How Big Tech Is Killing Innovation

 

Silicon Valley prides itself on disruption: Start-ups develop new technologies, upend existing markets and overtake incumbents. This cycle of creative destruction brought us the personal computer, the internet and the smartphone. But in recent years, a handful of incumbent tech companies have sustained their dominance. Why? We believe they have learned how to co-opt potentially disruptive start-ups before they can become competitive threats.

Just look at what’s happening to the leading companies in generative artificial intelligence.

DeepMind, one of the first prominent A.I. start-ups, was acquired by Google. OpenAI, founded as a nonprofit and counterweight to Google’s dominance, has raised $13 billion from Microsoft. Anthropic, a start-up founded by OpenAI engineers who grew wary of Microsoft’s influence, has raised $4 billion from Amazon and $2 billion from Google.

Last week, the news broke that the Federal Trade Commission was investigating Microsoft’s dealings with Inflection AI, a start-up founded by DeepMind engineers who used to work for Google. The government seems to be interested in whether Microsoft’s agreement to pay Inflection $650 million in a licensing deal — at the same time it was gutting the start-up by hiring away most of its engineering team — was an end run around antitrust laws.

Microsoft has defended its partnership with Inflection. But is the government right to be worried about these deals? We think so. In the short run, partnerships between A.I. start-ups and Big Tech give the start-ups the enormous sums of cash and hard-to-source chips they want. But in the long run, it is competition — not consolidation — that delivers technological progress.

Silicon Valley prides itself on disruption: Start-ups develop new technologies, upend existing markets and overtake incumbents. This cycle of creative destruction brought us the personal computer, the internet and the smartphone. But in recent years, a handful of incumbent tech companies have sustained their dominance. Why? We believe they have learned how to co-opt potentially disruptive start-ups before they can become competitive threats.

Just look at what’s happening to the leading companies in generative artificial intelligence.

DeepMind, one of the first prominent A.I. start-ups, was acquired by Google. OpenAI, founded as a nonprofit and counterweight to Google’s dominance, has raised $13 billion from Microsoft. Anthropic, a start-up founded by OpenAI engineers who grew wary of Microsoft’s influence, has raised $4 billion from Amazon and $2 billion from Google.

Last week, the news broke that the Federal Trade Commission was investigating Microsoft’s dealings with Inflection AI, a start-up founded by DeepMind engineers who used to work for Google. The government seems to be interested in whether Microsoft’s agreement to pay Inflection $650 million in a licensing deal — at the same time it was gutting the start-up by hiring away most of its engineering team — was an end run around antitrust laws.

Microsoft has defended its partnership with Inflection. But is the government right to be worried about these deals? We think so. In the short run, partnerships between A.I. start-ups and Big Tech give the start-ups the enormous sums of cash and hard-to-source chips they want. But in the long run, it is competition — not consolidation — that delivers technological progress.

Visit: https://innovatorawards.org/

Australian institutes spearhead global efforts in clean energy innovation

Six of the nation’s leading research institutions, including Australia’s national science agency CSIRO, have united with international researchers to spearhead innovation to address challenges in clean energy production and storage.

In a joint effort between Australia, the US, Canada, and the UK, two multi-lateral research projects have been announced today as part of the National Science Foundation Global Centers in Climate Change and Clean Energy (NSF Global Centers) program.

Together, these countries have pledged more than AU$118 million in investment in the NSF Global Centers program over five years to tackle challenges posed by climate change as the world moves towards net zero.

Kirsten Rose, Acting Chief Executive of CSIRO, said as Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO is proud to be part of a strong national contribution to solving this critical global challenge.

“CSIRO is proud to stand alongside numerous Australian research organisations to combine our shared expertise, strengthening our national response to accelerate the transition to a cleaner, sustainable energy future,” Ms Rose said.

“Collaborative initiatives like CSIRO’s Hydrogen Industry Mission and Smart Energy Mission are essential in ensuring solutions are co-designed with industry, research, and our communities.

“Partnering with the NSF’s Global Centers means Australia remains at the global forefront of work to build a clean hydrogen industry, build integrated and equitable energy systems, and partnering with regions and industries for a low emissions future.”

