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How Rose Rock Bridge is building the future of energy in Tulsa, Oklahoma

How Rose Rock Bridge is building the future of energy in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Presented by Tulsa Innovation Labs Tulsa was once called "the oil capital of the world,” and since its launch in 2022, Rose Rock Bridge (RRB), a Tulsa-based non-profit startup incubator led by Tulsa Innovation Labs, has been capitalizing on this heritage, aiming to source and support emerging technologies targeting the energy sector. To create a tech economy that becomes foundational to the future of the sustainable energy industry, and competes on the world stage, they're marrying the expertise and industry that already exists in Tulsa with promising entrepreneurial talent. "Places like Tulsa, we’re tailor-made for tech excellence," says Jennifer Hankins, managing director, Tulsa Innovation Labs. "Our legacy as an oil and gas leader means we know how to build things, and we know how to capture big industries, and we're positioned to be a leader in energy innovation." RRB, in partnership with major stakeholders, is helping put the region's strong corporate, academic, and workforce resources in the hands of innovative, early-stage startups developing the next-generation solutions that are solving pressing energy industry problems and opening up new markets. "We're building the next generation of big energy companies that tackle global challenges in a way that's authentic to Tulsa's local expertise, and not one that feels more extractive to it," she adds. " RRB has already accelerated 33 companies, initiated 22 active pilots with industry partners, and secured 11 customer contracts, resulting in over $50 million in funding raised by its member companies. What sets the Rose Rock Bridge Showcase apart RRB's Rose Rock Bridge Showcase is a showcase and pitch competition presented in partnership with four local energy industry partners: Williams, ONEOK, Devon Energy, and Helmerich and Payne. These partners identify white space problems they're aiming to solve — this year, low carbon natural gas solutions — and RRB finds the startups that can solve them. From a competitive pool of more than 50 applications, fourteen companies are selected to pitch for pilot opportunities and potential investment from leading Oklahoma energy companies. While most pitch competitions are seen as pathways to venture capital, the RRB model is designed to accelerate commercialization; instead of vying for funding alone, these companies are competing for the chance to put their technology into practice, Hankins explains. "What sets the winners apart is the way they're solving big challenges with game-changing ideas in the energy space," Hankins says. "But above and beyond just a great idea, it has to be an idea that’s commercial. We can say that our companies have already demonstrated the technology. They’ve already validated it. They’ve secured a big customer, gained traction, are on the path to secure follow-on funding. Those are things that hold back most startups, and our program brings all of those three things together to accelerate commercialization." Each startup receives $100,000 in non-dilutive funding to grow their business in Tulsa, along with support services and pilot opportunities through industry partners, e quipping them with both the resources and real-world experience needed for long-term market integration — and a solid foothold in Tulsa. This year's cohort is comprised of companies that are driving innovation in low carbon natural gas through technologies that enhance operations, control and reduce emissions, and turn waste from energy production into valuable materials: Eigen Control Developing artificial intelligence/machine learning-assisted Raman Spectroscopy for real-time chemical analysis, which helps energy providers process their product more efficiently. Erdin Guma, Eigen Control Kinitics Automation Increasing the reliability of equipment while reducing methane emissions with spring-loaded electric valve actuators Dean Pick, Kinitics Automation Lukera Energy Converting wastewater and stranded gas into clean methanol Brian Worfolk, Lukera Energy Pike Robotics Making hazardous, high-risk environments safer with robotic inspection platforms. Connor Crawford, Pike Robotics Embedding global innovation in the Tulsa market "We talk a lot about stickiness," Hankins says. "Tulsa Innovation Labs, in addition to the Rose Rock Bridge initiative, is really focused on creating that supportive ecosystem in the region." For example, ensuring these companies have lab space if necessary, connecting them to university partners to sharpen research and development, and helping them establish relationships and follow-on funding with other energy-related funds, and embedding them into the Tulsa energy tech landscape. The RRB entrepreneur in residence and executive in residence offer in-depth mentoring as well. "I call it polishing the startups," Hankins explains. "You go through our program, get a pilot, get insight from the corporate perspective. That’s probably the highest value. But along the way, all the support to help you operationalize your company and your idea faster. We’re going to find a way that you’ll leave our program more ready to get to market, whether that be through some of those auxiliary supports, or we’re going to make sure that direct connection to the customer happens." Sponsored articles are content produced by a company that is either paying for the post or has a business relationship with VentureBeat, and they’re always clearly marked. For more information, contact sales@venturebeat.com .

