<div>
  <ul>
    <li>
      <p>
        Crop One Holdings, a California-based holding company for vertical farms, expects to open a 130,000-square-foot facility in Dubai in 2022, following the announcement of its Joint Venture with Emirates Flight Services in June 2018. Crop One also plans to build a new facility every year for the next five years.
      </p>
    </li>
  </ul>
  <ul>
    <li>
      <p>
        The Dubai facility is expected to produce about 6,000 pounds of leafy greens per day, which will also serve Emirates&rsquo; customers, including 105 airlines and 25 lounges.&nbsp;
      </p>
    </li>
  </ul>
  <p>
  </p>
  <p>
  </p>
</div>


<div>
  <p>
    <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/02/14/1725767/0/en/Crop-One-Solidifies-Global-Presence-with-Dubai-Office.html">
      <b>Press Release</b>
    </a>
  </p>
  <p>
    <a href="https://heron-bronze-zjrr.squarespace.com/news/2018/crop-one-united-arab-emirates-flight-catering-vertical-farm-dubai">
      <b>CropOne</b>
    </a>
  </p>
</div>


Vertical Farming

Crop One Holdings to open new vertical farm in Dubai

Using online platforms, autonomy, electric and fuel-cell tech solutions to shape the future of trucking.

Truck Industry Tech

ANALYST_QUICK_TAKE

INCUMBENTS_PRESENT

PROMINENT_CATEGORY

<div>
 <p>Volvo, in collaboration with Aurora Innovation, has introduced its production-ready self-driving Class 8 semi-truck. The autonomous vehicle is based on the VNL model from Volvo and utilizes advanced cameras and sensors to power Aurora's Level 4 autonomous driving system. This technology doesn't require a driver and will be a foundation for upcoming autonomous vehicles in Volvo's range.</p>
 <p>The two companies have conducted considerable testing on public roads, and their aim is to significantly increase the rollout of these self-driving vehicles in the next decade.</p>
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
</b> Volvo first partnered with Aurora in <a href="https:<br>
//www.volvogroup.com/en/news-and-media/news/2021/mar/news-3932948.html"> March 2021 </a> to jointly develop autonomous trucking solutions at scale for applications in North America. It unveiled a prototype version of the truck in <a href="https:<br>
//www.volvogroup.com/en/news-and-media/news/2021/sep/news-4075850.html"> September 2021. </a></p>

Volvo and Aurora reveal first production-ready autonomous truck for long-haul transportation

Platforms, apps, and cards to keep the corporate wallet in check

Business Expense Management

<div>
 
 <p>Expensify, a platform that provides business expenses and payout management solutions, has launched a new feature on its Expensify Visa Commercial Card - Unlimited virtual cards. This will allow businesses to generate an unlimited number of virtual cards to handle company expenses across various merchants or employees. The cards feature options like setting a fixed or monthly spending limit for each card and naming the virtual cards for simpler categorization and assignment. The introduction of this feature aims to offer businesses more control over their spending by providing a detailed and organized view of expenses along with the ease of managing one-time and recurring costs.</p>

</div>

Expensify launches unlimited virtual cards feature for Visa Commercial Card

Longevity Tech

<div>
 
 <p>WHOOP, a company offering diagnostic and lifestyle products, has launched its services in India. This will allow customers across the country to access the membership services of its fitness tracker device, the WHOOP strap. The company has not revealed any specific details regarding the pricing of this service. </p>
 <p>The WHOOP strap monitors a variety of health-related metrics like heart rate, quality of sleep, and levels of physical activity. This collected data is analyzed by WHOOP's coaching platform, providing users with customized advice and insights.</p>
 <p>The company stated that this new service is potentially beneficial for a wide range of people with different fitness levels. The data-driven suggestions offered by WHOOP can be a useful resource for people looking to optimize their performance and improve their recovery, regardless of whether they are professional athletes or individuals with fitness goals.</p>
 
</div>

WHOOP fitness tracker launches in India

Providing a seamless consumer experience is one hope for bringing back brick and mortar retail, automated stores are being built to do just that.

