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PRU Pop Run registration officially opens

Asia Insider — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 02:40:00 +0000

Milestone run marking Pru Life UK’s 30 years of providing protection for Filipinos

MAKATI CITY, PHILIPPINES – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 July 2026 – The countdown begins as PRU Pop Run officially opens registration to the public. Marking Pru Life UK‘s 30th anniversary in the Philippines, the event invites runners of all levels to lace up, gather their crew, and join a vibrant celebration that blends movement, music, nostalgia, and Filipino pop culture.

PRU Pop Run registration officially opens

Happening on 30 August at Ayala Triangle Gardens in Makati, PRU Pop Run will feature five race distances designed to challenge, inspire, and unite participants from all walks of life: 3K, 5K, 10K, 21K, and a special 30K category that pays tribute to Pru Life UK’s three decades of service to Filipinos.

Aptly named PRU Pop Run, the event brings to life Pru Life UK’s Promise of Protection, reflecting the company’s commitment to help Filipinos protect their future while taking active steps towards better health and well-being today. It underscores how protection is not only about financial security, but also about building the habits, confidence, and resilience to live life more fully.

“PRU Pop Run is all about encouraging Filipinos to take a more holistic approach to building a brighter future. At Pru Life UK, we believe that building a healthier and wealthier future starts with health insurance and is strengthened by the discipline to show up and make better, more responsible choices every day,” said Sanjay Chakrabarty, Pru Life UK President and Chief Executive Officer.

Adding more energy to the milestone event is a nostalgic celebration of pop culture through the decades. Runners and spectators can look forward to an immersive experience inspired by fashion, arts, music, cinema, and entertainment, showing how culture continues to evolve alongside people’s changing protection needs.

The race categories are structured to welcome every fitness level. Beginners can ease into the lifestyle with the 3K or 5K distance, while seasoned weekend runners can test their stamina in the 10K category. Regular runners and marathon trainees can take on the 21K route or the highly anticipated 30K challenge, a special distance in local running events and a symbolic nod to Pru Life UK’s 30-year journey in the country.

Beyond the physical challenge, PRU Pop Run serves as a timely call for healthier, more active living. In a digital age, it invites young Filipinos and families to step away from screens, step onto the pavement, and experience the real-world joy of movement, community, and personal achievement.

As Pru Life UK celebrates three decades of serving Filipinos, it remains committed to being the most trusted partner of every life and protector of every future. Through PRU Pop Run, the company reinforces that Filipinos can Count on PRU in championing their financial future, health, and overall well-being.

Join the celebration of movement, wellness, and a healthier future by registering at www.prupoprun.com.

Hashtag: #PruLifeUK

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

About Pru Life UK

Pru Life UK is the leading life insurer in the Philippines demonstrating its commitment to protect Filipinos’ financial future and well-being for every life, for every future.

Established in 1996, Pru Life UK operates in over 200 branches and general agency offices in the Philippines, and holds the largest life insurance agency force of over 35,000 licensed agents.

Pru Life UK offers a wide range of tailored solutions that address the unique and evolving needs across demographics and life stages. These include life protection, health, accident and disability, and investment-linked insurance.

Currently, Pru Life UK serves over 930,000 individual policyholders and more than 85,000 insured group members, and ranks first in New Business Annual Premium Equivalent* as of FY 2025, according to the Insurance Commission.

Pru Life UK is a subsidiary of Prudential plc, with a legacy of more than 175 years of safeguarding the future of millions of families for this generation and generations to come.

Pru Life UK is headquartered in 9/F Uptown Place Tower 1,1 East 11th Drive, Uptown Bonifacio, Taguig City 1634, Metro Manila, Philippines. Its main customer centre is located in G/F Cluster 2, Uptown Parade, Megaworld Blvd. corner 36th street Uptown Bonifacio, Taguig City 1634, Metro Manila, Philippines. Its customer centre contact details are: +63 (2) 88875433 (within Metro Manila) and 1-800-107785465 (for domestic toll-free via PLDT landline), email: contact.us@prulifeuk.com.ph.

