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Forbes
14-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Meet Asia's 30 Under 30 Entrepreneurs Making Robots And Rockets
Yi Gang was a chemistry student at the China University of Mining and Technology when he realized a friend was struggling to afford a prosthetic hand. Determined to help, he researched how to make one himself, and with money raised from a teacher and part-time jobs, he completed a robotics prototype his junior year. Impressed, the university gave Yi access to a lab room and a robotic engineering tutor to study the subject further. After graduating in 2020, Yi launched Shanghai-based Ti5 Robot Technology, which has since developed five robot models. They include a couple of two-legged humanoids powered by its AI software, which can navigate different environments and respond to verbal commands. Yi Gang is one of the innovators on this year's Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia: Industry, Manufacturing & Energy list who are creating pioneering products. Deliveries of Ti5 Robot Technology's 1.7-meter-tall humanoids will start in June in China and the U.S. 'The commercialization of humanoid robots is happening very fast,' Yi says. 'And we are at the forefront of it.' Yi declined to name customers of his humanoids, which cost between 200,000 yuan and 800,000 yuan ($27,000 and $110,000). The price varies, he says, depending on whether the robots will be used for simpler jobs, such as shaking hands or interacting with customers in service centers, or for complex customized tasks like running checks on factory lines. Ti5 has raised almost 200 million yuan from investors, including Chinese VC Plum Ventures and Matrix Partners China. The company also sells a bionic hand and robotics parts to industrial manufacturers, including car makers. Humanoid robots are especially seeing an uptick in demand in China where the government has announced plans to channel hundreds of billions of dollars in funding to cutting edge industries including robotics and AI. Yue Xi, cofounder of Robotera Supplied photo Also riding this trend is Xi Yue who cofounded Beijing-based humanoid robot maker Robotera with Tsinghua University assistant professor Chen Jianyu (over 30). Their 1.7-meter robot Star1 can walk and run, has climbed the Great Wall and taken part in a marathon. Robotera has raised about 400 million yuan ($54 million) in funding from investors that include IMO Ventures and Vision Plus Capital. In March, the company signed an agreement with Chinese home appliance giant Haier to jointly develop robots to assist with household chores. 30 Under 30 Asia listees this year are also making strides in spacetech–especially in India where Tanveer Ahmed, Rahul Rawat and Anirudh Sharma cofounded Digantara, which develops tools for commercial space companies and government agencies to monitor potential safety risks in orbit, such as satellites and debris. Sharma says Digantara is building the equivalent of Google Maps for space. The company's funding includes a $12 million series A round completed last February from investors including Aditya Birla Ventures, Peak XV Partners and Kalaari Capital. Jainul Abedin, founder of Abyom SpaceTech and Defence Supplied photo Their compatriot Jainul Abedin founded Abyom SpaceTech and Defence in 2020. The company is developing reusable rocket launch technologies for commercial use and academic research. Abedin says the first launch is scheduled for 2027. Last November, the company raised $2.5 million in seed funding from Scope Ventures. Reusable rocket launch technologies have also attracted the attention of Manu J. Nair and Prashant Sharma who cofounded Bangalore-based space startup Ethereal Exploration Guild in 2022 with Shubhayu Sardar (over 30). The company is developing fully reusable launch vehicles, targeting the so-called medium-lift segment, which can lift between 2,000 and 20,000 kilograms by NASA classification. EtherealX's initial product is called Razor Crest Mk-1, which can carry 25 tons to low Earth orbit. Last year, the company raised $5 million in seed funding from investors including Bluehill Capital and YourNest. Elsewhere in the region, young entrepreneurs are exploring new and environmentally friendly ways to manufacture industrial and consumer goods. In New Zealand, college friends William Murrell and Ben Scales cofounded KiwiFibre in 2021. The Christchurch-based company has developed technologies to turn the country's indigenous harakeke plant into materials that can serve as a sustainable alternative to carbon fiber and fiberglass. KiwiFibre has raised almost NZ$5 million ($2.9 million) in funding from investors including Icehouse Ventures and Phase One Ventures. The company says its products have already been used to make snowboards and race cars. William Murrell and Ben Scales, cofounders of KiwiFibre Supplied photo In neighboring Australia, Connor Balfany's The Leaf Protein Co. has developed technologies to extract protein from leaf tissues in the form of an edible powder, which can be mixed in drinks or used to make diet supplements. Last June, the Melbourne-based company raised A$850,000 ($540,000) in pre-seed funding from investors including LaunchVic and Loyal VC. In China, Su Rui and Xue Ruixuan cofounded SynMetabio to make synthetic materials, particularly synthetic leather. Established in 2021, their Shanghai-based company uses gene editing and fermenting technologies to process base materials such as corn cobs and straw into synthetic leather. The company has raised 50 million yuan ($7 million) in funding from investors including K2VC and MiraclePlus. Read our complete Industry, Manufacturing & Energy list here – and be sure to check out our full Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2025 coverage here.
