U Power Announces Market Validation Phase of Shared Battery Swapping Solution for Two- and Four-wheeled EVs

SHANGHAI, Feb. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — U Power Limited (Nasdaq: UCAR) (the “Company” or “U Power”), a vehicle sourcing services provider with a vision to becoming a comprehensive EV battery power solution provider in China, today announced that their shared battery swapping solution designed for both two- and lightweight four-wheeled electric vehicles (“EVs”) has entered the market validation phase. The first batch of over 40 battery swapping stations offering battery swapping services for both two- and lightweight four-wheeled EVs has been set up in Shanxi, China, catering specifically to the needs of delivery services and the food delivery industry.

Upon successful completion of the market validation phase, the Company aims to extend its service by gradually deploying over 200 of their specialized battery swapping stations in additional Chinese provinces, including Shandong, Anhui, and Shanxi. U Power’s battery swapping technology seamlessly accommodates both two- and lightweight four-wheeled EVs by utilizing battery packs with identical specifications. This system allows different models of EVs to swap battery modules at the same station. For instance, two-wheeled EVs may use 2-4 sets of battery modules, while their lightweight four-wheeled counterparts may use 4-8 sets of battery modules. The procedure entails initiating the swap via cell phone verification at the battery station, followed by manual battery swapping.

Mr. Jia Li, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, commented, “Our shared battery swapping solution is an exciting innovation for individuals employed in the delivery industry. We are confident that our solution will help delivery service providers lower their daily operating costs, while enhancing overall vehicle efficiency. When compared to the cost of purchasing and charging a battery, our leasing system is projected to reduce battery operating expenses by around 30%. Once our solution officially launches, we anticipate the creation of significant business opportunities that will generate long-term value for our shareholders.”

About U Power Limited

U Power Limited is a vehicle sourcing services provider, with a vision to becoming an EV market player primarily focused on its proprietary battery-swapping technology, or UOTTA technology, which is an intelligent modular battery-swapping technology designed to provide a comprehensive battery power solution for EVs. Since its operation in 2013, the Company has established a vehicle sourcing network in China’s lower-tier cities. The Company has developed two types of battery-swapping stations for compatible EVs and is operating one manufacturing factory in Zibo City, Shandong Province, China. For more information, please visit the Company’s website: http://ir.upincar.com/.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements reflect our current view about future events. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company’s current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “is/are likely to,” “propose,” “potential,” “continue” or similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company’s registration statement and other filings with the SEC.

Contact

U Power Limited
Investor Relations Department
Email: ir@upincar.com

Robin Yang, Partner
ICR, LLC
Email: UPower.IR@icrinc.com
Phone: +1 (212) 475-0415

Qrios Inc. Unveils Revolutionary cPaaS and Digital Payments Portal: deep.qrios.com


PLANO, Texas, Feb. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Qrios Inc., headquartered in Plano, Texas, and a leading multinational provider of cloud communication platform as a service (cPaaS) and digital payments solutions, is excited to announce the launch of its innovative portal, deep.qrios.com. This state-of-the-art platform is specifically designed to empower developers with advanced communication and digital payment APIs, enabling them to create seamless, engaging experiences for users worldwide.

As a company known for its technological innovation, Qrios Inc. processes hundreds of billions of messages and billions of digital payments annually. The introduction of deep.qrios.com represents a significant leap forward in the company’s commitment to enhancing digital communication and transactions on a global scale.

  • Access Services: Developers can utilize comprehensive communication tools such as SMS, USSD, Chat, and Voice services, crafted to ensure optimal engagement and connectivity across various channels.
  • Value Offerings: The portal introduces forward-thinking digital payment solutions, including global Prepaid Airtime, prepaid data, and real-time digital merchant payments, designed to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving global marketplace.

A Developer-Centric Platform:

Deep.qrios.com has been developed with the needs of the developer community at its core, offering an intuitive interface and detailed documentation. This ensures developers can easily access and implement Qrios’s robust APIs, allowing them to focus on creating innovative and impactful user experiences.

The launch of deep.qrios.com underlines Qrios Inc.’s dedication to advancing digital communication and payment technologies. By providing a platform that combines ease of use with powerful functionality, Qrios is setting a new standard for what developers can achieve in creating more connected, efficient, and innovative digital services.

“We are proud to launch deep.qrios.com, a direct reflection of our mission to innovate and improve the digital landscape from our home base in Plano, Texas,” said Mosh Adetoro, CEO of Qrios Inc. “This platform is more than just a tool; it’s a part of our broader vision to empower developers around the world to build experiences that make a difference.”

