Author: Techtime

IMCO Begins Manufacturing on European Soil

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IMCO Group (TASE: IMCO) announced today that it has begun delivering operational systems through serial production at its Romanian subsidiary, IMROD—marking the transition from facility setup to full-scale manufacturing operations in Europe.

The move enables IMCO to operate as a local manufacturing partner for European customers, shortening delivery times, improving supply chain flexibility, and aligning with regional regulatory requirements. It is also expected to enhance the company’s ability to compete in European defense tenders, where local production capabilities are often a key requirement.

IMROD supplies integrated systems for mission-critical applications across a range of defense platforms, with a focus on armored vehicles and air defense systems. According to the company, operations comply with European Mil-Spec standards and local regulations, while offering engineering, integration, and support services to customers in the region.

The Romanian facility, first announced in September 2025, was designed to support both IMCO’s existing order backlog and growing demand in the European defense market, driven in part by rising defense budgets across the continent. At the time, the company emphasized that a European presence would allow it to qualify as a “local supplier” and deepen collaboration with platform manufacturers and system integrators.

IMCO’s defense activity focuses on electrical, electromechanical, and control systems deployed across a wide range of platforms, including armored fighting vehicles, main battle tanks, and fighter aircraft. The segment has become a key growth driver: in the first half of 2025, the company reported a 24% increase in revenue to approximately NIS 158.5 million, with defense-related sales rising 41% year-over-year.

According to CEO Ariel Kendel, the shift to full-scale operations in Europe allows IMCO to work closer to its customers and support programs in line with European industrial and regulatory frameworks, while also aligning with regional initiatives aimed at strengthening defense manufacturing and ensuring supply continuity.

The company added that the Romanian site has significant expansion potential, including plans to increase its footprint and grow its engineering and technical workforce, as part of IMCO’s broader global growth strategy.

Skylock Excels in NATO Counter-Drone Exercise

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[Image: Scene from the NATO exercise in Romania. Courtesy of Autonomous Guard]

Last week, NATO conducted a large-scale operational exercise in Romania to evaluate advanced counter-drone systems—an increasingly critical capability in modern battlefields such as Ukraine. The exercise brought together 21 countries and tested more than 200 technological solutions, including the integrated Sky Dome system developed by Israeli company Skylock, a subsidiary of Autonomous Guard.

According to the company, Sky Dome consistently demonstrated the highest performance in detecting and neutralizing drones throughout the exercise. Autonomous Guard believes these results position the system as a strong contender for future procurement programs across NATO member states.

The exercise, held at the Capu Midia range on the Black Sea coast under the name LCI-X Crucible Eastern Phoenix 2026, was designed as a full-scale field trial rather than a controlled demonstration. Systems were required to operate under realistic combat conditions, handling complex scenarios such as coordinated drone swarms, timed attacks, and multiple simultaneous intrusions. Around 150 different types of drones were deployed, enabling a broad evaluation across diverse threat profiles.

The testing process included several phases. Following an initial screening round, only four systems advanced to the final stage—those developed by Skylock, Rheinmetall, Cognifly, and Bluespace. The final evaluation was attended by senior Romanian defense officials, including the Minister of Defense and the Air Force Commander. Systems that performed well are expected to be listed in NATO’s procurement portal, making them eligible for future acquisition programs.

Sky Dome is built on a multi-layered architecture combining radar, RF sensors, electro-optical systems, and acoustic sensors to deliver precise detection, classification, and tracking. The system operates across multiple ranges and is designed to counter drones that do not rely on GPS, including those using alternative navigation methods. Interception is primarily achieved through “soft-kill” techniques such as communication jamming and navigation spoofing, allowing effective neutralization even against drone swarms.

The company noted that the system also performed well against larger drones, which are typically more challenging to intercept using kinetic methods. Participation in the exercise has reportedly generated interest from additional European NATO members.

Alongside its operational efforts, Skylock is working to establish a local presence in Romania through the SAFE framework—an accelerated defense funding mechanism—in collaboration with a local partner. The company is also exploring the integration of additional interception technologies, including laser-based solutions, in line with evolving battlefield requirements.

Nanox Shuts Down South Korea Production Line and Appoints New CFO

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Nanox continues its effort to shift from development and pilot deployments toward broader commercial rollout in the U.S. The company announced a new commercial agreement with Howard Technology Solutions, under which the U.S.-based firm is expected to deploy 300 Nanox.ARC systems over three years, including 60 systems in the first year.

