Tag Archives: LIC

uCloudlink and ING Bank Bring High-quality Mobile Network Connectivity to the Banking Sector for Fifth Consecutive Year

HONG KONG, Dec. 17, 2020 — UCLOUDLINK GROUP INC. ("uCloudlink") (NASDAQ: UCL), the world’s first and leading mobile data traffic sharing marketplace, and ING Bank N.V. ("ING") are entering their fifth year of cooperation for ING branches worldwide. Over the past half-decade, uCloudlink has remained committed in its efforts to help ING employees and users enjoy high-quality reliable mobile network access at any time and anywhere.

Since the partnership began in 2016, uCloudlink has been providing ING with global mobile data connectivity solutions. The company has supported ING executives and business travelers from branches in the Netherlands, Spain, the Philippines, Singapore, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States and other countries to remain connected without limitations during frequent international business trips, while reducing the cost of global roaming.

Those in the banking and finance sector have high requirements for internet connectivity at home and abroad. For enterprises with a large number of employees frequently travelling overseas, a flexible, efficient and reliable mobile connection is important to facilitate increased efficiency and maximum returns from the trip. However, global roaming has historically been expensive and unreliable, leading to wasted time and resources when abroad. uCloudlink provides a better solution by offering a selection of convenient options and diverse plans for reliable international mobile data connectivity.

As a leading banking and financial services company, ING entered an enterprise cooperation agreement with uCloudlink five years ago, in order to provide mobile Wi-Fi terminal products and services for employees and users. Leveraging its core patented CloudSIM technology, uCloudlink dynamically and intelligently selects the most suitable mobile network depending on the user’s location — allowing ING staff and users to enjoy superior mobile connectivity across different regions and various network operators. As the partnership approaches the five-year mark, the strength and endurance of the cooperation is a testament to the quality of uCloudlink’s products and services, which stand the test of time.

In addition to its partnership with ING, uCloudlink’s flexible global data roaming service plans can be tailor-made for a wide range of enterprises to allow better cost savings, resource management and support. At present, uCloudlink has provided services for various global institutions. Furthermore, a number of executives and employees of multinational investment firms personally purchase and use uCloudlink products and services, either from online store or via the APPs such as GlocalMe.

Looking ahead, uCloudlink looks forward to serving more enterprise customers seeking cost-effective and reliable data connectivity with low network latency, to be used locally and internationally. With its core patented technologies, extensive products and services, and significant investment in R&D, uCloudlink will allow business partners and users from just "connected" to "superior connection".

uCloudlink will continue to expand its high-tech solutions to new industries as it seeks to establish its ecosystem globally, and dedicate itself to exploring new business opportunities in domestic and overseas markets.

About UCLOUDLINK GROUP INC.

uCloudlink is the world’s first and leading mobile data traffic sharing marketplace, pioneering the sharing economy business model for the telecommunications industry. The Company’s products and services deliver unique value propositions to mobile data users, handset and smart-hardware companies, mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) and mobile network operators (MNOs). Leveraging its innovative CloudSIM technology and architecture, the Company has redefined the mobile data connectivity experience by allowing users to gain access to mobile data traffic allowance shared by network operators on its marketplace, while providing reliable connectivity, high speeds and competitive pricing.

 

Canon Hongkong and C&C Joint Printing announce a strategic partnership for the purchase of the first Canon ProStream 1000 series color inkjet press in the China market


HONG KONG, Dec. 14, 2020 — Canon Hongkong Co., Ltd. (Canon HK) and C&C Joint Printing Co., (HK) Ltd. (C&C) co-organized a signing ceremony on 10 Dec 2020, to celebrate the purchase of the first Canon ProStream 1000 series color inkjet press in the China market. The series breaks down boundaries of traditional printing that relies heavily on manual operation and experience. By employing intelligent and automation technologies, it enables the printing industry to advance towards smart manufacturing in the context of industry 4.0 and lead the trend for digital printing.

 

1. Mr. Shunichi Morinaga, President and CEO of Canon Hongkong Co., Ltd. (Right) and Mr. Jackson Leung, CEO of C&C Joint Printing Co., (H.K.) Ltd. completed the signing process of the partnership agreement.
1. Mr. Shunichi Morinaga, President and CEO of Canon Hongkong Co., Ltd. (Right) and Mr. Jackson Leung, CEO of C&C Joint Printing Co., (H.K.) Ltd. completed the signing process of the partnership agreement.

 

2. Mr. Shunichi Morinaga, President and CEO of Canon Hongkong Co., Ltd. (Right) and Mr. Jackson Leung, CEO of C&C Joint Printing Co., (H.K.) Ltd. toasted to the guests to celebrate the partnership and congratulate C&C 40th Anniversary.
2. Mr. Shunichi Morinaga, President and CEO of Canon Hongkong Co., Ltd. (Right) and Mr. Jackson Leung, CEO of C&C Joint Printing Co., (H.K.) Ltd. toasted to the guests to celebrate the partnership and congratulate C&C 40th Anniversary.

