D technology

DUBAI: Abu Dhabi state investor Mubadala plans to identify potential fund partners in Israel and find high-growth technology firms in which to co-invest, as the United Arab Emirates and Israel seek to boost commercial ties after normalising relations. "There will be interesting opportunities with joint funds or joint ventures, but we are still early on in evaluating this," Ibrahim Ajami, the head of Mubadala's Ventures unit, told a financial technology conference in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. He said Mubadala - which manages over US$230 billion in assets - has co-invested with Israeli investors in the United States and Europe, but closer ties between the UAE and Israel open up a significant opportunity for investments. "We are always excited about Silicon Valley. But we are also looking at Europe, we're looking at the Middle East, we're looking at India and we would like to be very active in China," Ajami said. Since the UAE and Israel agreed to normalise relations in … [Read more...] about Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala seeks Israeli partners on technology investment

SINGAPORE: Singapore will spend an estimated S$3.5 billion on the procurement of information and communications technology (ICT) this financial year to boost the economy and support businesses recovering from the COVID-19 outbreak. This estimated expenditure is 30 per cent more compared to the last financial year’s projected spend of S$2.7 billion, the Government Technology Agency (GovTech) said in a media release on Monday (Jun 8). “The increased spending will help the Government accelerate digitalisation as technology becomes increasingly vital in enabling citizens and workers to resume normal activities, and businesses to reopen safely after the COVID-19 circuit breaker," said GovTech. READ: Expanded programme to place and train 3,000 Singaporeans in tech jobs over next two to three years The projected ICT expenditure will focus on five key areas: Development of new technology tools to respond to COVID-19, development of citizen- and business-centric digital services, … [Read more...] about COVID-19: Singapore to spend S$3.5 billion on information and communications technology to support businesses

BERLIN: Volkswagen has raised its planned investment on digital and electric vehicle technologies to €73 billion (US$86 billion) over the next five years as it seeks to hold onto its crown as the world's largest carmaker in a new green era. Under a plan presented on Friday (Nov 13), Volkswagen said it would allocate nearly half its investment budget of €150 billion on e-mobility, hybrid cars, a seamless, software-based vehicle operating system and self-driving technologies. In last year's plan, the German car and truck maker, which owns brands including VW, Audi, Porsche, Seat and Skoda, had earmarked €60 billion for electric and self-driving vehicles out of the €150 billion budget. A global clampdown on emissions, partly triggered by VW's diesel pollution scandal in 2015, has forced carmakers to accelerate the development of low-emission technology, even for their low-margin mainstream models. "The transformation of the company and its brands as well as the strategic focus … [Read more...] about Volkswagen boosts investment in electric and autonomous car technology to US$86 billon

COPENHAGEN: Danish diabetes drug maker Novo Nordisk will acquire U.S. Emisphere Technologies, which specialises in developing orally administered versions of drugs, in a deal totalling US$1.8 billion, it said on Friday. Novo Nordisk will buy all outstanding shares in Emisphere at a price of US$1.35 billion, while also taking over royalty obligations to the firms biggest shareholder worth US$450 million, which makes the total acquisition price US$1.8 billion. "The acquisition of Emisphere provides Novo Nordisk full ownership of the Eligen SNAC technology, which has been successfully used under a licence agreement to develop the first oral biologic, Rybelsus," Chief Scientific Officer Mads Krogsgaard said in a statement. (Reporting by Nikolaj Skydsgaard; Editing by Edmund Blair) … [Read more...] about Denmark’s Novo Nordisk to buy Emisphere Technologies in US$1.8 billion deal

A woman teleconferences. Source: Anna Shvets/Pexels The field of psychiatry — much like our society as a whole — is at a turning point. We are beginning to harness the power of the Internet, social media, and digital technologies to improve the ways we diagnose, treat, and connect with our patients. My area of research is focused on how to better leverage our digital footprint, whether through Facebook/social media activity, or Google search history, to develop new tools to deliver the best care possible, especially for youth with schizophrenia . Colleagues at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and Zucker Hillside Hospital are also investigating other emerging areas to help develop digital biomarkers — or clues to mental illness. New digital health solutions, like augmented reality, for example, are being developed to help treat negative symptoms for those with schizophrenia, increase socialization, reduce unemployment and improve the overall quality of … [Read more...] about How Technology Is Personalizing and Progressing Psychiatry