Lots has happened this past week in the tech world! With Apptronik announcing a $350 million funding round with Google, Prenuvo launching new health assessments, and more, there’s much to catch up on. So, let’s get started!
Apptronik, a robotics development company that competes with Tesla, revealed on Thursday morning that it has secured $350 million in a Series A funding round to accelerate the production of AI-driven humanoid robots.
The round was co-led by B Capital and Capital Factory, with additional support from Google, according to CEO Jeff Cardenas in an exclusive interview on Squawk Box.
Founded in 2016 and based in Texas, Apptronik previously raised $28 million. The tech company is now focused on deploying its “groundbreaking” humanoid robot, Apollo, designed for industrial tasks.
On Thursday, preventative health startup Prenuvo announced it will offer three new health assessments in addition to its flagship full-body MRI scan.
The company is introducing a detailed blood test, a neurological scan, and a body composition analysis, all of which were recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Prenuvo said it aims to provide customers with a clearer picture of their health, responding to increased demand from patients for more comprehensive services.
Alibaba Group Chairman Joe Tsai confirmed on Thursday that the company is teaming up with Apple to bring AI technology to iPhones sold in China. He made the announcement at the World Government Summit in Dubai.
“[Apple] engaged with several companies in China, and in the end, they chose to partner with us. They want to use our AI to power their phones,” Tsai said. The partnership was initially reported by tech news outlet The Information on Tuesday, which led to a surge in shares of both Alibaba and Apple.
Reddit’s shares dropped more than 15% on Wednesday after the company reported weaker-than-expected user growth in its fourth-quarter earnings. In terms of financial performance, the company posted earnings per share of 36 cents, surpassing the expected 25 cents, and revenue of $428 million, which was above the anticipated $405 million.
Paradromics, a Texas-based neurotech startup, announced on Wednesday a strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Neom and revealed plans to establish a Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) Center of Excellence in the region.
Neom, a rapidly developing area in northwest Saudi Arabia, is promoted as “a tech hub for innovation” on its official website. The partnership was led by Neom’s strategic investment arm, the Neom Investment Fund, although Paradromics chose not to disclose the investment amount.Paradromics is developing a brain-computer interface, a system that interprets brain signals and converts them into commands for external devices. The company will collaborate with Neom to “advance the development of BCI-based therapies” and establish the “leading center for BCI-based healthcare” in the Middle East and North Africa, according to a press release.
