CertiK, OKX Expand Security Partnership

 KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 (Bernama) -- CertiK, a pioneer in blockchain security, has announced the successful completion of a security audit for OKX's BRC-20 token contracts, bringing Ordinals to the Bitcoin blockchain, a milestone in the crypto and blockchain industry.

“We are excited to extend our security partnership with OKX. As CertiK, our mission has always been to enhance security and transparency in the blockchain space, and this collaboration represents a big step towards this goal,” said CertiK Chief Business Officer, Jason Jiang in a statement.

Meanwhile, OKX Chief Innovation Officer, Jason Lau said: “Integrating this new token standard into the OKX platform is a significant milestone for us. This evolution not only responds to the interest of our community but also provides robust, secure and easy-to-use tools for dealing with these tokens.”

OKX, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, is reaffirming its commitment to the foundational roots of the crypto revolution - Bitcoin, and is set to catalyse innovation in the realm of BRC-20 transaction indexing on the Bitcoin blockchain.

This and future audits will assist OKX in initiating detailed operations aimed at seamlessly integrating this new token technology onto its platform. The exchange’s roadmap includes support for inscription, thereby expanding the investment opportunities for its diverse user base.

Furthermore, the platform is set to enhance its trading capabilities by enabling buying, selling, transferring and offer-making for both tokens and Bitcoin non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

-- BERNAMA

CURIA EXPANDS CELL LINE DEVELOPMENT OFFERING WITH CHOZN PLATFORM

Curia signs license agreement with MilliporeSigma to support production of proteins and antibodies

ALBANY, N.Y., June 21 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Curia, a leading contract research, development and manufacturing organization, today announced it has signed a licensing agreement with MilliporeSigma, the North American Life Sciences Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, that enables Curia and its clients to use the CHOZN® GS^-/- cell line for production of therapeutic proteins and antibodies. Following the agreement, the CHOZN GS^-/- cell line has been integrated into Curia’s cell line development workflow and is immediately available to Curia customers.

CHOZN® platform is a Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) mammalian cell expression system that allows for faster, simpler selection and scale-up of high-producing clones for production of biologics and therapeutic recombinant proteins. It includes high-performing CHO cell lines, paired media and feeds, optimized expression vectors and robust protocols. The glutamine synthetase GS knockout (GS-/-) cell line of the CHOZN platform is specially designed to help streamline selection, identification and scale-up of high-producing clones ideal for GMP manufacturing of recombinant protein drugs. 

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CAPITAL MARKET AUTHORITY: THE KINGDOM HAS ACHIEVED ADVANCED RANKS IN INDICATORS RELATED TO THE FINANCIAL MARKET

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, June 23 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has made exceptional progress in the 2023 IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook rankings. From 2022 to 2023, the Kingdom advanced from 24th to 17th rank, marking a tremendous leap in its global standing.

According to the yearbook, six of the twelve capital market indices showed upward strides while maintaining their positions in two others. This achievement exemplifies the CMA's continued efforts and steps to improve and expand the Kingdom's capital markets by implementing relevant global best practices.

The Stock Market Index and M&A activity saw the most significant gains, indicating a positive rise in Saudi Arabia's financial sector and boosting investor confidence in the national economy. Notably, the Kingdom's growth in the Venture Capital ranking suggests a growing environment for venture capital availability, which provides a critical support system for emerging businesses. The CMA's approval of the Regulatory Framework for Equity Crowdfunding demonstrates the organization's solid commitment to cultivating an innovative and competitive capital market ecosystem.

The CMA's efforts have also made results in corporate board oversight, with the Kingdom achieving first place among G20 nations. This demonstrates the CMA's commitment to maintaining strong governance standards, which is critical for investor trust.

In addition, the Authority has made numerous contributions in its ongoing efforts to advance in the global competitiveness indicators for 2023, the most notable of which was holding a meeting with the National Competitiveness Center to discuss available cooperation opportunities to improve the Kingdom's ranking. Furthermore, the prospect of participation in competitiveness lectures and workshops attended by specialists from the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), with which the National Competitiveness Center partners, was considered.

Also, the National Competitiveness Center received an update on the private sector's target demographic for the survey (listed companies, brokerage firms, auditors, Authority committee members), as well as an update on the data sources for the Authority's indicators, as needed.

It’s important to note that CMA have implemented several significant changes recently, which had a positive impact on these advancements. Notably, the CMA's approval of the Rules for Foreign Investment in Securities which is expected to have a positive impact on boosting liquidity in the Saudi market, deepening and raising its attractiveness, and enhancing its global status. The rules will also help transform knowledge and experiences among local capital institutions and investors, strengthening institutional investors' involvement in the Saudi capital market. Meanwhile, the new Companies Law for Listed Joint Stock Companies and the approval of the Amended Prudential Rules aim to enhance the stability of the capital market institutions to further boost the confidence of the capital market participants and create an attractive investment environment to support national economic growth.

CMA aims to increase the Saudi capital market's attractiveness, raise its efficiency, and boost its competitiveness regionally and internationally through developing the market to achieve its strategic plan, which aims to place the Saudi market on top of the Middle East’s markets and rank it as one of the most important capital markets in the globe. 

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CLOUDFLARE-DATABRICKS PARTNERSHIP TO CUT COST, COMPLEXITY OF SHARING DATA

KUALA LUMPUR, June 21 (Bernama) -- Cloudflare Inc, the security, performance and reliability company helping to build a better Internet, has announced a partnership with Databricks, the data and artificial intelligence (AI) company, to enable organisations to safely, simply and affordably share and collaborate on live data.

According to a statement, with Cloudflare and Databricks, joint customers can eliminate the complexity and dynamic costs that stand in the way of the full potential of multi-cloud analytics and AI initiatives.

“The combination of Cloudflare's massive global network and zero egress storage, along with Databricks' powerful sharing and processing capabilities, will give our joint customers the fastest, most secure and most affordable data sharing capabilities across the globe,” said Cloudflare co-founder and chief executive officer, Matthew Prince.

Databricks is driven by the mission to help data teams solve the world’s toughest problems, and enabling organisations to safely share and collaborate on data is critical to achieving that mission.

However many organisations still struggle to share data across clouds, customers, teams and with partners, they often use restrictive platforms and face maintenance burdens, exorbitant egress costs, and a lack of security.

Databricks’ Delta Sharing, the industry’s first open protocol for secure data sharing, makes it simple to share data across teams, and with other organisations, regardless of which computing platforms they use.

Databricks will now support Delta Sharing from Cloudflare R2, Cloudflare’s zero egress, distributed object storage offering.

This seamless integration enables data teams to share live data sets in R2 easily and efficiently, eliminating the need for complex data transfers or duplications of data sets, and with zero egress fees.

This will enable joint customers to ensure they are sharing the most up to date data sets with their partners, suppliers, and lines of businesses, without compromising security and privacy, and without unpredictable, surprise egress fees.

