f-40fc-8dc8-79a463f12414_4167x1001.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:350,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:274676,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/i/181734097?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04439290-381f-40fc-8dc8-79a463f12414_4167x1001.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!pwk7!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04439290-381f-40fc-8dc8-79a463f12414_4167x1001.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!pwk7!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04439290-381f-40fc-8dc8-79a463f12414_4167x1001.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!pwk7!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04439290-381f-40fc-8dc8-79a463f12414_4167x1001.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!pwk7!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04439290-381f-40fc-8dc8-79a463f12414_4167x1001.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Subscribe to the <em>Weekly Tech Pulse</em></p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Weekly Tech Pulse ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Micro1 crosses $100M ARR, Esusu raises $50M, Runware raises $50M Series A & Visma buys Comunidad Feliz for US$70 million.]]></description><link>https://foundations.axented.com/p/weekly-tech-pulse-384</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://foundations.axented.com/p/weekly-tech-pulse-384</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Daniel Rodriguez]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 12 Dec 2025 22:19:31 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3ddfdddb-d62a-4f61-9cb8-1b1af32e87df_420x300.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><hr></div><h2>US &amp; International Startup &amp; Tech News</h2><div><hr></div><h3>Micro1, a Scale AI competitor, touts crossing $100M ARR</h3><p><a href="https://www.micro1.ai/">Micro1</a>, an AI training data startup that helps recruit and manage human experts for AI model training, has rapidly grown its business and surpassed $100 million in annual recurring revenue this year.</p><p>The company&#8217;s growth has been fueled by demand from top AI labs and Fortune 100 firms seeking expert-level human data to refine large language models.</p><p>Micro1&#8217;s pivot from AI recruiting to a broader data-training marketplace has helped it scale revenue dramatically in just a few years.<br><br><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/04/micro1-a-scale-ai-competitor-touts-crossing-100m-arr/">Tech Crunch</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Esusu raises $50M to help renters build credit scores</h3><p><a href="https://esusurent.com/">Esusu</a>, a fintech that reports renters&#8217; on-time rent payments to credit bureaus to help them build credit, has raised $50 million in a Series C financing round at a $1.2 billion valuation.</p><p>The company&#8217;s platform now reaches roughly 12 million renters across 5 million units and works with major property owners to turn rent data into traditional credit history, expanding financial access for many Americans.</p><p>This funding will support scaling Esusu&#8217;s rent-reporting services and tools that aim to improve financial stability and mortgage eligibility for renters.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/11/esusu-funding-renters-credit-scores.html">CNBC</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Runware raises $50M Series A from Dawn Capital, Comcast Ventures to become the API for all AI</h3><p><a href="https://runware.ai/">Runware</a>, a startup building a unified API for AI model inference, has raised $50 million in a Series A round led by Dawn Capital with participation from Comcast Ventures and others.</p><p>The funding will accelerate its platform&#8217;s growth, which already serves hundreds of thousands of developers generating real-time AI media like images, audio, and video.</p><p>Runware&#8217;s approach aims to simplify integration of diverse AI models into applications, reducing cost and complexity for builders.<br><br><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/11/runware-raises-50m-series-a-from-dawn-capital-comcast-ventures-to-become-the-api-for-all-ai/">Tech Crunch</a></p><div><hr></div><h2>LATAM Startup &amp; Tech News</h2><div><hr></div><h3>Kala raises US$55 million to boost financial inclusion in Colombia.</h3><p>Colombian fintech <a href="https://www.get-kala.com/">Kala </a>secured $55 million in debt financing to expand financial inclusion for underbanked populations in the country.</p><p>The capital will support growth of Kala&#8217;s lending technology, aimed at providing fast, accessible credit to people traditionally excluded from formal banking.</p><p>With previous equity rounds totaling $6 million, this latest financing underlines investor confidence in the company&#8217;s mission to broaden access to financial services.