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A Speed Cap Nobody Will Own Just Shook Up the Satellite Trade

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WASHINGTON, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — USA News Group News Commentary – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that tests showed Starlink-equipped drones lost their connection when flying faster than about 100 mph inside Ukraine, while Starlink terminals moving at more than 112 mph inside the European Union worked normally. “In other words, this is a planned operation,” he said. No one in Washington or at SpaceX has claimed the decision. Most U.S.-listed space stocks fell sharply last week, while Europe’s only low Earth orbit broadband rival to SpaceX had its best day in 16 months. Active Companies from around the markets with current developments this week include: Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ: SPCX), AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASTS), Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: IRDM), Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ: RKLB), Eutelsat Communications SA (Euronext Paris: ETL).

The restrictions reportedly cover both Starlink and Starshield, SpaceX’s military-use service, which Ukraine relies on for communications, logistics, live drone video and targeting. The Telegraph reported on Oct. 16, citing four unnamed sources, that Elon Musk approached President Trump with the idea of slowing Starlink in Ukraine and that Trump “agreed.” Musk said on X that speed or usage limits on Starshield “are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS.” Trump told reporters, “it wasn’t me, and I don’t think it was Elon.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday, “We had nothing to do with it. Nobody ordered that Starlink speed to be slowed down. It sorta happened.” He also said Starshield was not available to Ukraine, which Yahoo Finance noted conflicts with a late 2024 Pentagon contract that expanded Ukraine’s Starshield access from about 500 to roughly 3,000 terminals. Speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, Zelenskyy said, “Just give us back Starlink.”

Europe is paying close attention. The European Union is working to develop its own alternative to Starlink, and on Sunday the U.S. ambassador to the EU threatened “devastating” retaliation if the bloc advanced a proposal favoring EU-made satellites over companies like SpaceX, Yahoo Finance reported.

CONTINUED… Read this and more news for the space sector at: usanewsgroup.com

In other industry developments and happenings in the market this week include:

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ: SPCX)

Shares of SpaceX fell 10.17% last week, from $162.57 at the Oct. 9 close to $146.03 on Oct. 16, according to Stock Analysis data, though they remain above the $135 price of the company’s June initial public offering. Starlink, a core part of SpaceX’s business, has more than 13 million subscribers worldwide, and Yahoo Finance noted this is the first throttling episode since the company went public.

SpaceX has limited service in Ukraine before. In 2023, President and COO Gwynne Shotwell acknowledged the company could restrict how Ukraine used Starlink, saying, “There are things that we can do, and have done.” Musk said on X last week that Starlink “is limited to civilian or defensive activities.”

AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASTS)

AST SpaceMobile, which is building a space-based cellular broadband network that connects directly to standard smartphones, fell 20.23% last week, from $50.97 to $40.66. On Oct. 13, Piper Sandler downgraded the stock to Neutral from Overweight and cut its price target to $54 from $98, citing SpaceX’s direct-to-cell ambitions after its agreement to acquire Grain Management’s 800 MHz spectrum for about $8 billion, subject to regulatory approval.

Piper warned that SpaceX could, in theory, limit launch opportunities for competitors such as AST and pressure pricing by competing with telecom operators. Not every analyst agreed. Deutsche Bank upgraded the shares to Buy on Oct. 12 with a $93 target, and Clear Street reiterated a Buy rating with a $115 target, arguing AST is about six months ahead of SpaceX in direct-to-cell.

Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: IRDM)

Iridium announced on Oct. 14 that Altair Semiconductor is adding Iridium NTN Direct to its ALT1350 and ALT1550 cellular IoT chipsets, letting device makers, module makers and mobile network operators add satellite coverage without a separate satellite modem. “Iridium is offering device manufacturers a powerful new way to develop connected products,” said Tim Last, executive vice president at Iridium.

Iridium stockholders approved the company’s acquisition by Rocket Lab on Sept. 24, with about 99.6% of votes cast in favor. Each Iridium share is to be exchanged for $27.00 in cash plus Rocket Lab stock based on an exchange ratio subject to a collar, for a notional value of $54.00 per share, and the deal is expected to close by mid-2027, subject to remaining regulatory approvals. Iridium shares fell 7.82% last week, from $47.47 to $43.76.

Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ: RKLB)

Rocket Lab shares fell 25.47% last week, from $68.21 to $50.84, after founder and CEO Sir Peter Beck said in a video posted to YouTube that the first launch of the company’s Neutron rocket would move from late 2026 into 2027. Inspectors found voids in the carbon-fiber layers of a recently made forward propellant dome after curing, according to Space.com.

Beck said the voids “don’t necessarily mean that the dome would fail in flight,” but added, “Possible success isn’t our standard.” Rocket Lab expects to finish a new forward dome by the end of the year and complete first-stage testing in the first quarter of 2027, after which Beck said the company expects to be “in good shape to share a new target launch date.”

Eutelsat Communications SA (Euronext Paris: ETL)

Eutelsat shares jumped 23% on Oct. 14, the stock’s biggest one-day gain in 16 months, Reuters reported, after Ukraine said Starlink had introduced restrictions on its military-grade service. Eutelsat’s OneWeb network has more than 600 satellites in low Earth orbit, compared with about 10,000 for Starlink, and it is the only company besides SpaceX providing space-based internet through a low Earth orbit network. Bernstein analyst Aleksander Peterc said the news put European providers “back in the spotlight as potential alternatives.”

Not everyone sees an easy swap. Existing Starlink users cannot simply switch to OneWeb, since a transition would require new terminals and supporting infrastructure, and independent consultant Christian Freiherr von der Ropp said “considering it as a straightforward substitute overlooks significant operational and infrastructure constraints.”

Space stocks swung hard on headlines last week. Learn to read the charts behind moves like these with the free Stock Preachers guide, plus The Roadmap market reports, at stockpreachers.com.

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This article is independent news commentary. USA News Group is wholly owned and operated by Market Equities Limited (“MEL”), a company incorporated under the laws of Ireland. MEL has not been paid by any company mentioned in this article. MEL and its owners, operators, directors, and affiliates do not currently own any shares of the companies mentioned in this article, but reserve the right to, and will, buy and sell shares of those companies at any time without further notice. Weekly price changes are from the October 9, 2026 close to the October 16, 2026 close based on Stock Analysis data. Information is drawn from company news releases, published reporting and third-party data believed to be reliable, but its accuracy is not guaranteed. Investing in securities carries risk, including the loss of some or all of your investment. This document is governed by the laws of Ireland.

 

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Silicon Valley Investors Urge Taiwan Startups to Find Niches as AI Competition Intensifies

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OAKLAND, Calif., Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Taiwanese startups seeking to compete in artificial intelligence must develop specialized expertise, strengthen distribution networks and identify markets overlooked by larger technology companies, investors said at a Silicon Valley gathering on Monday.

The discussion took place during Taiwan × Silicon Valley: Founders, Capital & the Next Wave of Innovation, organized by Startup Island TAIWAN Silicon Valley Hub and Taiwan Global Angels in partnership with Google Cloud as part of SF Tech Week.

Opening the event, Uly Su, director and head of Startup Island TAIWAN Silicon Valley Hub, emphasized the hub’s role in connecting Taiwanese startups with U.S. investors, corporations and business opportunities, strengthening ties between Taiwan’s technology ecosystem and Silicon Valley.

The Shrinking AI Advantage

Timothy Chen, managing partner at Essence VC, said the rapid evolution of AI models has made technological advantages increasingly short-lived, forcing investors to reassess how they identify promising startups.

Rather than focusing exclusively on technologies that could dominate over the next five years, Chen said investors are examining founders’ specialized knowledge, distribution capabilities and ability to execute. Even a three- to six-month advantage could prove valuable in a rapidly changing market.

The panelists also discussed how startups could compete against larger technology companies. They emphasized identifying underserved markets, developing specialized capabilities and moving quickly before established players enter emerging sectors.

Beyond Software: Space, Robotics and Physical AI

Poseidon Ho, founding partner and CEO of Outliers Fund, highlighted opportunities beyond conventional AI applications, particularly in space and defense, where government contracts and expanding infrastructure investment are creating markets for emerging companies.

Ho said the sector offers a different investment model from software, with longer development cycles and substantial technical requirements. He encouraged Taiwanese entrepreneurs to explore opportunities within the space industry’s supply chains, including government contracting.