-- BERNAMA

NIPPON EXPRESS EUROPE PARTICIPATES IN "TRANSPORT LOGISTIC 2023"

TOKYO, June 21, 2023 /Kyodo JBN-AsiaNet/ --

Nippon Express Europe GmbH (hereinafter "NX Europe"), a group company of NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, INC., participated for the second time in "transport logistic 2023" held in Munich, Germany, from Tuesday, May 9, to Friday, May 12.   Logo: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/img/202306136300-O1-VS0Q9pbS   Photo: Inside NX Europe booth https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M103866/202306136300/_prw_PI2fl_7lnV7TjL.jpg?_ga=2.106673859.1997240702.1686531031-1438572707.1685531252 transport logistic 2023 is the world's largest international exhibition dedicated to introducing the latest products, services, and innovations in logistics, transport, information technology, and supply chain management. This year's event attracted 2,320 exhibitors from more than 120 countries and regions, with over 75,000 visitors attending the exhibition. NX Europe's booth showcased the strengths of the Nippon Express Group's global network and logistics services while also underscoring sustainability as one of its themes by utilizing environmentally friendly promotional items, such as bamboo business cards, wild flower seed bags, re-usable water bottles and pencils with plant seeds, as gifts to highlight the Group's efforts to realize a sustainable society. During the four days of the exhibition, Nippon Express Group staff and clients actively exchanged views on new ideas, technologies and business solutions, and discussed possibilities for the near future. The Nippon Express Group will continue meeting the logistics expectation of its customers in Europe and supporting their business expansion through its global network and accumulated advanced logistics know-how.   Nippon Express website: https://www.nipponexpress.com/ Nippon Express Group's official LinkedIn account: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nippon-express-group/ Source: NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, INC. --BERNAMA

HOIANA RESORT & GOLF TRIUMPHS AT T+L LUXURY AWARDS ASIA PACIFIC 2023

KUALA LUMPUR, June 19 (Bernama) -- Hoiana Resort & Golf has announced its remarkable achievement of securing the third place in the Integrated Resorts category at the esteemed T+L Luxury Awards Asia Pacific 2023, presented by Travel + Leisure.

According to a statement, this accolade recognises Hoiana Resort & Golf as the premier integrated resort in Vietnam, delivering exceptional product offerings and services to the discerning luxury travellers.

“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the voters and Travel + Leisure SEA for bestowing upon us this incredible honour. This achievement stands as a testament to the unwavering dedication and passion exhibited by our entire team.

“We are immensely proud and inspired to take our offerings to new horizons, exceeding the expectations of every cherished guest,” said Hoiana Resort & Golf President & Chief Executive Officer, Steve Wolstenholme.

As the sole integrated resort in Vietnam to be featured among the award recipients, Hoiana Resort & Golf shines as a pinnacle of luxury hospitality in the region, amid keen competition among integrated resorts in Macau, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.

This prestigious recognition motivates Hoiana Resort & Golf to elevate the guest experience to unprecedented heights and it remains dedicated to expanding its product offerings and curating world-class events to further enhance the satisfaction of its esteemed guests.

The Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific 2023 celebrates the epitome of hospitality across the region, recognising outstanding destinations and experiences.

Nominees were carefully selected by the T+L SEA team of editors and expert contributors, ensuring an impartial evaluation. Voting was open to individuals worldwide until April 30, without any influence from pay-to-play practices.

-- BERNAMA

GTJAI SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED MARKET MAKING AND BROKERAGE TRADING SERVICES ON THE FIRST DAY OF HKD-RMB DUAL COUNTER TRADING

HONG KONG, June 20 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Guotai Junan International Holdings Limited (“Guotai Junan International”, the “Company” or “GTJAI”, stock code: 1788.HK) announced that its subsidiary Guotai Junan Securities (Hong Kong) has become one of the first qualified market makers under the "HKD-RMB Dual Counter Model” (the “Model”). Today, the company has started and fully carried out the market-making business covering multiple Dual-Counter stocks, and participated in the first-day market transactions in depth instantly. Meanwhile, Guotai Junan International has launched diversified quality financial services such as offshore RMB brokerage and preferential financing interest rates to clients, and will launch relevant investor education video programs to assist clients to make rational investment decisions.

As a leading comprehensive financial services provider in Hong Kong, GTJAI has always been firmly supporting the deployment and advancement of China’s financial strategies, and devoting itself to the development of Hong Kong financial market. GTJAI will continue to provide diverse quality services for overseas investors, while contributing to enhancing offshore RMB liquidity in Hong Kong, promoting the internationalization of the RMB, and consolidating Hong Kong's central position as an offshore RMB market.

About GTJAI

Guotai Junan International (“GTJAI”, Stock Code: 1788.HK) is the market leader and first mover for internationalization of Chinese Securities Company as well as the first Chinese securities broker listed on the Main Board of The Hong Kong Stock Exchange through initial public offering. It has also been included in FTSE4Good Index by London Stock Exchange of the United Kingdom. Based in Hong Kong, GTJAI provides comprehensive, diversified and high-quality integrated financial services. Core business includes brokerage, corporate finance, asset management, loans and financing, financial products, which cover three dimensions including individual finance (wealth management), institutional finance (institutional investor services and corporate finance service) and investment management. GTJAI has been assigned “Baa2” and “BBB+” long term issuer rating from Moody and Standard & Poor respectively. The controlling shareholder, Guotai Junan Securities Company Limited (Stock Code: 601211.SH; 2611.HK), is the comprehensive financial provider with a long-term, sustainable and overall leading position in the Chinese securities industry. For more information about GTJAI, please visit http://www.gtjai.com

View source version on businesswire.com: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230619567455/en/

Contact

For Media and Investor Enquiry: ir@gtjas.com.hk
For Customer Service: (Tel: 4008 095 521 / (852) 2509 7524)

Source : Guotai Junan International Holdings Limited

UNIDO Forms AI Alliance With Huawei, Global Partners To Support Digital Transformation

 

KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 (Bernama) -- The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) announced it would establish the Global Alliance on Artificial Intelligence for Industry and Manufacturing with Huawei and international partners in July at the Intelligent Rail & Logistics Forum 2023 held in Fényeslitke, Hungary.

According to Huawei in a statement, this alliance will be committed to building a platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing to promote the innovation and application of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in industry and manufacturing and boost the digital economy.

UNIDO Deputy to the Director General and Managing Director, Ciyong Zou said: “We are witnessing how mobile connectivity and industrial innovation come together. 5G combined with AI and cloud computing bring many benefits to the transport and logistics sectors.

“The objective of the Alliance is to serve as a platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and showcase best practices.”

Meanwhile, Huawei Vice President CEE & Nordic Region, Radoslaw Kedzia said East-West Gate (EWG) Intermodal Terminal is a story of creating social value with excellent collaboration of different partners and dedicated investors.

“The facility’s digitalised, high-tech solutions attracts many young locals to stay in the area. There is high safety, there is healthy and clean environment for workers, no harsh conditions anymore.

“The solution proves that 5G has been truly applied in Europe's smart railway sector using next-generation digital technologies and they solve common problems, promote digital transformation,” he said.

