# Emerging: frontier technologies, full data

> Generated from https://emerging.fru.dev. One block per technology. Facts as stated by the sources linked, on the dates shown. Stages and momentum are summaries for orientation, not forecasts or investment advice.

## 6G wireless
https://emerging.fru.dev/tech/6g | Research (2026-06-10: 3GPP finished its first 6G radio study in June 2026 and set the functional freeze of the first 6G specs for December 2028. https://www.3gpp.org/news-events/3gpp-news/rel21-timeline)
Definition: The mobile network generation after 5G, designed to use AI in the radio, new spectrum and radios that can also sense their surroundings.
Momentum 55/100 | papers last 3 months 408 | paper growth 74.6% | funding 12 months $1.0B (1 rounds) | events 90 days 3
Companies: Cohere Technologies, DeepSig, Ericsson, Keysight Technologies, KT, LG Uplus, NEC, Nokia, NTT DOCOMO, NVIDIA, Pivotal Commware, Qualcomm, Rohde & Schwarz, Samsung Electronics, SK Telecom, SoftBank Corp., Software Radio Systems, T-Mobile US, Verizon
- 2026-09-16 milestone: Nokia says operators are trialing AI-RAN on NVIDIA Aerial RAN Computer (https://www.nokia.com/newsroom/nokia-accelerates-ai-ran-adoption-as-global-operators-embrace-ai-native-network-evolution-on-nvidia-platforms/)
- 2026-09-14 milestone: Samsung and Verizon complete an AI-powered ISAC trial on vRAN (https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-and-verizon-complete-successful-isac-trial-over-virtualized-network-at-global-sports-event)
- 2026-08-12 announcement: Study on Modernization of Specification Format and Procedures for 6G (unverified) (https://www.3gpp.org/news-events/3gpp-news/21-802)
- 2026-06-14 milestone: 3GPP approves TR 38.914, its first 6G RAN study (https://www.3gpp.org/news-events/3gpp-news/6g-38914)
- 2026-06-10 policy: 3GPP sets the Release 21 timeline for the first 6G standards (https://www.3gpp.org/news-events/3gpp-news/rel21-timeline)
- 2026-05-27 deal: Samsung and LG Uplus sign an MOU to research ISAC for 6G (https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-electronics-and-lg-uplus-collaborate-on-isac-technology-for-6g)
- 2026-03-23 milestone: 3GPP approves its first 6G study on use cases and service requirements (https://www.3gpp.org/news-events/3gpp-news/fukuoka-tsg111)
- 2026-03-01 milestone: Nokia reports AI-RAN tests with T-Mobile, Indosat and SoftBank (https://www.nokia.com/newsroom/nokia-accelerates-ai-ran-momentum-with-new-partnerships-driving-path-to-ai-native-6g-mwc26/)
- 2026-02-20 breakthrough: Samsung, KT and Keysight reach 3 Gbps with X-MIMO in the 7 GHz band (https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-electronics-and-kt-corporation-verify-x-mimo-technology-in-7-ghz-band-for-6g-development)
- 2025-12-11 milestone: Samsung and KT validate AI-RAN optimization on a live commercial network (https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-electronics-and-kt-corporation-successfully-validate-ai-ran-on-commercial-networks-accelerating-6g-development)
- 2025-11-26 deal: Samsung and SK Telecom sign an MOU on AI-RAN for 6G (https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-and-sk-telecom-join-forces-to-lead-6g-era-with-ai-ran-technology)
- 2025-11-17 breakthrough: DOCOMO runs an outdoor trial of an AI-driven 6G air interface (https://www.docomo.ne.jp/english/info/media_center/pr/2025/1117_00.html)
- 2025-11-03 breakthrough: Nokia and Rohde & Schwarz test an AI-powered 6G receiver (https://www.nokia.com/newsroom/nokia-and-rohde--schwarz-collaborate-on-ai-powered-6g-receiver-to-cut-costs-accelerate-time-to-market/)
- 2025-10-28 deal: NVIDIA and Nokia partner on an AI platform for 6G (https://nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/nvidia-nokia-ai-telecommunications)
- 2025-09-30 deal: US DOD Future G Office picks DeepSig and SRS to lead the OCUDU open-source 5G/6G RAN (https://www.deepsig.ai/deepsig-and-srs-chosen-by-dod-futureg-office-to-lead-ocudu-the-open-source-5g-6g-ran-initiative/)
- 2025-09-19 milestone: 3GPP plenaries in Beijing make early 6G studies the main business of Release 20 (https://www.3gpp.org/news-events/3gpp-news/plenary109)
- 2025-03-10 milestone: 3GPP holds its 6G workshop in Incheon (https://www.3gpp.org/news-events/3gpp-news/6gworkshop-2025)
- 2025-02-25 product: DeepSig demos an AI-native 6G air interface on NVIDIA AI Aerial (https://www.deepsig.ai/ai-native-air-interface-for-6g-based-on-the-nvidia-ai-aerial-platform-at-mwc-barcelona-2025/)
- 2024-12-12 milestone: 3GPP approves a study on 6G technical performance requirements (https://www.3gpp.org/news-events/3gpp-news/ran-6g-study1)
- 2024-11-20 breakthrough: DOCOMO tests an AI-based 6G radio interface indoors at 4.8 GHz (https://www.docomo.ne.jp/english/info/media_center/pr/2024/1120_00.html)
- 2024-11-13 product: SoftBank runs NVIDIA AI Enterprise on its AITRAS AI-RAN servers (https://www.softbank.jp/en/corp/news/press/sbkk/2024/20241113_01/)
- 2024-05-08 milestone: 3GPP holds its first stage 1 workshop on IMT-2030 use cases (https://www.3gpp.org/news-events/3gpp-news/sa1-6g)
- 2024-04-11 breakthrough: DOCOMO, NTT, NEC and Fujitsu build a 100 Gbps sub-terahertz device (https://www.docomo.ne.jp/english/info/media_center/pr/2024/0411_00.html)
- 2024-03-18 product: NVIDIA unveils a 6G Research Cloud platform (https://nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/nvidia-unveils-6g-research-cloud-platform-to-advance-wireless-communications-with-ai)
- 2024-02-26 announcement: AI-RAN Alliance launches at MWC Barcelona (https://www.deepsig.ai/industry-leaders-in-ai-and-wireless-form-ai-ran-alliance/)
- Round 2025-10-28: Nokia Strategic equity investment by NVIDIA (directed share issuance) $1.0B (https://nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/nvidia-nokia-ai-telecommunications)

## AR glasses
https://emerging.fru.dev/tech/augmented-reality | Early commercial (2025-09-17: Meta sells Ray-Ban Display glasses with an EMG Neural Band wristband at retail for $799, on sale since September 30, 2025. https://about.fb.com/news/2025/09/meta-ray-ban-display-ai-glasses-emg-wristband/)
Definition: Glasses that overlay digital images on the real world, and wrist or neural sensors that let you control computers without touch.
Momentum 21/100 | papers last 3 months 609 | paper growth -2.1% | funding 12 months $215M (3 rounds) | events 90 days 2
Companies: Apple, Avegant, Brilliant Labs, DigiLens, Dispelix, Distance Technologies, EssilorLuxottica, Even Realities, Google, Halliday, JBD, Kopin, LetinAR, Lumus, Magic Leap, Mentra, Meta, Mojo Vision, Qualcomm, Samsung Electronics, Snap, Swave Photonics, VITURE, Vuzix, XREAL
- 2026-09-23 announcement: Meta expands Ray-Ban Display to five more countries with new features (https://about.fb.com/news/2026/09/new-features-for-meta-ray-ban-display-navigation-hologram/)
- 2026-09-23 announcement: Meta announces 100-gram Meta VR Glasses for spring 2027 (https://about.fb.com/news/2026/09/introducing-meta-vr-glasses-3d-movies-immersive-live-sports-100-grams/)
- 2026-06-23 product: Meta and EssilorLuxottica launch the Meta Glasses line (https://about.fb.com/news/2026/06/meta-essilorluxottica-partner-launch-meta-glasses/)
- 2026-06-16 product: Qualcomm announces Snapdragon Reality Elite for mixed reality glasses (https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/16/qualcomm-wants-to-be-the-chip-inside-whatever-replaces-your-smartphone-and-it-just-announced-two-products-toward-that-end/)
- 2026-06-16 announcement: Reservations open for XREAL AURA Android XR glasses (https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/technology/xr-ar/awe-2026/)
- 2026-06-16 product: Snap opens pre-orders for SPECS AR glasses at $2,195 (https://newsroom.snap.com/introducing-specs-augmented-reality-glasses)
- 2026-05-19 announcement: Google previews Android XR intelligent eyewear from Warby Parker and Gentle Monster (https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/platforms/android/android-xr-io-2026/)
- 2026-03-31 product: Meta launches Ray-Ban Meta glasses built for prescriptions (https://about.fb.com/news/2026/03/meta-ai-glasses-built-for-prescriptions/)
- 2026-01-28 announcement: Snap sets up Specs Inc. as a separate AR glasses subsidiary (https://newsroom.snap.com/introducing-specs-inc)
- 2025-10-21 product: Samsung Galaxy XR launches as the first Android XR headset (https://blog.google/products/android/samsung-galaxy-xr/)
- 2025-10-15 product: Apple upgrades Vision Pro with the M5 chip (https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/10/apple-vision-pro-upgraded-with-the-m5-chip-and-dual-knit-band/)
- 2025-09-17 product: Meta launches Ray-Ban Display glasses with Neural Band (https://about.fb.com/news/2025/09/meta-ray-ban-display-ai-glasses-emg-wristband/)
- 2025-07-31 product: Brilliant Labs launches Halo AI glasses (https://www.engadget.com/wearables/brilliant-labs-launches-its-second-generation-smart-glasses-130000032.html)
- 2025-07-23 breakthrough: Meta publishes a generic EMG wristband interface in Nature (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09255-w)
- 2025-06-20 product: Meta and Oakley announce Oakley Meta smart glasses (https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/20/meta-unveils-its-oakley-smart-glasses/)
- 2025-06-10 announcement: Snap says it will sell consumer AR glasses called Specs in 2026 (https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/10/snap-plans-to-sell-lightweight-consumer-ar-glasses-in-2026/)
- 2025-01-08 product: Halliday shows $489 glasses that beam a tiny screen to the eye (https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/08/hallidays-489-smart-glasses-beam-a-tiny-screen-to-your-eye/)
- 2024-12-12 announcement: Google announces Android XR for headsets and glasses (https://blog.google/products/android/android-xr/)
- 2024-09-25 milestone: Meta unveils Orion AR glasses prototype (https://about.fb.com/news/2024/09/introducing-orion-our-first-true-augmented-reality-glasses/)
- 2024-09-17 product: Snap unveils fifth-generation Spectacles and Snap OS (https://newsroom.snap.com/sps-2024-spectacles-snapos)
- 2024-05-08 breakthrough: Stanford shows full-colour 3D holographic AR glasses with metasurface waveguides (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07386-0)
- 2024-02-02 product: Apple Vision Pro goes on sale in the US (https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2024/01/apple-vision-pro-available-in-the-us-on-february-2/)
- Round 2026-09-22: Morphotonics Series B $47M (https://tech.eu/2026/09/22/morphotonics-closes-eur40m-series-b-to-tackle-ai-devices-hidden-manufacturing-bottleneck/)
- Round 2026-07-06: Even Realities Pre-Series B $150M (https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/06/smart-glasses-maker-even-realities-hits-1b-valuation-with-150m-funding-led-by-meituan-tencent/)
- Round 2026-05-18: LetinAR Pre-IPO round $19M (https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/18/south-koreas-letinar-is-building-the-optics-behind-ai-glasses/)
- Round 2025-09-04: Mojo Vision Series B Prime $75M (https://www.mojo.vision/news/mojo-vision-closes-series-b-prime-funding-round-with-75m-to-expand-ai-applications-of-its-high-performance-micro-led-platform)
- Round 2025-06-25: Swave Photonics Series A extension $7M (https://swave.io/swave-photonics-raises-additional-e6m-series-a-follow-on-funding-from-iag-capital-partners-and-samsung-ventures/)
- Round 2025-01-03: Swave Photonics Series A $28M (https://swave.io/swave-photonics-raises-27m-eur-series-a/)