The deal is one of the largest distribution agreements reported by Nanox to date and adds to a series of recent partnerships with U.S. distributors.

Speaking on the company’s earnings call, CEO Erez Meltzer said that recent commercial agreements collectively represent approximately 360 systems over a two- to three-year period, and pointed to a broader potential of around 400 systems globally. He described the shift as “a fundamental change in how we scale—from providing our technology to deploying it at meaningful volume,” signaling what the company views as an approaching commercial inflection point.

Alongside the new agreement, Nanox also announced a leadership change. CFO Ran Daniel will step down after five years to pursue other opportunities. He will be replaced by Guy Nathanzon, who will assume the role on August 1. Nathanzon previously held CFO and COO positions at publicly traded medtech companies, including Valens Semiconductor and Scopio Labs. The company said the appointment is intended to support its next phase of commercialization and global expansion.

At the same time, Nanox is undertaking a significant restructuring of its manufacturing operations. The company is shutting down its chip production line in South Korea, downsizing its local fabrication facility, and transitioning to an outsourced manufacturing model with international partners, including CSEM.

According to management, the Korean facility was established during the COVID-19 period, when global supply chains were disrupted and chip availability was limited. With supply conditions now stabilized, the company believes outsourcing production will reduce costs and improve efficiency. Meltzer noted that the facility will not be fully closed but repurposed primarily as an R&D center for ceramic tube development and future technologies.

The restructuring had a significant impact on fourth-quarter results. Nanox reported revenue of $3.7 million in Q4 2025, up 23% from $3.0 million a year earlier. However, the company posted a gross loss of $3.6 million and a net loss of $33.4 million, compared with a net loss of $14.1 million in the same quarter last year.

The increase in losses was driven בעיקר by a non-cash impairment of $17.5 million related to long-lived assets, following the restructuring of its Korean manufacturing operations. The company also reported higher operating expenses, including sales and marketing costs of $2.0 million (up from $0.9 million) and general and administrative expenses of $6.0 million.

In terms of revenue mix, Nanox remains primarily reliant on its teleradiology business rather than hardware sales. Revenue from teleradiology services reached $3.1 million, up from $2.8 million in the prior year, driven by customer retention, higher pricing, and increased reading volumes.

By contrast, revenue from the sale and deployment of imaging systems remained minimal at just $49,000 for the quarter. The AI and software segment contributed $0.5 million, supported in part by the consolidation of Nanox Health IT, which the company acquired in November 2025.

Beyond the financials, Nanox highlighted a range of business developments. In the U.S., the company continues to expand its distribution network through partnerships with regional imaging providers while also building a direct sales presence. It reported that Regional Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Group is among its first direct customers in the country, marking initial penetration into the orthopedic segment.

The company is also advancing its Nanox Imaging Network initiative, a model in which Nanox provides the system, maintenance, and connectivity, while local partners manage site operations and patient engagement.

Outside the U.S., Nanox continues to expand its footprint. The company announced an exclusive distribution agreement in Argentina with Intec SRL and reported ongoing efforts to build a network of partners across Europe. It also highlighted regulatory progress, including U.S. clearance of TAP2D, which enables 2D imaging output from the Nanox.ARC system, alongside continued development of its AI platform and collaborations with institutions such as Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Meir Medical Center.

Despite the optimistic tone, management acknowledged that deployment remains relatively slow and dependent on external factors such as import licenses, construction timelines, and regulatory approvals. The company reiterated its 2026 revenue target of $35 million but clarified that most of the expected growth is likely to materialize in the second half of the year, as newly signed distribution agreements begin translating into active, revenue-generating installations.

Nexar Launches BADAS 2.0 Accident Prediction Model

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Nexar has announced the launch of BADAS 2.0, the latest generation of its AI-powered road safety model, which the company says marks a significant leap forward in accident prediction technology. The new model is trained on an unusually large dataset of approximately 2 million real-world crash and near-miss events, collected from hundreds of millions of miles of driving, without relying on synthetic data.

Unlike traditional ADAS systems, which focus on detecting existing hazards, BADAS 2.0 is designed to anticipate dangerous situations before they occur. According to the company, about 91% of its alerts are issued before the moment of impact, providing a critical window for drivers or automated systems to respond and prevent collisions. The model achieves approximately 99.4% accuracy in internal benchmarks.

A key advancement in this new generation is the shift from pure prediction to reasoning. The system not only identifies potential risks but also explains the underlying causes and recommends actions, such as braking or steering adjustments. In addition, BADAS 2.0 introduces explainability features, including visual heatmaps and textual insights that clarify how decisions are made.

