The Weekly Brief
Enjoying this newsletter? Know someone who would too? Forward this email to them!
Sign up (it’s free)
January 9th 2026
⚡️ Energy
🇺🇸 US expands advanced nuclear fuel production to strengthen energy security and reactor supply chain
The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded Centrus Energy a $900 million contract to expand its uranium enrichment facility in Ohio, enabling large-scale production of High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) for next-generation nuclear reactors. The project aims to restore domestic nuclear fuel capabilities, reduce reliance on foreign sources, and support both commercial utilities and national security needs. Backed by bipartisan funding and private investment, the expansion is expected to create thousands of jobs and begin delivering new capacity by 2029.
🚘 Transport
Xpeng Motors has launched a hybrid version of its G7 SUV that can travel up to 1,058 miles on a full charge and tank, making it the longest-range SUV globally. The vehicle uses a 55.8 kWh battery and a small petrol engine to recharge the battery while driving, addressing range anxiety and weak charging infrastructure. With a starting price of $28,000, the G7 supports Xpeng’s global expansion and highlights China’s growing dominance in the next-gen vehicle market.
SANY and Pony.ai have unveiled a 1+4 autonomous electric truck platoon, allowing a single human driver to lead four self-driving trucks, cutting freight costs by 29%. Designed for smart ports and logistics, the trucks feature swappable 400 kWh batteries, advanced sensors, and a fully redundant drive-by-wire chassis. This scalable solution bypasses regulatory hurdles and marks a major step toward large-scale autonomous freight operations in China.
🦾 Robotics
Hyundai Motor Group plans to mass-produce 30,000 Atlas humanoid robots annually by 2028 to automate high-risk and repetitive factory work. Developed with Boston Dynamics, these AI-driven robots are designed to collaborate with human workers, reduce physical strain, and improve safety and efficiency. As part of its “human-centered automation” strategy, Hyundai is also building smart factories and training centers to advance robotic learning and integration.
🤖 Artificial Intelligence
Siemens and NVIDIA have partnered to create an Industrial AI Operating System that will embed artificial intelligence across every phase of factory operations - from design to deployment. The system uses digital twins, simulation, and generative AI to enable factories to adapt in real time, reduce risk, and accelerate innovation. A fully AI-driven factory will debut in Germany in 2026, with the companies planning to scale the platform across industries and customers globally.
📈 Investor’s Corner
Nanalyze, our go-to source for no-BS investment analysis on disruptive tech, released the following interesting pieces this week:
🌎 Sustainability
🇰🇷 🇸🇬 🇦🇪 South Korean robots to prevent algal blooms in Singapore, UAE using AI-driven water cleanup
South Korean company ECOPEACE is launching autonomous, AI-powered robots, called ECOBOT, in Singapore and the UAE to tackle water pollution and prevent harmful algal blooms. These semi-submerged robots detect and remove algae, oil films, and other pollutants in real time, using microfilters and electrochemical treatments while continuously adjusting operations via onboard AI. The pilot programs aim to demonstrate the technology’s adaptability to both dense urban waterways (Singapore) and hot, arid environments (UAE), potentially offering a scalable solution for global water management challenges.
China’s Ming Yang Smart Energy has developed the world’s first fully recyclable carbon fiber wind turbine blade, using a chemical process that recovers materials at room temperature without damaging them. The 361-foot MySE23X blade targets the wind industry's growing waste crisis by enabling high-value carbon fiber recovery for reuse in turbines or other industries. This breakthrough advances the push for circularity in renewable energy and could help the sector achieve carbon-neutral, waste-free operations.
💊 Healthcare
🇸🇪 🇺🇸 Swedish device becomes first FDA-approved at-home brain-stimulation treatment for depression in US
Swedish company Flow Neuroscience has received FDA approval for the FL-100, the first at-home brain-stimulation device to treat moderate to severe depression in the United States. The wearable headset delivers low-intensity electrical currents to the brain’s prefrontal cortex and showed a 58% average symptom reduction in a randomized controlled trial, published in Nature. Available by prescription and guided via app, it offers a non-drug alternative for millions who don’t respond to antidepressants.
🇦🇺 🇨🇦 Australian and Canadian researchers develop safer drug to boost metabolism via cell energy leakage
Scientists from the University of Technology Sydney and Memorial University of Newfoundland have discovered a new class of molecules that safely trigger cells to burn more energy by mildly uncoupling mitochondria. These arylamide-substituted fatty acids increase fat consumption without harming cell health or ATP production, avoiding the deadly side effects of earlier compounds like DNP. Published in Chemical Science, the breakthrough could lead to a new generation of weight-loss and anti-aging drugs that also offer protection against oxidative stress and neurodegenerative diseases.
Researchers from New York-based ARMR Sciences are launching the first human trial of a vaccine designed to prevent fentanyl from reaching the brain, potentially stopping overdoses before they start. The vaccine trains the immune system to produce antibodies that trap fentanyl in the bloodstream, rendering it too large to cross the blood–brain barrier. Backed by promising animal studies and published safety data, this approach could offer long-lasting protection and reshape how opioid overdoses are prevented.
That’s all for today, please reply to this email if you have any comments or feedback, we’d love to hear from you about what we can do better!
Have you enjoyed this email? Make sure to share it with your friends and colleagues.
See you soon,
Max