Backbone

• Belgian startup Backbone has raised €4M in funding led by Pitchdrive and several Belgian food families to integrate AI into food safety compliance and quality management. • The funding arrives amid a major European infant formula crisis involving cereulide toxin from a contaminated Chinese ingredient used by Nestlé, Danone, and Lactalis. • This contamination led to product recalls in over 60 countries and caused infant illnesses across seven nations, including Belgium, starting in December 2025.

• Amazon has increased its investment in India's AI infrastructure by $13 billion, bringing its total projected spending to $48 billion by 2030. • This massive capital injection aims to establish India as a central backbone for global AI development and infrastructure. • The move underscores the strategic importance of India's tech ecosystem in scaling advanced artificial intelligence capabilities worldwide.