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://es-us.noticias.yahoo.com/kala-levanta-us-55-millones-010000160.html">Yahoo! News</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Vambe raises $14M Series A</h3><p>Chilean AI-driven conversational commerce startup <a href="https://www.vambe.ai/">Vambe </a>raised $14 million in a Series A funding round led by <a href="https://www.monashees.com/">Monashees</a>, with participation from other regional investors.</p><p>The platform helps B2C businesses automate sales and customer interactions using autonomous AI agents, and the new capital will fuel expansion into new markets like Mexico and Brazil. Vambe aims to enhance its technology and build out features that can create network effects in automated commerce.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://latamlist.com/vambe-raises-14m-series-a/">Latam List</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Visma buys Comunidad Feliz for around US$70 million</h3><p>Norwegian software company <a href="https://latam.visma.com/">Visma </a>acquired Chilean digital community platform <a href="https://www.comunidadfeliz.cl/">Comunidad Feliz</a> for about $70 million, strengthening its presence in Latin America&#8217;s real estate tech sector.</p><p>Comunidad Feliz, which operates in Chile and Peru, provides tools for managing residential communities, and the acquisition positions Visma to expand these services regionally.</p><p>The deal reflects growing interest from global tech firms in Latin American SaaS businesses with strong local user bases.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.df.cl/df-mas/punto-de-partida/visma-compra-comunidad-feliz-en-cerca-de-us-70-millones">DF Mas</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Opportunities with Us</h3><div><hr></div><ul><li><p><a href="https://jobs.gohire.io/axented-su9lyitg/desarrollador-web-234421/">Web Developer (Ciudad Juarez, Mexico)</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://jobs.gohire.io/axented-su9lyitg/ejecutivo-de-ventas-gps-232797/">Sales Executive - GPS (Remote)</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://jobs.gohire.io/axented-su9lyitg/accounts-payable-and-receivable-specialist-229864/">Accounts Payable and Receivable Specialist (Monterrey, Mexico)</a></p></li></ul><p>Browse all available opportunities <a href="https://axented.com/jobs">here</a>!</p><div><hr></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/weekly-tech-pulse-384?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:&quot;button-wrapper&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary button-wrapper" href="https://foundations.axented.com/p/weekly-tech-pulse-384?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Special thanks to our sponsor:</h3><p><a href="https://www.axented.com/">Axented</a> helps businesses design, build, and scale their products and teams worldwide.</p><p>With over 10 years of experience and a diverse portfolio of more than 300 projects delivered in over 15 countries, Axented has established itself as a trusted partner in the tech industry.</p><p>Renowned for its expertise and commitment to excellence, Axented provides innovative solutions to help businesses thrive in a digital world.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg" width="897" height="189" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:189,&quot;width&quot;:897,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:null,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Axented: Tech Consulting, Recruitment &amp; Staffing&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Axented: Tech Consulting, Recruitment &amp; Staffing&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:null,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="Axented: Tech Consulting, Recruitment &amp; Staffing" title="Axented: Tech Consulting, Recruitment &amp; Staffing" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Axented: Tech Consulting, Recruitment &amp; Staffing</figcaption></figure></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading Founders Launchpad! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Weekly Tech Pulse ]]></title><description><![CDATA[AI roleplay startup Yoodli raises $40M, Gradial raises $35M, BBVA Spark grants $36 million financing to Clara & more!]]></description><link>https://foundations.axented.com/p/weekly-tech-pulse-d65</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://foundations.axented.com/p/weekly-tech-pulse-d65</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Daniel Rodriguez]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 05 Dec 2025 18:32:27 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/91ce6f0d-62d6-4220-b3d5-02e5a4e1e8ea_420x300.