## Advanced geothermal
https://emerging.fru.dev/tech/advanced-geothermal | Early commercial (2026-09-24: Fervo's Cape Station in Utah became the first utility-scale enhanced geothermal plant to export power to the grid. https://fervoenergy.com/fervo-energy-achieves-first-power-at-cape-station-a-landmark-moment-for-the-future-of-enhanced-geothermal-systems/)
Definition: Tapping the heat in deep hot rock almost anywhere, using oil and gas drilling methods, to make round-the-clock clean power.
Momentum 77/100 | papers last 3 months 568 | paper growth 73.6% | funding 12 months $3.1B (5 rounds) | events 90 days 10
Companies: Bedrock Energy, California Community Power, Eavor, Fervo Energy, Google, Mazama Energy, Meta, Nabors Industries, Ormat Technologies, Quaise Energy, Rodatherm, Sage Geosystems, Turboden, XGS Energy, Zanskar
- 2026-09-24 milestone: Fervo Cape Station reaches first power (https://fervoenergy.com/fervo-energy-achieves-first-power-at-cape-station-a-landmark-moment-for-the-future-of-enhanced-geothermal-systems/)
- 2026-09-22 funding: Fervo wins two DOE awards worth about $20 million (https://fervoenergy.com/fervo-energy-secures-two-u-s-department-of-energy-awards-to-develop-next-generation-geothermal-in-idaho-and-nevada/)
- 2026-09-22 funding: Quaise selected for up to $25 million from DOE (https://www.quaise.com/news/quaise-energy-selected-for-up-to-25-million-in-u-s-department-of-energy-support-to-advance-worlds-first-commercial-superhot-geothermal-power-plant)
- 2026-09-21 policy: DOE awards $99 million to 21 geothermal projects (https://www.energy.gov/articles/energy-department-announces-99-million-21-projects-advance-us-geothermal-energy)
- 2026-09-17 funding: Mazama raises $135 million Series B (https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/09/17/3364060/0/en/mazama-energy-raises-135-million-to-scale-the-world-s-hottest-engineered-geothermal-system.html)
- 2026-09-01 milestone: Mazama drills Athena well to 10,350 feet in 15 days (https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/09/01/3354199/0/en/mazama-energy-superhot-rock-drilling-performance-milestone-signals-a-turning-point-for-engineered-geothermal-system-economics.html)
- 2026-09-01 deal: Fervo and Google sign 396 MW power purchase agreement (https://fervoenergy.com/fervo-energy-and-google-sign-396-mw-ppa/)
- 2026-08-27 funding: Quaise closes $180 million Series B with Nabors (https://www.quaise.com/news/quaise-energy-closes-180-million-series-b-with-35-million-investment-by-nabors-industries)
- 2026-08-19 milestone: Sage's 3 MW pilot plant produces grid power in Texas (https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/geothermal/sage-geosystems-next-gen-geothermal-online)
- 2026-07-08 milestone: Fervo drills Sawtooth 7 in a record 21 days (https://fervoenergy.com/fervo-energy-learning-curve-continues-on-3rd-generation-well-design-boosting-drilling-rates-by-143-since-its-first-cape-station-well/)
- 2026-05-21 milestone: Eavor reports first Geretsried loop is producing heat (https://eavor.com/blog/technical-update-from-geretsried-what-we-built-what-we-learned-and-what-comes-next/)
- 2026-05-12 milestone: Fervo prices upsized IPO on Nasdaq (https://fervoenergy.com/fervo-energy-announces-pricing-of-its-upsized-initial-public-offering/)
- 2026-04-11 deal: XGS and California Community Power sign 115 MW deal (https://www.xgsenergy.com/xgs-energy-and-cc-power-partner-on-115-mw-next-generation-geothermal-development-agreement/)
- 2026-04-07 deal: Fervo and Turboden sign 1.7 GW turbine framework (https://fervoenergy.com/fervo-energy-and-turboden-announce-new-1-7-gw-turbine-supply-framework-agreement/)
- 2026-03-19 funding: Fervo closes $421 million project financing for Cape Station (https://fervoenergy.com/fervo-energy-secures-421-million-in-non-recourse-project-financing-for-cape-station/)
- 2026-02-09 milestone: Fervo drills its hottest well at Project Blanford, Utah (https://fervoenergy.com/fervo-energy-drills-hottest-well-to-date-at-new-giga-scale-geothermal-project-site/)
- 2025-10-28 breakthrough: Mazama builds hottest enhanced geothermal system at 629 F (https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/10/28/3175515/0/en/Mazama-Energy-Unveils-the-World-s-Hottest-Enhanced-Geothermal-System-Paving-the-Way-for-Affordable-Clean-Power-on-a-Global-Scale.html)
- 2025-09-30 milestone: XGS runs water-independent geothermal system for 3,000 hours (https://www.xgsenergy.com/xgs-energy-announces-3000-hour-operations-milestone-for-water-independent-geothermal-system/)
- 2025-06-12 deal: XGS Energy and Meta partner on 150 MW of geothermal (https://www.xgsenergy.com/xgs-energy-and-meta-to-partner-on-150-mw-advanced-geothermal-project/)
- Round 2026-09-17: Mazama Energy Series B $135M (https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/09/17/3364060/0/en/mazama-energy-raises-135-million-to-scale-the-world-s-hottest-engineered-geothermal-system.html)
- Round 2026-08-27: Quaise Energy Series B $180M (https://www.quaise.com/news/quaise-energy-closes-180-million-series-b-with-35-million-investment-by-nabors-industries)
- Round 2026-05-12: Fervo Energy IPO $1.9B (https://fervoenergy.com/fervo-energy-announces-pricing-of-its-upsized-initial-public-offering/)
- Round 2026-03-19: Fervo Energy Project debt financing $421M (https://fervoenergy.com/fervo-energy-secures-421-million-in-non-recourse-project-financing-for-cape-station/)
- Round 2025-12-10: Fervo Energy Series E $462M (https://fervoenergy.com/fervo-energy-raises-462-million-series-e-to-accelerate-geothermal-development-and-meet-surging-energy-demand-with-clean-firm-power/)

## Advanced materials
https://emerging.fru.dev/tech/advanced-materials | Early commercial (2026-06-10: Paragraf says it mass produces graphene-based electronic devices using standard semiconductor processes. https://www.paragraf.com/)
Definition: New materials engineered at the atomic scale, like one-atom-thick sheets or sponge-like crystals, with properties ordinary materials lack.
Momentum 38/100 | papers last 3 months 4052 | paper growth 41.6% | funding 12 months $860M (3 rounds) | events 90 days 2
Companies: Albert Invent, Altrove, Atoco, Black Semiconductor, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, CuspAI, Google DeepMind, Graphenea, Lumotive, Meta, Metalenz, Microsoft, Neurophos, Nuada, Orbital Industries, Paragraf, Periodic Labs, Radical AI, Svante, VEIR
- 2026-09-15 announcement: Europe’s first HTS factory planned (unverified) (https://www.neimagazine.com/news/germany-plans-europes-first-hts-factory/#new_tab?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=europes-first-hts-factory-planned)
- 2026-07-20 funding: CuspAI raises $450M at a $2.6B valuation and launches AI Materials Foundry (https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jul/20/jeff-bezos-uk-government-invest-in-2bn-british-startup-cuspai)
- 2026-01-22 funding: Neurophos raises $110M to build metamaterial optical AI processors (https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/22/from-invisibility-cloaks-to-ai-chips-neurophos-raises-110m-to-build-tiny-optical-processors-for-inferencing/)
- 2025-11-24 policy: US launches the Genesis Mission to use AI for science (https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/11/launching-the-genesis-mission/)
- 2025-11-12 announcement: VEIR targets data centers with megawatt-class superconducting power lines (https://techcrunch.com/2025/11/12/microsoft-backed-veir-targets-data-centers-for-its-megawatt-class-superconductors/)
- 2025-10-29 breakthrough: Metal and MXene thin films show strong electromagnetic shielding (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09699-0)
- 2025-10-08 milestone: Nobel Prize in Chemistry goes to the creators of metal-organic frameworks (https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/2025/press-release/)
- 2025-09-30 funding: Periodic Labs launches with a $300M seed to automate materials science (https://techcrunch.com/2025/09/30/former-openai-and-deepmind-researchers-raise-whopping-300m-seed-to-automate-science/)
- 2025-04-02 breakthrough: Fudan builds a RISC-V processor from 2D semiconductor transistors (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08759-9)
- 2025-03-20 breakthrough: Bulk nickelate superconductivity near 40 K at ambient pressure reported (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08893-4)
- 2025-03-12 breakthrough: Chinese Academy of Sciences team makes 2D metals at angstrom thickness (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08711-x)
- 2025-02-20 funding: Lumotive raises $45M Series B for light-control metasurfaces (https://optics.org/news/16/2/25)
- 2025-02-19 announcement: Microsoft unveils Majorana 1 chip built on a topoconductor material (https://news.microsoft.com/source/features/innovation/microsofts-majorana-1-chip-carves-new-path-for-quantum-computing/)
- 2025-01-16 breakthrough: Microsoft publishes MatterGen, a generative model for new materials, in Nature (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08628-5)
- 2024-12-19 breakthrough: Stanford and SLAC report ambient-pressure superconductivity in nickelate films (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08525-3)
- 2024-10-16 milestone: Meta releases the OMat24 open materials dataset and models (https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.12771)
- 2024-06-18 funding: CuspAI raises $30M seed for a generative AI materials search engine (https://techcrunch.com/2024/06/18/cuspai-raises-30m-to-create-a-gen-ai-driven-search-engine-for-new-materials/)
- 2024-06-12 funding: Black Semiconductor raises EUR 254.4M for graphene chip interconnects (https://techcrunch.com/2024/06/12/germanys-black-semiconductor-raises-273m-for-graphene-based-chip-tech/)
- 2024-01-03 breakthrough: Researchers make a semiconducting form of graphene on silicon carbide (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06811-0)
- Round 2026-07-20: CuspAI Unspecified $450M (https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jul/20/jeff-bezos-uk-government-invest-in-2bn-british-startup-cuspai)
- Round 2026-01-22: Neurophos Series A $110M (https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/22/from-invisibility-cloaks-to-ai-chips-neurophos-raises-110m-to-build-tiny-optical-processors-for-inferencing/)
- Round 2025-09-30: Periodic Labs Seed $300M (https://techcrunch.com/2025/09/30/former-openai-and-deepmind-researchers-raise-whopping-300m-seed-to-automate-science/)
- Round 2025-02-20: Lumotive Series B $45M (https://optics.org/news/16/2/25)
- Round 2024-12-11: Albert Invent Series A $23M (https://techcrunch.com/2024/12/11/albert-invent-hopes-to-revolutionize-the-chemicals-sector-with-its-ai-platform/)
- Round 2024-06-18: CuspAI Seed $30M (https://techcrunch.com/2024/06/18/cuspai-raises-30m-to-create-a-gen-ai-driven-search-engine-for-new-materials/)
- Round 2024-06-12: Black Semiconductor Private and public funding $273M (https://techcrunch.com/2024/06/12/germanys-black-semiconductor-raises-273m-for-graphene-based-chip-tech/)

## Advanced nuclear
https://emerging.fru.dev/tech/advanced-nuclear | Pilot (2026-07-25: Four advanced test reactors reached criticality by July 4, 2026, and TerraPower began building Kemmerer Unit 1 under an NRC permit. https://www.energy.gov/articles/fact-sheet-golden-era-american-nuclear-energy-has-arrived)
Definition: New fission reactor designs, smaller or using new coolants and fuels, meant to be cheaper, safer and faster to build.
Momentum 65/100 | papers last 3 months 370 | paper growth -19.4% | funding 12 months $5.2B (5 rounds) | events 90 days 13
Companies: Aalo Atomics, Antares Nuclear, Centrica, Crusoe, Deep Fission, Deployable Energy, GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy, Holtec International, Kairos Power, Last Energy, Meta, NANO Nuclear Energy, Natura Resources, NuScale Power, Oklo, Samsung C&T, TerraPower, Valar Atomics, Westinghouse, X-energy
- 2026-09-24 milestone: TRISO-X completes vertical construction of TX-1 fuel plant (https://x-energy.com/news/triso-x-completes-vertical-construction-of-tx-1-fuel-fabrication-facility/)
- 2026-09-22 announcement: Department of Energy Provides Rare Salt Material to Natura Resources (unverified) (https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/department-energy-provides-rare-salt-material-natura-resources)
- 2026-09-21 deal: Samsung C&T to invest up to $100 million in Kairos Power (https://kairospower.com/updates/kairos-power-and-samsung-c-t-agree-to-pursue-strategic-investment-and-collaboration-for-kp-fhr-deployment)
- 2026-09-16 breakthrough: Westinghouse eVinci Microreactor Achieves Criticality Milestone (unverified) (https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/westinghouse-evinci-microreactor-achieves-criticality-milestone)
- 2026-09-15 policy: UK directs regulators to review X-energy's Xe-100 (https://x-energy.com/news/centrica-x-energy-advance-nuclear-plans-as-uk-regulators-to-begin-design-review-for-xe-100/)
- 2026-09-11 deal: Oklo filed an 8-K: entered a material agreement (unverified) (https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1849056/000110465926106897/tm2625056d1_8k.htm)
- 2026-09-10 milestone: Deep Fission installs and retrieves full-scale reactor canister (https://www.deepfission.com/newsroom/press-releases/detail/118/deep-fission-installs-and-retrieves-full-scale-reactor-canister-using-off-the-shelf-drilling-equipment)
- 2026-09-09 announcement: More than a Decade of Data to Ensure a Lifetime of Reactor Safety (unverified) (https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/more-decade-data-ensure-lifetime-reactor-safety)
- 2026-08-06 milestone: Oklo's Groves test reactor reaches first criticality (https://oklo.com/newsroom/oklos-groves-reactor-achieves-first-criticality-in-under-a-year)
- 2026-07-30 deal: Crusoe and Aalo partner on a nuclear-powered AI data center (https://www.aalo.com/post/crusoe-and-aalo-atomics-form-strategic-partnership)
- 2026-07-23 policy: DOE authorizes startup of Oklo's Groves reactor (https://oklo.com/newsroom/oklo-receives-u-s-department-of-energy-startup-authorization-for-groves-reactor-clearing-way-for)
- 2026-07-16 milestone: Kairos completes KP-BISON fuel code validation (https://kairospower.com/updates/kairos-power-completes-key-fuel-performance-milestone-for-future-reactor-licensing)
- 2026-07-04 milestone: Aalo-X reaches criticality, the fourth pilot reactor (https://www.aalo.com/post/aalo-achieves-first-criticality)
- 2026-06-18 milestone: Valar Atomics Ward 250 reaches criticality in Utah (https://www.energy.gov/articles/fact-sheet-golden-era-american-nuclear-energy-has-arrived)
- 2026-06-04 breakthrough: Antares Mark-0 is first pilot program reactor to reach criticality (https://www.antaresindustries.com/updates/antares-achieves-criticality)
- 2026-06-02 milestone: X-energy submits Xe-100 for UK Generic Design Assessment (https://x-energy.com/news/x-energy-submits-xe-100-htgr-for-uk-generic-design-assessment/)
- 2026-05-28 policy: DOE approves Last Energy PWR-5 preliminary safety analysis (https://www.lastenergy.com/news-press/last-energy-receives-doe-approval-of-pwr-5-preliminary-documented-safety-analysis)
- 2026-05-20 policy: NRC accepts KRONOS microreactor construction permit application (https://nanonuclearenergy.com/nano-nuclears-kronos-mmr-and-the-university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign-advance-to-next-regulatory-milestone-as-u-s-nrc-formally-accepts-construction-permit-application-for-review/)
- 2026-04-24 milestone: X-energy begins trading on Nasdaq (https://x-energy.com/news/x-energy-reports-first-quarter-2026-results/)
- 2026-04-23 milestone: TerraPower starts nuclear construction at Kemmerer, Wyoming (https://www.terrapower.com/TerraPower-Commences-Construction-on-Americas-First-Utility-Scale-Advanced-Nuclear-Power-Plant)
- 2026-03-04 policy: NRC approves construction permit for Natrium Kemmerer Unit 1 (https://www.terrapower.com/NRC-Approves-Natrium-Reactor-Construction-Permit)
- 2026-01-09 deal: Meta agrees to support up to eight TerraPower Natrium plants (https://www.terrapower.com/terrapower-announces-deal-with-meta)
- Round 2026-09-17: Crusoe Undisclosed $3.9B (https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/17/crusoe-raises-3-9b-to-build-massive-data-centers-and-small-modular-ai-factories/)
- Round 2026-06-22: Deep Fission Public offering $40M (https://www.deepfission.com/newsroom/press-releases/detail/111/advanced-nuclear-company-deep-fission-announces-closing-of-public-offering-of-common-stock)
- Round 2026-04-24: X-energy IPO $1.1B (https://x-energy.com/news/x-energy-reports-first-quarter-2026-results/)
- Round 2025-12-16: Last Energy Series C $100M (https://www.lastenergy.com/news-press/last-energy-announces-oversubscribed-100-million-series-c)
- Round 2025-12-02: Antares Nuclear Series B $96M (https://www.antaresindustries.com/updates/a-letter-from-our-ceo-antares-96m-series-b)
- Round 2025-06-18: TerraPower Venture $650M (https://www.terrapower.com/terrapower-announces-650-million-fundraise)

