Optical technology raises $700 million to modernize artificial intelligence data centers

Brizze Motos, recently launched by Grupo Minas Brisa, has introduced a line of five electric motorcycles to the Brazilian market with starting prices from R$ 4,990. The brand's central differentiator lies in a system that allows the rider to quickly swap a discharged battery for a fully charged one at dedicated stations, eliminating the need for long charging waits.

This battery swap method is similar to those used in China and operates under a subscription model. Through an application, the user can locate the nearest station and obtain a barcode to release the drawer containing the charged battery, reducing downtime to just a few minutes. Although traditional home charging remains an option, the stations are primarily aimed at high-mileage users, such as delivery drivers.

Initially, the network of stations will cover locations in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, and Fortaleza, as well as cities in the states of Santa Catarina and Paraná. Motorcycle manufacturing will take place in Manaus, incorporating approximately 40% domestically sourced components, and the first deliveries are scheduled between December 2026 and February 2027.

The basic line consists of the Z1 family, which includes four models sharing the same technical architecture: a 1,000-watt motor, a 60V and 24Ah battery, a declared range of 55 km, and a maximum speed of 32 km/h. These two parameters classify the vehicle as self-propelled, a category that exempts the vehicle from licensing, registration, and license plate requirements.

The Z1 family models include the Z1 Street, the largest, measuring 1.81 m and weighing 52.6 kg; the Z1 City, with 1.71 m and 52.4 kg; the Z1 Ventus, which offers improvements in suspension, brakes, and finish, measuring 1.64 m and weighing 57.7 kg; and the Z1 Fun, the smallest, measuring 1.60 m and weighing 51.4 kg. All these models start from the price of R$ 4,990.

In the upper segment is the Z4, equipped with a 4,000-watt motor, equivalent to about 5.4 hp, allowing a maximum speed of 100 km/h and an advertised range of up to 120 km. This model has a length of 2.07 m and a wheelbase of 1.40 m. Because it exceeds 32 km/h, the Z4 requires Category A licensing.

The target audience defined by Brizze is for combustion motorcycles ranging from 125 to 160 cc used in the workplace. The company also highlights that the price of the Z4, set at R$ 13,990, positions it below electric models of 3 to 3.5 kW currently sold in the country, which cost between R$ 17,000 and R$ 21,000.

LaserLove, a federal chain of laser epilation clinics based in Russia and founded in Novosibirsk, is preparing to enter the Uzbekistan market and is currently seeking financial partners to develop its business. These plans were reported by Kontinent Sibir and Pravda.Ru, citing the founder of the chain, Alexander Dolgov.

The entrepreneur explained that the decision for international expansion is driven by the desire to diversify activities and reduce dependence on the Russian economy. Before choosing a country, the company conducted a preliminary analysis of potential markets, studied the competitive environment, and consulted with representatives of relevant industries.

According to Dolgov, Uzbekistan turned out to be one of the most promising destinations. Among the country's advantages, he noted its population size, growing middle class, lower personnel costs compared to Russia, a small number of large established players, and relatively low competition.

According to LaserLove itself, the network operates 190 branches in Russia, with an annual turnover of 1.4 billion Russian rubles. The business was launched by the Novosibirsk entrepreneur Alexander Dolgov, who is also involved in the development of several federal chains in the public catering sector and other business projects.

Nevertheless, the entrepreneur pointed out several features of the Uzbek market that need to be taken into account when entering this territory. Specifically, in his observation, rent in the most attractive locations in Tashkent can be comparable to prices in Moscow.

He also advised other entrepreneurs to calculate the business economics from the beginning, taking into account VAT and the full cost structure, instead of relying solely on preferential tax regimes. Among other market characteristics, Dolgov emphasized the significant volume of cash transactions and lower personnel costs compared to Russia.

At the same time, he noted that the cost of services is comparable to regions of Russia, customer acquisition costs are lower, and the market is characterized by a lack of strong specialized studios.

