Technology

Bifrost raises $8M to accelerate AI’s ability to solve problems in the physical world

Published

4 hours ago

October 31, 2024

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Bifrost AI, a Generative 3D Data platform, raised $8 million in Series A funding to meet the growing demand for AI training data and 3D simulations. Its physically accurate data generation engine provides the vast real-world scenarios crucial in rapidly training, testing and adapting models in AI and Robotics. The round was led by Carbide Ventures, with participation from Airbus Ventures, Peak XV’s Surge (formerly Sequoia Capital India & SEA), Wavemaker Partners, MD One, and Techstars. The capital will be used to accelerate the commercialization of Bifrost’s product for heavy industries such as aerospace, maritime, manufacturing, and national security.

Bifrost raises $8M to accelerate AI’s ability to solve problems in the physical world

Today’s pressing challenges, such as labor shortages and escalating geopolitical tensions, primarily exist in the physical world. While AI has thrived in the digital realm, its potential in the physical domain remains untapped due to a lack of domain-specific training datasets. More than 95% of enterprises struggle to obtain high-quality training data at scale, often pouring millions into sensor deployments and dedicating months to manual data labeling—only to face uncertain outcomes. This struggle is one of the biggest barriers to effectively implementing AI systems in the physical world.

Bifrost’s software platform changes this by allowing teams to generate datasets in minutes using simulated 3D worlds. This allows teams to build new AI capabilities faster than ever, teach robots how to solve real-world problems, and adapt to new objects, tasks, and environments in hours instead of months.

Bifrost’s breakthroughs in Generative AI and 3D graphics allow users to create realistic, industry-specific data & scenarios at scale—no 3D expertise needed. Designed for AI developers, the platform offers fully controllable real-time 3D worlds in supercharged Jupyter notebooks. Traditional 3D simulators often fail to deliver realism, while 2D generative AI lacks the nuanced control necessary for sophisticated applications. Bifrost bridges this gap with a hybrid approach, combining an unprecedented level of precision with realism. Users harness a powerful Python library to program every element of their 3D worlds, from camera movements to environmental conditions, automating and fine-tuning their simulations with ease.

This has enabled their customers to build new Physical AI capabilities faster than ever. Autonomous boats that can safeguard shipping lanes from piracy, industrial robots that can assemble new parts with unmatched efficiency, and drones that can inspect thousands of electrical grids for defects—all without human intervention. These systems serve as a vital link that allows digital systems to engage with the real world.

After LLMs and image generators, Physical AI represents AI’s most important frontier yet. However, building these systems is incredibly hard. Bifrost is making this process faster, cheaper, and more reliable, so teams can focus on what matters: solving real-world problems with AI.

“We work with some of the most technically demanding organizations in the world, solving some of the toughest problems. This includes major U.S. government organizations and leading enterprises in heavy industry. One example is NASA JPL, with whom we have been collaborating on several initiatives, including data generation engines for Moon and Mars exploration,” said Charles Wong, Co-founder and CEO of Bifrost AI.

“The market for robotics and autonomous systems is rapidly increasing. In the future, AI development will rely increasingly on synthetic data instead of real data. We believe the Bifrost team is uniquely positioned to enable this opportunity by bridging the data , allowing systems to be trained more efficiently and quickly by an order of magnitude. We expect their approach will unlock new use cases and opportunities, enabling AI to transform our physical world”, said Stephen Lee, General Partner at Carbide Ventures.

“As AI becomes increasingly prevalent, actively deployed across commercial and defense-related applications at an unprecedented scale, Bifrost stands out as a trusted partner, ready to support teams working on advanced robotics and autonomous systems,” adds Thomas d’Halluin, Airbus Ventures Managing Partner. “We are confident that Bifrost AI will unlock exceptional value at the intersection of 3D generative AI, advanced simulation, and design, which is already being used by major U.S. government organizations and leading global enterprises in heavy industry.”

“One of the fundamental challenges in AI and robotics is generalization—the ability to learn new skills and handle a variety of scenarios and tasks. Traditionally, adapting to new tasks could take months. But with Bifrost, that timeline has shrunk to just hours. This acceleration enables teams to build AI systems that can tackle a wider range of problems, unlock larger markets, and generate more revenue with less upfront data acquisition cost.” Aravind SK, co-founder and CTO of Bifrost AI.

Technology

Chobani Taps Industry Veteran Jai Kibe as Chief Marketing Officer

Published

51 mins ago

October 31, 2024

NEW YORK and NEW BERLIN, N.Y., Oct. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Chobani, LLC announces the appointment of Jai Kibe as Chief Marketing Officer, effective November 4, 2024, reporting to President and COO, Kevin Burns. Kibe will lead the marketing and creative teams for the Chobani and La Colombe brands.

In this role he will focus on expanding growth-segments, driving marketing innovations, developing next generation analytics and consumer insights capabilities, enhancing digital first consumer and customer engagement, and creating dynamic activations and partnerships.

