Boomi Delivers the Critical Infrastructure That Brings Control to Enterprise AI

 Govern AI agents, optimize token spend, and mitigate security risk to operationalize AI at scale

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Boomi, the data activation company for AI, today announced major platform innovations designed to solve critical barriers to enterprise AI adoption. At the core of these updates is Boomi’s Agent Control Plane, AI-native infrastructure that securely connects AI agents to core business systems, provides governance over agent activity, and controls runaway AI costs. This critical infrastructure runs flexibly across public cloud, the customer’s own cloud (VPC), or on-premises, directly supporting data and digital sovereignty, and giving organizations greater operational control over their AI estate.

Key Takeaways

Boomi’s Agent Control Plane provides the critical AI-native infrastructure that operationalizes agentic workloads with full control. Vendor and model-neutral, it connects AI agents to core enterprise systems, grounds execution in verified business data with full data lineage, and governs the actions they take.

According to Gartner®, “By 2027, 40% of enterprises will demote or decommission autonomous AI agents due to governance gaps identified only after production incidents occur.”* Boomi’s Agent Control Plane addresses the governance gap that stalls enterprise AI by centralizing visibility for agents and tools through an AI gateway enforcement layer, curbing token cost overruns and mandating human-in-the-loop approvals.

Boomi’s Agent Control Plane delivers maximum flexibility and choice by securely governing agents, tools, and models across the ecosystem, including bring-your-own-models (BYOM) and specialized SLMs.** This governance operates within private networks or regional boundaries to reinforce data sovereignty, protect sensitive IP behind corporate firewalls, and optimize compute costs.

The Boomi Enterprise Platform drives measurable enterprise AI ROI by converting natural language intent directly into multi-system workflows, while opening the platform to builders through expanded APIs and agent skills, programmatic orchestration, and agent trust scoring to scale operations across the business.

The AI Governance Gap Creates a New Generation of Enterprise Risk

AI adoption is rapidly outpacing governance. Enterprises are moving agents into production faster than they can see what those agents are doing, what they cost, or what happens when one touches the wrong system. That gap introduces severe operational, financial, and security risks: unpredictable token spend, loss of proprietary intellectual property, compliance exposure, and no single view of what AI is doing inside the business. Faced with that uncertainty, many organizations fall back on the only lever they have: shutting access down. Restricting connectivity keeps the enterprise safe on paper, but it starves agents of the systems and data that make them useful, stalling AI's value.

Organizations should not have to choose between moving fast on AI and keeping control of their data and infrastructure. AI agents need deep access to core transactional systems such as Salesforce, SAP, Oracle, and Workday to deliver real business value, but granting that access without dedicated policy enforcement and strict boundary controls exposes critical corporate intellectual property to public models and unauthorized data leaks. This balance of control is the largest unmanaged risk in enterprise technology today. That lack of governance is precisely why so many AI initiatives stall in the pilot stage, and why agents already in production run without security auditability or clear financial accountability.

Independent research quantifies both halves of the problem:

Governance. Gartner predicts that “by 2027, 40% of enterprises will demote or decommission autonomous AI agents due to governance gaps identified only after production incidents occur.” Gartner also states that “Applying uniform governance to all AI agents, regardless of their autonomy level and scope, can lead to enterprise AI agent failure.” (Gartner, May 2026).*(Gartner, May 2026).

Cost. In the FinOps Foundation’s 2026 State of FinOps survey of 1,192 practitioners representing more than $83 billion in annual cloud spend, 98% said they now manage AI spend, up from 31% two years earlier, making AI cost management the most in-demand skill in the discipline (FinOps Foundation, February 2026).

Trust. In “The Agentic AI Readiness Gap,” a Forrester Consulting thought leadership paper commissioned by Boomi in July 2026, 86% of leaders said their organizations had moved beyond AI agent pilots, but only 34% said they trust the actions their agentic systems take. Organizations that deployed agents before they were ready reported an average of $2.1 million in added cost.

“The governance conversation has shifted from model risk to execution risk. Enterprises are no longer primarily worried about what an agent says. They are worried about what it does to a general ledger or a customer record, what that action cost and whether anyone can reconstruct the decision six months later in an audit. Cloud and model providers each govern their own estate, which leaves the average enterprise holding several partial audit trails and no complete one. The organizations getting this right are putting enforcement in the path between the agent and the system of record, rather than alongside it.”

—Michael Barnes, Chief Analyst, Enterprise IT, Omdia

Operationalizing AI Through a Vendor- and Model-Neutral Safety Harness

Boomi’s Agent Control Plane acts as a vendor- and model-neutral control point sitting directly between any AI agent, model or app — whether built on Boomi, third-party, or open-source frameworks — and the transactional systems that run the business. Instead of locking companies into a single proprietary cloud ecosystem, Boomi provides control over agent execution while preserving the freedom to evolve an AI strategy over time.

Boomi operationalizes enterprise AI across six core business scenarios:

1. Govern agent actions and control sprawl

Boomi helps organizations reclaim control over fragmented, multi-vendor AI adoption through a single control point that centralizes visibility for agents and tools, inspects live traffic, applies identity and rate limits, curbs token overruns and cost surges, and holds high-risk transactional actions for human approval. The Agent Control Plane provides the visibility layer; the Boomi AI Gateway, built on technology from Boomi’s recent acquisition of Lunar.dev, will act as the enforcement layer, combining MCP gateway and LLM gateway capabilities in one control point.

2. Connect AI to enterprise systems safely

Boomi provides governed agent connectivity. Boomi Connect exposes enterprise systems as governed MCP servers and tools that MCP-compatible agents can discover and call, so employees can safely adopt AI tools like Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini. Business professionals across functions get instant access to more than 1,000 pre-built MCP servers and tools instead of building and maintaining custom connectors. Boomi Connect applies governance by provisioning access through existing identity providers and authenticating, logging, and metering tool calls. (Boomi Connect and MCP Gateway)

3. Run agents behind your own firewall

Boomi gives organizations deployment flexibility through its hybrid runtime architecture, securely running agents, tools, bring-your-own models and specialized small language models** within private networks and regional boundaries. That lets enterprises comply with data sovereignty mandates, keep sensitive intellectual property behind the corporate firewall, and optimize compute costs. (Runtime)

4. Ground answers in business truth & lineage

Boomi reduces agent hallucinations and token waste by grounding reasoning in expert-endorsed business definitions and end-to-end data lineage, giving enterprises visibility into data provenance for AI-driven actions. (Agent Context)

5. Turn intent into approved workflows

Boomi addresses the pressure to show measurable AI return beyond basic chatbots by letting non-technical teams compose multi-system agentic workflows in natural language. Each solution is presented in two views — a business view of the logic and a technical view of the implementation — so business and IT teams align on the same agentic solution, staged for testing and review before it goes live. (Boomi Orchestrate)

6. Open the platform for builders

Unlock the Boomi Enterprise Platform’s full power through expanded APIs and innovative developer tools. Orchestrate, manage, and extend workflows across agent development, data management, and platform operations all through natural language. Emerging capabilities like agent trust scoring showcase what is now possible. (Boomi Agentstudio APIs, Boomi Companion skills, Agent Trust Scorecard)

“Two years ago, 31% of FinOps practitioners were managing AI spend. This year it is 98%. Finance has arrived in the middle of every AI conversation, and it is asking three questions most architectures cannot answer: which agent spent this, on what, and who approved it. Until an enterprise can answer those questions, AI is an expense nobody can defend, and what cannot be defended does not get funded. That is what Boomi’s Agent Control Plane changes: agents visible, actions governed, dollars attributable, running wherever the business requires it to run. Control is not the brake on enterprise AI. It is what makes scale possible.”

— Steve Lucas, chairman and chief executive officer, Boomi

Built on a Foundation of Trust

Boomi provides the critical AI infrastructure that powers the agentic enterprise. More than 30,000 customers trust the platform to process over 200 billion messages a quarter, and it holds more than 16 security certifications covering the regional and industry standards regulated enterprises operate under. Because the connections to core systems are already in place, governed and audited, Boomi transforms the infrastructure enterprises already depend on into the foundation their agents run on.

For more information, visit boomi.com/platform/ai-infrastructure.

Additional Resources

Read the Boomi blog for more details on this announcement and what it means for enterprises

Explore the latest Boomi innovations

Economics Always Wins, a point of view from Boomi chief executive officer Steve Lucas on why enterprises will run private AI

Boomi’s Agent Control Plane, Boomi Connect, Boomi Runtime, and Boomi Orchestrate

About Boomi

Boomi, the data activation company for AI, powers the agentic enterprise by bringing data to life across the business. The Boomi Enterprise Platform is the active data foundation that delivers essential agentic infrastructure to drive agentic transformation. By unifying agent design and governance, API and MCP management, integration and automation, and data management into a single platform, Boomi enables organizations to harness the power of AI with secure, scalable connectivity. Trusted by over 30,000 customers and supported by a network of 800+ partners, Boomi helps organizations of all sizes achieve agility, efficiency, and innovation at scale. Discover more at boomi.com.