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><hr></div><h2>US &amp; International Startup &amp; Tech News</h2><div><hr></div><h3>AI roleplay startup Yoodli raises $40M, reports 900% revenue growth</h3><p>Seattle-based <a href="https://yoodli.ai/">Yoodli </a>secured $40 million in Series B funding led by<a href="https://westbridgecap.com/"> WestBridge Capital </a>to expand its AI communication coaching platform.</p><p>The startup, which helps users practice real-world conversations like sales pitches and job interviews through AI-powered roleplay, reported 900% year-over-year revenue growth.</p><p>The company plans to use the funding to enhance its AI coaching capabilities and expand its enterprise offerings, bringing total funding to nearly $60 million since its 2021 launch.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/ai-roleplay-startup-yoodli-raises-40m-reports-900-revenue-growth/">Geek Wire</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>SV Angel Is Going Solo With A $45 Million Venture Fund</h3><p>Former SV Angel managing partner Beth Turner launched <a href="https://www.valkyrie.vc/">Valkyrie</a>, her solo $45 million venture fund focused on AI applications, infrastructure, and critical industries like nuclear energy.</p><p>The fund closed in just five weeks with backing from notable investors including Ron Conway, Jack Dorsey, and Marc Andreessen.</p><p>Turner, who helped invest in over 40 unicorns including ElevenLabs and Flock Safety during her time at SV Angel, plans to invest in around 80 companies over the next two years with her signature fast-moving, high-conviction approach.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/phoebeliu/2025/12/04/this-sv-angel-is-going-solo-with-a-45-million-venture-fund/?ss=venture-capital">Forbes</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Seattle startup Gradial raises $35M to boost agentic tools that automate enterprise marketing</h3><p><a href="https://www.gradial.com/">Gradial</a>, a Seattle-based AI marketing automation startup, raised $35 million in Series B funding led by VMG Partners to scale its agentic AI platform.</p><p>The company&#8217;s AI agents automate complex enterprise marketing workflows including content creation, quality assurance, and campaign operations for clients like T-Mobile and AWS.</p><p>Founded in 2023, Gradial has reached a $350 million valuation and plans to expand its team across engineering and product development to meet growing enterprise demand.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/seattle-startup-gradial-raises-35m-to-boost-agentic-tools-that-automate-enterprise-marketing/">Geek Wire</a></p><div><hr></div><h2>LATAM Startup &amp; Tech News</h2><div><hr></div><h3>Nu will double its investment in Mexico, targeting $2.5 billion in 5 years</h3><p>Brazilian digital bank <a href="https://nu.com.mx/">Nu </a>announced plans to invest $2.5 billion in Mexico over the next five years, doubling its previous investment as it transitions to operating as a full bank.</p><p>CEO Armando Herrera stated the funds will support continued growth, expand credit offerings, and develop new products and services for the company&#8217;s 13.1 million Mexican customers.</p><p>The investment underscores Nu&#8217;s commitment to financial inclusion, as 60% of Mexico&#8217;s population still lacks access to digital financial services.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://elceo.com/negocios/nu-duplicara-su-inversion-en-mexico-va-por-2500-mdd-en-5-anos/">El Ceo</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>BBVA Spark grants $36 million financing to Clara</h3><p><a href="https://www.bbvaspark.com/es/">BBVA Spark</a> provided $36 million in structured financing to <a href="http://www.clara.com/">Clara</a>, a leading corporate spend management platform in Latin America.</p><p>The funds will help Clara scale its payment products in Colombia, where the company has doubled its payment volume year-over-year, and support the implementation of TravelPay, its new vertical payment solution for corporate travel.</p><p>Clara serves major companies across the region including Rappi, Grupo Nutresa, and Juan Valdez, positioning itself as the fastest-growing corporate card in Colombia.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.bbva.com/es/co/innovacion/bbva-spark-otorga-una-financiacion-de-36-millones-de-dolares-a-clara/">BBVA Spark</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Opportunities with Us</h3><div><hr></div><ul><li><p><a href="https://jobs.gohire.io/axented-su9lyitg/desarrollador-web-234421/">Web Developer (Ciudad Juarez, Mexico)</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://jobs.gohire.io/axented-su9lyitg/ejecutivo-de-ventas-gps-232797/">Sales Executive - GPS (Remote)</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://jobs.gohire.io/axented-su9lyitg/accounts-payable-and-receivable-specialist-229864/">Accounts Payable and Receivable Specialist (Monterrey, Mexico)</a></p></li></ul><p>Browse all available opportunities <a href="https://axented.com/jobs">here</a>!