Austin Hwang, principal at ADVentures, identified physical AI, robotics and medical technology as areas of interest, particularly where startups combine specialized hardware with software and proprietary technical capabilities.

Hwang said Taiwan’s experience in semiconductors, electronics and manufacturing could provide an advantage as AI increasingly moves beyond software into physical applications.

From Technology to Commercial Success

A second panel featuring experienced entrepreneurs shifted the discussion toward commercialization, acquisitions and the challenges of building companies across Taiwan and the United States.

Paul Hung, CEO of Taudia, emphasized that startups must begin with a clearly defined customer problem rather than technology development alone.

Hung said founders need to understand why customers would pay for their products and build teams and investor networks capable of supporting commercialization.

Terry Hsiao, managing partner at BonHope Capital, drew on his experience building and selling companies to discuss the decisions founders face when considering acquisitions.

He noted that venture capital firms can spread their risks across multiple investments, while first-time founders often have most of their financial interests tied to a single company. Securing an initial successful exit could therefore be an important consideration.

Medical technology entrepreneur Steve Wu discussed the challenges of developing regulated healthcare products, including lengthy development cycles, regulatory requirements and the importance of understanding the commercial potential of new technologies.

The speakers also highlighted cultural differences between Taiwan and Silicon Valley, where entrepreneurship and risk-taking are more widely encouraged and founders have greater exposure to experienced investors and business leaders.

For Taiwanese startups, the discussions underscored the importance of combining the island’s engineering and manufacturing capabilities with stronger commercialization strategies, international market access and the ability to compete in rapidly changing industries.

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SOURCE Startup Island TAIWAN Silicon Valley Hub

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Flexxon Partners with Tech4Biz Solutions to co-develop server infrastructure that is secure by default

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As organisations increasingly look to build their own servers to run AI systems, the two companies are working to ensure purpose-built infrastructure and security go hand-in-hand

SINGAPORE and BENGALURU, India, Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Flexxon, a pioneer in secure memory storage and hardware-based cybersecurity solutions, today announced its strategic investment in Tech4Biz Solutions. The partnership will see the companies co-develop solutions that enable efficient and reliable deployment of secure server and data centre operations – a heightened need as enterprises move Artificial Intelligence (AI) workloads on-premises, onto infrastructure they own and must secure themselves.

The investment formalises the ongoing relationship between the two companies, and deepens joint development across the parties’ product lines: Flexxon’s X-PHY hardware security, and Tech4Biz’s Cloudtopiaa, its sovereign cloud and AI infrastructure platform.

X-PHY is Flexxon’s hardware-based cybersecurity brand. It puts AI-powered threat detection inside the drive’s own firmware and hardware, below the operating system. X-PHY’s hardware-based protection is designed to keep working even when the software above it has been compromised.

Cloudtopiaa designs, builds and operates public cloud, private cloud, HPC, GPU inference and AI data centre environments for organisations that want full control of their data, models and AI agents, in the jurisdiction they choose. 

Ms Camellia Chan, Co-founder and CEO of Flexxon, said: “Having worked with Tech4Biz for several years, I am glad to take this next step and deepen the partnership as we continue building towards more secure, more reliable standards together. We are building hardware that is secure by default, carrying that protection from devices into the servers and data centres enterprises now run themselves – the part of the stack where traditional security leaves the widest gaps.”

Ms Yasha Khandelwal, Co-founder and CEO of Tech4Biz Solutions, said, “When a company owns its whole AI stack, there is no hyperscaler behind it to absorb a mistake, so the design and the security have to be right from day one. We have spent years building and running sovereign infrastructure in production for enterprises and institutions, and bringing X-PHY into that design means every server we deliver will ship with protection built into the hardware itself.”

Where AI capability outruns protection

AI has quickly moved from pilots into systems that run on a company’s own data every hour of the day, and the data, models and agent memory involved are now among the most sensitive assets a company holds. More organisations want that capability on infrastructure they own, in the jurisdiction they choose. Accordingly, Gartner forecasts worldwide sovereign cloud infrastructure-as-a-service spending will reach US$80 billion in 2026, a 35.6 per cent increase on 2025, with mature Asia-Pacific markets among the fastest growing and governments the largest buyers. That shift moves the responsibility for securing the infrastructure back to the organisations running it.