About Qrios Inc.:

Based in Plano, Texas, Qrios Inc. is a global leader in cloud cPaaS and digital payment solutions, dedicated to providing cutting-edge technology to businesses around the world. With a focus on innovation, Qrios is committed to driving digital transformation, helping businesses achieve their communication and transactional goals with efficiency and ease.

For more information about deep.qrios.com and Qrios Inc., please contact:

pr@qrios.com 

EarthDaily Analytics’ SaaS EarthPipeline Rapidly Produces First Light Image with Nara Space’s Observer Satellite


EDA’s AI-driven EarthPipeline, the world’s first SaaS ground segment, accelerates Nara Space’s go-to-market by facilitating the production of an orthorectified first light image from their Observer-1A satellite in record time for the achieved geolocation and radiometric accuracy.

VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — EarthDaily Analytics (“EDA” or the “Company”), a vertically-integrated software and analytics space company revolutionizing the way companies go-to-market, announced today that deployment of its SaaS EarthPipeline ground segment by South Korea’s Nara Space (“Nara”) enabled the recently launched Observer-1A Satellite to produce an accurate first light orthorectified image more rapidly than would have been possible utilizing commercially available alternative systems.

Nara Space's first images at 1.5m resolution, processed by EarthDaily Analytics EarthPipeline. Image of Palm Jumeirah island in Dubai, UAE.
Nara Space’s first images at 1.5m resolution, processed by EarthDaily Analytics EarthPipeline. Image of Palm Jumeirah island in Dubai, UAE.

Production of a “first light” image is a critical milestone in the orbital deployment of an imaging satellite. This image represents the satellite’s inaugural construction of an image following initial in-orbit testing of the various imaging components. From Nara’s raw downlinked data, EDA orthorectifies the imagery, which is to say EDA implements a critical process in the creation of precise satellite imagery, ensuring that each pixel in the image corresponds accurately to its location on the Earth’s surface. To orthorectify an image, the EarthPipeline characterizes all of the sensor and satellite properties including the focal length, optical distortion, star tracker mounting alignment and satellite stability. Through a combination of physics-based models and machine learning, EarthPipeline constructs a digital model of the Earth, satellite, and sensor, capturing the precise imaging geometry of each satellite image acquisition. EDA’s meticulous approach not only enhances geolocation accuracy, however, but also improves radiometric calibration. EarthPipeline performs advanced radiometric calibration using specific calibration sites to translate pixel values into scientifically accurate signals describing the Earth’s ground features. The combination of world-class orthorectification and radiometric calibration lead to Observer-1A’s high-quality Analysis Ready Data products.

Jae-Pil Park, CEO of Nara Space, commented, “We believe that Nara Space has proudly asserted itself as the pioneer in the 25kg-class satellite arena, as we have achieved overseeing the entire satellite development process independently, from satellite manufacture to satellite imagery data analysis. With the successful launch of Observer-1A, we are ready to revolutionize industries including finance, environment, disaster management, and smart cities through our satellite data services. We plan to leverage our self-developed nanosatellite constellation in the near future to offer fast and precise data acquisition at a competitive price. The integration of our upcoming constellation with the EarthDaily Analytics EarthPipeline ground segment is a game-changer, significantly enhancing our data delivery capabilities as we deliver faster and more efficient market insights.”

EDA’s EarthPipeline is the world’s first fully managed ground segment pipeline-as-a-service, enabling both EDA and external customers such as Nara Space to transform downlinked satellite data into high-quality, Analysis-Ready Data (“ARD”) and imagery at a speed and scale previously unattainable with competitive technologies. Leveraging Amazon Web Services, EarthPipeline provides an endlessly scalable service that removes the pre-processing, normalization, and image transformation tasks from satellite operators’ workflows, empowering them to reach the market up to three times faster with ARD that is ready to be used in AI and Machine Learning applications seamlessly and securely. Nara Space data processed by EarthPipeline will also be made available via the Earth Data Store for purchase.

Don Osborne, CEO of EarthDaily Analytics, stated, “It’s no secret that high-quality data is a necessary precondition for high-quality analytics. Equally important, however, is the ability to process that downlinked data reliably and cost-effectively at a speed that brings the end user as close to real-time insight as is possible. Running on the best-in-class AWS platform, our industry-leading SaaS EarthPipeline ground segment is highly efficient, endlessly scalable, and – as proven today – capable of processing satellite-derived data with unmatched quality and turnaround time. In providing this service to third-party satellite operators, we are driving the state of the industry forward and bringing EDA’s game-changing processing power to a New Space sector that increasingly appreciates the necessity of best-in-class efficiency, quality, scalability, and speed in an ever more competitive landscape. Following the launch of EDA’s forthcoming EarthDaily Constellation in late 2024, EarthPipeline and AWS will play a crucial role in unlocking the full potential of Everywhere Everyday.”