## Advanced semiconductors
https://emerging.fru.dev/tech/advanced-semiconductors | Early commercial (2026-01-05: Intel launched Core Ultra Series 3, the first compute platform built on Intel 18A with gate-all-around transistors and backside power. https://www.intc.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1757/ces-2026-intel-core-ultra-series-3-debuts-as-first-built)
Definition: Making chips with ever smaller transistors, new transistor shapes and power wiring, and stacking many chips into one package.
Momentum 55/100 | papers last 3 months 1130 | paper growth -27.4% | funding 12 months $22.8B (5 rounds) | events 90 days 6
Companies: Amkor Technology, Applied Materials, ASE Technology Holding, ASML, Baya Systems, Besi, BrainChip, Chipletz, Eliyan, IBM, Innatera, Intel, Lam Research, Rapidus, Samsung Electronics, Silicon Box, SK hynix, SynSense, Tenstorrent, Tokyo Electron, TSMC, UCIe Consortium
- 2026-09-17 funding: NSF invests in translating low-dimensional semiconductor technologies to establish U.S. leadership in microelectronics (unverified) (https://www.nsf.gov/news/nsf-invests-translating-low-dimensional-semiconductor)
- 2026-09-08 deal: Samsung and ASML expand High-NA EUV collaboration (https://www.asml.com/en/news/press-releases/2026/samsung-electronics-and-asml-expand-collaboration-on-next-generation-semiconductor-manufacturing)
- 2026-09-08 announcement: ASML and TSMC plan shift to 12-inch photomasks for High-NA EUV (https://pr.tsmc.com/english/news/3338)
- 2026-09-08 milestone: Intel Foundry reports over one million wafers on High-NA EUV (https://www.intc.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1781/intel-foundry-and-asml-collaborate-to-accelerate-industry)
- 2026-08-05 milestone: Silicon Box ships 500 million units from panel-level packaging (https://www.silicon-box.com/silicon-box-ships-500m-units-at-high-yield-expands-production-capacity-for-panel-level-packaging)
- 2026-07-29 funding: Eliyan reaches $1 billion valuation with $145M Series C (https://eliyan.com/news/eliyan-achieves-unicorn-status-with-145-million-series-c/)
- 2026-06-16 milestone: Intel 18A-P enters risk production (https://www.intc.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1772/intel-foundry-details-process-milestones-and-future)
- 2026-06-05 funding: Rapidus completes 150 billion yen round from Japan government (https://www.rapidus.inc/en/news_topics/information/20260605-2/)
- 2026-04-11 milestone: Rapidus opens Analysis Center and Rapidus Chiplet Solutions (https://www.rapidus.inc/en/news_topics/information/rapidus-opens-analysis-center-and-rapidus-chiplet-solutions/)
- 2026-02-27 funding: Rapidus raises 267.6 billion yen from Japan government and companies (https://www.rapidus.inc/en/news_topics/information/rapidus-secures-267-6-billion-yen-in-funding-from-japan-government-and-private-sector-companies/)
- 2026-01-28 funding: Eliyan secures $50M in strategic investments (https://eliyan.com/press-release/eliyan-secures-50-million-in-strategic-investments/)
- 2026-01-05 product: Intel Core Ultra Series 3 ships as first Intel 18A platform (https://www.intc.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1757/ces-2026-intel-core-ultra-series-3-debuts-as-first-built)
- 2025-10-22 announcement: Tenstorrent launches Open Chiplet Atlas ecosystem (https://tenstorrent.com/newsroom/tenstorrent-announces-open-chiplet-atlas-ecosystem)
- 2025-10-09 product: Intel unveils Panther Lake, first client chip on Intel 18A (https://www.intc.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1752/intel-unveils-panther-lake-architecture-first-ai-pc)
- 2025-09-18 deal: NVIDIA to invest $5 billion in Intel and co-develop chips (https://www.intc.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1750/nvidia-and-intel-to-develop-ai-infrastructure-and-personal)
- 2025-09-12 milestone: SK hynix completes HBM4 development (https://news.skhynix.com/sk-hynix-completes-worlds-first-hbm4-development-and-readies-mass-production/)
- 2025-08-22 policy: US government to take $8.9 billion equity stake in Intel (https://www.intc.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1748/intel-and-trump-administration-reach-historic-agreement-to)
- 2025-08-18 deal: SoftBank agrees to invest $2 billion in Intel (https://www.intc.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1746/softbank-group-and-intel-corporation-sign-2b-investment)
- 2025-07-18 milestone: Rapidus starts prototyping 2nm gate-all-around transistors (https://www.rapidus.inc/en/news_topics/information/rapidus-achieves-significant-milestone-at-its-state-of-the-art-foundry-with-prototyping-of-leading-edge-2nm-gaa-transistors/)
- 2025-05-21 product: Innatera launches Pulsar neuromorphic microcontroller (https://www.innatera.com/newsroom/innatera-unveils-pulsar-the-worlds-first-mass-market-neuromorphic-microcontroller-for-the-sensor-edge/)
- 2025-04-29 announcement: Intel Foundry outlines process and packaging roadmap at Direct Connect (https://www.intc.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1739/intel-foundry-gathers-customers-and-partners-outlines)
- 2025-04-24 announcement: TSMC unveils A14 process for 2028 production (https://pr.tsmc.com/english/news/3228)
- 2025-04-14 deal: Applied Materials buys 9% of Besi (https://www.besi.com/investor-relations/press-releases/details/be-semiconductor-industries-nv-announces-that-it-has-taken-note-of-the-press-release-from-applied-materials-inc-of-april-14-2025/)
- 2024-12-02 funding: Tenstorrent closes $693M Series D (https://tenstorrent.com/newsroom/tenstorrent-closes-693m-of-series-d-funding-led-by-samsung-securities-and-afw-partners)
- 2024-11-26 policy: US finalizes up to $7.86 billion CHIPS Act award to Intel (https://www.intc.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1718/intel-and-biden-harris-administration-finalize-7-86)
- Round 2026-08-11: Intel Public offering $20.0B (https://www.intc.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1779/intel-announces-upsize-and-pricing-of-20-billion-common)
- Round 2026-07-29: Eliyan Series C $145M (https://eliyan.com/news/eliyan-achieves-unicorn-status-with-145-million-series-c/)
- Round 2026-06-08: Silicon Box Debt financing (https://www.silicon-box.com/silicon-box-secures-sgd-100m-financing-to-accelerate-growth-in-advanced-packaging)
- Round 2026-06-05: Rapidus Government funding $943M (https://www.rapidus.inc/en/news_topics/information/20260605-2/)
- Round 2026-02-27: Rapidus Government and corporate funding $1.7B (https://www.rapidus.inc/en/news_topics/information/rapidus-secures-267-6-billion-yen-in-funding-from-japan-government-and-private-sector-companies/)
- Round 2025-01-23: Baya Systems Series B $36M (https://bayasystems.com/press-releases/baya-systems-raises-36m-propel-ai-chiplet-innovation/)
- Round 2024-12-02: Tenstorrent Series D $693M (https://tenstorrent.com/newsroom/tenstorrent-closes-693m-of-series-d-funding-led-by-samsung-securities-and-afw-partners)
- Round 2024-03-26: Innatera Series A (https://www.innatera.com/newsroom/innatera-raises-e15m-for-neuromorphic-edge-ai/)
- Round 2024-01-08: Silicon Box Series B $200M (https://www.silicon-box.com/production-commencement-series-b)

## Brain-computer interfaces
https://emerging.fru.dev/tech/brain-computer-interfaces | Early commercial (2026-07-22: Science Corp. launched PRIMA commercially in Europe after a CE mark, the first BCI cleared there for form vision restoration. https://science.xyz/news/ce-mark)
Definition: Devices that read or stimulate brain signals so a person can control a computer, speak or see without using muscles.
Momentum 24/100 | papers last 3 months 994 | paper growth -12% | funding 12 months $743M (5 rounds) | events 90 days 3
Companies: Apple, Arbor Neuroscience, Axoft, Blackrock Neurotech, Cognixion, CorTec, Kernel, Medtronic, Merge Labs, Meta, Motif Neurotech, Neuralink, Neurosoft Bioelectronics, NeuroXess, Paradromics, Precision Neuroscience, Science Corporation, StairMed, Synchron
- 2026-08-31 announcement: CorTec gets second FDA breakthrough designation (https://cortec-neuro.com/news/cortec-receives-second-fda-breakthrough-device-designation-for-brain-interchange)
- 2026-07-27 policy: NeuroXess BCI enters China's innovative device review track (https://www.neuroxess.com/news/)
- 2026-07-22 product: PRIMA launches commercially in Europe with a CE mark (https://science.xyz/news/ce-mark)
- 2026-06-17 milestone: Paradromics performs first implant in Connect-One trial (https://paradromics.com/news/paradromics-completes-first-human-brain-computer-interface-bci-implantation/)
- 2026-04-28 policy: FDA clears Motif's depression BCI for a first clinical trial (https://news.rice.edu/news/2026/brain-computer-interface-based-rice-research-wins-fda-approval-first-clinical-trial)
- 2026-01-28 milestone: Neuralink reports 21 trial participants (https://neuralink.com/updates/two-years-of-telepathy/)
- 2026-01-15 announcement: Merge Labs launches (https://merge.io/blog)
- 2026-01-12 deal: Precision and Medtronic partner on BCI integration (https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/1/12/3217312/0/en/Precision-Neuroscience-and-Medtronic-Partner-to-Integrate-Layer-7-Brain-Computer-Interface-with-Medtronic-Neurosurgical-Platform.html)
- 2025-11-20 policy: FDA approves Paradromics Connect-One study (https://paradromics.com/news/paradromics-receives-fda-approval-for-the-connect-one-clinical-study-with-the-connexus-brain-computer-interface/)
- 2025-11-05 policy: UNESCO adopts first global standard on neurotechnology ethics (https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/ethics-neurotechnology-unesco-adopts-first-global-standard-cutting-edge-technology)
- 2025-10-20 breakthrough: NEJM reports PRIMA restores central vision in macular degeneration (https://science.xyz/news/new-england-journal-of-medicine-prima)
- 2025-10-02 breakthrough: Precision shows high-bandwidth BCI without open surgery (https://www.precisionneuro.io/articles/company-news/precision-neuroscience-reports-first-high-bandwidth-brain-computer-interface-achieved-without-open-surgery)
- 2025-08-14 breakthrough: Inner speech decoded from motor cortex (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2025.06.015)
- 2025-07-31 announcement: Neuralink launches GB-PRIME study in Great Britain (https://neuralink.com/updates/gb-prime-study-launch/)
- 2025-07-23 breakthrough: Meta publishes a generic wrist EMG interface (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09255-w)
- 2025-06-12 breakthrough: Instantaneous voice synthesis from brain signals (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09127-3)
- 2025-06-02 milestone: Paradromics completes first-in-human recording with Connexus (https://paradromics.com/news/paradromics-completes-first-in-human-recording-with-the-connexus-brain-computer-interface/)
- 2025-05-13 product: Apple adds a BCI protocol to iOS, iPadOS and visionOS (https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/05/apple-unveils-powerful-accessibility-features-coming-later-this-year/)
- 2025-05-01 announcement: Neuralink speech restoration gets FDA breakthrough designation (https://neuralink.com/updates/neuralink-receives-breakthrough-device-designation-for-speech/)
- 2025-04-17 product: Precision gets FDA 510(k) clearance for Layer 7 array (https://www.precisionneuro.io/articles/company-news/precision-neuroscience-receives-fda-clearance-for-high-resolution-cortical-electrode-array)
- 2025-03-31 breakthrough: Streaming brain-to-voice neuroprosthesis (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-025-01905-6)
- 2024-11-24 announcement: Neuralink launches CONVOY robotic arm study (https://neuralink.com/updates/convoy-study-launch/)
- 2024-11-20 policy: Health Canada approves Neuralink's CAN-PRIME trial (https://neuralink.com/updates/can-prime-study-launch/)
- 2024-10-21 milestone: PRIMA pivotal trial shows preliminary vision gains (https://science.xyz/news/primavera-trial-preliminary-results)
- 2024-09-30 milestone: Synchron reports positive results from its US COMMAND study (https://synchron.com/news)
- Round 2026-09-24: Precision Neuroscience Series D $250M (https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/09/24/3368254/0/en/precision-neuroscience-closes-oversubscribed-250m-series-d-led-by-pershing-square-inc-the-ackman-oxman-institute-and-a-leading-life-sciences-investment-fund.html)
- Round 2026-05-20: Neurosoft Bioelectronics Seed $8M (https://tech.eu/2026/05/20/neurosoft-bioelectronics-raises-75m-for-scalable-brain-computer-interfaces/)
- Round 2026-04-29: Axoft Series A $55M (https://axoft.us/news)
- Round 2026-03-05: Science Corporation Series C $230M (https://science.xyz/news/series-c)
- Round 2025-11-06: Synchron Series D $200M (https://synchron.com/news)
- Round 2025-06-02: Neuralink Series E $650M (https://neuralink.com/updates/neuralink-raises-650m-series-e/)
- Round 2025-02-12: Paradromics Strategic investment (https://paradromics.com/news/neom-investment-fund-partners-with-paradromics-to-drive-innovation-in-neurotechnology-healthcare/)