© 2026 Boomi, LP. Boomi, the ‘B’ logo, and Boomiverse are trademarks of Boomi, LP or its subsidiaries or affiliates. All rights reserved. Other names or marks may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

*Gartner Press Release, Gartner Says Applying Uniform Governance Across AI Agents Will Lead to Enterprise AI Agent Failure, 26 May 2026, https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2026-05-26-gartner-says-applying-uniform-governance-across-ai-agents-will-lead-to-enterprise-ai-agent-failure. GARTNER is a trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates.

** BYOM will start with Anthropic, OpenAI and Gemini models and will continue to expand.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is Boomi’s Agent Control Plane?

Boomi’s Agent Control Plane is critical, AI-native infrastructure required to govern and operationalize agentic workloads under strong enterprise control. As a vendor- and model-neutral control point, it connects agents to systems, governs the actions they attempt, and grounds answers in verified business data.

- Enterprise IT & Security: It delivers operational control, applies security policies, and runs securely across public cloud, on-premises, or sovereign environments.

- Finance & Business Leaders: It provides visibility across agents to track consumption, maintain strict cost controls, and curb runaway AI spend.

Q. Is Boomi's Agent Control Plane a new product?

Boomi's Agent Control Plane is a solution powered by the Boomi Enterprise Platform. It brings together critical agentic capabilities to connect, build, contextualize, govern, and run agents so organizations can operationalize enterprise AI at scale.

Q: What problems does Boomi’s Agent Control Plane solve?

Enterprises cannot safely grant autonomous agents access to mission-critical operational systems without risking security, compliance, or financial exposure. Agents require live system access to deliver business value, but ungoverned access introduces severe risk, causing most enterprise AI pilots to stall. The Agent Control Plane makes agent actions, data access, and API calls visible, policy-governed, and auditable across models and applications, enabling organizations to move safely from AI pilots to full production.

Q: What does “governed” actually mean for an AI agent?

It means agents operate under a verified non-human identity with fine-grained, role-based access controls, rather than shared over-privileged API keys. The actions agents attempt and the systems they touch require explicit, policy-based permission. Token usage and API spend are managed through per-agent rate limits and financial caps. High-risk transactional actions are held for human approval before execution, and events are recorded in a centralized audit trail. These controls are applied in real time within the traffic path by the Boomi AI Gateway, rather than described in a policy document after an incident.

Q: Does the Agent Control Plane help us optimize AI spend, or does it only enforce policies?

Both. The same visibility that enforces governance also provides operational and financial cost control. With Boomi’s Agent Control Plane, teams track usage, performance and token consumption for all active agents in real time. That allows organizations to identify high-performing workloads, flag agents consuming excess tokens without results, and reallocate budget before unmonitored calls cause financial surprises.

Q: Does Boomi’s Agent Control Plane work with AI agents and models we already have from other vendors?

Yes. Boomi is vendor- and model-neutral. It provides a single control point for agents, tools, and models built on frameworks like Microsoft, AWS, Salesforce, or open-source models. Organizations can also deploy custom internal code, bring-your-own-models (BYOM), or fine-tuned expert small language models (SLMs) without vendor lock-in.

Q: We already have governance tools from our cloud provider and our model vendor. Why is this different?

Cloud and model-providers govern traffic within their own proprietary platforms, creating fragmented governance silos across multi-cloud environments. An enterprise running AI workloads across multiple clouds, models, and SaaS platforms struggle to govern the full picture through any one of them, and each has a built-in interest in keeping workloads inside its own environment. Boomi’s Agent Control Plane sits above all of them, providing one universal enforcement layer, cross-provider audit trails, and visibility, regardless of which model or cloud is doing the work.

Q: Can we run our own models, including small language models, on our own infrastructure?

Yes. The Boomi Runtime supports bring-your-own-model (BYOM) deployments, spanning commercial LLMs such as Claude and ChatGPT, open-weight models, and private model instances, and Boomi is introducing fine-tuned small language models (coming soon) that run inside the runtime as part of this release. Running models the enterprise controls, on infrastructure it controls, addresses data sovereignty, and converts variable per-token cost into predictable compute cost.

Q: Do we have to replace our existing systems or integrations to use it?

No. Operational systems stay as they are. Existing Boomi integration processes can be exposed to agents as governed tools with no rebuild required. For non-Boomi systems, agents connect through Boomi’s library of more than 1,000 pre-built MCP-enabled tools.

Q: How is Boomi priced?

Pricing is flexible and consumption-based, allowing organizations to start small and scale investment as usage grows. Entry options include pay-as-you-go tiers for deploying initial use cases without long-term capital commitments, as well as enterprise capacity plans for multi-cloud agent deployments.

Q: How does Boomi connect AI agents to backend systems like SAP, Salesforce, or Workday?

Boomi connects AI agents to backend systems through Boomi Connect, providing managed Model Context Protocol (MCP) tool services paired with an enterprise-grade MCP Gateway. Utilizing 1,000+ pre-built tools, Boomi turns complex integrations into secure MCP tools. It applies real-time protocol security, role-based access control, and rate limiting; granting agents transactional access without custom code or exposed credentials.

Q: How do we get started?

Organizations can start with a Boomi discovery workshop, in which Boomi domain experts work alongside architecture, security and operations teams to identify high-impact AI use cases, map system dependencies and establish governance guardrails tailored to that organization’s compliance standards. Click here for more information.

Q: Why Boomi?

Trust: More than 30,000 customers trust the platform to process over 200 billion messages a quarter, and it holds more than 16 security certifications covering the regional and industry standards regulated enterprises operate under. Neutrality: Boomi is model- and platform-agnostic, governing agents, models and tools across any cloud or vendor ecosystem. Completeness: Boomi brings connectivity, identity governance, data grounding, and a run-anywhere execution engine together in a single platform.

 

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Contacts

Media Contact

Kristen Walker

Global Communications, Boomi

kristenwalker@boomi.com

 

Changan Unveils DEEPAL S05 REEV and UNI-S HEV at South Africa’s Festival of Motoring 2026

 

JOHANNESBURG - Tuesday, 01. September 2026

(GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Changan Automobile unveiled the new DEEPAL S05 REEV and UNI-S HEV at the 2026 WesBank Festival of Motoring in Kyalami, alongside the return of its commercial vehicle range. The launch marks another step forward in Changan’s regional footprint within South Africa’s growing new energy vehicle market.

Designed in Italy and engineered in the UK, the DEEPAL S05 REEV is a premium mid-size SUV built on a range-extended electric vehicle platform, offering an EV driving experience without range anxiety. A single electric motor produces 160kW and 320Nm, while a 1.5-litre petrol engine (72kW/125Nm) functions solely as a generator, topping up the 27kWh battery on the move. Changan claims a combined driving range of more than 1,000km, including up to 200km of pure electric range, as well as a 20-minute fast-charging capability when connected to an EV charger. The S05 is further equipped with a 15.4-inch infotainment touchscreen, a 50-inch augmented reality head-up display and Level 2 ADAS.

Joining the lineup is the new UNI-S HEV, which expands the UNI-S family with hybrid technology. The vehicle combines a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing 110kW and 220Nm with an electric motor for a total system output of 166kW and 290Nm, paired with an electronic CVT transmission driving the front wheels. Changan claims a combined fuel consumption of 4.0L/100km. The UNI-S HEV also features Level 2 ADAS, a 540-degree HD camera system, wireless smartphone connectivity and a technology-focused cabin designed for modern mobility needs.

Expanding Changan’s electrified product portfolio on display was the Changan Hunter, the world’s first super range-extended off-road pickup. Equipped with an electric-drive two-speed transfer case and e-4WD system, the Hunter delivers exceptional all-terrain capability while combining the efficiency and driving characteristics of electrified powertrains. Designed for both work and adventure, it integrates rugged off-road performance, high-power V2L functionality and towing capability, making it well suited to outdoor enthusiasts and commercial users alike.

In addition to its passenger vehicle portfolio, Changan also showcased its commercial vehicle lineup, including single-cab and double-cab dropside models, panel vans, box-body derivatives and minibuses, further broadening its offering for business and commercial customers in South Africa.

South Africa forms an important part of Changan Automobile’s broader globalization strategy. Under the company’s Vast Ocean Plan, Changan is accelerating long-term development across the Middle East and Africa through a strategy focused on localization, sustainable growth and brand building.

Today, Changan is advancing its strategy of offering a wide range of powertrains and vehicle models in markets including South Africa. With more than 30 years of presence in the Middle East and Africa, cumulative regional sales exceeding 500,000 units, and a growing sales and service network spanning the Gulf, North Africa and Southern Africa, Changan remains committed to delivering intelligent, reliable and high-value mobility solutions tailored to the evolving needs of customers across the region.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/83754073-ddf3-4122-836b-66bc8dfca37f

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/99dbfbeb-c218-4342-a3cd-f9aaee7a80ae

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d0117635-a07d-4b19-b86d-72fb5e4e3795

Contacts :

Contact Information:

Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., Ltd.

