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NextGen Nano plans GBP £300 million West Africa pilot

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NextGen Nano plans to launch a £300 million global agrivoltaics development programme, starting with a pilot project in West Africa.

The London-based company’s first scheme will use its transparent organic solar film, PolyPower, in greenhouse and tunnel structures that combine crop production with on-site electricity generation.

The pilot is aimed at areas where power supplies are limited, expensive or unreliable. It will test whether the system can support climate-controlled agriculture while also providing electricity for cooling, refrigeration and broader local energy needs.

A key part of the trial will focus on growing nutrient-dense crops, including amaranth, African nightshade, cowpea leaves, spider plant, moringa and kale. NextGen Nano aims to assess whether the greenhouse model can provide more reliable growing conditions for produce that contributes to vitamin A and iron intake.

The company will also examine whether the same systems could support medical cold-chain infrastructure, including the storage of vaccines, medicines and other temperature-sensitive supplies in clinics, health posts and community facilities.

Demand Drivers

NextGen Nano is targeting up to £300 million of project deployment over the next five years through partnerships with governments, development banks, agricultural groups and private investors.

It said the plan is supported by wider market conditions, citing World Bank projections that Africa’s food and agribusiness market could reach USD $1 trillion by 2030, while nearly 600 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa still lack access to electricity.

Those conditions have increased interest in systems that address both agricultural output and energy access. In many rural areas, diesel generators remain a common backup power source, increasing costs and supply risks for food storage and other essential services.

For NextGen Nano, the West Africa pilot will serve as an early test of whether agrivoltaic greenhouses can become a repeatable infrastructure model in off-grid and energy-constrained markets. The initiative is being developed with regional partners and a European applied solar energy research institution.

Health Focus

Beyond food production, the project also has a public health focus. NextGen Nano will assess whether more dependable cultivation of leafy vegetables could improve dietary diversity and reduce nutrition-related health burdens, particularly among children.

The targeted crops are valued for their contribution to vitamin A and iron intake. The company noted that the World Health Organisation identifies vitamin A deficiency as a leading preventable cause of childhood blindness and says iron deficiency is the most common nutritional cause of anaemia.

The pilot also has an economic dimension and is expected to support local employment, skills development and more resilient energy access in underserved regions.

NextGen Nano develops transparent organic solar and display technologies. In this case, it is applying its solar film to agricultural structures so electricity can be generated on the same footprint as protected crop production.

Dr Sagar Jain, Head of Strategic Partnerships at NextGen Nano, said: “This initiative demonstrates how cutting-edge European and US technologies can directly contribute to raising living standards in underserved regions. By combining advanced transparent organic solar materials with climate-controlled agriculture and energy systems, we believe agrivoltaic platforms like this can unlock entirely new deployment models for sustainable development worldwide.”



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Autostructures UK enters administration after 68 years

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Autostructures UK, which is based in Telford, appointed administrators towards the end of March.

It worked as a supplier for JCB for 30 years, providing over 22,000 chassis frames and helping the company make the world’s fastest tractor.

They helped design and manufacture specialised wheel components for its Fastrac model, which can reach a peak speed of 153.771mph.

Autostructures UK worked as a supplier for JCB (Image: Getty Images)

Companies House states it was incorporated on March 10, 1958, initially being known as Alexander Socket Screws Limited.

A notice on Autostructures UK’s website states: “Christopher Pole, Ryan Grant and Sam Birchall were appointed Joint Administrators of Moveero Ltd – in Administration (the ‘Company’) on 25 March 2026. 

“The affairs, business and property of the Companies are being managed by the Joint Administrators. 

“Christopher Pole, Ryan Grant and Sam Birchall are authorised to act as insolvency practitioners by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales.” 

Why has Autostructures UK gone into administration?

Moveero Ltd is the parent company of Autostructures UK, which manufactures construction vehicles, as well as wheels, rims and hubs for farming.

Administrators Interpath shared that the Moveero group continues to operate profitably, with the rest of the group’s businesses in the US and Denmark not affected by the administration in the UK.

It explained that the business based in the UK had faced major operational challenges due to a weakened off‑highway market, downward pricing pressure and competition from rivals.

In a statement, Interpath said: “As a result of these ongoing challenges, the directors of the businesses have taken steps to protect the interests of creditors by appointing administrators.


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“This will allow the UK businesses to continue trading while buyers for the businesses and their assets are pursued, with all staff retained during this period.”

