Dynamo Dispatch (2025/11/03)

Issue 351 | i6 Group, mimic, Spacial

Dynamo Dispatch. A weekly update from Dynamo Ventures covering the latest and greatest in supply chain, mobility, and building venture-scale businesses.

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Weekly Commentary 💭

Quantum technology is shifting from lab theory to real-world results, autonomous trucks are scaling US highways, and global trade policy is back in play. This edition breaks down the manufacturing edge: where execution meets geopolitics, automation, and the next wave of industrial resilience.

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We Are Dynamo,

Madelyn, Madison and the rest of the Dynamo team

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Make, Move, and Monetize 📦

⭐ What Every Manufacturing and Supply Chain Leader Should Know About Quantum Technologies. Quantum is shifting from theory to toolkit in manufacturing and supply chains, with WEF–Accenture highlighting near-term value across computing, sensing, and security. Early pilots show measurable gains: Ford Otosan cut scheduling time by ~50% with hybrid annealing, QuantumDiamonds’ room-temp QDM speeds 3D-semi defect detection, and the Port of Rotterdam is piloting QKD for “untappable” networks. For leaders, this is execution time: run cloud pilots tied to hard KPIs, build quantum-literate teams, and plug into standards. First movers will lock in efficiency, resilience, and post-quantum security advantages that compound into cost and margin leadership. Completely unrelated, Can Manufacturing Make a Comeback in the US?

Will Trump’s Tariffs Survive Supreme Court’s ‘Major Questions’ Test? The Supreme Court’s “major questions doctrine”, used to gut parts of Biden’s climate, Covid, and student-debt agenda, now faces a new test as the Court hears challenges to President Trump’s tariffs, which rely on IEEPA, a statute that never mentions “tariffs.” A Federal Circuit panel used the doctrine to strike the program, but Judge Taranto’s dissent, echoing Justice Kavanaugh’s recent concurrence, argues the doctrine doesn’t apply in foreign affairs or national security, where Congress historically grants presidents broad latitude. The ruling will telegraph whether the Court carves out a foreign-affairs exception to the major-questions playbook—reshaping the balance of power over trade and national security and determining the fate of tariff tools with multi-trillion-dollar economic stakes. Also, US, China Reach Trade Framework as Trump Threatens 10% Tariff on Canada and Senate Votes to End Trump’s Tariff Emergency.

Waabi Unveils Autonomous Truck Made in Partnership with Volvo. Waabi unveiled the Volvo VNL Autonomous truck, built with Volvo Autonomous Solutions and powered by its end-to-end Waabi Driver, claiming driver-out capability on Texas highways and surface streets, with US-wide expansion in sight. The move squares off with Aurora, which also runs on Volvo’s platform and operates a driverless Dallas–Houston service (expanding to El Paso), while Waabi differentiates with its own sensor suite and compute atop the VNL’s driver-out redundancies; Volvo is also an investor. If Waabi proves its safety at scale and clears regulatory hurdles, it could slash middle-mile costs, accelerate nationwide AV freight adoption, and shift margins toward OEM-integrated autonomy stacks. For more, check out Waabi and Volvo Reach Key Goal in Integrating Driverless Tech.

Rockwell Automation Rolls First AMRs Off Its Own Production Line. Rockwell Automation rolled the first OTTO-branded AMRs off its new Milwaukee line, its first in-house builds since acquiring Clearpath in 2023, adding US capacity alongside Canadian plants and starting with the OTTO 600 and 1200 models. The robots feature rapid laser mapping, shared fleet awareness (even around corners), and ship only after >15 miles of test driving. For manufacturers, this signals faster lead times and a more resilient supply base in heavy material handling, while for Rockwell, it advances a $2B buildout, tightens integration of mobile robotics into its automation stack, and sets up margin and share gains as AMRs replace forklifts.