## Fusion energy
https://emerging.fru.dev/tech/fusion-energy | Prototype (2026-06-20: No machine has made net electricity yet; NIF has repeated ignition, with a record 8.6 MJ yield and target gain of 4.13 in 2025. https://lasers.llnl.gov/science/achieving-fusion-ignition)
Definition: Making power by fusing light atoms like hydrogen isotopes, the process that fuels the sun, with no long-lived waste.
Momentum 73/100 | papers last 3 months 486 | paper growth 47.2% | funding 12 months $2.3B (6 rounds) | events 90 days 11
Companies: Avalanche Energy, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, First Light Fusion, Focused Energy, General Fusion, Google, Helion, Hyundai Motor Group, Kyoto Fusioneering, Marvel Fusion, Pacific Fusion, Proxima Fusion, Realta Fusion, RWE, TAE Technologies, Thea Energy, Tokamak Energy, Trump Media and Technology Group, Type One Energy, Xcimer Energy, Zap Energy
- 2026-09-22 breakthrough: First Light Fusion M3 experiments show target-led fuel compression (https://firstlightfusion.com/media/first-light-fusion-achieves-major-step-forward-for-flare-proving-key-low-cost-fusion-principle/)
- 2026-09-10 policy: FIA Gives Evidence to UK Parliament on National Policy Statement for Fusion Energy Generation (unverified) (https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fia-gives-evidence-to-uk-parliament-on-national-policy-statement-for-fusion-energy-generation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fia-gives-evidence-to-uk-parliament-on-national-policy-statement-for-fusion-energy-generation)
- 2026-09-09 milestone: Tokamak Energy completes Demo4 magnet campaign (https://tokamakenergy.com/2026/09/09/tokamak-energy-completes-world-leading-fusion-magnet-campaign-validating-technology-for-commercial-hts-systems/)
- 2026-09-09 deal: Proxima and Lower Saxony plan HTS tape factory (https://www.proximafusion.com/press-news/lower-saxony-sign-mou-first-large-scale-fusion-grade-hts-tape-facility)
- 2026-08-31 policy: Tennessee issues first license for a commercial fusion machine (https://typeoneenergy.com/insights-announcements/first-license-for-commercial-fusion/)
- 2026-08-25 milestone: Pacific Fusion breaks ground in New Mexico (https://www.pacificfusion.com/resources/pacific-fusion-breaks-ground-on-first-of-a-kind-fusion-facility-in-new-mexico)
- 2026-08-06 milestone: TAE completes key designs for Da Vinci power plant (https://tae.com/august-6-2026/)
- 2026-07-29 policy: Germany funds a Laser Fusion Hub led by Marvel and Focused (https://marvelfusion.com/newsroom/german-federal-government-backs-laser-fusion)
- 2026-07-28 milestone: ITER lands its sixth tokamak sector module (https://www.iter.org/node/20687/millions-data-points-one-successful-lift)
- 2026-07-16 milestone: LLNL pulsed power prototype for Pacific Fusion passes 3,000 shots (https://www.pacificfusion.com/resources/lawrence-livermore-pacific-fusion-collaboration-breaks-new-record-to-advance-america-s-high-gain-fusion-capability)
- 2026-07-13 milestone: General Fusion lists on Nasdaq as GFUZ (https://generalfusion.com/post/general-fusion-becomes-first-publicly-listed-fusion-company/)
- 2026-06-22 milestone: General Fusion shows compressional plasma heating on LM26 (https://generalfusion.com/post/general-fusion-achieves-compressional-plasma-heating-with-lm26-magnetized-target-fusion-machine/)
- 2026-06-16 policy: Helion receives first licenses for a fusion power plant (https://www.helionenergy.com/newsroom/helion-clears-key-regulatory-milestone-on-the-path-to-building-and-operating-the-worlds-first-fusion-power-plant)
- 2026-06-10 milestone: DOE approves Xcimer's Athena preconceptual design (https://xcimer.energy/news/u-s-department-of-energy-approves-xcimers-fusion-power-plant-preconceptual-design-and-technology-roadmap-milestone/)
- 2026-05-13 milestone: Thea Energy operates full-scale planar shaping coils (https://thea.energy/press-release/thea-energy-announces-successful-operation-of-full-scale-planar-shaping-coils/)
- 2026-04-28 milestone: CFS applies to connect ARC to the PJM grid (https://cfs.energy/news-and-media/commonwealth-fusion-systems-becomes-first-fusion-company-to-apply-to-pjm-interconnection-the-largest-u.s.-wholesale-electricity-market)
- 2026-04-14 deal: Tokamak Energy wins 70 million pound STEP magnet contract (https://tokamakenergy.com/2026/04/14/tokamak-energy-named-magnet-systems-partner-for-step-fusion-programme/)
- 2026-04-02 deal: Realta Fusion and CFS form magnetic mirror partnership (https://cfs.energy/news-and-media/realta-fusion-and-commonwealth-fusion-systems-form-strategic-partnership-to-commercialize-magnetic-mirror-fusion-energy/)
- 2026-03-16 policy: UK launches fusion strategy with over 2.5 billion pounds (https://tokamakenergy.com/2026/03/16/lord-vallance-launches-new-uk-fusion-strategy-at-tokamak-energy/)
- 2026-02-13 breakthrough: Helion Polaris shows measurable D-T fusion at 150 million degrees (https://www.helionenergy.com/newsroom/helion-achieves-new-fusion-energy-milestones)
- 2026-01-06 announcement: CFS builds SPARC digital twin with Siemens and NVIDIA (https://cfs.energy/news-and-media/commonwealth-fusion-systems-accelerates-commercial-fusion-with-siemens-and-nvidia-leveraging-ai-powered-digital-twins/)
- 2025-12-18 deal: Trump Media agrees to merge with TAE Technologies (https://tae.com/trump-media-and-technology-group-to-merge-with-tae-technologies/)
- 2025-10-15 policy: Chelan County grants Helion a use permit for Orion (https://www.helionenergy.com/newsroom/helion-receives-approvals-for-next-phase-of-construction-of-worlds-first-commercial-fusion-power-plant)
- 2025-09-30 milestone: DOE validates CFS toroidal field magnet test (https://cfs.energy/news-and-media/us-department-of-energy-validates-commonwealth-fusion-systems-completion-of-magnet-tech/)
- 2025-07-30 milestone: Helion begins site work on Orion fusion plant (https://www.helionenergy.com/newsroom/helion-secures-land-and-begins-building-site-of-worlds-first-fusion-power-plant)
- Round 2026-07-30: Commonwealth Fusion Systems Equity financing $1.0B (https://cfs.energy/news-and-media/commonwealth-fusion-systems-raises-another-1-billion-bringing-total-capital-raised-to-4-billion/)
- Round 2026-07-07: Proxima Fusion Venture $468M (https://www.proximafusion.com/press-news/proxima-fusion-raises-eu411-million-to-build-europes-commercial-fusion-champion)
- Round 2026-06-04: Helion Series G $465M (https://www.helionenergy.com/newsroom/helion-raises-465-million-series-g-funding-round-to-meet-surging-global-demand-for-power)
- Round 2026-05-27: Thea Energy Series B $100M (https://thea.energy/press-release/thea-energy-raises-100-million-series-b-funding-to-build-scalable-fusion-power-plants/)
- Round 2026-05-27: Focused Energy Series A $240M (https://focused-energy.co/news-release/focused-energy-sets-a-new-benchmark-240-million-for-the-largest-series-a-financing-in-the-global-fusion-industry)
- Round 2026-02-03: Avalanche Energy Venture $29M (https://avalanche.energy/news-release/avalanche-energy-raises-29-million-following-plasma-physics-breakthroughs)
- Round 2025-06-11: Proxima Fusion Series A $150M (https://www.proximafusion.com/press-news/proxima-fusion-raises-eu130m-series-a-to-build-worlds-first-stellarator-based-fusion-power-plant-in-the-2030s)
- Round 2025-03-27: Marvel Fusion Series B extension (https://marvelfusion.com/newsroom/marvel-fusion-extends-series-b-to-eur-113m-with-commitments-from-eqt-ventures-siemens-energy-and-european-innovation-council-eic-fund)
- Round 2025-01-28: Helion Series F $425M (https://www.helionenergy.com/newsroom/helion-announces-425m-series-f-investment-to-scale-commercialized-fusion-power)

## Humanoid robots
https://emerging.fru.dev/tech/humanoid-robots | Early commercial (2026-06-24: Agility Robotics reported more than $300 million of multi-year contracted Digit orders when it announced its move to go public. https://www.agilityrobotics.com/content/agility-robotics-to-go-public-through-merger-with-churchill-capital-corp-xi)
Definition: Robots shaped like people, run by AI models that let one machine learn many physical tasks instead of one.
Momentum 52/100 | papers last 3 months 707 | paper growth 30.2% | funding 12 months $4.7B (7 rounds) | events 90 days 2
Companies: 1X Technologies, AgiBot, Agility Robotics, Apptronik, Boston Dynamics, Figure AI, Fourier, Galbot, Google DeepMind, Hyundai Motor Group, Neura Robotics, NVIDIA, Physical Intelligence, Skild AI, Tesla, UBTech Robotics, Unitree Robotics
- 2026-09-15 product: Agility unveils Digit 5, built for safe work near people (https://www.agilityrobotics.com/content/agility-unveils-digit-5-humanoid-robot-built-for-cooperatively-safe-work-at-scale)
- 2026-08-19 milestone: Unitree lists on the Shanghai STAR Market (https://law.asia/unitree-star-market-debut/)
- 2026-06-24 deal: Agility Robotics agrees to go public via merger with Churchill Capital Corp XI (https://www.agilityrobotics.com/content/agility-robotics-to-go-public-through-merger-with-churchill-capital-corp-xi)
- 2026-04-16 breakthrough: Physical Intelligence shows pi0.7, which does tasks it was never taught (https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/16/physical-intelligence-a-hot-robotics-startup-says-its-new-robot-brain-can-figure-out-tasks-it-was-never-taught/)
- 2026-03-31 milestone: Unitree files for a Shanghai STAR Market IPO (https://restofworld.org/2026/unitree-china-humanoid-robot-shanghai-ipo/)
- 2026-02-19 deal: Agility signs robots-as-a-service agreement with Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (https://www.agilityrobotics.com/content/agility-robotics-announces-commercial-agreement-with-toyota-motor-manufacturing-canada)
- 2026-01-05 product: Boston Dynamics unveils the product version of Atlas at CES 2026 (https://bostondynamics.com/blog/boston-dynamics-unveils-new-atlas-robot-to-revolutionize-industry/)
- 2025-11-20 milestone: Agility's Digit moves more than 100,000 totes in commercial work (https://www.agilityrobotics.com/content/digit-moves-over-100k-totes)
- 2025-11-19 milestone: Figure 02 robots helped produce 30,000 cars at BMW (https://www.figure.ai/news/production-at-bmw)
- 2025-10-29 product: 1X opens pre-orders for the NEO home humanoid at $20,000 (https://www.engadget.com/ai/1x-neo-is-a-20000-home-robot-that-will-learn-chores-via-teleoperation-040252200.html)
- 2025-10-09 product: Figure introduces Figure 03, its third humanoid (https://www.figure.ai/news/introducing-figure-03)
- 2025-08-25 product: NVIDIA Jetson AGX Thor robot computer becomes available (https://nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/nvidia-blackwell-powered-jetson-thor-now-available-accelerating-the-age-of-general-robotics)
- 2025-06-11 product: NVIDIA releases GR00T N1.5 open humanoid model (https://research.nvidia.com/labs/gear/gr00t-n1_5/)
- 2025-04-22 breakthrough: Physical Intelligence publishes pi0.5 with open-world generalization (https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.16054)
- 2025-03-18 product: NVIDIA releases Isaac GR00T N1, an open humanoid foundation model (https://nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/nvidia-isaac-gr00t-n1-open-humanoid-robot-foundation-model-simulation-frameworks)
- 2025-03-15 milestone: Figure opens BotQ, a factory for humanoid robots (https://www.figure.ai/news/botq)
- 2025-03-12 product: Google DeepMind launches Gemini Robotics models (https://www.theverge.com/news/628021/google-deepmind-gemini-robotics-ai-models)
- 2025-02-20 breakthrough: Figure introduces Helix, a vision-language-action model for humanoids (https://www.figure.ai/news/helix)
- 2024-12-19 deal: Apptronik partners with Google DeepMind on humanoid AI (https://apptronik.com/news-collection/apptronik-partners-with-google-deepmind-robotics)
- 2024-10-31 breakthrough: Physical Intelligence publishes the pi0 general robot policy (https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.24164)
- 2024-10-10 announcement: Tesla shows Optimus humanoids at its We, Robot event (https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/10/24267225/tesla-robotaxi-optimus-we-robot)
- 2024-08-19 product: Unitree shows a production version of its G1 humanoid at $16,000 (https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/19/24223629/unitree-g1-robot-humanoid-price-release)
- 2024-06-27 deal: GXO signs multi-year robots-as-a-service deal for Agility's Digit (https://www.agilityrobotics.com/content/gxo-signs-industry-first-multi-year-agreement-with-agility-robotics)
- 2024-04-17 product: Boston Dynamics retires hydraulic Atlas and unveils an electric Atlas (https://bostondynamics.com/blog/electric-new-era-for-atlas/)
- 2024-03-15 deal: Apptronik signs commercial agreement with Mercedes-Benz (https://apptronik.com/news-collection/apptronik-and-mercedes-benz-enter-commercial-agreement)
- Round 2026-08-24: XPENG Robotics Series A $900M (https://www.xpeng.com/pressroom/news/01a03797fccda01e0de68a02a256006a)
- Round 2026-08-19: Unitree Robotics IPO (Shanghai STAR Market) $906M (https://law.asia/unitree-star-market-debut/)
- Round 2026-07-21: Humanoid Series A $152M (https://www.eu-startups.com/2026/07/new-unicorn-humanoid-secures-e133-million-at-e1-1-billion-valuation-to-scale-industrial-robotics-and-physical-ai/)
- Round 2026-07-14: LimX Dynamics Growth $200M (https://www.caixinglobal.com/2026-07-14/chinese-robotics-startup-raises-200-million-102464155.html)
- Round 2026-06-24: Agility Robotics SPAC merger (announced) $620M (https://www.agilityrobotics.com/content/agility-robotics-to-go-public-through-merger-with-churchill-capital-corp-xi)
- Round 2026-02-11: Apptronik Series A-X extension $520M (https://apptronik.com/news-collection/apptronik-closes-over-935-million-series-a)
- Round 2026-01-14: Skild AI Series C $1.4B (https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/14/robotic-software-maker-skild-ai-hits-14b-valuation/)
- Round 2025-09-16: Figure AI Series C $1.0B (https://www.figure.ai/news/series-c)
- Round 2025-02-13: Apptronik Series A $350M (https://apptronik.com/news-collection/apptronik-raises-350-million-in-series-a-funding)
- Round 2024-02-29: Figure AI Series B $675M (https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/29/robot-startup-figure-valued-at-2point6-billion-by-bezos-amazon-nvidia.html)
- Round 2024-01-11: 1X Technologies Series B $100M (https://techcrunch.com/2024/01/11/openai-backed-1x-raises-another-100m-for-the-race-to-humanoid-robots/)