These AI systems now work across enterprise data with valid credentials, often without a user approving each action. Software defences remain necessary, but they run on the same layers an attacker is trying to take over – and when those safeguards fail, there must be an immutable layer that protects the data.

What X-PHY and Cloudtopiaa will deliver

The parties will collaborate specifically on integrating Flexxon’s X-PHY hardware security expertise with Tech4Biz’s existing infrastructure capability through Cloudtopiaa, its cloud platform and infrastructure offering.

On the immediate horizon is the integration of X-PHY’s hardware security solutions into Cloudtopiaa environments, so that server estates are secured by default and protection arrives with the machine rather than being bolted on after. For enterprises, that means the security work no longer grows with every server added.

This includes the design, build and deployment of secure infrastructure that organisations can own and run outright. Development is already under way, with commercial deployment expected in 2027.

Cloudtopiaa already runs production workloads for customers including L&T Technology Services, which runs two production engineering platforms on it – a quality management platform for GxP-regulated industries and a multi-agent enterprise AI platform – and Cognitive PRISM. It is also building a three-year private cloud lab ecosystem for Vidyavardhaka College of Engineering, Mysuru.

The partnership will focus first on governments, regulated enterprises, research institutions and data centre operators in Singapore, India and North America.

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SIEW 2026 Brings Together Global Energy Leaders to “Connect Energy Systems, Power Tomorrow”

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October 20, 2026

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SINGAPORE, Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The 19th Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) will open on 26 October, bringing together global policymakers, industry leaders and innovators to navigate energy challenges and shape a more secure, connected and sustainable energy future.

Highlights of SIEW 2026

I. Opening: The Singapore Energy Lecture will be delivered by H.E. Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry). YAB Datuk Amar Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, Malaysia, will deliver the Ministerial Keynote Address. Bernard Fontana, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Électricité de France (EDF), will share his perspectives at the SIEW Opening Keynote.

II. Ministerial and VIPs: Ministers from Australia, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Finland, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Oman, Philippines, and United States will be joined by H.E. Dr Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of the ASEAN Secretariat, Dr Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, and Francesco La Camera, Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency. Global industry leaders from Baker Hughes, China Huaneng Group, GE Vernova, Hitachi Energy, Petronas, Siemens Energy, State Grid Corporation of China, Tenaga Nasional Berhad, and Univers will share their insights impacting the energy landscape.

SIEW 2026 will host prominent decision-makers and visionaries from across government, international bodies, regulatory agencies, and industry. The list of speakers attending SIEW 2026 is available here.

Government

H.E. Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry), Republic of SingaporeH.E. Gan Siow Huang, Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry, Republic of SingaporeYAB Datuk Amar Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, MalaysiaH.E. Sonam Tashi, Minister for Energy and Natural Resources, BhutanDato Seri Setia Awang Haji Mohamad Azmi Bin Haji Mohd Hanifah, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office (Energy, Upstream and Downstream), Brunei DarussalamH.E. Sakari Puisto, Minister of Economic Affairs, Republic of FinlandH.E. Malaithong Kommasith, Minister of Industry and Commerce, Lao People’s Democratic RepublicH.E. Eng. Salim Bin Nasser Al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals, Vice Chairman of the Board of the Oman Investment Authority, OmanThe Honourable Sharon S. Garin, Secretary, Department of Energy, Republic of the PhilippinesH.E. Jean Barroca, Deputy Minister of State for Energy, PortugalDr Majid Al-Qwaiz, Deputy Minister of Development and Project Management, Kingdom of Saudi ArabiaThe Rt Hon Miatta Fahnbulleh MP, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandChris Stark, Head of UK’s Mission for Clean Power, UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

International Organisations

Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General, International Atomic Energy AgencyLin Yang, Deputy Executive Secretary for Programme, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)Hideaki Iwasaki, Director General, Sectors Department 1 (Energy and Transport Sectors), Asian Development Bank (ADB)Kim-See Lim, Chief Investment Officer, Public Sector (Region 1) & Financial Institutions and Funds (Global) Clients, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)Stéphanie Guénot Bresson, Commissioner, Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority Dr Sama Bilbao y León, Director General, World Nuclear Association

