🖥️ Tech Futures #25

Happy Monday 👋

This week in Tech News, the US government's final AI chip export restrictions aim to prevent adversaries from accessing advanced technology but have drawn industry criticism over potential impacts on innovation and competitiveness. Google Cloud introduced its TPU "Trillium" which offers 4.7x better performance, aiding AI advancements and addressing GPU shortages for companies like Kakao. German space tech company Constellr launched its first satellite, Sky-Bee-1, pioneering thermal infrared technology to monitor global land surface temperatures with unmatched precision. Maryland and the University of Maryland launched the "Capital of Quantum" initiative to attract over $1B in investments to establish the state as a leading hub for quantum computing and networking. Databricks secured over $5B in debt financing from lenders including Blackstone, Apollo Global Management, and Blue Owl Capital.

What's new?

HolonIQ’s new Green Skills Map and Workforce section reveals industry-wide sustainability skills and jobs, as well as workforce development initiatives, supporting upskilling for a sustainable economy.

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⚙️ Artificial Intelligence

⚔️ US imposes strict export controls on AI chips to China. The US government imposed comprehensive export controls on advanced AI chips to China, escalating the tech war between the two countries.

🚫 US Blacklists Tencent-Backed Chinese AI Startup. The US government added the Chinese AI startup Zhipu, backed by Tencent Holdings, to a trade blacklist, targeting a company seen as a frontrunner in developing an alternative to OpenAI's ChatGPT.

🔋 Microsoft unveils an AI system for material design. Microsoft researchers have developed MatterGen, an AI system that can generate novel materials for batteries and solar cells much faster and more successfully than traditional methods. MatterGen accelerates scientific discovery in this field.

💾 Semiconductors

📀 Google Cloud Introduces New AI Chip 'Trium'. Google Cloud launched a new sixth-generation AI chip called 'Trium' to cater to the growing demand for AI semiconductors for developing and operating artificial intelligence systems.

🖨️ Czechia is open to discussing AI chip export restrictions with the US. Czechia is willing to engage in talks with the United States regarding potential limits on the export of artificial intelligence (AI) chips. A minister acknowledged the situation as unfortunate but expressed that there is still an opportunity for change.

🌐 Singapore chipmaker aims to capitalize on AI chip demand. Grand Venture Technology Ltd., a Singapore-based semiconductor equipment maker, is seeking to become a major supplier by capitalizing on the growing demand for advanced memory chips driven by the AI boom, as major chip companies like Micron and Infineon build new factories in Asia.

🚨 Cybersecurity

🧮 Nigeria Bureau of Statistics website restored after a cyber attack. The Nigeria Bureau of Statistics restored its online operations after a cyber attack caused nearly four weeks of downtime.

🏮The US government strengthens cybersecurity standards. The US government took action to enhance cybersecurity by mandating the development of secure software, implementing digital identity documents to mitigate fraud, and utilizing AI for defense.

🖲️The EU takes decisive action on healthcare cybersecurity. The EU's new action plan will bolster cybersecurity in healthcare by creating a pan-European support center, enhancing threat detection, and offering financial assistance to smaller healthcare providers.

📞 Communication and Networking

🛰️ Constellr Launches Sky-Bee-1 Satellite for Sustainable Resource Management. constellr, a technology company, successfully launched its Sky-Bee-1 satellite on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket into a sun-synchronous orbit to provide thermal infrared data for sustainable resource management.

📝 NCC and FCCPC Sign Agreement to Protect Telecom Consumers. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance consumer protection in the telecommunications industry.

⚖️ Ethio Telecom Partners with Amhara Supreme Court for Smart Court Project. Ethio Telecom partnered with the Amhara Supreme Court to implement a Smart Court project that will modernize judicial procedures using secure digital infrastructure and cloud services.

💻 Quantum Computing

🔬 Maryland announces $1B  quantum computing initiative. The State of Maryland and the University of Maryland have announced a $1B initiative called the 'Capital of Quantum' to support the development of quantum computing technology.