E-mail: global@changan.com.cn

Aukera Closes €460 Million Structured Credit Facility Led by EIG to Support European Energy Infrastructure Portfolio

 BRUSSELS & WASHINGTON -

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Aukera, the pan-European battery storage and renewable energy platform backed by AtlasInvest, Reggeborgh and SFPIM (Belgium's sovereign wealth fund), announced the closing of its €460 million structured credit facility, for which EIG, a leading institutional investor in the global energy and infrastructure sectors, served as the lead investor.

With the financing in place, Aukera moves into its next phase of growth, combining capital, expertise and delivery capability to build a significant European energy infrastructure platform that develops, finances, constructs and operates assets at scale.

The original facility included an initial €200 million commitment and an accordion feature of up to €250 million. The amended facility converts that accordion into a firmly committed €260 million Series 2 tranche, increasing total committed capital to €460 million. The additional capital will support the continued advancement of Aukera's portfolio of renewable energy generation, battery storage and energy infrastructure projects across its five European markets (Belgium, the United Kingdom, Germany, Romania and Italy).

Since securing the original facility, Aukera has continued to demonstrate its ability to originate, finance and deliver energy infrastructure projects at scale across multiple markets. The company currently has close to 1 GW of projects in construction or operation across all of its markets. Alongside these delivery milestones, Aukera continues to advance a 14 GW development pipeline of renewable energy and energy infrastructure opportunities across Europe.

Catalin Breaban and Pascal Emsens, Co-Founders of Aukera, commented:

“We believe Europe needs to at least quadruple its battery storage capacity to reach the EU's 200 GW target by 2030. That requires not just capital, but teams and platforms that can deliver complex infrastructure repeatedly, on time, on budget and across multiple markets.

This facility with EIG gives Aukera the financial depth to do exactly that. With close to 1 GW in construction or operation today, a 14 GW pipeline, and a team with deep expertise across development, financing, delivery, revenue optimisation and sophisticated asset management, we expect Aukera to emerge as one of Europe's established battery storage and renewable energy platforms. We are well positioned to continue building the infrastructure that supports Europe's evolving energy system.”

Rob Johnson, President & CIO, EIG Credit Management, commented:

“We are pleased to expand our relationship with Aukera through this significantly upsized facility. Aukera has built a diversified portfolio across several European markets, supported by an experienced team with capabilities spanning project development, financing, construction and operations. This transaction reflects EIG’s confidence in the Aukera team and strategy, as well as our focus on providing flexible capital solutions to established energy infrastructure platforms.”

The principal advisers to the transaction were Nomura Greentech (Issuer Financial Advisor), A&O Shearman (Issuer Legal Counsel), White & Case (Investor Legal Counsel), Watson Farley & Williams (Legal Due Diligence), RINA Consulting (Technical Due Diligence), Forvis Mazars (Model, Financial and Tax), and Aurora Energy Research (Market Due Diligence).

About Aukera Energy

Aukera is a pan-European, BESS-led renewable energy platform headquartered in Brussels. Co-founded in 2021 by Pascal Emsens and Catalin Breaban, Aukera develops, finances, constructs and operates renewable energy and battery storage infrastructure across Belgium, the United Kingdom, Germany, Romania and Italy.

Aukera has close to 1 GW of projects in construction or operation and a development pipeline exceeding 14 GW. The company is backed by AtlasInvest, Reggeborgh and SFPIM, Belgium's sovereign wealth fund, with offices in Brussels, London, Edinburgh, Berlin, Rome and Bucharest.

For more information visit www.aukera.energy.

About EIG

EIG is a leading institutional investor in the global energy and infrastructure sectors with $27.1 billion assets under management as of June 30, 2026. EIG specializes in private investments in energy and energy-related infrastructure on a global basis. During its 44-year history, EIG has committed over $55 billion to the energy sector through over 425 projects or companies in 44 countries on six continents. EIG’s clients include many of the leading pension plans, insurance companies, endowments, foundations and sovereign wealth funds in the U.S., Asia and Europe. EIG is headquartered in Washington, D.C. with offices in Houston, London, Sydney, Rio de Janeiro, Hong Kong and Seoul. For additional information, please visit EIG’s website at www.eigpartners.com.

 

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Contacts

Media Contacts

Aukera Energy

Rosie Burgering

rosie.burgering@aukera.energy

+44 (0)7494 021 122

EIG

FGS Global

Kelly Kimberly / Brandon Messina

+1 212-687-8080

EIG@fgsglobal.com

 

Honoring the World’s Most Exceptional Tourism Destinations: Nominations Now Open for the Second TOURISE Awards

 RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - Wednesday, 02. September 2026

The TOURISE Awards showcase the globe's most influential destinations, highlighting the richness of culture, the power of human connection, and groundbreaking advancements in travel.

Six categories are open for nominations, including a new award for Best Wellness Destination, plus a flagship Best Overall Destination award selected by the jury.

Winners will be honored at the TOURISE Awards ceremony, held in conjunction with the TOURISE Summit in Riyadh, March 23-25, 2027.

 

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- The second cycle of the TOURISE Awards officially launched today as a continuing global benchmark celebrating premier tourism destinations. The TOURISE Awards set a new global benchmark in 2025, celebrating destinations that deliver distinctive, purpose-driven travel experiences. In 2027, TOURISE will celebrate the destinations shaping tomorrow’s tourism; that deliver value across the entire journey, align with traveler purpose, and set new global standards for how the world travels, connects, and grows. Nominations are now open to the public from 1st September to 19th November 2026.

The TOURISE Awards feature six distinct award categories: Best Arts and Culture Destination, Best Adventure Destination, Best Food and Culinary Destination, Best Shopping Destination, Best Entertainment Destination, and a new category: Best Wellness Destination. Together, the categories show the full traveler journey and the evolving ways destinations create memorable, meaningful experiences. In addition, a flagship Best Overall Destination award will recognize the destination that excels across all aspects of the traveler experience and sets a global benchmark as the most exceptional place to visit.

In line with the TOURISE ethos, the Awards recognize destinations with a strong sense of identity, measurable impact, and responsible management. Eligible destinations must have (i) a defined geographic scope (a city, region or site), (ii) a distinct identity and character that stems from culture, landscapes and attractions that shape how the destination is perceived by travelers, and finally (iii) must be backed by a tourism governing body responsible for ensuring a destination is effectively managed.

His Excellency Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Minister of Tourism for Saudi Arabia and Chairman of TOURISE said: “Recognizing excellence through the TOURISE Awards is more than a celebration, it is a decisive step toward shaping the future of global tourism. These awards shine a spotlight on premier travel destinations that are not only captivating travelers with unique experiences but are also leading with innovation, sustainability, and cultural authenticity. In a world where tourism is a powerful catalyst for economic growth, cultural exchange, and community empowerment, it is critical that we honor those destinations setting new standards of excellence and purpose.”

The TOURISE Awards will be judged by an independent jury panel comprised of a powerhouse of cross-industry trailblazers from the worlds of travel and tourism, fashion, culinary, art, retail, culture, adventure and entertainment:

Albert Read – Former Managing Director, Condé Nast

Filip Boyen – Former CEO, Forbes Travel Guide

Bernold Schroeder – Former CEO, Kempinski Hotels

Fiona Jeffery – Former Chair, World Travel Market; Former Chair, Tourism for Tomorrow

Michael Ellis – Former Global Director, Michelin Guides

Omar Samra – UN Goodwill Ambassador; Mountaineer and Polar Explorer

Renaud de Lesquen – Former CEO, Givenchy; Former President, Dior Americas

Lars Nittve – Former Founding Director, Tate Modern

Caroline Rush – Former CEO, British Fashion Council

Andrew Gibson – Former VP of Global Well Being, Accor Hotels

Albert Read, Jury Panel Chair & Category Lead said: “It is an honor to be part of the TOURISE Awards. Through the rigour of its processes and the caliber of the judging team, the TOURISE Awards have set a new benchmark in recognizing the leaders in travel. With its second awards, TOURISE has the opportunity to go further: to again recognize the year's outstanding destinations but, importantly, to also track their evolution through time, building what will become the ultimate measurements of long-term impact, progress and success in global tourism.”

Destinations are evaluated across 14 assessment criteria that includes authenticity, accessibility, safety, sustainability and visitor experience. Judges will assess what makes a destination stand out in its nominated category as well as a set of universal standards that every great destination is expected to meet.

Following a public nominations period, each category will have a shortlist of destinations, from which one winner and two distinguished finalists will be selected by the jury. The winners are honored at the TOURISE Awards ceremony, held alongside the TOURISE Summit in Riyadh on March 23, 2027.

