EMERGING TECHNOLOGY
Germany Trade & Invest | November 14, 2022
Germany's Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) has contracted software company QMWare and cloud specialist IONOS, together with the University of Stuttgart and the Fraunhofer FOKUS research institute, to construct a platform for quantum computing applications for German industry. The cloud will be the first of its kind in the country.
The project, called SeQenC, will run for three years and is part of the ministry's "Digital Technologies for Business" support program. The ministry will be investing tens of millions of euros, although no exact figure was named.
During the project's three-year span, selected partner companies from industry and the wider economy will be invited to test out applications in sectors such as telecommunications, logistics, finance, automotive and energy.
The project is the latest in a series of quantum computing initiating to come from the BMWK. In late September, the ministry announced that it would put EUR 14 million into a quantum processer prototype developed on the basis of photonic systems. The BMWK has pledged to invest EUR 740 million in quantum computing as a whole.
"The German government's investment indicate how serious it is about quantum computing in Germany, Such initiatives not only create superior conditions for businesses active in Germany. They also show that niches are arising for international quantum computing businesses to come to Europe's largest economy and profit from this exciting transformation."
-Asha-Maria Sharma, computing industry expert at the German government agency Germany Trade & Invest.
Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI) is the economic promotion agency of the Federal Republic of Germany. GTAI supports German companies setting up in foreign markets, promotes Germany as a business location and assists foreign companies setting up shop in Germany.
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EMERGING TECHNOLOGY
Bidnet Direct | November 28, 2022
Today, the Borough of Caldwell announces it has joined the New Jersey Purchasing Group, a regional purchasing community by Bidnet Direct. Local government agencies throughout New Jersey utilize the purchasing group for bid and vendor management. The Borough of Caldwell invites all potential vendors to register online with the New Jersey Purchasing Group to access its upcoming solicitations by visiting http://www.bidnetdirect.com/new-jersey/caldwellnj.
The Borough of Caldwell joins the New Jersey Purchasing Group and the community of over 50 participating local government agencies located throughout New Jersey. Along with a variety of bid and vendor management solutions, the Borough of Caldwell gains access to a bid library to help with bid creation, a shared pool of vendors, and association with like-minded purchasing professionals in the area.
Vendors interested in doing business with the Borough of Caldwell are encouraged to register at http://www.bidnetdirect.com/new-jersey/caldwellnj. Benefits of joining the New Jersey Purchasing Group include:
Centralized location for bids from approximately 54 participating agencies
Bid alerts customized to the vendors’ products or services
Reliable and timely delivery of notifications, addenda and documents
The New Jersey Purchasing Group is one of Bidnet Direct’s regional purchasing groups throughout the country. It provides the Borough of Caldwell a bid and vendor management solution, document and addendum distribution, and tracking of all activity throughout the procurement process.
About the Borough of Caldwell:
Please visit the Borough of Caldwell’s website to explore the history and structure of the Borough. Our History - Caldwell, New Jersey
About Bidnet Direct:
Bidnet Direct, powered by mdf commerce, is a sourcing solution of regional purchasing groups available at no cost to local government agencies throughout the country. Bidnet Direct runs regional purchasing groups, including the New Jersey Purchasing Group, across all 50 states that are used by over 1,600 local governments.
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GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
Kodiak Robotics | December 07, 2022
Kodiak Robotics, Inc., a leading self-driving trucking company, today announced it has been awarded a $49.9 million, 24-month United States Department of Defense (DoD) agreement to help automate future U.S. Army ground vehicles led by the Army's Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) program. This effort will be in support of vehicles designed for reconnaissance, surveillance, and other high-risk missions.
Through this award, which started in October 2022 and was awarded by DoD's Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) on behalf of the Army's RCV program office, Kodiak will leverage its commercial self-driving software to develop, test and deploy autonomous capabilities for driverless vehicles that further strengthen national security. Kodiak will develop autonomous vehicle technology for the Army to navigate complex terrain, diverse operational conditions and GPS-challenged environments, while also providing the Army the ability to remotely operate vehicles when necessary.
Wartime is extraordinarily complex with high-risk challenges that often result in troops operating near or behind enemy lines. Deploying autonomous vehicles to perform such critical and dangerous tasks has the potential to significantly reduce the risk to troops, while giving them greater access to the information they need in the field. Additionally, the remote driving capabilities Kodiak will develop for the Army will increase the flexibility of these autonomous vehicles, while further reducing risk for soldiers. The project will also provide a technical pipeline that will enable the rapid development and deployment of new autonomous vehicle technologies as they become commercially available.
"I started Kodiak because I believe autonomous technology can save lives, and helping the U.S. Army develop driverless vehicles for the most challenging operating environments fits perfectly with that goal, We are proud to have the opportunity to leverage our cutting-edge self-driving technology for defense applications, and believe our work with DIU and the U.S. Army will both help strengthen national security and hasten our path to commercial deployment. We owe a debt of gratitude to the servicemen and women who step into harm's way to keep us safe; keeping them safe in return is an honor we take seriously."
-Don Burnette, founder and CEO, Kodiak Robotics.
Kodiak Robotics was the only autonomous vehicle company initially selected for this award out of 33 submissions, thanks to its proven leadership in autonomous systems development and commercialization, as well as its intense focus on safety.
In the first year of this effort, Kodiak will build upon its core competency by applying its robust autonomous software stack for Army specific use cases, including future Army vehicles. In year two, the company will implement its autonomous driving system on off-road vehicles capable of traversing complex terrain and operating remotely in unpredictable and austere conditions.
DIU focuses exclusively on adopting and scaling technologies developed by commercial partners to help strengthen U.S. national security by solving critical field challenges faced by the U.S. military. DIU works to identify innovations in six key technology areas where the commercial sector is operating at the leading edge: artificial intelligence, autonomy, cyber, energy, human systems, and space.
While Kodiak Robotics will continue to focus on its core business of building autonomous trucks for use in commercial applications, this project serves as an important extension that helps to propel its innovations forward. This project shows that Kodiak's core technology has multiple use cases, laying the groundwork for future expansion beyond long-haul trucking.
About Kodiak Robotics, Inc:
Kodiak Robotics, Inc. was founded in 2018 to develop autonomous technology that carries freight forward — so people, partners, and the planet thrive. The company is developing an industry-leading technology stack purpose-built specifically for long-haul trucks, making the freight industry safer and more efficient. Kodiak's unique modular hardware approach integrates sensors into a streamlined sensor-pod structure that optimizes for perception, scalability, and maintainability. The company delivers freight daily for its customers across the South, operating autonomously on the highway portions of the routes.
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