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Rural-Focused Fund Backs Maine Enterprises Tapping Technology Used In Europe

Rural-Focused Fund Backs Maine Enterprises Tapping Technology Used In Europe

What are the chances that the first two investments of a fledgling fund focused on boosting rural economic development in the U.S. would be Maine-based enterprises using technologies with a track record in Europe, but unknown here?

That’s the story behind RuralWorks Partners’ initial impact investments—American Unagi, which produces and processes sushi-grade American eels, and TimberHP, a maker of building insulation made of waste wood fiber.

Made in Maine Eels

With a long-time interest in aquaculture, Sara Rademaker founded Waldeboro, ME-based American Unagi in her basement in Maine about 10 years ago. Her mission: to jumpstart the growth of the domestic fish industry. After doing some research, she’d realized that eels were a perfect fish to target. ”As a little girl, I never saw myself as an eel farmer,” says Rademaker. “But this seemed like a

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New technology interprets archaeological findings from Biblical times

New technology interprets archaeological findings from Biblical times

Credit: Tel-Aviv University

A breakthrough achieved by researchers from four Israeli universities—Tel Aviv University, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Bar-Ilan University and Ariel University—will enable archaeologists to identify burnt materials discovered in excavations and estimate their firing temperatures.

Applying their method to findings from ancient Gath (Tell es-Safi in central Israel), the researchers validated the Biblical account, “About this time Hazael King of Aram went up and attacked Gath and captured it. Then he turned to attack Jerusalem” (2 Kings 12, 18). They explain that, unlike previous methods, the new technique can determine whether a certain item (such as a mud brick) underwent a firing event even at relatively low temperatures, from 200°C and up. This information can be crucial for correctly interpreting the findings.

The multidisciplinary study was led by Dr. Yoav Vaknin from the Sonia & Marco Nadler Institute of Archaeology, Entin Faculty of Humanities, at Tel Aviv

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Workday To Acquire HiredScore, A Potential Shakeup In HR Technology – JOSH BERSIN

Workday To Acquire HiredScore, A Potential Shakeup In HR Technology – JOSH BERSIN

This week Workday announced intent to acquire HiredScore, a leading provider of AI-based matching tools for recruiting (called “talent orchestration”). While it wasn’t discussed much in the earnings call, this deal is a big positive for Workday and could have many implications for the HR Tech market.

Let me explain. (I have not been briefed by Workday yet, so more information will come as I learn more.)

Right now there is a massive marketplace war for high-powered AI-based recruiting tools (estimated at $30.1 billion). Historically dominated by applicant tracking systems (ATS), this market provides essential technology to help every company grow.

The ATS market, which is more than 25 years old, has been rapidly transformed with high-powered AI tools that help with candidate matching, search, skills inference, and sourcing. And now that AI tools are readily available, these systems are becoming big data platforms loaded with billions

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Novel PET Recycling Technology Put to the Test

Novel PET Recycling Technology Put to the Test

Switzerland-based gr3n, which has developed an advanced recycling technology for polyethylene terephthalate (PET), reports that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with shareholder Intecsa Industrial to build a “first-of-its-kind” recycling facility. The engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) phase is set to begin in the fourth quarter of 2024 and the plant is projected to be operational by 2027. 

Economically viable technology

Gr3n’s advanced recycling process leverages microwave technology and alkaline hydrolysis, providing an economically viable industrial approach to PET recycling, according to the company. The process reportedly breaks down any type of PET and polyester into two core components — PTA and MEG monomers — which can then be re-assembled to obtain virgin-like plastics and achieve endless circularity. The process has the potential to change how PET is recycled worldwide, with huge benefits both for the recycling industry and the entire polyester value chain, said gr3n.

Image courtesy
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A New Technology Is Helping To Save The Florida Citrus Industry With A “Shot In The Arm”

A New Technology Is Helping To Save The Florida Citrus Industry With A “Shot In The Arm”

The Cambridge Dictionary defines the familiar idiom, “a shot in the arm” as “something that has a sudden, strong, positive effect on something.” It apparently came into popular language as early as 1916, long before the connection between a “shot” became the delivery method for immunization with the introduction of the polio vaccine in 1955. Putting aside the political controversies that have recently risen around getting an injection to prevent COVID infection, there are many beneficial human health therapies that are delivered through an injection (antibiotics, pain medications, cortisone…). There are also reasons that plants can benefit from “getting a shot,” but that has been difficult to do.

Plants get sick too, but unlike humans most of their diseases are caused by fungi

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