The PRU customer centre processes customer concerns based on applicable timelines provided by the law. Visit www.prulifeuk.com.ph/en/contact-us/ for the list of its branches and more information.

Pru Life UK is legally permitted to provide financial products or services in the Philippines as regulated by the Insurance Commission.

The Insurance Commission’s head office is located in 1071 United Nations Avenue Ermita, Manila, Philippines. Their Cebu District office is located at Unit 17, Ground and Second Floors, The Gallery, Pope John Paul II Avenue, Barangay Kasambagan, Cebu City, while their Davao District office is in Door 2 & 3, 3rd Floor of YAP Building Quimpo Boulevard, Ecoland, Davao City. Visit www.insurance.gov.ph/contact-us/ for more information.

Notes:

*New Business Annual Premium Equivalent (NBAPE) – premium for a new policy paid in a year

Please use “Pru Life UK” when referring to the company.

Propelrr Adopts Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) and AI-first Business Model to Scale 16 Years Of Operational Excellence

Asia Insider — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 02:25:00 +0000

Award-winning Philippine digital marketing agency reinforces its proprietary growth framework with EOS to help finance, real estate, and ecommerce brands achieve sustainable business growth through greater operational discipline and experimentation.

MAKATI CITY, PHILIPPINES – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 July 2026 – As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms digital marketing, Philippine digital marketing agency Propelrr® has adopted the Entrepreneurial Operating System® (EOS®) to strengthen the operational foundation behind its proprietary growth methodology, enabling the agency to deliver more consistent, measurable business outcomes as it scales.

Propelrr EOS AI-first business model 16 years operational excellence

The move marks a significant milestone as Propelrr celebrates 16 years of being a digital marketing agency, helping organizations across the finance, real estate, ecommerce, and enterprise sectors navigate digital transformation through data-driven marketing, experimentation, and continuous optimization.

While AI has dramatically lowered the barriers to content creation, campaign management and audience targeting, many organizations continue to struggle with translating these technologies into sustained business performance. According to McKinsey & Company, although AI adoption has accelerated globally, only a relatively small proportion of organisations have successfully scaled AI initiatives to generate meaningful enterprise-wide value, highlighting that operational capabilities and not technology alone remain the defining factor for long-term success.

“AI allows businesses to execute faster, but speed alone doesn’t guarantee growth,” said Francis Gary Viray, Founder of Propelrr®. “The organizations that will lead in the next decade are those that build systems for continuous learning, experimentation, and disciplined decision-making. That’s exactly what EOS helps us strengthen.”

Addressing the Growth Challenges Businesses Face

Drawing from more than 16 years of client engagements across multiple industries, Propelrr identified three recurring growth challenges that organisations commonly encounter regardless of sector:

Trust-Based Growth, where businesses operating in highly regulated industries such as finance must balance compliance requirements with marketing performance.
Considered-Purchase Growth, where customers conduct extensive research before making purchase decisions, requiring brands to establish authority across search engines, AI platforms and digital touchpoints throughout the buyer journey.
Optimization-Led Growth, where sustained business performance depends on systematic experimentation, continuous testing and incremental improvements rather than isolated campaign successes.

These challenges form the basis of Propelrr’s proprietary Experimentation Program, Integrated Growth Approach and Propelrr Digital Marketing Framework®, which combine customer insights, data analytics, search visibility, paid media and continuous optimisation into a unified growth strategy.

Proven Results Across Industries

Propelrr’s methodology has delivered measurable outcomes for organisations operating in highly competitive industries.

For the Palawan Pawnshop Group, the agency developed paid media campaigns that balanced strict privacy and compliance requirements for finance industries with performance objectives, contributing to award-winning marketing campaigns recognised at the Marketing Excellence Awards.

For DMCI Homes, Propelrr implemented a search-first content strategy centred on the questions prospective buyers ask during the property research process, helping the developer achieve sustained organic visibility of more than 63,000 monthly organic sessions while strengthening discoverability across AI-powered search platforms.

