<div>
 <ul>
 <li>
 
 Aurora, an autonomous vehicle technology startup, has partnered with trucking company US Xpress to deploy Aurora&rsquo;s self-driving technology &ldquo;Aurora Driver&rdquo; for the latter&rsquo;s operations. Through the partnership, the companies intend to refine Aurora&rsquo;s autonomous trucking service &ldquo;Aurora Horizon.&rdquo;
 
 </li>
 </ul>
 <ul>
 <li>
 
 As per the deal, Aurora will utilize the expertise of US Xpress&rsquo;s digitally enabled fleet division &ldquo;Variant&rdquo; to identify the most effective deployment strategies. The companies will also assess the possibility of integrating application programming interface (API) into Varient&rsquo;s platform to enhance dispatching and routing of trucks once Aurora commercializes its autonomous trucking service (expected by 2023).
 
 </li>
 </ul>
 
 &lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;
 Analyst QuickTake:
 Today&rsquo;s news adds to Aurora&rsquo;s rising deployment partnerships. Such recent deals include partnerships with Uber Freight 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/7397">
 (December 2021)
 </a>
 and FedEx 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/5642">
 (September 2021).
 </a>
 In addition to Aurora, US Xpress is 
 <a href="https://www.usxpress.com/2021/01/21/u-s-xpress-invests-in-autonomous-trucking-technology/">
 working with
 </a>
 its peer autonomous trucking company 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/companies/440130">
 TuSimple
 </a>
 as an investor, advisor, and a customer&mdash;making Aurora its second autonomous trucking partner.&lt;/ul&gt;
 
 
 
</div>

<div>
 
 <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220214005160/en/U.S.-Xpress-and-Aurora-Announce-Collaboration-for-the-Intelligent-Deployment-of-Autonomous-Trucks">
 Press Release
 </a>
 
 
 <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2022/02/14/aurora-teams-up-with-us-xpress-on-robot-truck-strategy/?sh=243a67345fdb">
 Forbes
 </a>
 
 
 <a href="https://www.freightwaves.com/news/us-xpress-takes-on-aurora-as-a-2nd-autonomous-trucking-collaborator">
 FreightWaves
 </a>
 
</div>

Truck Industry Tech

Aurora partners with US Xpress to deploy autonomous trucks and refine its tech

Empowering sustainable food innovation through food engineering tech

Novel Foods

ANALYST_QUICK_TAKE

PROMINENT_CATEGORY

<div>
 The Finnish company, Solar Foods, has inaugurated its latest manufacturing plant, Factory 01, located in Vantaa, Finland. This factory will produce the company's staple protein product, Solein, on a commercial scale. 
 The new plant has the capacity to produce 160 tons annually, with a bioreactor that can produce the protein equivalent of a 300-cow dairy farm's daily output. Apart from production, the facility will also aid in research and development for future products.
</div> Analyst QuickTake: 
 Solein, a versatile and nutritious protein, is produced using a unique process involving a microorganism, CO2, and electricity. The company has received <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/updates/14058"> regulatory approval </a> from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and has applied for approvals in the EU and US. Moreover, in <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/updates/18897"> May 2023 </a> , Solar Foods held a tasting event in Singapore, showcasing menu items made with Solein, and in <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/updates/19078"> June 2023 </a> , partnered with Ajinomoto to develop Solein-based products.

Solar Foods launches world's first air protein factory in Finland

A new wave of meat, fish, and poultry alternatives are driving this hyper-growth industry into the mainstream.

Plant-based Meat

<div>
 Solar Foods, a Finnish company, has announced the official inauguration of Factory 01, its new manufacturing plant in Vantaa, Finland. The factory will commercially produce the company's flagship protein, Solein.
 The facility, having an annual production capacity of 160 tons, uses a bioreactor that can produce the protein equivalent of a 300-cow dairy farm daily. The factory will also function as an R&amp;D hub for developing future products. 
</div> Analyst QuickTake: 
 Solein, a versatile and nutritious protein, is produced using a unique process involving a microorganism, CO2, and electricity. The company has received <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/updates/14058"> regulatory approval </a> from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and has applied for approvals in the EU and US. Moreover, in <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/updates/18897"> May 2023 </a> , Solar Foods held a tasting event in Singapore, showcasing menu items made with Solein, and in <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/updates/19078"> June 2023 </a> , partnered with Ajinomoto to develop Solein-based products.