East-West Intermodal Logistics Plc Chief Executive Officer, János Tálosi added that the project marks a key milestone in the development of 5G technologies in Hungary and the digitalisation of railfreight, and enables EWG to become an intermodal railway logistics hub in the digital era.

The forum took place in EWG intermodal terminal which is the largest and most modern inland intermodal terminal of its kind, covering an area of five million square metres, and the first private 5G-supported container railway port in Europe, began operations in October 2022.

-- BERNAMA

Hitachi Energy Secures Order For Subsea Electricity Interconnection Between France, Spain

KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 (Bernama) -- Hitachi Energy, a global technology leader that is advancing a sustainable energy future for all, announced it won an order from Electricity Interconnection France-Spain (Inelfe).

The joint venture brings together operators of the Spanish (Red Eléctrica) and French (RTE) electricity transmission networks, in charge of the construction and commissions of all cross-border connections between both countries.

This is to supply four high-voltage direct current (HVDC) converter stations to interconnect France and Spain via a subsea cable across the Biscay Gulf, according to Hitachi Energy in a statement.

“Through our pioneering HVDC technology, we enable Inelfe to accelerate the two countries' sustainability goals, improving the safety, stability and quality of electricity supply between France and Spain and the rest of Europe,” said Hitachi Energy’s Grid Integration business Managing Director, Niklas Persson.

The Biscay Gulf interconnection, labelled as project of common interest at the European level, will consist of two HVDC links, with a converter station at each end of both systems. Combined, the links will efficiently supply a total of 2,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity at 400 kilovolts (kV) over 400 kilometres (km).

Providing the equivalent of the power consumption of more than two million households, the links will improve the safety, stability and quality of the electricity supply between the two countries.

Inelfe was set up following the 2008 Zaragoza Agreement, between the governments of Spain and France, with the mission to enhance the exchange of electricity between the two countries.

In line with its purpose to champion the urgency of a clean energy transition via innovation and collaboration, Hitachi Energy is collaborating with VINCI, an industry leader in energy and construction.

Together the two companies will provide an advanced solution for the Biscay Gulf project by delivering the engineering and power technologies and the construction of the converter stations.

-- BERNAMA

TESSA THERAPEUTICS' 'OFF-THE-SHELF' CAR-T THERAPY SHOWS PROMISING RESULTS IN EARLY-STAGE STUDY OF HODGKIN LYMPHOMA

• 78% Overall Response Rate (14/18 patients), including seven patients exhibiting a complete response to TT11X allogeneic CAR-T therapy
• Safety data encouraging with no graft-versus-host-disease and no neurotoxicity
• Updated data highlighted in podium presentation at the 17^th International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma expand upon favorable results presented at 2022 Annual Meeting of American Society of Hematology (ASH)

SINGAPORE, June 16 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tessa Therapeutics Ltd. (Tessa), a clinical-stage cell therapy company developing next-generation cancer treatments for hematological malignancies and solid tumors, today announced promising safety and efficacy data from a study of its off-the-shelf CD30.CAR EBVST therapy (TT11X) in patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) Hodgkin lymphoma. The results were presented by Tessa collaborators at the Baylor College of Medicine in an oral podium presentation at the 17th International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma (ICML) taking place at Lugano, Switzerland. TT11X, Tessa’s allogeneic “off-the-shelf” cell therapy, is based on Tessa’s proprietary CD30.CAR-modified Epstein-Barr virus-specific T-cell (EBVST) platform. 

The podium presentation (#47), titled, “Off-the-shelf CD30.CAR EBV-specific T cells provide a safe and effective therapy for HL,” reported data from 18 heavily pre-treated patients with R/R Hodgkin lymphoma who were administered TT11X across four dosing levels (40 × 10⁶ CD30.CAR EBVSTs, 100 × 10⁶ CD30.CAR EBVSTs, 400 × 10⁶ CD30.CAR EBVSTs, and 800 × 10⁶ CD30.CAR EBVSTs). An overall response rate of 78% (14/18 patients) was observed across all four dose levels, including seven complete responses and seven partial responses, with higher doses producing improved clinical responses. Additionally, TT11X was demonstrated to be well tolerated with no dose-limiting toxicities observed, including no evidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) or immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS). Six episodes of possible cytokine release syndrome were all grade one (mildest of four grades).

“The data reported at ICML suggest that allogeneic CD30.CAR EBVSTs provide a potentially safe and efficacious treatment for CD30-positive lymphomas and affirm previously reported data indicating the technology may avert GVHD and immediate rejection even after multiple infusions,” stated Carlos Ramos, M.D., Professor at Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, USA. “Importantly, CD30.CAR EBVSTs elicited a clinical response in 14 of 18 patients with R/R Hodgkin lymphoma including seven complete responses. Based on these results, CD30.CAR EBVSTs appear to be a promising platform for off-the-shelf cancer immunotherapy.”

Tessa is currently advancing a pipeline of products that utilize CD30.CAR-modified EBVSTs, including its lead allogeneic cell therapy, TT11X, which is being co-developed with the Baylor College of Medicine for the treatment of relapsed or refractory CD30-positive lymphomas. Tessa’s proprietary “off-the-shelf” CD30.CAR EBVST allogeneic cell therapy platform is based on decades-long research and development by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine into the unique properties of virus-specific T-cells (VSTs). These highly specialized T cells have the ability to recognize and kill infected cells while activating other parts of the immune system for a coordinated response. CD30-CAR Allogeneic VSTs without further genetic modification have demonstrated a strong safety profile and efficacy in early trials with minimal risk of GVHD.  

“The data presented at ICML are very promising and further validate our “off-the-shelf” CD30.CAR EBVST allogeneic cell therapy platform in R/R Hodgkin lymphoma,” stated Ivan Horak, M.D., Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Officer of Tessa Therapeutics. “Tessa is steadfastly focused on advancing the development of TT11X as a potential treatment for CD30-positive lymphomas, while targeting opportunities to extend the EBVST platform to other cancer indications and enhance the cell performance and durability of the technology.”

About Tessa Therapeutics  
Tessa Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation cell therapies for the treatment of hematological cancers and solid tumors. Tessa’s autologous CD30.CAR-T therapy TT11, is currently being investigated as a potential treatment for relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma as both a monotherapy (Phase 2) and combination therapy (Phase 1b). TT11 has been granted RMAT designation by the FDA and access to the PRIME scheme by European Medicine Agency. Tessa is also advancing an allogeneic “off-the-shelf” cell therapy platform targeting a broad range of cancers in which Epstein Barr Virus Specific T Cells (EBVSTs) are augmented with CD30.CAR. A therapy using this platform is currently the subject of a Phase 1 clinical trial in CD30-positive lymphomas. Tessa has its global headquarters in Singapore, where the company has built a state-of-the-art, commercial cell therapy manufacturing facility. For more information on Tessa, visit www.tessacell.com. 