Automated Stores

<div>
 
 <p>This is about the collaboration between Mashgin, a company that designs AI-powered self-checkout kiosks, and Verifone, which offers payment solutions. They are integrating Mashgin's kiosks with Verifone's Commander, a site management service used by over 50,000 operators.</p>
 <p>The partnership will allow retailers to implement Mashgin self-checkout kiosks into their businesses while controlling payments, operations, and loyalty programs centrally through the Commander Site Controller. Additionally, Mashgin will get the capability to offer fuel sales to petrol companies that are using Commander as a result of this collaboration.</p>
 
</div>

Mashgin partners with Verifone to integrate self-checkout kiosks with Verifone Commander

Disrupting the traditional financial system using blockchain

Decentralized Finance (DeFi)

<div>
 
 <p>ELFi, a crypto-derivatives trading platform, has secured a strategic investment from KuCoin Ventures, the venture capital subsidiary of crypto exchange KuCoin. The actual value of the investment has not been disclosed.</p>
 <p>In addition to the investment, the two firms have also agreed a partnership that will allow KuCoin to incorporate ELFi's trading solutions into its own range of offerings.</p>
 <p>ELFi provides a decentralized platform for the buying and selling of a diverse range of cryptocurrency derivative products. The platform provides a wide array of trading methods for both individual and institutional investors, which include cross-margin and isolated models for trading multiple assets. Apart from trading, users also have the opportunity to earn passive income through stablecoin liquidity pools, liquid staking derivative (LSD) re-collateralized liquidity pools, and staking.</p>
 
</div>

ELFi receives undisclosed strategic investment from KuCoin Ventures

Quantum information processing is slowly becoming a reality, ushering in a new technological era.

Quantum Computing

<div>

 <p>French quantum hardware startup Pasqal has entered a partnership with Aramco to set up and manage Saudi Arabia's first quantum computer. The specifics, including financial details of the agreement, have not been publicly disclosed.</p>
 <p>Under this agreement, Pasqal will deploy a 200-qubit quantum computer by the latter half of 2025. The initial setup will utilize "analog mode" technology, which will be later upgraded to "analog-digital mode" for enhanced problem-solving. Both firms aim to explore new applications for quantum computing and aspire to establish a quantum research center in Saudi Arabia.</p>
 <p>Prior to this, in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/9029"> March 2022 </a>, Pasqal and Aramco had collaborated to develop quantum-enhanced solutions specifically for the energy sector and to grow Saudi Arabia’s quantum ecosystem.</p>
 
</div>

Pasqal collaborates with Aramco to install first quantum computer in Saudi Arabia

New technologies are opening up mental health services to previously overbooked and underserved populations.

Mental Health Tech

<div>
 <p>Virtual healthcare company Teladoc Health is being sued in a prospective class action lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges that the company provided misleading information and did not disclose increased marketing spending for its mental health service, BetterHelp. The lawsuit was filed after Teladoc's CEO, Jason Gorevic, <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/28268">resigned</a> in April following a 22% drop in the company's stock price. The drop was due to underperformance in the fourth-quarter earnings and a reduced revenue forecast for 2024.</p>
 <p>Despite the company admitting that increased marketing spending was not efficient, it is alleged that they increased their advertising budget for BetterHelp throughout 2023.</p>
 <p>The lawsuit also claims that the company's CFO, Mala Murthy, and Gorevic made overly positive public statements about the growth of BetterHelp's membership. According to the lawsuit, the membership count remained stagnant or even decreased last year.</p>
</div> <p><b>Analyst Quicktake:<br>
 </b> This marks the second time a class action lawsuit has been filed against Teladoc Health in recent history. In <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/10940"> June 2022 </a> , similar accusations were made against the company, allegedly misleading investors. The lawsuit, which was eventually dismissed in <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/19974"> July 2023 </a> , similarly named Jason Gorevic and Mala Murthy as defendants and alleged that they had misled shareholders about the challenges Teladoc Health would face after its merger with Livongo in 2020.</p>

Second class action lawsuit filed against Teladoc for alleged misleading statements

More important now than ever, telehealth will long outlast the pandemic that drove its growth.