Have your say in who receives the TOURISE Awards for the world’s most exceptional tourism destinations by nominating the destination you think makes a difference on the awards portal https://awards.tourise.com/ by 19 November.

About TOURISE

TOURISE is the world’s premier platform for redefining and shaping the future of tourism. Powered by the Saudi Ministry of Tourism, the inaugural TOURISE Summit took place 11-13, November 2025 in Riyadh. TOURISE convened visionaries from government, business, investment, tourism and technology communities to deliver high impact initiatives and transformative deals that will reset the industry and build a tourism sector that is sustainable, equitable, and future-focused. A year-round global platform, TOURISE sets the global conversation for the travel and tourism sector and brings together leaders who share a vision to shape the traveler economy. This is where the next 50 years of tourism are shaped.

For more information about TOURISE, visit www.TOURISE.com

About the TOURISE Awards:

The TOURISE Awards are a global celebration of destination excellence, recognizing places that deliver travel experiences that are purposeful, unforgettable, and aligned with the evolving expectations of today’s travelers. Judged by a prestigious cross-sector jury, the Awards honor destinations across six categories - Arts & Culture, Adventure, Food & Culinary, Shopping, Entertainment and Wellness - culminating in the flagship Best Overall Destination award. Now in their second cycle, the Awards continue to spotlight innovation, sustainability, cultural preservation, and visitor impact, setting a new global standard for what makes a destination truly exceptional.

Find out more about the TOURISE Awards at TOURISE.com/awards

 

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Contacts

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Goku Technologies Chooses SS&C for Fund Services

 WINDSOR, Conn. - Wednesday, 02. September 2026 AETOSWire Print 

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- SS&C Technologies Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: SSNC) today announced that Singapore Goku Technologies Pte. Ltd., an AI-driven quantitative investment manager, has chosen SS&C as its fund services provider. The firm, with offices in Shanghai and Singapore, employs systematic trading strategies to invest in equities across Asia, with USD4 billion in assets under management.

SS&C GlobeOp will provide fund administration services for the Goku Technologies Master Fund. The fund operates a high-volume trading strategy with substantial daily trading activity. SS&C will support the fund through a comprehensive suite of services including fund accounting and investor services, helping Goku Technologies build a scalable operating model.

“As our business has grown, so have our demands on our trading and operational framework,” said Ken Chung, CEO of Singapore Goku Technologies. “We are building an institutional quality operations infrastructure, so we needed a provider capable of supporting a high-volume operation with accurate, timely NAV reporting. SS&C has demonstrated the ability to provide these services at scale, along with extensive expertise across multiple jurisdictions. We look forward to working together as our business continues to expand globally.”

“We are pleased to collaborate with Goku Technologies as they continue to grow and optimize their business,” said Bhagesh Malde, Head of SS&C GlobeOp. “SS&C’s robust systems are designed to cope with high trading volumes, ensuring our customers get comprehensive middle- and back-office support across any strategy they choose to pursue. As managers like Goku take their innovative strategies to the global markets, we look forward to helping them solve operational challenges so they can focus on delivering value to investors worldwide.”

About Singapore Goku Technologies

Singapore Goku Technologies is an AI-driven quantitative investment manager with offices in Shanghai and Singapore, specializing in systematic trading strategies across equity markets in Asia with US$4bn in AUM. We leverage cutting-edge technology, advanced AI models, and rigorous R&D to achieve superior risk-adjusted returns. Our culture is built on intellectual curiosity, collaboration, and a drive for innovation.

About SS&C Technologies

SS&C is a leading provider of mission-critical, AI-powered technology and services that help financial services and healthcare organizations operate smarter, faster, and more securely. Founded in 1986, SS&C is headquartered in Windsor, Connecticut, and has offices worldwide. More than 23,000 financial services and healthcare organizations, from the world's largest companies to small and mid-market firms, rely on SS&C for expertise, scale and technology. Additional information about SS&C (Nasdaq: SSNC) is available at www.ssctech.com.

SOURCE: SS&C

Additional information about SS&C (Nasdaq: SSNC) is available at www.ssctech.com.

Follow SS&C on X, LinkedIn and Facebook.

 

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Contacts

Brian Schell

Chief Financial Officer

SS&C Technologies

Tel: +1-816-642-0915

E-mail: InvestorRelations@sscinc.com

Justine Stone

Investor Relations

SS&C Technologies

Tel: +1-212-367-4705

E-mail: InvestorRelations@sscinc.com

Media Contacts

Madison Gallo

Prosek Partners

E-mail : pro-SSC@prosek.com

Doha Debates holds Toronto town hall on football, money and fandom

Doha, Qatar - Wednesday, 02. September 2026

A sports journalist, a historian and a filmmaker join students from Qatar, Canada and Mexico to debate the impact of wealthy club backing on football and its fans

 

 

Football fans embody club loyalty that no boardroom can manufacture. But as global capital reshapes the world’s most-watched sport, who it belongs to is increasingly contested. This question is at the heart of Qatar Foundation’s latest Doha Debates town hall, “Football fandom: Community or commodity?”, now available on Doha Debates and Al Jazeera Digital platforms.

The episode was filmed at The Terminal Theatre in Toronto in partnership with the Qatar, Canada and Mexico 2026 Year of Culture, a national initiative that builds lasting relationships between countries by creating spaces where people can meet and learn from different perspectives. This Doha Debates collaboration brought that purpose to life through a conversation connecting young people across borders.

Moderated by journalist Imran Garda, the Majlis-style debate brought together Shireen Ahmed, senior contributor at CBC Sports; David Goldblatt, a football historian and sociologist and Kely Nascimento, president of the Nascimento Foundation, to explore the sport’s evolution. Twenty students from Qatar, Canada, Mexico and beyond joined the discussion.

Goldblatt held firm that football—and its fans—cannot be bought or sold: “Football clubs should not be privately owned by anyone. They shouldn’t be owned by states, or by rich men or rich women. They are collective forms of cultural capital,” he said.

Nascimento, a documentary filmmaker and the daughter of football legend Pelé, challenged that position, questioning whether football was necessarily healthier before the influx of wealth. “I did some research into what it was like before the money. It didn’t seem like it was that great,” she said, going on to question whether Goldblatt’s stance was more of a utopian idea than reality.

Ahmed challenged her fellow debaters to more closely examine where the money is coming from and how it is used. “This discussion that money is bad in all cases—it’s nuanced, and it’s complicated. So I would rather have accountability for that money and transparency,” she said.

The students added other relevant dimensions to the debate. “I wonder why the working class have difficulties attending, and it’s not accessible for them to attend Premier League matches,” said Nawaf Al-Kuwari, a naval architecture and marine engineering graduate from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow.  It seems to me like it’s more of a luxury than it is accessible.”

Regina Aldrete, an international relations student at Tecnológico de Monterrey University, commented on the game’s political nature. “Football is inherently political. Therefore, it is like a mirror of society,” she said, pointing to tensions surrounding football matches between El Salvador and Honduras as an example of how the sport can reflect global conflict.

For Amjad Atallah, managing director of Doha Debates, the conversation reflected Doha Debates’ commitment to in-depth examination of timely topics. “Very few things hold a billion people's attention at once–fewer still spark this much passionate debate. In Toronto, our expert guests and students refused the easy answer, and that is what truth-seeking looks like.”

He added: “We’re proud to have built this debate with the Qatar, Canada and Mexico 2026 Year of Culture, an initiative that shares our belief in the value of cultural exchange. We invite audiences everywhere to watch it, and decide for themselves where they stand.”

“Football fandom: Community or commodity?” is part of Doha Debates’ global town hall series, which brings young people and experts together for Majlis-style, truth-seeking dialogue on complex global issues.

About:

Doha Debates engages a vanguard of intellectually curious truth-seekers to constructively debate differences in order to build a better future. We emphasize unity over division, encouraging conversations that bring us together rather than drive us apart.

More at DohaDebates.com.

Doha Debates

Website: DohaDebates.com

X/Twitter: @DohaDebates

Instagram: @DohaDebates

TikTok: @DohaDebates

Facebook.com/DohaDebates

YouTube.com/DohaDebates

Threads.net/@dohadebates

 

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Sumi Alkebsi

Director of Communications and Marketing

salkebsi@dohadebates.com

MEX Exchange, part of MultiBank Group, Strengthens Global Operations and Technology Leadership with Three Senior Promotions

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Wednesday, 02. September 2026 AETOSWire  

Jeremy Pearce and Beth White promoted to regional COO roles, with James Longo named CTO

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- MEX Exchange, the institutional electronic trading platform of MultiBank Group, has announced three senior promotions as it strengthens its operational and technology leadership to support the continued development and international growth of its institutional trading business.