Cautionary Note on Forward Looking Statements 
This press release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, to the fullest extent applicable) including, without limitation, with respect to various regulatory filings or clinical study developments of the Company. You can identify these statements by the fact that they use words such as “anticipate,” “estimate”, “expect”, “project”, “intend”, “plan”, “believe”, “target”, “may”, “assume” or similar expressions. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and important factors that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, including, without limitation, those related to the Company’s financial results, the ability to raise capital, dependence on strategic partnerships and licensees, the applicability of patents and proprietary technology, the timing for completion of the clinical trials of its product candidates, whether and when, if at all, the Company’s product candidates will receive marketing approval, and competition from other biopharmaceutical companies. The Company cautions you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made, and disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any such statements to reflect any change in expectations or in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release represent the Company’s views only as of the date hereof and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. The Company’s products are expressly for investigational use pursuant to a relevant investigational device exemption granted by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, or equivalent competent body.  

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Kioxia Solid-state Drives Obtain Compatibility Approval

KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 (Bernama) -- Kioxia Corporation announced its PCIe 4.0 NVMe and SAS solid-state drives (SSDs) have been successfully tested for compatibility and interoperability with Microchip Technology Inc (Microchip)’s Adaptec HBA 1200 Series, SmartHBA 2200 Series host bus adapters (HBAs) and SmartRAID 3200 Series RAID adapters.

As one of the broadest portfolios of SSDs in the industry, KIOXIA drives are available for client personal computers (PCs), as well as data centre, hyperscale and enterprise servers and storage systems.

According to a statement, KIOXIA CD6, CD8 and CM6 Series PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs, and KIOXIA PM6 and PM7 Series 24G SAS SSDs all successfully completed compatibility testing performed by Microchip.

Microchip’s Smart Storage Adapters bring market-leading performance, capabilities, management and interoperability.

They provide design flexibility with the ability to operate NVMe, SAS and SATA storage devices in a single connection, and offer a wide range of Tri-mode HBA solutions, including a 32-port variant.

The overall success of next-generation data centre infrastructures is dependent on ecosystem collaboration and interoperability efforts to ensure that current and future products and technologies work together seamlessly.

As a leader in enterprise and data centre SSDs, Kioxia is committed to driving the industry forward with innovative memory solutions that power the next wave of applications and services.

-- BERNAMA

INDIASPORA WELCOMES PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI TO THE UNITED STATES.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to the United States presents a historic opportunity for critical dialogue on issues pertaining to U.S.-India relations.

WASHINGTON, June 14 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Indiaspora, a nonprofit organization of global Indian diaspora leaders, expressed enthusiasm for India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States. Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to visit the United States from June 21 to June 23, 2023. This is a historic trip as Prime Minister Modi is only the third Indian leader after President S Radhakrishnan in 1963 and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2009 to be invited to the U.S. for a State visit.

“We are excited to welcome Prime Minister Modi to the United States,” said MR Rangaswami, Founder of Indiaspora. “The U.S.-India relationship has grown substantially over time and is poised to be the consequential partnership of the century. I expect several key issues to be discussed between Prime Minister Modi and President Biden including the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) and defense ties. I believe that the two countries also need to continue their dialogue on climate change.”

Indiaspora, as a diaspora leadership group that has convened track two diplomatic dialogues, is deeply invested in the U.S.-India relationship and its impact on the Indian diaspora. To further bolster the two countries’ relationship and to engage the global diaspora in envisioning India after 100 years of its independence, Indiaspora will be hosting a G20 Summit in New Delhi in August of 2023. This summit will bring together Indian-origin leaders from around the world to discuss geopolitics, trade and commerce, entrepreneurship and innovation, healthcare, philanthropy, education, arts and culture, and sports.

“This historic visit comes at a pivotal moment for U.S.-India relations. Indians and the Indian diaspora are center stage. Cross-border investments and diaspora engagements are growing exponentially. This aligns with our organizational goal to inspire the Indian diaspora to be a force for good” said Sanjeev Joshipura, Executive Director of Indiaspora. 

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BITMANU’S 3 NANOMETER ASIC MINERS FUTURE OF CRYPTO MINING

KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 (Bernama) -- Manufacturing company, Bitmanu announced its three nanometer ASIC miners, namely BM1, BM2 and BM Pro have been tipped by many experts as the future of crypto mining.

In a statement, Bitmanu said the immense power of its suite of next generation crypto miners have made them the most powerful and profitable mining rigs ever.

Powered by the latest and most advanced silicon semiconductor chips, Bitmanu miners offer higher transistor density, better mining speed and reduced power consumption.

However, the feature that sets Bitmanu miners apart from the rest is their hash rates. No other mining rig created so far has been able to match these hash powers.

Unlike most other products in the market, Bitmanu miners are extremely energy-efficient in spite of their extraordinary processing powers. The low power cost has made these miners a viable choice for many data centres as well as home mining projects.

-- BERNAMA

SCIMED (ASIA), LIFE SCIENCE SALES AND SERVICE DISTRIBUTING SUBSIDIARY OF PHC HOLDINGS CORPORATION, BECOMES WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY -- ACQUISITION EXPANDS PHC GROUP'S BUSINESS SUPPORTING RESEARCHERS AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS IN ASIA-PACIFIC --

TOKYO, June 15 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- PHC Holdings Corporation (headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan, President, Representative Director and CEO: Shoji Miyazaki, hereafter PHCHD) announces that it has acquired the remaining 30% stake in its subsidiary SciMed (Asia) Pte. Ltd. (headquarters: Singapore, hereafter SciMed), making SciMed a wholly owned subsidiary of PHCHD. PHCHD previously owned a 70% stake in SciMed. PHC Group, a global company which includes PHCHD and its subsidiaries, will use this acquisition to expand its life sciences business across the Asia-Pacific region.

SciMed offers life science products and services, including ultra-low temperature freezers and CO₂ incubators, in Southeast Asia, India, and Oceania. Since 1992, PHC Group and its predecessors have partnered with SciMed to expand business in these regions through SciMed’s extensive distribution network, expertise in the life sciences field, and its service capabilities. In July 2020, PHCHD increased its stake in SciMed from 14.99% to 70%, converting the company into a PHCHD consolidated subsidiary*.

The market for life science equipment in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow significantly, driven by regional expansion in the pharmaceutical industry and construction of new medical institutions in response to growing demands for biopharmaceuticals, such as antibody drugs and vaccines. As a wholly owned subsidiary, SciMed will be able to pursue deeper collaborations with other PHC Group divisions and subsidiaries, and enhance its sales and marketing structure across Southeast Asia, India, and Oceania. This will promote new business opportunities that answer precisely to customer needs, and accelerate the creation of innovative solutions that support researchers and healthcare providers facing challenges in the development of advanced treatments.

Nobuaki Nakamura, Corporate Officer and Co-head of the Diagnostics & Life Sciences Domain of PHCHD, said, “We are excited to welcome SciMed as our wholly-owned subsidiary. We have steadily expanded our business since SciMed became our consolidated subsidiary in 2020. In the near future, SciMed is well-positioned to become an operating location in Asia for other PHC Group businesses, which will expand sales activities in existing business and promote full-scale entry into areas of advanced treatments such as cell and gene therapies. PHC Group will continue to foster synergies between our global businesses, and contribute to empowering researchers to develop advanced therapies to help build a future of better healthcare.”

