HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach Newswire - 23 October 2026 - Vietnam's healthcare spending is forecast to reach US$34.1 billion by 2028, while most medical equipment, finished medicines and active pharmaceutical ingredients are still imported; at the same time, policy is shifting its focus towards prevention and screening.

Global Health Week Vietnam 2027 takes place against this backdrop, where healthcare facilities, businesses and investors come together to discuss solutions, partnerships and investment in Vietnam.

Resources grow, and so does the need for innovation

Speaking at a workshop of the Health Strategy and Policy Institute on 24 December 2025, Dr Ong The Due said Vietnam's healthcare spending has grown by an average of around 7?8% a year: from US$17.4 billion in 2019 to an estimated US$27.5 billion in 2025, and is forecast to reach US$34.1 billion in 2028.

This growth comes with a shift in the direction of health care. Resolution 72-NQ/TW of the Politburo (September 2025) on protecting, caring for and improving people's health calls for a decisive shift from treatment-centred care to proactive prevention and continuous, life-course health care. Directive 17/CT-TTg of the Prime Minister (May 2026) calls for all citizens to receive a free periodic health check-up or screening at least once a year and to have a personal electronic health record by the end of 2026.

Funding has been allocated: the National Assembly has approved the investment policy for the National Target Programme on health care, population and development for 2026?2035 (Resolution 262/2025/QH15), with total funding of VND 88,635 billion (about US$3.4 billion) for 2026?2030, of which VND 47,692 billion is public investment capital. The second campus of Bach Mai Hospital (1,000 beds) has a 2025 procurement plan of 47 equipment packages worth more than VND 338 billion (about US$13 million).

The professional foundation is in place: Vietnam's essential health service coverage index reached 71 out of 100 in 2023, according to the World Bank; Vietnamese doctors have mastered multi-organ transplantation, fetal cardiac intervention and robotic surgery, performing more than 1,000 organ transplants a year. Yet at many facilities, equipment has not kept pace with the capabilities of the workforce.

The gap is clearly visible in the equipment market: according to the U.S. International Trade Administration (ITA), citing BMI forecasts, Vietnam's medical device market could grow from US$1.9 billion in 2024 to US$2.8 billion in 2029, while around 90% of equipment is still imported. Procurement therefore has to go hand in hand with technical transfer, consumables supply, data integration, maintenance and post-handover support.

The pharmaceutical sector faces a similar challenge: Vietnam imports around 60% of finished medicines and 90% of active pharmaceutical ingredients (ITA), while the National Strategy for Pharmaceutical Industry Development (Decision 1165/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister) targets domestically produced medicines meeting around 80% of demand and 70% of market value by 2030, with domestic raw materials meeting 20% of demand - which calls for manufacturing technology, quality control and technology transfer agreements with clearly defined responsibilities.

International capital is already present: the 2024 Statistical Yearbook records 159 valid FDI projects in health and social assistance, with registered capital of nearly US$1.77 billion. In 2023, Thomson Medical Group completed the acquisition of the company that owns FV Hospital, with an initial payment of US$352.8 million, and Raffles Medical Group signed a conditional agreement to acquire a controlling stake in and participate in the management of the American International Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City; AstraZeneca has committed to invest US$360 million in Vietnam through 2030.

From hospital needs to technology choices

Rising demand, expanding capital flows and the push for higher service quality are opening opportunities in Vietnam for global technology, infrastructure and solution providers; the next challenge is choosing the right solutions and putting them into operation. Global Health Week Vietnam 2027 takes place from 5 to 7 April 2027 at the Vietnam Exposition Center (VEC), Hanoi, co-organised by VEC and dmg events, and comprises three concurrent specialised exhibitions and conferences: Global Health Week Vietnam 2027 (health systems and care delivery), Laboratory & Diagnostics Vietnam 2027 (laboratory and diagnostics) and BioPharma Vietnam 2027 (pharmaceuticals and biotechnology).

The event targets around 30,000 attendees from more than 120 countries, including healthcare leaders, clinicians, administrators and decision-makers, among them 3,000 conference delegates; more than 500 exhibitors, more than 10 country pavilions and more than 300 domestic and international speakers.

Global Health Week Vietnam 2027 presents solutions in hospital infrastructure, operations, digital health, AI, preventive care and population health, alongside the high-level Global Health Week Vietnam Forum on health policy and investment, and the Innovation Theatre showcasing technology.

Laboratory & Diagnostics Vietnam 2027 addresses the need to strengthen testing capacity as screening expands, with the Diagnostics Innovation Zone covering molecular diagnostics, point-of-care technologies and AI-driven laboratory systems. BioPharma Vietnam 2027 focuses on manufacturing technology, quality standards and technology transfer, with Partnership & Investment Meetings bringing together manufacturers, investors and technology partners.

A need may begin at a patient's bedside, while the answer may lie half a world away from Vietnam. With fast-growing demand, capital already in place and an increasingly clear role in Asia's healthcare supply chain, Vietnam is a market that international suppliers are turning to. Global Health Week Vietnam 2027 creates more face-to-face meetings to close that distance: bringing technology closer to Vietnam's hospitals and patients and, from Vietnam, helping shape the future of healthcare in Asia.

Details and stand booking are available on each exhibition's website:

- Global Health Week Vietnam 2027: https://www.globalhealthweek-vietnam.com/

- Laboratory & Diagnostics Vietnam 2027: https://laboratoryandiagnostics-vietnam.com/

- BioPharma Vietnam 2027: https://biopharma-vietnam.com/

About the Vietnam Exposition Center (VEC)

The Vietnam Exposition Center (VEC) in Dong Anh, Hanoi is an international-standard exhibition and convention complex with a total area of around 900,000 m?, comprising indoor exhibition halls, outdoor squares, a convention centre, a theatre and stadiums. VEC hosted the National Achievements Exhibition 2025, which welcomed more than 10 million visitors in 19 days, and specialised trade weeks such as Vietnam Industry and Technology Week 2026 (VITW 2026).

Website: https://vec.global/

About dmg events

Founded in 1989, dmg events organises more than 80 events a year in more than 20 countries, attracting over 1 million visitors and delegates, with flagship events including ADIPEC, Gastech, EGYPES, Big 5 Global and Abu Dhabi Global Health Week. Website: https://www.dmgevents.com/

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Hashtags: #VEC

*Clera Cera is a new science-led dermatological skincare brand, with nine products for everyday use.

*Co-developed with Singapore's National Skin Centre, a member of NHG Health, with ingredients that fortify the Asian skin's natural barrier and lightweight textures suited to Asia's heat, humidity and pollution.

*Its Skin Barrier Resilience System combines Derma-Clera, powered by Cynanchum Atratum (Bai Wei) extract, with five skin-identical ceramides to Replenish, Repair and Relieve Asian skin.

*Clera Cera was shaped by listening sessions and usage tests from more than 18,000 consumers across five Asian markets

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 23 October 2026 - Clera Cera, a new science-led dermatological skincare brand made for Asian skin and designed for everyday use, launches today at Guardian and Mannings. Co-developed with an expert team from Singapore's National Skin Centre, a member of NHG Health, Clera Cera brings dermatologist-developed skin barrier care into everyday retail.

Heat, humidity and pollution can take a toll on Asian skin, and everyday habits such as frequent cleansing and use of harsh products strain the skin barrier. Research1 also suggests that Asian skin has a thinner outer layer, which makes the barrier more vulnerable to irritants. With about one in three people in Asia reported to have sensitive skin2, the need for skincare designed for these realities is growing.

The launch of Clera Cera comes amid growing consumer demand across Asia for skincare that soothes sensitive skin, supports daily preventive care and is both science-backed and accessible. Clera Cera's mission is simple: to make effective, dermatologist-developed skincare designed for Asian skin part of everyone's daily routine.

"Clera Cera marks a new chapter for Guardian and Mannings. We are going beyond selling health and wellness products to creating them, with the clinical expertise of NHG Health's National Skin Centre behind us. It takes dermatology beyond clinical walls to a shelf where customers already shop, at a price that fits an everyday routine. This is the one of the many ways we continue to democratise wellness and it's what being our customers' Trusted Wellness Advisor means," said Curtis Liu, Chief Executive Officer, Health and Beauty, DFI Retail Group.

Clera Cera is the first initiative focused on dermatological skin care under the long-term partnership between DFI Retail Group and NHG Health announced in October 2025 to strengthen preventive care and widen access to everyday health and wellness. It is the first time a public healthcare cluster in Singapore has worked with a retailer to make safe and effective health solutions backed by clinical research even more accessible to the public in Singapore and across Asia.

"One of NHG Health's mission is to enhance the health of the population we serve. Partnerships like this allow us to translate clinical knowledge and research into everyday health. What makes this collaboration with DFI Retail Group meaningful is that we are able to bring evidence-based care to people where they are, beyond the hospital and clinic. Skin health is only the starting point. The wider opportunity is in areas such as elderly nutrition and home care, which will be explored for our ageing population," said Professor Benjamin Seet, Group Chairman Medical Board (Research), NHG Health.

A Science-led Skin Barrier Resilience System to Replenish, Repair and Relieve Asian Skin

Clera Cera was co-developed with a leading dermatology team at Singapore's National Skin Centre, a member of NHG Health. Associate Professor Tey Hong Liang, who led the formulation of it with Ms. Winnie Choo, Principal Pharmacist, is ranked among the world's top 2% of scientists by Stanford University and Elsevier. The team's work spans more than 55 healthcare-related national and international awards, grants and fellowships for advancing skin health.

The core essence of Clera Cera's formulation is a Skin Barrier Resilience System that combines two key components:

Derma-Clera, powered by Cynanchum Atratum (Bai Wei) botanical extract, that helps soothe the skin;

Five skin-identical ceramides that help replenish essential lipids within the skin barrier, supporting hydration, repair and strength.

Working like building blocks, they help reinforce the Asian skin's natural barrier by supporting healthy barrier in three ways:

Replenish: Restores skin hydration, with moisture-attracting ingredients such as saccharide isomerate

Repair: Strengthens the skin barrier with five skin-identical ceramides

Relieve​: Soothes the skin with Derma-Clera, ​powered by a Cynanchum Atratum (Bai Wei) extract.

"Exposure to pollution and a warm, humid climate, together with frequent cleansing and use of harsh products weaken the protective barrier of the Asian skin over time. In our clinics, we often see this in patients with sensitive skin. The barrier depends on natural lipids such as ceramides, and it is best supported by gentle, consistent care, using lightweight formulations that people find comfortable applying every day,"said Associate Professor Tey Hong Liang, Clinical Director of the Centre for MedTech and Innovations, NHG Health, and Senior Consultant Dermatologist, National Skin Centre.

Made for Asian skin with feedback from Asian consumers

Shaped by listening sessions and usage tests from more than 18,000 consumers across Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam, Clera Cera overcomes common frustrations such as use of artificial fragrances and having sticky textures. The affordable, clean formula is designed for sensitive skin in humid climates.

The nine-product range spans body, face, targeted serums, and sun care made for Asian skin. Clera Cera is available now in Singapore, exclusively at Guardian Health & Beauty stores and online, and selected NHG Health pharmacies. Rollout in Brunei, Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Macau and Vietnam will follow, reaching eight markets across Asia, at more than 1,500 Guardian and Mannings stores and online.