Jeremy Pearce has been promoted to COO – Middle East, Africa & Asia, Beth White to COO – Americas & Europe, and James Longo to Chief Technology Officer (CTO). The appointments establish dedicated operational leadership across MEX Exchange’s key international markets, supported by experienced technology leadership as the company continues to develop its global electronic trading infrastructure.

Pearce brings 20 years of experience running and supporting trading businesses across global financial institutions. His career includes serving as COO of FX Sales & Trading at Nomura, as well as roles across interest rate swaps, emerging market bonds, high-yield bonds and credit default swaps at J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley and Barclays.

White brings more than 30 years of experience building and running financial technology businesses. She previously served as Managing Director and COO of Cürex Group, and as Director and Head of Operations at Hotspot. Earlier in her career, she served as Head of Operations at DLJ.

Longo brings more than 30 years of experience in electronic FX technology. He previously served as Managing Director and Head of Software Engineering at Cürex Group and as Senior Vice President at Citi, where he was Technical Lead for the first generation of CitiFX Velocity. He also served as Lead Developer for LavaFX.

Brian Andreyko, CEO of MEX Exchange, said: “As we continue to build MEX Exchange, having experienced leadership across operations and technology is critical to our ability to scale effectively. Jeremy, Beth and James bring decades of experience across institutional markets, electronic trading and financial technology, and their expanded roles strengthen our ability to execute across key regions while continuing to advance our technology infrastructure.”

The promotions further strengthen the leadership team of MEX Exchange as it expands its institutional capabilities and develops its presence across global electronic trading markets.

ABOUT MULTIBANK GROUP

MultiBank Group, established in California, USA in 2005, is a global leader in financial derivatives, serving over 2 million clients across 100 countries, and boasts a daily trading volume that exceeds $35 billion. Renowned for its innovative trading solutions, robust regulatory compliance, and exceptional customer service, the Group offers an array of brokerage services and asset management solutions. It is regulated across five continents by 18+ of the most reputable financial authorities globally. The group’s award-winning trading platforms offer up to 1000:1 leverage on a diverse range of products, including Forex, Metals, Shares, Commodities, Indices, and Cryptocurrencies. MultiBank Group has received over 80 financial awards recognizing its trading excellence and regulatory compliance. For more information, visit MultiBank Group’s www.multibankgroup.com.

 

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NIQ and Similarweb Advance Agentic Commerce Measurement for the AI Shopping Era

 CHICAGO -

New solution will connect AI-driven discovery to consumer intent, product content, AI-driven traffic and sales conversion

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- NIQ (NYSE: NIQ), a leading consumer intelligence company, today announced further advancements in its Agentic Commerce Measurement strategy through a collaboration with Similarweb (NYSE: SMWB). The companies are collaborating on a new solution to help brands, retailers and technology platforms understand how products are purchased in an increasingly agentic economy.

The work adds a measurement component to NIQ's Commerce Intelligence strategy, focused on deploying NIQ’s world-class, AI-ready content directly into agentic commerce workflows and equipping brands and retailers with the signals they need to react effectively.

AI agents are moving beyond product discovery to become part of the purchase itself. New infrastructure, including Google's Universal Commerce Protocol and OpenAI's Agentic Commerce Protocol, is enabling consumers to complete the entire buying journey, from item discovery to evaluation and recommendation to purchase, inside of a single AI experience.

This creates a new measurement and growth challenge. Brands and retailers need to know whether their products are appearing in AI-driven discovery, whether they are being represented accurately and whether that visibility is ultimately leading to traffic and sales. They also need to know what to do next.

NIQ is bringing together its product intelligence, consumer behavior data and retail sales measurement to deliver a comprehensive view of consumer behavior across both traditional and emerging AI-driven discovery environments. Similarweb will provide the foundational digital data, adding visibility into AI-driven consumer behavior inside generative AI platforms and along the agentic path to purchase.

Together, these capabilities will connect AI-driven discovery to measured sales outcomes, allowing brands to improve product visibility, strengthen content, increase conversion and drive growth. An initial version of the solution will be available in Q4 2026, beginning with a focused set of categories and markets and expanding over time.

"AI is becoming a new commerce channel, and NIQ intends to make it measurable," said Troy Treangen, Chief AI and Product Officer at NIQ. "Our clients want to know where AI is already influencing their business, how quickly that influence is growing and what they should do about it. NIQ has the AI-ready data foundation and the product, consumer and sales intelligence needed to answer those questions. With Similarweb, we can extend that intelligence across the AI-influenced purchase journey: from discovery to traffic, conversion and sales."

The solution will focus initially on five areas:

Consumer Intent: What consumers are asking AI assistants, and which needs, questions, or prompts are shaping their agentic commerce decisions

Agentic Shelf Visibility: Where products appear when AI assistants recommend options to shoppers, and how a brand’s presence compares with competitors

Product Content Readiness: Whether product content is complete, structured and optimized so AI assistants can find, understand and accurately recommend it

AI-Driven Traffic: How much of the traffic reaching brand and retailer product pages is driven by AI platforms, including both direct clicks and subsequent visits influenced by agentic discovery.

AI-Driven Conversion: How AI-influenced engagement connects to verified omnichannel purchasing behaviour

"AI’s influence does not stop when a consumer leaves an AI platform," said Susan Dunn, Chief Revenue Officer, Similarweb. "Similarweb provides the foundational digital signals that reveal what happens across the entire AI-driven consumer journey. Combined with NIQ’s product and sales intelligence, those signals can give brands and retailers a clearer view of how AI-driven discovery translates into commercial outcomes."

Agentic Commerce Measurement adds a new critical capability to NIQ’s growing AI portfolio: helping clients see and act on AI’s commercial influence in the marketplace.

More information, including initial categories, markets and availability, will be announced as development progresses.

FAQ

What are NIQ and Similarweb announcing?

NIQ and Similarweb are collaborating on a new Agentic Commerce Measurement solution. The planned solution is designed to help brands, retailers and technology platforms understand and improve how AI influences product discovery, consumer intent, product traffic, conversion and verified online sales.

Is Agentic Commerce Measurement available today?

No. NIQ is currently building the solution. An initial version of the solution will be available in Q4 2026, beginning with a focused set of categories and markets and expanding over time. More information about its capabilities, availability and market rollout will be shared as it progresses toward launch.

What problem will the solution address?

As consumers increasingly use AI to discover, research and evaluate products, organizations need a clearer way to understand how those interactions affect commercial outcomes. Existing measurement approaches provide visibility into areas such as retail, ecommerce, search and media, but do not provide a comprehensive view of the AI-mediated purchase journey.

The planned solution is intended to connect AI-driven discovery and engagement with downstream traffic, conversion and verified online sales.

What will the solution measure?

The solution will focus initially on five areas:

Consumer Intent: What consumers are asking AI assistants, and which needs, questions, or prompts are shaping their agentic commerce decisions

Agentic Shelf Visibility: Where products appear when AI assistants recommend options to shoppers, and how a brand’s presence compares with competitors

Product Content Readiness: Whether product content is complete, structured and optimized so AI assistants can find, understand and accurately recommend it

AI-Driven Traffic: How much of the traffic reaching brand and retailer product pages is driven by AI platforms, including both direct clicks and subsequent visits influenced by agentic discovery.

AI-Driven Conversion: How AI-influenced engagement connects to verified omnichannel purchasing behaviour

Which AI platforms and markets will be covered?

The new solution will provide measurement coverage across leading AI discovery platforms, including ChatGPT, Gemini, Google AI Mode, Perplexity and Claude. The solution is expected to begin with a focused set of categories and markets and expand over time. Specific launch timing and market availability are not being announced at this stage.

Why are NIQ and Similarweb working together?

NIQ brings product intelligence, consumer behavior data and retail sales measurement. Similarweb will provide the foundational digital data and expertise, adding visibility into AI-driven consumer behavior - both inside generative AI platforms and along the agentic path to purchase. Together, these capabilities are intended to connect AI-driven discovery to commercial outcomes and help clients identify actions that can improve performance.

How does Agentic Commerce Measurement relate to NIQ Optiq and ConnectAI?

NIQ Optiq, ConnectAI and Agentic Commerce Measurement address different but connected parts of NIQ’s AI strategy. NIQ Optiq and Optiq Bridge help bring NIQ intelligence into AI-powered applications and enterprise environments. ConnectAI brings NIQ technology, engineering and data science teams together with clients to build AI-enabled workflows. Agentic Commerce Measurement extends that strategy into Commerce Intelligence by helping organizations understand how AI is influencing consumer discovery, traffic, conversion and sales.

Together, they connect AI-ready data to decision, action and measurement.

About NIQ

NielsenIQ (NYSE: NIQ) is a leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete and trusted understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. By combining an unmatched global data footprint and granular consumer and retail measurement with decades of AI modeling expertise, NIQ builds decision systems that help companies turn complex data into confident action.

