--- title: "Tech Niche Leaders Secure Exabyte Deals and $1.2B Buyouts in AI Push" type: "News" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/291644809.md" description: "Niche technology and healthcare companies are aggressively expanding AI infrastructure capabilities, highlighted by Novanta's $1.2 billion acquisition and Backblaze's multi-exabyte cloud data deals." datetime: "2026-07-03T09:03:09.000Z" locales: - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/291644809.md) - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/291644809.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/291644809.md) --- # Tech Niche Leaders Secure Exabyte Deals and $1.2B Buyouts in AI Push A diverse group of specialized technology and healthcare firms is aggressively deploying artificial intelligence tools and securing new infrastructure capacity, prompting several to raise full-year forecasts and lock in strategic funding, according to company filings and people familiar with the matter. ### NeuroPace (NPCE.US) The medical device maker recently underperformed the broader healthcare sector, though it raised its 2026 full-year revenue forecast to a range of **USD 99 million** to **USD 101 million**. In May 2026, NeuroPace secured FDA clearance for its AI-driven ECoG Assistant—its first clinician tool for epilepsy management—and submitted its next-generation patient data management system for review. The company also narrowed its losses and beat first-quarter 2026 earnings per share estimates, preceding its inclusion in the S&P Health Care Equipment Select Industry Index in late June. ### Novanta (NOVT.US) Novanta, which recently joined the NVIDIA Halos AI system lab, is nearing a deal to acquire Riverpoint Medical for a **USD 1.2 billion** upfront payment, expected to close in the third quarter of 2026. To support its expansion, the automation and precision motion company reached an agreement for a **USD 300 million** private placement of common stock. The firm reported first-quarter 2026 GAAP revenue of **USD 257.7 million**, up 10.4% year-over-year, while adjusted EBITDA climbed 14.2% to **USD 57.1 million**. Novanta is targeting full-year 2026 GAAP revenue between **USD 1.04 billion** and **USD 1.055 billion**. ### Backblaze (BLZE.US) Shares of the cloud storage provider surged over **40%** recently, significantly outpacing sector benchmarks amid AI-fueled demand for cloud capacity. On July 2, 2026, Backblaze amended its credit agreement with Citizens Bank to expand its debt limit for capitalized lease transactions to **USD 150 million**, giving it flexibility for infrastructure investments. This move follows a massive five-year, multi-exabyte data storage agreement with CoreWeave signed in June 2026. Analysts recently raised the stock's price target from USD 8 to **USD 14**, maintaining an outperform rating. ### Pony AI (PONY.US) The autonomous driving software developer reported unaudited first-quarter 2026 revenue of **USD 34.3 million**, a 145.0% year-over-year jump, bolstered by a 395.4% surge in Robotaxi revenue to **USD 8.6 million**. The company posted a gross profit of **USD 5.6 million**, reflecting a 16.2% margin. Pony AI is targeting a fleet of more than **3,500 robotaxis** across over 20 cities by the end of 2026. The firm recently launched a new compute platform based on NVIDIA DRIVE Hyperion and rolled out autonomous services in Singapore, even as analysts note complex operational challenges in dense urban zones. ### Westwater Resources (WWR.US) The battery-grade natural graphite developer submitted a Section 404 permit application for its Coosa deposit in June 2026, following the project's designation as a FAST-41 covered project. However, the company faces operational headwinds after SK On terminated a product purchase agreement for its Kellyton phase 1 capacity earlier in April. Westwater ended 2025 with **USD 48.6 million** in cash and a net loss of **USD 27.3 million**, navigating a market where recent US anti-dumping duties on Chinese graphite anode materials have reshaped supply chain dynamics. ### Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI.US) The fiber-optic networking products provider continues to benefit from accelerated hyperscale infrastructure investments driven by AI. The company is seeing sustained demand for its 400G high-speed optical transceivers and lasers, which are critical components for data centers scaling up their AI compute capabilities and telecom infrastructure. ### Elong Power (ELPW.US) The lithium-ion battery technology firm closed a **USD 6 million** public offering in May 2026 and executed multiple reverse stock splits to maintain its Nasdaq listing requirements. In June 2026, the company resolved outstanding CEO loan issues, sold new Class B shares, and appointed Yue Liu as its new chief financial officer to stabilize its financial operations. ### NCI (NCI.US) In the broader healthcare and research ecosystem, the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) is playing a central role in "Operation TrialBlazer," an initiative launched by the HHS on June 22, 2026. The effort aims to streamline clinical trial startups and boost enrollment rates, integrating advanced research including NIH-funded AI models that predict cancer survival based on single-cell tumor data. ### Atomera (ATOM.US) The semiconductor technology developer continues the commercialization of its proprietary Mears Silicon Technology (MST). The engineered silicon film, designed to be applied to CMOS-type transistors, remains a focal point for the company as it seeks to license its processes to the broader semiconductor and electronics industry. Across these niche sectors, the competitive landscape is increasingly defined by AI integration and the ability to secure sustained capital, separating firms that are locking in exabyte-scale deals from those restructuring their equity to survive. _This article does not constitute investment advice._ ### Related Stocks - [NPCE.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/NPCE.US.md) - [NOVT.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/NOVT.US.md) - [BLZE.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/BLZE.US.md) - [PONY.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/PONY.US.md) - [WWR.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/WWR.US.md) - [AAOI.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/AAOI.US.md) - [ELPW.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/ELPW.US.md) - [NCI.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/NCI.US.md) - [ATOM.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/ATOM.US.md) ## Related News & Research - [15:31 ETIDrive e2 Publishes 2026 Object Storage Performance Report Comparing Major Cloud Providers](https://longbridge.com/en/news/293967058.md) - [NeuroPace says FDA deems epilepsy label expansion filing not approvable in current form](https://longbridge.com/en/news/294110473.md) - [Novanta completes acquisition of Riverpoint Medical](https://longbridge.com/en/news/293928249.md) - [Applied Optoelectronics SVP and Asia GM Shu-Hua (Joshua) Yeh disposes of USD 718,507 in common shares](https://longbridge.com/en/news/293668920.md) - [Swiss National Bank Has $10.85 Million Stake in Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. $AAOI](https://longbridge.com/en/news/293902688.md)