Japan Set to Boost Shipbuilding, Energy and Defence Ties With the US. The Tokyo summit seemed to reset US–Japan industrial ties: leaders teed up a shipbuilding MoU to boost US yard capacity, Japanese investment in US power projects as AI drives demand, and trade moves spanning more F-150 purchases, higher US soybean imports, and potential Toyota imports of US-made vehicles. Energy and security tighten too—Japan signals more US LNG (less Russian), rare-earths cooperation to harden supply chains, and readiness to shoulder more defense within a 2%-of-GDP ceiling. Implications of this may include Japanese capital flowing into US industry and energy while both countries de-risk China/Russia exposure; the pace hinges on permitting, standards alignment, and domestic politics in Tokyo. Related, Japan, US Agree to Shipbuilding Cooperation as China Builds Capacity.

Builders Find Hardship in Trump’s Tariffs and Deportations. Trump’s sweeping tariffs on key building materials plus tougher deportations are driving up costs, tightening labor, and stalling projects just as rate cuts were poised to revive construction. Builders report supply interruptions, worker no-shows, and clients deferring upgrades for maintenance, with Canadian lumber and China-linked goods adding pricing uncertainty. Expect a weaker housing rebound, higher bids and longer timelines, squeezed contractor margins, and knock-on risk to local growth and shelter inflation—pushing developers to delay starts and lenders to reprice or tighten terms. Completely unrelated, The Supply Chain Playbook is Broken.

COSCO Commits $1.75B to Build 29 New Ships in Green Fleet Expansion. COSCO is launching a multibillion-dollar fleet renewal to build dozens of greener ships, with deliveries staggered over the next few years. The push doubles down on dual-fuel readiness (methanol/ammonia) and follows a successful methanol conversion of a mega-containership, pairing newbuilds with retrofits. This puts COSCO and China’s yards out front in low-carbon tonnage, hedging against tightening emissions and port-access rules and reshaping chartering economics as green capability becomes table stakes. Also, Company Launches First of Many Hybrid-Ready Vessels in New Series and PIL Celebrates Naming of Another 8,200 TEU LNG Dual-Fuel Container Ship.

Largest Capacity Purge in History Coming. Freight is on the brink of a historic capacity purge: up to 600,000 drivers (≈17%) could exit as weak volumes, tighter fraud controls, and new FMCSA rules on non-domiciled CDLs and English proficiency squeeze supply. Expect a wave of carrier/broker failures, tighter capacity, and COVID-like spot rate spikes; larger, well-capitalized fleets with compliance muscle are positioned to gain as wages/bonuses rise to attract qualified drivers. Highway notes rising “fraud” flags reflect better detection in its adaptive system, but any flag can still lock carriers out of brokerage freight, raising execution risk for smaller operators. For more, check out US Bank: Freight Market Contracts in Q3 as Capacity Tightens.

UPS Cuts 48,000 Jobs in Management and Operations. UPS is slashing tens of thousands of management and operations roles via layoffs and buyouts, closing facilities, and leaning harder on automation while it intentionally ships less Amazon volume. Despite lower profit and revenue, results beat expectations, and the stock popped as leadership framed this as the most efficient peak season yet with substantial cost savings. For executives and investors, this is a margin-over-volume play—expect tighter capacity, firmer pricing, and a shakeout that could shift parcels toward regional carriers if UPS’s efficiency gains hold.

Trump, Xi Agree to Pause Dueling Port Fees That Disrupted Trade. The US and China agreed to a 12-month pause on dueling port/maritime fees, including Section 301 measures, unlocking roughly $3.2B in annual relief as part of a Trump–Xi deal. The fees had distorted capacity and lifted freight rates; the pause gives immediate relief to operators like COSCO, Matson, and HTCO, though policy uncertainty (e.g., crane tariffs, scope of USTR pause) persists. Near term, expect some easing in freight costs and goods inflation—supportive for retailer margins and shipper cash flow—while snap-back risk after 12 months remains; watch USTR actions and Chinese yard order trends. Related, US-China Port Fees to be Suspended Amid Trade Talks.

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Request for Startups 📢

Dynamo is always looking to meet startups that are helping to make, move, and monetize goods. Check out our latest request for startups below!