Body Care

The lineup features the Gentle Hydrating Cleanser alongside the Skin Relief Moisturising Lotion, both suitable for sensitive, eczema-prone skin and babies from three months old. Both are formulated with the ingredient, saccharide isomerate, which provides 24-hour hydration in the non-soap cleaner and 72-hour hydration in the lotion. In a home user trial involving 104 participants, 89% of panellists agree that the lotion soothes skin in just three minutes.

Face Care

Daily facial care includes the Micellar Water Gentle Makeup Remover, Hydrating Foaming Face Wash, and Barrier Hydrating Aqua Cream. Engineered to prevent clogged pores in humid climates, the line removes waterproof makeup with micellar water while the foaming wash and aqua cream containing the ingredient saccharide isomerate delivers up to 24 hours and 72 hours of skin-balancing moisture respectively.

Target Serums

Intensive treatment is delivered through the B3 TXA Brightening Dark Spot Serum and Retinol Age Defense Serum. These contain active ingredients that target specific skin concerns while supporting the skin barrier.

Suncare

Broad-spectrum protection features two mineral formulas: the Daily Defense Physical Sunscreen Serum SPF 50 PA+++ and the Tone Up Physical Sunscreen Serum SPF 50 PA+++. Powered by Nano Zinc Oxide, both sunscreens reflect UVA/UVB rays and block 95% of blue light, featuring 40-minute water resistance.

[1] Infant Skin Barrier, Structure, and Enzymatic Activity Differ from Those of Adult in an East Asian Cohort. BioMed Research International. 2018. Liu Q, Zhang Y, Danby SG, Cork MJ, Stamatas GN.

[2] Chen W, Dai R, Li L. The prevalence of self-declared sensitive skin: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. 2020;34(8):1779-1788. DOI: 10.1111/jdv.16166 Meta-analysis comprising 26 studies and 51,783 participants globally, with a pooled Asian prevalence of 31% (95% CI 16?45%).

Clera Cera

Clera Cera is a science-led dermatological skincare brand made for Asian skin. Co-developed with the National Skin Centre, NHG Health, Singapore, the brand combines deep Asian skin expertise with dermatological science to deliver effective yet gentle care for everyday Asian life. Its Skin Barrier Resilience System is designed to support the way Asian skin naturally repairs itself, helping to replenish, repair and relieve for a strong, resilient Asian skin barrier.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Hashtags: #cleracera #Guardian #Mannings #dermatologist #skincare

QashierGM works from each merchant's own sales, payouts and menu, and gets routine work done with the owner's approval. With Crew, Qashier's new team chat, anyone on the team can tag @GM to get things done, and QashierGM acts only within each person's role.

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach Newswire - 23 October 2026 - Qashier, the unified merchant operating system serving more than 25,000 businesses across Southeast Asia, today launched QashierGM, an AI general manager that works with a merchant's whole team. Available at no additional cost to all Qashier merchants in Singapore,

QashierGM lives in QashierHQ, the web and mobile app (Android and iOS) merchants use to manage their sales, payouts, products and staff. Owners can ask it about sales, payouts and products in plain language. Merchants on the Qashier plan also get Crew, a new team chat where staff can bring QashierGM into any conversation by tagging @GM. Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines follow in November.

Because QashierGM works directly from each merchant's own transactions and settlements, it can do what a general-purpose chatbot cannot: explain, line by line, why a payout is lower than the day's sales, or show which outlet is underperforming this week. Owners get answers grounded in their actual operations, without piecing together reports.

"Most small business owners can't afford a general manager, so they become one after closing, going through reports at midnight," said Christopher Choo, Co-Founder and CEO of Qashier. "QashierGM is the manager they never had. It already knows the business, takes on the routine work and never makes a change without asking. With Crew, it now works alongside the whole team, not just the owner."

The launch follows an open beta that began in September with merchants ranging from single-outlet caf?s and shops to multi-outlet chains, with F&B operators the most active. Their most common questions were about sales trends, best sellers and payouts, and with the year-end festive season approaching, many are asking QashierGM to suggest festive promotions built around their most popular items.

Jun Rong, Operations Manager of Coexist Coffee Co., likens using QashierGM to talking to his store managers, only faster. "Running a caf? means wearing every hat, and the numbers usually wait until after closing. QashierGM already knows our sales, payouts and menu, so I just ask. When we plan a promotion, it suggests ideas based on what our customers actually buy, and nothing changes until I confirm. It feels like having a general manager who's been with us from day one."

QashierGM also takes routine admin off the owner's plate. An owner can ask it to update a price, mark an item as sold out or add a new product, and QashierGM shows a card with exactly what will change and where. Nothing goes live until the owner taps confirm. Multi-outlet operators can compare stores, spot the one underperforming and push a change to every store in one request. Store managers see and change only their own store. Owners can also set alerts in their own words, such as "alert me on any unusual refunds" or "tell me when the first staff clocks in", and QashierGM tells them when it matters.

Crew: the whole team, with QashierGM in the conversation

Crew, included in the Qashier plan and Enterprise plans, gives a merchant's team a work chat of its own, separate from personal messaging groups where messages get lost and former staff keep the history. Owners, managers, kitchen and floor staff get private direct messages, group chats by team or department, and announcements with read receipts. Anyone can tag @GM to check a number, update an item or send a customer an invoice with a payment link. QashierGM acts only with the permissions of the person who tagged it, sends bigger changes to whoever can approve them right in the chat, and posts an update when an invoice is paid. It only sees the conversations it is tagged into.

On a typical day, a floor staff member can mark a dish sold out, a manager can approve a price change from her phone, and an owner can send an event deposit invoice and see it paid, all in the same app. Crew and QashierGM work in all major languages used across the region, including English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay and Thai.

Connectors to third party apps such as Gmail and Google Business Profile arrive in November, extending QashierGM beyond Qashier to supplier emails, customer enquiries and Google reviews. "A good general manager handles the work wherever it lands, not just inside one system," added Choo. "This is the first step."

Qashier processes more than US$1 billion in annualised payment volume for over 25,000 merchants across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. The company has been profitable since December 2025 and raised US$6.125 million in Series A+ financing in June 2026. QashierGM is available now to all Qashier merchants in Singapore through QashierHQ on web, Android and iOS, at no additional cost. Crew is included in the Qashier plan and Enterprise plans. Both launch in Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines in November. To learn more, visit https://qashier.com/sg/.

Qashier Pte. Ltd.

Qashier is a unified merchant operating system that brings together payments, business software, embedded financial services and customer engagement tools on one platform. Operating across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines, Qashier supports more than 25,000 SMEs with an integrated ecosystem built for Southeast Asia's digital economy. Qashier is licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore as a Major Payment Institution. Founded in Singapore in 2019, Qashier gives merchants an AI general manager, QashierGM, and a team chat, Crew, through QashierHQ.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Hashtags: #Qashier #QashierGM

https://qashier.com/sg/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/qashier/

https://www.facebook.com/Qashier

https://www.instagram.com/qashier.sg/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@qashier.sg

Collaboration aims to improve trial planning and expand patient access to biomarker-matched studies in Australia

Highlights

Collaboration aims to accelerate precision oncology research in Australia

Combines Fortrea's experience in oncology clinical trials with Omico's Precision Oncology Screening Platform Enabling Clinical Trials (PrOSPeCT) program

Together, Fortrea and Omico offer more efficient investigator site selection and faster patient access by connecting patients with relevant biomarker-driven clinical trials

DURHAM, N.C. and SYDNEY, Oct. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fortrea (Nasdaq: FTRE) (the "Company"), a leading global contract research organization ("CRO"), and Omico, Australia's leading precision oncology screening and trial matching organization, today announced a collaboration to accelerate precision oncology research by helping connect cancer patients to biomarker-matched clinical trials.

By combining Omico's precision oncology network with Fortrea's scientific and clinical trial experience, the joint effort aims to improve study planning, site selection and patient recruitment to expand access to biomarker-driven oncology research globally.

Through this initiative, Omico will support Fortrea's clients in their oncology drug development needs by providing access to patient population insights, including genomic profiling, trial-matching capabilities, real-world oncology data and patient referral pathways in Australia, a key country both for early and late phase Oncology clinical research activities. The collaboration will combine Fortrea's oncology drug development experience with Omico's flagship Precision Oncology Screening Platform Enabling Clinical Trials (PrOSPeCT) program, the largest cancer genomics initiative in Australia. PrOSPeCT is designed to provide molecular profiling and help match patients to biomarker-driven clinical trials and targeted therapies.

"Our collaboration with Omico is about seeking to reach the right patient for the right study as quickly as possible," said Oren Cohen, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Fortrea. "Modern oncology development demands ever-greater precision to match specific cancers with the therapies most likely to benefit patients, and to do so as quickly as possible. Our work with Omico accelerates our ability to identify the right patients for biomarker-driven studies in Australia and help advance precision medicine for people with cancer."

Omico has built one of Australia's most extensive precision oncology ecosystems, combining molecular profiling, real-world evidence, cohort research programs and a nationwide network of investigators and clinical sites. Omico has reported more than 23,000 consented patients within its clinic-genomic databases and has received referrals from more than 1,600 clinicians across Australia.

"Australia is well positioned to support global biomarker-driven clinical trials, through Omico's established national precision oncology research infrastructure, expertise and networks," said Professor David Thomas, Chief Science and Strategy Officer at Omico. "By combining our national data and trial matching capabilities with Fortrea's global clinical development expertise, we can help international sponsors identify relevant patient populations, plan trials more effectively and support targeted recruitment."

Fortrea's oncology expertise is underpinned by thousands of operational professionals and supported by more than 50 oncology physicians on staff. This collaboration comes at a time when modern oncology drug development has accelerated the focus on precision medicine, biomarker-driven development and targeted patient identification. Working together, Fortrea and Omico can offer more efficient site selection and the ability to match patients with appropriate studies tied to their unique genomic data, enabling more people to participate in studies tailored to their specific condition in Australia.

About Fortrea

Fortrea (Nasdaq: FTRE) is a leading global provider of clinical development solutions to the life sciences industry. We partner with emerging and large biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device and diagnostic companies to drive healthcare innovation that accelerates life changing therapies to patients. Fortrea provides phase I-IV clinical trial management, clinical pharmacology and consulting services. Fortrea's solutions leverage three decades of experience spanning more than 20 therapeutic areas, a passion for scientific rigor, exceptional insights and a strong investigator site network. Our talented and diverse team working in about 100 countries is scaled to deliver focused and agile solutions to clients globally. Learn more about how Fortrea is streamlining drug development at Fortrea.com and follow us on LinkedIn and X and Bluesky.

About Omico

Omico is an independent, national, not-for-profit research organisation changing the way we fight cancer. We work to improve outcomes for Australians with cancer by providing equitable access to precision oncology and translating scientific advances into clinical care and research, and generating the evidence needed to inform health policy and system reform. Working with Australia's leading cancer institutes, researchers, clinicians, industry partners, advocacy groups and government, we are accelerating molecular profiling, biomarker-led clinical trials, personalised cancer risk management and real-world evidence.