“Jai is known for inspiring creativity, energizing brands, and bringing a disciplined, metrics-based approach to strategy,” said Burns. “His leadership will be instrumental in driving the next phase of our growth as we work to expand awareness beyond today’s core consumer segments. I’m excited to partner with Jai to create deeper and more meaningful consumer connections to unleash the potential of the Chobani and La Colombe brands.”

A veteran marketing professional with over 23-years of experience working across numerous global companies, Kibe has held senior marketing roles at Gartner, SC Johnson, The Coca-Cola Company, among others. Kibe has transformed both iconic as well as challenger brands, delivering sustained profitable growth and strengthening brand equity.

“I am thrilled to be joining Chobani at an exciting moment in time, where we can blend art, science and instinct,” said Kibe. “As a brand that combines purpose with innovation, Chobani has consistently set the standard for great taste, consumer health and wellness while driving positive social impact. I look forward to working with this incredibly talented team to continue shaping the future of the food and beverage industry, while staying true to Chobani’s mission of making good food available to more people while positively impacting our communities and planet.” 

Kibe earned his MBA in Marketing from Pepperdine University and is currently further enhancing his expertise in digital programming and automation through ongoing education at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

About Chobani
Chobani is a food maker with a mission of making high-quality and nutritious food accessible to more people, while elevating our communities and making the world a healthier place. In short: making good food for all. In support of this mission, Chobani is a purpose-driven, people-first, food-and-wellness-focused company, and has been since its founding in 2005 by Hamdi Ulukaya, an immigrant to the U.S. The Company manufactures yogurt, oat milk, and creamers – Chobani yogurt is America’s No.1 yogurt brand, made with natural ingredients without artificial preservatives. Following the 2023 acquisition of La Colombe, a leading coffee roaster with a shared commitment to quality, craftmanship and impact, the Company began selling cold-pressed espresso and lattes on tap at 32 cafes, as well as Ready to Drink (RTD) coffee beverages at retail.

Chobani uses food as a force for good in the world – putting humanity first in everything it does. The company’s philanthropic efforts prioritize giving back to its communities and beyond: working to eradicate child hunger, supporting immigrants, refugees and underrepresented people, honoring veterans, and protecting the planet. Chobani manufactures its products in New York, Idaho, Michigan and Australia, and its products are available throughout North America and distributed in Australia and other select markets.

For more information, please visit www.chobani.com or follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest and TikTok.

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SOURCE Chobani, LLC

Technology

The Middletown Home Successfully Enhances Pumpkin Fest 2024 with CATIE Mobile

Published

51 mins ago

October 31, 2024

Innovative Communication Solution from Status Solutions Boosts Event Safety and Efficiency

WESTERVILLE, Ohio, Oct. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Middletown Home, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) continuing care community, hosted its largest annual fundraiser, Pumpkin Fest Weekend, on October 5-6, 2024. Now in its 10th year, the cherished community event attracted 20,000 attendees and showcased live music, local artisans, and autumn-inspired activities. This year’s event featured a groundbreaking enhancement—CATIE Mobile, a multi-award-winning communication app provided by Status Solutions, which significantly improved communication, safety, and event management for all involved.

As the Pumpkin Fest Weekend continued to grow, The Middletown Home recognized the need for an efficient communication solution to manage the increasing scale of the event. “Given the size of Pumpkin Fest, we needed a solution that would help us communicate effectively with everyone involved—from attendees to vendors and volunteers—to ensure a safe and smooth-running event,” said Fred Barrett, VP of Operations at The Middletown Home.

Thanks to being enrolled in Status Solutions’ Innovation Program, The Middletown Home could deploy CATIE Mobile at no additional cost, enhancing the event experience for all. CATIE Mobile provided real-time updates, safety alerts, and event information directly to attendees’ smartphones. The app also allowed administrators to coordinate seamlessly with volunteers, vendors, and first responders, ensuring a safe and successful event.

“We were thrilled to provide CATIE Mobile to The Middletown Home for Pumpkin Fest. It’s a perfect example of how our Innovation Program gives customers access to cutting-edge solutions that enhance communication and safety,” said Mike MacLeod, Founder and CEO of Status Solutions.

Results from Pumpkin Fest 2024 Include:

Enhanced Communication: Weather conditions on Saturday required the rescheduling of the fireworks show. CATIE Mobile enabled quick updates to attendees, vendors, and volunteers.Increased Safety: Two medical emergencies were swiftly addressed through the app’s alert system, allowing volunteers and staff to respond quickly and ensure the safety of attendees.Improved Event Management: Reminders about scheduled activities and updates to event maps and schedules were easily accessible through CATIE Mobile, streamlining the festival experience for attendees.

“We were incredibly grateful to have CATIE Mobile for Pumpkin Fest. The real-time updates and communication with artisans, vendors, and volunteers were key to the success of the event,” said Louis Vogel, CEO of The Middletown Home.

As a result of CATIE Mobile’s success at Pumpkin Fest, The Middletown Home is now exploring further opportunities to integrate the platform into daily operations.