Telehealth

<div>

 <p>Teladoc Health, a virtual telehealth provider, is facing a prospective class action lawsuit. The suit alleges the company provided false or misleading information and concealed increased marketing expenditure related to its mental health service, BetterHelp. </p>

 <p>The lawsuit was filed following the resignation of Teladoc’s CEO, Jason Gorevic, in April. Gorevic's departure came in the wake of a 22% fall in the company's stock price, triggered by lower than expected fourth-quarter earnings and a reduced revenue forecast for 2024. The plaintiff asserts that despite publicly stating that escalated marketing expenditures would be inefficient, Teladoc ramped up its advertising spending on BetterHelp throughout 2023.</p>

 <p>The lawsuit also alleges that both Gorevic and Teladoc's CFO, Mala Murthy, made overly positive public declarations about BetterHelp's membership growth. Contrarily, the suit claims, membership either stagnated or declined during last year.</p>

</div> <p><b>Analyst Quicktake:<br>
 </b> This marks the second time a class action lawsuit has been filed against Teladoc Health in recent history. In <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/10940"> June 2022 </a> , similar accusations were made against the company, allegedly misleading investors. The lawsuit, which was eventually dismissed in <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/19974"> July 2023 </a> , similarly named Jason Gorevic and Mala Murthy as defendants and alleged that they had misled shareholders about the challenges Teladoc Health would face after its merger with Livongo in 2020.</p>

<div>
 
 <p>Hims &amp; Hers, a provider of asynchronous telehealth, has added GLP-1 medications to its range for weight loss management. Available in both injectable and oral forms, these medications are offered through a monthly subscription at a cost of USD 199.</p>
 <p>The latest offerings from the company encompass generic and 503B compounded injectable medications, as well as oral medication kits, all geared towards weight management. These products are sourced from a US-based manufacturer of generic GLP-1's, enabling the company to offer a service at reasonable pricing.</p>
 
</div>

Hims & Hers adds GLP-1 medications to weight loss management offerings

Clear the air on carbon capture, reuse, and storage

Carbon Capture, Utilization & Storage (CCUS)

<div>

<p>Canadian startup TerraFixing Inc., specializing in direct air capture (DAC), has secured a commercial deal amounting to CAD 10 million (USD 7.3 million) with Tugliq Énergie Co., a provider of energy solutions. The partnership aims to develop two units for carbon capture to be used in northern Canada.</p>
<p>This collaboration will expedite the progression and implementation of TerraFixing’s DAC units, notably the 1,000- and 4,000-ton-per-year models. These units function best in harsh, windy climates. The model capable of capturing 1,000 tons per annum has already received contributions and backing from local communities and various funding partners. It is set to be deployed in Fermont, Canada, for CO2 removal.</p>

</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
 </b> The commercial agreement was announced on the heels of a CAD 1.6 million (USD 1.2 million) seed financing round closed on May 1, co-led by Mr. Laurent Abbatiello and Dr. Pierre Rivard, founders of Tugliq. The funds raised, and the proceeds from commercial agreements will drive the development of the 1,000- and 4,000-ton-per-year models. In addition, the funds will support the expansion of the TerraFixing team and facilitate the establishment of a new R&amp;D laboratory space at the University of Ottawa.&nbsp;</p>

All Updates

Crop One Holdings to open new vertical farm in Dubai

Volvo and Aurora reveal first production-ready autonomous truck for long-haul transportation

Expensify launches unlimited virtual cards feature for Visa Commercial Card

WHOOP fitness tracker launches in India

Mashgin partners with Verifone to integrate self-checkout kiosks with Verifone Commander

ELFi receives undisclosed strategic investment from KuCoin Ventures

Pasqal collaborates with Aramco to install first quantum computer in Saudi Arabia

Second class action lawsuit filed against Teladoc for alleged misleading statements

Second class action lawsuit filed against Teladoc for alleged misleading statements

Hims & Hers adds GLP-1 medications to weight loss management offerings

TerraFixing and Tugliq Énergie partner to develop cold-climate DAC

Vertical Farming

Crop One Holdings to open new vertical farm in Dubai

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