About PrOSPeCT

PrOSPeCT is Australia's largest precision oncology initiative. Delivered by Omico and a national network of healthcare, research and industry partners, it provides eligible Australians with access to molecular profiling and matching to biomarker-led clinical trials and therapies (at no cost to the patient), while generating clinical, genomic, treatment and outcomes data to advance research, improve cancer care and inform future health policy.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

New capabilities of the Rhino Federated Computing Platform (Rhino FCP) connect securely to the systems inside the perimeter and make federated pipelines repeatable across every site.

BOSTON, Oct. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- At the Federate AI Summit, Rhino Federated Computing announced Trusted Integrations and Workflows, two capabilities on the Rhino Federated Computing Platform (FCP) that that turn federated AI pilots into production programs built on the enterprise's existing technology.

Published research on federated learning has grown more than 13-fold since 2020, and healthcare and life sciences is its fastest-growing application, according to a Rhino Federated Computing analysis of the OpenAlex research database. That body of work has settled whether AI can run on data that cannot move. Scaling it poses a different problem.

A pilot runs on one team, one dataset, and hand-written scripts, walled off from the rest of the enterprise. A program must repeat that work for every project at every site, draws on the data platforms and systems the enterprise already runs, and answers to stakeholders who ask what ran, what left each site, and what resulted. When every initiative means rebuilding by hand and every connection requires a security exception and custom integration, programs stall at the pilot. Agentic AI raises the stakes further: no enterprise will let AI act on its data until those actions are scoped and reviewable.

Trusted Integrations lets enterprises put the technology they already own to work on federated projects. Each Rhino Client is built to open an approved, scoped connection to systems inside the customer's secure perimeter, from FHIR servers and cloud data platforms to databases, object stores, private model serving, secrets managers, and managed health data services.

Customers keep control of their source data and networking. Data can move in either direction: a team can pull source data from a cloud data platform into the Rhino Client, or send approved context to a private model endpoint for an AI agent. Only what the integration allows crosses the connection, and the connection stays open only while the code that needs it runs.

Workflows turn multi-step federated work into software that teams build once, share, and run everywhere. A research network, for example, can publish one cohort-building Workflow and run it at every member hospital, so a data refresh or a twentieth site no longer requires starting over. Because each site runs identical steps, differences in results reflect the local data, not the method. Every Workflow run records the exact pipeline it executed, with each task's logs and outputs, so governance is embedded. The same structure makes Workflows a natural boundary for AI agents, which act only through steps a team has defined and can review.

Together, the two capabilities extend Rhino Data Activation and Rhino Federated Intelligence, the single-party and multi-party solutions built on the Rhino FCP. A drug discovery consortium can deploy fine-tuned models through each member's private model serving environment. A hospital can harmonize refreshed clinical data locally with Rhino's Data Harmonization Engine, then send only an approved FHIR payload to the FHIR server of its choice. A bank can prepare AI-ready datasets and send fraud assessments to the systems its investigators already use.

"Our customers have proven that federated AI works, so their ambitions are growing. They want it to draw on the technology they've already invested in and to deliver value continuously," said Antoni Abella Vendrell, VP of Product for Rhino Federated Computing. "Trusted Integrations and Workflows give our enterprise customers the automation and direct access to core systems to run federation within an enterprise context."

Trusted Integrations and Workflows are available now to Rhino FCP customers. To see both in action, request a demo with the experts at Rhino.

About Rhino Federated Computing

Rhino Federated Computing is a leader in commercial-grade federated AI and computing. We enable highly-regulated enterprises to activate the full value of sensitive data with full privacy preservation across internal and external silos. Our customers can run any workload, from analytics and model training to agents and AI, across their federated intelligence networks with complete transparency, control, and governance. By bringing code to the data rather than centralizing sensitive information, Rhino empowers life sciences, healthcare, financial services, and other industry leaders to collaborate securely, accelerate innovation, and deploy impactful AI at scale. To learn more, please visit www.rhinofcp.com or follow us at www.linkedin.com/company/rhinofc/.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Del Valle ISD Education Foundation has been named the winner of the F1 Allwyn Global Community Award at the 2026 FORMULA 1 MSC CRUISES UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX in Austin, Texas.

The non-profit, which works to enhance educational opportunities and empower students in the Del Valle community in Texas, has been awarded EUR100,000 from Allwyn, the lottery-led entertainment company.

The donation will directly fund the 'Fast Track' initiative to expand teaching grants, student scholarships, and STEM opportunities for 12,000 local students.

Despite living in the literal shadow of the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) and high-tech industry, 85% of students in the Del Valle community live in underserved communities and face systemic challenges which prevent them from accessing local prosperity. The Del Valle ISD Education Foundation aims to change this reality by leveraging proximity to COTA and other opportunities - tackling the financial, logistical, and infrastructural barriers that stand between local youth and successful, high-tech futures.

The Fast Track initiative, which will be funded by the donation from Allwyn, is a ground-up, comprehensive workforce development plan. Rather than just offering basic career awareness, the program actively bridges the gap between high school classrooms and Austin's thriving technology and engineering sectors. By eliminating cost barriers for the tools students need to thrive, funding STEM innovation grants focused on racing and technology, and arranging direct industry exposure through workshops and field trips, Fast Track delivers economic opportunity for students and their families - while also creating a sustainable local talent pipeline for hi-tech businesses in the area.

The Del Valle ISD Education Foundation's relationship with Formula 1 will continue to make a lasting impact through this Award. Situated right next door to COTA, the foundation connects students to the world-class engineering, logistical excellence, and innovation happening on the track. For young people whose daily environment presents significant financial hurdles, the Grand Prix represents more than speed - it serves as a direct, tangible inspiration for what they can achieve in STEM and tech industries.

Tatiana Jouanneau, Group Chief Brand Officer at Allwyn and F1 Allwyn Global Community Award judge said: "We are incredibly proud to support the Del Valle ISD Education Foundation. We created the F1 Allwyn Global Community Award to support initiatives that generate deep, lasting empowerment in the communities that surround the Grands Prix. The Del Valle project stood out for its direct route toward economic mobility for thousands of young people in the local area, perfectly capturing the spirit of the Award."

Ellen Jones, Head of ESG at Formula 1 and F1 Allwyn Global Community Award judge said: "At Formula 1, we operate on precision and data-driven performance, and it was clear that this team shares that same disciplined mindset. By anchoring their 'Fast Track' project in tangible, trackable KPIs, they've proven they are as committed to long-term accountability as they are to immediate support. We are proud to back an initiative that understands exactly how to turn investment into real, sustained change for the students who need it most."

Josh Thomas, Executive Director, Del Valle ISD Education Foundation, added: "We're incredibly excited to receive the F1 Allwyn Global Community Award. Our 12,000 Del Valle students live alongside a fast-growing corridor of racing, robotics, and hi-tech innovation, but poverty and systemic barriers stand between them and those careers. This Award allows us to launch Fast Track, a comprehensive initiative funding the internships, scholarships, and wraparound support that will help Del Valle students access these life-changing opportunities."

The Del Valle ISD Education Foundation is the fifth organisation to be recognised by the F1 Allwyn Global Community Award in 2026, following the British Starlight Children's Foundation; Canadian charity La Tabl?e des Chefs; Austrian non-profit Sindbad Mentoring, and Dutch charity Spieren voor Spieren. More organisations will be recognised across the Grand Prix race locations this season in Mexico City and Las Vegas. After all the season's winners have been announced, Formula 1 fans will have the chance to cast their vote on their favourite winning initiatives as part of Allwyn's plan to bring these fans closer to the programme.

Notes to editors

About Allwyn

Allwyn AG is a multi-national gaming entertainment company, lottery-led and with leading market positions and trusted brands across Europe and North America, listed on Euronext Athens. Its purpose is to make play better for all by focusing on innovation, technology, player safety and returning more to good causes across a growing casual gaming entertainment portfolio.

About Allwyn's partnership with Formula 1

The multi-year partnership with Formula 1 represents a drive towards increased global awareness for Allwyn, with the sport's 24 races across the globe, 750 million fans, and 96 million social media followers, as well as its reach across broadcast channels and entertainment outlets.

The partnership will reinforce Allwyn's position as an international brand driving community impact across the world, in support of its global growth plans.

At the heart of the partnership is the development of initiatives that will support the company's ambition to be a positive contributor to society globally. With Allwyn and Formula 1 equally committed to empowering fans and local communities, the partnership will give Allwyn the opportunity to utilise the sport's ever-growing international fan base to celebrate those making positive change, sharing these inspiring stories on a global level.

About Formula 1

Formula 1 racing began in 1950 and is the world's most prestigious motor racing competition, as well as the world's most popular annual sporting series. Formula One World Championship Limited is part of Formula 1 and holds the exclusive commercial rights to the FIA Formula One World Championship. Formula 1 is a subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation (NASDAQ: FWONA, FWONK, LLYVA, LLYVK) attributed to the Formula One Group tracking stock. The F1 logo, F1 Formula 1 logo, Formula 1, F1, FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, GRAND PRIX, PADDOCK CLUB and related marks are trademarks of Formula One Licensing BV, a Formula 1 company. All rights reserved.

Further information about the F1 Allwyn Global Community Award, including eligibility criteria and the selection process, can be found on our website: https://www.allwyn.com/responsibility/community-award.

About Del Valle ISD Education Foundation

The Del Valle ISD Education Foundation is an independent non-profit organisation dedicated to opening pathways of opportunity for students and educators across the Del Valle Independent School District. Located directly adjacent to major innovation hubs in Southeast Austin, the Foundation mobilizes community partnerships and philanthropic investment to drive academic achievement and long-term economic mobility. Through student scholarships, innovative teaching grants, family support resources, and ground-up workforce development initiatives like "Fast Track," the Foundation works to ensure that the rapid economic growth in Central Texas translates into shared prosperity for local youth, empowering them to excel in high-wage, cutting-edge careers. For more information, visit https://www.dvisdef.org.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

WUHU, China, Oct. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On October 22, during the global user ecosystem activities held alongside the 2026 Chery International User Summit, Chery launched the "Ride Green Life" lakeside low-carbon cycling ride. Under the shared vision of "One nature, one future," the initiative calls for integrating nature conservation, biodiversity and sustainable action into product experiences, user engagement, organizational decision-making and everyday life.

Beyond the high-tech exhibition area, an 10.6-kilometer low-carbon ride had just concluded. As part of the call to action, international media, industry partners and user representatives from around the world cycled around the park, scanned codes to record their carbon footprints and took part in the initiative in the most direct way.

Ride Green Life

During the event, IUCN highlighted its four-year programme Nature 2030: One Nature, One Future, which guides the Union's work to realise its vision of "a just world that values and conserves nature," and aligns with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Since launching the global "Cherish the Nature" partnership with IUCN in 2024, Chery and IUCN have continued to build a cooperation mechanism around nature conservation, environmental education and public engagement, delivering impact in safeguarding biodiversity, enhancing climate resilience, and empowering communities.

At the Summit, Chery donated Chery-branded jerseys signed by Robert Lewandowski, Chery's Global Brand Ambassador and UNICEF Poland Ambassador, to UNICEF China.

Since 2023, Chery Group has committed US$12 million to support UNICEF's global education programmes across Mexico, China, South Africa, T?rkiye, Indonesia, and Viet Nam. Chery also participated for the first time in a high-level meeting on the Learn AI Global Compact during the UN General Assembly High-Level Week, advocating technology- and innovation-driven education transformation.

