United States

109 Articles

Space and Space Technologies

U.S. Space Command Identifies Five Priorities for Preparing for a Potential Space War

U.S. Space Command has placed offensive capabilities and countermeasures against proliferated satellite constellations in low Earth orbit at the top of its needs for fiscal years 2029–2033. The command is calling on the military, industry and government laboratories to develop means of affecting critical nodes within these networks and to enhance space domain awareness and maneuverability.

2026-08-12

Space and Space Technologies

Pentagon Launches Digital Portal to Expand Companies’ Participation in Golden Dome Program

The Pentagon has launched the “Golden Dome for America Ecosystem Hub” to give startups, contractors, investors, and universities an unclassified channel for submitting ideas and accessing information about the missile defense program’s needs. The initiative includes a shared data environment and testing spaces for analytics and artificial intelligence applications, while restrictions related to classified information remain in place.

2026-08-12

Artificial intelligence

Twitch Automatically Enables the Use of Creator Content to Train Amazon’s AI Models

Twitch has begun using creator content, including audio and video recordings, to help train Amazon’s generative AI models, giving creators the option to opt out rather than requesting prior consent. The decision has sparked widespread objections among the platform’s community, while a Twitch official was unable to confirm whether some content had already been used for training.

2026-08-12

Energy and Green Technologies

Form Energy Raises $750 Million to Expand Production of Batteries Lasting 100 Hours

The startup Form Energy raised $750 million in a Series G round to increase its manufacturing capacity in West Virginia, as demand grows for long-duration electricity storage solutions from data centers and renewable energy projects. Its iron-air batteries use a chemistry that enables energy discharge for up to 100 hours.

2026-08-12

Startups

Reservoir Raises $8 Million to Develop Smart Water Heaters Serving Homes and the Power Grid

Reservoir raised $8 million in seed funding to expand the installation of heat-pump water heaters, hot-water demand forecasting, and plumbing leak detection. The company aims to install approximately 1,000 devices in the Boston area by the end of next year, compared with around 100 devices so far.

2026-08-12

Consumer Electronics and Technology

The Pixel 11 series bets on Gemini more than hardware changes

Google introduces the Pixel 11 phones with limited design and component changes, in exchange for a major expansion of Gemini’s capabilities to perform tasks in the background, along with improvements to the camera, translation, and night photography. Prices start at $899 with 256GB of base storage, while the Pixel 11 Pro XL costs $100 more than the previous generation.

2026-08-12

Space and Space Technologies

Northrop Grumman Robotic Vehicle Prepares to Extend Satellite Lifespans in Orbit

Northrop Grumman is preparing to use the Mission Robotic Vehicle and its robotic arms to install a new propulsion unit on the Optus satellite in 2027, after the current MEV vehicle departed the satellite it helped keep in position for more than a year. The mission represents a shift toward repairing and servicing satellites instead of replacing them entirely.

2026-08-12

Startups

ClearJet Raises $25 Million to Build a Shipping Network That Taps Unused Capacity on Commercial Flights

AI-powered logistics startup ClearJet has raised $25 million in a Series B round led by Edison Partners to expand a network that matches shipments with available cargo capacity on commercial flights. The company says its model can reduce shipping costs by up to 35% and accelerate delivery by as many as three days.

2026-08-12

Startups

The Collapse of VideoVerse’s $250 Million Acquisition Deal Amid Fraud and Signature Forgery Allegations

The acquisition deal involving Indian company VideoVerse has turned from a $250 million exit into multiple legal disputes, as investors and creditors await amounts owed to them and the company and its founder face allegations that have not been resolved in court.

2026-08-12

Startups

Road to Battlefield Competition Advances to Its Second Year with 726 Applications from 39 Countries

The Road to Battlefield competition, organized by Silkroad Innovation Hub in partnership with TechCrunch and regional organizations, continues its selection process to choose three startups from Central Eurasia to participate in Startup Battlefield 200 during TechCrunch Disrupt. The 2026 edition saw a significant increase in applications, with artificial intelligence projects dominating and the addition of investment prizes and credits for using OpenAI APIs.

2026-08-12

Opinions and Analysis

Anthropic Proposes Two Frameworks for Policies Addressing the Acceleration of AI

Anthropic has proposed an advanced AI model governance framework and an economic framework to prepare for the technology’s impact on the labor market and the distribution of its benefits. The company calls for greater transparency, independent evaluation, stronger security, and authority for governments to deter deployments that could cause catastrophic harm under defined safeguards.

2026-08-12

Electric Cars

Samsung SDI Takes Full Ownership of Indiana Battery Plant After General Motors Exit

Samsung SDI is purchasing General Motors’ 49.99% stake in a joint battery plant venture in Indiana, becoming the sole owner of the $3.5 billion facility. The shift comes as electric vehicle demand growth slows, while the company plans to add a line for producing energy storage batteries.

2026-08-11

Medical Technologies

Orthopedic Companies Do Not Expect Implant Prices to Decline Despite Medicare Changes

Stryker and Zimmer Biomet believe the new Medicare model for joint replacement surgeries will not put much pressure on implant prices, while an analyst warns that medical device companies may have to demonstrate the technological impact of their products in reducing readmissions and emergency visits.

2026-08-11

Startups

Kyoto Fusioneering Develops a Device to Test the Fuel Cycle of Nuclear Fusion Reactors

Kyoto Fusioneering has received grants from the U.S. Department of Energy and the State of Tennessee to develop a prototype fusion fuel production device at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The company will move its U.S. headquarters to Oak Ridge, while other fusion companies will use the device’s data to develop their reactor designs.

2026-08-11

Technical Certifications

Cloudflare for Government Achieves FedRAMP Class D (High) Authorization and Announces Pursuit of DoD IL4 Certification

Cloudflare announced that the Cloudflare for Government platform has achieved FedRAMP Class D (High) authorization, designated for the most sensitive unclassified U.S. government data. The company also revealed that the systems it developed for this level will serve as the foundation for its pursuit of Impact Level 4 authorization from the U.S. Department of Defense.

2026-08-10

Medical Technologies

Medical Device Companies Support MDUFA VI Agreement, While Patients Call for Stronger Post-Market Safety

The latest agreement to fund medical device fees in the United States enjoys broad industry support, but patient groups are calling for expanded use of real-world evidence to monitor devices after they reach the market. The agreement includes higher fees for foreign companies, greater transparency regarding staffing at the medical device division, and the conversion of the TAP program into a permanent program.

2026-08-10

Startups

Discovered Materials Raises $9 Million to Find Materials for Building Cooler Chips

The startup plans to use AI agents and physics models to simulate new materials that could help reduce the heat generated by chips designed for AI workloads. It is betting on licensing future patents to chip manufacturers, although turning these discoveries into commercial products remains a challenge.

2026-08-10

Medical Technologies

When Is Building Software Better Than Buying It? NYU Langone and Dana-Farber’s Experience Supporting Cancer Treatment Decisions

NYU Langone Health and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute developed the Solavia Decision Suite to help oncologists connect patient data with research, guidelines, and treatments within the electronic health record. After testing it internally, the platform became commercially available to other health systems in an experience that highlights the criteria for choosing between building and buying software.

2026-08-10