Ganfeng Expands Lithium Operations Across US Allies
Ganfeng Lithium is expanding its global footprint by investing $1.24 bn in Argentina’s Cauchari Olaroz brine mine and committing A$490 mn ($319 mn) of FDI to extend Australia’s Mount Marion operation. The Argentine project, a joint venture with Lithium Argentina and provincial partner Jemse, secures a 30‑year regulatory regime, while the Australian infusion adds 30 years to the mine’s life and lifts output to 600,000 tonnes per year. These moves come as lithium prices rebound and Chinese firms favor existing joint‑ventures over risky greenfield projects. Analysts view Ganfeng’s strategy as building a vertically integrated supply chain that outpaces U.S. domestic capacity.
Oregon’s Physical AI Ecosystem Takes Flight
Agility Robotics, a Corvallis‑origin spinout renamed Agility in March 2026, has scaled its humanoid robot Digit into Amazon, Toyota and other major warehouses after a $400 million funding round that lifted its valuation to $2.15 billion. The company’s growth showcases how physical‑AI...
Never Out of Season: Alberta’s Year-Round Tourism Strategy
Alberta is targeting $18.1 bn in tourism visitor spending by 2035 and is tackling the seasonal imbalance by promoting all‑season resorts. The 2024 All‑season Resorts Act relaxes summer‑operation rules for ski areas, designating three sites—including Castle Mountain, Nakiska and Fortress Mountain—for...
Strong and Free: Alberta’s Rockies Are a Symbol of Both Change and Continuity
Fairmont, now under Accor, is pouring multi‑hundred‑million dollars into its Alberta Rockies portfolio, from a $94 mn Basin Glacial Waters attraction at Lake Louise to a $125 mn Rimrock Banff overhaul slated for 2026. Renovations at Banff Springs, Jasper Park Lodge and...
Alberta Gears up for Tourism Growth
Alberta has launched the “Higher Ground” tourism strategy, targeting visitor spending of C$25 bn (≈$18 bn) by 2035, up from C$15.2 bn (≈$11 bn) in 2024. The plan seeks to complement a still‑dominant oil and gas sector by generating roughly C$10 bn (≈$7.2 bn) in cumulative...
South-East Asia’s Electric Vehicle Race Heats Up
Electric vehicle adoption in Southeast Asia has accelerated dramatically, driven by generous policy incentives and the influx of Chinese manufacturers. Indonesia now expects EVs to represent one in five new car sales by 2025, backed by a $1 bn BYD plant...
Kuka–Midea: One Decade of a Deal that Changed EU Economic Security
A decade after Midea’s €4.5 billion (≈$4.9 billion) acquisition of German robot maker Kuka, the deal is credited with launching the EU’s modern economic‑security agenda. The transaction exposed gaps in Germany’s foreign‑direct‑investment (FDI) screening, prompting a cascade of national reforms that later...
Sun Shines on Spain’s Green Industry Ambitions
Spain’s aggressive rollout of solar, wind and hydro power has slashed electricity costs, making its grid among the cheapest in Europe. Cheap, green power has helped the country’s manufacturing output grow at nearly three times the euro‑zone rate since 2018....
China’s Meta-Manus Block Slams Door on ‘Singapore-Washing’
China’s National Development and Reform Commission abruptly blocked Meta’s $2 bn acquisition of AI start‑up Manus, ordering the deal’s cancellation after the company moved its legal domicile to Singapore. The move ends a four‑month‑old transaction that Meta had already integrated, underscoring...
The Maryland County Leveraging Space Tech to Widen Its Horizons
Montgomery County, Maryland, has become a thriving hub for the space economy, housing 121 satellite and advanced‑communication firms that employ roughly 4,500 people. The county’s legacy dates back to the 1960s Comsat Laboratories, which seeded today’s ecosystem that includes Hughes...
Maryland’s Biopharma Cluster Takes on Coastal Hubs
United Therapeutics, founded in Montgomery County, Maryland, posted $3.2 bn revenue in 2025 and is now planning a commercial organ‑production facility on a 12,000‑square‑metre site adjacent to its Silver Spring campus. The county’s life‑science ecosystem has attracted major multinational investments, including...
Wind Is Pushing Nova Scotia’s Green Revolution
EverWind Fuels, backed by a $175 mn Nuveen investment, is set to develop 650 MW of onshore wind capacity in Nova Scotia, with construction slated for this year. The generated electricity will initially feed the grid before powering electrolysis to produce green...
How the Ocean Is Powering Nova Scotia’s Economy
Nova Scotia’s ocean‑based sectors now account for roughly 13% of the province’s GDP and employment, underscoring a shift from traditional fisheries to high‑tech maritime activities. A $3.6 bn federal fund will modernise Halifax’s container hub, positioning it as a strategic gateway...
Is Mining Nova Scotia’s Golden Opportunity?
Canada’s mining industry generates tens of billions annually, yet Nova Scotia’s sector has lagged, highlighted by the premature shutdown of the Touquoy gold mine in 2023. In early 2025 the provincial government pivoted, cutting permit times in half and lifting...
Defence: The Key to Nova Scotia’s Advance
Canada is revamping its defence posture, pledging to raise spending to 2 % of GDP this year and 5 % by 2035, sparking a surge in activity for Nova Scotia’s long‑standing defence ecosystem. The province’s sector already generates about $1.87 bn annually, roughly...