Two projects earmarked by the multi-national collaboration are being steered by Australian innovations:The Electric Power Innovation for a Carbon-free Society (EPICS) Centre will be a global scientific leader in developing transformative computing, economic strategies, engineering solutions, and forward-thinking policy to enable a completely renewable energy power grid. This joint project involves the US, UK, and Australia and is led by CSIRO and AEMO, the University of Melbourne, and Monash University in Australia.
The Global Hydrogen Production Technologies (HyPT) Centre is pioneering large-scale net-zero hydrogen production methods. It explores three innovative technologies: renewable energy-integrated water electrolysis, methane pyrolysis with valuable solid carbon co-products, and solar-driven water splitting. The University of Adelaide, Flinders University, and Curtin University represent Australia in this international collaboration, working with partners from the US, Canada, the UK, Egypt, and Germany.

The institutions will pool resources and expertise to confront the challenges of a changing climate and continue the charge towards net zero emissions.

Speaking on the EPICS Centre, the University of Melbourne Chair of Electrical Power Systems and Australian EPICS Centre Principal Investigator, Professor Pierluigi Mancarella, said, “This Global Centre is an unprecedented opportunity to partner with major international institutes in the US and UK, and harness world-leading research to address some of the most pressing scientific challenges that Australia and other jurisdictions worldwide are facing during the energy transition towards net zero.

“These challenges range from guaranteeing stable and secure system operation in the presence of ultra-high penetration of variable energy sources and distributed energy resources, most of which are based on power electronic interfaces, to identifying reliable and resilient investment paths across the whole energy system in the presence of deep, long-term planning uncertainty,” Professor Mancarella said.

Speaking on the HyPT Centre, the University of Adelaide’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Anton Middelberg, said the University of Adelaide is delighted to be working with CSIRO and other partners to advance the commercialisation of technology that has the potential to be game-changing for hydrogen production.

“Our world-class researchers will be collaborating on finding solutions that will help create a more sustainable future for society,” Professor Middelberg said.

As the national science agency, CSIRO plays an important role in connecting and strengthening the Australian innovation ecosystem. This ensures we are equipped to meet our biggest challenges for the future and allows us to harness global networks to facilitate opportunities for collaborative research across industry, government, and science organisations.

CSIRO’s missions are large-scale scientific and collaborative research initiatives that aim to work across the innovation system to make significant breakthroughs. Through missions, CSIRO aims to accelerate the pace and scale at which the nation can solve our challenges and unlock a better future.



Additional quotes

National Science Foundation: "NSF builds capacity and advances its priorities through these centers of research excellence by uniting diverse teams from around the world," said NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan.

"Global Centers will sync talent across the globe to generate the discoveries and solutions needed to empower resilient communities everywhere."

UK Research and Innovation: “UKRI’s Building a Green Future Programme aims to harness the power of research and innovation to tackle hard-to-decarbonise sectors in our economy. We are excited to be partnering with our sister organisations in the US, Canada and Australia to accelerate progress toward this crucial goal,” said Dame Ottoline Leyser, CEO UKRI.

“Our combined investment in Global Centers enables exciting researcher and innovation-led international and interdisciplinary collaboration to drive the energy transition. I look forward to seeing the creative solutions developed through these global collaborations.”

AEMO: Executive General Manager Operations, Michael Gatt, said there is a joint response globally to enable the secure operation of power systems challenged by the rapid transition to inverter-based variable renewable generation. “This research funding will contribute to identifying and resolving engineering and system issues that facilitate the continued transformation of Australia’s energy system,” Mr Gatt said.

Visit: https://innovatorawards.org/

Philips highest ranked medical technology company among Clarivate Top 100 Global Innovators

 

In 2024, Philips invested approximately EUR 1.7 billion – or an industry leading >9% of sales – in research and development to help drive better care for more people. Philips is increasingly focusing its innovation efforts on the potential of data and AI, both in hospital settings and at home. As a leader in AI-related patent applications in healthcare, Philips dedicates around half of its R&D workforce to these fields. 

