Category: Science & Technology

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas usually highlights cool gadgets and technology. But this year, it also drew attention from energy companies, as tech firms must face their rising energy needs due to cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI).

Sebastien Fiedorow, leader of Aerleum, a French start-up that makes synthetic fuel from carbon dioxide, said the show feels different now than it did five years ago. He believes energy companies are starting to matter more.

Data centers, which store lots of information, used 4.4% of the U.S. electricity in 2023, and that number could double by 2028 according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Gary Shapiro, head of the organization behind CES, mentioned that this year’s show focused on energy solutions for tech companies.

One company, LV Energy from the Netherlands, creates electricity from sound and vibrations. Its director, Satish Jawalapersad, noted that being at CES is a big deal, but their lack of mention of AI hurt their appeal.

Another company, DataGreen, aims to build smaller, eco-friendly data centers using renewable energy to save tech firms money. However, big tech companies have not shown interest yet, according to DataGreen’s AI chief, Julien Choukroun. He believes that when these companies realize how much they can save, they will start to pay attention.

Jordan Huyghe from Otrera, which designs small nuclear reactors, said that big companies like Amazon and Microsoft need to invest in energy solutions. Recently, Amazon has become the largest buyer of renewable energy, and Microsoft is reopening a nuclear power plant to supply its data centers.

While smaller companies struggle for visibility, LV Energy’s director said they are finding interest in the U.S. market. Fiedorow from Aerleum believes tech’s focus on energy is definitely growing, showing a shift in mindset at CES.

After more than ten years of working hard, Jeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin is finally ready to try launching its New Glenn rocket into space. The launch is scheduled for Sunday from Cape Canaveral, Florida, during a four-hour time slot. The goal is to send a Blue Origin test satellite into orbit and then land the rocket’s lower part on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

This flight is really important for Blue Origin. While the company has taken tourists to the edge of space, it has not been able to send people or satellites into orbit yet. This is different from Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which has been running longer and can send rockets into orbit easily with their Falcon 9 rocket.

Bezos announced plans for New Glenn back in 2016, but the rocket’s development faced many problems and delays, especially with its main BE-4 engines, which were made by Blue Origin itself. These engines took longer to build than expected, but they have successfully powered another rocket called the Vulcan.

If New Glenn is successful, Blue Origin will join a special group of US companies that can launch satellites into orbit and could become a serious challenger to SpaceX’s strong position in the launch market. More importantly, New Glenn could be the key to Bezos and his big dreams about space travel in the future

Syrma SGS Technology, a company that designs and makes electronic systems, announced on Friday that it will be partnering with MSI, a Taiwanese laptop maker, to create laptops in India. This exciting news means that MSI laptops will be assembled at Syrma SGS’s factory in Chennai, making it easier for people in India to buy these popular devices.

John Hung, the General Manager of MSI in India, said, “India is an important market for us, and we want our products to be competitive while made locally. This partnership with Syrma SGS is a big move in making laptops in India, bringing our favorite products even closer to Indian customers.”

The collaboration will start with assembling laptops and aims to gradually increase local manufacturing. MSI will share its technology with Syrma SGS, known for its efficient and scalable production methods.

Satendra Singh, the CEO of Syrma SGS, shared, “Being MSI’s partner in India strengthens our position in IT hardware manufacturing and shows we can deliver high-quality products for global brands. We want to provide advanced laptops made right here in India, setting new standards for quality and innovation.”

Syrma SGS has over 40 years of experience and offers a variety of products like memory, SSDs, motherboards, power adapters, and more. The company is approved under the government’s Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for IT hardware.

Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, who was present in Chennai to open the laptop assembly line, said, “After smartphones, it’s now time for ‘Made in India’ laptops

V Narayanan is going to be the new chairman of ISRO (the Indian Space Research Organisation) starting January 14. He will also be the head of the Department of Space and the Space Commission, taking over from S. Somanath. Recently, he shared some exciting plans for the future missions of ISRO.

Narayanan talked about several important projects, such as Chandrayaan-4, which aims to bring back samples from the Moon; Gaganyaan, a program to send humans into space; and the creation of a space station. He mentioned that ISRO has already planned different activities for the next couple of years. These include experiments for human space missions and a docking test of the SpaDex satellite that is very important for both the Chandrayaan and the space station projects. At the end of this month, ISRO will launch more navigation satellites using a GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle), he said.

ISRO successfully tested a robotic arm that will be useful for human space missions and for building the planned space station. This station will have five parts and is expected to launch in 2028.

