WHAT’S INSIDE

👇️ Feature: The Orbital Computing Wars Moonshot

Space Race 2.0, Google, Starlink, & China Put AI Data Centers in Orbit, Project Suncatcher Solar-powered Satellites, New TPU chips, Tesla Flying Car

• Company Watch: Metropolis $1.6B, Vulcan Elements $1B+, Extropic, Shopify

• Buzzy Tools: Latest Buzzy tech, AI and financial tools

• Deep Tech: The latest in deep tech, biotech, futurism and more

• Space Tech: Latest news in the space race and aerospace tech

• Crypto: Blockchain and crypto policy and startups or protocols to watch

TECH IN THE NEWS

Economy — U.S. stocks and bond yields rose on Weds on surprisingly strong job growth and service sector data, raising doubts over Fed rate cuts. Big AI stocks led a drop in bond yields and the dollar, Thursday as AI bubble fear resurfaces.

Senators Push AI Chip Ban — A bipartisan group urges Pres. Trump to maintain export controls on Nvidia's advanced AI chips to China for national security. Concerns grow over China's rapid AI advancements and technological edge.

AI Race Controversy — Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang retracted his claim that China will win the AI race, citing energy and looser regulations as advantages. The incident underscores Nvidia's market challenges amid a potential freeze in Chinese access.

Counting AI Job Fallout — Congress has proposed a bipartisan bill mandating detailed reports on job losses caused by AI. This move underscores growing concerns about artificial intelligence's impact on employment.

AI Bubble Debate — Concerns of an AI investment bubble rise, with 54% of investors seeing overvaluation. Leaders like Jeff Bezos and Sam Altman highlight risks, but many remain committed, anticipating longer-term gains.

No AI Bailout — The Trump admin rejects federal bailouts for AI companies, despite OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar's plea for support. White House AI czar David Sacks insists market forces should guide AI firms' survival, risking industry consolidation.

FBI Targets Archive Mystery — The FBI is probing the anonymous owner of Archive.today for potential legal violations. They subpoenaed Tucows for identification, highlighting concerns over digital privacy and web archiving services.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DELVE

🔓 Get SOC II compliant in 15 hours

Delve helps fast-growing companies get compliant with an AI-automated platform. SOC 2, HIPAA, and any other certification in just 15 hours.

The proof is in the pudding:

• Lovable → From zero to fully SOC 2 compliant in just days

• 11x → Saved 143 hours on SOC 2 from their old platform, and unlocked $1.2M ARR

• Bland → Switched over, got SOC 2 compliant and unlocked $500k ARR within 7 days

If you’re suffering elsewhere, they’ll even migrate you off another platform all included

Tech Buzz readers get $1,000 credit using code TECHBUZZ1KOFF + Free Airpods Pros when you get compliant

Getting compliant in days >>> quarters.

The Orbital Computing Wars Moonshot

TechBuzz Editorial

Tech Giants Are Building AI Data Centers in Orbit

Google just announced Project Suncatcher, a plan to build AI data centers driven by solar-powered satellites carrying their new custom TPU chips that rival Nvidia GPUs. China already has satellites in orbit for their Three-Body Computing Constellation. And SpaceX wants to add compute capabilities to Starlink. This isn't science fiction anymore — it's the Space Race 2.0 as capital allocation rotates into the orbital and lunar computing moonshot.

This is also giving rise to a geopolitical chess game in the above as China and the US vie for Orbital Computing supremacy.

The Unlikely Solution to AI's Energy Crisis

Solar-Powered Satellites may be the unlikely solution to AI's energy crisis. Solar panels in the right orbit generate 8x more power than Earth-based installations with near-constant sunlight. No cooling costs in the vacuum of space. No carbon emissions. No land use disputes. If launch costs hit $200 per kilogram by the mid-2030s (SpaceX's trajectory suggests this is plausible), space data centers could match terrestrial energy costs while solving AI's sustainability crisis.

The Technical Breakthrough

Google's Trillium TPUs survived particle accelerator testing at three times expected space radiation doses with zero hard failures. Their prototype satellites, launching with Planet in early 2027, will carry four TPUs each to test real ML workloads via optical laser links hitting 1.6 terabits per second between satellites flying just hundreds of meters apart.

China's approach at present focuses on processing space-based data where it's collected. Instead of downloading terabytes from surveillance satellites, run the algorithms in orbit and transmit only relevant results. Their June launches target 1,000 petaoperations per second of combined processing power.

As Above, So Below: The Trade War Continues

This space race requires rare earth magnets, advanced semiconductors, and launch capacity. Enter companies like Vulcan Elements, which just secured $1 billion (including $620M from the Department of Defense) to build rare-earth magnet facilities in the US. The Trump administration now holds equity stakes in multiple critical materials companies, signaling how seriously the government takes supply chain sovereignty.