Alongside this expanding green ecosystem, Chery's Volt-dragon Charger and V2G Smart Charging Center highlighted its advances in energy management. The megawatt-level ultra-fast charging technology can deliver "5 minutes of charging for 500 kilometers of range," while bidirectional V2G vehicle-to-grid interaction allows vehicles to charge during off-peak periods and feed electricity back to the grid during peak hours, transforming them into mobile storage units that can participate in urban grid dispatch.

*UNICEF does not endorse any company, brand, product or service.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

WUHU, Tiongkok, Oct. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Persaingan antar-produsen otomotif dalam pengembangan teknologi cerdas kini semakin pesat dan tidak lagi terbatas pada kabin kendaraan. Kemampuan persepsi, pengambilan keputusan, dan pengendalian yang terus disempurnakan dalam dunia otomotif kini mulai merambah ke lingkungan rumah, layanan perkotaan, dan berbagai ruang fisik lainnya.

AiMOGA Robotics, merek AI berwujud milik Chery, membuka pemesanan awal (pre-order) global untuk Mobo, robot pendamping rumah tangga pertamanya, dalam acara peluncuran global di Wuhu. Peluncuran ini menandai langkah AiMOGA dari sektor layanan komersial menuju pasar robot rumah tangga bagi konsumen.

Didukung oleh agen cerdas MoAgent, Mobo memadukan kemampuan mengenali tata ruang rumah, interaksi alami, pengendalian gerakan seluruh tubuh, memori jangka panjang, serta arsitektur kolaborasi antara komputasi edge dan cloud. Hal ini memungkinkan Mobo secara mandiri membagi tugas-tugas jangka panjang menjadi beberapa tahapan serta beradaptasi dengan lingkungan rumah yang kompleks. Dengan 22 derajat kebebasan gerak tubuh, Mobo mampu mengenali anggota keluarga, mengingat preferensi mereka, serta memastikan privasi data terlindungi secara menyeluruh. Mobo dirancang untuk memenuhi tiga kebutuhan utama, yaitu perawatan dan pendampingan lansia, pendampingan anak-anak, serta perawatan seluruh anggota keluarga.

Dalam acara tersebut, 35 pengguna awal ditunjuk sebagai Global Angel User Experience Ambassadors pertama Mobo. Sejak debut di World Robot Conference pada bulan Agustus lalu, Mobo telah menarik minat lebih dari 10.000 calon pengguna di seluruh dunia.

AiMOGA berencana membangun jaringan awal yang mencakup 300 pusat pengalaman di seluruh dunia. Perusahaan juga akan mendukung mitra ekosistemnya di berbagai bidang, termasuk solusi, pemasaran digital, layanan keuangan dan asuransi, serta dukungan purnajual. AiMOGA juga berencana menghadirkan merek penyewaan robot berskala global yang melayani sektor layanan kesehatan, transportasi, pendidikan, keamanan, budaya, dan pariwisata.

AiMOGA juga memamerkan Mornine, robot humanoid untuk menyambut tamu di lingkungan bisnis kelas atas; Intelligent Security Robot R001 untuk patroli keamanan publik; Robotic Nurse RN001 untuk memberikan panduan kepada pasien; serta Argos, robot berkaki empat untuk inspeksi khusus dan pengoperasian di luar ruangan. Total pengiriman komersialnya telah melampaui 3.000 unit, dengan kegiatan bisnis yang menjangkau lebih dari 60 negara dan wilayah.

Bagi Chery, AI berwujud merupakan kelanjutan alami dari pengembangan teknologi otomotifnya. Dengan memanfaatkan kembali 100% rantai pasokan otomotif dan 70% teknologi Litbang yang dimilikinya, Chery memungkinkan AiMOGA menawarkan kualitas berstandar otomotif dengan harga terjangkau. Langkah ini juga secara signifikan menekan biaya uji coba dan produksi massal dibandingkan dengan perusahaan rintisan (start-up) yang mengembangkan teknologi dari awal.

CheryMind, model fondasi yang dikembangkan khusus untuk AI fisik di bidang tertentu, mendukung teknologi berkendara cerdas, pesawat yang terbang pada ketinggian rendah, robot AiMOGA, sistem energi cerdas, serta mesin pertanian cerdas. Dengan berkembangnya AI berwujud dari tahap prototipe menuju penerapan skala besar, Chery memanfaatkan rantai pasokan otomotif, kemampuan manufaktur, dan jaringan globalnya untuk menciptakan kurva pertumbuhan kedua.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

JAKARTA, INDONESIA - Media OutReach Newswire - 22 October 2026 - The New Asia Forum (NAF) 2026 aims to mobilize US$30 billion in investment across the New Asia region by strengthening strategic partnerships and accelerating investment execution. Held under the patronage of President Prabowo Subianto, with Danantara Indonesia as a founding partner, the forum will take place on 3?4 December 2026 in Bali, Indonesia.

NAF 2026 is designed as an action-oriented platform connecting global investors, industry leaders, and policymakers to advance investment opportunities across strategic sectors. Moving beyond conventional economic dialogue, the forum seeks to translate investment interest into concrete commitments, financing structures, and measurable outcomes.

Pahala Nugraha Mansury, Managing Director of Global Relations & Communications at Danantara Indonesia, emphasized Asia's growing potential to attract long-term global capital amid shifting economic and geopolitical dynamics.

"Our focus is on encouraging long-term capital to recognize the many investment opportunities across Asian countries, because this is precisely where the center of gravity for growth lies. This will enable growth at scale, anchored by ASEAN and driven by Indonesia as the largest country in ASEAN," said Pahala.

The Asia-Pacific region currently accounts for nearly 60% of global economic growth. However, long-term international capital allocation to the region remains below its potential, presenting significant opportunities for greater investment collaboration.

NAF 2026 expects to convene more than 1,000 global leaders, feature over 100 speakers, and host more than 40 sessions involving sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, development finance institutions, multinational corporations, and government representatives. Notable speakers include President Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia; Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group; Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister of Bhutan; Kathleen Quirk, Chief Executive Officer of Freeport-McMoRan; Matteo Renzi, former Prime Minister of Italy; and Israfil Mammadov, Chief Executive Officer of the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The forum will follow a two-day structure: Discovery & Diligence on 3 December, focusing on investment opportunities, feasibility, and transaction structures; and Action & Execution on 4 December, advancing capital commitments, strategic partnerships, and implementation milestones.

Eight priority sectors will anchor the discussions: strategic resources and downstreaming; energy and power; advanced mobility and manufacturing; digital infrastructure and AI; food and agribusiness; trade and connectivity; tourism and creative economy; and education and human capital.

As a founding partner, Danantara Indonesia will participate as a co-investor alongside global partners, supporting investment in strategic sectors and reinforcing Indonesia's role in regional economic transformation.

Through its transaction-focused approach, NAF 2026 aims to deliver preliminary investment agreements, bankable financing structures, and clearly defined implementation milestones. Investment commitments and progress will be tracked across subsequent editions to promote accountability, continuity, and tangible economic impact for Indonesia and the wider region.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Hashtags: #NewAsiaForum2026

MIAMI, Oct. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SKYX Platforms Corp. (NASDAQ: SKYX) (the "Company" or "SKYX"), a highly disruptive platform technology company with over 120 patents and pending applications globally and over 60 lighting and home d?cor websites, with a mission to make homes and buildings safe and smart as the new standard, today provides a corporate update.

Highlights Recent Events

The combined SKYX and Deako pipeline is estimated at over 4 million units with an expected average selling price of approximately $50 per product.

SKYX's subsidiary Deako announced it will supply over 80,000 units to 1,000 homes of prominent builder Maronda Homes.

The Company recently signed an agreement to supply two 65 stories luxury Trump Towers with over 2.2 million SQF in one of India's leading tech cities Hyderabad, expecting to deploy tens of thousands of units.

SKYX recently announced it will supply its technologies during a renovation of a Marriott city center hotel in Durham, NC.

Maintaining Strong Cash Position

The Company reported $27.7 million in total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash as of the end of the second quarter of 2026 and continues to maintain a strong cash position to achieve its business goals, including achieving positive cash flow as it exits 2026.

The Company reported 10 consecutive quarters of year-over-year growth and expects to continue this pattern of quarterly growth.

SKYX Patented Turbo Heater Fan

Despite a very hot summer, SKYX's sales of its patented Turbo Heater Fan continued to grow during the summer with all retailers, including Home Depot, Lowe's, Target, Walmart, Costco, Amazon, Wayfair, and through SKYX's e-commerce platform of 60 websites.

The Company expects sales of its Turbo Heater Fan to grow significantly during the fall and winter seasons in both the retail and builder segments.

Due to increasing demand, SKYX intends to launch new designs in both larger and smaller sizes and in five different colors.

SKYX Deako Merger Highlights

Synergies

SKYX's full product line is expected to create an opportunity to increase Deako's revenue per home by up to fivefold.

Synergies between SKYX and Deako are expected to reduce annual cash expenses by over $6 million. In addition to expected revenues from sales, both SKYX and Deako use the razor-and-blades model and are expected to provide additional future revenues from upgrades, as well as recurring revenue opportunities from plug & play product interchangeability, AI services, monitoring, subscriptions, and licensing, among other sources.

The merger opens the door for Deako's products in SKYX projects, including Marriott and European hotels and Miami's $4 billion Smart City.

Stock Consideration & Lock-Up

In consideration for the merger, SKYX issued 25,000,000 shares of common stock, subject to a 12-month full lock-up (followed by quarterly leak-out releases at 12, 15, 18, and 21 months after the closing, with share sales subject to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan).

Deako's Market Acceptance and Strategic Relations

Deako's lead investors include Paul Jacobs, former Chairman and CEO of Qualcomm; Deako's former board member Marwan Fawaz served as CEO of Nest (Google).

Deako has recently extended its supply agreement with leading builders D.R. Horton and Stone Martin.

Deako has shipped over 32 million units, including its smart plug-in wall switches, and generated over $26 million in revenue in 2025.

Deako is a leading technology supplier with over $26M in 2025 revenues and has shipped over 32 million units, including its smart home plug-in wall switches, to over 50 U.S. homebuilder customers, including D.R. Horton, Toll Brothers, Risewell Homes, Adams Homes, Maronda Homes, Shea Homes, and Schumacher Homes, among many others.

The merger between SKYX and Deako will enable SKYX to offer an A-to-Z AI and smart home plug & play solution for homes and buildings, including wall outlets, wall switches, and ceiling outlet boxes for smart home and safety products, lighting, ceiling fans, and smoke detectors, among others.

Most smart home solutions today require time-consuming and costly wired installation and address only part of the A-to-Z opportunity, while the combined company aims to offer a complete A-to-Z AI and plug & play smart home solution.

SKYX's Signed Agreements Prior to Merger with Builder / Hotel Segments

The Company recently signed an agreement to supply two 65 stories luxury Trump Towers with over 2.2 million SQF in one of India's leading tech cities Hyderabad, expecting to deploy tens of thousands of units.

SKYX recently announced it will supply its technologies during a renovation of a Marriott city center hotel in Durham, NC.

SKYX announced its technology will become a brand standard for European hotel developer Group OTT, a developer of over 250 hotels and buildings across Europe.

SKYX's future U.S. and international projects include Miami's new $4 billion Smart City and projects in North Carolina, Austin, San Antonio, South Florida, New York, Europe, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.