Narayanan is an expert in cryogenics and leads the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre. He feels great pride in the ISRO team and is excited to continue the legacy started by pioneers like Vikram Sarabhai. Having joined ISRO in 1984, he believes that his long experience will help ISRO succeed in the future.

Just one day after having to delay its Space Docking Experiment (called SpaDeX) for the second time because the satellites were too far apart, ISRO (the Indian Space Research Organisation) has now adjusted the spacecraft. They managed to stop the drift and have put the spacecraft on a slower path to move closer together. ISRO reported that by tomorrow, January 10, the spacecraft should be in the right position to try docking.

However, the space agency hasn’t said yet if they will attempt the docking tomorrow or wait for a later date. Earlier, Jitendra Singh, the Minister of State for Space, met with top ISRO officials, including chairman S Somanath and his successor V Narayanan. They talked about upcoming missions planned for early 2025.

ISRO is gearing up for a busy schedule in the first half of 2025. There are plans for two GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) missions, a commercial LVM3 launch, and the first test of the Gaganyaan human spaceflight program, which will be uncrewed at first. The GSLV-F15 mission is set for late January and will launch the NVS-02 navigation satellite, which will help improve India’s NavIC satellite system. This satellite will include new atomic clocks and advanced signal capabilities, and preparations for its launch are well underway at Sriharikota.

In March 2025, there is another planned commercial LVM3-M5 mission to send BlueBird Block-2 satellites into space for a US company called AST SpaceMobile Inc.

The SpaDeX mission includes two satellites, SDX01 (the Chaser) and SDX02 (the Target), launched on December 30 using the PSLV C60 rocket. Both satellites weigh about 220 kg each and are placed in a 475-km orbit as expected.

ISRO says that the SpaDeX mission is a cost-effective way to show how in-space docking works with these two satellites. This technology is vital for India’s plans for future missions, like going to the Moon, bringing back samples from the Moon, and building the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS).

The Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) is a key project for India. It will help develop necessary skills for spacecraft to meet, dock together, and separate. This technology is important for future missions, like fixing satellites, running space stations, and exploring other planets.

BrainSight AI, a startup focused on brain health, has just raised $5 million in a funding round led by IAN Alpha Fund. Other investors include IvyCap Ventures and Silver Needle. The company plans to use this money to expand its services in major Indian cities and reach smaller cities too.

They also want to get certification from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which will help them enter the U.S. and other markets. BrainSight AI is also looking to explore opportunities in Africa and Southeast Asia, as there’s interest from distributors there. They’ll also develop an app for caregivers to help families who have loved ones with brain disorders.

Based in Bengaluru, BrainSight AI collaborates with over 40 hospitals in India, mainly focusing on treating brain tumor patients. The company is also starting to look at neurological and psychiatric disorders.

BrainSight AI was founded by Laina Emmanuel, an engineer, and Rimjhim Agrawal, who has a PhD in machine learning for psychiatry. They use artificial intelligence and neuroscience to improve the way brain issues are diagnosed, leading to better and quicker care for patients.

Laina Emmanuel, the CEO, expressed her excitement about using connectomics, a field that studies the brain’s connections, to provide personalized brain care. The company’s products include Voxelbox, which helps doctors analyze brain scans, and Snowdrop, an app that helps patients stick to their treatment plans.

Priyank Garg from IAN Alpha Fund praised BrainSight AI, stating that their technology could change how brain disorders are treated for everyone. In 2020, they also received grants from the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a government body.

As BrainSight AI continues to grow, they believe they can achieve a $100 million annual revenue goal by expanding in India and globally.

On Wednesday, Infinite Reality, a company that focuses on artificial intelligence (AI), announced they are now valued at $12.25 billion after raising $3 billion in new funding. This puts them on the list of many startups that are growing rapidly thanks to AI technology.

Experts believe that AI companies will lead tech funding in 2025 because they expect AI to grow quickly in the next few years. Infinite Reality, which started in 2019, uses AI and innovative technologies to help brands and creators connect better with their audiences and make more money.

“We help our customers turn their regular 2D websites into exciting, interactive spaces and use AI to help them sell better,” said John Acunto, cofounder and CEO of Infinite Reality.

The fundraising came from a private investor interested in technology and real estate. Big names like entertainment giant Live Nation, T-Mobile Ventures, RSE Ventures, and Lux Capital have also invested in Infinite Reality. They’re backed by celebrities like DJ Steve Aoki, the band Imagine Dragons, and NBA player Rudy Gobert.

The excitement for AI companies has grown a lot since Sam Altman’s OpenAI launched ChatGPT in November 2022. AI firms played a big role in bringing up US venture capital funding, with a nearly 30% increase in total funds raised in 2024, according to data from Pitchbook.