A bipartisan group of senators has just urged Pres. Trump to maintain export controls on Nvidia's advanced AI chips to China for national security reasons. Concerns continue to grow over China's rapid AI advancements and technological edge. Meanwhile, China just banned US chips in its data centers while a newly unveiled Analog chip just claimed to outperform Nvidia GPUs by 1,000x in certain AI applications. It also reduces energy use in AI and 6G technologies.

All of this context is what prompted Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's recent comment that “China will win” the AI race due to lower energy costs and looser regulations. Although he was forced to walk back the comment yesterday, this sentiment is shared by many of the more sober analysts in the sector, and reveals the pressure even Nvidia feels. 

The Infrastructure Stack

Several enabling technologies are converging to create this explosive sector:

SpaceX Starship promises sub-$80M launches for 100+ ton payloads. Without this, large-scale orbital infrastructure remains economically impossible.

Starlink's 8 million customers and recent $2.6B spectrum acquisition from EchoStar positions SpaceX to add compute layers to its constellation.

Japan's Obayashi Corporation continues developing carbon nanotube technology for their 2050 space elevator target.

Quantum computers might also find ideal homes in permanently shadowed lunar craters where temperatures approach absolute zero, as Musk recently suggested.

The Orbital Investment Thesis

For VCs and growth investors, orbital computing represents a new infrastructure layer with massive barriers to entry. Early movers gain durable advantages through orbital real estate, spectrum rights, and learning curves.

For public market investors, watch Google's $93B capex commitment, and Amazon's response strategies. Amazon and AWS are especially relevant given the relationship with Bezos’ Blue Origin and its Project Kuiper aiming to rival Starlink. Also watch out for SpaceX's eventual IPO positioning.

For defense tech investors, the dual-use nature of orbital computing infrastructure makes this a national security priority. Expect continued government funding and contracts.

The Risk and National Security Vectors

Most critically, this project requires unprecedented international cooperation. A space elevator or massive orbital infrastructure can't be built by one nation alone. Yet trust between superpowers continues eroding as space continues to be weaponized.
As more of the AI processing underpinning our defense networks, financial system and economy as well as all our citizens' data moves into space, then the US Space Force and Trump’s massive Golden Dome investments in orbital defense and cybersecurity become even more crucial. Cybersecurity becomes existential when financial systems and defense networks operate from space.

Thermal management also remains unsolved — dissipating heat in vacuum requires novel approaches. Orbital debris could cascade into Kessler syndrome, making certain orbits unusable without orbital projectile defense systems in place. 

The Orbital Computing Timeline

• 2025: China's constellation expands, more radiation testing

• 2027: Google's prototype launches, first commercial TPU satellites 

• 2030: Target for $200/kg launch costs, economic viability threshold 

• 2035: Potential first operational commercial space data centers 

• 2050: Japan's space elevator target

Positioning for 2025

Smart money is moving into picks and shovels: launch providers, satellite manufacturers, optical networking, radiation-hardened semiconductors, and rare earth suppliers. The hyperscalers will build the data centers, but fortunes will be made in the enabling technologies.

Watch for partnerships between cloud providers and launch companies. Monitor government contracts and subsidies flowing to critical materials and space infrastructure. Consider the second-order effects on terrestrial data center REITs and energy infrastructure plays.

The question isn't whether AI computing moves to space, but who controls the high ground when it does. In a world where computational power equals economic and military advantage, orbital infrastructure becomes the ultimate strategic asset. The race has already started.

COMPANIES TO WATCH

Google — Revamped Google Finance with Deep Search, launched three AI-powered publisher tools, and released the Ironwood TPU with 4x performance boost to challenge Nvidia. + added Gemini AI into Maps for hands-free navigation.

Apple — Launched a web-based App Store and entered a $1B annual deal with Google for Gemini AI to enhance Siri using the Gemini AI model with 1.2 trillion parameters via Private Cloud Compute. Siri may also incorporate ChatGPT for tasks.

NVIDIA & Deutsche Telekom — Partnered for a $1.15B AI factory in Europe to boost local AI Factories and lessen reliance on US cloud services. Positions DT against Amazon and MS, while giving NVIDIA a strategic European presence.

Amazon — Transformed a Whole Foods with autonomous robots and a microfulfillment center, and is considering legal action against Perplexity for its Comet AI browser as it develops its own AI shopping agent.

SB OAI Japan — SoftBank and OpenAI launched a 50-50 joint venture to offer localized AI solutions, 'Crystal intelligence,' in Japan. SoftBank is the first customer, testing solutions internally to enhance productivity and management efficiency.

Microsoft — Launched a new team for developing "humanist superintelligence," directly competing with OpenAI in the AGI race. Emphasizing controllable, human-centered AI, Microsoft aims to gain public trust and regulatory approval.

Metropolis — The LA AI payment tech company raised $1.6B to extend its services beyond parking lots into gas stations, drive-thrus, and hotels. With $5B in annual transactions and backing from SoftBank.

Vulcan Elements — A US startup raised $1B+ to build a major rare-earth magnet factory, possibly in North Carolina. Funding includes a $620M loan from the Department of War and $50M from the Department of Commerce.