SKYX is progressing toward its goal to become a brand standard for national and international hotel chains and builders.

Technology Licensing and Roadmap

SKYX has recently signed a licensing agreement for its advanced technologies with Eurofase, a leading lighting company in the U.S., Canada, and global markets.

SKYX expects to continue its licensing model for its vast patent portfolio as part of its safety code standardization efforts, as well as through licensing to leading tech companies.

SKYX will be launching a new AI-driven system and infrastructure for its e-commerce platform of 60 websites, expected to significantly increase its conversion rate and sales.

The Company secured U.S. and global strategic manufacturing partnerships with premier manufacturers in the U.S., Vietnam, Taiwan, China, and Cambodia.

Safety Standardization Mandatory Code and Insurance Exposure

SKYX's Safety Code Standardization Team is receiving support from a prominent new leader in connection with its government safety agency process for mandatory safety standardization of its electrical ceiling outlet/receptacle technology.

SKYX's code team is led by industry veterans Mark Earley, former head of the National Electrical Code (NEC), and Eric Jacobson, former President and CEO of the American Lighting Association (ALA). The Company's Safety Code Standardization Team believes it will garner assistance from additional safety organizations in its mandatory safety code standardization efforts based on the product's significant safety aspects. Mr. Earley and Mr. Jacobson were instrumental in numerous code and safety changes in both the electrical and lighting industries. Both strongly believe that, considering the Company's standardization progress, including ANSI / NEMA (American National Standards Institute / National Electrical Manufacturers Association) voting to approve its product specification and its technology being voted into 10 segments of the NEC Code Book, its technology has met the necessary safety conditions for becoming a ceiling safety standardization requirement for homes and buildings.

The Company strongly believes its products can save insurance companies many billions of dollars annually by minimizing risks (e.g., reducing fires, ladder fall injuries, and electrocutions). Management expects that insurance companies will use the Company's range and variations of its safe advanced plug & play products to reduce their exposure and minimize their risks. 

About SKYX Platforms Corp.

As electricity is a standard in every home and building, our mission is to make homes and buildings safe-advanced and smart as the new standard. SKYX has a series of highly disruptive advanced, safe, smart and AI platform technologies, with over 120 U.S. and global patents and patent pending applications. Additionally, the Company owns 60 lighting and home d?cor websites for both retail and commercial segments. Our technologies place an emphasis on high quality and ease of use, while significantly enhancing both safety and lifestyle in homes and buildings. We believe that our products are a necessity in every room in both homes and other buildings in the U.S. and globally. For more information, please visit our website at https://www.skyx.com/ or follow us on LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made in this press release are not based on historical facts, but are forward-looking statements. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "aim," "anticipate," "believe," "can," "could," "continue," "estimate," "expect," "evaluate," "forecast," "guidance," "intend," "likely," "may," "might," "objective," "ongoing," "outlook," "plan," "potential," "predict," "probable," "project," "seek," "should," "target," "view," "will," or "would," or the negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words.

These statements reflect the Company's reasonable judgment with respect to future events and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which have outcomes difficult to predict and may be outside our control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include statements relating to the Company's ability to successfully launch, commercialize, develop additional features and achieve market acceptance of its products and technologies and integrate its products and technologies with third-party platforms or technologies; the Company's ability to achieve positive cash flows; the Company's efforts and ability to drive the adoption of its products and technologies as a standard feature, including their use in homes, hotels, offices and cruise ships; the Company's ability to capture market share; the Company's estimates of its potential addressable market and demand for its products and technologies; the Company's ability to raise additional capital to support its operations as needed, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all; the Company's ability to continue as a going concern; the Company's ability to execute on any sales and licensing or other strategic opportunities; the possibility that any of the Company's products will become mandatory under the National Electrical Code (NEC), code or otherwise code mandatory in any jurisdiction, or that any of the Company's current or future products or technologies will be adopted by any state, country, or municipality, within any specific timeframe or at all; risks arising from mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and other collaborations; the Company's ability to attract and retain key executives and qualified personnel; guidance provided by management, which may differ from the Company's actual operating results; the potential impact of unstable market and economic conditions on the Company's business, financial condition, and stock price; and other risks and uncertainties described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q.

There can be no assurance as to any of the foregoing matters. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by U.S. federal securities laws.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

A statue tells the story of "Half a Quilt" in Shazhou, Hunan Province, central China. /VCG

BEIJING, Oct. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CGTN published an article marking the 90th anniversary of the Red Army's victory in the Long March. Using the story of "Half a Quilt" as a starting point, the article highlights President Xi Jinping's emphasis on carrying forward the Long March spirit as China advances its modernization, while exploring what international observers believe China's development experience can offer the Global South.

In the winter of 1934, three female Red Army soldiers arrived at the home of Xu Jiexiu, a poor villager in Shazhou Village, Hunan Province, during the Long March. Seeing that Xu's family had little to keep them warm, the soldiers cut their only quilt in half and left a portion with her before departing.

The gesture became known as the story of "Half a Quilt," a lasting symbol of the bond between the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the people.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday recalled the story at a gathering commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Red Army's Long March victory.

"Only by remembering history can we create a brighter future," said Xi. He stressed that the people's support was crucial to the victory of the Long March and called for new achievements on China's journey toward modernization.

From half a quilt to better lives

When Xi visited the "half a quilt"-themed exhibition hall in September 2020, he called for standing together with the people on the Long March of the new era.

Today, that commitment is reflected in efforts to improve livelihoods. The village provides monthly subsidies for residents aged 60 and above and covers half of villagers' basic medical insurance contributions. A child-friendly service program also extends across nine neighboring villages.

For Xu's descendants, the changes are tangible. Her grandson, Zhu Xiaohong, once lived in poverty. With support from local CPC authorities, he received culinary training and opened a restaurant.

"In the past, the Red Army gave us half a quilt; now the Party has brought us happy lives," Zhu has said.

Josef Gregory Mahoney, a professor of politics and international relations at East China Normal University, told CGTN that the Long March's enduring lesson is that public trust is built by addressing people's needs and sharing both hardships and achievements. Today, poverty alleviation and rural revitalization likewise depend on ensuring that people see tangible benefits in their lives.

As Xi stressed on Thursday, staying committed to the Party's ideals and purpose and relying closely on the people are essential to creating new achievements.

A new Long March

Today, Shazhou is forging its own path on the new Long March, turning its revolutionary heritage and ecological resources into opportunities for sustainable development and shared prosperity.

The village has restored revolutionary sites and developed red tourism while improving its living environment through river management, sewage treatment and waste collection. The wider area has also promoted specialty fruit growing and integrated agriculture with tourism, creating new opportunities for local businesses and employment while supporting more sustainable rural development.

The results are reflected in local figures. Shazhou was removed from the list of impoverished villages in 2018. By 2025, villagers' annual per capita net income had risen from less than 4,000 yuan (about $634) in 2012 to more than 25,000 yuan, while collective village income had grown from virtually zero to over 1 million yuan.

Brazilian expert Rafael Henrique Zerbeto, who joined a program retracing the Long March, noted that putting the people first remains vital to China's development. From safeguarding revolutionary heritage to fostering characteristic industries that boost local incomes, he observed how China is channeling the Long March spirit into a driving force for high-quality development.

A recent CGTN survey of 12,000 respondents across 41 countries found that 63.9% of global respondents closely associate CPC leadership with China's development achievements. Among respondents from Global South countries, the figure reached 71.4%.

For Mahoney, the Long March also offers lessons for the Global South: development paths must reflect local conditions, while shared challenges require international cooperation. Its broader message is that lasting progress comes from drawing on a country's own strengths while working with others toward common goals.

As Xi said in his anniversary speech, the spirit of the Long March remains "a precious treasure and a powerful driving force inspiring us to overcome difficulties and forge ahead courageously."

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

Dari Desain Berkelas hingga Kenyamanan yang Dipersonalisasi, Persinggahan di Tepi Danau Menunjukkan Dimensi Baru Kenikmatan Berkendara

WUHU, Tiongkok, Oct. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pada 20 Oktober, sebagai bagian dari Uji Berkendara Media Global (Global Media Test Drive) LUXEED di Chery International User Summit 2026, para jurnalis yang berpartisipasi singgah di Lakeside Caf?, sebuah kafe yang berada di tengah kawasan Hutan Bambu Jishan.

Setelah melintasi jalan raya dan jalan pegunungan yang berkelok-kelok, para tamu menemukan sisi lain dari pendekatan LUXEED dalam menghadirkan kemewahan cerdas. Suasana di tepi danau memberikan kesempatan bagi mereka untuk mengenal lebih jauh desain, kualitas pengerjaan, dan berbagai fitur kenyamanan yang membentuk pengalaman berkendara di dalam kendaraan.

Desain Berkelas: Sambutan Elegan dari Luar hingga Dalam

Berlatar perairan yang tenang dan rimbunnya bambu di sekitarnya, kendaraan LUXEED dari Chery Group memamerkan detail desain yang menghadirkan permainan cahaya dan bayangan. LLOUNGE memiliki gril berbentuk bintang yang khas dengan aksen krom berkilau, serta dilengkapi proyeksi cahaya penyambutan interaktif di permukaan tanah yang menyala saat pintu samping dibuka. Sementara itu, STORMAX memadukan postur lebar dan rendah dengan proporsi mobil sport 1,26 serta lampu depan berbentuk L. Interaksi gaya atletis dan teknologi canggih ini menghadirkan karakter yang dinamis. Pada kedua model tersebut, jok berlapis kulit Nappa full-grain dengan perforasi menghadirkan sensasi sentuhan yang berkelas di dalam kabin. Sistem pengharum kabin menghadirkan sentuhan aroma yang lembut, sedangkan pengatur suhu otomatis tiga zona membantu menjaga suasana yang nyaman. Perpaduan fitur-fitur ini menciptakan suasana kabin nyaman melalui pemilihan material, pencahayaan, aroma, serta pengaturan suhu yang dirancang dengan cermat.

Tempat untuk Memulihkan Diri: Kenyamanan Kursi Gravitasi Nol dan Fitur Pijat

Selama singgah di tepi danau, kabin LUXEED menjadi tempat yang nyaman bagi para jurnalis media untuk bersantai di sela-sela sesi uji berkendara. LLOUNGE dilengkapi dua kursi gravitasi nol di baris kedua yang dapat direbahkan hingga sudut 123?. Dipadukan dengan sandaran kaki elektrik yang dapat diatur dalam empat arah serta pijakan kaki elektrik independen, kursi ini dapat disesuaikan hanya dengan menekan satu tombol untuk menciptakan posisi rebah lebih dalam yang ideal untuk bersantai. Sistem pijat mekanis terintegrasi menawarkan empat teknik pijat yang memberikan tekanan pada titik-titik tertentu di punggung dan pinggang untuk membantu meredakan ketegangan otot setelah berkendara dalam waktu lama.

STORMAX juga dilengkapi dua kursi gravitasi nol di bagian depan serta sistem penopang samping kursi dinamis yang cerdas. Sistem pijat kursi 16 titik dan fitur penyesuaian kontur adaptif menyesuaikan penopang samping kursi dengan bentuk tubuh pengguna. Fitur-fitur ini membantu pengemudi dan penumpang depan menikmati perjalanan yang lebih nyaman dengan dukungan tubuh yang lebih baik.