Overview of SciMed
Company name: SciMed (Asia) Pte. Ltd.
Headquarters: Singapore
Establishment: 1992
Managing Director: Sachihiko Kataoka
Business: Sales and service of life science equipment and consumables
Number of employees: 75 (as of March 31, 2023)
Number of business sites: 1

* www.phchd.com/global/news/2020/0707

About PHC Holdings Corporation

PHC Holdings Corporation (TSE 6523) is a global healthcare company with a mission of contributing to the health of society through healthcare solutions that have a positive impact and improve the lives of people. Its subsidiaries include PHC Corporation, Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings AG, Epredia Holdings Ltd., Wemex Corporation, and LSI Medience Corporation. Together, these companies develop, manufacture, sell and service solutions across diabetes management, healthcare solutions, diagnostics and life sciences. The consolidated net sales in FY2022 were JPY 356.4 billion with global distribution of products and services in more than 125 countries and regions. PHC Group is a collective term referring to PHC Holdings Corporation and its subsidiaries.
URL: www.phchd.com

About SciMed (Asia) Pte. Ltd.

SciMed (Asia) Pte. Ltd., headquartered in Singapore, is an established and leading provider of products and services for biomedical, life sciences, healthcare, drug discovery, pharmaceutical, laboratories, industrial tests, and agricultural markets. SciMed has become the wholly owned subsidiary of PHC Holding Corporation in 2023, advancing sales and marketing in life sciences business across Southeast Asia, India, and Oceania.
URL: scimed.com.sg/about-scimed 

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BM PRO CRYPTOCURRENCY MINER DOMINATES CRYPTO MINING SPACE

NEW YORK, June 14 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BM Pro, an exceptionally powerful mining rig from Bitmanu, is now in the wish list of many experienced as well as aspiring crypto miners. This ASIC miner is miles ahead of any other existing product in terms of its mining efficiency, ease of use, and profitability.
 

The most exciting feature of BM Pro is its hash power, which is significantly higher compared to any other mining hardware ever. The high popularity of this miner can also be attributed to its moderate power consumption of 2200W only.

Hash Rates:

• Bitcoin 3900 TH/s
• Litecoin 400 GH/s
• Dash 75 TH/s
• Monero 32 MH/s

Monthly Profits

• Bitcoin $7000
• Litecoin $9800
• Dash $26,000
• Monero $20,000

Though BM Pro users can mine one coin at a time, Bitmanu offers the provision to switch coins in real-time. This allows miners the freedom to mine the most profitable coin as per the current market trend. It comes pre-configured, generates very little heat and noise, and can be controlled remotely. These features have helped BM Pro make its way into data centers, homes, and even people’s bedrooms.

“We wanted to create mining rigs that that are not only ultra-powerful, but also super-easy to use. To use our miners, one just needs to connect the hardware to the internet and a power socket,” said David Letoski, CMO of Bitmanu.

To find out more about Bitmanu, please visit https://bitmanu.com/ 

About Bitmanu: Bitmanu is a manufacturing company created, owned, and managed by a team of investors and noted crypto industry experts dedicated to bringing the benefits of latest technological innovations to the public. The company offers a stunning range of crypto miners that offer superfast return on investment, and can be set up and used by all regardless of their experience and knowledge. 

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REGTECH SPEND GROWS TO 124 PCT BY 2028 - JUNIPER RESEARCH

KUALA LUMPUR, June 12 (Bernama) -- Juniper Research’s new study has found that spend on regulatory technology (regtech) by financial institutions and other industries will increase by 124 per cent between 2023 and 2028 globally, from US$83 billion in 2023. (US$1=RM4.61)

According to Juniper Research in a statement, regtech is a subset of fintech focusing on technology that can enable the delivery of regulatory requirements more efficiently and effectively than existing capabilities.

Increasingly complex regulatory requirements are driving corporates to adopt a range of new technologies to facilitate compliance. New approaches include the use of shared blockchain ledgers to improve anti-money laundering and fraud compliance at cryptocurrency exchanges.

Natural language processing is also being used to detect malicious actors in emails and phone calls; successfully identifying misconduct, conflicts of interest and financial crime.

As part of the study, Juniper Research released its latest Competitor Leaderboard for 2023 which ranked the top 23 regtech vendors, using criteria such as the level of innovation of their solutions, the number of industries they support and their future business prospects.

The top five vendors for 2023 are Encompass, Socure, Feedzai, Chainalysis and Fenergo.

The research found that the leading players offered streamlined identity verification automated by artificial intelligence (AI), and were able to successfully position themselves in many different industries, as regtech expands beyond just financial services.

In order to stay ahead of their competition, vendors must develop solutions that utilise AI and machine learning, which can automate processes such as identity verification.

The most successful vendors will leverage AI to reduce the manual requirements needed by compliance teams and allow them to focus on tasks that require human elements; lowering costs and increasing productivity significantly, at a time of strong cost pressures.

-- BERNAMA

ENCYCLOVISION JOINTLY WITH OVERSEAS CHINESE ENTERPRISES PROMOTE ESG CONSTRUCTION

SHENZHEN, China, June 12 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- In recent years, more and more Chinese enterprises have accelerated their pace of internationalization and started to develop in Europe, North America, and other places. "We noticed that Chinese companies going overseas not only pay attention to the quality of products and services, but also pay more attention to improving the multi-dimensional contribution of companies to society,” said Qiao Shu, founder of Encyclovision, a leading Chinese branding service provider in an interview with media.

Encyclovision is a company founded in Shenzhen, an international metropolis in southern China. With branches in Beijing and Hong Kong, and active local expert teams in North America, Europe and the Middle East, Encyclovision is committed to provide customers with global brand communication services.

Many international companies have been born in Shenzhen. Their products, ranging from electric vehicles to drones, from computer, mobile devices, to various household appliances, have benefited local consumers in every corner of the world.

"Now, more and more Shenzhen enterprises are beginning to go out and establish their branches in foreign countries," Shu added, "And this is just a sample of the accelerated integration of Chinese enterprises into the international economic society."

Encyclovision has a good cooperative relationship with many top international media. “We noticed a clear shift. Before, many customers wanted to simply introduce their products and services, but now they want to emphasize the company's contribution to the local society, and they begin to focus on long-term sustainable brand building. "

In recent years, Environmental, Social and Governance(ESG) has become a more and more important concept. According to Shu, “Many Chinese companies have also begun to publish ESG reports, actively introducing the ESG work of the company to the public. Such reports not only help enterprises to improve their own development, but also help them to improve their local brand awareness and reputation to international society.”

"Many Chinese companies have begun to use various international stages to showcase that they have participated in the process of public welfare activities in the international community, for example, we provided relevant brand services for many customers at COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh last year."

"ESG has become a consensus among enterprises, society, and the public. Definitely to Encyclovision as well, this is also the reason why we are committed to jointly promote ESG construction with our partners together.” 