For more information on the EarthDaily Constellation, EDA’s game-changing Change Detection offering, and the AI-driven EarthPipeline ground segment, visit our website:

https://earthdaily.com/constellation/

https://earthdaily.com/product-service/earth-pipeline/

About EarthDaily Analytics

EarthDaily Analytics (EDA), headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, is a vertically integrated provider of Earth Observation data, analytics, and solutions. Utilizing a unique combination of proven space technologies, ground-breaking AI applications, and cutting-edge big data tools, EDA provides value-added, actionable insights to decisionmakers and risk managers across the public and private sectors on a global basis.

Building on a 35-year track record of leadership and innovation in the commercial application of Earth Observation technology, EDA is moving the state of the Change Detection industry forward with the 2024 launch of the EarthDaily Constellation. Supported by best-in-class project partners including Loft Orbital, Airbus, ABB, and SpaceX, the EarthDaily Constellation will provide spectrally robust, analytics-ready data covering nearly 100% of the world’s landmasses and maritime regions, collected at the same time every day. Pairing the unmatched data collection of the EarthDaily Constellation with EarthPipeline, the world’s first fully managed, endlessly scalable ground segment pipeline-as-a-service, EarthDaily Analytics is bringing the world’s most advanced change detection system to bear on the biggest challenges facing businesses, governments, and humanity as a whole.

Contact
EDA Media Inquiries – Bryan Degnan, The IGB Group (BDegnan@igbir.com; +1-646-673-9701)

Nara Space's first images at 1.5m resolution, processed by EarthDaily Analytics EarthPipeline. Image of Cupertino, CA, USA.
Nara Space’s first images at 1.5m resolution, processed by EarthDaily Analytics EarthPipeline. Image of Cupertino, CA, USA.

SIS International Launches New Travel AI Consulting, Strategy Consulting, and Market Research Solutions

SIS International, a Global Market Research and Strategy Consulting firm, launches new travel research and consulting solutions to help travel brands grow.

NEW YORK, Feb. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — SIS International, a leading market research and strategy consulting firm, announced the expansion of its consulting services in the travel, tourism, and hospitality sectors. The company said it expanded its services and capabilities in response to the robust growth of the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries over the next few years.

In response to this promising outlook, SIS International is expanding its resources to offer comprehensive AI consulting and business strategy consulting services to hotels, airlines, and hospitality venues to grow revenue, optimize processes, adopt new technologies, and achieve their strategic objectives.

“Expanding our strategy research and consulting services into travel, tourism, hotel, and hospitality consulting is a natural progression for SIS International. We have over 40 years of experience serving major industry players such as American Airlines, British Airways, Norwegian Cruise Line, Marriott, and Thomas Cook. We help travel brands to adopt emerging technologies like AI through research, data, analytics, and strategy consulting solutions,” said Ruth Stanat, CEO of SIS International.

SIS International provides global travel research and consulting services such as hotel rebranding consulting, customer satisfaction market research, hotel AI consulting, supply and demand consulting, food taste testing, travel brand consulting, eco-tourism market research, hotel brand consulting, sustainable tourism consulting, price optimization analytics, travel market opportunity consulting, destination marketing consulting, luxury hotel rebranding consulting, travel market sizing analysis, MICE Industry consulting (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions) and other solutions. This service expansion helps major global travel companies understand how they can adopt AI and adapt to market shifts efficiently.

“SIS offers a wide range of tailored and optimized services, from hotel rebranding and AI strategy consulting to innovative MICE sector consulting. Our data-driven approach and suite of solutions are uniquely suited to help clients uncover new growth opportunities in these sectors,” noted Stanat.

About SIS International

SIS International is a global market research and strategy consulting firm providing insights and solutions to businesses across various industries. In our 40 years of experience, SIS has conducted consulting projects in over 135 countries, and we have served some of the world’s largest and most influential companies and organizations, including over 70% of the Fortune 500.

Media Contact:

Ruth Stanat, CEO
research@sisinternational.com

Ruth Stanat, Founder and President of SIS International Research
Ruth Stanat, Founder and President of SIS International Research

Source: SIS International Research Inc.

Tata Communications collaborates with Microsoft to expand boundaries for voice calling on Microsoft Teams


  • Tata Communications GlobalRapide™, powered by Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams, to elevate customer experience for enterprises globally
  • Latest cloud calling solution to enable PSTN calling for enterprises based in India to any Microsoft Teams device, anywhere in the world
  • Unprecedented flexibility for collaboration, enhanced useability, and security and regulatory compliance for Teams to be made available on a single platform

MUMBAI, India, Feb. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Tata Communications, the global commtech (communications technology) player, has partnered with Microsoft to provide flexibility in collaboration and connectivity on Microsoft Teams for enterprises in India.