Tempat Peristirahatan yang Lebih Tenang: Kenyamanan Akustik dan Suara yang Imersif

Menutup pintu membantu menciptakan suasana kabin yang lebih tenang dengan melindungi penumpang dari embusan angin dan suara sekitar di luar kendaraan. LLOUNGE dilengkapi mode Privacy Acoustic Shield yang didukung oleh 12 panel kaca laminasi akustik berlapis ganda, serta kaca privasi pintar dan penghalau sinar matahari. STORMAX dilengkapi delapan panel kaca laminasi akustik berlapis ganda serta penghalau sinar matahari dua lapis yang tersembunyi untuk membantu mengurangi kebisingan dari luar dan mengatur cahaya yang masuk ke dalam kabin. Sistem audio semakin memperkuat suasana tenang ini. LLOUNGE dilengkapi sistem audio dengan 33 speaker yang dirancang untuk menghadirkan suasana layaknya gedung konser. Sementara itu, sistem audio spasial panoramik 7.1.4 pada STORMAX memberikan pengalaman mendengarkan yang imersif.

Bagi LUXEED, kemewahan lebih dari sekadar daya tarik visual. Kemewahan ini tercermin melalui teknologi yang berfokus pada manusia, perhatian terhadap setiap detail, serta kenyamanan yang menyertai sepanjang perjalanan. Persinggahan di tepi danau memberikan kesempatan bagi para perwakilan media global untuk merasakan langsung filosofi ini yang tidak hanya berfokus pada performa berkendara, memperlihatkan bagaimana perpaduan teknologi cerdas, desain berkelas, dan kabin yang dirancang dengan cermat dapat menjadikan perjalanan lebih menyenangkan. Bagi LUXEED, inilah esensi dari "Mobilitas sebagai Kenikmatan."

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

The Longtime President Will Oversee the Energy Transition Advisory Firm and Further Expand the Company's International Operations in Partnership With LRQA

DES MOINES, Iowa, Oct. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EcoEngineers, an audit and advisory firm focused exclusively on the energy transition, today announced the promotion of Brad Pleima to Chief Executive Officer. Pleima, who has served as President of EcoEngineers since 2021, succeeds retiring Shashi Menon.

Menon co-founded EcoEngineers in 2009, and under his leadership, built the company into a recognised leader in low-carbon fuels, carbon markets and energy transition consulting and auditing. He played an instrumental role in guiding EcoEngineers through its acquisition by LRQA and the subsequent integration, positioning the company for continued growth under Pleima's leadership.

Ian Spaulding, Chief Executive Officer of LRQA, said:

"Brad has been a driving force behind EcoEngineers' success since he joined in 2017, working alongside Shashi and the broader team to shape the company into the trusted adviser it is today. Brad combines deep technical expertise with a practical understanding of our clients' challenges and opportunities. As CEO, Brad is the right leader to build on EcoEngineers' strong foundation and expand its impact across LRQA's global client base."

As CEO, Pleima will continue to oversee EcoEngineers' transition into LRQA, which acquired EcoEngineers in March 2025. The acquisition added nearly 100 sustainability experts to LRQA and expanded its capabilities in carbon accounting, emissions verification, climate regulation and carbon markets.

Pleima's focus is to continue serving EcoEngineers' core clients, while also bringing the company's low-carbon fuel and energy transition expertise to LRQA Climate's global client base. He also leads strategic growth initiatives to help clients enter new global markets and pursue emerging opportunities in areas such as maritime, methane management and forestry, while continuing to deliver EcoEngineers' foundational auditing and advisory services.

EcoEngineers' accreditation by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) National Accreditation Board (ANAB) has enabled the company to provide independent auditing, validation, verification and assurance services across clean fuels, energy transition, sustainability and carbon markets. These services include greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory verification, U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Quality Assurance Program (QAP) audits, federal and state clean fuel program verification, Section 45Z and 45V tax credit verification, carbon offset project verification, and voluntary and compliance carbon market assurance services.

EcoEngineers is also an approved auditor under the Ammonia Energy Association (AEA) Ammonia Certification System, an approved verifier for Green-e programs, and a recognized reporting entity under CleanCounts. Together with LRQA, EcoEngineers provides Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) certification services, including Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) and the European Union Renewable Energy Directive (EU RED) certifications, and is pursuing International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) certification body status as it expands its global certification and verification capabilities across Europe, Asia and other international markets.

Brad Pleima, Chief Executive Officer of EcoEngineers said:

"I'm honoured to lead EcoEngineers into its next chapter and continue the work Shashi and his co-founder Jim Ramm started. Our team has built its reputation on science-based, credible work, and joining LRQA has given us the scale and reach to take that further. My priority is making sure our clients and our people feel the benefits of this combination every day, while we keep delivering the rigour, accuracy, auditing and advisory services EcoEngineers is known for."

Pleima has more than 20 years of leadership experience in renewable energy and engineering. Since joining EcoEngineers, he has led strategic planning, operations and the executive team while advising more than 300 renewable energy facilities and supporting over $5 billion in renewable energy projects. His expertise spans the planning, design and construction of water, wastewater and renewable energy projects, including renewable natural gas (RNG), ethanol, biodiesel, renewable diesel, renewable electricity and emerging fuels. He also advises utilities, energy companies, project developers and investors on clean fuel programs and voluntary carbon markets worldwide. Pleima serves as Vice Chair on the board of directors of the American Biogas Council and has led the Water Environment Federation's Biofuels Task Force.

About EcoEngineers

EcoEngineers, an LRQA company, is a consulting, auditing, and advisory firm exclusively focused on the energy transition and decarbonisation. EcoEngineers helps its clients navigate the disruption caused by carbon emissions and climate change working at the intersection of low-carbon fuel policy, innovative technologies and the carbon marketplace. For more information, visit www.ecoengineers.us.

About LRQA

LRQA is the leading global risk management partner. Through its connected risk management solutions, LRQA helps clients navigate an evolving global landscape to keep organisations one step ahead. From quality assurance to safety, cybersecurity, climate performance and responsible sourcing, LRQA works with clients to identify risks across their business. LRQA's team of experts then creates smart, scalable solutions, tailored to help organisations prepare, prevent and protect against risk.

Through relentless client focus, backed by decades of sector-specific expertise, data-driven insight and on-the-ground specialists across assurance, certification, inspection, advisory and training, LRQA supports organisations in more than 150 countries.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

Layanan baru ini mengubah pengetahuan, templat, dan praktik terbaik perusahaan menjadi agen AI yang dapat disesuaikan, untuk menghasilkan presentasi bisnis yang profesional dan siap pakai di dunia bisnis

NEW YORK, Oct. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Templafy, platform pembuatan dokumen berbasis agen AI, hari ini mengumumkan peluncuran Templafy Team. Layanan baru ini memungkinkan tim profesional membangun, menyesuaikan, dan membagikan Agen Dokumen yang dirancang khusus sesuai kebutuhan mereka, dengan dukungan pengetahuan perusahaan, templat, serta konten tepercaya.

Dengan semakin banyaknya integrasi AI dalam alur kerja bisnis sehari-hari, para profesional kini memiliki lebih banyak alat untuk menghasilkan konten dibandingkan sebelumnya. Namun, memastikan hasilnya berkualitas tinggi dan konsisten masih menjadi tantangan. Hal ini terutama terasa ketika tim harus berulang kali membuat presentasi, proposal, dan materi untuk klien yang serupa.

Templafy Team dirancang untuk tim yang banyak berurusan dengan dokumen, seperti tim konsultan, jasa profesional, layanan keuangan, dan penjualan. Layanan ini memadukan Agen Dokumen yang dapat disesuaikan dengan teknologi pembuatan dokumen milik Templafy yang telah dipatenkan. Kini, tim bisnis tidak perlu lagi berulang kali memberikan perintah kepada AI atau menyusun ulang presentasi dari pekerjaan sebelumnya. Mereka dapat menuangkan pengetahuan, keahlian, dan praktik terbaik ke dalam agen bersama yang bisa digunakan kembali dalam berbagai alur kerja berulang.

Oskar Konstantyner, CPO Templafy, mengatakan: "AI telah semakin mempermudah pembuatan konten, tetapi menghasilkan dokumen hanyalah satu bagian dari upaya menuntaskan pekerjaan. Peluang yang lebih besar justru terletak pada kemampuan tim untuk menciptakan agen AI yang memahami cara kerja bisnis mereka, dengan memanfaatkan pengetahuan, keahlian, dan cara kerja yang sudah ditetapkan di lingkungan mereka sendiri.

"Melalui Templafy Team, kami memadukan fleksibilitas untuk membangun agen sendiri dengan kemampuan pembuatan dokumen yang dibutuhkan untuk menghasilkan karya berkualitas tinggi dan siap dipakai di dunia bisnis. Alih-alih setiap orang menggunakan AI dengan caranya sendiri, tim dapat memanfaatkan pengetahuan dan praktik terbaik bersama demi menciptakan pendekatan yang lebih konsisten dan mudah dikembangkan."

Layanan ini memungkinkan tim profesional untuk:

Membangun dan membagikan Agen Dokumen khusus: Buat dan sesuaikan agen AI untuk kebutuhan bisnis yang berulang. Dengan begitu, keahlian dan cara kerja tiap individu dapat menjadi kemampuan yang bisa digunakan kembali oleh seluruh tim.

Mendayagunakan pengetahuan perusahaan: Jadikan informasi, metodologi, dan praktik terbaik perusahaan yang tepercaya sebagai pijakan AI. Dengan demikian, hasil yang diperoleh benar-benar mencerminkan bisnis Anda, tidak hanya bergantung pada perintah (prompt).

Membuat presentasi PowerPoint yang profesional dan sesuai identitas merek: Hasilkan presentasi asli yang dapat langsung diedit menggunakan templat dan aset perusahaan yang telah disetujui. Cara ini memangkas waktu untuk menyusun ulang dan merapikan format hasil buatan AI.

Bekerja dalam alur kerja AI yang sudah ada: Akses Agen Dokumen Templafy melalui PowerPoint, ChatGPT, Claude, dan Microsoft Copilot. Tim pun tidak perlu beralih dari alat yang sudah biasa mereka gunakan.

Lebih dari sekadar pembuatan awal: Manfaatkan agen AI untuk mengembangkan presentasi, melakukan penyuntingan, dan meninjau hasilnya agar selaras dengan pengetahuan serta standar perusahaan.

Templafy Team tersedia dengan masa uji coba gratis selama 14 hari. Untuk informasi selengkapnya, kunjungi https://www.templafy.com/teams/.

Catatan untuk editor

Tentang Templafy

Templafy adalah platform pembuatan dokumen berbasis agen AI terkemuka yang memungkinkan para profesional membuat dokumen yang akurat, sesuai standar, dan konsisten dengan identitas merek, dan lebih efisien.

Platform kami membantu perusahaan mengendalikan AI pada momen-momen penting dengan memberikan konteks yang tepat, batasan yang sesuai, dan pengetahuan yang telah disetujui perusahaan kepada agen AI sebagai dasar kerjanya. Melalui pendekatan kami, agen AI memadukan konten buatan AI dengan otomatisasi berbasis aturan untuk menghasilkan dokumen berkualitas tinggi dan tepercaya dengan cepat. Pendekatan ini tidak mengorbankan kontrol maupun konsistensi organisasi, dengan biaya token yang tetap rendah dan dapat diprediksi.