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COHERE ANNOUNCES $270M SERIES C TO BRING GENERATIVE AI TO ENTERPRISES

Funding will accelerate Cohere’s leadership position giving enterprises the power of AI on the cloud platform of their choice, keeping their data private and secure

SAN FRANCISCO and TORONTO, June 9 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cohere, the leading AI platform for enterprise, today announced $270M in new capital as part of its Series C financing. Inovia Capital led the round, with additional participation from a diverse group of global institutional and strategic investors, including NVIDIA, Oracle, Salesforce Ventures, DTCP, Mirae Asset, Schroders Capital, SentinelOne, Thomvest Ventures, and returning investor Index Ventures. This group represents investors from the USA, Canada, Korea, the UK, and Germany, and includes some of the most respected technology companies in the world.

“AI will be the heart that powers the next decade of business success,” said Aidan Gomez, CEO and co-founder, Cohere. “As the early excitement about generative AI shifts toward ways to accelerate businesses, companies are looking to Cohere to position them for success in a new era of technology. The next phase of AI products and services will revolutionize business, and we are ready to lead the way.”

“We are at the beginning of a new era driven by accelerated computing and generative AI,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. “The team at Cohere has made foundational contributions to generative AI. Their service will help enterprises around the world harness these capabilities to automate and accelerate.”

AI Built for Enterprise
Cohere’s AI platform is uniquely designed for enterprises, offering data-secure deployment options in companies’ existing cloud environments, customization, and customer support. This includes an ecosystem of consulting and system integrator partners to help enterprises at any stage in their AI journey.

Cohere’s enterprise AI suite is cloud-agnostic, offering the highest levels of flexibility and data privacy. The platform is built to be available on every cloud provider, deployed inside a customers’ existing cloud environment, virtual private cloud (VPC), or even on-site, to meet companies where their data is. This empowers businesses to transform existing products and build the next era-defining generation of innovative solutions all while keeping their data secure.

“Our entire raison d’être is to invest in great entrepreneurs who have great worldwide mission and ambitions,” said Steve Woods, CTO and Partner, Inovia Capital. “Very few ideas can fundamentally change society and add more value to humankind. This is obviously one such opportunity and we are thrilled to partner with Cohere to be a part of it.”

Today’s news comes on the heels of Cohere’s momentum in several areas: a recent announcement to collaborate with Salesforce Ventures to advance generative AI to realize business value; an engagement with LivePerson to supercharge customer experiences; and a host of additional demand and interest from the enterprise market. As Cohere continues to advance its industry-leading technology, Stanford’s most recent language model evaluation has also ranked Cohere’s Command model highly in accuracy over comparable models. Meanwhile, Cohere recently released the first-ever publicly available multilingual understanding model trained on authentic data from native speakers; it’s equipped to read and understand over 100 of the world’s most commonly spoken languages.

“Cohere has a rare combination of top-tier talent, the most innovative technology and is best positioned to seize the global enterprise market opportunity for Generative AI and LLMs,” said Lance Matthews, Managing Director, DTCP. “Our unique fund structure and relationships allows us to gather a coalition of global institutional and strategic investors including Deutsche Telekom to accelerate Cohere's vision to bring this technology to enterprises worldwide."

To learn more about Cohere and its growing team, visit cohere.com. 

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Incognito, Tier-1 Southeast Asian Service Provider To Facilitate Delivery Of Metro Ethernet Services

KUALA LUMPUR, June 7 (Bernama) -- Incognito Software Systems Inc, a global provider of broadband service orchestration and device management solutions, has announced a new strategic partnership with a Tier-1 service provider in Southeast Asia that delivers world-class communications, entertainment and digital services.

According to a statement, this strategic partnership is to launch a new end-to-end platform for the rapid deployment of Metro Ethernet services to large enterprise customers with a “no-code” approach to service fulfillment.

“We are pleased to provide a solution that fits seamlessly within the operator’s existing OSS environment and architecture, offering open APIs and configurable business processes to manage the entire service lifecycle and facilitate the delivery of Metro Ethernet products," said  Incognito Business Unit Leader, Pete Koat.

To support the delivery of ultra-low latency Metro Ethernet services that meet the needs of mission-critical business data and applications, the operator looked to invest in next-generation equipment and service provisioning automation to provide customers with a faster and more reliable network.

By leveraging Incognito’s standards-based Service Activation Center, the operator is able to meet strict service level agreements (SLAs), speed time-to-market for new services, and innovate its enterprise offerings while also leveraging the platform to manage consumer-segment fiber services.

By implementing Incognito's solution for enterprise service provisioning, the operator can unlock a multitude of benefits, such as increased revenues from the automated turn-up of Metro Ethernet services; reduced information technology (IT) costs; and minimised impacts to northbound orchestration system.

These features enabled the operator to quickly move forward with their project and deploy a platform that enables them to manage the entire lifecycle of services using fully configurable business processes.

-- BERNAMA

NEW GENERATIVE AI-POWERED ZOOM IQ FEATURES ARE NOW AVAILABLE TO ZOOM USERS VIA FREE TRIALS

Zoom IQ meeting summary and chat compose features allow users to quickly summarize Zoom Meetings without recording and draft content in Zoom Team Chat

SAN JOSE, Calif., June 6 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today Zoom Video Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZM) launched key features of Zoom IQ, a smart companion that empowers collaboration and unlocks people’s potential through generative AI. Now available through free trials for customers in select plans,¹ the Zoom Meeting summary and Zoom Team Chat compose features will help teams improve productivity, balance workday priorities, and collaborate more effectively.

“With the introduction of these new capabilities in Zoom IQ, an incredible generative AI assistant, teams can further enhance their productivity for everyday tasks, freeing up more time for creative work and expanding collaboration,” said Smita Hashim, chief product officer at Zoom. “There is no one-size-fits-all approach to large language models, and with Zoom’s federated approach to AI, we are able to bring powerful capabilities to our customers and users through Zoom’s own models as well as our partners’ models.”

Zoom’s federated approach to AI leverages its own proprietary large language AI models, those from leading AI companies — such as OpenAI and Anthropic — and select customers’ own models. With this flexibility to incorporate multiple types of models, Zoom’s goal is to provide the most value for its customers’ diverse needs.

The first set of Zoom IQ capabilities is now generally available to Zoom customers in select plans as free trials:

• Meeting summary: Zoom Meeting hosts can now create a summary powered by Zoom’s own large language models and share it via Zoom Team Chat and email without recording the conversation. Hosts receive automated summaries and can share them with attendees and those who didn’t attend to improve team collaboration and speed up productivity.
• Chat compose: Zoom Team Chat users can now use the generative AI-powered compose feature, which leverages OpenAI’s technology, to draft messages based on the context of a Team Chat thread in addition to changing message tone and length as well as rephrasing responses to customize text recommendations.

Zoom is committed to empowering customers with the tools they need to control their data. In order to use these features, customers will need to go to the Zoom admin console and opt into the free trials for each feature. As part of the opt-in, customers will also select data-sharing options with Zoom. Account admins may change this data-sharing selection at any time. Customer data will not be used to train third-party models. More information can be found here.

