Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) has invested over $500M in Magic Leap, a U.S. tech company specializing in VR headsets. This investment is aimed at competing with Apple's $3,499 Vision Pro goggles, with Magic Leap's total capital raised now exceeding $4.5B.Magic Leap received $590M from PIF in 2023 through convertible debt.The PIF has become the majority owner of Magic Leap, a compa...

The ‘general purpose’ robots from robotics startup Figure are intended to automate dangerous or repetitive manufacturing tasks.[Figure unveiled its first prototype humanoid robot (pictured) in October 2023, just one year after the company was founded. Image: Figure]Robotics startup Figure has signed a “commercial agreement” with BMW to introduce its “general purpose” humanoid robots to BM...

For many, the simple act of standing in a crowd is an unthought privilege. The same is rarely said for individuals with mobility challenges. That’s where the ‘Kim-e’ glides in, offering them a way to navigate the world independently and comfortably at eye level.Developed by a team of designers and engineers with diverse expertise at Chronus Robotics, this self-balancing personal mobility rob...

China’s population is falling. The world’s formerly most-populous nation reported its second straight year of decline, with the country’s citizen count dropping to 1.409 billion, as just ~9 million babies were born, down from 9.56 million last year.It’s hard to overstate just how seismic a demographic shift the figures represent. China was, of course, known for its infamous one-child policy...

The beauty brand joins a growing number of businesses exploring ways to use augmented reality technology. Augmented reality isn't just a toy, it can be a powerful tool for deepening connections with your younger customers. That's particularly true in the realm of beauty e-commerce, where AR can give consumers an opportunity to virtually "try on" a product before purchasing it. According to a 20...

The research project demonstrated a power output of 20 watts using a fiber-optic laser and aims to increase this to kilowatts in the future.A consortium of researchers in the European Union recently demonstrated powering up sensors of a nanosatellite using a high-power optical fiber laser. Such application of technology can open up newer avenues in space exploration. As humanity races to reach...

In case you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know that CDs have made a comeback the past years, thanks in part to the Japanese and Korean music industry. A lot of fans have been buying CDs (sometimes multiple copies) of their favorite artists and Gen Z in particular has a particular fondness for something they actually weren’t alive yet when it was popular. The older generations buy...

The new regime of greater macro and market volatility has resulted in greater uncertainty and dispersion of returns. We believe a more active approach to managing investment portfolios will carry greater rewards as a result.01Managing macro riskWhat matters in the new regime: structurally higher interest rates and tougher financial conditions. Markets are still adjusting to this environment –...

Smartphone technology has come a long way and most of us would consider there is no going back from the endless convenience of next-gen phones that keep dropping every other week. This notion may be on the verge of change, with a pocket-friendly Rabbit that paced through the hearts of CES attendees this year. Dubbed the R1, a walkie-talkie-like device created by a startup called Rabbit in colla...