<div>
 Wamame Foods, under Top Tier Foods, has introduced "Outlier Protein," a new protein alternative boasting higher protein content than cooked ground beef.
 This product was developed in partnership with AGT Food and Ingredients, Crush Dynamics, Apex Food Source, and researchers from the University of British Columbia. It is said to contain 64% more protein than standard ground beef and is composed of only seven ingredients.
</div> Analyst QuickTake: 
 Conventional beef contains around 21 g of protein per serving, which products like <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/updates/26827"> Beyond IV </a> have matched. The significantly higher protein content and short ingredient list of Outlier Protein can alleviate consumer pain points like the need for highly nutritional and clean-label products and help with consumer acceptance.

Wamame Foods launches high-protein alternative 'Outlier Protein'

<div>
 Mush Foods, a plant-based ingredients producer, has teamed up with Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors, a US butcher shop, to launch a new product called the 50CUT Burger. This innovative food item mixes ground beef with four different varieties of mushrooms, creating a more eco-friendly alternative to regular beef burgers.
 The partnership allows Mush Foods to tap into Pat LaFrieda’s extensive network, which includes over 1,600 restaurants and foodservice establishments across the US. The 50CUT Burger is clean-label, mimics the taste and texture of meat, and provides a complete protein profile according to the company.
 
</div> Analyst QuickTake: 
 In January 2024, Mush Foods raised <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/updates/25316"> USD 6.2 million </a> in seed funding to facilitate its entry into foodservice. The company’s 50CUT product is not meant to replace animal proteins like most plant-based ingredients. Still, it allows producers to reduce the animal protein content in meat products by 50% while maintaining nutritional value.

Mush Foods partners with Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors to launch mushroom-beef blended burger

Clear the air on carbon capture, reuse, and storage

Carbon Capture, Utilization & Storage (CCUS)

<div>

 Climeworks, a Swiss direct air capture (DAC) startup, has raised CHF 2.2 million (USD 2.4 million) in funding from Enova, a state-owned company under the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment.
 The funding will be utilised for a feasibility study to develop a DAC+S plant in Norway with a multi-kiloton capacity by 2030.
 The company's Norse Pine project, which has been selected as one of nine winning projects, aims to eliminate 1.7 million tons of CO2 every year. This is roughly half the amount of CO2 emitted by Norway's passenger cars.

</div> Analyst QuickTake: 
 Norway would be the second Scandinavian location for Climeworks, expanding its DAC+S exploration globally after neighbor Iceland. In September 2023, the company announced plans to build a facility in <a href="https: 
//climeworks.com/press-release/climeworks-and-great-carbon-valley-chart-path-to-large-scale-dac"> Kenya </a> , plans to expand in Canada with <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/updates/24271"> Deep Sky </a> , a carbon removal project developer, and receive federal funding for a <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/updates/27655"> new HQ </a> in Texas, US.

Climeworks raises USD 2.4 million in governmental funding

Empowering efficiency, visibility and collaboration throughout supply networks

Supply Chain Tech

<div>
 SourceDay has entered a strategic partnership with Infor, a provider of business cloud software. The focus of the partnership is on the management of direct spend purchase order (PO) lifecycles.
 This collaboration aims to increase efficiencies by bridging the gap existing between ERPs and supplier networks in managing direct material POs. It plans to accomplish this through an integration of SourceDay’s platform with Infor’s manufacturing and distribution ERPs. In addition, Infor has become an official reseller of SourceDay’s platform, thereby expanding its customer base.
 Both SourceDay and Infor expect that this partnership will improve supplier engagement, data accuracy, and risk mitigation, thereby leading to enhanced business results. Both companies have a shared commitment to prioritizing the success and interests of their customers.
 
</div> Analyst QuickTake: 
 In recent years, SourceDay has been leveraging partnerships to offer new solutions to its customers. In February 2024, the company <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/updates/26336"> launched </a> the Sourceday EDI platform in partnership with SPS Commerce. The platform enables suppliers and manufacturers to work in their respective business environments while maintaining cross-collaboration through exchanging information about POs, ASNs, and updates.

