<div>
  <ul>
    <li>
      <p>
        Walmart is seeking an auxiliary use permit for a drone delivery and launch hub in Pea Ridge, Arkansas in a partnership with Zipline, a drone logistics company. Zipline has already made the request to the Pea Ridge Planning Commission, which is set to meet on January 5 to evaluate the request.&nbsp;
      </p>
    </li>
  </ul>
  <ul>
    <li>
      <p>
        Walmart first partnered with Zipline in September 2020 on a pilot program to test the delivery of health and wellness products to Walmart customers. The trial is scheduled to begin in early 2021&nbsp; around Bentonville, Arkansas, where Walmart headquarters are located.
      </p>
    </li>
  </ul>
  <ul>
    <li>
      <p>
        Zipline currently has commercial operations in multiple countries including the US, Ghana, Rwanda, India, and the Philippines. Its drones can deliver a payload of around four pounds within a 50 miles radius.
      </p>
    </li>
  </ul>
  <p>
  </p>
</div>


<div>
  <p>
    <a href="https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2020/dec/31/walmart-seeks-to-start-drone-service-in-pea-ridge/">
      Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
    </a>
  </p>
  <p>
    <a href="http://www.okenergytoday.com/2020/12/northwest-arkansas-to-get-walmart-drone-delivery-service/">
      OK Energy Today
    </a>
  </p>
</div>


Last-mile Delivery Automation

Walmart and Zipline are setting up a drone hub in Arkansas

Exploring the limitless possibilities of AI

Generative AI Applications

INCUMBENTS_PRESENT

PROMINENT_CATEGORY

<div>
 <p>IBM has teamed up with Microsoft to open three IBM-Microsoft Experience Zones at IBM's Client Innovation Centers, located in Bucharest, Romania; Buffalo, New York; and Leicester, UK. The zones are intended to assist global clients in exploring and innovating with GenAI, hybrid cloud, and other Microsoft technologies.</p>
 <p>In these zones, clients have access to various Microsoft technologies such as Azure, Azure Open AI Service, Microsoft Copilot, and Microsoft Dynamics. These spaces facilitate exploration and co-creation of GenAI solutions, experimentation with IBM technologies on Microsoft Azure, and collaboration with IBM experts to identify and resolve unique business challenges utilizing cloud and GenAI solutions.</p>
 <p>Furthermore, the zones aim to demonstrate next-generation technologies and industry-specific case studies, assisting enterprises in harnessing GenAI in competitive business environments.</p>
 
</div>

IBM and Microsoft open three new experience zones to provide customers access to cloud and GenAI solutions

Electrifying passenger and commercial travel

EV Economy

ANALYST_QUICK_TAKE

<div>
 <p>General Motors (GM) is offering adapters to its Electric Vehicle (EV) drivers for accessing Tesla's Supercharger network, expanding the availability of charging points to over 17,800. These adapters are approved by GM.</p>
 <p>The adapters, known as NACS DC, are priced at USD 225 and are available for purchase through mobile apps of GM vehicle brands. To start, this service is accessible for customers in the United States and Canada.</p>
 <p>Beyond purchasing, GM customers can use these brand-specific mobile apps to locate Tesla Superchargers, check the status of these chargers, initiate charging, and also pay for the charging sessions. GM aims to involve multiple suppliers for producing these approved NACS DC adapters.</p>
 
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake</b> :<br>
 This addition expands GM EV drivers’ access to more than 231,800 public Level 2 and DC fast chargers in North America, in line with efforts to improve charging infrastructure and promote EV adoption. GM follows other automakers, such as Ford and Rivian, in adopting Tesla's charging network, contributing to the broader initiative to make EV charging more accessible and convenient.</p>

GM offers Tesla Supercharger adapters to EV owners for USD 225

Empowering Tomorrow's Innovations with Generative AI Infrastructure

Generative AI Infrastructure

<div>
 <p>Conversational AI platform Uniphore has unveiled a new feature, X-Stream, which operates as a layer in its data and AI platform. X-Stream facilitates knowledge-as-a-service, offering enterprises tools and controls necessary for creating retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) applications.</p>
 <p>X-Stream provides a comprehensive and accessible architecture that consolidates fragmented stages of AI data preparation. It handles multimodal data from over 200 sources, processes this data, translates it into embeddings, stores it in a vector database, forms knowledge graphs, generates synthetic data, and features numerous evidence management capabilities.</p>
 <p>Uniphore states that X-Stream can hasten the deployment of domain-specific GenAI applications using internal data up to eight times faster. Its claim is that customers generally see a return on investment that is four to six times their initial input within a few weeks of the service going live, and it operates on a usage-based pricing model.</p>
 <p>Incubated at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Uniphore specializes in conversational AI and automation technology. The company's solutions integrate GenAI with workflow automation. Its main product offerings include U-Analyze for speech analytics, U-Trust for voice biometrics, U-Self Serve for virtual assistants, and U-Assist for on-the-spot agent support.</p>
</div>