With operations in more than 90 countries, NIQ covers approximately 82% of the world’s population and more than $7.4 trillion in global consumer spend. Through cloud-based platforms, advanced analytics and AI-driven insights, NIQ delivers The Full View™—helping brands and retailers understand what consumers buy, why they buy it, and what to do next.

For more information, please visit www.niq.com.

About Similarweb

Similarweb (NYSE: SMWB) powers businesses to win their markets with Digital Data. By providing essential web and app data, analytics, and insights, we empower our users to discover business opportunities, identify competitive threats, optimize strategy, acquire the right customers, and increase monetization. Similarweb products are integrated into users’ workflow, powered by advanced technology, and based on leading comprehensive Digital Data.

*All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the anticipated capabilities and benefits of ConnectAI Charter Program Clients, the expected benefits of AI-enabled enterprise workflows, and the future adoption of AI-native operating models. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "anticipate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "believe," "designed to," "explore," "future," "accelerate," "will," "should," "may," and similar references to future events or performance. These statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside our control, including changes in consumer preferences, economic conditions, technological developments, competitive dynamics, and our ability to develop, deliver and monetize new products and solutions. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied. Additional information on these and other risks is contained in the "Risk Factors" section of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and our subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, available at www.sec.gov. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release, and we undertake no obligation to update them except as required by law.

All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

© 2026 Nielsen Consumer LLC. All Rights Reserved.

NIQ-GENERAL

 

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Media Contacts

Media.relations@nielseniq.com

press@similarweb.com

 

EMVCo Requests Feedback on Framework for Secure, Interoperable and Scalable Card-Based Agentic Payments

LONDON - Tuesday, 01. September 2026

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- EMVCo – the technical body that creates and manages EMV® Specifications and programmes – has released a draft framework to help promote secure, interoperable and scalable card-based agentic payments. The framework provides a foundation for further industry engagement and potential specification development, with all interested stakeholders encouraged to provide their feedback on EMV® Agentic Payments – Framework for Specifications by Wednesday 30 September.

A key focus across the agentic commerce ecosystem is how to establish intent and determine that a consumer delegated authority to an AI agent to make a purchase on their behalf. Following industry input, EMVCo has focused on card-based agentic payment scenarios where intent needs to be managed over time, such as recurring purchases, cumulative budgets and post-transaction activities. These scenarios may require access to a shared intent ‘state’ that persists across multiple participants and their interactions.

EMVCo has identified an opportunity to complement cryptographic assurance provided by existing industry solutions, such as Verifiable Intent, with a common coordination point that can help participants consistently interpret consumer-authorised intent.

The draft EMV® Agentic Payments – Framework for Specifications therefore introduces the concept of ‘Intent Services’. Intent Services provide a shared, interoperable layer that enables payment participants to register, reference, retrieve and manage consumer-authorised intent before, during and after a transaction. The framework provides an overview of ecosystem roles and data fields for registering intent, maintaining lifecycle and state information, and enabling the authorised retrieval of intent-related data.

Junya Tanaka, EMVCo Executive Committee Chair, comments: “Card-based agentic payments require a globally interoperable foundation that consumers, merchants and issuers can all trust. This publication marks an important step forward by outlining a consistent approach for establishing and communicating intent alongside payment-related information, and we encourage participants from across the industry to share their feedback to shape its ongoing development.”

EMVCo has established a dedicated Agentic Payments Task Force and is actively engaging with the hundreds of industry stakeholders that participate as EMVCo Associates and Subscribers. It is also collaborating closely with various industry partners and technical bodies, including the FIDO Alliance, the OpenID Foundation, the OpenWallet Foundation and W3C.

By providing a common foundation for card-based agentic payments, the framework will help identify potential future enhancements to other EMV technologies – including EMV 3-D Secure (3DS), EMV Payment Tokenisation, EMV Secure Remote Commerce (SRC) and the EMV Digital Payment Credential (DPC). It will also inform opportunities to complement existing and emerging identity and credential standards.

Development may also be required to help enable the consistent identification of agentic transactions across the payments ecosystem. To support this, EMVCo may consider capabilities related to Know Your Agent (KYA) and Agentic Transaction Indicators to be included in future publications. Together, these could help provide interoperable mechanisms for identifying the agent involved in a payment interaction, communicating relevant agent attributes, and signalling that a transaction involved an agent acting on behalf of a consumer.

Following initial review from EMVCo Associates, EMV® Agentic Payments – Framework for Specifications is now available for public review until Wednesday 30 September. As work continues to progress, all interested stakeholders are encouraged to explore ways to participate in EMVCo and share input on the strategic considerations and technical advances shaping agentic payments.

About EMVCo:

EMV® is a registered trademark in the U.S. and other countries and an unregistered trademark elsewhere. The EMV trademark is owned by EMVCo, LLC.

EMVCo creates and manages EMV Specifications and programmes that enable seamless and secure card-based payments for businesses and consumers worldwide.

EMV Specifications support technologies including EMV Contact Chip, EMV Contactless Chip, EMV Mobile, EMV QR Codes, EMV Secure Remote Commerce, EMV 3-D Secure and EMV Payment Tokenisation and are widely used by the payments industry to develop products and services that deliver trusted and convenient in-store, online and remote card-based payments.

As a global technical body, EMVCo is collectively owned by American Express, Discover Network, JCB, Mastercard, UnionPay and Visa. Hundreds of payments stakeholders, including merchants, banks and technology providers, participate as EMVCo Associates and Subscribers to develop, evolve and enhance flexible EMV Specifications that support innovation and address marketplace needs. All EMV Specifications are available royalty free on the EMVCo website.

 

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JEOL: Launch of the New Benchtop Scanning Electron Microscope “JCM-7000Plus NeoScope™”

 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- JEOL Ltd. (President & CEO: Izumi Oi) has developed the benchtop scanning electron microscope (SEM) “JCM-7000Plus” and will begin sales on September 1, 2026.

[Development Background]

Benchtop scanning electron microscopes are increasingly used in fields including electrical and electronics, automotive and machinery, steel and metals, chemical and pharmaceuticals. They are utilized not only in research and development but also in manufacturing-related applications, such as quality control and product inspection. In addition, they are adopted in educational settings at middle and high schools as well as universities. Given these diverse applications, there is growing demand for improved operational efficiency, simpler and more automated operation, and enhanced observation, analysis, and measurement performance.

To meet these needs, we have expanded the landing voltage (accelerating voltage) to 20 kV. This has improved resolution to 6 nm, enabling measurements at higher magnification.

On the software side, the new JCM-7000Plus retains the simple, user-friendly GUI of the current JCM-7000, including Zeromag, which enables a seamless transition from optical imaging to SEM observation, and the Live Analysis function, which allows real-time elemental analysis during observation. It also adds the enhanced automation feature Neo Action.

In addition to the three existing Live functions (Live Analysis, Live Map, and Live 3D), we have added two new features: Live Particle, which automatically measures particle size and count in real time while observing, and Live Report, which automatically acquires data and generates reports while moving the field of view, a feature available in high-end FE-SEMs. These features simplify routine tasks, making them more intuitive and efficient while significantly supporting users' analytical workflows.

[Main Features]

1. Expanding landing voltage to 20 kV for improved resolution (secondary electron image: 6 nm, backscattered electron image: 8 nm)

2. Improved backscattered electron detector for enhanced image quality

3. New Live Particle function automatically measures particle size and count, simplifying workflow

4. Live Report enables data acquisition and report creation while moving the field of view, improving work efficiency

5. Simple and user-friendly GUI retained, with added automation functions for more intuitive and easier operation

[Sales target]

300 units/year

[Related link]

Product Information: JCM-7000Plus NeoScope™ Benchtop SEM

https://www.jeol.com/products/scientific/sem/jcm-7000plus.php

 

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JEOL Ltd.

3-1-2, Musashino, Akishima, Tokyo, 196-8558, Japan

Izumi Oi, President & CEO

(Stock code: 6951, Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market)

https://www.jeol.com/

JEOL Ltd.

SI Sales Division

webmaster@jeol.co.jp

https://www.jeol.com/contacts/products.php

Strategic Combination of ITC Infotech and Happiest Minds Technologies to Create a Scaled, Future-Ready, AI-First Global Technology Services Enterprise with US$ 1 Billion Revenue by FY28[1]

 

ITC Infotech Board approves proposed acquisition of 22.1% promoter stake and a Scheme of Amalgamation of the two companies

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- ITC Infotech (ITCI), a wholly owned subsidiary of ITC Limited and a leading global technology services player, today announced the proposed strategic combination with Happiest Minds Technologies Limited (Happiest Minds) to create a scaled, future-ready, AI-first global technology services enterprise. The ITCI Board approved a proposal to acquire 22.1% equity stake from the promoter of Happiest Minds in two tranches under a Share Purchase Agreement. The transaction would be funded through a Rights Issue by ITC Infotech. ITCI Board has also approved a proposed Scheme of Amalgamation of Happiest Minds with ITCI which will be effected after the share acquisition. Pursuant to the scheme, the shares of ITCI will be listed on the stock exchanges. The proposed transaction has also been endorsed by the Board of Directors of ITC Limited.