Examples of Philips’ AI-powered innovations that increase caregiver productivity and deliver better care for more people include:

• the Philips CT 5300, which combines innovative hardware, software, and AI to make high-quality screening, diagnostic, and interventional imaging accessible to more patients
• the latest SmartSpeed Precise MRI technology, which enables scans to be completed up to three times faster, significantly cutting scan times while maintaining exceptional image quality
• the next-generation AI-enabled cardiovascular ultrasound platform with advanced AI tools to advance cardiovascular imaging and increase automation and productivity
• the new Azurion image-guided therapy system and advanced informatics to enhance minimally invasive diagnosis and treatment of stroke and other neurovascular patients

The Top 100 Global Innovators uses a complete comparative analysis of global invention data to assess the strength of every patented idea, using measures tied directly to their innovative power.

visit:innovatorawards.org

China to establish new fast IPR protection service center to foster innovation

China's network of fast intellectual property rights (IPR) protection service centers is set to expand, as a new national-level center has this week been approved for establishment in the innovation hub of Shenzhen, the country's top IP regulator said.

The new center will be based in the city's Futian district, a central business area that is home to over 2,000 fashion industry enterprises and features an industrial cluster valued at 120 billion yuan (about $16.6 billion).

According to the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), the center will offer local enterprises expedited IP services for their design patent applications – ensuring timely protection of their innovations and preventing imitation or infringement by competitors.

The processing period from application submission to patent authorization can be reduced to within three months through the services provided by this center, the CNIPA told Xinhua. Generally, it takes around six months for a design patent to complete the process from application to authorization.

Design is a major patent type in China. The latest data showed that 638,000 design patents were authorized in China in 2023. The country also ranked first in the world in terms of international design patent applications in 2024.

The efficient services that will be offered by the Futian center will help attract more fashion design talent to the district, enhance their design competitiveness, and support the innovative growth of local small and medium-sized fashion enterprises – ultimately driving high-quality development, the CNIPA noted.


China currently has 48 national-level fast IPR protection service centers, focusing on small commodities and packaged consumer goods in county-level industrial clusters that have a fast product update cycle and strong demand for design protection. Such centers have been built in places like Yiwu in east China, a hub for small commodities, and south China's Shantou, renowned as the "toy capital" of China.

Visit: https://innovatorawards.org/

UK researchers gain better access to Horizon Europe funding

UK scientists, researchers, and businesses will now benefit from expanded access to Horizon Europe funding calls, specifically for quantum and space research, following the release of the 2025 Horizon Europe Work Programme

The UK Government uses its Plan for Change to develop deeper collaboration for UK-EU scientific collaboration and boost innovation sectors.
The UK’s position and access to Horizon Europe funding

Horizon Europe, the EU’s main research and innovation programme valued at approximately £80 billion, has opened more doors to British participants.

UK researchers already had access to over 95% of Horizon calls since associating with the programme in 2024, and this latest move ensures even wider inclusion, especially in high-potential areas such as quantum computing, space technology, artificial intelligence, telecoms, and high-performance computing.

The increased access comes as the UK prepares to host the UK-EU Summit in London next month, and shortly after EU Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič began his first official visit to the UK. During his visit, he met with top British officials and academics, including researchers at Imperial College London who have already secured Horizon funding for their projects.
The future of quantum and space research

Quantum and space technologies are the most important areas for future economic growth.

Quantum computing alone is expected to generate global benefits of up to $10 billion over the next five years. In the space sector, the UK has been a global leader in attracting private investment, second to the United States. The sector already contributes £18.9 billion annually to the UK economy and supports more than 50,000 jobs.

Under the new work programme, UK entities will be eligible to apply for all Horizon Europe quantum funding calls and participate in new opportunities in space research. These advancements are expected to improve UK participation in collaborative international projects and help drive innovation in science and technology.

UK researchers also continue to benefit from Horizon calls in areas like digital technology, AI, and advanced computing. Through EuroHPC, UK applicants can also access state-of-the-art high-performance computing resources.

This collaborative approach is designed to strengthen Europe-wide research networks and foster technological breakthroughs that support shared objectives like clean energy, healthcare innovation, and economic renewal.