Primary Homes achieved a 619% increase in branded traffic, a 712% increase in total website visitors, and doubled new lead generation following a research-led digital transformation programme, earning recognition at the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.

Meanwhile, OSP International generated more than US$2 million in incremental sales after Propelrr tested 285 research-driven growth hypotheses through its Experimentation Program, resulting in conversion improvements of up to 78.12% and multiple international marketing awards.

Building Operational Excellence Through EOS

While Propelrr’s proprietary methodology has evolved over more than a decade, EOS introduces an additional layer of organisational discipline to ensure consistent execution across every client engagement.

The EOS framework establishes clear accountability through measurable scorecards, quarterly priorities, structured weekly leadership meetings and a shared organisational vision, enabling the agency to standardise decision-making while maintaining agility as it grows.

“We’ve spent years refining how we help organizations grow,” said Mitchelle Viray, Co-Founder of Propelrr®. “EOS strengthens the operational discipline behind our methodology so clients receive the same level of accountability, consistency and execution regardless of the size or complexity of their engagement.”

The adoption of EOS reflects Propelrr’s long-term commitment to building an organisation capable of delivering sustainable client outcomes amid rapidly evolving technologies, changing consumer behaviour and increasingly competitive digital markets.

As AI continues reshaping the marketing landscape, Propelrr believes the future belongs not simply to agencies with access to the latest technologies, but to those with the operational systems capable of consistently turning those technologies into measurable business growth.

Hashtag: #Propelrr

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

About Propelrr®

Founded in 2008, Propelrr® is an award-winning digital marketing agency headquartered in Makati City, Philippines. Specialising in finance, real estate and ecommerce, the agency helps organisations accelerate sustainable business growth through its proprietary Propelrr Digital Marketing Framework®, Experimentation Program and Integrated Growth Approach. Combining data, technology, customer insights and continuous optimisation, Propelrr serves clients across the Philippines, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.

For more information, visit www.propelrr.com.

Alpro Group and NITORI Malaysia Collaborate to Promote Better Living Through Home & Preventive Healthcare

Asia Insider — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 02:10:00 +0000

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 July 2026 – NITORI Malaysia and Alpro Group have entered a strategic collaboration under the shared theme of “Healthy Living Starts at Home”, combining NITORI’s expertise in supportive living environments with Alpro’s focus on preventive healthcare and community wellness.

Representatives from Alpro Group and NITORI Malaysia participate in the symbolic launching gimmick, highlighting the shared commitment to promoting better sleep and healthier living.
From left to right: Ph. Lim En Ni (Chief Pharmacist & Customer Engagement Director of Alpro Group), Ph. Wong Wen Jun (Procurement Director of Alpro Group), Mr. Maezawa Yuta (Country Store Manager of NITORI Malaysia), Mr. Wada Tsutomu (ASEAN Marketing & E-Commerce Manager)

Founded in Japan, NITORI is one of Asia’s leading home furnishing and lifestyle retailers, known for offering functional, thoughtfully designed, and quality products that enhance everyday living. Meanwhile, Alpro Group is one of Malaysia’s leading integrated healthcare groups with more than 300 touchpoints nationwide, focusing on preventive healthcare, personalized health support, and accessible healthcare solutions for Malaysian families.

The collaboration reflects a shared belief that health is not limited to medical treatment alone, but also begins with the environment people live in every day, including sleep quality, comfort, hygiene, stress management, and daily lifestyle habits.

As the first phase of the collaboration, both parties will focus on the growing topic of sleep health, in response to increasing concerns surrounding poor sleep quality and mental wellbeing among Malaysians.

According to findings from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2023, approximately 2 in 5 Malaysians do not get enough sleep daily, while studies among Malaysian working adults reported that more than 50% sleep less than the recommended 7 hours per night. Sleep deprivation and poor sleep quality have also been associated with stress, anxiety, fatigue, poor concentration, emotional burnout, and long-term health risks such as cardiovascular disease and depression.