Regulators and Utilities

Anna Collyer, Chair, Australian Energy Market CommissionClare Savage, Chair, Australian Energy RegulatorNarumi Hosokawa, Secretary General, Electricity and Gas Market Surveillance Commission, JapanErik Westergaard, Deputy Chair, Electricity Authority, New ZealandDato’ Sri Ir. Ts. Shamsul Bin Ahmad, President and Chief Executive Officer, Tenaga Nasional BerhadHon. Francis Saturnino C. Juan, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, Energy Regulatory Commission, PhilippinesTheodore J. Garrish, Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy, U.S. Department of EnergyJudy Chang, Commissioner, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, United StatesEmmanuelle Wargon, Chair, French Energy Regulatory CommissionDr Narin Phoawanich, Governor, Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand Shao Guoyong, Board Director, State Grid Corporation of China

Industry

Gary Rose, Executive Vice President, Nuclear, Canada, AtkinsRéalis, and President, CANDU International, Candu Energy Inc.Allyson Anderson Book, Chief Sustainability Officer, Government Affairs & Public Policy Officer, Baker HughesYingying Zhou, Vice President, Organisation and Head of Asia, Cheniere EnergyJoseph Law, Managing Director, CLP Power Hong KongLi Rui, Vice President, China Southern Power GridLim Wee Seng, Group Head of Energy, Renewables & Infrastructure, Project Finance Strategic Advisory and Sustainability, Institutional Banking Group, DBS BankTham Chee Aun, Chief Executive Officer, Ditrolic EnergyEric Gray, Chief Executive Officer, Power, GE VernovaJames O’Reilly, Chief Executive Officer, Greenlink InterconnectorN Venu, MD and CEO, India and APAC Region, Member of Global Executive Team, Hitachi Energy, MD, Hitachi IndiaZhong Guodong, President, China Huaneng Group Co., Ltd.Dr Han-Gon Kim, President, Innovative SMR Development AgencyTadashi Maeda, Chairman of the Board, Japan Bank for International CooperationIzumi Kai, Managing Executive Officer, CEO of JERA AsiaStephanie McGregor, Chief Executive Officer, Marinus LinkEmmanuel V. Rubio, President and CEO, Meralco PowerGen Corporation (MGEN)Yasuhiro Kawabe, President & CEO of Mitsubishi Power, Ltd.Elaine Lam, Group Managing Director and Head of Global Corporate Banking, OCBCYM Tan Sri Tengku Muhammad Taufik Tengku Aziz, CEO, Petronas Thorbjörn Fors, Group Senior Vice President and President Asia Pacific, Siemens EnergyStanley Huang, Group Chief Executive Officer, SP GroupJeanne Soh, Managing Director, Head, Structured Finance, Asia, SMBC 

The SIEW week will feature high-level expert discussions across SIEW Summit, SIEW Energy Insights, SIEW TechTable and SIEW Thinktank Roundtables. Topics will include energy security, regional connectivity, system resilience and decarbonisation, including leading technologies and industrial capabilities on AI and digital grids, power interconnections, geothermal energy, and nuclear energy. More details can be found at siew.gov.sg. 

Register now at https://register.siew.gov.sg.

PR Newswire is the Official Press Release Distribution Partner of Singapore International Energy Week 2026.

About SIEW

The Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) is an official trademarked event by the Energy Market Authority (EMA). It is an annual platform for energy professionals, policymakers and commentators to discuss and share best practices and solutions within the global energy space. 

The SIEW logo is an officially registered trademark, a symbol of credibility and prestige as the world’s leading energy event. 

About the Energy Market Authority

The Energy Market Authority (EMA) is a statutory board under the Singapore Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry. Through our work, we seek to build a clean energy future that is resilient, sustainable, and competitive. We aim to ensure a reliable and secure energy supply, promote effective competition in the energy market and develop a dynamic energy sector in Singapore. Visit www.ema.gov.sg for more information. 

For media queries, please contact:

Ms Mahima Kathuria
FINN Partners for Singapore International Energy Week
Tel: +65 8022 6364
Email: SIEWMedia@finnpartners.com

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SOURCE Energy Market Authority

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