The Tata Communications GlobalRapide platform will enable both Indian enterprise users as well as multinationals with a presence in the country to seamlessly make and receive carrier-grade PSTN voice calls on any Teams device, anywhere across the globe, by utilising the Operator Connect platform.

With an extensive reach across more than 190 countries through partnerships with over 700 mobile network operators, Tata Communications is uniquely positioned to offer this regulatory compliant cloud calling and audio-conferencing capability.

GlobalRapide delivers on greater fraud prevention capability and strict diligence to local market regulations, thereby allowing businesses to securely interact and collaborate with their entire value chain across the globe.

The platform offers an end-to-end managed services layer, providing deployment, onboarding and management of Teams, endpoint devices and SBCs (session border controllers) with enhanced useability, security and regulatory compliance — all on a single platform. This will streamline the Teams platform management, providing enterprises with complete control and visibility and no additional hardware cost.

“While businesses are expanding, the geographical borders are constantly shrinking with the power of collaboration tools. To make the most of these innovative tools, enterprises need a global partner with local expertise,” said Sriram Sampath, Vice President, Unified Communications & Collaboration, Tata Communications. “Our collaboration with Microsoft on Operator Connect for Teams will further enhance workforce productivity and efficiency for enterprises, while helping them abide with the local regulations and compliance.”

“We are pleased to partner with Tata Communications to help our customers extend their global footprint through Operator Connect for Teams. This collaboration reflects our commitment to delivering greater efficiencies and productivity gains for businesses across India. Together, we are committed to help enterprises grow and scale – seamlessly, efficiently and securely.” said Shruti Bhatia, Country Head, Modern Work and Surface, India and South Asia, Microsoft.

Click here to know more about Tata Communications GlobalRapide.

About Tata Communications

A part of the Tata Group, Tata Communications (NSE: TATACOMM; BSE: 500483) is a global digital ecosystem enabler powering today’s fast-growing digital economy in more than 190 countries and territories. Leading with trust, it enables digital transformation of enterprises globally with collaboration and connected solutions, core and next gen connectivity, cloud hosting and security solutions and media services. 300 of the Fortune 500 companies are its customers and the company connects businesses to 80% of the world’s cloud giants. For more information, please visit www.tatacommunications.com 

Forward-looking and cautionary statements

Certain words and statements in this release concerning Tata Communications and its prospects, and other statements, including those relating to Tata Communications’ expected financial position, business strategy, the future development of Tata Communications’ operations, and the general economy in India, are forward-looking statements. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including financial, regulatory and environmental, as well as those relating to industry growth and trend projections, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of Tata Communications, or industry results, to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from such forward-looking statements include, among others, failure to increase the volume of traffic on Tata Communications’ network; failure to develop new products and services that meet customer demands and generate acceptable margins; failure to successfully complete commercial testing of new technology and information systems to support new products and services, including voice transmission services; failure to stabilize or reduce the rate of price compression on certain of the company’s communications services; failure to integrate strategic acquisitions and changes in government policies or regulations of India and, in particular, changes relating to the administration of Tata Communications’ industry; and, in general, the economic, business and credit conditions in India. Additional factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from such forward-looking statements, many of which are not in Tata Communications’ control, include, but are not limited to, those risk factors discussed in Tata Communications Limited’s Annual Reports. 

The Annual Reports of Tata Communications Limited are available at www.tatacommunications.com. Tata Communications is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements.

© 2024 Tata Communications Ltd. All rights reserved.

TATA COMMUNICATIONS and TATA are trademarks or registered trademarks of Tata Sons Private Limited in India and certain countries.

Increase Productivity for Production and Manufacturing Processes

This article is contributed by Varinderjit Singh, General Manager at Lenovo Malaysia

Production and manufacturing processes are becoming more complex and demanding as customers expect higher quality, lower cost, and faster delivery of products. To meet these challenges, manufacturers need to leverage the power of advanced technologies, such as high-performance computing (HPC), artificial intelligence (AI), and spatial computing. In this article, we will explore how a workstation can increase productivity for production and manufacturing processes by using spatial computing solutions, data science and client AI solutions, NVIDIA Omniverse, and remote workstation solutions. Examples of noteworthy workstation options include the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 G2, Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Tower and the Lenovo ThinkStation P620 Tower operating on Windows 11 Pro. Use Windows 11 Pro for Workstations to blaze through workloads with lag-free multitasking across your most demanding applications.