## Longevity biotech
https://emerging.fru.dev/tech/longevity-biotech | Pilot (2026-06-09: Life Biosciences dosed the first patient with ER-100, a partial epigenetic reprogramming therapy, in a Phase 1 trial. https://www.lifebiosciences.com/life-biosciences-announces-first-patient-dosed-in-phase-1-trial-of-er-100-for-optic-neuropathies/)
Definition: Drugs and therapies that target the biology of aging itself to delay or reverse age-related decline and disease.
Momentum 45/100 | papers last 3 months 902 | paper growth 26.2% | funding 12 months $1.1B (7 rounds) | events 90 days 3
Companies: AbbVie, Altos Labs, BioAge Labs, Calico Life Sciences, Cambrian Bio, clock.health, Eli Lilly, Gordian Biotechnology, Hevolution Foundation, Insilico Medicine, Junevity, Juvenescence, Life Biosciences, Loyal, Mabwell Bioscience, NewLimit, Nexo Therapeutics, Rejuvenate Bio, Retro Biosciences, Rubedo Life Sciences, Shift Bioscience, Unity Biotechnology
- 2026-09-16 milestone: Loyal's large-dog lifespan drug LOY-003 earns FDA RXE (https://loyal.com/posts/loy-003-rxe)
- 2026-09-07 breakthrough: Rentosertib trial data read out on six proteomic aging clocks (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-026-03286-y)
- 2026-08-11 announcement: XPRIZE Healthspan advances 20 finalist teams (https://www.xprize.org/news/10-finalist-teams-awarded-1m-to-advance-in-xprize-healthspan-101-million-race-to-transform-healthy-aging)
- 2026-06-09 milestone: First patient dosed with partial reprogramming therapy ER-100 (https://www.lifebiosciences.com/life-biosciences-announces-first-patient-dosed-in-phase-1-trial-of-er-100-for-optic-neuropathies/)
- 2026-05-21 deal: Calico and Nexo Therapeutics sign small molecule discovery deal (https://www.calicolabs.com/press/calico-and-nexo-enter-into-collaboration-to-discover-and-develop-small-molecule-therapies-for-age-related-diseases/)
- 2026-02-24 funding: ARPA-H funds seven teams under PROSPR (https://arpa-h.gov/news-and-events/research-teams-add-more-healthy-years-americans-lives-they-age)
- 2026-01-28 milestone: FDA clears IND for Life Biosciences' reprogramming therapy ER-100 (https://www.lifebiosciences.com/life-biosciences-announces-fda-clearance-of-ind-application-for-er-100-in-optic-neuropathies/)
- 2026-01-13 milestone: FDA accepts safety section for Loyal's LOY-002 (https://loyal.com/posts/loy-002-tas)
- 2025-12-04 milestone: BioAge reports interim Phase 1 data for NLRP3 inhibitor BGE-102 (https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1709941/000119312525307541/bioa-20251204.htm)
- 2025-11-12 deal: AbbVie ends its decade-long partnership with Calico (https://www.statnews.com/2025/11/12/abbvie-calico-layoffs/)
- 2025-09-18 announcement: Unity Biotechnology stockholders approve dissolution (https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1463361/000119312525209210/d804178d8k.htm)
- 2025-08-14 breakthrough: Altos Labs reports mesenchymal drift reversed by partial reprogramming (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2025.07.031)
- 2025-07-14 milestone: Loyal completes enrollment of the STAY study at 1,300 dogs (https://loyal.com/posts/stay-finishes-enrollment)
- 2025-06-26 deal: Calico licenses Mabwell's IL-11 antibody for age-related disease (https://www.calicolabs.com/press/mabwell-bioscience-and-calico-life-sciences-announce-exclusive-licensing-agreement-for-novel-il-11-targeting-monoclonal-antibody/)
- 2025-06-09 breakthrough: Shift Bioscience reports single-gene target for safer cell rejuvenation (https://shiftbioscience.com/shift-bioscience-identifies-novel-single-gene-target-for-safer-cellular-rejuvenation-therapeutics/)
- 2025-06-03 breakthrough: Nature Medicine publishes Phase 2a trial of AI-discovered drug rentosertib (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-025-03743-2)
- 2025-05-12 announcement: XPRIZE Healthspan names first milestone winners (https://www.xprize.org/news/101m-xprize-healthspan-awards-first-milestone-winners-driving-toward-revolutionary-healthy-aging-advances)
- 2025-05-02 announcement: Unity Biotechnology cuts all staff after ASPIRE data (https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1463361/000095017025063167/ubx-20250502.htm)
- 2025-04-22 breakthrough: Senolytic UBX1325 results for diabetic macular edema published (https://doi.org/10.1056/EVIDoa2400009)
- 2025-04-14 milestone: Loyal's STAY study enrolls 1,000 dogs (https://loyal.com/posts/stay-enrolls-1000-dogs)
- 2025-02-26 milestone: FDA accepts efficacy case for Loyal's senior dog lifespan drug (https://loyal.com/posts/loy-002-receives-rxe-from-the-fda)
- 2025-01-06 milestone: Calico's fosigotifator misses its goal in the HEALEY ALS platform trial (https://www.calicolabs.com/press/calico-statement-on-fosigotifator-in-healey-als-platform-trial/)
- 2024-12-19 policy: ARPA-H launches the PROSPR healthspan program (https://arpa-h.gov/news-and-events/arpa-h-launches-new-program-aimed-extending-healthspan-americans)
- 2024-11-12 milestone: Insilico reports positive Phase 2a results for its AI-designed IPF drug (https://insilico.com/news/tnik-ipf-phase2a)
- 2024-09-26 deal: BioAge Labs prices its Nasdaq IPO (https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1709941/000119312524226927/d835745d424b4.htm)
- Round 2026-06-02: NewLimit Series C $435M (https://blog.newlimit.com/p/newlimit-raises-435m-led-by-founders)
- Round 2026-05-22: Retro Biosciences Initial close (https://www.retro.bio/blog/fundraise-2026)
- Round 2026-04-08: Life Biosciences Series D $80M (https://www.lifebiosciences.com/life-biosciences-secures-80-million-series-d-financing/)
- Round 2026-02-11: Loyal Series C $100M (https://loyal.com/posts/100m-for-first-longevity-drug)
- Round 2026-01-21: BioAge Labs Public offering $115M (https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1709941/000119312526019536/bioa-20260121.htm)
- Round 2025-12-31: Insilico Medicine IPO $293M (https://pharmaphorum.com/news/insilico-ends-2025-293m-hong-kong-ipo)
- Round 2025-10-20: NewLimit Extension $45M (https://blog.newlimit.com/p/newlimit-has-raised-an-additional)
- Round 2025-05-06: NewLimit Series B $130M (https://blog.newlimit.com/p/newlimit-raises-130-million-series)
- Round 2024-10-15: Shift Bioscience Seed $16M (https://shiftbioscience.com/shift-bioscience-raises-16m-to-advance-ai-virtual-cell-platform-for-cell-rejuvenation/)
- Round 2024-09-26: BioAge Labs IPO $198M (https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1709941/000119312524226927/d835745d424b4.htm)
- Round 2024-03-21: Loyal Series B $45M (https://loyal.com/posts/125m-to-extend-dog-lifespan)

## Nanotechnology
https://emerging.fru.dev/tech/nanotechnology | Early commercial (2025-02-14: The EU approved KOSTAIVE, a self-amplifying mRNA vaccine using Arcturus's LUNAR lipid-mediated delivery, in February 2025. https://newsroom.csl.com/2025-02-14-European-Commission-Approves-CSL-and-Arcturus-Therapeutics-KOSTAIVE-R-,-the-First-Self-amplifying-mRNA-COVID-19-Vaccine)
Definition: Engineering matter at the scale of atoms and molecules, from drug-carrying nanoparticles to tiny molecular machines.
Momentum 12/100 | papers last 3 months 957 | paper growth -6.1% | funding 12 months $200M (3 rounds) | events 90 days 0
Companies: AbbVie, Acuitas Therapeutics, Arcturus Therapeutics, Capstan Therapeutics, CSL, CubeFabs, Foresight Institute, Generation Bio, Genevant Sciences, Johnson & Johnson, Nanobiotix, Nanoform, NanoXplore, ReCode Therapeutics, XOMA Royalty, Zyvex Labs
- 2026-05-21 funding: Nanobiotix prices an oversubscribed EUR 85M global offering (https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1760854/000117184326003606/exh_991.htm)
- 2026-03-30 milestone: First randomized Phase 2 data for JNJ-1900 in stage 3 lung cancer (https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1760854/000117184326001999/exh_991.htm)
- 2026-02-25 breakthrough: Lipid nanoparticles engineered to deliver RNA to the pancreas (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00294-5)
- 2026-01-08 deal: Acuitas takes a majority stake in RNA Technologies & Therapeutics (https://acuitastx.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/20260108-Acuitas-RNA-TT-Strategic-Investment-Press-Release-.pdf)
- 2025-12-15 deal: XOMA Royalty agrees to acquire Generation Bio (https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1733294/000110465925121219/gbio-20251215xex99d1.htm)
- 2025-09-29 funding: ReCode Therapeutics closes over $29M to advance inhaled mRNA therapies (https://recodetx.com/recode-therapeutics-announces-over-29-million-in-additional-financing-to-advance-genetic-medicines-pipeline-and-provides-corporat)
- 2025-07-31 breakthrough: A molecular machine directs the synthesis of a catenane (https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adx5363)
- 2025-07-07 policy: European regulators reclassify NBTXR3 from device to medicinal product (https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1760854/000117184325004438/exh_991.htm)
- 2025-06-19 breakthrough: Targeted LNPs generate CAR-T cells inside the body (https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ads8473)
- 2025-05-15 milestone: First patient treated with a personalized base editor delivered by lipid nanoparticles (https://www.chop.edu/news/worlds-first-patient-treated-personalized-crispr-gene-editing-therapy-childrens-hospital)
- 2025-03-17 deal: Nanobiotix amends its NBTXR3 licensing deal with Johnson & Johnson (https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1760854/000117184325001496/exh_991.htm)
- 2025-02-14 product: EU approves KOSTAIVE, the first self-amplifying mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (https://newsroom.csl.com/2025-02-14-European-Commission-Approves-CSL-and-Arcturus-Therapeutics-KOSTAIVE-R-,-the-First-Self-amplifying-mRNA-COVID-19-Vaccine)
- 2025-01-15 breakthrough: Artificial molecular motor turns catalysis into directed motion (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08288-x)
- 2024-12-11 breakthrough: Placenta-targeted mRNA lipid nanoparticles ease pre-eclampsia in mice (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08291-2)
- 2024-05-14 milestone: FDA accepts protocol for Phase 2 NBTXR3 study in stage 3 lung cancer (https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1760854/000117184324002862/exh_991.htm)
- 2024-02-15 breakthrough: DNA coatings act as a clutch for a gold nanomachine (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-00408-x)
- Round 2026-05-21: Nanobiotix Public follow-on offering $100M (https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1760854/000117184326003653/exh_991.htm)
- Round 2025-11-24: Nanobiotix Royalty financing $71M (https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1760854/000117184325007543/exh_991.htm)
- Round 2025-09-29: ReCode Therapeutics Additional financing $29M (https://recodetx.com/recode-therapeutics-announces-over-29-million-in-additional-financing-to-advance-genetic-medicines-pipeline-and-provides-corporat)

