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- 1Vietnam pushes to accelerate its high-tech ambitions▼Le Vietnam veut passer à la vitesse supérieure. #Vietnam #HauteTechnologie #Innovation #IntelligenceArtificielle #SemiCo
Vietnam is signalling plans to move up a gear in technology, with focus areas including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, smart cities, scientific research and startups. The country has been courting foreign chipmakers and tech investors as it tries to position itself as a new manufacturing and innovation hub in Southeast Asia. Commenters are watching whether the government can translate these ambitions into concrete investment and industrial capacity.
- 2DHS Orders Federal Agencies to Ban Chinese AI Startup DeepSeek▼DHS Orders Federal Agencies to Ban Chinese AI Startup DeepSeek Over Security Concerns – DTH
The Department of Homeland Security has directed federal agencies to ban the use of DeepSeek, a Chinese AI startup, citing national security concerns. The order follows growing scrutiny of Chinese-made AI tools in the United States, as officials worry about data handling and potential access by the Chinese government. It marks one of the most direct US government actions against a foreign AI company to date.
- 3Nigerian defence-tech startup Terra Industries raises $22 million▼Terra Industries, a Nigerian defence-tech startup, raised an additional $22 million in a seed extension in February 2026
Terra Industries, a Nigerian defence technology startup, raised an additional $22 million in a seed extension round in February 2026, bringing its total funding to $34 million. The company is developing defence technology in Nigeria, and the raise signals growing investor interest in African security and defence startups, with backing reportedly including foreign money.
- 4Sovereign AI startup FAICON wins Venture Kick grant▼Sovereign AI startup FAICON lands $49,000 Venture Kick grant
FAICON, a startup working on sovereign AI, has received a 50,000 Swiss franc grant (about $49,000) from Venture Kick, the Swiss early-stage funding program. The grant supports the company's efforts to build AI technology that keeps data and model control within national or organisational borders. The news circulated via startup funding trackers and technology press.
- 5Former Trump and Biden officials say weak patent policy hurts US security▼Former Trump, Biden officials: America's security depends on startups. Weak patent policy is undermining them
Officials who served under both Donald Trump and Joe Biden have jointly argued that America's national security increasingly depends on innovative startups, and that current patent policy is undermining those companies. Writing in Fortune, they call on policymakers to strengthen patent protections so that young technology firms can attract investment and compete against foreign rivals, framing intellectual property reform as a matter of strategic importance for the United States.
- 6
Venture capital in the region is increasingly being sourced from local investors rather than from outside markets, according to Arabian Gulf Business Insight. The report points to a broader trend of homegrown capital backing regional startups, with domestic funds and family offices taking a larger role in early-stage deals as international funding slows.
- 7Who Would Buy Chinese EV Makers' Technology?▼Even if those new Chinese EV automakers dare to sell their technology, who on earth would dare to buy it?
A debate is circulating over whether Chinese electric vehicle startups could ever sell their technology abroad. The argument, raised in Chinese tech commentary, is that even if these new automakers offered their know-how, few companies would trust or purchase it, given the young firms' unproven track records, intense price competition, and doubts about long-term survival and quality.