</p><div><hr></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/weekly-tech-pulse-d65?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:&quot;button-wrapper&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary button-wrapper" href="https://foundations.axented.com/p/weekly-tech-pulse-d65?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Special thanks to our sponsor:</h3><p><a href="https://www.axented.com/">Axented</a> helps businesses design, build, and scale their products and teams worldwide.</p><p>With over 10 years of experience and a diverse portfolio of more than 300 projects delivered in over 15 countries, Axented has established itself as a trusted partner in the tech industry.</p><p>Renowned for its expertise and commitment to excellence, Axented provides innovative solutions to help businesses thrive in a digital world.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg" width="897" height="189" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:189,&quot;width&quot;:897,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:null,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Axented: Tech Consulting, Recruitment &amp; Staffing&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Axented: Tech Consulting, Recruitment &amp; Staffing&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:null,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="Axented: Tech Consulting, Recruitment &amp; Staffing" title="Axented: Tech Consulting, Recruitment &amp; Staffing" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Axented: Tech Consulting, Recruitment &amp; Staffing</figcaption></figure></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading Founders Launchpad! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Weekly Tech Pulse ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Palo Alto Networks pays $3.3B to acquire Chronosphere, Watchfire Ventures launches Fund III, Cavela lands $6.6M, Luma AI raises $900 million & More!]]></description><link>https://foundations.axented.com/p/weekly-tech-pulse-19d</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://foundations.axented.com/p/weekly-tech-pulse-19d</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Daniel Rodriguez]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 21 Nov 2025 19:30:34 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e0cc1e49-a79b-450d-a6a7-b4d51599eb78_420x300.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><hr></div><h2>US &amp; International Startup &amp; Tech News</h2><div><hr></div><h3>Palo Alto Networks paying $3.3B to acquire observability startup Chronosphere, which has roots in Seattle</h3><p><a href="https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/">Palo Alto Networks</a> announced it will acquire <a href="https://chronosphere.io/">Chronosphere </a>for $3.35 billion to meet the massive data demands of modern AI workloads.</p><p>Founded in 2019 by former Uber engineers Martin Mao and Rob Skillington, who met at Microsoft in Seattle, Chronosphere sells observability software that helps engineering teams spot problems and keep cloud applications running.</p><p>The company has over 250 employees across hubs in New York City, Seattle, and Vilnius, reporting more than $160 million in annual recurring revenue with triple-digit growth rates and delivering observability at one-third the cost of leading competitors.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/palo-alto-networks-to-pay-3-3b-to-acquire-observability-startup-chronosphere-which-has-roots-in-seattle/">GeekWire</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Watchfire Ventures launches Fund III, targeting $150m</h3><p><a href="https://watchfireventures.com/">Watchfire Ventures </a>has launched its third fund with a target of $150 million, focusing on early-stage B2B software companies.</p><p>The Kansas City-based venture capital firm typically invests in seed and Series A rounds with initial check sizes ranging from $2 million to $5 million.</p><p>The fund plans to back approximately 25-30 companies across sectors including fintech, healthcare IT, and enterprise software.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.venturecapitaljournal.com/watchfire-ventures-launches-fund-iii-targeting-150m/">Venture Capital Journal</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Cavela lands $6.6M to help brands beat pre-tariff manufacturing costs</h3><p><a href="https://cavela.com/">Cavela </a>raised $6.6 million in seed funding co-led by <a href="https://www.xyz.vc/">XYZ Venture Capital</a> and <a href="https://www.susaventures.com/">Susa Ventures</a> to help brands automate supplier sourcing using AI agents.</p><p>The startup&#8217;s platform connects companies with manufacturers across over 40 countries, using AI to analyze product specifications and negotiate pricing via WhatsApp, email, or text.