David Geraghty, CEO of Moveero, said: “Against a difficult economic backdrop, we have worked tirelessly over the past 12 months to improve the financial performance of the UK business.

“We are incredibly grateful for the support of our brilliant team and also the support of our customers who have provided us with funding in recent days which has given us the additional time we need to continue to explore the options available.”

Have you noticed an increased number of businesses closing or going into administration in your area this year? Let us know in the comments.





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Alteryx appoints Julie Irish as Chief Information Officer

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Alteryx has appointed Julie Irish as Chief Information Officer, adding a new technology leader to the data and analytics company’s senior ranks.

Irish joins from Couchbase, where she held the same role. At Alteryx, she will lead the global IT organisation and oversee technology strategy, systems and processes as the company continues its broader digital transformation.

Her remit includes internal AI use across the business, with a focus on connecting data, analytics and AI more closely across operations as Alteryx develops its analytics products and expands internationally.

Alteryx serves more than 8,000 customers worldwide, including UK brands such as BT, Kingfisher and London Northeastern Railway.

Career background

Before joining Alteryx, Irish held senior technology roles at New Relic and Harvard Business Publishing. At Couchbase, she oversaw IT, data, business technology and security.

That breadth of experience appears to have been a factor in her appointment, particularly as businesses increase spending on AI tools and look to embed data-led decision-making into routine operations. The role puts Irish at the centre of how Alteryx manages its internal systems while supporting the company’s wider direction.

Her appointment also reflects how the Chief Information Officer role has broadened across software companies. Once focused largely on internal infrastructure, it now often spans data governance, automation, security and the use of AI in finance, sales, support and product operations.

As a result, technology leadership appointments have become more significant for software companies trying to streamline internal processes while keeping pace with customer demand for AI-related products. At Alteryx, internal IT is being positioned as a driver of operational change as well as day-to-day systems management.

Irish outlined that view in her first public comments after taking the role.

“We’re at a moment where AI is fundamentally reshaping how businesses operate. What energizes me about Alteryx is not just the pace of innovation, but its unique approach to enabling AI through governed, analyst-driven workflows-equipping lines of business to own their logic while scaling across the enterprise. Internally, we have an opportunity to apply that same philosophy to how we build and operate, advancing our technology capabilities to better scale and support the business. By strengthening how we connect data, analytics, and AI across our operations, we can move faster, operate more intelligently, and continue delivering impact for our customers,” said Irish.

Wider push

The appointment comes as Alteryx continues to emphasise AI in its business strategy. Organisations are increasingly turning to AI and analytics in pursuit of competitive advantage, and Alteryx has been investing in what it describes as agentic analytics alongside trusted tools for larger organisations.

In the enterprise software market, that trend has increased the importance of internal technology leadership. CIOs are being asked not only to maintain stable systems but also to show how AI can be adopted responsibly inside the business before similar ideas are taken to customers.

Chief Executive Officer Andy MacMillan said Irish brings both strategic planning and delivery experience to the role.

“Julie has an incredible ability to balance strategic vision with execution. She is a thoughtful, results-oriented leader who builds strong partnerships and delivers meaningful impact. I’m eager to see the impact she will have across the Alteryx organization and for our global community,” said MacMillan.

Irish’s background in pricing model change and the end-to-end revenue lifecycle may also prove relevant as software companies refine subscription structures, sales operations and customer retention. Combined with her oversight of data and security functions in previous roles, that experience gives her a remit that extends beyond back-office IT.

The move follows a broader pattern across the software industry, where companies are recruiting senior technology executives with experience in data platforms, internal automation and AI adoption. In many cases, the goal is to tighten links between corporate systems and commercial strategy, especially as software groups face pressure to show practical returns on AI investment.

At Alteryx, that responsibility now falls to Irish as she takes charge of the company’s global IT organisation after previous leadership roles at Couchbase, New Relic and Harvard Business Publishing.



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BT plans for communications pole for village near Bicester

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Openreach, who act on behalf of British Telecommunications (BT), wants to install two fixed line broadband electronic communications apparatus (poles) in Ambrosden, a village near Bicester.

It notified Cherwell District Council, the planning authority, of its intention to install one 9m light wooden pole in Church Walk and one 10m light wooden police opposite South View, approximately three miles from Bicester.

The planning authority has until Monday, April 13, to give the operator written notice of any reasonable conditions which it wishes the operator to consider regarding the installation.

Openreach maintain telecommunications network infrastructure that connect nearly all homes and businesses in the UK to various national broadband and telephone networks.





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