To further help its customers and users, Zoom will continue to enhance its products with Zoom IQ capabilities. The next set of generative AI-powered features, scheduled to be released soon, will allow users to draft email content, summarize Team Chat threads, organize ideas, and draft whiteboard content:

• Email compose: Harnessing the power of generative AI, users will get email draft suggestions in response to the conversational context from prior Zoom Meetings, Zoom Phone calls, and email threads. Initially available in Zoom IQ for Sales, sales professionals will be able to quickly follow up with customers based on the context of their last conversation. Email compose will be generally available in the coming weeks.
   
• Zoom Team Chat thread summaries: Ever step away from the computer only to come back to a flurry of Team Chat messages? Available in the coming months, Team Chat thread summaries will allow users to catch up with the click of a button.
   
• Meeting queries: Joining a Zoom Meeting late can be both disruptive and confusing for the latecomer, but not anymore. Meeting queries will allow users to catch up quickly without disrupting the meeting flow by discreetly submitting a query via the in-meeting chat and receiving a generative AI-created summary of what they missed. The meeting queries feature is expected to be generally available in the coming months.
   
• Whiteboard draft: Who hasn’t experienced the “cold start” problem? A slow start to a brainstorming session can put a damper on idea generation, but with whiteboard draft, teams will be able to get a set of initial ideas, simply using text prompts. The whiteboard draft feature is expected to be generally available in the coming months.
   
• Whiteboard synthesize: Brainstorming sessions typically end with a lot of ideas that need to be organized in order to execute. The whiteboard synthesize feature automatically organizes ideas into categories, so teams can get to work faster. This feature is expected to be generally available in the coming months.

About Zoom
Zoom is an all-in-one intelligent collaboration platform that makes connecting easier, more immersive, and more dynamic for businesses and individuals. Zoom technology puts people at the center, enabling meaningful connections, facilitating modern collaboration, and driving human innovation through solutions like team chat, phone, meetings, omnichannel cloud contact center, smart recordings, whiteboard, and more, in one offering. Founded in 2011, Zoom is publicly traded (NASDAQ:ZM) and headquartered in San Jose, California. Get more info at zoom.com.

Zoom Public Relations
Lacretia Taylor
press@zoom.us 

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HITACHI ENERGY SIGNS AGREEMENTS WITH ENOWA AND SAUDI ELECTRICITY COMPANY TO DESIGN AND DEVELOP THE FIRST PHASE OF VISIONARY NEOM REGION TRANSMISSION SYSTEM

Collaboration to accelerate the development of NEOM in Saudi Arabia with up to 9 gigawatts of power transmission capacity 

Zurich, Switzerland, May 31 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hitachi Energy, a global technology leader advancing a sustainable energy future for all, has signed agreements under the supervision and management of the Ministry of Energy with the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) and with ENOWA. The agreements include the supply of three high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission systems to end customer ENOWA, the utility company for NEOM in Northwest Saudi Arabia. Built with sustainability in mind, NEOM is among Saudi Arabia’s Giga-Projects^¹ reshaping the future of development. The three HVDC links will have a total power capacity of up to 9 gigawatts (GW).

The agreements include an order from ENOWA’s engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) partner, the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) awarded to Hitachi Energy and its consortium partner, Saudi Services for Electro Mechanical Works (SSEM), to provide one of the world’s first 3 GW, 525 kilovolt (kV) HVDC Light^® transmission system connecting Oxagon, NEOM’s regional development, with the larger Yanbu area more than 650 kilometers away in Western Saudi Arabia.

Hitachi Energy’s scope of supply includes design, engineering, procurement of HVDC technology and commissioning of the HVDC Light converter stations. Whilst SSEM – a leading Saudi EPC specialized in power, water and industrial projects – will design and supply the AC equipment portion and perform the construction and the installation. The converter stations convert the power from AC to DC then back to AC for integration into the receiving grid. The converters will be sourced by and supplied to Saudi Electricity Company, who were contracted in 2022 by ENOWA to act as their EPCM to build this first HVDC system for NEOM. 

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UAE'S FALCON 40B, WORLD'S TOP-RANKED AI MODEL FROM TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION INSTITUTE, IS NOW ROYALTY-FREE

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, June 1 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Technology Innovation Institute’s (TII) Falcon 40B, the UAE’s leading large-scale open-source AI model, is now free of royalties for commercial and research use, in response to global demand for inclusive access to AI.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230531005608/en/

 

Ranked #1 globally on Hugging Face’s leaderboard for large language models (LLMs), Falcon 40B outperforms competitors like Meta’s LLaMA and Stability AI’s StableLM. Under the permissive Apache 2.0 software license, Falcon 40B end-users have access to any patent covered by the software in question. Apache 2.0 ensures the security and availability of safe and powerful open-source software and establishes an effective governance model.

TII’s unrestricted access to Falcon 40B highlights its dedication to technological innovation and knowledge-sharing, fostering a collaborative ecosystem and strengthening the UAE’s position as a global AI leader. In addition, it reflects the UAE’s commitment to pushing the boundaries in shaping a future where AI plays a pivotal role in driving positive change.

Open-source, royalty-free deployment of Falcon 40B could empower public and private sector entities with efficiencies such as faster project starts, faster iterations, more flexible software development processes, robust community-driven support, and easier license management.

TII aims to cultivate a thriving ecosystem of collaboration, innovation, and knowledge sharing among developers, researchers, and businesses globally. The move promotes transparency, inclusivity, and accelerated progress in AI for the world, unlocking diverse opportunities for its applications across industries and sectors.

Dr. Ebtesam Almazrouei, Director, AI Cross-Center Unit at TII, said: “Waiving Falcon 40B royalties promotes inclusive tech advancements for a cohesive society. We’re committed to using technology to unify humanity and future-proof our world.”

For more information about the current open sourced Falcon 40B AI model and registration, please visit: FalconLLM.TII.ae.

For Falcon 40B’s ranking, visit: https://huggingface.co/spaces/HuggingFaceH4/open_llm_leaderboard 

For more information, visit www.tii.ae 

*Source: AETOSWire 

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CLEANJOULE ANNOUNCES US$50M INVESTMENT BY INTERNATIONAL CONSORTIUM TO ACCELERATE SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUEL PRODUCTION

Funds raised will further develop CleanJoule’s technology to produce more cost-effective Sustainable Aviation Fuel; investors include Indigo Partners, GenZero, Cleanhill Partners, Frontier Airlines, Wizz Air and Volaris

SALT LAKE CITY, June 1 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- CleanJoule, a U.S.-based startup focused on the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), today announced a US$50 million investment round led by the principals of Indigo Partners, a U.S.-based private equity firm. The round also included participation by GenZero, a decarbonization-focused investment platform company of Temasek based in Singapore, Cleanhill Partners, a U.S.-based private equity firm focused on decarbonization and three airlines – U.S.-based Frontier Airlines, Europe-based Wizz Air and Mexico-based Volaris. Funds raised from the round will support the further development of CleanJoule’s technology to produce high-performance SAF from agricultural residues and other waste biomass more cost-effectively.