</p><p>Cavela claims customers save an average of 35% on production costs and find suppliers offering prices below pre-tariff levels, addressing growing concerns about manufacturing in China amid new tariff threats.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/11/19/cavela-lands-6-6m-to-help-brands-beat-pre-tariff-manufacturing-costs/">TechCrunch</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Luma AI raises $900 million in funding round led by Saudi AI firm Humain</h3><p>Video generation startup <a href="https://lumalabs.ai/">Luma AI</a> raised $900 million in funding led by Saudi Arabia&#8217;s <a href="https://www.humain.com/">Humain</a>, with participation from <a href="https://www.amd.com/en/ventures.html">AMD Ventures</a> and existing investors including <a href="https://a16z.com/">Andreessen Horowitz</a>, valuing the company above $4 billion.</p><p>The companies announced a partnership to build Project Halo, a 2-gigawatt AI supercluster in Saudi Arabia that will be among the world&#8217;s largest GPU deployments for training multimodal world models.</p><p>Luma, which develops AI models that learn from text, video, audio, and images, released Ray3 in September, a reasoning video model that CEO Amit Jain says benchmarks higher than OpenAI&#8217;s Sora 2, and will also focus on building the world&#8217;s first Arabic video model through the Humain Create initiative.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/19/luma-ai-raises-900-million-in-funding-led-by-saudi-ai-firm-humain.html">CNBC</a></p><div><hr></div><h2>LATAM Startup &amp; Tech News</h2><div><hr></div><h3>Community Investment grants $50 million credit line to Mexican fintech Aviva</h3><p>Mexican fintech <a href="https://www.avivacredito.com/">Aviva </a>secured a $50 million credit line from San Francisco-based Community Investment Management to expand its microloans in underserved communities of fewer than 500,000 inhabitants.</p><p>The company aims to triple its size and serve half a million new customers, using AI-powered chatbots in physical kiosks to assess creditworthiness through seven-minute video conversations with unbanked borrowers.</p><p>Aviva, which launched in 2022, has served 200,000 clients across 100 cities with a 3.1% delinquency rate and plans a Series A funding round next year to expand beyond Mexico.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.bloomberglinea.com/latinoamerica/mexico/community-investment-otorga-linea-de-credito-de-us50-millones-a-la-fintech-mexicana-aviva/">Bloomberg Linea</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Unergy raises $4 million and secures financing for new solar mini-farms in Colombia</h3><p>Colombian startup <a href="https://unergy.io/">Unergy </a>raised $4 million in its pre-Series A round, marking the first Latin American investment by a European climate infrastructure fund, with an additional $80 million commitment for solar mini-farms deployment.</p><p>The company plans to build 80 new distributed generation solar mini-farms across Colombia and scale to over 1 GW of installed capacity across Latin America within five years.</p><p>Unergy has already helped quadruple Colombia&#8217;s solar mini-farm count from four in 2023 to 72 in 2025, positioning the country as the region&#8217;s fastest-growing market in this segment.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://es-us.noticias.yahoo.com/unergy-levanta-us-4-millones-170000114.html?guccounter=1">Yahoo! News</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Opportunities with Us</h3><div><hr></div><ul><li><p><a href="https://jobs.gohire.io/axented-su9lyitg/desarrollador-web-234421/">Web Developer (Ciudad Juarez, Mexico)</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://jobs.gohire.io/axented-su9lyitg/ejecutivo-de-ventas-gps-232797/">Sales Executive - GPS (Remote)</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://jobs.gohire.io/axented-su9lyitg/accounts-payable-and-receivable-specialist-229864/">Accounts Payable and Receivable Specialist (Monterrey, Mexico)</a></p></li></ul><p>Browse all available opportunities <a href="https://axented.com/jobs">here</a>!</p><div><hr></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/weekly-tech-pulse-19d?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:&quot;button-wrapper&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary button-wrapper" href="https://foundations.axented.com/p/weekly-tech-pulse-19d?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Special thanks to our sponsor:</h3><p><a href="https://www.axented.com/">Axented</a> helps businesses design, build, and scale their products and teams worldwide.</p><p>With over 10 years of experience and a diverse portfolio of more than 300 projects delivered in over 15 countries, Axented has established itself as a trusted partner in the tech industry.