Teknologi Templafy yang telah dipatenkan dapat diakses langsung melalui alat seperti Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Salesforce, serta asisten AI seperti Claude, ChatGPT, dan Copilot. Teknologi ini menyederhanakan alur kerja dokumen, mengurangi risiko, dan membuat tim lebih yakin saat menangani dokumen yang paling penting.

Lebih dari 4 juta pengguna di seluruh dunia mengandalkan Templafy untuk mempercepat pembuatan konten bisnis dengan AI. Templafy dipercaya oleh pemimpin industri termasuk KPMG dan BDO. Platform ini membantu tim menghemat lebih dari 30% waktu yang biasanya digunakan untuk membuat konten berulang, seperti proposal, surat penugasan, dan laporan audit sehingga mereka dapat fokus pada pekerjaan yang menghasilkan pendapatan.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

SYDNEY, Oct. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TradFi perpetual futures bring 24/7 continuous trading to global traditional markets through the Axi Trading Platform and MT5.

Axi is expanding its perpetual futures offering into traditional financial markets, extending access to eligible clients beyond its existing cryptocurrency lineup and bringing continuous trading opportunities to traditional asset classes.

Available through the Axi Trading Platform and MetaTrader5 (MT5), the expansion enables eligible clients to access traditional financial markets 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including weekends. The launch builds on Axi's existing crypto perpetual futures offering, broadening its product range to reflect evolving approaches to accessing global markets.

Traditional financial markets have historically operated around established trading sessions with market access shaped by exchange opening hours, closing times and holidays. Perpetual futures offer a different approach, allowing traders to speculate on price movements without taking ownership of the underlying assets and without the fixed expiry dates associated with conventional futures contracts.

Unlike traditional futures contracts, which expire on a predetermined date, perpetual futures have no contract expiry date or rollover requirement. Positions can be opened on either side of the market, allowing traders to take long or short positions based on their market outlook. Periodic funding rates provide a mechanism associated with the pricing of perpetual contracts.

By extending this product structure into traditional markets, Axi is broadening the range of instruments available to eligible clients through its trading platforms, while offering greater flexibility around when they can access supported markets.

Greg Lunz, Head of New Product and Innovation Growth at Axi said, "Expanding perpetual futures into traditional markets gives eligible clients greater flexibility in how they access and engage with familiar asset classes. By bringing 24/7 trading to TradFi markets through the Axi Trading Platform and MT5, we're building on our existing offering to give clients more choice in how they approach changing market conditions."

The expansion reflects the continuing development of trading products designed to provide access beyond conventional market schedules. For traders seeking to respond to developments outside standard trading hours, the availability of supported traditional-market instruments around the clock offers an additional way to engage with price movements.

TradFi perpetual futures are accessible to eligible Axi clients through the Axi Trading Platform and MT5, subject to applicable eligibility requirements and product availability. Clients can visit the official Axi website to explore available instruments, contract specifications and account options.

About Axi

Axi is a global online FX and CFD broker, providing thousands of clients across 100+ countries with access to financial markets through intuitive trading platforms, advanced tools, and educational resources. Its product suite includes forex, CFDs, and perpetual futures, with availability varying by region and entity.

Promoted by AxiTrader LLC. Trading carries a high risk of investment loss. This content may not be available in your region.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

*Two strong partners aim to accelerate AI-enabled clinical development

*Building a foundation for Digital Patient Twins to bring safe and effective therapies to patients sooner

*Potential co-development of projects in Animal Health and business functions

Cologne, Germany - Boehringer Ingelheim and Microsoft today announced a strategic collaboration that aims to bring safe and effective therapies to patients sooner fueled by AI.

The collaboration will focus on jointly investigating the potential of Digital Patient Twins in clinical development. Digital Patient Twins are computational representations of individual patients that use clinical and other relevant data to predict how a disease might progress and how outcomes could evolve under different scenarios. 

The joint research will explore disease-progression modelling, predictive outcome modelling and advanced trial simulation, including whether these approaches could support synthetic or hybrid control arms, which are alternatives to a conventional clinical control group, using existing data, and in the case of hybrid control arms, a combination of both.

In the end, the research may help reduce the number of patients required in control groups, accelerate the generation of clinical evidence, and improve clinical trial design. This way patients could potentially get faster access to innovative medicines, allow more trial participants to benefit from new treatments and increase the efficiency of drug development. Using clinical and other relevant data, these computational models may improve clinical research and evidence generation, with the aim of bringing new therapies to patients faster.

"The collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim brings together pharmaceutical and scientific expertise with Microsoft's capabilities in AI and engineering. Germany is home to world-class pharmaceutical research and development. Together, we want to explore how technology could open new opportunities for clinical research," says Agnes Heftberger, Corporate Vice President and CEO of Microsoft Germany and Austria.

Boehringer Ingelheim and Microsoft intend to assess scientific and technical feasibility through modeling, prototyping and evidence generation across multiple disease and therapeutic areas, starting with lung health.

"Boehringer Ingelheim is developing the richest pipeline in its history, and it is our goal to make clinical research more responsive to patients' unmet needs. Exploring AI-enabled approaches, including the future potential of Digital Patient Twins, could support more patient-centric, informed and efficient clinical research," said Dr. Lykke Hinsch Gylvin, Chief Medical Officer at Boehringer Ingelheim. "Crucially, scientific quality, patient safety and regulatory requirements must always be upheld. This partnership supports us in pursuing that ambition responsibly and in compliance with applicable requirements."

AI transformation across the entire workforce

Boehringer Ingelheim aims to become a Frontier AI company in Human Pharma and Animal Health by embedding AI responsibly across its value chain. Building on one of the largest Microsoft Copilot deployments in the pharmaceutical industry, the company is combining broad employee access with role-based use cases, skills development, governance and secure technology foundations.

"Successful AI adoption depends on more than technology alone," said Harsha Deshmukh, Member of the Board of Managing Directors at Boehringer Ingelheim, responsible for IT and Global Business Services. "What matters is enabling our employees to use AI responsibly and unlock its potential through scalable solutions across the complete value chain and all business units."

The partnership also encompasses security and datacenter modernization, supporting a secure, resilient and future-ready technology foundation for AI-enabled innovation. The partners are also exploring potential co-development projects in other areas, including Animal Health, business processes and technology infrastructure.

Boehringer Ingelheim

Boehringer Ingelheim is a biopharmaceutical company active in both human and animal health. As one of the industry's top investors in research and development, the company focuses on developing innovative therapies that can improve and extend lives in areas of high unmet medical need. Independent since its foundation in 1885, Boehringer takes a long-term perspective, embedding sustainability along the entire value chain. Our approximately 54,300 employees serve over 130 markets to build a healthier and more sustainable tomorrow. Learn more at www.boehringer-ingelheim.com.

Microsoft 

Microsoft Germany GmbH was founded in 1983 as a subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation (Redmond, U.S.A.) and employs more than 3,000 people across seven locations in Germany: Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, Munich, Stuttgart and Walldorf. Together with our 30,000 partners in Germany, we support organizations with innovative solutions for the intelligent cloud and intelligent edge, helping them succeed in the digital transformation and the age of AI.

Microsoft is also a global leader in areas including productivity software, IT security, innovative hardware and development platforms, including those based on open-source technologies. Through LinkedIn, our professional network connects more than 950 million people worldwide, while Xbox and Game Pass provide gaming experiences across platforms.

Microsoft is investing in the expansion of AI infrastructure and cloud capacity as well as in developing digital skills in Germany. Together with government, business and academia, we participate in a wide range of initiatives and projects to ensure that everyone can benefit from the progress of our digital society.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

Building the operational foundation for next-generation intelligence across hotel environments

SINGAPORE, Oct. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- YYForce Inc. (Nasdaq: YFOR) ("YYForce" or the "Company"), an AI-enabled workforce management and integrated facility management provider, today outlined its vision to develop an integrated platform connecting human expertise, artificial intelligence, robotics and smart-building systems.

The Company's long-term ambition is to establish operational infrastructure that could support future superintelligence applications in hospitality and the built environment, if such capabilities become available.

The planned platform is intended to help hotel operators coordinate staffing, service delivery, robotic tasks and building performance through a common operational layer. YYForce aims to connect information from hotel systems and IoT sensors with workflows that enable people, robots and connected equipment to respond to operational needs.

Building Operational Infrastructure for Future Superintelligence

YYForce's proposed approach is intended to bring together human judgment and service expertise, AI-assisted forecasting and planning, robotics and humanoid systems for suitable physical tasks, and IoT-enabled monitoring and control. Development priorities include data integration, task coordination, outcome verification and human supervision.

For example, as envisioned, a connected workflow could potentially use checkout information to schedule housekeeping, allocate suitable robotic support and adjust room lighting and cooling within approved comfort limits. Completion records and sensor feedback would potentially help operators verify room readiness and assess operational performance.

"Our ambition is to give increasingly capable AI a practical way to understand and support real hotel operations," said Mike Fu, Chief Executive Officer of YYForce. "By connecting people, robotics and building systems, we aim to turn operational information into coordinated action and measurable results. Over time, we believe this infrastructure could support future superintelligence applications, while keeping operational authority and accountability clearly defined."

Connecting Smart Building Upgrades with the Superintelligence Vision

As part of this direction, YYForce plans to integrate hotel upgrade solutions involving occupancy and environmental sensors, lighting controls, temperature management, equipment monitoring and maintenance workflows. The objective is to help properties improve guest comfort, reduce avoidable energy consumption and respond earlier to equipment issues.

The Company intends to support hotels' progress toward lower-carbon operations through energy monitoring, operational optimisation and performance measurement. Smart-building upgrades alone do not establish net-zero carbon status. Any future net-zero claims would require a defined emissions boundary, verified performance and appropriate measures addressing energy supply and remaining emissions.

A Measured Development Path Toward Future Superintelligence Applications

YYForce's proposed development approach would begin with defined hospitality workflows, establish performance baselines and evaluate results before expanding automation. Intended evaluation areas include service completion, room readiness, workforce productivity, energy use and reliability. Improvements would be tested before wider deployment, with human escalation and operating limits appropriate to each application.

The superintelligence vision is a long-term strategic ambition. YYForce is not announcing that it has developed artificial general intelligence or artificial superintelligence. The near-term focus is an integrated operational platform; any future use of superintelligent systems would depend on advances in underlying AI capabilities and successful technical and operational validation.

About YYForce

YYForce Inc. (Nasdaq: YFOR) is an AI-enabled workforce management and integrated facility management provider headquartered in Singapore and operating across Asia and beyond. Through its workforce technology and IFM businesses, YYForce provides workforce deployment, management and facility services solutions across multiple service industries.

The Company's workforce platform, YY Circle, supports workforce deployment and management across sectors including hospitality, food and beverage, retail and other service industries. Within its IFM operations, YYForce combines frontline facility services with technology solutions designed to improve workforce productivity and operational efficiency.