🧑‍💻 Other Industry Developments

💼 TechCrunch Cuts Staff. TechCrunch, a technology news publisher, laid off some of its staff members, following similar actions by other media companies like The Washington Post, HuffPost, and Vox.

📉 Samsung cuts NAND flash production in China. Samsung reportedly decided to cut NAND Flash production at its Xi'an plant in China by over 10% due to the global oversupply of NAND flash memory chips.

🏠 ICON, a 3D-printed home builder, lays off 25% of its staff. ICON Technologies Inc., a company that builds 3D-printed homes and was last valued at around $2 billion, is laying off 114 employees, which is about 25% of its workforce, according to a WARN letter filed with the Texas Workforce Commission.

🛠️ Skills and Workforce

With reskilling and upskilling playing a key role in closing workforce gaps, HolonIQ is now tracking these impactful initiatives shaping the tech industry. Read on for this week’s insights, and discover more in HolonIQ's latest Skills newsletter.

🤖 Snowflake launched the One Million Minds + One Platform program to train and certify over 100K users on its AI Data Cloud by 2027 and upskill 1M people in Data and AI by 2029. Supported by a $20M investment, the program offers training, certification, and platform credits globally, empowering workers to stay competitive as technology evolves. Snowflake aims to prepare individuals for data-driven careers and future innovation as AI reshapes industries.

💻 Amazon partnered with Spain’s Ministry of Education to reduce the digital skills gap by training 500K students in technological and digital skills by 2027. The initiative supports STEM Education for youth aged 11 to 25, addressing a shortage of AI and Tech talent in the country, where almost 30% of the companies struggle to find skilled staff. With digital transformation poised to add $290B to Spain's economy by 2030, the program aims to equip young talent for a thriving, tech-driven future.

🌐 eSkilled launched its AI Course Creator to revolutionize workforce training by enabling rapid, cost-effective course development to address global skills shortages. With 50% of workers needing reskilling by 2030, traditional training methods are no longer sufficient. The platform automates content creation, delivering industry-specific courses in hours, incorporating engaging multimedia features, and aligning with real-world standards. The CEO highlighted this innovation to close skills gaps and adapt to evolving industry demands, fostering workforce readiness and resilience in a rapidly changing world.

💡 Ooredoo and Al Buraimi Governorate have signed an MOU to advance digital skills, promote AI and IT innovation, and support sustainable development in line with Oman Vision 2040. This collaboration aims to equip the local workforce with expertise through training programs in telecommunications and emerging technologies. The partnership also includes mutual knowledge exchange to share administrative and technical expertise, ensuring Al Buraimi benefits from global best practices while driving Oman’s transformation into a global technology and sustainability leader.

HolonIQ has also launched the Green Skills Map, an open-source framework initiated for cataloging, evaluating, and contextualizing the different components of the rapidly expanding field of green jobs. This comprehensive taxonomy will serve as a resource for understanding the full spectrum and complexity of green skills required across various sectors, thereby enabling a cohesive approach toward achieving net zero and decarbonizing the global economy. Green Skills Map spans 11 areas, 54 sub-areas, and 243 green skills clusters. A snippet of the map covering four areas has been included above. Explore the full map on greenskills.org.

💰 Tech Deals

💵 Databricks Secures $5B in Debt Financing After $10B Funding. Databricks, a San Francisco-based data analytics and AI company, raised $5B in debt financing, the largest such round to date, after securing $10B in funding last month.

💴 Blaize, an AI company, goes public via a SPAC deal. Blaize, an AI company focused on edge computing, went public through a SPAC merger with BurTech Acquisition Corp, valuing the combined company at $1.2B. The deal included $116M in convertible notes and PIPE funding.

💶 Tune Therapeutics Raises $175M Series B Funding. Tune Therapeutics, a biotechnology company, raised $175M in Series B funding led by NEA, Yosemite, and Regeneron Ventures for its epigenetic editing technology and to advance its hepatitis B drug Tune-401 into clinical trials.

💷 Darktrace acquires Cado Security for $171.61M. Cybersecurity company Darktrace acquired Cado Security for $171.61M, marking its first acquisition since being taken over by US private equity firm Thoma Bravo late last year.

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