Secures

• Evardi Energy, co-founded by UC Berkeley economics and cognitive science student Diva Bhartesh Shah, launched an AI platform to predict electricity demand surges and prevent blackouts. • The system uses machine learning to forecast peak loads up to 48 hours in advance, enabling grid operators to adjust supply dynamically and reduce outage risks by 70%. • This innovation addresses vulnerabilities in aging power infrastructure, potentially saving utilities $billions annually in downtime costs amid rising climate-driven demand.

• Singapore‑headquartered AI‑analytics company NexaAnalytics raised $120 million in a Series B round led by Temasek Holdings on May 8, 2026, valuing the firm at $1.1 billion. • The startup, which specializes in real‑time marketing‑attribution and supply‑chain‑demand‑prediction models for ASEAN retailers, says it will allocate 60% of the capital to expand its GPU‑cluster footprint in Singapore and Malaysia and the rest to R&D and regional hiring. • NexaAnalytics reports current ARR of $49 million, up from $18 million a year ago, with its prediction models deployed across more than 850 enterprise clients including major e‑commerce and logistics networks in Indonesia and Thailand.

• XBOW, a leader in autonomous offensive security, raised $35 million in additional Series C financing with Samsung Ventures participating, announced on May 8, 2026. • Foley & Lardner LLP represented Samsung Ventures in the deal, bolstering XBOW's capabilities in AI-driven cybersecurity operations. • The funding arrives amid rising demand for advanced security tools, emphasizing the growing importance of autonomous systems in threat detection and response.

• Startup Genesis AI unveiled an advanced AI model that empowers robotic hands to perform complex physical tasks, backed by a $105 million funding round as reported by TechCrunch on May 7, 2026. • The breakthrough shifts AI from software to physical applications, targeting transformations in manufacturing and logistics sectors. • This development highlights the accelerating trend of embodied AI, with potential to automate intricate manual processes previously limited to human dexterity.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP won the West Bengal assembly elections, capturing the state for the first time and defeating Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress (TMC). • The victory expands BJP control to 78% of India's population across states, following major wins in state-level polls this week. • Mamata Banerjee rejected the results as rigged during a Tuesday press briefing, refusing to resign despite her term ending on May 8, 2026, and accusing the Modi government of disenfranchising millions of voters.

• The BJP achieved a commanding majority in West Bengal state elections, marking its first-ever victory in India's fourth-most populous state and ending decades of opposition rule under Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress. • Election results finalized this week show the BJP winning control of West Bengal while expanding majorities in Assam and making incremental gains in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, consolidating power across 21 of India's 28 states. • The victories represent a significant political rebound for Prime Minister Narendra Modi following his party's loss of outright parliamentary majority in 2024 national elections.

• Elastics has raised $2 million in pre-seed funding to develop AI-powered tools for prediction market traders. • The platform provides automated research, execution, and portfolio management capabilities designed for individual traders navigating prediction markets. • The funding demonstrates investor interest in AI applications that democratize financial tools and analytics previously available only to institutional investors.