SourceDay and Infor enter strategic partnership for enhanced purchase order management

AI, robotics, and IoT to streamline the flow of goods and information

Logistics Tech

<div>
 Geek+, a logistics and warehouse operations robotics developer, has teamed up with the global logistics company Toll Group to launch a sophisticated automated warehouse in Baeksa, South Korea, implementing Geek+'s sorting robots.
 Over 60 robots have been deployed by the companies leading to enhanced sorting operations with a 70% increase in productivity and sorting efficiency. This project has led to significant cost savings and boosted customer satisfaction by enabling faster e-commerce delivery and real-time tracking.
 
</div> Analyst QuickTake: 
 Today’s collaboration adds Toll Group to Geek+’s more than 1,000 customers, including Decathlon, Dell, Nike, Walmart, and ASKUL.

Geek+ partners with Toll Group to launch advanced automated warehouse in South Korea

<div>
 Supply chain collaboration platform, SourceDay, has strategically partnered with cloud solutions company, Infor. As an outcome of this alliance, SourceDay has become an Infor Certified Solution Partner. This partnership involves a comprehensive two-way integration within several Infor Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems used for manufacturing and distribution.
 Shared clients of Infor and SourceDay will benefit from this association as they can manage direct material purchase orders, from inception to receipt, using SourceDay's technology.
 Infor will further boost its market presence by acting as a reseller of the SourceDay platform.
 
</div>

SourceDay and Infor forge strategic partnership for enhanced supply chain collaboration

Autonomous and connected technologies shaping the future of the auto industry

Auto Tech

<div>
 Effective July 2024, the European Union is implementing new regulations pertaining to automotive cybersecurity. These regulations mandate strict electronic safety standards for car manufacturers, intended to combat rising security risks in modern, connected vehicles, especially electric vehicles. The changes required by these regulations could potentially result in the phase-out of older car models that do not meet these new standards.
 In response, several car manufacturers are discontinuing models that would require costly updates to comply. Examples include Volkswagen discontinuing production of certain models, such as the Up compact car and the Transporter T6.1 van, due to the prohibitive costs of updating their electronic systems.
 The reaction to these new regulations within the automotive industry varies. While some companies, such as Mercedes-Benz, claim readiness and compliance, others face significant challenges and expenses. These difficulties potentially limit the selection of available models.&nbsp;
</div> Analyst QuickTake: 
 The growing integration of software and electronics in vehicles underscores the escalating cybersecurity risks. Recent incidents have shown vulnerabilities within the industry, such as 1) security researchers pointing out cybersecurity vulnerabilities in <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/companies/1692"> Tesla </a> cars in <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/updates/27447"> March 2024 </a> and <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/updates/20713"> August </a> and <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/updates/17343"> March </a> 2023 and 2) identification of <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/updates/15636"> cybersecurity vulnerability </a> in digital license plates company <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/companies/587741"> Reviver’s </a> product in <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/updates/15636"> January 2023. </a> This shift emphasizes the importance of robust cybersecurity measures in safeguarding the industry and consumers.

The EU to introduce new regulations for connected vehicle cybersecurity

<div>
 An Irish radar developer, Provizio, has formed a partnership with Mergon, an international Tier 1 and Tier 2 automotive supplier, to upscale the manufacture of its "Provizio VizioR&amp;I" imaging radar series.
 With AI and machine learning for object categorization, viewing distance, trajectory, and open driving area, Mergon will aid in design, development and manufacturing of the radar units. With an impressive range of over 550 meters, this leading-edge technology shows promise for employability within autonomous trucking and various other automotive and industrial fields. 
</div>

All Updates

Solar Foods launches world's first air protein factory in Finland

Solar Foods launches world's first air protein factory in Finland

Wamame Foods launches high-protein alternative 'Outlier Protein'

Mush Foods partners with Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors to launch mushroom-beef blended burger

Climeworks raises USD 2.4 million in governmental funding

SourceDay and Infor enter strategic partnership for enhanced purchase order management

Geek+ partners with Toll Group to launch advanced automated warehouse in South Korea

SourceDay and Infor forge strategic partnership for enhanced supply chain collaboration

The EU to introduce new regulations for connected vehicle cybersecurity

Provizio partners with Mergon to scale production of 4D imaging radar technology