YYForce's long-term strategy is centered on building an integrated future workforce ecosystem in which human workers, intelligent software, automation and robotics increasingly work together to deliver services more efficiently.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company bases these forward-looking statements on its expectations and projections about future events, which the Company derives from the information currently available to it. You can identify forward-looking statements by those that are not historical in nature, particularly those that use terminology such as "may," "should," "expects," "anticipates," "contemplates," "estimates," "believes," "plans," "projected," "predicts," "potential," or "hopes" or the negative of these or similar terms. Statements regarding the planned development, features, timelines and commercialization of the Workforce OS platform and related robotics applications are forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and the forward-looking events discussed in this press release may not occur, and actual events and results may differ materially and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions about the Company and a number of factors.

These factors include, but are not limited to, the Company's goals and strategies; the Company's future business development, financial condition and results of operations, including the introduction of new products and services, expected changes in the Company's revenues, costs and expenditures, anticipated customer growth, and demand for and market acceptance of the Company's products and services; and industry, market and regulatory conditions, including competition, government policies and regulations affecting the Company's industry, and other factors that may affect the Company's financial condition, liquidity and results of operations.

For a more detailed discussion of risk factors, please refer to the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's most recent annual report on Form 20-F, as amended. Readers should also consider the risks described in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. YYForce undertakes no obligation to update these statements except as required by applicable law.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

*Introducing the industry's first Industrial AI Agents at the Edge, providing a practical pathway to Physical AI

*Built on HPE Private Cloud AI, autonomous AI agents operate directly within industrial environments, continuously monitoring, reasoning, and optimizing operations in real time

*Addresses three key barriers to industrial AI adoption at scale: data sovereignty, cybersecurity and AI consumption costs

BERLIN, Oct. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Schneider Electric, a global energy technology leader, today announced a strategic collaboration with NVIDIA and HPE to accelerate the adoption of Physical AI across process and heavy industries.

While much of today's Physical AI conversation is focused on robotics, humanoids and autonomous machines, process industries face a distinctly different challenge. Operators must manage complex, continuous operations where reliability, safety, cybersecurity and energy efficiency are critical to performance. Yet until now, there has been no clear blueprint for how Physical AI can be practically applied across these complex environments.

Schneider Electric, NVIDIA & HPE share a vision to bring AI closer to industrial operations, embedding intelligence directly within the environments where decisions are made and value is created. As an initial demonstration of this vision, the companies are today introducing Industrial AI Agents at the Edge.

The solution combines HPE Private Cloud AI, co-engineered with NVIDIA within the HPE AI Factory with NVIDIA portfolio Schneider Electric's deep operational technology expertise to enable organizations to securely deploy and scale AI applications at the industrial edge, bringing real-time intelligence closer to critical operations while maintaining control over sensitive data, security and costs.

Many industrial organizations continue to face challenges when scaling AI across operational environments. Requirements around data governance, cybersecurity, operational performance and AI deployment can create barriers to broader adoption. By operating at the edge, the solution helps address three challenges that continue to limit industrial AI at scale:

Data sovereignty. Critical operational data is often too valuable, sensitive or regulated to move beyond operational boundaries. HPE Private Cloud AI provides the secure foundation for Industrial AI Agents at the Edge, enabling organizations to deploy AI close to operations while maintaining control, security, and compliance.

Cybersecurity. Increased connectivity can introduce additional risk across industrial and critical infrastructure environments. HPE Private Cloud AI reduces the attack surface by keeping and processing the data close to its source.

AI consumption costs. As AI usage grows, cloud-based inference, data transfer and token-related costs can increase, creating challenges for organizations looking to scale AI across sites, assets and operations. Deploying AI at the edge with HPE Private Cloud AI can help reduce some of these costs while providing greater control over where and how AI workloads are executed.

Through Schneider Electric's EcoStruxure Industrial Insights apps customers can deploy, manage and govern multiple Industrial AI Agents through a single environment, simplifying lifecycle management, security oversight and maintaining full control of critical operations and infrastructure.

The first Industrial AI Agents focus on operational technology monitoring, cybersecurity and energy optimization. Their practical application can already be seen in industrial environments with companies such as CMPC Chile.

Operational Technology Monitoring System in Production: CMPC

The foundation for this next step is already proven at CMPC Chile, part of Empresas CMPC S.A., one of Latin America's largest pulp, paper and packaging producers. For the past three years, CMPC Chile has used Schneider Electric's OTMS in production to monitor the health and availability of control systems across its continuous pulp and paper operations.

OTMS provides CMPC's teams with a unified view of control systems, servers, workstations and switches, helping specialists identify emerging issues earlier, diagnose problems faster and establish clearer maintenance priorities. This proven deployment demonstrates the value of OTMS as a control-system monitoring solution and provides a strong operational foundation for the future introduction of Industrial AI Agents, with the potential to accelerate investigation and decision-making while keeping people in control of critical action.

The first three Industrial AI Agents at the edge

OT Monitoring Agents: Combines real-time operational data, equipment configurations, process topology, alarms, maintenance history and engineering context to understand the physical state of industrial operations. The agents identify emerging issues, reasons about likely operational impacts, recommends or initiates corrective actions, and verifies that the intervention delivers the expected physical outcome.

Cybersecurity Agents: Correlates network activity, control system behaviour, asset configurations, operational events and process context to detect abnormal conditions. The agents assess potential impacts on industrial operations, recommends or executes response measures, and validates that systems have returned to a secure and stable state.

Energy Optimization Agents: Integrates process data, energy consumption patterns, equipment performance, operating conditions and production requirements to understand how energy is used across industrial operations. The agents identify optimization opportunities, recommends or implements adjustments, and verifies the resulting impact on energy efficiency, operational performance and sustainability outcomes.

"The next generation of industrial innovation will be driven by intelligence embedded directly into industrial operations," said Gwenaelle Huet, Executive Vice President, Industrial Automation, Schneider Electric. "While much of today's focus is on autonomous machines, we see a significant opportunity to apply Physical AI to the industrial systems that power the world's critical industries. Together with NVIDIA and HPE, we are bringing together expertise in automation, AI and edge computing to help customers transform operational data into action, improving resilience, efficiency, cybersecurity and sustainability while laying the foundation for more autonomous industrial operations."

"Industrial operations generate vast amounts of data, but turning that data into action remains one of industry's biggest challenges. By combining NVIDIA Nemotron open AI models and HPE Private Cloud AI, a turnkey AI factory solution, with Schneider Electric's industrial expertise and OTMS platform, Industrial AI Agents can monitor, reason and optimize operations in real time, accelerating the path to Physical AI for process industries," commented Sri Kodali, Global Head of Developer Relations - Energy and Utilities at NVIDIA.

"Industrial organizations see real opportunities to use AI, and they want to be sure their sensitive data and critical systems will remain protected. Through our collaboration with NVIDIA and Schneider Electric, we're helping customers use HPE Private Cloud AI to bring AI closer to where their data is generated and decisions are made. This gives customers a way to expand AI use across their facilities while maintaining the security, privacy and control their businesses require," said Alexia Clements, SVP, Hybrid Cloud Solution Sales at HPE.

"For the past three years, OTMS has helped us improve visibility into the health and availability of our control systems. In continuous industrial operations, identifying issues early is critical to protecting production and avoiding costly disruption. Looking ahead, we see significant potential for AI Agents to build on this proven foundation, helping our specialists investigate issues faster and move more effectively from insight to action, while keeping people in control of critical decisions," said Mat?as Jory, Digital & Process Manager, Industrial Operations Vice-Presidency, CMP.

Together, Schneider Electric, NVIDIA and HPE are creating the foundation for the next generation of industrial operations, where intelligent systems can continuously monitor, reason and optimize performance. Over time, these capabilities will help automate the automation, enabling safer, more efficient and increasingly autonomous operations across process industries.

Press contact: mediarelations@se.com

About Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric is a global energy technology leader, driving efficiency and sustainability by electrifying, automating, and digitalizing industries, businesses, and homes. Its technologies enable buildings, data centers, factories, infrastructure, and grids to operate as open, interconnected ecosystems, enhancing performance, resilience, and sustainability.

The portfolio includes intelligent devices, software-defined architectures, AI-powered systems, digital services, and expert advisory. With 160,000 employees and 1 million partners in over 100 countries, Schneider Electric is consistently ranked among the world's most sustainable companies. 

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

Production-grade in-app messaging with no credit card required to start, plus an optional Cloud Bonus offering your choice of either 15% off AWS or 30% off Alibaba Cloud

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach Newswire - 22 October 2026 - Nexconn, a global cloud communications platform, announced the launch of its production-ready Free Chat Plan. Under the new initiative, developers and startups can deploy enterprise-grade chat infrastructure for up to 10,000 monthly active users (MAU) completely free-with full Chat Pro features enabled and no credit card required.

The launch tackles a persistent industry pain point: typical free tiers across the category cap at 100 to 1,000 MAU and restrict apps to sandbox environments-thresholds far too low to validate user retention or viral growth.

"A free tier should empower teams to validate their business model, not just verify that an SDK compiles," said Will Song, Head of Global Business at Nexconn.

To further extend startup runway, Nexconn also introduced an additional Cloud Bonus: teams that link a payment method can choose between 15% off AWS or 30% off Alibaba Cloud to offset their backend cloud costs.

The offer is open to teams that simply send their first in-app message by December 31, 2026, 11:59 p.m. Singapore Time (SGT, UTC+8), locking in up to 10,000 MAU of Pro chat (valued at $860/month). Developers can claim the plan and view full details at https://www.nexconn.ai/free-chat-api?utm_source=pr.

What the Free Chat Plan Includes

The plan provides comprehensive capabilities across the entire application lifecycle:

Rich Messaging Architecture: Unlimited messages across direct (1-on-1), group, community, and open channels.

Modern Social Interactions: Read receipts, typing indicators, user mentions, unread badges, and cross-platform multi-device synchronization.

Native Push: Built-in multi-channel mobile push gateway included with no add-on fees.

High-Capacity Resource Quotas: Supports up to 500 peak concurrent connections, 10 GB of cloud storage, and 180 days of searchable message history.

No-charge Migration Support: End-to-end data migration support for teams transitioning from Sendbird, Stream, CometChat, PubNub, Agora, or Twilio.

Developer Acceleration: An open-source AI Integration Skill allows developers to generate client SDK code and backend token endpoints via simple text prompts.

The Cloud Bonus: The 10,000 MAU Chat plan remains free and does not require a credit card. Teams may optionally link a payment method to activate the Cloud Bonus-15% off AWS services or 30% off Alibaba Cloud services.

How to Get Started

Sign Up: Create an account in the Nexconn Console.

Build: Integrate the SDK manually or with the open-source AI Skill.

Activate Your Free Plan: Complete enrollment by simply sending at least one message before December 31, 2026, 11:59 p.m. Singapore Time (SGT, UTC+8).

(Optional) Cloud Discounts: Link a payment method to activate your choice of 15% off AWS services or 30% off Alibaba Cloud services.

About Nexconn

Nexconn is a global cloud communications platform engineered for developers, high-growth startups, and enterprises building real-time, mission-critical digital experiences.

The company delivers a unified real-time portfolio tailored to global scale:

AICP (AI Communication Platform): High-performance Chat and Call (voice/video) APIs, combined with production-ready, scenario-specific AI Agents (such as Smart Office and Social Marketing). This unified platform allows businesses to seamlessly embed intelligent, context-aware communications into any web or mobile application.

Enterprise & Public Sector Deployments: Carrier-grade private cloud and on-premises solutions engineered for organizations and government bodies requiring strict data residency, privacy, and compliance.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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https://www.nexconn.ai