Extropic — Developed the XTR-0 probabilistic computing chip using thermodynamic sampling units (TSUs), enhancing energy efficiency. The chip shows promise in modeling uncertainty in systems like weather forecasting and gen AI.

Tesla — Elon Musk discussed plans to unveil a flying car by year-end on Joe Rogan's podcast, despite delays with the second-gen Tesla Roadster. Tesla shareholders finally approve Musk's $1 trillion pay package.

Shopify — E-commerce giant based in Canada reports a 7x increase in AI-driven traffic and 11x rise in AI-powered orders since January. Collaborating with OpenAI and Microsoft, Shopify focuses on AI integration, achieving 32% revenue growth Q3.

SignalPulse — Read the Top signals, Startups + Deals From Last Week

TECH BUZZ DIRECTORY
Featured Products*

SEO Bot — A fully autonomous "SEO Robot" with AI agents for busy founders.

Memelord — Meme Software for marketing memes, tech memes, & sales memes.

Otonomos — Incorporate your Delaware C-corp or tax advantaged foundation and get 5% OFF.

BUZZY TOOLS

Buzzy Tech Tools To Watch & Use

Google — Gemini 3 Pro coming + Revamps Google Finance with Deep Search + Ironwood TPU with 4x performance boost + Gemini AI added into Maps.

Apple Shazam — Liquid Glass UI enhances visual appeal and ease of use on iOS 26. + WhatsApp adds encrypted Apple Watch calls, msgs.

JoggAI — AI video generator for quick, lifelike avatar video for social content.

Snap & Perplexity — AI search in Snapchat by 2026 for enhanced interaction.

ClickUp — New AI agents on productivity platform with comms, ideas, task mgmt.

PitchPower — Creates high-quality AI business proposals for consultants, agencies.

AMD — Ryzen 7 9700X3D chip hits 5.8 GHz, topping Ryzen 7 9800X3D’s 5.2 GHz.

BUZZY TECH

The Latest Deep Technology & Trends To Watch

DJI Drone Ban — US considers ban due to security and espionage concerns.

Debit Card Fee Proposal — The Fed suggests a 30% merchants fee reduction.

Chinese Analog Chip — AI chip outperforms Nvidia/AMD by 1,000x in AI/6G.

Evolving Dark Energy — Dynamic models fit observations, help understanding.

Alloy Enterprises — Copper stack forging 35% better AI cooling for data centers.

AgiBot — Chinese AI-trained robots adapt to manufacturing tasks in 10 mins.

CRYPTO WATCH

Bitcoin — Dropped below $100K amid retail panic, but institutional ETF buying continues with Bitwise predicting $125K-$130K by year-end.

U.S. Treasury — Sanctioned 8 individuals and 2 entities tied to North Korean cybercrime and IT fraud funding the regime's nuclear program.

U.S. Shutdown — Record 36-day government shutdown delays crypto legislation, with Democratic wins potentially pushing progress to 2026.

Coinbase CEO — Brian Armstrong admitted to mentioning crypto terms during earnings call to influence prediction markets, as Coinbase invests in Kalshi and Polymarket.

Polymarket — NYC mayoral race triggered intense betting with one trader losing ~$1M and another gaining $188K, showcasing prediction market volatility.

Ripple — Secured $500M at $40B valuation, transitioning from cross-border payments to crypto banking platform with stablecoins and custody services.

Coinbase Europe — Fined €21.4M ($24.6M) by Ireland's central bank for AML failures affecting 30M+ transactions; shifted regulatory base to Luxembourg.

Trump — Aims to make U.S. the "Bitcoin superpower" and "crypto capital," claiming to have ended federal war on crypto while warning of China competition.

Robinhood — Q3 revenue surged 100% to $1.27B driven by crypto and options trading, with stable crypto take rates noted.

Gemini — Filed with CFTC for derivatives contracts to enter prediction markets, with Ethereum emerging as key infrastructure for post-IPO diversification.

SPACE_RACE

ISS_International Space Station Marks 25 years of continuous human presence.

Google Suncatcher_AI satellites with TPU chips solar energy, reduce cooling.

Starlink_Acquires $2.6B spectrum for aviation satellite internet services.

SpaceX Starship_$80M launch target for cost-effective space AI data centers.

NASA X-59 Quesst Jet_Reduces sonic boom noise in supersonic jets.

Blue Origin New Glenn_NASA's ESCAPADE & Viasat payloads for Mars mission.

Catalyx Space_$5.4M to enhance orbital logistics infrastructure.

Dream Chaser Spacecraft_Sierra Space's cargo craft set for 2026 launch.

FOR INVESTORS
Open Deals
Investors– request an intro to startups - [email protected].

Before we restart our placements of raising startups, we’re sharing an open call to send in your own company. Just shoot us an email with a deck and we may feature you in this bulletin.

For detailed pitch materials, please email [email protected] with your deck.
🔥 — hot deal!
⏰ — leaving soon.

FOR EMPLOYERS
Job Candidates

Employers– request an intro to candidates - jobs@techbuzz.ai