Through this collaboration, Alpro will focus on preventive healthcare education, sleep health awareness, and professional guidance, while NITORI Malaysia introduces supportive home living solutions designed to improve sleep comfort, sleep hygiene, and overall living quality. An additional key element of the collaboration will involve support from Alpro Health, the corporate wellness arm of Alpro Group, which includes access to clinical psychology expertise, mental wellness screening initiatives, and preventive health education programs to further strengthen public awareness surrounding stress, emotional wellbeing, and sleep health.

Building on these combined efforts, both parties are also exploring sleep health workshops, educational initiatives, and community engagement activities aimed at increasing public awareness on the importance of quality sleep and healthy living environments.

Mr. Maezawa Yuta, Country Store Manager of NITORI Malaysia, shared:

“At NITORI, we believe that quality living begins at home. Through this collaboration with Alpro, we hope to support Malaysian families not only through functional and quality home products, but also by encouraging healthier lifestyle habits and starting with greater awareness on the importance of sleep and wellbeing.”

Ph. Lim En Ni, Chief Pharmacist & Customer Engagement Director of Alpro Group, said:

“Many Malaysians underestimate the impact of sleep on physical health, emotional wellbeing, and overall quality of life. Preventive healthcare is not only about treatment, it is also about creating healthier daily habits and environments. Through this collaboration with NITORI, we hope to make supportive living solutions and sleep health awareness more accessible to communities nationwide.”

This collaboration reinforces Alpro’s long-term commitment to preventive healthcare by empowering Malaysians with better health awareness, early intervention, and healthier lifestyle habits. At the same time, it reflects NITORI Malaysia’s philosophy of enhancing everyday life through functional home solutions that support comfort, quality, and overall wellbeing.

Moving forward, both organisations aim to progressively expand the collaboration into broader healthy living categories and customer engagement initiatives. Together, NITORI Malaysia and Alpro Group believe that healthier living begins with a better home environment because true “Healthy Living Starts at Home”.

Hashtag: #AlproGroup #AlproPharmacy #Nitori #AlproxNitori #SleepHealth #HealthyLivingStartsAtHome

https://www.alpropharmacy.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/alpro-pharmacy/
https://www.facebook.com/alpropharmacy
https://www.instagram.com/alpropharmacy.official
Nitori Website: https://www.nitori.my/
Nitori Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nitorimalaysia
Nitori Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nitorimalaysia

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

About Alpro Group

Founded in 2002, Alpro Group’s ecosystem has grown to include Alpro Pharmacy, Apotek Alpro, Alpro スギ (Sugi) Pharmacy, Alpro Physio, Alpro Clinic, Alpro Baby, Alpro OptiSaver, Alpro Audiology, Alpro Health, and Alpro Foundation. Supported by a team of more than 1,000 healthcare professionals, including doctors, pharmacists, nutritionists, dietitians, physiotherapists, optometrist and many others, Alpro serves over 5 million families in Malaysia and Indonesia through its extensive network of 500 physical outlets.

Alpro Pharmacy is the first and only community pharmacy in the region to offer product liability insurance of MYR 1 million in Malaysia and IDR 3 billion in Indonesia, ensuring the supply of genuine medications and enhancing consumer trust.

With the vision of a healthy and vibrant world, Alpro Group aims to become the No. 1 prescription pharmacy chain in Southeast Asia.

About NITORI Malaysia

The NITORI Group began in 1967 as a small furniture store spanning approximately 30 tsubo (99 square meters) in Hokkaido, Japan. Over the decades, NITORI Group has expanded the reach to people not only in Japan but also globally to Taiwan in 2007 and China in 2014 respectively.

NITORI RETAIL ASEAN began its expansion in Southeast Asia, by opening its first store in Malaysia in January 2022. This was followed by Singapore in March 2022, Thailand and Vietnam in 2023, and the Philippines and Indonesia in 2024, successfully establishing a presence in six countries and regions in quick succession, with over 1,000 stores globally.