HomePod 2 Now 1,000 Days Old

HomePod 2 Now 1,000 Days Old

Apple's second-generation HomePod is now 1,000 days old, with no sign of a refresh or third-generation model on the horizon. The original ‌HomePod‌ was announced at WWDC in 2017 and launched in 2018 after a heavily delayed release. The device was met with mixed reviews; critics praised its outstanding sound quality but pointed out its high price, missing features, and limited functionality compared to rivals. Apple dropped its price from $349 to $299 in April 2019 and, in March 2021, the company announced that it was discontinuing the first-generation ‌HomePod‌, instead shifting its focus to the HomePod mini , which launched the previous year. The decision left a gap in Apple's product lineup for a full-sized smart speaker until the company introduced the second-generation model via a press release on January 18, 2023. The second-generation ‌HomePod‌ looks virtually identical to the original, although it is 0.2 inches shorter and has a larger edge-to-edge LED touchscreen on top. It also boasts a range of upgrades and changes compared to its 2018 predecessor, including the S7 chip, a U1 ultra wideband chip, a removable power cable, a temperature and humidity sensor, and sound recognition. However, it features two fewer microphones and horn-loaded tweeters. This second-generation device has now reached 1,000 days since its announcement and no successor is rumored, but at least two other ‌HomePod‌ products are allegedly in the pipeline. One is a new ‌HomePod mini‌ with a new S-series chip and Apple's new N1 Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip, and the other is an all-new smart home hub , which has been described as a ‌HomePod‌ with a square iPad-like 7-inch screen and an A18 chip. Apple is widely rumored to be planning a wave of new smart home devices over the next few years, so while a third-generation ‌HomePod‌ doesn't seem to be on the horizon for now, a refresh or the launch of a similar product seems inevitable. Related Roundup: HomePod Buyer's Guide: HomePod (Neutral) This article, " HomePod 2 Now 1,000 Days Old " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

Researchers used an off-the-shelf system to compile a vast collection of private data, including T-Mobile users' calls and texts, sent by satellites unencrypted (Wired)

Researchers used an off-the-shelf system to compile a vast collection of private data, including T-Mobile users' calls and texts, sent by satellites unencrypted (Wired)

Wired : Researchers used an off-the-shelf system to compile a vast collection of private data, including T-Mobile users' calls and texts, sent by satellites unencrypted —  With just $800 in basic equipment, researchers found a stunning variety of data—including thousands of T-Mobile users' calls …

Sources: Tata Electronics bought the Indian unit of Justech Precision, a China-based Apple supplier that provides CNC machines to Foxconn, for ~$100M in August (Anniek Bao/CNBC)

Sources: Tata Electronics bought the Indian unit of Justech Precision, a China-based Apple supplier that provides CNC machines to Foxconn, for ~$100M in August (Anniek Bao/CNBC)

Anniek Bao / CNBC : Sources: Tata Electronics bought the Indian unit of Justech Precision, a China-based Apple supplier that provides CNC machines to Foxconn, for ~$100M in August —  Tata Electronics has acquired Chinese industrial firm Justech Precision's India unit for close to $100 million …

New EU solar initiative doesn't scratch the surface of what Apple is consuming

New EU solar initiative doesn't scratch the surface of what Apple is consuming

Apple has announced a series of projects with European countries to expand its wind and solar energy production, and says that it covers iPhone and Mac power usage in the region. It doesn't come close to addressing the energy needs of its data centers. A solar farm. Image credit: Apple Environmental projects at Apple have recently been accused of greenwashing — which Tim Cook called " reprehensible " — and its carbon neutral products have been called into question . But overall, its long-stated goal of becoming entirely carbon neutral by 2030 continues. The company has now announced new projects in Greece, Italy, Latvia, Poland, and Romania. And, it has an interesting take on the matter. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

How to use Apple Intelligence in Shortcuts to save time every day

How to use Apple Intelligence in Shortcuts to save time every day

Apple has built Apple Intelligence directly into Shortcuts, and the addition of this one action is transformative. Here's how to start using it. Using Apple Intelligence in Shortcuts Shortcuts has always been one of Apple's most useful tools. It gives you ways to automate tasks and control your devices. With Apple Intelligence in iOS 26, iPadOS 26 , and macOS 26 , it's becoming even more flexible. Now it can handle jobs like generating alt text or building meal plans from your grocery list. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Bhutan announces that it is migrating its national ID system for roughly 800,000 residents from Polygon to Ethereum, with completion expected by Q1 2026 (Brayden Lindrea/Cointelegraph)

Bhutan announces that it is migrating its national ID system for roughly 800,000 residents from Polygon to Ethereum, with completion expected by Q1 2026 (Brayden Lindrea/Cointelegraph)

Brayden Lindrea / Cointelegraph : Bhutan announces that it is migrating its national ID system for roughly 800,000 residents from Polygon to Ethereum, with completion expected by Q1 2026 —  The Kingdom of Bhutan has tapped Ethereum to store the national identities of its roughly 800,000 citizens, leveraging the network's immutability and decentralization.

Indian officials say that over the past year, all 1.2M email addresses of Central Government employees migrated to a platform developed by Chennai-based Zoho (The Hindu)

Indian officials say that over the past year, all 1.2M email addresses of Central Government employees migrated to a platform developed by Chennai-based Zoho (The Hindu)

The Hindu : Indian officials say that over the past year, all 1.2M email addresses of Central Government employees migrated to a platform developed by Chennai-based Zoho —  The accounts were migrated from a National Informatics Centre-based system; senior official says Zoho's suite has been activated …

Mumbai-based wealth management startup Dezerv raised a ~$40M Series C co-led by Premji Invest and Accel's Global Growth Fund, taking its total funding to ~$100M (Shashank Pathak/Entrackr)

Mumbai-based wealth management startup Dezerv raised a ~$40M Series C co-led by Premji Invest and Accel's Global Growth Fund, taking its total funding to ~$100M (Shashank Pathak/Entrackr)

Shashank Pathak / Entrackr : Mumbai-based wealth management startup Dezerv raised a ~$40M Series C co-led by Premji Invest and Accel's Global Growth Fund, taking its total funding to ~$100M —  Wealth tech platform Dezerv has raised Rs 350 crore (about $40 million) in an all primary funding round co-led by Premji Invest and Accel's Global Growth Fund.