 

3. Group photo of (From left) Mr. Zhan Feng, Assistant General Manager, Mr. Hung Yuen Man, Deputy General Manager, Mr. C.K. Chau, Deputy General Manager and Mr. Jackson Leung, CEO of C&C Joint Printing Co., (H.K.) Ltd. and Mr. Shunichi Morinaga, President and CEO, Mr. Philip Chan, Senior Director & General Manager, Mr. Louis Hui, Assistant Director, Mr. Matthew Chu, Assistant Director and Mr. Louis Woo, Senior Sales Manager of Canon Hongkong Co., Ltd.
3. Group photo of (From left) Mr. Zhan Feng, Assistant General Manager, Mr. Hung Yuen Man, Deputy General Manager, Mr. C.K. Chau, Deputy General Manager and Mr. Jackson Leung, CEO of C&C Joint Printing Co., (H.K.) Ltd. and Mr. Shunichi Morinaga, President and CEO, Mr. Philip Chan, Senior Director & General Manager, Mr. Louis Hui, Assistant Director, Mr. Matthew Chu, Assistant Director and Mr. Louis Woo, Senior Sales Manager of Canon Hongkong Co., Ltd.

 

4. Canon ProStream 1000 series color inkjet press employs advanced digital printing technology. Its outstanding output quality and automated workflows can assist businesses to further step towards Industrial 4.0 for optimized operation, accelerated market development and unlimited possibility.
4. Canon ProStream 1000 series color inkjet press employs advanced digital printing technology. Its outstanding output quality and automated workflows can assist businesses to further step towards Industrial 4.0 for optimized operation, accelerated market development and unlimited possibility.

Canon HK and C&C have long been engaging in strategic partnership. Mr. Jackson Leung, CEO of C&C Joint Printing Co., (H.K.) Ltd., said, "Being an industry game-changer, ‘inheritance’ and ‘innovation’ are always fundamental to our business. Canon’s achievements on optical, imaging and color aspects are highly recognized in the industry. We believe they will provide excellent product and service to us." As early as 2012, C&C has started to combine digital printing and traditional printing workshops. They have conducted a thorough investigation on the development of digital printing in terms of inkjet technology, quality, speed, automated workflows and the compatibility with their business. On the occasion of their 40th Anniversary, they finally met the most suitable printing system — ProStream 1000 series color inkjet press at this perfect timing to make their objective possible.

Industry 4.0 implementation is the only way for the printing industry. A large part of it is the use of technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence and big data in merging the virtual and the physical worlds. After integrating intelligent components in print workflow, most procedures will be automated. ProStream 1000 series can complete end-to-end workflow independently with plan-ahead production. This will eliminate a large volume of manual processing and allow human resources to be shifted to more valuable tasks. Staff can monitor progress of each print job and the completion time of each procedure through the system dashboard to increase transparency. Mr. Shunichi Morinaga, President and CEO of Canon Hongkong Co., Ltd. and Chairman of Canon Business Solutions (Guangdong) Co., Ltd., said, "ProStream 1000 series adopted a variety of automation elements. With the endeavors of Canon HK and our solely owned subsidiary in this collaboration, C&C must be able to unleash the potential of the series to further develop in the printing market in Greater Bay Area and across China. Furthermore, we are sure that the maturity of digital printing and the series can assist C&C to further transit to Industry 4.0, empowering them to a greater extent in the midst of digital transformation."

To fulfill the needs of the rapidly changing market conditions, C&C has been striving to transform digitally through the "connect and smart" concept. The ultimate goal is to enhance customer experience with a digital operating model. As inkjet technology has become more mature and well established, our flagship product — ProStream 1000 series delivers high speed and outstanding productivity. Its monthly duty cycle is up to 35 million A4 impressions. It also produces lines and text that are sharp and crisp on both coated and uncoated papers. Together with the native 1,200 dpi level, the print quality is comparable to offset printers and is able to meet the requirements of high-end customers on photo album and artwork printing. Furthermore, it offers print-on-demand (POD) service that allows flexible print amount based on actual needs. This will help businesses to reduce the cost of inventory and free up the space on storage. Personalization is another benefit of POD technology, which elevates product uniqueness and business competitiveness by customizing designs for different target segments. Hence, companies can expand to new markets and create new business opportunities for sustainable growth.

Canon HK and C&C both attach great importance to innovation and adopt a similar business philosophy. Not merely are they adhere to continual improvement on aspects including product R&D, service quality, and marketing, but also optimize customer experience through innovation whilst maintain performance superiority. "Canon HK believes that the cooperation will lead to unlimited possibilities and contribution to the printing industry and development of business in the Greater Bay Area in the coming future," Mr. Shunichi Morinaga said.

About Canon Hongkong Company Limited

Canon Inc. (TSE:7751 / NYSE:CAJ) was founded in 1937 in Japan. Its predecessor, Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory, produced Japan’s first 35 mm focal-plane-shutter camera "Kwanon" in 1934. Canon Inc. eventually expanded into the photocopying and printing industries, launching Japan’s first plain-paper copier NP-1100 in 1970 and the world’s first inkjet printer BJ-80 in 1985. Through the years, Canon Inc. has acquired in-depth experience in digital imaging product manufacturing, and research and development. It is a leader in the development of innovative products and holds the most technology patents in the imaging industry. Canon Inc. also makes a significant contribution to the promotion of photography. Today, Canon Inc. has a strong global presence and is one of the most important market players in the imaging, office and industrial product categories. As of 31 December 2019, Canon’s global revenue was US$32.7 billion.