## Next-gen batteries
https://emerging.fru.dev/tech/solid-state-batteries | Pilot (2026-06-11: Stellantis began road testing a development vehicle with Factorial solid-state cells, the first such integration in North America. https://factorialenergy.com/press-releases/stellantis-and-factorial-integrate-advanced-solid-state-battery-into-stellantis-development-vehicle-and-launch-road-testing/)
Definition: New battery chemistries, like solid electrolytes, sodium or iron-air, that store more energy, cost less or last for days.
Momentum 74/100 | papers last 3 months 2240 | paper growth 49.4% | funding 12 months $5.0B (5 rounds) | events 90 days 5
Companies: Alsym Energy, Amprius Technologies, Basquevolt, Crusoe, Darfon Energy Tech, ESS Tech, Factorial Energy, Form Energy, General Motors, Honda, Ilika, ION Storage Systems, Jupiter Power, Mitsui Kinzoku, Peak Energy, ProLogium, QuantumScape, RWE, SES AI, Sion Power, Stellantis
- 2026-09-21 funding: Form Energy closes $270 million credit facility (https://formenergy.com/form-energy-announces-closing-of-270m-credit-facility/)
- 2026-09-17 deal: Mitsui Kinzoku partners with Factorial on all-solid-state cells (https://factorialenergy.com/press-releases/mitsui-kinzoku-partners-with-factorial-to-scale-all-solid-state-battery-manufacturing/)
- 2026-08-12 funding: Form Energy raises $750 million Series G (https://formenergy.com/form-energy-secures-750m-in-series-g-financing/)
- 2026-07-08 announcement: Peak picks Sacramento for first US sodium-ion storage factory (https://www.peakenergy.com/news/latest/gigafactory-announcement)
- 2026-06-27 product: Sion Power deploys Licerion Strike battery in drone tests (https://www.sionpower.com/)
- 2026-06-18 deal: QuantumScape and Honda sign joint research agreement (https://www.quantumscape.com/quantumscape-announces-agreement-with-honda-on-solid-state-battery-technology/)
- 2026-06-11 milestone: Stellantis road tests a car with Factorial solid-state cells (https://factorialenergy.com/press-releases/stellantis-and-factorial-integrate-advanced-solid-state-battery-into-stellantis-development-vehicle-and-launch-road-testing/)
- 2026-06-09 deal: Peak Energy and GM partner on sodium-ion storage (https://www.peakenergy.com/news/latest/gm-partnership)
- 2026-06-08 milestone: Factorial Energy lists on Nasdaq (https://factorialenergy.com/press-releases/factorial-lists-on-nasdaq-bringing-solid-state-batteries-from-validation-to-scale/)
- 2026-04-30 deal: ESS Tech and Alsym agree on 8.5 GWh of sodium-ion storage (https://www.alsym.com/ess-partners-with-alsym-energy-to-deliver-8-5-gwh-of-non-lithium-battery-energy-storage-solutions/)
- 2026-03-24 deal: Form Energy and Crusoe agree on 12 GWh of iron-air batteries (https://formenergy.com/form-energy-crusoe-announce-agreement-for-12-gigawatt-hours-of-iron-air-batteries-for-ai-data-centers/)
- 2026-03-17 deal: Form Energy plans Ireland's first iron-air storage project (https://formenergy.com/form-energy-and-futurenergy-ireland-announce-agreement-to-deploy-first-iron-air-battery-storage-project-in-ireland/)
- 2026-03-11 deal: Peak and RWE agree to deploy first sodium-ion battery in MISO (https://www.peakenergy.com/news/latest/peak-signs-agreement-to-deploy-misos-first-low-cost-sodium-ion-grid-storage-battery)
- 2026-03-10 milestone: ION Cornerstone cells pass customer qualification (https://ionstoragesystems.com/ion-storage-systems-announced-successful-customer-qualification-of-cornerstone-cell-performance/)
- 2026-01-05 deal: ProLogium and Darfon partner on solid-state e-bike batteries (https://prologium.com/prologium-and-darfon-energy-tech-announce-strategic-partnership-ahead-of-ces-2026/)
- 2025-11-12 deal: Peak signs 4.75 GWh sodium-ion contract with Jupiter Power (https://www.peakenergy.com/news/latest/peak-energy-signs-4-75-gwh-contract)
- 2025-08-12 product: ION ships Cornerstone solid-state samples (https://ionstoragesystems.com/ion-storage-systems-launches-cornerstone-becoming-the-first-solid-state-battery-company-to-ship-samples-to-consumer-electronics-manufacturers/)
- 2025-07-30 milestone: Peak delivers first US grid-scale sodium-ion storage system (https://www.peakenergy.com/news/latest/peak-energy-delivers-first-grid-scale-sodium-ion-battery-storage-system-in-the-u-s)
- Round 2026-09-21: Form Energy Credit facility $270M (https://formenergy.com/form-energy-announces-closing-of-270m-credit-facility/)
- Round 2026-09-17: Crusoe Undisclosed $3.9B (https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/17/crusoe-raises-3-9b-to-build-massive-data-centers-and-small-modular-ai-factories/)
- Round 2026-08-12: Form Energy Series G $750M (https://formenergy.com/form-energy-secures-750m-in-series-g-financing/)
- Round 2026-06-08: Factorial Energy SPAC merger and PIPE $100M (https://factorialenergy.com/press-releases/factorial-lists-on-nasdaq-bringing-solid-state-batteries-from-validation-to-scale/)
- Round 2026-06-02: ION Storage Systems Venture $2M (https://ionstoragesystems.com/tedco-announces-2-million-investment-in-ion-storage-systems/)
- Round 2024-07-19: Peak Energy Series A $55M (https://www.peakenergy.com/news/latest/xora-innovation-leads-55m-series-a-funding-round-in-us-battery-maker-peak-energy)

## Photonics
https://emerging.fru.dev/tech/photonics | Early commercial (2025-03-18: NVIDIA announced Spectrum-X and Quantum-X silicon photonics switches with co-packaged optics built with TSMC and optics suppliers. https://nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/nvidia-spectrum-x-co-packaged-optics-networking-switches-ai-factories)
Definition: Using light instead of electrons to move, switch and process data, and to sense the world with lasers.
Momentum 34/100 | papers last 3 months 482 | paper growth -47.6% | funding 12 months $1.5B (9 rounds) | events 90 days 5
Companies: Aeva, Alchip, Ayar Labs, Celestial AI, Coherent, Enlightra, Hesai, iPronics, Lightelligence, Lightium, Lightmatter, Lumai, Lumentum, Luminar, Marvell, MicroVision, Molex, Neurophos, nEye, NVIDIA, OpenLight, Oriole Networks, Ouster, POET Technologies, Q.ANT, Scintil Photonics, Teramount, Tower Semiconductor, TSMC, Xscape Photonics
- 2026-09-23 product: Q.ANT releases an open-source SDK for photonic computing (https://qant.com/press-releases/q-ant-launches-world-first-open-source-sdk-for-photonic-computing/)
- 2026-09-21 product: Marvell shows first 2nm optical DSP demos at ECOC 2026 (https://investor.marvell.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1034/marvell-to-showcase-industry-first-2nm-optical-technology-demos-for-ai-data-center-infrastructure-at-ecoc-2026)
- 2026-08-31 announcement: Podcast: Lasers and materials of the future (unverified) (https://www.nsf.gov/news/podcast-lasers-materials-future)
- 2026-08-13 announcement: Open Silicon Photonics for AI Systems becomes an Open Compute Project workstream (https://lightmatter.co/press-release/industry-leaders-formally-launch-cpo-system-architecture-initiative-within-the-open-compute-project/)
- 2026-08-05 announcement: Aeva launches an optical connectivity business with a hyperscaler agreement (https://www.aeva.com/press/aeva-launches-optical-connectivity-business-signs-first-customer-agreement-for-a-major-hyperscaler/)
- 2026-06-03 announcement: Lightmatter joins NVIDIA NVLink Fusion (https://lightmatter.co/press-release/lightmatter-joins-nvidia-nvlink-fusion/)
- 2026-06-02 announcement: Ayar Labs joins the NVIDIA NVLink Fusion ecosystem (https://ayarlabs.com/news/ayar-labs-joins-nvidia-nvlink-fusion-ecosystem-to-bring-co-packaged-optics-to-rack-scale-ai-infrastructure/)
- 2026-04-15 deal: Molex agrees to acquire Teramount, a fiber-to-chip CPO connector startup (https://teramount.com/news/molex-announces-agreement-to-acquire-teramount-ltd-to-accelerate-scalable-co-packaged-optics-adoption/)
- 2026-03-11 milestone: Lightmatter samples Passage CPO chiplet at 1.6 Tbps per fiber (https://lightmatter.co/press-release/lightmatter-achieves-record-1-6-tbps-per-fiber-to-accelerate-ai-optical-interconnect/)
- 2026-02-02 deal: Marvell completes its acquisition of Celestial AI (https://investor.marvell.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1005/marvell-completes-acquisition-of-celestial-ai)
- 2026-01-27 deal: MicroVision wins Luminar's lidar assets for $33 million in a bankruptcy auction (https://ir.microvision.com/news/press-releases/detail/436/microvision-announces-agreement-to-acquire-luminar-assets-to-accelerate-commercial-strategy-and-expand-product-portfolio)
- 2026-01-26 deal: Lightmatter and GUC partner to produce co-packaged optics for hyperscalers (https://lightmatter.co/press-release/lightmatter-and-guc-partner-to-produce-co-packaged-optics-cpo-solutions-for-ai-hyperscalers/)
- 2025-12-02 deal: Marvell agrees to buy Celestial AI for about $3.25 billion upfront (https://investor.marvell.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1000/marvell-to-acquire-celestial-ai-accelerating-scale-up-connectivity-for-next-generation-data-centers)
- 2025-11-18 product: Q.ANT unveils its second-generation photonic processor (https://qant.com/press-releases/q-ant-unveils-its-second-generation-photonic-processor-to-power-the-next-wave-of-ai-and-hpc/)
- 2025-11-10 deal: MicroVision agrees to buy Scantinel Photonics' FMCW lidar business (https://ir.microvision.com/news/press-releases/detail/433/microvision-collaborates-with-leading-photonics-ecosystem-to-acquire-fmcw-lidar-business)
- 2025-09-26 product: Alchip and Ayar Labs unveil co-packaged optics for AI scale-up beyond the rack (https://ayarlabs.com/news/alchip-and-ayar-labs-unveil-co-packaged-optics-for-ai-datacenter-scale-up/)
- 2025-07-22 milestone: Q.ANT photonic processor goes into operation at Leibniz Supercomputing Centre (https://qant.com/press-releases/leibniz-supercomputing-centre-computes-with-light-worlds-first-photonic-ai-processor-from-q-ant-goes-into-operation/)
- 2025-04-09 breakthrough: Lightelligence publishes PACE, a large-scale photonic accelerator, in Nature (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08786-6)
- 2025-04-09 breakthrough: Lightmatter reports a photonic processor running real AI models in Nature (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08854-x)
- 2025-03-31 product: Lightmatter announces Passage L200 3D co-packaged optics (https://lightmatter.co/press-release/lightmatter-announces-passage-l200-the-fastest-co-packaged-optics-for-ai/)
- 2025-03-31 product: Ayar Labs unveils a UCIe optical interconnect chiplet (https://ayarlabs.com/news/ayar-labs-unveils-worlds-first-ucie-optical-chiplet-for-ai-scale-up-architectures/)
- 2025-03-31 product: Lightmatter unveils Passage M1000 3D photonic interposer (https://lightmatter.co/press-release/lightmatter-unveils-passage-m1000-photonic-superchip-worlds-fastest-ai-interconnect/)
- 2025-03-18 product: NVIDIA unveils Spectrum-X and Quantum-X silicon photonics switches (https://nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/nvidia-spectrum-x-co-packaged-optics-networking-switches-ai-factories)
- 2025-03-12 milestone: OpenLight and Tower Semiconductor demonstrate 400G per lane silicon photonics modulators (https://openlightphotonics.com/newsroom/openlight-and-tower-semiconductor-demonstrate-400g-lane-modulators-built-on-silicon-photonic-wafers-for-data-centers-and-ai-optical-connectivity)
- 2024-12-02 breakthrough: MIT photonic chip runs all key deep neural network steps optically (https://news.mit.edu/2024/photonic-processor-could-enable-ultrafast-ai-computations-1202)
- Round 2026-09-10: Ayar Labs Series E extension $150M (https://ayarlabs.com/news/ayar-labs-expands-2026-funding-to-650-million/)
- Round 2026-09-02: iPronics Series B $125M (https://ipronics.com/ipronics-raises-125-million-to-scale-programmable-optical-networking-for-ai-data-centers/)
- Round 2026-08-03: OLIX Series B $312M (https://olix.com/news/company-raises-series-b)
- Round 2026-07-29: Eliyan Series C $145M (https://eliyan.com/news/eliyan-achieves-unicorn-status-with-145-million-series-c/)
- Round 2026-04-28: OpenLight Series A-1 $50M (https://openlightphotonics.com/newsroom/openlight-secures-50-million-in-series-a-1-funding-to-accelerate-global-deployment-of-next-generation-photonics)
- Round 2026-04-14: nEye Series C $80M (https://www.neye.ai/press-release)
- Round 2026-03-11: Xscape Photonics Series A extension $37M (https://www.xscapephotonics.com/news)
- Round 2026-03-03: Ayar Labs Series E $500M (https://ayarlabs.com/news/ayar-labs-closes-500m-series-e-accelerates-volume-production-of-co-packaged-optics/)
- Round 2026-01-22: Neurophos Series A $110M (https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/22/from-invisibility-cloaks-to-ai-chips-neurophos-raises-110m-to-build-tiny-optical-processors-for-inferencing/)
- Round 2025-07-17: Q.ANT Series A (https://qant.com/press-releases/qant-raises-62-million-euro-to-transform-the-future-of-computing-with-photonic-processing/)
- Round 2025-04-10: nEye Series B $58M (https://www.neye.ai/press-release)
- Round 2024-12-11: Ayar Labs Series D $155M (https://ayarlabs.com/news/ayar-labs-155m-series-d-to-address-ai-infrastructure-includes-amd-intel-capital-nvidia/)

