Watchtower Labs, co-founded by Shield Capital’s Raj Shah and led by CEO Akhil Iyer, launches a $35M-funded AI-driven logistics software suite for defense planners. The tool uses natural language queries and discrete-event simulations to model supply chain risks—such as anti-air missile shortages or cyber disruptions—returning actionable contingencies via a custom dashboard. Backed by Shield, Conviction, In-Q-Tel, and Founders Fund, Watchtower already supports early contracts with major U.S. operational commands and aims to replace manual Excel-based planning in high-stakes scenarios.
Petra Power sells solid oxide fuel cells that convert fuels such as natural gas into electricity without burning them, targeting data centers and large vehicles. The company is working with neoclouds and infrastructure providers, with first customer deployments targeted for 2028 and full-scale production hoped for in 2029. Its cells are also being tested for auxiliary power in defense vehicles, and Petra has received nearly $9 million in Defense Department contracts.
The US Defense Department pledges a conditional loan of up to $1.5 billion to Wolfspeed Inc., the chipmaker that filed for bankruptcy last year. The company’s bankruptcy filing precedes the proposed federal financing.