The model is built on what Nexar describes as a “Physical AI” approach—aimed at enabling the system to understand real-world dynamics such as motion, driver intent, and environmental behavior, rather than simply recognizing objects in images. As a result, it demonstrates strong generalization capabilities, including handling rare or complex scenarios such as low visibility conditions or unusual road situations.

BADAS 2.0 is offered in three configurations: a full model for maximum performance, a Flash version optimized for device-level deployment, and a lightweight Flash Lite version designed for dashcams, in-vehicle systems, and other edge devices. This flexibility is intended to support a wide range of applications, from advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) to insurance platforms, smart city infrastructure, and mobility services.

The launch comes roughly six months after the introduction of the first-generation BADAS model, which focused on video-native understanding and risk prediction from the vehicle’s perspective. While the initial version demonstrated the feasibility of predicting accidents using real-world data, BADAS 2.0 expands this capability into a system that aims to interpret complex traffic scenarios, explain them, and suggest real-time responses.

From a market perspective, the move positions Nexar in the space between traditional ADAS providers and full autonomous driving platforms, with a focus on an AI layer built on real-world driving data. The combination of a large-scale dataset and a model capable of both prediction and reasoning could become a key component in next-generation safety systems and future mobility services.

Camtek to Acquire Tel Aviv-Based Visual Layer

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Camtek, headquartered in Migdal HaEmek, Israel, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Visual Layer, a Tel Aviv-based company specializing in visual data management and analytics. Visual Layer has developed a proprietary AI platform that enables organizations to process, analyze, and extract actionable insights from large-scale visual datasets. Over the past year, Camtek has worked closely with Visual Layer, integrating its technology into its products and collaborating at both the product and R&D levels.

The company did not disclose financial details of the transaction but said additional information is expected to be provided alongside its first-quarter 2026 financial results, scheduled for release in May. Camtek CEO Rafi Amit described artificial intelligence as a strategic priority for the company. “The acquisition of Visual Layer represents a significant step forward. Its technology and team are a natural extension of what we have built at Camtek. After working together for more than a year, we have seen this fit in practice,” he said.

Chairman Lior Aviram added that AI-driven inspection and metrology are expected to shape the competitive landscape in the coming years. According to Aviram, the deal opens the door to a new revenue stream based on AI-powered analytics software—an area that is not currently part of Camtek’s core business, which focuses on inspection and measurement systems for semiconductor manufacturing processes.

Visual Layer was founded in 2022 by CEO Danny Bickson, CTO Amir Alush, and Prof. Carlos Guestrin, Chief Strategy Officer, from Stanford University. The company set out to develop a platform capable of generating insights from large volumes of unstructured image data. In 2023, Visual Layer raised $7.5 million in a funding round led by Insight Partners and Madrona, and in 2024 launched its commercial platform on AWS.

Bickson and Alush said that their collaboration with Camtek over the past year demonstrated how AI technologies can significantly enhance capabilities in production environments. “Our goal is to help turn Camtek’s AI group into a leading center of excellence,” they said.

NVIDIA Launches AI Models for Quantum Processor Calibration and Error Correction

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By Yohai Schwiger

NVIDIA has announced NVIDIA Ising, a family of open-source AI models aimed at accelerating the development of quantum computers capable of running practical applications. The models focus on two of the field’s most critical challenges: precise quantum processor calibration and quantum error correction—engineering hurdles that currently limit the scalability of quantum systems.

Quantum computing relies on qubits—units of information that are highly sensitive to environmental noise. As a result, quantum systems are inherently unstable, prone to errors, and require continuous calibration alongside complex error-correction mechanisms. Without effective solutions to these issues, scaling such systems and running real-world workloads remains difficult.

The Ising family is designed to directly address these challenges using AI-based tools. One of its key components, Ising Calibration, is a vision-language model (VLM) capable of analyzing measurements from quantum processors and responding in real time. According to NVIDIA, the model can reduce calibration processes from days to hours by automating adjustments, while relying on a significantly smaller model footprint compared to existing approaches.

Another component, Ising Decoding, is based on a 3D convolutional neural network designed for real-time decoding in quantum error correction. It is offered in two variants—optimized for speed or accuracy—and demonstrates improved performance over existing tools, delivering faster processing and higher accuracy in decoding tasks.

The models are accompanied by supporting tools, training data, and microservices, enabling developers to tailor them to specific hardware architectures and use cases. NVIDIA emphasizes that the models can run locally, allowing organizations to maintain full control over their data and infrastructure.