Picture1 LenovoProductionManufacturing byline

Spatial Computing Solutions

Spatial computing is a technology that can digitize the spatial relationships between machines, people, objects, and environments, and enable and optimize their operations and interactions. Spatial computing can help manufacturers with product design, quality control, safety, and efficiency. For example, spatial computing can enable digital twins, which are virtual replicas of physical assets or processes that can be used for simulation, testing, and optimization. Spatial computing can also facilitate augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) applications, which can enhance the visualization and collaboration of design and engineering teams, as well as provide immersive training and guidance for workers. A workstation that can handle spatial computing tasks should have a powerful GPU, a large memory, and a high-resolution display. A possible choice is the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Mobile Workstation, which has an NVIDIA® RTX 5000 Ada graphics card, an Intel® Core™ i9-13950HX processor, and up to 192GB of memory.

Data Science and Client AI Solutions

Data science and client AI solutions can help manufacturers analyze and utilize the vast amounts of data generated by production and manufacturing processes, such as sensor data, quality data, customer data, and market data. Data science and client AI solutions can help manufacturers with demand forecasting, inventory management, process optimization, anomaly detection, predictive maintenance, and customer satisfaction. For example, data science and client AI solutions can help manufacturers create and fine-tune foundation models, which are large and versatile AI models that can perform multiple tasks, such as natural language processing, computer vision, speech recognition, and more. Data science and client AI solutions can also help manufacturers interact with and explore data through conversational interfaces, visualizations, and summarizations. A workstation that can handle data science and client AI tasks should have a fast and reliable processor, a large and expandable memory, and a flexible and scalable storage system. A possible choice is the Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Tower Workstation, which has a 13th Gen Intel® Core™ processor, up to 128GB of memory, and up to 32TB of storage.

Picture2 LenovoProductionManufacturing byline

NVIDIA Omniverse

NVIDIA Omniverse is a platform that enables the creation and operation of complex, AI-enabled virtual environments, or digital twins, for factory and warehouse design. These virtual replicas facilitate real-time collaboration among teams and are the key to unleashing operational efficiencies with predictive analysis and process automation. NVIDIA Omniverse allows manufacturers to import and export data from various sources, such as CAD tools, simulation software, and IoT devices, and create realistic and interactive simulations of production and manufacturing scenarios. NVIDIA Omniverse also supports ray tracing, physics, and sound rendering, which can enhance the quality and realism of the virtual environments. A workstation that can handle NVIDIA Omniverse tasks should have a powerful graphics card, a high-performance CPU, and a large memory. A possible choice is the Lenovo ThinkStation P620 Tower Workstation, which has up to 64 cores CPU, a 10Gb Ethernet port, and plenty of storage capabilities.

Picture3 LenovoProductionManufacturing byline

Remote Workstation Solutions

Remote workstation solutions can help manufacturers access their physical workstations from virtually anywhere with rich graphics acceleration via leading remote visualization tools. Remote workstation solutions can help manufacturers with remote design, engineering, and collaboration, as well as reduce the cost and maintenance of physical workstations. Remote workstation solutions can also provide security and compliance features, such as encryption, authentication, and auditing. A workstation that can handle remote workstation tasks should have a low-latency frame encode, accelerated desktop capture, headless graphics support, and leading pro-ISV certifications, like the majority of the Workstations from Lenovo. The Lenovo remote TGX solution is the best way to connect to your Workstation cluster from anywhere in the world.

Wrap up

A workstation can increase productivity for production and manufacturing processes by using various technologies, such as spatial computing, data science and client AI, NVIDIA Omniverse, and remote workstation solutions. These technologies can help manufacturers improve their design, engineering, simulation, production, and collaboration workflows, as well as reduce their costs, risks, and environmental impact. A workstation that can support these technologies should have a combination of hardware and software features, such as a powerful GPU, a fast CPU, large memory, flexible storage, and a reliable network. Lenovo offers a range of workstation solutions that can meet the needs of different production and manufacturing scenarios, such as the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Intel (16″) Mobile Workstation, the Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Tower Workstation, the Lenovo ThinkStation P620 Tower Workstation, and the TGX Remote Workstation.

Huawei Unveils Expansion of its Talent Development Program in Rome this Summer

Announcement Made at End of Week-Long European Event in China

BEIJING, Feb. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — A week-long “Seeds for the future European Grand Finale,” bringing together a select cohort of “Seeds for the Future” alumni hailing from 18 European countries, ended on January 23. Throughout the week, participants engaged in illuminating sessions with tech experts, delved into the realms of connectivity and innovation, and contributed to insightful panel discussions on crucial topics such as diversity, green skills, and sustainability.

The pinnacle of the event, the Closing Ceremony, reverberated with the theme of international cooperation as a cornerstone for crafting a sustainable future for European talent. As we bid farewell to this enriching week of collaboration, Huawei proudly acknowledged the collective strides taken towards fostering innovation, knowledge exchange, and a shared commitment to a sustainable future.