One of the company’s first offices in Asia, Canon Hongkong Co., Ltd. (Canon HK) was established in 1971. It is responsible for the sales, marketing and after-sales services for all Canon product lines in Hong Kong and Macau. With the solely owned subsidiary Canon Business Solutions (Guangdong) Co., Ltd. established in 2018, the company can also provide intelligent total business solutions and professional services to companies in the Greater Bay Area. Canon HK adheres to Canon’s corporate philosophy of "kyosei", which encourages the company and its staff to participate in social, charitable and environmental activities in the community. Canon HK implements internationally-recognized management systems and has achieved ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 27001 (Canon Digital Production Center) and OHSAS 18001 certification.

Mapúa University, Malayan Colleges Laguna and Malayan Colleges Mindanao Select McGraw Hill’s ALEKS and Connect Solutions for Math and Science Courses


The partnership will further increase the capability to deliver quality, fully online courses

SINGAPORE, Dec. 14, 2020 — Mapúa University and its subsidiaries, Malayan Colleges Laguna and Malayan Colleges Mindanao, premier technology and engineering institutions based in the Philippines, have chosen McGraw Hill’s ALEKS adaptive learning software and Connect digital platform to enhance the learning experiences of students in Engineering, Chemistry, Mathematics, Psychology, Accounting and other course areas. The two programs will be made available to nearly 6,000 Mapúa University students in the academic year 2020-2021, representing the latest step in Mapúa University’s ongoing efforts to deliver world-class online lectures and laboratory courses.

"Mapúa University has consistently been a leader in delivering quality education to its students," said Dr. Bonifacio T. Doma, Jr., Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Mapúa University. "Our partnership with McGraw Hill will help to strengthen the university’s capabilities of delivering outcomes-based, fully digital education solutions that enrich our students’ learning experiences and that also help teachers to develop more creative, effective and efficient teaching styles."

For more than 20 years, McGraw Hill ALEKS has helped educators in Math and Chemistry to quickly and accurately focus in on exactly which topics students understand and which topics they need help with, empowering teachers to deliver the most effective instruction possible. Built on the theory of "knowledge spaces" from cognitive science, ALEKS (Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces) uses artificial intelligence to create personalized and dynamic learning paths for K-20 students based on their individual needs. To date, ALEKS has served more than 20 million students at thousands of K-12 schools, colleges and universities throughout the world. 

McGraw Hill’s Connect platform is a digital learning solution that also offers the course management and adaptive learning solution SmartBook 2.0, which creates a new reading experience for students. Using SmartBook 2.0, each student can better identify topics that they already know and also learn new topics through the technology’s ability to understand topics they’re ready to learn next. The software also measures the length of time each student spends on assessment and creates questions that evaluate the student’s understanding of a certain concept.

"We are proud to partner with Mapúa University to help their students achieve a higher level of educational outcomes by leveraging our industry-leading ALEKS and Connect learning platforms," said Joseph Chong, Managing Director of McGraw Hill in Asia. "As we continue to navigate the challenges of remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, this initiative reaffirms both McGraw Hill’s and the university’s commitment to providing innovative, high quality digital solutions to help each student succeed."

About Mapúa University

Mapúa University is a premier engineering and technological university in the Philippines. A 4-Star institution under the QS Stars Rating System and a QS Asia Top 500 university, it envisions itself to be among the best universities in the world, unceasingly fostering its long tradition of leading-edge excellence in various fields of studies and providing students a learning environment that will make them globally competitive.

Offering locally and internationally accredited academic programs and other developmental programs that provide international learning opportunities to its students, a Mapúa education meets global quality standards of the professions for which it prepares graduates.

A recognized leader in digital education and online learning in the Philippines, Mapúa continuously provides enriching and engaging learning experiences to its students using the latest in educational technology, enhancing its capability for effective teaching and learning in a digital environment.

McGraw Hill

McGraw Hill is a learning science company that delivers personalized learning experiences that drive results for students, parents, educators and professionals. We focus on educational equity, affordability and learning success to help learners build better lives. Headquartered in New York City, McGraw Hill has offices across North America, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and South America, and makes its learning solutions for PreK-12, higher education, professionals and others available in more than 75 languages. Visit us at mheducation.com or find us on FacebookInstagramLinkedIn or Twitter.

Contact:
Tyler Reed
McGraw Hill
(914) 512-4853
tyler.reed@mheducation.com 

OneConnect Enables Fintech Innovation in Abu Dhabi Global Market’s Digital Lab

SHENZHEN, China, Dec. 11, 2020 — Leading technology-as-a-service platform provider OneConnect Financial Technology Co., Ltd. (NYSE: OCFT) ("OneConnect" or "the Company") was recognized at the recent FinTech Abu Dhabi Festival for its technological support of ADGM Digital Lab, a platform of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the award-winning International Financial Center.

In April, OneConnect, an associate company of Ping An Insurance Group, signed a cooperative agreement with ADGM to provide technological support for the construction of ADGM Digital Lab, which is a "digital market" that focuses on financial businesses. The key role of the Digital Lab is to provide a virtual platform and resources such as data, application programming interfaces (APIs), system images and reference architectures. On the platform, financial institutions and Fintech firms can collaborate to implement agile iterations and test for innovative financial solutions.

The technology used by OneConnect to support the construction of ADGM Digital Lab is derived from Gamma O, OneConnect’s own open platform aiming to link developers, Fintech services providers and financial institutions. In addition to sharing advanced technology and Fintech platform, Gamma O also provides a sandbox testing environment to drive the innovative transformation of financial institutions.