Another AI startup, Anthropic, is working on raising about $2 billion, which would make it valued at $60 billion. Last month, Databricks also reached a $62 billion valuation after a huge $10 billion funding round, one of the largest in history.

V. Narayanan has just become the new head of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). He shared the agency’s exciting plans for the future, which include launching Chandrayaan-4, India’s first crewed space mission called Gaganyaan, and building an Indian space station.

Narayanan mentioned that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) informed him about his new role. He spoke with S. Somanath, the previous chairman. “The Prime Minister is involved in everything. The PMO contacted me, and Somanath also called to share the news about my new position,” Narayanan said. He expressed his happiness about working with ISRO, which has had many great leaders over the years.

Recently, ISRO launched a mission called SpaDeX, and they plan to launch a navigation satellite called NVS-02 using a GSLV rocket soon. They are also preparing for the Gaganyaan uncrewed mission and another launch with a US commercial satellite using ISRO’s Mark III rocket.

Chandrayaan-4 is the next mission to explore the moon, aiming to land on its south pole. Narayanan explained that the goal is to collect samples from the moon and bring them back to Earth. “We have already started working on the Chandrayaan-4 mission,” he stated.

In addition, India is working on building its own space station. The first of five parts will be launched in 2028. Narayanan reported, “The Prime Minister has approved the construction of our space station, and we plan to launch the first part in 2028.”

Reflecting on his appointment, Narayanan said he feels lucky to be part of ISRO at such a successful time. As he noted, “ISRO is currently going through a successful phase.”

He was appointed Secretary of the Department of Space on Tuesday, taking over from S. Somanath, who will finish his term next week.

The Quadrant Future Tek IPO made a big splash in the market on its first day! It got lots of attention and was fully subscribed just hours after it opened for bidding. By the end of Day 1, the overall subscription stood at an impressive 16 times, with the retail category seeing a whopping 54 times subscription and the Non-Institutional Investor (NII) portion at 21 times!

This IPO aims to raise Rs 290 crore by offering 1 crore new shares. It will be open for bidding until January 9. The money raised will help the company in various ways, like upgrading its specialty cable business, investing in new tech for train safety, paying off loans, and covering general expenses.

What’s the Price?

The company has set a price between Rs 275 and Rs 290 per share. Investors can bid for 50 shares at a time and in multiples afterwards.

Strong Demand Before the IPO

Before it even started, the Grey Market Premium (GMP) for Quadrant Future Tek was a strong Rs 170, suggesting a significant premium of 59% over its issue price.

Should You Buy Shares?

Experts are recommending that investors subscribe to this IPO. They believe that the Indian market for specialty cables and train control systems is set to grow, and Quadrant Future Tek is in a great position to take advantage of this. The company is evaluated at a FY24 price-earnings (P/E) ratio of 79x which is considered reasonable compared to similar companies. They also recently signed a deal with RailTel Corp and bagged a Rs 78.6 crore order from Chittaranjan Locomotive Works, solidifying their status as a leading manufacturer.

About Quadrant Future Tek

Quadrant Future Tek is all about innovation. They’re working on advanced train control and signaling systems for Indian Railways and also produce specialty cables for the rail and navy industries. Their production facility supports making, testing, and developing high-quality cables.

In FY24, the company saw a slight drop (1%) in revenue but a 6% increase in Profit After Tax (PAT).

Sundae Capital Advisors is leading the offering, and Link Intime India Ltd will handle the allocation and other important processes.

Important Dates

The allotment of shares will likely be finalized on January 10, and shares are expected to be listed on January 14.

People are worried about how artificial intelligence (AI) will affect jobs in technology and other industries. Big names like Sam Altman and Bill Gates have shared their thoughts, saying that using AI might cause layoffs, meaning many workers could lose their jobs.

AI is very popular right now, and companies that invest in AI are seeing their stock prices rise quickly. This trend has been boosted by a strong economy on Wall Street. However, as companies use AI, there may be job losses, especially in manual labor. AI can solve complex problems quickly and efficiently, which makes it appealing to businesses that want to save time and money.

While AI developers might find more job opportunities in the future, many current positions could see a decline, leading to layoffs under the excuse of cost-cutting.

FAQs:
– Are AI stocks doing well in 2025? Yes! Just like in 2023 and 2024, AI stocks are performing well in the U.S. stock market, according to the latest data.
– Is Sam Altman in charge of OpenAI? Yes, Sam Altman is the CEO and a founder of OpenAI, one of the largest AI companies in the world.