## Quantum computing
https://emerging.fru.dev/tech/quantum-computing | Early commercial (2026-06-05: Vendors sell systems and cloud access, and Quantinuum closed a $1.68 billion IPO on Nasdaq in June 2026. https://www.quantinuum.com/press-releases/quantinuum-announces-closing-of-upsized-initial-public-offering)
Definition: Computers that use qubits, which can hold superpositions of 0 and 1, to solve some problems ordinary computers cannot.
Momentum 71/100 | papers last 3 months 1048 | paper growth 26.1% | funding 12 months $4.6B (4 rounds) | events 90 days 12
Companies: Alice & Bob, Alpine Quantum Technologies, Amazon, Atom Computing, Classiq, D-Wave, Diraq, Google, IBM, Infleqtion, IonQ, IQM Quantum Computers, Microsoft, Nord Quantique, Oxford Quantum Circuits, Pasqal, Photonic Inc., planqc, PsiQuantum, Q-CTRL, Quantinuum, Quantum Motion, QuEra Computing, Rigetti Computing, Silicon Quantum Computing, Xanadu
- 2026-09-15 announcement: A theoretical separation between quantum computers & LLMs (unverified) (https://research.ibm.com/blog/quantum-circuits-vs-llms?utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss)
- 2026-09-15 announcement: From error mitigation to fault-tolerant quantum computing (unverified) (https://research.ibm.com/blog/qec-continuum?utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss)
- 2026-09-08 product: IonQ launches Superion 256 platform (https://ionq.com/news/ionq-launches-superion-product-line-industry-leading-upgradeable-platform-designed-to-scale-manufacturable-fault-tolerant-quantum-computing)
- 2026-09-08 policy: Commerce finalizes $100 million CHIPS awards to quantum firms (https://www.quantinuum.com/press-releases/quantinuum-finalizes-100-million-chips-r-d-award-with-u-s-department-of-commerce-to-advance-trapped-ion-quantum-computer-manufacturing-in-the-us)
- 2026-09-03 announcement: New qubit architecture enables faster, more accurate operations (unverified) (https://news.mit.edu/2026/new-qubit-architecture-enables-faster-more-accurate-operations-0903)
- 2026-08-31 announcement: IBM Quantum Nighthawk r2—more circuits, faster (unverified) (https://research.ibm.com/blog/nighthawk-r2?utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss)
- 2026-08-27 milestone: Pasqal completes SPAC merger ahead of Nasdaq listing (https://www.pasqal.com/newsroom/pasqal-and-bleichroeder-acquisition-corp-ii-complete-business-combination/)
- 2026-08-24 announcement: NIST Researchers Supersize Quantum Technology to Help Detect Faint Photons (unverified) (https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2026/08/nist-researchers-supersize-quantum-technology-help-detect-faint-photons)
- 2026-08-19 announcement: IBM’s new modular architecture for cryogenic systems (unverified) (https://research.ibm.com/blog/modular-cryogenics?utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss)
- 2026-08-12 announcement: QOBLIB: tracking progress in quantum optimization (unverified) (https://research.ibm.com/blog/qoblib?utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss)
- 2026-07-31 deal: IonQ completes acquisition of chip foundry SkyWater Technology (https://ionq.com/news/ionq-completes-acquisition-of-skywater-technology)
- 2026-07-02 milestone: IQM lists on Nasdaq (https://iqm.tech/press-releases/iqm-quantum-computers-becomes-first-european-quantum-computing-company-listed-on-a-major-u-s-exchange/)
- 2026-06-03 funding: Quantinuum prices its IPO at $60 per share (https://www.quantinuum.com/press-releases/quantinuum-announces-pricing-of-upsized-initial-public-offering)
- 2026-03-10 policy: DARPA opens QBI to new entrants with a Stage A topic (https://www.darpa.mil/news/2026/qbi-stage-a-qbit)
- 2026-02-17 milestone: Infleqtion starts trading on the NYSE (https://infleqtion.com/infleqtion-becomes-first-neutral-atom-quantum-company-to-go-public/)
- 2026-01-20 deal: D-Wave completes acquisition of Quantum Circuits (https://www.dwavequantum.com/company/newsroom/press-release/d-wave-completes-acquisition-of-quantum-circuits/)
- 2025-11-12 product: IBM delivers Nighthawk and Loon processors (https://newsroom.ibm.com/2025-11-12-ibm-delivers-new-quantum-processors,-software,-and-algorithm-breakthroughs-on-path-to-advantage-and-fault-tolerance)
- 2025-11-05 product: Quantinuum launches Helios trapped-ion quantum computer (https://www.quantinuum.com/press-releases/quantinuum-announces-commercial-launch-of-new-helios-quantum-computer-that-offers-unprecedented-accuracy-to-enable-generative-quantum-ai-genqai)
- 2025-10-28 product: NVIDIA introduces NVQLink to connect quantum processors and GPUs (https://nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/nvidia-nvqlink-quantum-gpu-computing)
- 2025-10-22 breakthrough: Google reports verifiable quantum advantage with Quantum Echoes (https://blog.google/technology/research/quantum-echoes-willow-verifiable-quantum-advantage/)
- 2025-10-07 milestone: Nobel Prize in Physics honors superconducting circuit pioneers (https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/2025/press-release/)
- 2025-09-24 breakthrough: Caltech traps a record 6,100 atom qubits in one array (https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/caltech-team-sets-record-with-6100-qubit-array)
- 2025-06-10 announcement: IBM plans Starling, a large fault-tolerant quantum computer, by 2029 (https://newsroom.ibm.com/2025-06-10-IBM-Sets-the-Course-to-Build-Worlds-First-Large-Scale,-Fault-Tolerant-Quantum-Computer-at-New-IBM-Quantum-Data-Center)
- 2025-06-09 deal: IonQ agrees to buy Oxford Ionics for $1.075 billion (https://ionq.com/news/ionq-announces-agreement-to-acquire-oxford-ionics-accelerating-path-to-pioneering)
- 2025-04-03 policy: DARPA selects about 20 firms for Quantum Benchmarking Initiative Stage A (https://www.darpa.mil/news/2025/companies-targeting-quantum-computers)
- Round 2026-08-27: Pasqal SPAC merger proceeds $360M (https://www.pasqal.com/newsroom/pasqal-and-bleichroeder-acquisition-corp-ii-complete-business-combination/)
- Round 2026-06-05: Quantinuum IPO $1.7B (https://www.quantinuum.com/press-releases/quantinuum-announces-closing-of-upsized-initial-public-offering)
- Round 2026-02-17: Infleqtion SPAC merger proceeds $550M (https://infleqtion.com/infleqtion-becomes-first-neutral-atom-quantum-company-to-go-public/)
- Round 2025-10-10: IonQ Equity offering $2.0B (https://ionq.com/news/ionq-announces-pricing-of-usd2-0-billion-equity-offering)
- Round 2025-09-10: PsiQuantum Private round $1.0B (https://www.psiquantum.com/news-import/psiquantum-1b-fundraise)
- Round 2025-09-09: QuEra Computing Series B (expanded) $230M (https://www.quera.com/press-releases/quera-expands-230-million-financing-round-advancing-quantum-accelerated-supercomputing)
- Round 2025-09-04: Quantinuum Equity round $600M (https://www.quantinuum.com/press-releases/honeywell-announces-600-million-capital-raise-for-quantinuum-at-10b-pre-money-equity-valuation-to-advance-quantum-computing-at-scale)
- Round 2025-09-03: IQM Quantum Computers Series B $320M (https://iqm.tech/press-releases/iqm-quantum-computers-raises-over-300-million-in-series-b-funding-round/)
- Round 2025-07-07: IonQ Equity offering $1.0B (https://ionq.com/news/ionq-announces-pricing-of-usd1-0-billion-equity-offering)
- Round 2025-06-11: Rigetti Computing At-the-market equity offering $350M (https://www.rigetti.com/news/rigetti-computing-completes-350-million-at-the-market-equity-offering)
- Round 2025-05-12: Classiq Series C $110M (https://www.classiq.io/insights/classiq-raises-110m-in-largest-ever-quantum-software-funding-round)
- Round 2025-01-28: Alice & Bob Series B (https://alice-bob.com/newsroom/alice-bob-100m-series-b-fundraising-press-release/)
- Round 2024-01-16: Quantinuum Equity round $300M (https://www.quantinuum.com/press-releases/honeywell-announces-the-closing-of-300-million-equity-investment-round-for-quantinuum-at-5b-pre-money-valuation)

## Quantum sensing
https://emerging.fru.dev/tech/quantum-sensing | Early commercial (2026-08-06: DARPA contracted IonQ in August 2026 to manufacture and deliver 125 optical atomic clocks for US government use. https://investors.ionq.com/news/news-details/2026/UPDATED-DARPA-Selects-IonQ-to-Produce-Next-Generation-Atomic-Clocks/default.aspx)
Definition: Devices that use quantum states of atoms or light to measure time, motion or fields precisely, or to link and secure networks.
Momentum 39/100 | papers last 3 months 1002 | paper growth 11.9% | funding 12 months $74M (3 rounds) | events 90 days 6
Companies: Aliro Quantum, Atomionics, Boeing, Cerca Magnetics, Cisco, Exail, ID Quantique, Infleqtion, IonQ, memQ, Nomad Atomics, Nu Quantum, Q-CTRL, QDTI, Qnami, QuantumDiamonds, QuSpin, SandboxAQ, SBQuantum, Toshiba, Vector Atomic
- 2026-09-10 announcement: NIST-Developed Quantum Sensors Improve Nuclear Monitoring (unverified) (https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2026/09/nist-developed-quantum-sensors-improve-nuclear-monitoring)
- 2026-09-10 announcement: Infleqtion and Cisco partner on networked quantum technology (https://infleqtion.com/infleqtion-and-cisco-announce-collaboration-to-advance-networked-quantum-technology/)
- 2026-09-09 milestone: SandboxAQ flies AQNav on Northrop Grumman's Lumberjack drone (https://www.sandboxaq.com/press/sandboxaq-completes-successful-flight-test-of-aqnavs-quantum-navigation-technology-on-northrop-grummans-lumberjack-r-attritable-unmanned-aircraft-system-uas)
- 2026-08-27 milestone: Q-CTRL demonstrates GPS-free gravimetric navigation at sea (https://q-ctrl.com/blog/q-ctrl-achieves-worlds-first-gps-free-quantum-gravimetric-navigation-demonstration-in-maritime-field-trial)
- 2026-08-06 deal: DARPA selects IonQ to produce optical atomic clocks (https://investors.ionq.com/news/news-details/2026/UPDATED-DARPA-Selects-IonQ-to-Produce-Next-Generation-Atomic-Clocks/default.aspx)
- 2026-07-14 milestone: Q-CTRL quantum navigation gets safety-of-flight qualification (https://q-ctrl.com/blog/q-ctrl-to-showcase-worlds-first-airworthiness-qualified-quantum-navigation-gps-backup-at-the-farnborough-international-airshow)
- 2026-06-17 product: IonQ launches Clavis XG Multiplex QKD (https://ionq.com/news/ionq-introduces-clavis-xg-multiplex-making-quantum-security-deployable-at-scale-in-metro-networks)
- 2026-04-14 breakthrough: IonQ photonically links two trapped ion quantum computers (https://ionq.com/news/ionq-achieves-key-photonic-interconnect-milestone-demonstrating-networked-quantum-systems-using-entanglement)
- 2026-02-26 milestone: IonQ deploys Romania's national QKD network (https://ionq.com/news/ionq-delivers-one-of-the-largest-operational-quantum-key-distribution-networks-in-europe)
- 2025-12-09 milestone: Quantum Corridor and Toshiba run QKD across state lines on live fiber (https://www.toshiba.eu/quantum/news/quantum-corridor-toshiba-demonstrate-first-cross-state-quantum-key-distribution-over-live-commercial-metro-fiber-network/)
- 2025-11-18 announcement: SandboxAQ joins the DIU Transition of Quantum Sensing program (https://www.sandboxaq.com/press/sandboxaq-partners-with-dows-defense-innovation-unit-to-advance-development-of-magnetic-navigation-systems)
- 2025-11-05 milestone: Geneva launches a citywide quantum network (https://investors.ionq.com/news/news-details/2025/IonQ-and-Swiss-Consortium-Launch-First-Citywide-Dedicated-Quantum-Network-in-Geneva/default.aspx)
- 2025-09-17 deal: IonQ agrees to acquire Vector Atomic (https://investors.ionq.com/news/news-details/2025/IonQ-Announces-Intent-to-Acquire-Vector-Atomic-Expanding-Into-Quantum-Sensing-and-Strengthening-Its-Quantum-Technology-Portfolio/default.aspx)
- 2025-07-14 breakthrough: NIST aluminum ion clock sets accuracy record (https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2025/07/nist-ion-clock-sets-new-record-most-accurate-clock-world)
- 2025-06-12 product: Nu Quantum unveils a rack-mounted Quantum Networking Unit (https://www.nu-quantum.com/news/nu-quantum-launches-world-first-quantum-networking-unit-for-dynamic-entanglement-to-scale-quantum-datacentres)
- 2025-06-11 product: Orange and Toshiba launch a commercial quantum-safe network in Paris (https://www.toshiba.eu/quantum/news/toshiba-orange-launch-commercial-quantum-network/)
- 2025-05-06 deal: IonQ completes acquisition of a controlling stake in ID Quantique (https://investors.ionq.com/news/news-details/2025/IonQ-Completes-Acquisition-of-ID-Quantique-Cementing-Leadership-in-Quantum-Networking-and-Secure-Communications/default.aspx)
- 2025-04-23 breakthrough: Toshiba runs coherent quantum communication over 254 km of German telecom fiber (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08801-w)
- 2025-03-19 breakthrough: Chinese microsatellite runs real-time QKD between distant ground stations (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08739-z)
- 2025-03-05 product: Toshiba adds post quantum cryptography to its QKD systems (https://www.toshiba.eu/quantum/news/toshiba-announces-integrated-pqc-qkd-solution-for-quantum-safe-networking/)
- 2024-09-04 breakthrough: JILA links a thorium nuclear transition to an atomic clock (https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2024/09/major-leap-nuclear-clock-paves-way-ultraprecise-timekeeping)
- 2024-06-25 product: SandboxAQ launches AQNav magnetic navigation (https://www.sandboxaq.com/press/sandboxaq-announces-aqnav---worlds-first-commercial-real-time-navigation-system-powered-by-ai-and-quantum-to-address-gps-jamming)
- 2024-05-15 breakthrough: Harvard and AWS entangle quantum memories across Boston fiber (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07252-z)
- Round 2026-04-16: SBQuantum Seed $4M (https://sbquantum.com/sbquantum-announces-new-investment-us-expansion-new-ceo-following-deployment-of-quantum-sensors-in-space/)
- Round 2026-03-31: memQ Series A $10M (https://memq.tech/memq_announces_seriesa/)
- Round 2025-12-10: Nu Quantum Series A $60M (https://www.nu-quantum.com/news/nu-quantum-raises-60m-series-a-in-largest-financing-round-for-quantum-computer-networking)
- Round 2025-09-16: Atomionics Pre-Series A $13M (https://www.atomionics.com/news-detail/atomionics-raises-12-7m-pre-series-copy)
- Round 2025-04-04: SandboxAQ Series E $450M (https://www.sandboxaq.com/press/sandboxaq-closes-450m-series-e-round-with-expanded-investor-base)