"The ADGM Digital Lab provides a secure and reliable digital environment that allows Fintech companies to work with financial institutions to create and test solutions to solve real-world problems," said H.E. Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, chairman of ADGM, in his remarks at the FinTech Abu Dhabi Festival.

Under the supervision of the central bank and financial institutions in Abu Dhabi, the ADGM Digital Lab enables players in the industry — including financial institutions, startups, regulators, tech vendors, academics, venture capitalists and government entities — to identify and address shared challenges together.

H.E. Al Sayegh said that despite the challenging situation as a result of the pandemic this year, the number of tech start-ups at ADGM grew by 80 per cent to 291 and venture capital activity tripled from the prior year. 

The platform symbolizes the latest development of strategic relationships between OneConnect and ADGM to build a comprehensive digital financial and business services ecosystem. The agreement is expected to bring more business opportunities to Middle East and North African countries along the One Belt One Road initiative and boost the development of local Fintech innovations.

OneConnect is at the forefront of Fintech. As of June 30, OneConnect had obtained 4,327 patents, 945 of which were overseas patents, and served over 50 international customers in over 15 markets.

About OneConnect

OneConnect is a leading technology-as-a-service platform for financial institutions in China. The Company’s platform provides cloud-native technology solutions that integrate extensive financial services industry expertise with market-leading technology. The Company’s solutions provide technology applications and technology-enabled business services to financial institutions. Together they enable the Company’s customers’ digital transformations, which help them increase revenue, manage risks, improve efficiency, enhance service quality, and reduce costs.

Our technology-as-a-service platform strategically covers multiple verticals in the financial services industry, including banking, insurance and asset management, across the full scope of their businesses – from sales and marketing and risk management to customer services, as well as technology infrastructures such as data management, program development, and cloud services.

Entain Marks Its First Day With Measures To Deliver On Its New Strategy

– U.S. growth accelerates as BetMGM plans to double its footprint in three months

– Entain to seek licence in Canada and becomes the first global sports betting and gaming operator to gain a licence in Latin America

LONDON, Dec. 10, 2020 — The global sports betting and gaming group previously known as GVC Holdings plc, marked the first day of trading under its new name with a range of measures to deliver on the vision and direction recently outlined by its CEO Shay Segev. The new measures extend across all the countries in which it operates with brands including bwin, PartyPoker, Ladbrokes, Coral, FoxyBingo and BetMGM.

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Last month Entain announced a new strategy to deliver significant growth, driven by expansion in the U.S., growth across its core business, entry into new markets, and to new audiences. Entain, which has a very strong track record of 19 consecutive quarters of double-digit growth in its online business, also committed to lead responsible gaming with a new Sustainability Charter. Under this charter, the business pledged to focus only on regulated markets and use its proprietary technology to raise levels of player protection. 

As part of these plans to deliver growth and sustainability, Entain today confirmed strong momentum and market share gains in the U.S. for BetMGM, its joint venture with MGM Resorts. Between October and January BetMGM is adding five new states, doubling its population reach in three months to around 75 million across 12 states. Entain also disclosed that BetMGM’s most recent state launch in Tennessee has been its most successful go-live yet with revenues already ahead of those in more established states. Powered by Entain technology, BetMGM expects to be in over 20 states by the end of 2021.  

"We are firmly on track to take further leadership in the U.S. as well as in many other newly regulated markets that are now opening around the world." said Segev. "At the heart of our growth strategy is a determination to bring the best player experiences and protections to our industry as technology moves sport and interactive entertainment into a new era. In the U.S., we invested in building the right building blocks for the BetMGM platform to grow and become a long-term leader in the U.S., with superior technology and capabilities, and this is now paying off."

Entain also fleshed out its new Sustainability Charter, allocating money to new projects which will be delivered through its international Foundation around the world. It also gave further detail on its new Advanced Responsibility and Care (ARC) initiative, seeking to revolutionise player experiences and protection through world-leading research, data science and technology. Other new measures include:

Focus on new regulated markets: In line with its stated intention to focus on fully regulated markets, Entain today announced it has become the first global sports betting and gaming operator to gain a licence in Latin America and expects to go live in Colombia over the next month. Colombia is one of the first countries to issue licences in Latin America with others, such as Brazil preparing to follow. Elsewhere in the Americas, Canada is also moving ahead with regulation and Entain confirmed it will be applying for licencing in Canada.

  • Investing in people and communities: Entain has pledged to invest £100 million over five years in the Entain Foundation to fund responsible gaming initiatives and to support people and communities around the world where it operates. Today, it announced a series of international commitments: 

    UK: Entain and the three Trident Leagues (The Isthmian, Northern Premier and Southern Leagues) are to launch the Trident Community Foundation to help fund community-based projects. Grants will be open for the 228 football clubs that participate in the leagues.
    "Pitching In", Entain’s recently launched grassroots sport investment programme, is the founding partner of the Trident Community Foundation (TCF) and has donated £150,000 to establish the TCF fund, for distribution over the rest of the 2020/21 season.

    US: The Entain Foundation is rolling out an extensive state-by-state program with EPIC, a charitable organisation which works with former athletes and people who have overcome gambling addiction to help educate people on how to play safely.

    The U.S. project announced today with EPIC extends the program to a total of 15 Pro Sports teams and over 20 colleges across the country, including Harvard University, University of Oregon, and the Mid-American Conference. Entain and EPIC plan to work together to add additional professional sports leagues and colleges across the US during 2021. 