The funding round marks an important chapter in the global effort to mitigate carbon emissions and deliver meaningful climate action. SAF, a biofuel used to power commercial aircraft but with a smaller carbon footprint, could potentially contribute up to 65 percent of the reduction in emissions needed by the aviation sector to reach net zero in 2050, according to the International Air Transport Association. Depending on the feedstock and technologies used to produce it, SAF can reduce life cycle greenhouse gas emissions dramatically compared to conventional jet fuel.

As part of the consortium’s investment, Frontier Airlines, Wizz Air and Volaris have signed binding agreements to purchase up to 90 million gallons of SAF. The principals of Indigo Partners will also receive a board seat on CleanJoule’s Board of Directors.

Dr. Mukund Karanjikar, co-founder and chief executive officer of CleanJoule: “The aviation industry presents a key frontier in carbon emissions mitigation. There has never been a more crucial time for us to lead the change than through viable sustainable fuel alternatives. As we advance on the commercialization of our fuel technology, CleanJoule is well-positioned to scale the supply of SAFs in the market and shorten the runway in the transition towards a greener aviation industry. We are proud to have the support of our new investor partners, who not only share our mission but who have chosen to place their capital and trust in us to drive the transformation of global aviation.”

Bill Franke, managing partner of Indigo Partners: “Indigo Partners and its portfolio airlines are committed to decarbonizing air transportation, and the investment in CleanJoule will increase the supply of SAF to the industry. The company has developed a unique technology to convert abundantly available feedstocks into SAF with remarkable efficiency. We believe that CleanJoule will be a key player in the decarbonization puzzle of the aviation industry.”

Frederick Teo, chief executive officer of GenZero: “Decarbonizing aviation requires solutions that can be adopted at scale. CleanJoule’s fuel technology relies on widely available feedstock – agricultural waste – to produce a sustainable biofuel that could be cost-effective at scale with better fuel economy. Its unique approach also allows for higher levels of substitution with conventional aviation fuel thus creating a greater decarbonization impact. We are delighted to support CleanJoule to achieve greater adoption of SAF globally.”

Ash Upadhyaya and Rakesh Wilson, managing partners of Cleanhill Partners: “We’re excited to extend our partnership with CleanJoule. As one of CleanJoule’s earliest investors, we recognized the high value of the company's technology and the viability of its approach. We look forward to the next steps towards accelerating the commercialization of its SAF technology.”

About CleanJoule

CleanJoule Inc., headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, is focused on developing a breakthrough technology to produce superior and cost-effective SAF. CleanJoule’s manufacturing process offers high efficiency, feedstock flexibility, and a high degree of decarbonization. For more information, visit https://cleanjoule.com.

About Indigo Partners

Indigo Partners is a private equity firm established by W. A. Franke in 2003 to pursue acquisitions and strategic investments in air transportation and related industries. The firm has been a lead investor in the airline sector to include Tiger Airways based in Singapore as well as Spirit Airlines based in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and maintains lead investments in Wizz Air Holdings, Plc, a ULCC with multiple bases in Central and Eastern Europe; Frontier Airlines, a ULCC based in the US; Volaris Airlines, a ULCC based in Mexico; JetSMART, a ULCC based in Chile; Cebu Pacific, a ULCC based in the Philippines; Lynx Air, a ULCC based in Canada. Indigo is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.

About GenZero

GenZero is an investment platform company focused on accelerating decarbonization globally. Founded by Temasek, we seek to deliver positive climate impact alongside long-term sustainable financial returns by investing in opportunities with the potential to be nurtured into impactful and scalable solutions. Driven by a common purpose to decarbonize for future generations, we recognize the need for a holistic and integrated approach to achieve a net zero world. At GenZero, we adopt a flexible investment approach across three focus areas to drive climate impact: (i) nature-based solutions that help protect and restore our natural ecosystems while benefiting local communities and biodiversity; (ii) technology-based solutions that deliver deep decarbonization impact; and (iii) carbon ecosystem enablers which refer to companies and solutions that support the development of an effective, efficient, and credible carbon ecosystem. For more information, visit https://genzero.co.

About Cleanhill Partners

Cleanhill Partners is a private equity firm pursuing investments in the energy transition sector that contribute to decarbonization. The firm invests in scalable businesses with visibility into revenues, earnings, and cash flow growth, leveraging its thesis-driven approach and operational expertise to enhance value in each of our investments. For more information, visit www.cleanhillpartners.com.

About Frontier Airlines

Frontier Airlines (NASDAQ: ULCC) is committed to “Low Fares Done Right.” Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, the company operates 125 A320 family aircraft and has among the largest A320neo family fleets in the US. The use of these aircraft and Frontier’s seating configuration, weight-saving tactics, and baggage process have all contributed to Frontier’s continued ability to be the most fuel-efficient of all major U.S. carriers when measured by ASMs per fuel gallon consumed. With more than 220 new Airbus planes on order, including direct leases, Frontier will continue to grow to deliver on the mission of providing affordable travel across America. For more information, visit https://flyfrontier.com/.

About Wizz Air

Wizz Air, the fastest-growing European ultra-low-cost airline, operates a fleet of 181 Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft. A team of dedicated aviation professionals delivers superior service and very low fares, making Wizz Air the preferred choice of 27.1 million passengers in the Financial Year F22 ending 31 March 2022. Wizz Air is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker WIZZ. The company was recently named one of the world's top ten safest airlines by airlineratings.com, the world's only safety and product rating agency, and 2020 Airline of the Year by ATW, the most coveted honor an airline or individual can receive, recognizing individuals and organizations that have distinguished themselves through outstanding performance, innovation, and superior service. Wizz Air has also been recognized as the “Most Sustainable Low-Cost Airline” within the World Finance Sustainability Awards 2022 and the “Global Environmental Sustainability Airline Group of the Year” by the CAPA-Centre for Aviation Awards for Excellence 2022. For more information on Wizz Air, visit https://wizzair.com/.

About Volaris

Controladora Vuela Compañía de Aviación, S.A.B. de C.V. (“Volaris” or the Company) (NYSE: VLRS and BMV: VOLAR) is an ultra-low-cost carrier, with point-to-point operations, serving Mexico, the United States, Central, and South America. Volaris offers low base fares to build its market, providing quality service and extensive customer choice of products. Since the beginning of operations in March 2006, Volaris has increased its routes from 5 to more than 206 and its fleet from two to 122 aircraft. Volaris offers more than 570 daily flight segments on routes that connect 43 cities in Mexico and 28 cities in the United States, Central, and South America, with one of the most modern fleets on the American continent. Volaris targets passengers who are visiting friends and relatives (VFR), cost-conscious business, and leisure travelers. Volaris has received the Empresa Socialmente Responsable award for fourteen consecutive years; has been a member of the S&P Dow Jones Sustainability Index-MILA Pacific Alliance, since 2020; member of the &P/BMV Total Mexico ESG Index of the Mexican Stock Exchange, since 2021, and member of the FTSE4Good Index, since 2022. For more information, visit https://volaris.com. 

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