Starlink as a Platform — Dynamo believes Starlink will unlock massive value by connecting previously offline parts of industrial supply chains—creating investable opportunities for founders building real-time, data-driven platforms that transform how physical operations are monitored, optimized, and insured. Read more here.

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The Future of Supply Chain 🎙️

Check out our podcast series that’s been running since 2018. On each episode of the Future of Supply Chain, we sit down with a different entrepreneur, investor, or industry veteran to discuss innovation, technology, and the most exciting opportunities in supply chain as we build the future of the industry together.

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Fundraises and M&A 💸

OneAM Raises $4.7M in Seed Funding. OneAM offers an AI-powered early pay platform that enables small and midsize B2B suppliers to convert receivables into cash more efficiently. The funding will support the company’s efforts to scale its underwriting technology and expand its presence in the $4 trillion early pay market. The round was led by TTV Capital, with participation from Correlation Ventures, ThirdStream Partners, and other private investors.

Spacial Raises $10M in Seed Funding. Spacial offers an AI-powered platform that automates residential engineering and building permit processes in the US by integrating with architectural tools and generating compliant 3D construction plans. The funding will be used to enhance the platform’s capabilities, reduce design costs, and accelerate project execution. The round was led by TLV Partners, with participation from Mango Capital, Re Angels, and HTV.

mimic Raises €13.8M in Seed Funding. Zurich-based mimic develops AI-driven robotic hands that enable dexterous manipulation, allowing robots to autonomously perform intricate manual tasks traditionally reliant on human skill. The seed funding will support further development of its physical AI models, data acquisition systems, and pilot deployments with industrial partners. The round was led by Elaia with participation from Speedinvest, Founderful, 1st kind, 10X Founders, 2100 Ventures, and the Sequoia Scout Fund.

Agtonomy Raises $18M in Series B Funding. Agtonomy develops AI-powered autonomy software integrated directly into agricultural machinery to enable autonomous operation in complex field environments. The company will use the new capital to expand commercial deployments and integrate its platform with OEM partners in agriculture and adjacent sectors. The Series B round was led by DBL Partners, with participation from Nuveen, Autotech Ventures, Allison Transmission, Rethink Food, and Black Forest Ventures.

i6 Group Raises $20M in Series B Funding. i6 Group provides digital fuel management solutions for the aviation industry through a unified, cloud-based platform that connects all stakeholders in the fueling process. The funding will support global expansion, enhance technology and data infrastructure, and scale teams delivering its fuel management systems. The round was led by Yttrium, with participation from International Airlines Group (IAG), World Kinect, and Shell Ventures.

FAKTUS Raises €56M. FAKTUS provides AI-powered financial services tailored to construction SMEs, including real-time cashflow tracking, invoice financing, and material advances. The funding will support platform development, European expansion, and a securitised lending vehicle to serve underserved builders. The €56M round includes €9M in equity from Lakestar and Foundamental, and up to €47M in asset-backed debt from Insight Investment and Fost Capital.

Next Glass Acquires Ekos. Ekos provides cloud-based supply chain management software tailored to breweries, wineries, distilleries, cideries, and cannabis beverage producers. The acquisition will support Next Glass’s goal of building an integrated software suite across the beverage alcohol sector, while instituting a two-year price freeze for existing Ekos customers. The deal was backed by PSG Equity, which is the majority investor in Next Glass.

Besxar Raises Undisclosed Funding. Besxar develops reusable “Fabships” for semiconductor production in orbit, leveraging space’s ultra-high vacuum environment to manufacture ultra-pure substrates for advanced computing and defense technologies. The funds will support the deployment of Fabships on 12 upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 missions, initiating rapid in-space manufacturing cycles. Early backers include the US Department of Defense and NVIDIA’s Inception Program.

Who’s Hiring? 👩‍💻

Be sure to check out the Dynamo website for more job opportunities at our portfolio companies!

Software Quality Analyst at Steam Logistics in Chattanooga, TN (Remote).

Technical Solutions Support at Raft in India (Remote).

Senior Manufacturing Engineer at Manna in Dublin, Ireland.