## Space technology
https://emerging.fru.dev/tech/space-technology | Early commercial (2026-06-12: SpaceX's IPO prospectus reports over 570 Falcon 9 booster landings, while Starship, orbital factories and phone-to-satellite service are still ramping. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1181412/000162828026042639/spaceexplorationtechnologi.htm)
Definition: New ways to reach, build in and use space: reusable rockets, factories in orbit, phone links from satellites, Moon landers and nuclear power.
Momentum 81/100 | papers last 3 months 698 | paper growth 6% | funding 12 months $77.7B (6 rounds) | events 90 days 23
Companies: AST SpaceMobile, Axiom Space, Blue Origin, EchoStar, Firefly Aerospace, Impulse Space, Intuitive Machines, ispace, Lynk Global, Relativity Space, Rocket Lab, SpaceX, Stoke Space, Varda Space Industries, Vast
- 2026-09-24 announcement: NASA to Study Human Health, Performance During Crew-13 Mission (unverified) (https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/nasa-to-study-human-health-performance-during-crew-13-mission/)
- 2026-09-24 announcement: US-India Satellite Captures Time-lapse Video of Volcanic Eruption (unverified) (https://www.nasa.gov/missions/nisar/us-india-satellite-captures-time-lapse-video-of-volcanic-eruption/)
- 2026-09-24 announcement: Practicing for Safe Landings on the Moon and Beyond (unverified) (https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/practicing-for-safe-landings-on-the-moon-and-beyond/)
- 2026-09-24 announcement: NASA Shares SpaceX Crew-14 Assignments for Space Station Mission (unverified) (https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-shares-spacex-crew-14-assignments-for-space-station-mission/)
- 2026-09-24 deal: NASA Welcomes Côte d’Ivoire as Newest Artemis Accords Signatory (unverified) (https://www.nasa.gov/organizations/oiir/nasa-welcomes-cote-divoire-as-newest-artemis-accords-signatory/)
- 2026-09-24 announcement: New tests for rendezvous and docking interoperability (unverified) (https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Engineering_Technology/New_tests_for_rendezvous_and_docking_interoperability)
- 2026-09-23 product: Rocket Factory Augsburg ‘Boost!’ extension in run-up to first launch (unverified) (https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transportation/Boost/Rocket_Factory_Augsburg_Boost!_extension_in_run-up_to_first_launch)
- 2026-09-22 announcement: Stoke Space names customers for the first Nova Pathfinder flight (https://www.stokespace.com/news/Manifest-Update-Nova-Pathfinder-Flight-1)
- 2026-09-17 product: MTG-I2 timelapse: from arrival at Europe’s Spaceport to launch (unverified) (https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2026/09/MTG-I2_timelapse_from_arrival_at_Europe_s_Spaceport_to_launch)
- 2026-09-15 product: FLEX and Sentinel-3C launched (unverified) (https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FLEX_and_Sentinel-3C_launched)
- 2026-09-15 product: Relive the launch of FLEX and Sentinel-3C (unverified) (https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2026/09/Relive_the_launch_of_FLEX_and_Sentinel-3C)
- 2026-09-15 product: FLEX and Sentinel-3C launch highlights (unverified) (https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2026/09/FLEX_and_Sentinel-3C_launch_highlights)
- 2026-09-14 announcement: FLEX and Sentinel-3C ready for liftoff on Vega-C (unverified) (https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FLEX_and_Sentinel-3C_ready_for_liftoff_on_Vega-C)
- 2026-09-10 product: Introducing IBM and NASA's new foundation model for the Moon (unverified) (https://research.ibm.com/blog/nasa-ibm-lunar-foundation-model?utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss)
- 2026-09-10 product: CubeSat for safer seas and cleaner orbits ready to launch (unverified) (https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2026/09/CubeSat_for_safer_seas_and_cleaner_orbits_ready_to_launch)
- 2026-09-09 announcement: How 2 US, European Satellites Are Studying Hurricanes During El Niño (unverified) (https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/how-2-us-european-satellites-are-studying-hurricanes-during-el-nino)
- 2026-09-09 product: Watch: FLEX and Sentinel-3C launch on Vega-C (unverified) (https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Watch_FLEX_and_Sentinel-3C_launch_on_Vega-C)
- 2026-09-07 breakthrough: Isar Aerospace achieves first launch to orbit from continental Europe (unverified) (https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2026/09/Isar_Aerospace_achieves_first_launch_to_orbit_from_continental_Europe2)
- 2026-09-04 product: Media briefing ahead of FLEX and Sentinel-3C launch (unverified) (https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2026/09/Media_briefing_ahead_of_FLEX_and_Sentinel-3C_launch)
- 2026-08-30 product: NASA’s Dark Universe-Seeking Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Launches (unverified) (https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-dark-universe-seeking-nancy-grace-roman-space-telescope-launches)
- 2026-08-25 announcement: New Next-Gen Dish Adds Muscle to NASA’s Deep Space Network (unverified) (https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/new-next-gen-dish-adds-muscle-to-nasas-deep-space-network)
- 2026-08-18 announcement: Phoenix 3: concept study for a reusable European spacecraft (unverified) (https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Engineering_Technology/Phoenix_3_concept_study_for_a_reusable_European_spacecraft)
- 2026-08-10 milestone: AST SpaceMobile reports over 60 mobile operator partners (https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1780312/000119312526342540/asts-ex99_1.htm)
- 2026-06-12 milestone: SpaceX prices its IPO at $135 a share (https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1181412/000162828026042639/spaceexplorationtechnologi.htm)
- 2026-05-28 milestone: New Glenn rocket explodes during a static fire test (https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/blue-origins-new-glenn-rocket-just-exploded-during-a-static-fire-test/)
- Round 2026-09-16: Impulse Space Series D extension $308M (https://www.impulsespace.com/updates/impulse-space-announces-308-million-series-d-extension-to-meet-increasing-demand-for-in-space-mobility)
- Round 2026-09-08: Stoke Space Series E $1.0B (https://www.stokespace.com/news/stoke-space-series-e)
- Round 2026-06-12: SpaceX IPO $75.0B (https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1181412/000162828026042639/spaceexplorationtechnologi.htm)
- Round 2026-06-03: Impulse Space Series D $500M (https://www.impulsespace.com/updates/impulse-space-raises-500-million-dollar-series-d-to-build-in-space-mobility-infrastructure-for-the-space-economy)
- Round 2026-02-10: Stoke Space Series D extension $350M (https://www.stokespace.com/news/stoke-space-technologies-extends-previously-announced-series-d-financing-to-860-million)
- Round 2025-10-08: Stoke Space Series D $510M (https://www.stokespace.com/news/stoke-space-technologies-raises-510-million-to-scale-manufacturing-of-fully-reusable-nova-launch-vehicle)
- Round 2025-08-06: Firefly Aerospace IPO $868M (https://fireflyspace.com/news/firefly-aerospace-announces-pricing-of-upsized-initial-public-offering/)
- Round 2025-07-10: Varda Space Industries Series C $187M (https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/07/after-some-success-in-space-varda-raises-187-million-to-expand-ambitions/)
- Round 2025-06-03: Impulse Space Series C $300M (https://www.impulsespace.com/updates/impulse-space-secures-300-million-dollar-series-c-to-accelerate-the-future-of-in-space-mobility)
- Round 2024-11-12: Firefly Aerospace Series D $175M (https://fireflyspace.com/news/firefly-aerospace-closes-oversubscribed-175-million-series-d-capital-raise-with-new-lead-investor/)

## Synthetic biology
https://emerging.fru.dev/tech/synthetic-biology | Early commercial (2026-02-26: Generate Biomedicines, whose drug candidates are engineered with generative AI, went public on Nasdaq in a $400M IPO while running Phase 3 trials. https://generatebiomedicines.com/news-releases/generate-biomedicines-inc-announces-pricing-of-initial-public-offering/)
Definition: Engineering living cells and DNA like a technology: writing genes, redesigning organisms and designing new proteins with AI.
Momentum 34/100 | papers last 3 months 1313 | paper growth -11.7% | funding 12 months $1.1B (4 rounds) | events 90 days 3
Companies: Absci, Ansa Biotechnologies, Arzeda, Asimov, Basecamp Research, Chai Discovery, Colossal Biosciences, Constructive Bio, Cradle, DNA Script, Elegen, EvolutionaryScale, Generate Biomedicines, Ginkgo Bioworks, Google DeepMind, Isomorphic Labs, Latent Labs, Microsoft, Novonesis, NVIDIA, Profluent, Solugen, Twist Bioscience, Xaira Therapeutics
- 2026-08-06 breakthrough: Genome language models design working bacteriophages (https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aec2657)
- 2026-08-04 deal: DNA Script and GE HealthCare awarded up to $26M by ARPA-H (https://www.dnascript.com/press-releases/dna-script-and-leading-healthcare-solutions-provider-awarded-up-to-26m-by-arpa-h-to-advance-cell-free-dna-bioproduction/)
- 2026-07-14 funding: Chai Discovery raises $400M at a $3.8B valuation (https://www.chaidiscovery.com/news/series-c)
- 2026-04-28 deal: Profluent partners with Eli Lilly on AI-designed recombinases (https://www.profluent.bio/media/profluent-announces-strategic-partnership-with-eli-lilly-to-develop-ai-designed-recombinases-for-genetic-medicine)
- 2026-02-26 deal: Generate Biomedicines prices $400M Nasdaq IPO (https://generatebiomedicines.com/news-releases/generate-biomedicines-inc-announces-pricing-of-initial-public-offering/)
- 2025-12-01 milestone: Generate Biomedicines to start Phase 3 studies of AI-engineered asthma antibody (https://generatebiomedicines.com/news-releases/generatebiomedicines-to-initiate-global-phase-3-studies-of-gb-0895-a-long-acting-anti-tslp-antibody-for-severe-asthma-engineered-with-ai/)
- 2025-10-22 product: Ansa Biotechnologies launches 50 kb sequence-perfect clonal DNA (https://ansabio.com/news-events/pr/ansa-biotechnologies-redefines-whats-possible-in-dna-synthesis-with-50-kb-sequence-perfect-clonal-product/)
- 2025-10-02 breakthrough: Microsoft study patches DNA synthesis screening against AI-designed proteins (https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adu8578)
- 2025-07-31 breakthrough: E. coli with a 57-codon synthetic genome reported in Science (https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ady4368)
- 2025-07-30 breakthrough: Profluent publishes AI-designed CRISPR gene editors in Nature (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09298-z)
- 2025-07-22 product: Latent Labs launches Latent-X for protein binder design (https://www.latentlabs.com/press-release/introducing-latent-x-a-frontier-generative-ai-model-for-protein-binder-design-accessible-via-no-code-platform-for-push-button-protein-design/)
- 2025-06-30 product: Chai Discovery releases Chai-2 for zero-shot antibody design (https://www.chaidiscovery.com/news/introducing-chai-2)
- 2025-06-26 announcement: Wellcome funds the Synthetic Human Genome Project with 10 million pounds (https://wellcome.org/insights/articles/researchers-take-first-steps-creating-synthetic-human-genomes)
- 2025-04-08 policy: US biotech commission delivers final report and action plan to Congress (https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-security-commission-on-emerging-biotechnology-urges-swift-action-to-protect-us-national-security-302422627.html)
- 2025-03-31 funding: Isomorphic Labs raises $600M in its first external round (https://www.isomorphiclabs.com/articles/isomorphic-labs-announces-600m-external-investment-round)
- 2025-03-04 breakthrough: Colossal reports multiplex-edited mice with mammoth-like hair (https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.03.03.641227)
- 2025-02-19 product: Arc Institute and NVIDIA release Evo 2 genome language model (https://arcinstitute.org/news/evo2)
- 2025-01-16 funding: Colossal Biosciences raises $200M Series C at a $10.2B valuation (https://colossal.com/colossal-biosciences-raises-200-million-series-c/)
- 2025-01-15 breakthrough: De novo designed proteins neutralize lethal snake venom toxins (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08393-x)
- 2024-11-14 deal: Solugen wins $2M DoD award for bioindustrial manufacturing (https://solugen.com/blog/2024/11/14/solugen-awarded-dod-contract-to-advance-bioindustrial-manufacturing-capabilities/)
- 2024-10-09 milestone: Nobel Prize in Chemistry goes to protein design and structure prediction (https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/2024/press-release/)
- 2024-06-25 product: EvolutionaryScale releases ESM3 and an AI-designed fluorescent protein (https://www.evolutionaryscale.ai/blog/esm3-release)
- 2024-06-13 deal: Solugen gets conditional commitment for a $213.6M DOE loan guarantee (https://solugen.com/blog/2024/06/13/solugen-secures-conditional-commitment-for-213-6m-doe-loan-guarantee-bolstering-u-s-leadership-in-green-manufacturing-and-domestic-chemical-production/)
- 2024-05-08 breakthrough: AlphaFold 3 predicts structures of protein complexes with DNA, RNA and ligands (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07487-w)
- 2024-04-24 funding: Xaira Therapeutics launches with $1B for AI drug design (https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/24/xaira-an-ai-drug-discovery-startup-launches-with-a-massive-1b-says-its-ready-to-start-developing-drugs/)
- Round 2026-09-23: Basecamp Research Series C $140M (https://www.basecamp-research.com/news-research/basecamp-research-raises-140m-to-advance-ai-designed-therapeutics)
- Round 2026-07-14: Chai Discovery Series C $400M (https://www.chaidiscovery.com/news/series-c)
- Round 2026-02-26: Generate Biomedicines IPO $400M (https://generatebiomedicines.com/news-releases/generate-biomedicines-inc-announces-pricing-of-initial-public-offering/)
- Round 2025-12-15: Chai Discovery Series B $130M (https://www.chaidiscovery.com/news/series-b)
- Round 2025-03-31: Isomorphic Labs First external round $600M (https://www.isomorphiclabs.com/articles/isomorphic-labs-announces-600m-external-investment-round)
- Round 2025-02-13: Latent Labs Series A and prior funding $50M (https://www.latentlabs.com/press-release/latent-labs-secures-50m-in-funding/)
- Round 2025-01-16: Colossal Biosciences Series C $200M (https://colossal.com/colossal-biosciences-raises-200-million-series-c/)
- Round 2024-11-26: Cradle Series B $73M (https://www.cradle.bio/blog/series-b)
- Round 2024-09-24: Constructive Bio Series A (first close) $58M (https://constructive.bio/news/constructive-bio-58m-series-a-fermentation-peptide-manufacturing-ncaa/)
- Round 2024-04-24: Xaira Therapeutics Launch financing $1.0B (https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/24/xaira-an-ai-drug-discovery-startup-launches-with-a-massive-1b-says-its-ready-to-start-developing-drugs/)