    Germany: The Entain Foundation will continue existing sports integrity projects in Germany and receive early funds to initiate further activities around responsible gaming.

    Australia:  The Foundation has announced initial new projects to advance responsible gaming with Relationships Australia, a community-based not for profit organisation which provides a range of counselling and support services to problem gamblers and their families. The new funding will be used to support a social media campaign to reach vulnerable audiences and to raise awareness of the signs of gambling addiction.

  • Advanced Responsibility and Care (ARC): Under this recently announced programme, Entain will combine its technology with research and insight from leading psychologists and Harvard to develop innovative experiences and safeguards for a new era in interactive sport and entertainment. To this end, Entain today announced that:

    Dr. Michael Auer,
    a leading academic and member of the scientific community at the University of Hohenheim in Germany, specialising in behavioural psychology and addiction, will join Entain alongside Professor Mark Griffiths, Distinguished Professor of Behavioral Addiction and Psychology at Nottingham Trent University. They will evaluate and advise on improvements to Entain’s guidelines and processes in relation to responsible gaming.

For more information see the Group’s website: www.entaingroup.com

Video – https://mma.prnasia.com/media2/1372389/Entain.mp4?p=medium600

Singapore Startup Helps Owners Sell Their Car in Record Time, Builds First AI Valuation Tool in Region

Partnering global technology company Huawei, UCARS aims to build consumer trust and satisfaction in the automotive industry with its latest integration of cutting-edge technologies into its platform

SINGAPORE, Dec. 7, 2020 — Singapore’s fastest-growing online car marketplace to buy and sell new and used cars, UCARS is integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cloud computing into its platform together with Huawei to provide consumers with enhanced transparency, security and satisfaction.

Singapore car owners can now expect to sell their vehicles within three days at the highest prices when they use the AI-enhanced tools provided by the UCARS platform. This is part of the company’s commitment to shifting the automotive industry towards a more modernised and customer-centric landscape.

Using AI, the company has successfully created a proprietary valuation tool on the platform that provides consumers with an estimate of their cars’ resale value within seconds, making it the first instant AI Car Valuation Tool in Southeast Asia. Compared to other valuation methods that take at least a day to give an estimate, the UCARS AI Valuation Tool is the fastest valuation tool available to consumers in the region.

With the current economic lull due to COVID-19, transfer of private vehicle ownership for cars has seen an average of 15% year-on-year increase compared to September last year and reached an all-time high in September this year (source: LTA). Consumer demand for new and used cars has been seeing a steady increase in the Southeast Asia region. 

"We speculate that some Singaporeans are anticipating an economic rebound in the near future, and coupled with pent-up demand for cars and reduced quotas, we are expecting to see car sales skyrocket in the coming months," said Cho Kok Yick, Chief Technology Officer at UCARS.

One seller, Gideon Lam, who has successfully sold two cars on UCARS, stated that his experience was a seamless process as UCARS "helped to coordinate all the necessary" without him needing to do extensive preparatory work. Another seller, Michael Chong, showed appreciation towards UCARS for ensuring that the entire process was "smooth and transparent" on both ends.

"We want to make the second-hand car selling process as safe and as easy as possible, this is why we continuously invest in AI technologies. This will, of course, be made possible by Huawei technologies," Cho added.

"This is a really exciting time, where we see more companies harness the power of AI to change the way they do business. Huawei is excited to embark on this journey with UCARS to help digitalise and deepen consumer trust in the automotive industry as well as to improve the customer journey and experience," said Daniel Zhou, President of Huawei Cloud & AI Group, Asia Pacific.

Making Better Decisions with AI

Due to the pandemic, consumers worldwide have shifted their shopping patterns, and this applies to the automotive industry that traditionally thrives on face-to-face interactions.

To help consumers make better informed decisions in a fraction of the usual time, UCARS is progressively introducing new and improved tools and services powered by AI onto the platform by partnering Huawei.

With the help of HUAWEI CLOUD, UCARS seeks to deepen consumer trust by integrating better infrastructure and cloud security into the platform, and embarking on several AI-related projects to improve customer experience. This includes a Car Image Search Engine powered by machine vision and machine learning, as well as an improved AI Valuation Tool. All of them are developed on ModelArts, the AI platform of Huawei.

Using an improved algorithm, the accuracy of each valuation on the UCARS AI Valuation Tool improves with every use. By getting a better estimate on the value of their car, consumers can sell their car on the UCARS platform with ease of mind knowing the amount they can expect to get back, and at a fraction of the usual time it would take on other automotive platforms.

UCARS is also working on creating an AI-powered car search tool to help consumers identify the make and model of a car using only images. With machine vision, image recognition can be utilised to find a specific vehicle that consumers desire.

"We are confident that by building a strong core in the area of deep tech, we will be able to power future growth in the automotive industry in a post-COVID world," said Cho.

With the government’s push for digitalisation, disruptive technology solutions like artificial intelligence platforms, big data platforms, startups like UCARS are stepping up to create and adapt their current technologies.

Transparent Experience on the Cloud

Notably, the automotive industry faces difficulties communicating and forging meaningful relations with its consumers in a digitising society due to obsolete and inefficient operating processes. Consumers therefore lack the trust and confidence in the products and services sold by local car dealers.