The technology is already being adopted by a range of industry players, including quantum companies such as IonQ and IQM Quantum Computers, as well as leading research institutions like Harvard, Fermilab, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Beyond its functional capabilities, the launch reflects a broader approach by NVIDIA to integrating AI with quantum computing. The two central challenges—calibration and error correction—are fundamentally problems of real-time pattern analysis. Quantum systems generate streams of noisy, non-linear measurement data, and the task is to interpret and respond to these signals efficiently. In this context, deep learning models are particularly well suited, as they excel at identifying complex statistical structures and operating under uncertainty.

The Calibration model effectively serves as a “perception layer” for the quantum system: it receives data from the hardware, interprets it, and determines how to adjust the system. Meanwhile, the Decoding model operates across a vast space of possible error configurations, estimating the most likely solution in real time. This represents a shift from rigid algorithmic approaches toward learning-based methods that leverage statistical generalization rather than exhaustive computation.

At the same time, NVIDIA is not positioning Ising as a large-scale language model in the traditional sense. Instead, it applies advanced AI architectures tailored to specific tasks. The models themselves are relatively compact, require less training data, and are optimized to operate in complex and sensitive computational environments.

Ising integrates into NVIDIA’s broader quantum computing platform, which includes CUDA-Q for quantum application development, cuQuantum for GPU-accelerated simulation, and NVQLink for connecting quantum processing units (QPUs) with GPUs. Together, these components are designed to enable hybrid systems in which quantum and classical computing operate in tandem.

From a market perspective, quantum computing remains at a relatively early stage, but is expected to grow as solutions to error correction and scalability challenges mature. In this context, the use of AI as a system-level control layer could become a key factor in advancing the field.

The launch of Ising reflects an emerging view that quantum computing is not solely a physics or hardware challenge, but also a software and machine learning problem. The central question is whether this approach will gain traction as an industry standard—and to what extent it will help bridge the gap between experimental systems and practical quantum computing.

Credo to Acquire DustPhotonics for $750 Million

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Credo Technology has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Isdraek-based DustPhotonics, a leading developer of Silicon Photonics Photonic Integrated Circuit (SiPho PIC) technology for optical transceivers. The acquisition will position Credo with a vertically integrated connectivity stack spanning SerDes, Digital Signal Processing (DSP), Silicon Photonics and system integration for scale out and scale up networks.

Credo will acquire DustPhotonics for upfront consideration of $750 million cash and approximately 0.92 million shares of Credo common stock, subject to the terms and conditions of the definitive agreement. In addition, Credo may pay incremental contingent consideration of up to approximately 3.21 million shares based on the achievement of certain financial milestones. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of calendar 2026, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

DustPhotonics is a fabless semiconductor company developing SiPho PICs for high-speed optical transceivers. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Israel, DustPhotonics has developed a differentiated PIC portfolio spanning 400G, 800G, and 1.6T, with a roadmap that extends to 3.2T, and with integrated and external laser configurations. DustPhotonics has assembled a team of approximately seventy employees with deep expertise in photonic integration. The company operates a fabless model and has secured design wins with leading hyperscale cloud customers, providing a platform for expansion.

Since its founding, the company has raised approximately $84 million in capital. The acquisition of DustPhotonics accelerates Credo’s optical interconnect roadmap and expands its served addressable market in the global optical industry. DustPhotonics has developed a differentiated portfolio of SiPho PICs spanning 400G, 800G, and 1.6T, with a roadmap extending to 3.2T, that integrates key optical functions onto a single chip, reducing component complexity, improving manufacturing yields, and enabling meaningfully lower cost at scale as port speeds advance beyond 800G. These SiPho PICs are deployed in transceivers at leading hyperscale AI clusters and are also in design for leading Near Port Optics (NPO) and Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) applications.

SiPho PIC technology is a foundational component of Credo’s ZeroFlap (ZF) Optical Transceiver platform. Bringing this capability in-house mitigates external supply dependencies, accelerates product development cycles, and creates a pathway to substantial cost structure improvement at volume. Combined with Credo’s industry-leading SerDes and DSP intellectual property and products, the acquisition creates an end-to-end optical connectivity solution platform.

Credo believes it has reached an inflection point in its optical business. With the addition of DustPhotonics, the company expects its combined portfolio of ZeroFlap Optical Transceivers, Optical DSPs, and Silicon Photonics products to generate greater than $500 million in optical revenue in fiscal 2027, reflecting strong customer traction and expanding adoption across hyperscale AI deployments.