China's DeepSeek developing its own AI chip - The Economic Times

• Blockchain technology is transitioning from experimental use to production-grade infrastructure within the UK fintech sector, according to research from the World Economic Forum. • This shift is fundamentally reshaping how public equity markets view fintech listings, moving away from speculative interest toward integrated operational utility.

• Rick Hao has departed from Speedinvest to launch a new $50 million solo venture fund specifically targeting the deeptech sector. • Oslo-based Six Robotics secured €12 million in a Seed round led by DTCP's Defence fund to scale its Valkyrie autonomy platform for unmanned systems.

• Former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta argues that Europe is failing to convert its world-class scientific research into scalable commercial businesses. • Letta identifies a critical gap in the EU's ability to finance, test, and manufacture new technologies compared to global competitors.

• The European Commission has launched a new Action Plan designed to enhance AI integration and cybersecurity to boost overall cyber resilience across the EU. • A central initiative is the "EU Grand Challenge on AI for cybersecurity," which will unite researchers, public organizations, and private companies to create next-generation security solutions.

• Google has launched a $1 million Indie Games Fund for Sub-Saharan Africa, providing non-equity grants of up to $200,000 to help local mobile and PC game studios scale. • The initiative combines financial support with hands-on technical mentorship to foster the growth of independent game developers across the region.

• Researchers from Peking University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have developed the world's first neurodynamic chip based on phase-change memristors. • This breakthrough in neuromorphic computing allows hardware to process information similarly to biological brains, utilizing massively parallel and event-driven architectures.

• Chinese AI startup DeepSeek is developing its own proprietary AI chips to power its artificial intelligence systems, according to a report by Reuters. • The move comes as the company seeks to reduce reliance on external hardware providers to sustain its computational needs.

• Several startups have secured fresh capital, including Econovus Packaging, Mowito, and Blurgs AI, the latter of which focused on deeptech funding. • The startup ecosystem saw strategic consolidation with Hydron completing a new acquisition to expand its market presence.

• Google and the India SME Forum released a report stating that the adoption of artificial intelligence could unlock over $490 billion in economic value for Indian MSMEs. • The findings indicate that AI has the potential to increase business profitability by 30% to 35% for these enterprises.

• Beijing is considering new restrictions to curb overseas access to China's most advanced AI models, according to internal sources. • The move follows a series of steps by the Chinese government to treat cutting-edge AI as a critical national asset that requires strict domestic controls.

• China's Ministry of Commerce is leading meetings to implement strict restrictions on both open-source and closed-source AI models. • Proposed measures include limiting who can fund domestic AI startups and classifying the leaking or theft of AI technology as a national security offense.