stc Group Announces Launch of 11th Batch to Support Digital Innovation through inspireU

stc Group Announces Launch of 11th Batch to Support Digital Innovation through inspireU
TT

stc Group Announces Launch of 11th Batch to Support Digital Innovation through inspireU

stc Group Announces Launch of 11th Batch to Support Digital Innovation through inspireU

stc Group, the engine of digital transformation, has announced the launch of the 11th intake of the "inspireU: General Program", a program designed to propel early-stage startups forward with a focus on strategic domains by having a specialized track on gaming with stc play, cybersecurity with sirar by stc, fintech with stc Bank, and IoT with iot squared, according to an stc press release.
Aligned with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, inspireU aims to diversify the economy and foster digital innovation, SPA reported.

Through this program, stc creates a supportive environment for startups and enables entrepreneurs. The program aims to accelerate worldwide startup growth and create value for stc by facilitating the link between stc ecosystem startups, offering international and local promotional exposure, soft-landing support, services from inspireU partners, office space 24/7, Silicon Valley expertise, world-class mentoring, and fundraising support.
Since its inception in 2015, the inspireU program has been a beacon of success, accelerating and promoting over 110 digital startups across diverse fields. These startups have generated investments exceeding 1 billion SAR and have developed a market value of more than 12 billion SAR.

This success has translated into over 600,000 direct and indirect job opportunities, benefiting a user of more than 40 million individuals.
The program also aims to significantly impact the region, fostering innovation and accelerating growth. In addition, its contribution to the local and global entrepreneurial landscape is anticipated to positively influence the GDP and drive technological advancements.



Microsoft Deal Signals Booming Demand from Data Centers to Power AI

General view of Microsoft Corporation headquarters at Issy-les-Moulineaux, near Paris, France, April 18, 2016. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo
General view of Microsoft Corporation headquarters at Issy-les-Moulineaux, near Paris, France, April 18, 2016. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo
TT

Microsoft Deal Signals Booming Demand from Data Centers to Power AI

General view of Microsoft Corporation headquarters at Issy-les-Moulineaux, near Paris, France, April 18, 2016. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo
General view of Microsoft Corporation headquarters at Issy-les-Moulineaux, near Paris, France, April 18, 2016. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo

US utilities are finally signing concrete supply deals with data-center operators as the artificial-intelligence wave sparks a surge in power demand, paving the way for higher profits in the coming quarters.

Data centers are expected to account for 8% of the power generated in the US by 2030, compared with 3% in 2022, according to a Goldman Sachs report in May.

Here are some deals announced by utilities in 2024, according to Reuters.

Constellation Energy signed an exclusive deal with Microsoft to restart one of the units at the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania.

Under the agreement, the utility will provide 835 megawatts (MW) of energy to the tech giant's data centers. The deal would also mark the first ever restart of a nuclear power plant in the US after it was shut down.

Ameren signed a supply deal with a data center with a power capacity of 250 megawatt (MW). It has also received expansion commitments and executed new contracts for more 85 MW of additional load for smaller data centers and other industries across Missouri and Illinois.

Alliant Energy said it has executed multiple power supply deals with data centers, but did not disclose details.

Exelon said it is in the engineering phase for more than 5 GW of data center capacity. Some data-center customers have also made deposits for ComEd - Exelon's subsidiary - to order transmission and breakers, the firm said during a post-earnings call.

American Electric Power signed letters of intent to power an additional 15 GW of data centers by the end of the decade.

Xcel Energy will supply power to Meta Platforms' data center in Minnesota, expected to come online in late summer 2025.

Entergy has received legislative approval for investment in transmission and generation to serve Amazon's upcoming Amazon Web Services (AWS) facility in Mississippi. Pinnacle West Capital has more than 4,000 MW of committed data center customers, not including the backlog of more than 10,000 data center requests it has received.

AES signed an agreement with Google for 310 megawatts to support its Ohio data centers.

It further expanded a previously announced partnership with Google and signed a 15-year power purchase agreement for 727 megawatts in Texas. Talen Energy announced a deal to supply electricity and its 960-megawatt data center campus to Amazon's AWS in Pennsylvania.

NextEra's renewables segment saw a rise of 3 gigawatts (GW) worth of renewables and storage projects in second quarter, including Google's 860 megawatts (MW) demand for its data center power.