Qualcomm Investing in Indian Startups

Technology pioneer Qualcomm has announced it will invest up to $150m though Qualcomm Ventures to support India based startups focused on AI in areas like robotics, automotive, IoT and mobile.

AIM-listed Filtronic PLC Secures SpaceX Contract

Filtronic PLC, a leader in advanced microelectronics (AIM:FTC), has secured a £47.3m ($62.5m) order from SpaceX for the company's proprietary gallium-nitride ("GaN") E-band product.

Higher power and efficiency are what's offered over the company's gallium arsenide product range. Gallium's semiconductor properties are key to its usage in communications applications.  GaN and GaAs allow faster data transmission than silicon and is reliable at high temperatures. 

Nat Edington, CEO, reflected on the order, stating "we are extremely proud".

Gallium is not considered a rare earth currently, it is quite abundant but concentrated deposits are rare.

Trump Tariffs on Mexico Could Hit Electronics

Nvidia has invested in Mexico, assembling its GB200 NVL72 server racks through a Foxconn factory in Guadalajara. Foxconn is part of the Taiwanese Hon Hai Technology Group founded by Terry Gou in 1974. Mexico is the second biggest source of electronics imports to the US after China. Chinese manufacturers like Lenovo and Hisense have also opened factories in Mexico in recent years.

Royal Mint Announces Precious Metals Recycling Facility in South Wales

The UK's oldest company with a history of over one thousand years. the Royal Mint, found in 886 AD, has announced a modern facility in South Wales which extracts gold from Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs). Up to 4,000 tonnes of PCBs (found in TVs, laptops and mobile phones) from E-waste will be processed annually. Sean Millard, Chief Growth Office of the Royal Mint, stated the factory underpinned the company's commitment to sustainable precious metals.