According to Cho, UCARS eliminates the need for consumers to disclose their personal contact by using the platform’s built-in chat system. This allows consumers to connect seamlessly with dealers without divulging more information than they wish to.

Moreover, when dealers list on UCARS, there is no need for consumers to worry about hidden fees, undisclosed package deals, as they are provided with the latest and most accurate information on every listing.

Cho added that, after migrating its backend systems to HUAWEI CLOUD, the UCARS platform has become more stable and is now able to handle large amounts of data much better and securely than before.

Launched in Singapore early last year, HUAWEI CLOUD has been investing copious resources in partnering local startups such as UCARS. They strive to optimise their backend infrastructure and AI algorithms to better meet business objectives, all while keeping HUAWEI’s services secure and affordable. UCARS is also one of the five finalists in Huawei Spark 2020, a hybrid accelerator programme launched by Huawei for deep tech startups.

"A more robust architecture translates to enhanced user experience for both dealers and consumers. We truly appreciate the help that Huawei has been providing us throughout the integration process, and we look forward to more collaborative projects in the future," he added.

With innovation at the heart and technological know-how in mind, UCARS continues to bring consumers and dealers closer by digitising human interactions in the automotive industry, taking its place as the future of automotive retail.

 

Limited time VPN Promotion for HGC Broadband customers

VPN’s advantages make digital life better by providing cybersecurity upgrade, anti-tracking and more without geo-restrictions

HONG KONG, Dec. 4, 2020 — HGC Broadband, the home broadband service offered by HGC Global Communications Limited (HGC), announced today the launch of a limited time VPN promotion, offering selected HGC Broadband customers with Surfshark a 6-month VPN Service Plan to meet the increasing demand for strong cybersecurity and ensure they can enjoy the digital world with much more ease.

Protect the privacy online without geo-restrictions

Surfshark VPN service adds an extra layer of security to safeguard the identity of netizens. The advantages include:

  • Protection from malware and phishing attempts, and free from ads and trackers.
  • Protection from data theft, tracking, surveillance, and commercial targeting
  • Users can stream global content and not miss their favorite shows when travelling
  • Single account enables connection for an unlimited number of devices

In addition, HGC Broadband customers can purchase a 12-month Surfshark VPN service at a 78% discount# (12-month Surfshark VPN service plan original price $1111.8) between now and 21 December. For registration or inquiries, please refer to https://www.hgcbroadband.com/en/value-added-service/vpn.

Ben Wu, Director – Consumer & Mass Market, HGC, said, "At HGC, we have been paying close attention to market trends and customers’ needs. Cybersecurity has become a very important issue and is increasingly in demand. It literally affects all sectors and is especially important now with many of our customers working from home and shopping online during the pandemic. We will give out the free VPN service to selected customers and offer HGC Broadband customers the opportunity to purchase a VPN service at a discounted price, hoping to alleviate online security issues and worries and ensure customers can enjoy a safe and happy digital life."

*First come first served, while stock lasts.
#Offers are subjected to relevant terms and conditions, please refer to https://www.hgcbroadband.com/en/value-added-service/vpn 

About HGC Global Communications Limited

HGC Global Communications Limited (HGC) is a leading Hong Kong and international fixed-line operator. The company owns an extensive network and infrastructure in Hong Kong and overseas and provides a broad range of advanced telecommunications and ICT services. Headquartered in Hong Kong and operating 23 overseas offices on five continents, it provides telecom infrastructure service to other operators and serves as a service provider to corporate and households. The company provides full-fledged telecom, data centre services, ICT solutions and broadband services for local, overseas, corporate and mass markets. HGC owns and operates an extensive fibre-optic network, five cross-border telecom routes integrated into tier-one telecom operators in mainland China and connects with hundreds of world-class international telecom operators. HGC is one of Hong Kong’s largest Wi-Fi service providers, running over 29,000 Wi-Fi hotspots in Hong Kong. The company is committed to further investing and enriching its current infrastructure and adding the latest technologies and solutions. HGC is a portfolio company of I Squared Capital, an independent global infrastructure investment manager focusing on energy, utilities and transport in North America, Europe and selected fast-growing economies.

To learn more, please visit HGC’s website at: www.hgc.com.hk

Related Links :

http://www.hgc.com.hk

Velo Labs Chooses BitGo for Digital Asset Custody

ROAD TOWN, British Virgin Islands, Dec. 4, 2020Velo Labs, developer of the Velo Protocol, is excited to announce that it has entered into an agreement with BitGo, a leading digital asset financial services firm. BitGo will provide its best-in-class digital asset custody services to Velo Labs and its alliance network.

The scope of the agreement is two-fold:

  1. Velo Labs will utilize BitGo’s qualified custody through BitGo Trust, in order to provide BitGo’s pioneering multi-signature custody of VELO token on behalf of Velo Labs.
  2. BitGo will provide safekeeping services for Velo Labs’ fiat currency accounts at depository institutions and/or in one or more money market accounts.

Velo Labs and its partners will bring great value to users through a suite of innovative Velo Protocol-powered products, beginning with its robust Federated Credit Exchange Network. Through its Federated Credit Exchange Network, Velo Labs connects an array of traditional, centralized and decentralized finance partners to enable distributed value transfers powered by blockchain technology. At the core of this network is the VELO token. VELO tokens serve as a bridge asset enabling secure value transfers between network participants in an instant and transparent manner using blockchain technology. It also provides cross-chain liquidity together with on-chain/off-chain liquidity and settlement.