The UK’s participation in the EU’s Copernicus Earth Observation programme is another critical benefit, further showing the strategic importance of UK-EU cooperation in science and space policy.
Forming stronger partnerships within Europe

Additionally, with the first UK space launches from SaxaVord in the Shetland Islands expected later this year, the UK continues solidifying its role as a key partner in advancing European space capabilities.
The government has introduced several initiatives to support UK applicants, including funding for consortium-building and matchmaking events with EU partners.

Recent visits to Italy, Germany, and Spain have helped UK researchers form new partnerships, and regular events hosted by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) provide guidance on navigating Horizon Europe opportunities.



New Horizon calls in space and industry will open on 22 May, with digital technology calls following on 10 June. With the scale of Horizon Europe funding and collaboration opportunities now available, UK researchers and businesses are encouraged to prepare their applications and seize this renewed chance to lead in global innovation.

Visit: https://innovatorawards.org/

New AI algorithm sharpening the focus on light-based data analysis

A new machine learning method from Rice University helps scientists better understand the unique light signatures of molecules and materials. This AI algorithm breakthrough at Rice University offers clearer, faster analysis for medical and scientific applications

A team at Rice University has unveiled a novel machine learning (ML) algorithm poised to revolutionise the interpretation of molecular light signatures. This breakthrough promises to enhance the precision and speed of analysis for a wide range of applications, from detecting viral proteins and brain disease markers to characterising semiconductor materials.

The new tool, called Peak-Sensitive Elastic-net Logistic Regression (PSE-LR), offers a clearer lens through which to examine the subtle interactions of light with matter.
Decoding molecular fingerprints with enhanced clarity

Every molecule and material possesses a unique way of interacting with light, creating a distinctive optical spectrum akin to a fingerprint. Optical spectroscopy, a technique that involves shining a laser on a sample and observing the scattered light, is a cornerstone of analysis in various fields. However, deciphering these spectral patterns, especially when subtle differences exist between samples, can be a laborious and complex process.

The newly developed PSE-LR algorithm is specifically engineered to overcome these challenges by enabling computers to more effectively “read” the information encoded in these light signals.
AI algorithms: Pathways to faster diagnostics and material understanding

Ziyang Wang, a doctoral student in electrical and computer engineering at Rice and the lead author of the study published in ACS Nano, envisions transformative applications in medical diagnostics. “Imagine being able to detect early signs of diseases like Alzheimer’s or COVID-19 just by shining a light on a drop of fluid or a tissue sample,” Wang stated. “Our work makes this possible by teaching computers how to better ‘read’ the signal of light scattered from tiny molecules.”

Beyond healthcare, the algorithm holds the potential to accelerate the understanding of novel materials, paving the way for smarter sensors and miniaturised diagnostic devices.
Providing transparency in AI decision-making

A key advantage of PSE-LR lies in its transparency. Unlike many complex “black box” ML models, PSE-LR provides a “feature importance map.” This map clearly highlights the specific parts of the optical spectrum that were most influential in the algorithm’s classification decisions.

This explainability is crucial for verifying results and building trust in the AI’s analysis. Wang likened PSE-LR to “a detective learning to find clues hidden in light signals,” emphasising its ability to focus on the most significant spectral features.
Demonstrated accuracy across diverse applications

The researchers rigorously tested PSE-LR against other established ML models, demonstrating its superior performance, particularly in discerning subtle and overlapping spectral characteristics. The algorithm showcased its real-world applicability by successfully detecting minute concentrations of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, identifying neuroprotective solutions in brain tissue samples from mice, classifying Alzheimer’s disease samples, and distinguishing between different types of 2D semiconductors.



Shengxi Huang, an associate professor at Rice and a corresponding author, highlighted the tool’s ability to “parse light-based data for very subtle signals that are usually hard to pick up on using traditional methods.” The development of PSE-LR opens doors for the creation of innovative diagnostic tools, biosensors, and nanodevices, potentially ushering in an era of more efficient and effective health monitoring and materials science research.

Visit: https://innovatorawards.org/