Prof. Shahbaz Khan, Director of the UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office for East Asia, said during the closing event: “We are delighted to see UNESCO and Huawei’s visions align with each other on eradicating digital illiteracy in young people. On February 2023, Huawei become an associate member of the UNESCO Global Alliance for Literacy (GAL). As the first private company to be an associate member of GAL, Huawei is committed to enhance educators’ use of technology in developing countries.”

Also at the closing ceremony, the Senior Vice President of Huawei Europe, Radoslaw Kedzia, announced a planned expansion of Seeds for the Future in Europe: “Huawei is proud to unveil a new chapter in the “Seeds for the future” program – an immersive, fully offline edition set to take place in Rome, Italy, in July 2024. This initiative, driven by the spirit of international collaboration and dialogue, will bring together students from diverse corners of Europe to converge in one city, fostering a vibrant ecosystem for learning and collaborative development of Tech4Good startup ideas.”

Earlier on, Huawei had unveiled the launch of a Seeds for the Future Scholarship program designed to support talented ICT students in the Netherlands, Bulgaria and Cyprus. This initiative underscores the company’s steadfast commitment to cultivating and nurturing exceptional talent.

Underlining the importance of such opportunities for students, the Ambassador of Cyprus, Martha Mavrommatis, speaking on behalf of the Minister of Education, Sports and Youth, Dr Athena Michaelidou, congratulated Huawei for the successful event and the students for all their efforts towards a sustainable and ecofriendly development. She said: “Companies like Huawei are making investments themselves, in parallel with institutional initiatives, like those of European Union and the member states. Huawei Seeds for the Future program, as the name suggests, is deeply engaged in identifying localized talent and in enhancing knowledge-sharing among professionals and youth.”

Also present, Annette Nijs, Former State Secretary for Education in the Netherlands, noted: “The commitment of Huawei to encourage students who embrace technology is as admirable as it is important. After all, technology will continue to create a fundamental shift in the way we work and live. ICT students of today will use technology in their careers to give wings to the changes of our societies.”

The Ambassador of Moldova, Dumitru Braghis, added: “Seeds for the Future, as Huawei’s flagship CSR program, not only exemplifies corporate responsibility but also showcases a commitment to guiding young talent globally. The program, designed to shape the next generation of leaders in the digital age, goes beyond technical skills. It promotes a sense of global citizenship, encourages cultural exchange, and fosters an entrepreneurial spirit.”

Source: HUAWEI TECHOLOGIES CO., LTD.

Guardz Launches in Australia and New Zealand to Empower MSPs to Cyber Secure and Insure SMBs

Partnership with trusted Australia-based IT distributor, Manage Protect, allows MSPs to protect their small and medium-sized business clients

SYDNEY and TEL AVIV, Israel, Feb. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Guardz, the cybersecurity company securing and insuring small businesses, today announced its launch in Australia and New Zealand, empowering MSPs to secure and insure SMBs with its tailor-made, unified cybersecurity platform. The Guardz solution will be distributed through a partnership with Australian-owned and operated IT cloud solution company Manage Protect.

Small businesses are the backbone of the Australian economy and make up 99% of businesses, creating jobs, supporting local communities, and providing crucial services. Almost a quarter of Australia’s SMBs have experienced a cybersecurity incident resulting in service disruption, reputational damage, and revenue loss, and often leading to the permanent closing of doors. As the underpinning of the country’s economy, these companies not only require end-to-end cybersecurity protection, but also personnel with the know-how to properly maintain and proactively manage their cybersecurity. Due to limited resources, budget constraints, and a lack of awareness and training, these SMBs often turn to Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to improve their cybersecurity hygiene and manage their IT. These local service providers are crucial to ensure SMBs’ cyber needs are met and that issues that arise are remediated in a timely manner.

Manage Protect sources and offers best-of-breed cloud technology to the Australian and New Zealand markets, providing deep local technical support and partner enablement to protect their MSP clients’ businesses. The Guardz cybersecurity solution for MSPs will be available to Manage Protect’s over 300 MSP customers, enabling them to seamlessly manage their clients’ end-to-end cybersecurity with automated detection and response capabilities.

“As the backbone of the Australian economy, SMBs are crucial to ensuring the cyber posture and operation of the country,” said Dor Eisner, CEO and Co-Founder of Guardz. “There is no better way to protect SMBs than by reaching them through their valued MSPs, and we are delighted to have joined forces with Manage Protect to make our shared mission of unified cyber protection a reality for these millions of businesses.”

“As an Australian company, we are proud to empower local businesses through technology. We have long searched for a product that would offer our customers comprehensive and accessible cybersecurity, and we’ve found that in Guardz’s unique, holistic solution,” said Andrew Johnson, Managing Director and Founder of Manage Protect. “Working together with the Guardz team, we have localised the platform for our market with 100% local technical support, billing (AUD), training, certification, and the recently deployed data centre to serve our region. We are excited to be working with local MSPs to enable and empower them to Manage & Protect their customers and deliver them the peace of mind they deserve efficiently and cost effectively.”