Uniphore launches X-Stream, a unified knowledge offering to build RAG apps

Additive manufacturing makes objects by systematically adding material via a CAD program

Additive Manufacturing

<div>
 
 <p>Australian additive manufacturing company, AML3D, has entered into a Manufacturing License Agreement (MLA) with US nonprofit, Blue Forge Alliance, that supports the US Navy's Submarine Industrial Base. This indefinite agreement grants AML3D the right to access technical data and assistance on parts of the US Navy submarine, allowing the company to implement its ARCEMY Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing technology in the production, testing, and confirmation of a wider variety of submarine components.</p>
 <p>The collaboration also provides a platform for AML3D to work with other US Navy suppliers, integrating the ARCEMY systems into the wider US Navy supply chain. This MLA deal not only solidifies AML3D's ongoing relationship with Blue Forge Alliance but also builds on previous contracts, such as ARCEMY system sales, alloy qualification, and component development for the submarine program of the US Navy.</p>
 
</div>

AML3D partners with Blue Forge Alliance to expand additive manufacturing solutions for US Navy

Autonomous and connected technologies shaping the future of the auto industry

Auto Tech

<div>
 <p>Cruise, General Motors' subsidiary specializing in self-driving vehicles, has revealed it intends to recommence limited testing of its robotaxi fleet in California during the upcoming fall season. The testing phase will include up to five vehicles with test drivers, operating primarily within Sunnyvale and Mountain View.</p>
 <p>The scope of these tests will be small, as they are primarily geared towards development efforts rather than large-scale operations. Unlike in past operations, Cruise vehicles will have test drivers present at the wheel. This represents a noticeable change of approach by shifting away from fully autonomous operations.</p>
 <p>The decision to restart testing procedures comes after an almost year-long break. The extended pause in Cruise's robotaxi operations was initiated from an incident involving a pedestrian, which resulted in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/23027">the suspension</a> of Cruise's permit to deploy driverless robotaxi in the state of California.</p>
</div>

Cruise to resume robotaxi testing in California

A booming food and beverage segment with a history as rich and varied as its present-day product offerings.

Plant-based Dairy & Egg

<div>
 <p>Upfield Group B.V., a plant-based food company, has rebranded itself as Flora Food Group B.V. This change reflects its goal to offer affordable and sustainable dairy alternatives. The company, currently operating in 100 countries and having prominent brands like Flora and Violife under its belt, has recently reported net sales worth EUR 3.3 billion for the year 2023.</p>
 <p>The company's strategy includes capitalizing on four global megatrends, namely population growth, rising demand for dairy alternatives, concerns for animal welfare, and stringent environmental regulations. To cater to these trends, Flora Food Group's focus will revolve around four main product categories: butter and spreads, creams, liquids, and cheese.</p>
 <p>The renaming is effective immediately at the corporate level in the Netherlands and will gradually be implemented worldwide. This step is in line with the company's pledge to be fully plant-based, as demonstrated by making all Flora spreads vegan and not using palm oil since October 2023.</p>
 
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
 </b> Flora Food Group has launched two plant-based dairy alternatives under the Violife brand; the <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/4674"> Vioblock </a> butter made from oils and fats from coconuts, sunflowers, and rapeseed in 2021, and the Creamy Block, a dairy-free cheese block in Canada, recently in <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/30912"> June 2024 </a> . The company also partnered with Copper Branch and PLNT Burger in <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/13371"> September 2022 </a> to launch vegan burgers in the US and Canada.</p>

