IBM Research, SPROUT, and LATCHES Lead Deep-Tech Innovations
AI News
June 2, 2026
6:42 PM
IBM Research revealed on Tuesday that it plans to invest $10 billion in quantum computing over the coming five years.
This funding will cover research and development, capital investments, manufacturing expansion, ecosystem collaborations, and mergers and acquisitions.
In a social media announcement, IBM also stated that it is speeding up its quantum roadmap, progressing towards a large-scale fault-tolerant quantum computer, and enhancing U.S. leadership in the field of quantum computing.
Rafael Loureiro, associate professor of botany and plant physiology at Winston-Salem State University, announced successful phase I trials of the SPROUT project.
These trials confirmed SPROUT’s effectiveness as an AI-enabled precision agriculture platform that supports a North Carolina microbial intelligence pipeline.
Loureiro’s team is integrating local soil samples, grower needs, controlled-environment assays, phenotyping, and on-farm validation to develop microbial inoculants for efficient deployment through precision agriculture systems, including drone-compatible delivery.
SPROUT is positioned as a scalable, data-driven tool for regenerative agriculture, aiming to reduce chemical inputs, improve soil health, increase crop resilience, and enhance farmer decision-making across the state.
The project transforms microbial data from North Carolina farms into targeted, field-ready biological solutions for soil restoration and crop performance.
By combining soil microbiome profiles, high-throughput microbial screening, field-trial data, and machine-learning models, SPROUT identifies and ranks microbial consortia best suited to address specific soil conditions and environmental stressors such as drought, heat, salinity, and degraded fertility.
This week, ThermoVerse announced that CEO and Founder Shantonio Birch, who earned top honors at BEYA 2026, will unveil LATCHES, described as the world’s smallest grid-scale thermal battery, at the IC Taiwan Grand Challenge on June 2, 2026.
This battery is designed to provide scalable, cost-effective thermal capacity for the grid by enabling semiconductor-level scaling in flexible, behind-the-meter HVAC load management.
ThermoVerse recently won the 2026 IC Taiwan Grand Challenge and will present at InnoVEX 2026, where it will connect startups with investors and leaders in the ICT and deep-tech sectors.
The ICTGC, launched by Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Council, has attracted 590 proposals from 56 countries and runs alongside COMPUTEX.
Birch emphasized the importance of unlocking hidden grid capacity for critical energy infrastructure and highlighted ThermoVerse’s focus on energy storage at InnoVEX.
He described LATCHES as a zero-footprint, modular battery integrated into commercial ceiling tiles to manage HVAC peak demand.
Birch’s expertise includes semiconductors, advanced electronics, thermal management, energy systems, and low-power edge AI, and he is making several trips to Taiwan this year.
He noted that while advanced mobility centers often focus on vehicles and robotics, the role of electrons is frequently overlooked.
At the 2026 Michigan Tech Week “Venture Together” Competition, Birch expressed pride in highlighting the electron and collaborating with founders to eliminate waste, redirect energy, support smart mobility, and foster community engagement through extended reality, emphasizing teamwork and leadership.
He thanked the Michigan Founders Fund for organizing the event and congratulated Blue Water Clean Power for their innovative pitch to address waste in the Great Lakes region.
In Taiwan, Birch acknowledged the challenges of adapting to a new environment and expressed gratitude to University of Michigan alumni and local supporters in Taipei.
He recognized the team’s efforts behind trade show presentations, commending their dedication in preparing materials, building displays, troubleshooting, and coordinating manufacturing and quality checks for LATCHES thermal batteries.
Kristie Lee, Partnerships Director at InnoVEX, announced that the winners of the 4th batch of the IC Taiwan Grand Challenge 2026 were selected from 209 innovative technologies across 38 countries.
The event will feature 11 startups from the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Israel, and Taiwan, presenting innovations in AI chips, intelligent sensing, liquid cooling, generative AI, cybersecurity, and smart manufacturing. T
These include AI Vision Sensing, Next-Generation AI Memory, AI-Driven Chip Design Automation, Energy-Efficient Thermal Technology, Liquid Cooling for AI GPUs, Generative AI Decision Platform, Industrial AI Vision Engineer, Cybersecurity Chips for AI & IoT, High-Speed Data Interconnect, Smart Manufacturing Automation, and Computing and Next-Generation AI Training Architecture.
These startups represent the latest in global deep-tech innovation and will leverage Taiwan’s leading semiconductor and ICT ecosystem to accelerate commercialization and industry partnerships.
June 2, 2026
6:42 PM
2026 Career Communications Group, Inc.
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