Using the Guardz cybersecurity platform, MSPs can control businesses’ cyber posture, remediation, and subscription plans from a single, multi-tenant platform. The end-to-end, simple, and cost-effective solution provides automated threat detection and remediation across all major attack vectors, including business data, employee identities, cloud directories, web browsing, emails, and devices. The AI-powered solution automatically and continuously monitors a company’s external and internal digital footprint, providing actionable alerts and real-time risk prevention.

About Guardz

Guardz is a unified cybersecurity platform built to empower MSPs to secure and insure SMEs against ever-evolving threats such as phishing, ransomware, account breaches, data loss, and user risks by leveraging AI in a multilayered approach. The solution streamlines cybersecurity with its automated detection and response capabilities across users, emails, devices, and cloud data, all from a single pane of glass. By combining robust cybersecurity technology and deep insurance expertise, Guardz ensures that businesses’ security is consistently monitored, managed, and optimized to prevent the next attack and mitigate the risk. Guardz was founded in 2022 by Dor Eisner and Alon Lavi along with a team of cyber and insurance experts who combine innovation, experience, and creativity to create a safer digital world for small businesses.

About Manage Protect Ltd

Manage Protect is an Australian owned and operated technology company. For over 15 years, we have specialised in integrated cloud solutions to empower managed service providers (MSPs) in providing security, business continuity and productivity solutions to Australian and New Zealand small and medium businesses. Manage Protect’s channel of aligned, trained and certified IT partners and MSPs provide best-of-breed solutions sourced globally, while hosted and supported locally.

Services include Managed Security Services, Cloud Backup, Collaboration, Email Services and Security, File Sharing and Security, Microsoft Licensing, Mobile Device Management and Web and Endpoint Security. We are committed to sharing insights, advice, recommended actions and generating greater awareness of cyber risks among partners and the broader business community.

Media contact:
Allison Grey
Headline Media
allison@headline.media
US: +1 323 283 8176
UK: +44 203 807 4482
IL: +972 53 820 2606 

Navigating the Transformation Paths in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Industry

This article is contributed by Márton Kiss, Vice President of Product Success at Graphisoft

Today, the once-solid blueprints of the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) have morphed into fluid sketches, adapting to the evolving customer needs and technological advancements. As we march into 2024, the industry is expected to become more digital, data-driven, and sustainable. Every innovation, from the most intuitive design software to the most earth-friendly material, is bound to fill the canvas of buildings for a better future.

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Photo by Pixabay

Here, we will delve into the vibrant palette of trends and key areas that may help navigate this transformative path in the AEC industry.

1. Bridging the digitalization gap

Despite being slow to embrace digital transformation, the AEC sector has shown promising signs in recent years, with technology adoption and awareness of its benefits steadily rising. However, a noticeable gap emerges when transitioning from the design to the construction phase. While current tools enable detailed digital models, the actualization often relies heavily on on-site workers, creating a disconnect in the integrated workflow.

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Photo by Minku Kang on Unsplash

Bridging this gap and driving the push towards greater digitization and automation requires a two-pronged approach – first, fostering a demand for digital design practices, and second, reducing legal and regulatory barriers that impede the implementations. Additionally, a global trend towards collaborative building lifecycles is gaining momentum. As the integration across the building lifecycle strengthens, so does the impetus for comprehensive digitalization, highlighting the critical role of quality design in this process.

2. Unlocking the potential of BIM

While Asia Pacific trails developed nations in Building Information Modelling (BIM) adoption, progress is evident. Governments like Malaysia, aiming for 80% adoption by 2025, are actively driving its implementation due to proven productivity and competitive advantages—however, BIM’s true potential lies beyond mere data and 3D models.

It is about integrated design, where architects, engineers, builders, owners, and technology providers collaborate within a single model, eliminating the inefficiencies of traditional handoffs and discrepancies. This ‘single source of truth’ fosters early alignment of building systems and informed decision-making across disciplines. At Graphisoft, we champion OPEN BIM, a future-proof approach to AEC collaboration. OPEN BIM ensures workflow transparency, longevity, and data accessibility for built assets. Recent developments, like seamless structural engineering integration and cloud collaboration, reflect our commitment to this collaborative future.

BIM will continue to see greater interoperability and capabilities. However, the key to maximizing what it can offer eventually lies in fostering a culture of openness and information sharing.

3. Driving the shift towards sustainable design

The green buildings market is expected to cross USD1,948 billion by the end of 2036, with Asia Pacific estimated to account for 32%[1]  Sustainability pressures are pushing the industry towards innovative materials and energy-efficient design. Net-zero buildings will remain a focus, achieving energy savings through renewables, smart design, and storage. Building performance and management will also be key, tying into the digitalization trend for optimal efficiency.