Upfield rebrands as Flora Food Group in major transformation

Using AI to automate, enhance and optimize marketing activities

Marketing Automation

<div>
 <p>Amazon has launched a service named Video Generator for advertisers that transforms product images into video ads. </p>
 <p>The Video Generator offers customizability, highlighting product features in high-performing ads. The videos are created at a length of six to nine seconds with 720p resolution. Users also have the option to select from four video variations, and adjust the font and soundtrack. </p>
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake</b> :<br>
 Amazon's launch of the AI-powered video generator for advertisers represents a strategic push to expand its advertising capabilities and position itself as a key player in the competitive landscape of generative, AI-driven marketing tools. The innovation reflects a broader trend in the marketing industry, where companies are increasingly adopting GenAI to improve creativity and efficiency.</p>

Amazon announces Video Generator, an AI-powered tool for advertisers

<div>
 
 <p>Delivery droid developer, Kiwibot, has bought Nickelytics, an advertising firm, for $25 million. The aim of this acquisition is to convert Kiwibot's delivery robots into mobile advertising platforms. </p>
 <p>Nickelytics specializes in car-wrap advertisements, truck ads, and digital displays like tablets in cars for ridesharing. Kiwibot intends to use Nickelytics' analytic abilities and merge them with its route mapping to offer advertising opportunities across over 20 states in busy areas. Through this deal, Nickelytics' notable customers will be able to access more than 500 mobile Kiwibots for ad purposes.</p>
 
</div>

Kiwibot acquires Nickelytics for USD 25 million to turn delivery robots into mobile billboards

Disrupting the traditional financial system using blockchain

Decentralized Finance (DeFi)

<div>
 
 <p>Bool Network, a Bitcoin-based blockchain infrastructure provider, has successfully secured USD 2 million in a seed funding round. This round saw participation from numerous venture capital firms, including Antalpha Ventures, ViaBTC Capital, Cogitent Ventures, Spark Capital, Web3Port Labs, D11 Labs, Satoshi Lab HK, Sharding Capital, and CKBEcoFund. The funds gathered will be used to further develop Bool Network's decentralised infrastructure.</p>
 <p>Built on Bitcoin, Bool Network offers a decentralised Bitcoin verification network aimed to enhance Bitcoin's scalability, security, and cross-chain capabilities while remaining within the Bitcoin consensus rules. The network employs an innovative Dynamic Hidden Committee (DHC) system to verify and sign cross-chain messages; this system randomly selects witnesses from a pool of candidates. Also, the identities of chosen witnesses remain anonymous thanks to the unique ring verifiable random function (VRF) algorithm employed by Bool Network. As a result, Bitcoin holders can access DeFi services, such as restaking and token bridging, securely through the platform.</p>
 
</div>

Bool Network raises USD 2 million in seed funding to develop decentralized infrastructure

<div>

<p>Drift, a decentralized exchange based on the Solana blockchain, has successfully secured a sum of 25 million USD in a series B funding round. This round was led by Multicoin Capital and included contributions from other reputable companies like Blockchain Capital, Folius Ventures, Maelstrom, and Primitive.</p>
<p>Following this success, Drift plans to utilize the funds to develop and enhance its platform. As part of its growth plans, it also plans to double its staff strength to a total of 50 within the upcoming year.</p>
<p>The Drift Protocol is known for offering a decentralized perpetual swap exchange with a range of features, such as spot and derivative trading tools and a prediction market. The platform’s key feature is the Dynamic Automated Market Maker (DAMM), a novel idea based on a virtual AMM that allows for the adjustment of liquidity in response to participant demand. This mechanism aims to improve capital efficiency and minimise slippage compared to standard AMMs.</p>

</div>

All Updates

Walmart and Zipline are setting up a drone hub in Arkansas

IBM and Microsoft open three new experience zones to provide customers access to cloud and GenAI solutions

GM offers Tesla Supercharger adapters to EV owners for USD 225

Uniphore launches X-Stream, a unified knowledge offering to build RAG apps

AML3D partners with Blue Forge Alliance to expand additive manufacturing solutions for US Navy

Cruise to resume robotaxi testing in California

Upfield rebrands as Flora Food Group in major transformation

Amazon announces Video Generator, an AI-powered tool for advertisers

Kiwibot acquires Nickelytics for USD 25 million to turn delivery robots into mobile billboards

Bool Network raises USD 2 million in seed funding to develop decentralized infrastructure

Drift raises USD 25 million in Series B funding to develop exchange platform and double headcount

Last-mile Delivery Automation

Walmart and Zipline are setting up a drone hub in Arkansas

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