Yemen Online
23-04-2025
- Yemen Online
Iran Seizes Two Ships and Issues Jail Sentences in Fuel Smuggling Crackdown
Iran's efforts at stopping fuel smuggling are continuing with local media outlets citing additional cases of vessels being seized and crews prosecuted. An Iranian court is reported to have handed down stiff jail sentences in two cases today and hours later the semi-governmental news agency Fars reported two more vessels have been apprehended. According to the media reports, Iran claims that it has seized 4.5 million liters of smuggled diesel fuel alone this year. The country's low price of diesel and gasoline is reported to encourage smuggling in the Persian Gulf region. Iran offers lower prices for the fuels than its neighboring Arab states. Fars reports two vessels registered in Tanzania, which it names as Sea Ranger and Salama, were stopped today, April 22. The vessels were reported to be near the central district port city of Bushehr on the Persian Gulf. A total of 25 'foreign crew' were reportedly detained and 1.5 million liters of diesel fuel seized. Both vessels were being directed back to the Bushehr Port where the media said the vessels were being handed over by the Iran Navy for 'legal proceedings.' Separately, Iranian media reported a court in the southern Iranian province of Hormozgan issued judgment today, April 22, on two other foreign crews. It said one of the unnamed vessels was caught with 4.25 million liters of smuggled fuel and that the captain and two 'deputies' were each sentenced to five years in jail. Collectively a fine of $5.37 million was also ordered. The second captain and his two top 'deputies' were also sentenced to five years in jail for smuggling 1.7 million liters of fuel. They were ordered to pay a total of $3 million in fines. In both cases, Iran said the vessels would be released once the fines were paid. The reports also highlight that on March 31, Iran confiscated two vessels, Star 1 and Vintage. They were stopped in the Persian Gulf with a total of 3 million liters of diesel fuel. Iranian forces have previously said they increased the monitoring of vessel activity. They have vowed to crack down on fuel smuggling.
Al Bawaba
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Iran seizes two Tanzanian-flagged ships for fuel smuggling
Published April 22nd, 2025 - 03:58 GMT This is the latest in a series of anti-smuggling operations by Iranian forces. Just last month, on March 31, the IRGC captured two foreign oil tankers—Star 1 and Winteng—claiming they were transporting over three million liters of illegal diesel ALBAWABA- Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has seized two Tanzanian-flagged ships in the southern province of Bushehr, accusing them of smuggling fuel in the Persian Gulf, according to state-affiliated Fars News Agency. Also Read Iran seizes two oil tankers smuggling diesel in the Gulf The IRGC's Second Naval District confirmed that 25 crew members were detained and the vessels towed to Bushehr by court order to offload the smuggled diesel. — Global South News (@globalsouthinfo) April 22, 2025 This is the latest in a series of anti-smuggling operations by Iranian forces. Just last month, on March 31, the IRGC captured two foreign oil tankers—Star 1 and Winteng—claiming they were transporting over three million liters of illegal diesel in Gulf waters. Also Read Death toll in deadly Kashmir attack rises: 27 killed, 12 injured These developments come amid heightened regional tensions and as Iran signals increased military readiness in response to perceived threats. At the same time, diplomatic talks over Iran's nuclear program, mediated by Oman between Tehran and Washington, are reportedly progressing in a 'positive atmosphere,' despite the backdrop of escalating maritime incidents. © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
Shafaq News
31-03-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
Iran's IRGC seizes two foreign-owned tankers over fuel smuggling
Shafaq News/ Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) has seized two foreign-owned tankers accused of diesel fuel smuggling in the central Persian Gulf, Iranian state-linked media reported on Sunday. The vessels, identified as Star 1 and Vintage, were intercepted earlier in the day, and their crews were detained. The Tasnim news agency, citing Revolutionary Guard officials, said a naval operation led to the capture of the tankers, which were allegedly transporting 3 million liters of diesel. The vessels are being taken to the Bushehr oil dock, where the fuel will be offloaded under judicial supervision. Western media reports suggest one of the ships is linked to interests in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Iran has frequently accused foreign vessels of smuggling fuel, but officials say the latest incident involves smuggling on a larger scale. The authorities claim the tankers were part of a broader network diverting oil from Iran and were identified through intelligence monitoring at Bushehr port. Iranian authorities have intensified efforts to combat fuel smuggling in recent months. Last week, border police seized a ship carrying 1 million liters of smuggled oil in the Persian Gulf. Officials estimate that 25-30 million liters of fuel are smuggled out of Iran daily. Meanwhile, reports indicate that a second cargo ship carrying raw materials for rocket fuel arrived in Iran from China on March 29. The shipment, after processing, could provide solid fuel for up to 250 medium- or short-range rockets. Iran's heavily subsidized fuel prices contribute to smuggling. Diesel costs 3,000 rials ($0.003) per liter for limited monthly quotas and 6,000 rials per liter for unrestricted use by truck drivers and heavy machinery operators. Reports indicate that large volumes of gas oil, a type of diesel fuel, have been diverted from Iranian power plants to neighboring countries.
Al Bawaba
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Iran seizes two oil tankers smuggling diesel in the Gulf
ALBAWABA Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) seized two foreign oil tankers, Star 1 and Winteng, on Monday, accusing them of smuggling over three million liters of diesel fuel in the Gulf. Also Read 38 killed in Israeli raids across Gaza since morning The two foreign oil tankers were seized in the Persian Gulf, Iran's Revolutionary Guard's Second Naval District announced Monday, as part of efforts to combat fuel smuggling in the region. The 25 crew members aboard the vessels were detained, and the tankers were towed to Bushehr Province by court order to unload the smuggled fuel, according to Iranian state media. Meanwhile, an assistant to Iran's Army Political Bureau stated that Iran is increasing its military readiness in response to regional developments and direct threats. He emphasized Iran's deterrence power, warning that any threats would be met with retaliation. Iranian Foreign Minister also reaffirmed that Iran will not submit to pressure or be addressed with the "language of force," while Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, in a Hebrew-language post, accused Israel of acting as a colonial agent in the region. ⚡️JUST IN The Revolutionary Guards just seized 2 tankers in the Persian Gulf, carrying 3 million liters of fuel