The first stage of LaserLove's development in Uzbekistan will involve opening clinics owned by the company itself. The goal of this stage is to test economic viability, adapt marketing strategies and operational standards, assess personnel, form a legal structure, and study actual booking, attendance, and repeat customer visit figures.

After this, the network plans to transition to a franchising model. Dolgov named Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Namangan, Andijan, and Fergana as potential cities for clinic openings. The company's plans for next year include opening at least 20 owned clinics and no fewer than 50 franchised points in Uzbekistan.

In Dolgov's opinion, the country is viewed not just as a new market but as one of the key directions for LaserLove's international expansion. Furthermore, the entrepreneur named Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan as the next potential markets for expanding the network.

The White House has added Uzbekistan to a list comprising over 40 countries and territories considered jurisdictions with an elevated risk of illegally transshipping Chinese goods to circumvent American tariffs. This conclusion is based on a report titled 'The Great Transshipment Scam,' prepared by the White House's Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy.

In this report, Uzbekistan is categorized under the third category, characterized as 'small opportunistic targets.' Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Jordan, Kenya, Morocco, Panama, the United Arab Emirates, and several other states are also included in this same category.

The report authors note that countries in this category do not account for the largest volume of transit in dollar terms, but they possess certain advantages that make them attractive for rerouting Chinese goods. These advantages include accessible labor, favorable conditions in free economic zones, the presence of ports or border crossings, customs warehouses, specialized manufacturing capabilities, or preferential access to the US market.

Furthermore, the report separately places Uzbekistan in the functional group of 'land nodes of the Belt and Road,' alongside Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Kazakhstan. According to the authors, states in this group function as transit railway hubs and dry ports that consolidate cargo and transfer it from land transport to maritime transport.

The report emphasizes that inclusion in this list does not imply that all of a country's shipments violate US customs regulations. The transit issue arose after the Trump administration imposed Section 301 tariffs on China in 2018. As tariffs on Chinese goods increased, some shipments previously going directly from China to the United States began passing through countries with lower rates, where light assembly, repackaging, re-invoicing, or documentation changes were used to assign the goods a new country of origin.

The report authors refer to this network as a 'shadow transit network' and divide the participating countries into three tiers: large diversified economies such as Canada, the European Union, India, Israel, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, and Taiwan; countries highly integrated into China's supply chains, including Brazil, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Turkey; and smaller jurisdictions, among which is Uzbekistan.

To estimate annual transit volumes, the report cites five independent assessments from the U.S. Council of Economic Advisers, the Department of Commerce, and the firms Goldman Sachs, Exiger, and Altana. These estimates range from $40 billion to $303 billion annually, depending on the methodology applied. The White House uses a central estimate of $75 billion, based on Exiger's calculations.

Applying assumed tariff differentials of 25%, 35%, and 45%, the report authors estimate annual US customs losses to be in the range of approximately $10 billion at the narrowest estimate to over $100 billion at the broadest. At the central transit volume scenario of $75 billion, annual duty losses are estimated at $19–$34 billion.

The report also contains estimates of broader economic consequences. Under the central scenario, approximately 450,000 jobs are projected to be replaced in the US, resulting in GDP losses ranging from $113 billion to $150 billion, and a decrease in federal tax revenue of $19–$26 billion annually. In the widest impact scenario, these figures rise to 1.82 million jobs, over $450 billion in GDP, and $77 to $103 billion in tax revenue.

According to the report, the Trump administration is already taking steps to counter illegal transit, including provisions in bilateral trade agreements that restrict third-country benefits, as well as a presidential decree from June 3, 2026, strengthening customs control, which tightens requirements for importers, collateral, and disclosure of the ultimate beneficial owner. Additionally, U.S. Customs and Border Protection is developing an AI-based system known as the 'detective border agent,' designed to analyze shipment data, routes, and manufacturing capacities to identify anomalies and direct law enforcement to the most likely violators.

The report authors caution against prematurely assessing the full effect of the new measures, as trade and customs statistics are subject to delays, and some provisions of the enhanced customs control order have not yet been fully implemented.