This strategic combination will synergistically blend ITCI’s AI-led capabilities across Cloud, Data Analytics, PLM, SAP, enterprise transformation, industry-specific technology solutions and full-stack managed services together with Happiest Minds’ strengths in build-led Digital Product Engineering, Data, Cybersecurity, and specialized AI expertise. The proposed combination will lead to a step change in scale for ITCI, enhancing its competitiveness to win large transformation-led mandates and augment capability in critical areas to effectively serve its client base and address new value pools that are emerging with rapid adoption of AI across enterprises. The combined entity will also lead to substantially enhanced presence in the US markets as well as in the Banking, Financial Services and Insurance vertical. Further, key industry segments such as Healthcare, Hitech and Edutech would also get added to ITCI’s portfolio. By adding marquee clients to ITCI’s customer base, the proposed combination will also unlock significant cross-selling & up-selling opportunities.

With a combined global workforce of over 19,000 professionals, it will also deepen complementary capabilities to deliver a full-stack value proposition for end-to-end solutions spanning Build, Intelligence, and Operations whilst expanding into high potential verticals including Hi-Tech, Healthcare and EdTech.

Sanjiv Puri, Chairman of ITC Limited and ITC Infotech, said, "Today marks an important milestone in the journey towards Happiest Minds becoming an integral part of ITC Infotech, subject to receipt of regulatory approvals. The coming together of our complementary strengths, deep domain expertise and future-ready capabilities will further enhance our ability to deliver cutting-edge solutions across geographies. I am particularly encouraged by the shared values, people and customer-centricity that define our organisations. We look forward to the invaluable experience, expertise and dedication of the employees of Happiest Minds as we embark on this exciting new chapter.”

Ashok Soota, Chairman & Chief Mentor, Happiest Minds Technologies, said “I am delighted that after the completion of legal formalities, Happiest Minds will become an important part of a larger organization through its amalgamation with ITC Infotech. The two organizations are aligned on our values and shared vision for the future. There is very significant complementarity in our business portfolios which will ensure synergy. We believe that ITC Infotech is the best partner for Happiest Minds to fulfil its destiny and we are pleased that our team will have a welcoming new home.”

Manas Chakraborty, MD & CEO, ITC Infotech, highlighted that “This combination is fundamentally about elevating the value we deliver to our customers. Integrating Happiest Minds’ Digital Engineering, Data, AI, and Cybersecurity capabilities with our deep domain expertise, cloud and engineering capabilities will enable us to serve as a full stack AI-led transformation partner.”

The proposed transaction is subject to the satisfaction of customary statutory, shareholder and regulatory approvals, including approvals from the Competition Commission of India, the relevant stock exchanges and the National Company Law Tribunal. The companies expect the transaction to be completed within the next 15 months and will continue to operate independently until all approvals have been obtained. Shares of ITC Infotech will be listed on the stock exchanges post receipt of all approvals.

About ITC Infotech:

ITC Infotech is a leading global technology services and solutions provider, led by Business and Technology Consulting. ITC Infotech provides business-friendly solutions to help clients succeed and be future-ready, by seamlessly bringing together digital expertise, strong industry specific alliances and the unique ability to leverage deep domain expertise from ITC Group businesses. The company provides technology solutions and services to enterprises across industries such as Banking & Financial Services, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Consumer Goods, Travel and Hospitality, through a combination of traditional and newer business models, as a long-term sustainable partner.

For more information, please visit: http://www.itcinfotech.com.

About Happiest Minds Technologies Limited:

Happiest Minds Technologies Limited is an AI First, customer-centric digital engineering company committed to delivering ‘Happiest People. Happiest Customers’. With an integrated approach that spans from chip to cloud, Happiest Minds delivers secure and scalable solutions across product engineering, cybersecurity, analytics, and automation platforms. Happiest Minds brings purpose and precision to every engagement, helping enterprises solve complex business challenges and fast-track their digital evolution across industry sectors such as Banking, Financial Services & Insurance(BFSI), EdTech, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Hi-Tech and Media & Entertainment, Industrial, Manufacturing, Energy & Utilities, and Retail, CPG & Logistics.

Happiest Minds has been honored by both the Golden Peacock Awards and the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) for its exemplary Corporate Governance practices. Guided by its mission of ‘Happiest People. Happiest Customers’ and consistently recognized as a great place to work, Happiest Minds is headquartered in Bengaluru, India, with a global presence across the Americas, UK, Europe, Australia, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

____________________

[1] On a Pro-forma basis

 

 

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Contacts

Nazeeb Arif

nazeeb.Arif@itc.in

Executive Vice President & Head,

Corporate Communications,

ITC Limited

Angel’s Profits Grew Robustly in the First Half of 2026 with Europe and North America Turning Profitable Ahead of Schedule

 SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. - 

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Angelalign Technology Inc. (“Angel” or the “Company”) (6699.HK) (angelaligner.com), the second largest clear aligner supplier by revenue, announced today that its revenue grew 42.9% to US$230.7 million and net profit grew 79.6% to $25.5 million for the six months ending June 30, 2026. Angel’s business in Europe and North America crossed into profitability ahead of plan while the business in Chinese mainland delivered market share gains well above expectations.

Doctors and staff in every region report that they are increasingly selecting Angel’s solutions after experiencing more predictable outcomes, especially on complex cases, and embracing the positive culture of the company. Dr. Mark Holt D.D.S., M.S. of Holt Orthodontics in Northern California, states: “We treat over half of our patients with clear aligners and our experience with Angel’s treatment plans and clear aligners has been tremendous.”

“Our main focus is to provide great service to and being a rock-solid partner for our customers. The fact that our profits are growing ahead of plan means we can do even more in product innovation and customer support,” said Fox Hu, Chief Executive Officer of Angel. “We have invested heavily in professional education teams, sales service teams and local clinical support teams that are now producing economies of scale. We appreciate the trust of our customers and the dedication of our employees.”

Reflecting strong profits and robust operating cashflow, Angel’s Board of Directors has declared an interim dividend of US$100 million, underscoring the Company's commitment to delivering superior shareholder returns.

For more detailed information about Angel’s first half 2026 financial results, recent innovations, and go-to-market activities, please see a full description at: https://ir.angelalign.com/en/announcements/.

About Angelalign Technology Inc.

Founded in 2003 and publicly listed since 2021, Angelalign Technology Inc. provides clear aligner solutions to clinically focused professionals and patients in over 60 countries. Having surpassed 2 million cumulative cases and with a US$2 billion market capitalization, the Company focuses on clinical innovation and professional support to help experts achieve extraordinary outcomes. Learn more at angelaligner.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Angelalign undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

 

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Contacts

Media Contact:

Sue Kolb

sue.kolb@angelaligner.com

A New Generation of Filmmakers Is Here: 17 Original AI Films from Flick’s Summer Residency

 SAN FRANCISCO - Tuesday, 01. September 2026

(BUSINESS WIRE)--What does the Love, Death & Robots look like when a new generation of filmmakers has generative AI at its disposal?

Flick Filmmaker Residency Summer 2026 Cohort offers one possible answer.

The latest cohort brings together established storytellers from the traditional entertainment industry, including a former Disney screenwriter and Emmy Award-winning talent, alongside some of the most distinctive emerging voices in AI filmmaking. Together, they created a collection of original short films spanning science fiction, animation, surrealism, drama, and experimental cinema.

Flick Filmmaker Residency is a selective, two-month program supporting a small cohort of indie filmmakers as they create original films using Flick. The program is free to apply to and includes bi-weekly sessions, creative mentorship, free credits, and early access to new filmmaking tools.

Each resident leaves the program with a festival-ready short film and becomes part of the growing Flick Residency alumni network.

The program is already building a track record on the international festival circuit. Films from Flick’s Spring 2026 cohort have received Official Selections and awards at international film festivals, demonstrating that work created with emerging AI tools can stand on its own as cinema, not simply as a demonstration of the technology behind it.

Watch and Apply

The Summer 2026 Residency films are available to watch on Flick TV at flick.art/showroom.

Applications for the Fall 2026 Flick Filmmaker Residency are now open at flick.art/residency.

The Filmmaker Still Matters

The rapid development of generative video raises a larger question for cinema: if increasingly powerful models can produce beautiful images, what becomes valuable?

“Story matters. Editing matters. Performance matters. Sound matters. And above all, the filmmaker’s ability to make decisions matters,” said Zoey Zhang, Co-Founder of Flick.

The technology may be shared.

The films are not.

As generative tools become more powerful and more accessible, Flick believes the defining question of AI filmmaking will increasingly shift from what can the technology generate? to what does the filmmaker choose to do with it?

The Summer 2026 Residency offers an early glimpse of that future: not a collection of AI demos, but authentic stories shaped by the filmmakers behind them.