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Photo by Pixabay

Cost-effectiveness, however, remains crucial. While adopting these practices might seem daunting, firms can start small. Explore concepts, experiment with materials, and utilize BIM as a bridge between elements. Integrating building systems, structures, and architecture early on makes informed decisions about materials, shapes, and even programs possible. Ultimately, the effectiveness of this shift requires a closer alignment between design decisions and long-term outcomes, driven by the overarching goals of sustainability and efficiency.

4. Making the most of AI and other emerging technologies

The impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) goes beyond automation. It is becoming the industry’s secret weapon, empowering professionals across the project lifecycle. From design optimization with photorealistic visualization to predictive analysis and BIM integration, AI transforms how we overcome challenges and make informed decisions.

The future is not just about scratching the surface with AI. We see a convergence of technologies, where Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR) enhances collaborative BIM workflows, and digital twins evolve beyond virtual models, becoming real-time data oracles. This will redefine our standards for efficiency, accuracy and profitability, allowing designers to focus on their true value – creativity. Graphisoft remains at the forefront of this revolution, investing in emerging technologies that assist and empower, not replace.

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5. Emphasis on continuous learning

The future sprints, not strolls, and therefore upskilling is an essential ticket to the ride. But it is not a solo journey. Organizations must be bold co-pilots, investing in the latest tools, processes, and training. Fear of the unknown is natural, but the changing roles of AEC professionals are inevitable. Technology like AI excels in crunching data and optimizing processes but still lacks the human touch that breathes life into novel designs. And that is the true power of real architects – crafting beauty that is not just aesthetically pleasing but also functional and meaningful. Technology is the hammer, but people are the architects of change. Those who embrace continuous learning will be the ones shaping the future of AEC, brick by innovative brick, pixel by inspiring pixel.

The future of the built environment demands active participation. Architects, engineers and contractors must embrace digital tools and progress alongside advancements. BIM will be their blueprint, green principles their guiding star, and emerging technologies their canvas extension. The opportunity to create great architectures is boundless when we successfully integrate people, workflows and real-time information.


[1]   Green Buildings Market Size & Share, Research Nester (Nov 2023)

HANDSHAKES LEVERAGES S&P GLOBAL MARKET INTELLIGENCE BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS DATASET TO HELP COMPANIES ENHANCE RISK MANAGEMENT

SINGAPORE and KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Feb. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Handshakes, a leading corporate data provider in Singapore, today announced that the S&P Global Market Intelligence Business Relationships dataset is now accessible on its award-winning network visualisation platform, Handshakes APP, to help businesses grasp an entire ecosystem of official commercial relationships for enhanced risk management.

Comprising over 780,000 global entities, the Business Relationships dataset identifies connections of a company’s key relationship types such as supplier, distributor, franchisee, lessor, licensee, creditor, collaborator, consultant and others among its network of stakeholders. The coverage includes over 2.75 million commercial relationships in top source countries and regions like United States, United Kingdom, China, Asia and more.

Apart from visualising business relationships on radial and interconnection maps on the Handshakes APP, the greatest value for professionals in risk and compliance lies in the ability to deep dive into a comprehensive network of business connections across multiple datasets, including Corporate Registry data of Singapore and Malaysia and Capital Markets data, at a glance, through the OneWorld feature on the platform. This allows users full visibility of their target portfolio both upstream and downstream, offering greater insights into potential business opportunities or enabling higher risk controls and management. Another notable feature of the Handshakes APP is its capability to flag entities facing regulatory, enforcement and disciplinary actions for which users may download specific RED list reports of such companies for thorough investigative checks.

Partnering S&P Global Market Intelligence is a major milestone for Handshakes in our mission to help companies do business safely. The inclusion of their Business Relationships dataset expands our coverage beyond Southeast Asia to help our valued clients gain more insights globally,” affirmed Charles Poon, Co-Founder and Chief Products Officer at Handshakes.

The S&P Global Market Intelligence Business Relationships dataset is available on the Handshakes APP, Handshakes XPERT and Handshakes FUSE products. For more information or request for a free trial, visit www.handshakes.com.sg.

About Handshakes

Handshakes is an award-winning technology company trusted by regulators and FIs across the globe. Handshakes’ flagship product, Handshakes APP, specialises in corporate intelligence solutions which provide professionals in Risk and Compliance roles with real-time access to offi­cial Corporate Registry, Capital Markets and Litigation data. Combined with its proprietary visual network mapping technology, Handshakes helps organisations mitigate business risks and make safer decisions.

Visit www.handshakes.com.sg.