"Velo Labs is building an inclusive financial solution that brings affordable and instantaneous financial mobility to its partners and downstream end users. The partnership with BitGo further strengthens our ability to allow safe and secure value storage and transfer in the Velo ecosystem." — Tridbodi Arunanondchai, Vice Chairman of Velo Labs

BitGo pioneered multi-signature security in 2013 with hot wallets and launched BitGo Trust in 2018 for qualified custody. It now provides a full stack of solutions for institutional investors in addition to custody including portfolio and tax management and prime lending and trading services. With the addition of BitGo’s custodial services, Velo Labs furthers its mission of providing safety and security to its partners while building the Federated Credit Exchange Network.

"BitGo supports Velo’s mission to build a decentralized settlement network," said Mike Belshe, Co-Founder and CEO, BitGo. "Velo’s growth in APAC with a focus on payment solutions serves to further address under-served micro, small and medium enterprise lending in the region. This is a timely and important initiative as the ecosystem continues to develop to empower the underbanked."

About Velo Labs

Founded in 2018, Velo Labs is backed by the CP Group and Stellar Network (XLM). Its core mission is to build a Federated Credit Exchange Network that allows partners to safely and securely transfer value between each other with maximized efficiency and transparency. Velo Labs currently serves business partners in the remittance and money transfer markets of Southeast Asia. Through its Federated Credit Exchange Network, Velo Labs aims to solve the inefficiencies in the current remittance and money transfer markets and become a major settlement hub in Asia, eventually expanding to other regions.

Velo Labs develops the Velo Protocol. The Velo Protocol is a blockchain financial protocol enabling digital credit issuance and borderless asset transfers for businesses using a smart contract system. It enables its trusted partners to issue digital credits via a smart contract layer, using the Stellar Consensus Protocol to process and settle transactions. The Velo Protocol can issue digital credits that correspond to any fiat currency.

Through its services, Velo Labs is looking to create a fully interoperable network that will enable its trusted partners (i.e. businesses, banks, digital banks, cash-in/cash out network, e-wallets, DeFi protocols) to make frictionless value transfers that are settled instantaneously in a cheap, secure, and simplified manner. Further use-cases for the Velo Protocol will also be introduced over time. This includes borrowing, lending, staking, and more. Velo Labs seeks to realize its goals by leveraging on its core capabilities, which include a strong leadership team with a solid track record in a wide range of industries, including but not limited to financial services, technology and telecommunications. Velo Labs is backed by a network of major conglomerates in Asia who are driving the use and adoption of the Velo Protocol and VELO token.

About BitGo

BitGo is the leader in digital asset financial services, providing institutional investors with liquidity, custody, and security solutions. In 2020, BitGo launched Prime Trading and Lending, as well as BitGo Portfolio and Tax, providing clients with a full-stack solution for digital assets. In 2018, it launched BitGo Trust Company, the first qualified custodian purpose-built for storing digital assets. BitGo processes over 20% of all global Bitcoin transactions, and supports over 300 coins and tokens. BitGo’s customer base includes the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges and institutional investors and spans more than 50 countries. BitGo is backed by Goldman Sachs, Craft Ventures, Digital Currency Group, DRW, Galaxy Digital Ventures, Redpoint Ventures, and Valor Equity Partners. For more information, please visit https://bitgo.com.

Disclosures

Custody services are offered through BitGo Trust Company, a South Dakota chartered trust company. BitGo is not registered with the SEC as an investment advisor or custodian, and does not offer legal, tax, investment, or other advice. Please consult your legal/tax/investment professional for questions about your specific circumstances.

BitGo Trust Company, BitGo Inc., and BitGo Prime LLC are separately operated, wholly-owned subsidiaries of BitGo Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, CA.

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Winshuttle EnterWorks Offers Comprehensive Systems Integration Through New Partnership with Strategix CFT GmbH

EnterWorks MDM/PIM Clients Leverage Strategix Innovative Retail Technologies

DÜSSELDORF, Germany, Dec. 3, 2020 — Winshuttle EnterWorks, the provider of an industry-leading Master Data Management (MDM) and Product Information Management (PIM) platform, announced today it is partnering with Strategix GmbH, a boutique consulting company that specializes in innovative retail technologies and comprehensive systems integration. As a local implementation and support Winshuttle EnterWorks partner, Strategix provides consulting on business processes and technology selection, deep system integration, and implementation capabilities based on more than 20 years of experience.

"The rise of omnichannel and new regulations has put an increased pressure on retail brands to provide complete, up-to date, consistent information on all channels," said Kerry Young, Vice President and General Manager of Winshuttle EnterWorks. "We are excited to partner with Strategix and offer our clients the benefits of Strategix’s extensive experience on projects involving comprehensive integration of various PIM systems with category management, supply chain management and e-commerce environments." 

In today’s complex retail environment, a centralized PIM Tool is essential, alongside in-depth understanding of business processes in the retail and manufacturing industry. Strategix has supported leading retailers and brands in D-A-CH and Eastern Europe as they transform their merchandising processes and select the right technologies.

"We are happy to cooperate with Winshuttle EnterWorks and be able to promote and implement their innovative technology," said Jan Hanussek, the Founder and CEO of Strategix GmbH. "The widening scope of information and increasing speed of changes means that PIM and MDM systems used in our market are ready for a generation change. Many of our existing and potential customers are either lacking some critical product information or struggling with keeping the information up-to-date. EnterWorks will help us, not only to close these gaps, but offer a solution in addition to agile functionality as well."