About Flick

Founded by Zoey Zhang and Ray Wang, Flick is an AI-native filmmaking platform built for creators who care about aesthetics, control, and creative flexibility. The product enables filmmakers to direct AI-generated films through non-linear workflows, cinematic controls, and iterative creative tools — bridging powerful generative models with real-world filmmaking. Flick also operates Flick Filmmaker Residency, an initiative to cultivate the next generation of AI-native filmmakers.

 

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Contacts

Flick Team

Email: contact@flick.art

Website: https://flick.art

Rigaku Launches CT Lab HR160 High-Resolution X-ray CT System

 - Developed in collaboration with Excillum for battery, semiconductor devices, and advanced materials analysis -

 

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rigaku Corporation, a global solutions partner in X-ray analytical systems and a group company of Rigaku Holdings Corporation (Headquarters: Akishima, Tokyo; President and CEO: Jun Kawakami; “Rigaku”), today announced the launch of the CT Lab HR160, a high-resolution X-ray computed tomography (CT) system for battery, semiconductor devices, electronic components, and advanced materials analysis. The system is developed in collaboration with Excillum AB, the global source for X-ray innovation (Headquarters: Stockholm, Sweden; CEO: David Lindblom; “Excillum”).

CT Lab HR160 combines Rigaku’s X-ray CT imaging expertise with Excillum’s NanoTube N3 X-ray source. Operating at up to 160 kV to support a wide range of sample types, the system achieves true 250 nm spatial resolution — an industry-leading level for CT systems in its class. This enables detailed, non-destructive 3D imaging of fine internal structures and defects that can be difficult to observe with conventional laboratory CT systems.

Its cone-beam geometry allows users to adjust the field of view and resolution without changing the X-ray source, detector, simplifying operation across different samples and imaging requirements. The system is designed for applications such as solid-state batteries, semiconductor devices, multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs), and power electronics, where internal inspection plays an increasingly important role in research, development, quality evaluation, and failure analysis.

As electronic components and advanced materials become smaller, more complex, and higher-performing, researchers and manufacturers need analytical tools that can reveal increasingly fine internal features with greater precision. Built on the combined strengths of Rigaku and Excillum, CT Lab HR160 addresses these needs by providing a high-resolution laboratory CT environment that supports faster development, improved product quality, and more advanced failure analysis.

“CT Lab HR160 gives customers a new option for addressing increasingly complex analytical challenges in advanced materials and electronic devices. By providing high-resolution CT capabilities in a laboratory environment, we aim to support faster decision-making across research, development, quality evaluation, and failure analysis,” said Kiyoshi Ogata, General Manager of the Product Division, Rigaku.

“We are pleased to see Excillum’s X-ray source technology integrated into Rigaku’s new CT Lab HR160 system. This collaboration brings together the strengths of both companies and creates new opportunities to support R&D and manufacturing at the forefront of advanced industries,” said Sara Haack, Chief Commercial Officer, Excillum AB.

Additional information about CT Lab HR160 is available on the Rigaku website:

Rigaku CT Lab HR160 product page

About the Rigaku Group

Since its establishment in 1951, the engineering professionals of the Rigaku group have been dedicated to benefiting society with leading-edge technologies, notably including its core fields of X-ray and thermal analysis. With a market presence in 136 countries and regions and some 2,000 employees from 9 global operations, Rigaku is a solution partner in industry and research analysis institutes. Our overseas sales ratio has reached approximately 70% while sustaining an exceptionally high market share in Japan. Together with our customers, we continue to develop and grow. As applications expand from semiconductors, electronic materials, batteries, environment, resources, energy, life science to other high-tech fields, Rigaku realizes innovations “To Improve Our World by Powering New Perspectives.”

For details, please visit: rigaku-holdings.com/english

About Excillum

Excillum is the global source for X-ray innovation. We develop, manufacture, and service the world’s brightest and most advanced industrial and laboratory X-ray sources. In close collaboration with best-in-class scientific, industrial and system integration partners we enable new science, improve medicine and enhance manufacturing. Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, Excillum is pushing the limits of X-ray source technologies since 2007. excillum.com

 

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Contacts

Press Contact:

Sawa Himeno

Director, Communications Dept., Rigaku Holdings Corporation

prad@rigaku.co.jp

Sara Haack, Chief Commercial Officer

sara.haack@excillum.com

+46 721 436 983

BeOne Medicines Announces Voluntary Agreement with U.S. Government to Expand Access to Innovative Cancer Medicines

 SAN CARLOS, Calif. - Tuesday, 01. September 2026 AETOSWire  

Agreement advances patient access and strengthens BeOne's long-term commitment to U.S. innovation and manufacturing

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- BeOne Medicines, Ltd. (Nasdaq: ONC; HKEX: 06160; SSE: 688235), a global oncology company, today announced a voluntary agreement with the U.S. Government to expand access to innovative cancer medicines for American patients while strengthening our U.S manufacturing footprint and further expanding the capabilities needed to deliver medicines at scale. The agreement builds on BeOne's longstanding commitment to patient access and investment in research and scientific innovation.

John V. Oyler, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO, BeOne Medicines, said:

“At BeOne, we believe every patient should benefit from innovative cancer therapies. We appreciate the Trump Administration’s commitment to advancing solutions that broaden access and scientific progress for American patients. This agreement reflects our purpose to reach more patients as we expand our U.S. investment in additional research, development, and manufacturing to deliver breakthrough cancer treatments worldwide.”

Improved access to oncology medicines for patients

This announcement reflects BeOne’s participation in the GENEROUS (GENErating cost Reductions fOr U.S. Medicaid) Model and the company’s commitment to pricing future FDA-approved products in line with other key developed markets.

Increased manufacturing and investment

Through continued investments in U.S. manufacturing, BeOne is enhancing supply continuity and manufacturing flexibility while supporting patient access to innovative medicines.

BeOne entered into an onshoring agreement with the U.S. government, securing an exemption from Section 232 pharmaceutical tariffs that recognizes the company’s significant and ongoing investments in US. manufacturing.

The company recently announced a $300 million onshoring investment in its flagship clinical and commercial-stage manufacturing and research and development facility in Hopewell, NJ, bringing total U.S. manufacturing investment to more than $1 billion. The expansion will add small-molecule manufacturing capacity, create approximately 120 full-time jobs and enhance BeOne’s ability to manufacture medicines in the states and advance its oncology pipeline of more than 35 clinical- and commercial-stage assets.

The U.S. is an important hub for BeOne's scientific, clinical and manufacturing operations. BeOne employs more than 2,000 U.S. colleagues within a global team of more than 12,000 across six continents. In 2025, the company generated nearly $2 billion in direct U.S. economic impact and invested $1 billion in U.S. research and development. BeOne is also advancing one of oncology's broadest pipelines through 93 clinical trials at approximately 1,100 sites across 45 states and one territory, supported by more than 650 investigators.

About BeOne

BeOne Medicines is a global oncology company that is discovering and developing innovative treatments for cancer patients worldwide. With a portfolio spanning hematology and solid tumors, BeOne is expediting development of its diverse pipeline of novel therapeutics through its internal capabilities and collaborations. The company has a growing global team spanning six continents who are driven by scientific excellence and exceptional speed to reach more patients than ever before. To learn more about BeOne, please visit www.beonemedicines.com and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws, including statements regarding BeOne helping more eligible patients in the U.S. access innovative cancer medicines while supporting continued investment in U.S. research, manufacturing and scientific innovation; BeOne reaching patients around the world faster, more reliably and at greater scale; BeOne pricing future FDA-approved products in line with other key developed markets; BeOne’s commitment to continued investment in U.S. manufacturing, stronger supply chain resilience, and support of patient access to innovative medicines; and BeOne’s plans, commitments, aspirations, and goals under the heading “About BeOne.” Actual results may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including BeOne’s ability to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of its drug candidates; the clinical results for its drug candidates, which may not support further development or marketing approval; actions of regulatory agencies, which may affect the initiation, timing, and progress of clinical trials and marketing approval; BeOne’s ability to achieve commercial success for its marketed medicines and drug candidates, if approved; BeOne’s ability to obtain and maintain protection of intellectual property for its medicines and technology; BeOne’s reliance on third parties to conduct drug development, manufacturing, commercialization, and other services; BeOne’s limited experience in obtaining regulatory approvals and commercializing pharmaceutical products and its ability to obtain additional funding for operations and to complete the development of its drug candidates and achieve and maintain profitability; and those risks more fully discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in BeOne’s most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in BeOne’s subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and BeOne undertakes no duty to update such information unless required by law.

To access BeOne media resources, please visit our Newsroom.

 

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Contacts

Investor Contact

Liza Heapes

+1 857-302-5663

ir@beonemed.com

Media Contact

Kyle Blankenship

+ 1 667-351-5176

media@beonemed.com