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VulcanForms raises $355 million to ‘pioneer industrial-scale digital manufacturing infrastructure’

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VulcanForms, an MIT-born company that builds and operates advanced digital manufacturing infrastructure, has raised $355 million and is valued at over $1 billion.

VulcanForms’ investors include Eclipse Ventures, Stata Venture Partners, Fontinalis Partners, D1 Capital Partners, Standard Investments, Atlas Innovate, Boston Seed Capital, Industry Ventures, and the Simkins Family.

The company also revealed its first two digital production facilities, in Devens, MA and Newburyport, MA, capturing the full value chain for precision metal components and assemblies. [Read more…] about VulcanForms raises $355 million to ‘pioneer industrial-scale digital manufacturing infrastructure’

Industrial inspection startup Gecko Robotics raises $73 million

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Gecko Robotics, a specialist in robotics and industrial asset management software, has revealed details of its Series C funding round of $73 million, led by XN with participation from Founders Fund, XYZ, Drive Capital, Snowpoint Ventures, Joe Lonsdale, Mark Cuban, Gokul Rajaram, and others.

The company says this latest funding round accelerates Gecko’s stated mission, “To protect today’s critical infrastructure, and give form to tomorrow’s”.

Co-founded by Jake Loosararian, CEO, and Troy Demmer, chief product officer, Gecko focuses on essential industries such as power generation, oil and gas, heavy manufacturing, and defense. [Read more…] about Industrial inspection startup Gecko Robotics raises $73 million

Gideon launches autonomous case picking and process optimization solution

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Gideon, a warehouse robotics company, has launched Casey, an autonomous case picking and process optimization solution.

The new solution helps companies manage the severe labor shortages and surging e-commerce demand by automating and optimizing manual case picking. The rise of e-commerce, due to its higher labor intensity and customer expectations, is a clear signal that new automation solutions are the key to sustainable growth.

Recent forecasts – Statista data, for example, point to a 50 percent rise of e-commerce to $7.4 trillion worldwide by 2025 – add urgency. [Read more…] about Gideon launches autonomous case picking and process optimization solution

Chalmers University selects Lenovo and Nvidia to build Swedish national supercomputer

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Chalmers University of Technology is using Lenovo and Nvidia’s technology infrastructure to power its large-scale computer resource, or supercomputer, Alvis.

The project has seen the delivery and implementation of a clustered computing system for artificial intelligence and machine learning research, in what is Lenovo’s largest high-performance computing cluster for AI and ML in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.

Alvis – old Norse meaning “all-wise” or “all-knowing” – is a national supercomputer resource within the Swedish National Infrastructure for Computing (SNIC). [Read more…] about Chalmers University selects Lenovo and Nvidia to build Swedish national supercomputer

Skyports partners with Park24 to develop vertiport infrastructure

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Air taxi vertiport developer and operator, Skyports, and Japan’s largest parking lot and car sharing operator, Park24, have signed an agreement to explore the development and integration of vertiport infrastructure of “advanced air mobility” (AAM) into Park24’s parking and car sharing network.

The agreement also involves partners including Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance, a Japanese general insurance company, and Kanematsu Corporation.

Aioi Nissay Dowa provides and arranges insurance for ground infrastructure and related air mobility services and aim to develop a mobility as a service that seamlessly integrates air and land. [Read more…] about Skyports partners with Park24 to develop vertiport infrastructure

Wisk and Skyports partner to develop infrastructure for autonomous aircraft

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Wisk Aero and Skyports are partnering to integrate autonomous, electric, vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft operations at vertiports and other ground-based infrastructure.

The partnership marks the first collaboration between a vertiport developer-operator and an autonomous eVTOL developer in the US.

Wisk Aero is an advanced air mobility company and developer of an all-electric, self-flying air taxi in the US, while Skyports is a developer and operator of vertiports (landing sites for eVTOL aircraft). [Read more…] about Wisk and Skyports partner to develop infrastructure for autonomous aircraft

Marine robotics specialist Vaarst raises $20 million to expand

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Marine robotics specialist Vaarst has closed on the first $20 million of its Series B round led by energy transition investor Legal & General Capital, alongside the venture capital arm of the international energy company Equinor.

Existing shareholder Foresight Group also participated alongside In-Q-Tel, the strategic investor for the US intelligence and defence communities and allied nations.

Vaarst is a leading provider of autonomy and cloud managed robotics; supporting the offshore wind, wave & tidal, scientific, maritime security, and civils industries. [Read more…] about Marine robotics specialist Vaarst raises $20 million to expand

Gatik and ChargePoint partner to develop charging network for electric autonomous trucks

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ChargePoint, a leading electric vehicle charging network, and autonomous truck developer Gatik have agreed a strategic partnership to develop an electric ecosystem for autonomous vehicles.

The companies say the ecosystem will be designed to maximize sustainability, operational efficiency and economics for ChargePoint and Gatik’s customers across North America.

Through the partnership, infrastructure and integrated services will play a significant role in helping to decarbonize the B2B short-haul logistics sector and will offer a simple and seamless solution to help Gatik and ChargePoint’s customers meet their corporate sustainability goals. [Read more…] about Gatik and ChargePoint partner to develop charging network for electric autonomous trucks

T-Mobile to implement 5G smart city infrastructure in Peachtree Corners

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Peachtree Corners, which claims to be one of the nation’s “first smart city environments powered by real-world connected infrastructure and 5G”, says that T-Mobile, Applied Information and Temple are introducing 5G-connected vehicle technology that enables traffic signals to communicate with any vehicle on the road via a revolutionary mobile app.

Brian Johnson, city manager of Peachtree Corners, says: “As another strong reflection of Peachtree Corners’ leadership as an innovative smart city in the United States, we’re excited to offer smart connected infrastructure relevant to our citizens, city employees and visitors by enabling any vehicle to receive communications from 5G-connected traffic signals.

“Cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technology isn’t just a concept here, it’s a reality that all people can experience just by downloading an app on their smartphones. [Read more…] about T-Mobile to implement 5G smart city infrastructure in Peachtree Corners

Alstom wins €156 million contract for driverless metro trains in Italy

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Alstom, a large transportation vehicles manufacturer, has won a €156 million contract from the Italian city of Turin to supply its latest generation of fully driverless metro trains.

Turin’s transportation infrastructure agency, Infra.To, actually placed the order. Infra.To is owned by the city of Turin and is one of Europe’s largest public companies.

The contract is for the supply of Alstom’s latest generation of fully driverless train-to-train CBTC system for line 1 of Turin Metro along with four new Metropolis trains. The contract includes an option for 12 more Metropolis trains. [Read more…] about Alstom wins €156 million contract for driverless metro trains in Italy