The Weekly Brief - September 12th 2025

Author

Max Gray
September 12, 2025

The Weekly Brief (formerly The Daily Innovation Newsletter)

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September 12th 2025

Editor’s Note

Over the past month, I’ve been trialing publishing this newsletter weekly instead of daily, and the feedback has been great! From now on, the newsletter will remain weekly and will carry a new name: The Weekly Brief.

You can also look forward to some exciting announcements in the coming weeks. These will focus on:

Partners to help you explore investing in disruptive innovation - the kinds of companies and sectors we cover here every week.

Something new that will go deeper into the sectors and technologies we discuss, giving those who are interested a clearer, more in-depth understanding.

Thanks for reading and being part of this journey - there’s a lot ahead.

⚡️ Energy

A study from the Korea Maritime Institute demonstrates that vertically designed “solar trees” can generate the same electricity as ground-mounted solar farms while avoiding almost all deforestation. Using 3D geospatial simulations of a South Korean coastal forest, researchers found that 63 to 87 solar trees could produce 1 MW of power that otherwise required clearing nearly 99% of the site. Published in Nature, the work highlights solar trees as a scalable solution to balance renewable energy expansion with ecosystem preservation worldwide.

Boston-based Dig Energy has unveiled a purpose-built geothermal drilling rig that uses high-pressure fluid instead of traditional carbide bits, slashing installation costs by up to 80%. The compact system is designed for urban and tight sites, tackling the biggest barrier to geothermal adoption and potentially making heat pumps cost-competitive with fossil fuel systems. Backed by $5 million in new funding, Dig will pilot the technology to help scale geothermal heating and cooling as a mainstream, low-carbon energy solution.

🚘 Transport

Amazon’s autonomous vehicle unit Zoox has officially deployed its robotaxi service in Las Vegas, offering free rides along the Strip and nearby attractions. Unlike competitors that retrofit traditional cars, Zoox designed purpose-built, bidirectional electric taxis with carriage seating, hands-free entry, wireless charging, and advanced safety systems. With production already underway in California, the company plans to expand the service to San Francisco, Austin, and Miami, positioning itself against rivals Waymo, Tesla, and Lyft.

China has inaugurated the 10.3 km Changtai Yangtze River Bridge, which cuts travel time between Changzhou and Taizhou from 80 minutes to just 20. The record-setting structure integrates an expressway, a local road, and a 200 km/h intercity railway, making it the first of its kind on the Yangtze. Built with intelligent tower cranes and ultra-precise deck placement, the bridge is expected to boost economic activity across the Yangtze River Delta.

🤖 Artificial Intelligence

The Chinese Academy of Sciences has introduced SpikingBrain 1.0, a neuromorphic AI system that mimics brain-like neuron firing to achieve massive efficiency gains. Trained on less than 2% of the data conventional models require, it processed long text sequences up to 100 times faster while consuming far less energy. Running stably on China’s homegrown MetaX chips, the system highlights a path toward large-scale AI deployment without reliance on Nvidia hardware.

💊 Healthcare

A joint team from Sungkyunkwan University and US collaborators has developed a handheld, glue-gun-like device that 3D prints biodegradable bone grafts directly into fractures during surgery. Using a safe composite of polycaprolactone and hydroxyapatite, the device can quickly produce patient-specific implants that support bone growth, deliver antibiotics to reduce infection risk, and degrade naturally as new bone forms. Published in Device, the study showed that in animal models, the printed grafts outperformed traditional bone cement, pointing toward a faster, cheaper, and more personalized approach to bone repair.

University of Cambridge scientists have developed a hydrogel-based artificial cartilage that softens in acidic conditions caused by arthritis flare-ups, releasing embedded painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs directly at the joint. This smart material mimics natural cartilage cushioning while offering long-lasting, on-demand treatment, potentially reducing the need for frequent medication. Published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, the breakthrough could transform arthritis management and other conditions requiring targeted drug delivery.

Leipzig University researchers have identified GPR133, a little-known receptor crucial for bone health, and found that activating it with a new compound, AP503, significantly strengthened bones in mice and reversed osteoporosis-like symptoms. The treatment works by stimulating bone-forming cells while suppressing bone-resorbing cells, offering a safer and longer-lasting alternative to current osteoporosis drugs. Published in Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, this breakthrough could one day help millions worldwide, particularly aging populations, maintain stronger bones for life.

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!

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See you soon,

Max

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