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APEX EXPO 2026 Preshow
This month, we take you inside the annual trade show of the Global Electronics Association, to preview the conferences, standards, keynotes, and other special events new to the show this year.
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Innovation rippled across the entire electronics supply chain in 2025, from semiconductor packaging and substrate materials to denser boards and more robust designs. This issue explores these defining moments and what we can expect in the year to come.
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Nvidia, Microsoft, and BlackRock Lead $40 Billion Deal to Acquire Aligned Data Centers
October 16, 2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamEstimated reading time: 1 minute
A consortium including Nvidia, Microsoft, BlackRock, and Elon Musk’s xAI has agreed to buy Aligned Data Centers in a deal valued at about $40 billion, marking one of the largest-ever data infrastructure acquisitions as tech giants race to expand capacity for artificial intelligence, the Associated Press reported on Oct. 14
The Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure Partnership (AIP) will buy Aligned’s entire equity stake from Macquarie Asset Management. The consortium also includes MGX of Abu Dhabi, the Kuwait Investment Authority, and Singapore’s Temasek. In September 2024, BlackRock, MGX, Microsoft, and Nvidia formed AIP to boost worldwide AI infrastructure investment.
According to CNBC, Aligned, a designer and operator of data centers and campuses in the Americas, presently manages 50 sites, with over 5 gigawatts of active and planned capacity. Subject to regulatory approvals, the deal should conclude in the first half of 2026.
The transaction is AIP’s first major investment and part of its plan to deploy $30 billion in equity capital, potentially reaching $100 billion, including debt, to strengthen cloud and AI infrastructure worldwide.
“AIP is positioned to meet the growing demand for the infrastructure required as AI continues to reshape the global economy,” BlackRock Chairman and AIP Chair Larry Fink said in a statement. “This partnership is bringing together leading companies and mobilizing private capital to accelerate AI innovation and drive global economic growth and productivity.”
Shares of Nvidia rose about 1% following the announcement.
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02/10/2026 | STMicroelectronicsSTMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, announced an expanded strategic collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) through a multi-year, multi-billion USD commercial engagement serving several product categories.
AI Infrastructure Spending Reached a Record $86B in Q3 2025
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Navigating the Shift: Key Trends Shaping Growth in AI and Electronics Through 2026
02/02/2026 | Dr. Shawn DuBravac, Global Electronics AssociationGlobal Electronics Association's Chief Economist Shawn DuBravac offers guidance on how companies can successfully navigate challenges and seize new opportunities in this dynamic industry. First, he says, economic growth will remain dangerously narrow. Prosperity will concentrate on artificial intelligence infrastructure, defense electronics, and high-income consumer spending, while companies outside these lanes face headwinds.
Lightmatter, Cadence Collaborate to Accelerate Optical Interconnect for AI Infrastructure
01/27/2026 | BUSINESS WIRELightmatter, the leader in photonic (super)computing, announced a technical collaboration with Cadence to develop co-packaged optics (CPO) solutions that integrate Cadence’s silicon-proven, high-speed SerDes IP with Lightmatter’s Passage™ optical engine.
Nolan’s Notes: Welcome to a Strong 2026!
01/12/2026 | Nolan Johnson -- Column: Nolan's NotesWe are now into the second quarter of the 21st century, and we may not quite yet have flying cars as we saw in “The Jetsons,” but we’re close. In fact, you’ll want to check out the video about the electric VTOL “flying car” flown by my high school classmate, Tim Lum. Electronics manufacturing, rather than Spacely Sprockets or Cogsley Cogs as the Jetsons predicted, occupies a noble and critical place in this century. No one disputes that electronics are increasingly at the center of virtually all modern life.