Our Scans · (LF.9) Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure · Weekly Summary

In September 2015, 193 world leaders agreed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development. If these Goals are completed, it would mean an end to extreme poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030.
Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.

• [New] Ars Technica reports NASA's plan for a Moon base, stressing a focused approach to lunar infrastructure that could serve as a stepping stone for Mars missions. Coaio Limited
• [New] Dominant Region: Asia Pacific is expected to lead in 2026 with around 35% share, driven by rapid industrial expansion and high-volume production in chemicals, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and electronics. Persistence Market Research
• [New] As technological innovation becomes the currency of geopolitical competition, both the US and Japan understand that continued R&D and implementation will be how we can deter unfair competitors. Hudson Institute
• [New] OpenAI plans to discontinue its Sora video app as it reallocates resources toward core AI development, infrastructure, and enterprise products. MarketingProfs
• [New] The fastest-growing segment from 2025 to 2032 is anticipated to be autonomous drilling, attributable to the industry-wide initiatives to boost safety, precision, and operational efficiency in increasingly complex mining environments. Persistence Market Research
• [New] By 2040, infrastructure systems are expected to operate with minimal human intervention, driven by AI-enhanced IoT networks capable of predictive and self-correcting behaviour. WDCS Technology
• [New] As Dubai accelerates toward AI-driven automation and sustainable infrastructure under the 2040 Urban Master Plan, businesses must ensure their IoT app solutions are scalable enough to evolve alongside policy shifts and technological advancements. WDCS Technology
• [New] The Innovation Fund is one of the world's largest funding programmes for the deployment of innovative net-zero technologies, with an estimated €40 billion budget between 2020 and 2030, financed through revenues from the EU Emissions Trading System. European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency
• [New] Per PwC, looking at which sectors will lead IPO activity in 2026, interest is strongest in AI infrastructure, where continued investment in chips, data centers, and power capacity is driving a robust pipeline. Akerman LLP
• [New] Nearly four in five investors rate the sector as an attractive investment opportunity over the next five to ten years, making it the most attractive infrastructure segment ahead of Energy & Environment, Social, and Transport & Logistics. S-RM
• [New] Current data center power demand approaches 200 TWh globally, with projections suggesting growth to 800-1,200 TWh by 2030 as AI infrastructure deployment accelerates. Discovery Alert
• The Fraud Strategy 2026 to 2029 introduces a system-wide approach, with responsibility shared between government, regulators, law enforcement, and industry to match the evolving threat. UKAuthority
• ADB is committed to providing $1 billion in financing to Bhutan from 2024 to 2028, supporting climate-resilient infrastructure, trade, public finance, and human development. Asian Development Bank
• Fastest-growing Application: Industrial & enterprise is anticipated to be the fastest-growing segment from 2026 to 2033, driven by workplace safety, productivity analytics, and digital adoption. Persistence Market Research
• Companies with more than 1,000 employees are expected to spend an average of $13.7 million on AI hardware, cloud infrastructure, software, and services in 2026, a 78% increase from 2025, based on a global analysis. Business Insider
• The Strait of Hormuz is not only a critical chokepoint for global energy, but also for other commodities, UBS analysts warned clients, explaining, Any lengthy disruption will not only impact energy prices, but also food prices and industrial production. Business Insider
• Israel has indicated it will stop targeting Iran's energy infrastructure, supporting hopes of de-escalation after tensions earlier in the week pushed Brent to $119. investing.com
• SMRs are emerging as a major industrial development opportunity for Europe, with the potential to mobilize value chains across engineering, advanced materials, robotics, and finance. Baker McKenzie
• The mammoth U.S. / Japan Strategic Investment Initiative, whereby Japan will invest $550 billion in US industry, is especially promising. Firstlinks
• A series of attacks targeting the United Arab Emirates' energy infrastructure has intensified concerns over potential supply disruptions amid the ongoing Iran conflict. IC Your Trading Edge | Official Blog | Blog
• NASA has said that its moon strategy stimulates the commercial space industry and creates business opportunities in ways that could foster a lunar economy. Live Science
• Oil prices rallied higher on Wednesday ahead of the Fed's rate decision after an Israeli strike on a key Iranian gas field was met by Iranian threats to target energy infrastructure across the Middle East. SKY
• Healthcare analysts and observers are watching closely because a shift in strategy at CVS could have ripple effects across the entire industry. SNS Insider

Last updated: 30 March 2026