</p><p>Renowned for its expertise and commitment to excellence, Axented provides innovative solutions to help businesses thrive in a digital world.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg" width="897" height="189" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:189,&quot;width&quot;:897,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:null,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Axented: Tech Consulting, Recruitment &amp; Staffing&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Axented: Tech Consulting, Recruitment &amp; Staffing&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:null,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="Axented: Tech Consulting, Recruitment &amp; Staffing" title="Axented: Tech Consulting, Recruitment &amp; Staffing" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Axented: Tech Consulting, Recruitment &amp; Staffing</figcaption></figure></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading Founders Launchpad! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Weekly Tech Pulse ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Arrived Raises $27M, BluePill Raises $6M to Help Brands Simulate Consumer Behavior, Patagon AI Opens Offices in Mexico after USD $2.75M Seed Round & More!]]></description><link>https://foundations.axented.com/p/weekly-tech-pulse-39c</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://foundations.axented.com/p/weekly-tech-pulse-39c</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Daniel Rodriguez]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 14 Nov 2025 16:01:12 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/044cb62f-8a14-455c-b5a8-596878affccb_420x300.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><hr></div><h2>US &amp; International Startup &amp; Tech News</h2><div><hr></div><h3>Bezos-backed Real Estate Startup Arrived Raises $27M to Help Fuel New Stock Market for Rental Properties</h3><p><a href="https://arrived.com/">Arrived</a>, a Seattle-based startup backed by Jeff Bezos, raised $27 million in new funding led by Neo to support its Secondary Market platform, which allows investors to buy and sell fractional shares of rental homes.</p><p>The company enables people to invest in single-family rental properties for as little as $100, handling property management and tenant relationships while investors earn quarterly dividends and potential appreciation.</p><p>Since launching in 2019, nearly 900,000 registered investors have invested more than $340 million through the platform, which has funded over 550 properties across 65 U.S. markets.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/bezos-backed-real-estate-startup-arrived-raises-27m-to-help-fuel-new-stock-market-for-rental-properties/">GeekWire</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Disrupting Focus Groups: Seattle AI Startup BluePill Raises $6M to Help Brands Simulate Consumer Behavior</h3><p><a href="https://blue-pill.ai/">BluePill</a>, a Seattle-based marketing AI startup founded this year, raised $6 million in seed funding led by Ubiquity Ventures to help brands test products, ads, and campaigns using AI-simulated consumer audiences instead of traditional focus groups.</p><p>The platform builds custom AI consumer audiences using real-world data like social conversations and surveys, delivering instant feedback in minutes with claimed 93% accuracy compared to human panels.</p><p>The company is already generating revenue through annual subscription fees and works with consumer brands including Magic Spoon, Kettle &amp; Fire, and the Seattle Mariners.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/disrupting-focus-groups-seattle-ai-startup-bluepill-raises-6m-to-help-brands-simulate-consumer-behavior/">GeekWire</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Nigeria Backs Ventures Platform as Seed Fund Hits $64M First Close</h3><p><a href="https://www.venturesplatform.com/">Lagos-based Ventures Platform,</a> one of Africa&#8217;s most active early-stage investors, has raised $64 million toward a $75 million second fund, marking the first time the Nigerian government has invested in a venture capital fund through its iDICE program.</p><p>The fund will focus on pre-seed, seed, and Series A investments across Africa, with investors including IFC, British International Investment, and former Y Combinator CEO Michael Seibel.</p><p>Since its founding in 2016, Ventures Platform has funded over 90 startups across the continent, including notable companies like Moniepoint and Paystack, with the firm claiming top global performance metrics for its first fund.