For more information about Winshuttle EnterWorks, please visit https://www.winshuttle.com/enterworks.

About Winshuttle
Over 2,400 enterprises across the globe trust Winshuttle’s automation, product information management (PIM), and multi-domain master data management (MDM) software to drive business results at scale, become more agile and transform digital into a competitive advantage.

Winshuttle’s EnterWorks solution is a Multi-Domain MDM & business process automation solution provider that powers 2400+ brands including Fender, GSK, Thomson Reuters, Mary Kay, IDEA, US Foods, Ecolab, Carhartt, Rich Products, and many more. The EnterWorks platform is highly ranked by industry analysts as a Multi-Domain Master Data Management hub with deep Product Information Management (PIM) and Digital Asset Management (DAM) capabilities. Our flexible platform enables customers to deliver high-quality data and experiences across systems, channels, and audiences. Learn more at https://www.winshuttle.com/enterworks.

About Strategix
Strategix CFT is a boutique consulting company and system integrator in the areas of Category Management and Supply Chain Management. With more than 20 years of experience Strategix relies on a deep subject matter expertise of technical and business process related themes. In order to ensure the solutions meet customer needs in the best possible way Strategix provides hybrid/ multi-vendor solutions. Strategix has already helped leading retailers and manufacturers worldwide to execute a seamlessly integrated space and assortment management. Find out more at https://www.strategix.eu/.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Winshuttle EnterWorks
Sonia Villarreal
sonia.villarreal@winshuttle.com

Strategix CFT
Tel: +49(211)7584740
contact@strategix.de

Climatetrade announces a partnership with Algorand and Investment from Borderless Capital


VALENCIA, Spain, Dec. 2, 2020  — Climatetrade, a blockchain-marketplace for CO2 carbon offsetting, announced today it will leverage the Algorand, a scalable, secure and decentralized digital blockchain technology network. to bring its technology to the next level. In addition, Borderless Capital has participated in the € 1 Million seed round of Climatetrade to support the company’s strategic plan and expansion goals.

Climatetrade is leading the market in terms of bringing transparency and traceability into carbon markets with blockchain solutions, offering its services to large corporations such as Iberia, Melià Hotels, Cabify, Telefónica, and many others. Climatetrade gives its users access to a marketplace where they can  directly offset their carbon footprint by selecting the most suitable carbon credits, along with  the records of all their transactions in a private dashboard.

Climatetrade and its customers will be using Algorand as its primary infrastructure layer and leveraging its capabilities for carbon offsetting. The key benefits to using a public blockchain network to transact and create an open marketplace for carbon credit trading are greater efficiency, transparency and inclusivity.

"Climatetrade’s selection of Algorand to power a global marketplace for carbon offsetting is a major shift in how organizations can achieve carbon neutrality," said W. Sean Ford, COO of Algorand. "By making carbon offsetting more easily accessible and efficient, Climatetrade is poised to make a far reaching environmental impact through its vast network — all with blockchain."

"After analysing several technology providers and rigorous due diligence, we chose Algorand as the blockchain infrastructure to power our platform. We have no doubt, Algorand is the perfect solution due to its flexible architecture, low transaction fees and scalability of transactional performance. In addition, they are the only pure proof-of stake (PPoS) network and we have an aligned business vision," said  Francisco Benedito, CEO of Climatetrade."

Borderless Capital invests in category-leading businesses creating economic value in the borderless economy. This investment will enable Climatetrade to open markets in the United States. The next stop on Francisco’s itinerary will be Silicon Valley, where Climatetrade is planning to open its first office to start commercializing its innovative solutions to those American companies that wish to reaffirm their commitment to sustainability by offsetting their CO2 emissions.

"Borderless is the right partner for us as they have the experience with businesses that integrate blockchain at their core. We are sure that will help ClimateTrade to expand faster and complement our strategy perfectly," said Francisco Benedito.

"We are excited and proud to join ClimateTrade. The use of Algorand technology and blockchain for making the planet a better place is at core of our investment philosophy and mindset," said David Garcia, CEO and Managing Partner of Borderless Capital.

This alliance will enable Climatetrade to position itself as the reference for the climate markets worldwide and to progressively create an exponential organization able to make a real impact in the world.

About Climatetrade
Climatetrade is a Spanish company whose main objective is to help companies achieve their sustainability goals by offsetting CO2 emissions and financing climate change projects.

Pioneering the development of its Blockchain marketplace, Climatetrade has recently launched an API that allows the acquisition of carbon neutral products and services from customers of the different companies integrating this solution.

About Algorand Inc.
Algorand Inc. built the world’s first open-source, permissionless, pure proof-of-stake blockchain protocol for the next generation of financial products. The Algorand protocol is the brainchild of Turing Award-winning cryptographer Silvio Micali. Algorand Inc., a technology company dedicated to removing friction from financial exchange, is powering the DeFi evolution by enabling the creation and exchange of value, building new financial tools and services, bringing assets on-chain, and providing responsible privacy models.

About Borderless Capital
Borderless Capital is a modern financial institution investing capital and building financial products that accelerate access, bootstrap adoption, and create value globally through the Algorand borderless economy.

Media contact: algorand@dittopr.co

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