For more information on CATIE Mobile at Pumpkin Fest, read the full case study here. For more information on Status Solutions’ Innovation Program or their school safety technology and funding platform, please visit Status Solutions website.

Contact:
Laura Hartman, Status Solutions
866-846-7272, x 456
385747@email4pr.com

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SOURCE Status Solutions, LLC.

Technology

Huawei’s David Wang: UBB Advanced Paves the Way to All Intelligence

Published

51 mins ago

October 31, 2024

ISTANBUL, Nov. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — At the 10th Ultra-Broadband Forum (UBBF 2024), David Wang, Huawei’s Executive Director of the Board and Chairman of the ICT Infrastructure Managing Board, delivered a keynote speech titled “UBB Advanced Paves the Way to All Intelligence”. When opening the event, he shared his latest insights into the AI industry and elaborated on Huawei’s All Intelligence strategy. He also proposed a new direction for the synergistic development of UBB and AI to help the industry reach the intelligent world faster – technological innovation and business incubation.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution has been progressing rapidly thanks to AI, with AI becoming a major driver of global economic growth. Widespread commercial use of AI is accelerating, and new applications for personal use, enterprise efficiency, and smart homes are disrupting multiple markets. It is also driving communications network upgrades, in terms of capacity, latency, and architecture.

In his speech, Wang noted, “Huawei has continued innovating by focusing on two areas: UBB for AI and AI for UBB. The innovation we are doing under UBB for AI is based on ultra-large bandwidth, deterministic low latency, and network architecture. The network capability improvements we’ve achieved support higher quality AI development which will help carriers achieve business growth. This innovation also focuses on AI for UBB. We are applying AI to networks to improve network experience, to speed up service provisioning, and to streamline network O&M. This helps carriers build highly autonomous networks.”

Last year, Huawei released its All Intelligence Strategy to, “show how to connect all things, model all applications, and compute all decisions.” Huawei offers leading digital and intelligent infrastructure that provides computing, storage, and transmission power for industry. Huawei is also using its Pangu Models to create advanced industry-specific models, with the aim of supporting a vast range of models and applications, and helping customers from different industries pursue intelligent transformation.

Within the telecom industry, Huawei offers leading AI solutions, which must be supported by transmission power. As critical infrastructure, UBB networks provide this kind of power to help other industries go digital and intelligent more easily. To this end, Huawei advocates two development paths for UBB networks: “UBB for AI” and “AI for UBB”.

UBB for AI: high-quality AI development

UBB 5.5G incorporates technological innovation at multiple network layers to support AI requirements.

For data center networks (DCNs), Huawei offers a Dragonfly+ Topology architecture and new DC-OXC technologies that help build large-scale computing centers.

For data center interconnect (DCI) networks, Huawei uses a number of innovative technologies like 800G IP + Optical networking, flexible IP service-flow level scheduling, and lossless transmission to realize more efficient use of computing power across data centers.

For data center access (DCA) networks, Huawei’s OXC Mesh networking is capable of greatly reducing network latency. Its Wi-Fi 7 and 50G PON technologies can provide the ubiquitous 10 gigabit access that is necessary for widespread AI adoption by end users. In addition, Huawei’s FTTR is already being used to create “intelligent hubs” and enable intelligent applications for many homes.

Huawei’s Xinghe security gateway and hybrid ASON also guarantee resilience over end-to-end networks for AI application connections.

These innovations significantly improve bandwidth, latency, availability, and large-scale networking capabilities and will help carriers differentiate themselves in the intelligent era.

AI for UBB: highly-autonomous networks

UBB networks are also becoming larger and handling more complex scenarios, driving carriers to seek new ways to improve O&M efficiency and network autonomy. A promising method being explored is embedding AI directly into networks.

Huawei has built an AI-enabled O&M architecture for UBB networks that uses digital twins and its own Telecom Foundation Model. This architecture enables the creation of intelligent role-oriented “copilots” and scenario-specific “agents” that automate onsite operations and remote maintenance and optimization, which is necessary for the evolution to level 4 autonomous driving networks (ADNs).

Multiple leading carriers have successfully improved their network O&M efficiency by working with Huawei to apply this architecture commercially.

For home broadband, ADNs can support network self-optimization to ensure user experiences, reducing the churn rate by 57%.

For transmission networks, network planning and service deployment efficiency is crucial. ADNs can support service self-planning and deployment based on service level agreements, rather than manual planning. This can cut service provisioning times from one month to one day.

For IP network maintenance, fault location has always been a challenge. ADNs can enable virtual employees to support troubleshooting, reducing network troubleshooting times by 50%.

At the end of his speech, Wang called for the entire UBB industry to actively embrace the intelligent era by pursuing innovation in UBB 5.5G network technologies for long-term competitiveness. He also advocated for industry-wide incubation of new intelligent services in addition to new network capabilities, saying that new partnerships and business opportunities in AI applications will drive intelligent service transformation and new business growth.

SOURCE Huawei