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/11/06/nigeria-backs-ventures-platform-as-seed-fund-hits-64m-first-close/">Tech Crunch</a></p><div><hr></div><h2>LATAM Startup &amp; Tech News</h2><div><hr></div><h3>Patagon AI Opens Offices in Mexico after USD $2.75M Seed Round</h3><p><a href="https://www.patagon.ai/">Patagon AI</a>, a Latin American marketing platform that develops artificial intelligence agents, closed a seed round of $2.75 million to expand its business in Mexico with the opening of offices and further technology development, bringing its total capital to $3.85 million.</p><p>The company, which operates in 15 countries and serves 100 clients (with Mexico representing 15% of its user base), recently launched a self-onboarding product that enables companies to implement complete conversational marketing flows on WhatsApp in less than 5 minutes.</p><p>Patagon AI develops customized AI agents that immediately and personally handle business contacts, eliminating the dependence on call centers or traditional forms, with the AI marketing sector projected to grow from $587 million to over $2.39 billion by 2030 with 22.2% annual growth.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://dnf.com.mx/patagon-ai-abre-oficinas-en-mexico/">https://dnf.com.mx/patagon-ai-abre-oficinas-en-mexico/</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Solfium Raised $10 Million to Accelerate Solar Transition in Mexico and Plans Latin America Expansion</h3><p><a href="https://solfium.com/en/">Solfium</a>, co-created by Uruguayan entrepreneur Andr&#233;s Friedman, closed a $10 million Series A funding round led by Accion and ALIVE Ventures, with participation from Kamay Ventures (Coca-Cola&#8217;s corporate fund), to accelerate distributed solar energy adoption in Mexico and prepare for Latin American expansion.</p><p>Founded in 2021, the company has installed over 36,000 solar panels equivalent to 25 MW of electrical capacity that will prevent 281,000 tons of CO&#8322; emissions over 25 years, working with major corporate clients including Coca-Cola, Scotiabank, BBVA, and Santander.</p><p>The platform combines technology, financing, and turnkey installation to help large companies decarbonize their operations and supply chains, with plans to expand to other Latin American countries within 18 to 24 months during their Series B round.</p><p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://es-us.noticias.yahoo.com/solfium-levant%C3%B3-us-10-millones-150700005.html">Yahoo! News</a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Opportunities with Us</h3><div><hr></div><ul><li><p><a href="https://jobs.gohire.io/axented-su9lyitg/desarrollador-web-234421/">Web Developer (Ciudad Juarez, Mexico)</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://jobs.gohire.io/axented-su9lyitg/ejecutivo-de-ventas-gps-232797/">Sales Executive - GPS (Remote)</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://jobs.gohire.io/axented-su9lyitg/accounts-payable-and-receivable-specialist-229864/">Accounts Payable and Receivable Specialist (Monterrey, Mexico)</a></p></li></ul><p>Browse all available opportunities <a href="https://axented.com/jobs">here</a>!</p><div><hr></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/p/weekly-tech-pulse-39c?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:&quot;button-wrapper&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary button-wrapper" href="https://foundations.axented.com/p/weekly-tech-pulse-39c?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Special thanks to our sponsor:</h3><p><a href="https://www.axented.com/">Axented</a> helps businesses design, build, and scale their products and teams worldwide.</p><p>With over 10 years of experience and a diverse portfolio of more than 300 projects delivered in over 15 countries, Axented has established itself as a trusted partner in the tech industry.</p><p>Renowned for its expertise and commitment to excellence, Axented provides innovative solutions to help businesses thrive in a digital world.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg" width="897" height="189" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:189,&quot;width&quot;:897,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:null,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Axented: Tech Consulting, Recruitment &amp; Staffing&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Axented: Tech Consulting, Recruitment &amp; Staffing&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:null,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="Axented: Tech Consulting, Recruitment &amp; Staffing" title="Axented: Tech Consulting, Recruitment &amp; Staffing" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEVR!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13d94f1f-3f72-4177-af30-39cadf484c7d_897x189.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Axented: Tech Consulting, Recruitment &amp; Staffing</figcaption></figure></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://foundations.axented.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading Founders Launchpad! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item></channel></rss>