In February 2025, the NITORI Group revised its mission to: “Enrich the everyday lives of people all over the world.” This new mission embodies the unwavering resolve to enrich customers’ everyday lives more broadly, extending beyond just home furnishings, and broadened the business domains from furniture to home fashion, and further into apparel, home improvement, and home appliances.

The group’s growth is underpinned by a clear mission to create value through products and services that deliver the unexpected. By staying true to this philosophy, the company continues to enrich customers’ everyday lives and strengthen its presence in markets worldwide.

New Crypto: Pepeto Raises $10.5M Fast While Ethereum Price Targets $10,000 and Elon Musk Found The Next Shiba Inu

Asia Insider — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 01:15:00 +0000

Dubai, UAE, July 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

Pepeto has announced its presale just passed $10.5 million, filling faster than anything this cycle, and the timing makes that number remarkable, because the market is bleeding. Nobody throws millions into a dead market for fun. Money moves like that for one reason: smart money investing in red markets sees something the rest has not caught yet, and they keep coming back with more.

So what do they see? Two things, both big. First, Pepeto runs on Ethereum, fixing what costs ETH users money every day, right as the Ethereum price prediction points toward $10,000. Second, a whisper burning through every crypto community: Elon Musk found his next Shiba Inu, and its name is Pepeto. Big claim? Absolutely. But the data below might explain that.

New Crypto Pepeto Keeps Climbing as the Ethereum Price Prediction Turns Bullish Again

We looked at the money flow data, and it says everything. $84.4 million entered US spot ether funds in one week, ending an eight week outflow streak. Next week: $105 million. Then $96 million in three trading days per CoinDesk. Each week is bigger than the last. That is acceleration, not a bounce, and price confirmed it: Ethereum price up 11% on the week, 20% on the month, still far below its high, this is the exact shape of early recoveries. Our read: if $1,800 holds and inflows keep growing, the road stays open toward $10,000 per CoinDCX, the Ethereum price prediction Finder’s panel backs long term.

Good news for every holder, right? Sure. But here is what amateurs miss: the biggest returns never come from big coins. They go to buyers who entered during presale, at the cheapest price a coin ever has. Ethereum proved it in 2014. In 2026, one presale pulls the most smart moey capital: Pepeto.

Pepeto: The Innovation Pulling In Ethereum Whales and Elon Musk

So, Why Pepeto? Starting with who builds it: a lead developer from Binance. His words: “We built PepetoSwap to kill the fees that eat every portfolio, zero cost on every swap while Uniswap and PancakeSwap take 0.3% per trade. The bridge uses lock-and-mint to move assets across chains at zero cost. Once this goes live, there is no reason to use anything else.”

We ran the numbers to understand the real edge in this project. Swapping $2,000 a week through a 0.3% pool loses $312 a year, $10,000 a week loses $1,560, before gas. Uniswap passed $1 trillion in lifetime volume by 2022 per Investing.com, now past $3 trillion. Billions, handed over in fees. That is why Pepeto exists: solve what drains traders, and let early believers win too, so the whole platform runs through the PEPETO coin by design. Every trader arriving for free trading adds demand, and buyers hold a coin an entire platform pushes higher for years.

Big ETH wallets saw it first, they know the play: one early backer put $6,200 into Ethereum’s 2014 presale and watched it pass $80 million per Lookonchain. Pepeto carries the same base, a working exchange and bridge, plus what Ethereum never had: meme virality straight from the early Shiba Inu days. Now the whisper. Is Elon Musk really behind it? Nobody can confirm it, these stories never get confirmed until they explode. But his name touched two meme coins before: Dogecoin and Shiba Inu, one hit $90 billion, one minted millionaires, neither had a product. Pepeto has all three: products, virality, and the Elon Musk connection.

Conclusion

Lay the pieces side by side and the picture forms on its own. The Ethereum price prediction targets $10,000, and every strong project on Ethereum rises when the chain runs. Presales and meme coins built more millionaires than any corner of crypto, and Pepeto is both at once, unlisted, with a platform built to feed the coin for years.

Now there are two scenarios. If the rumor is true, the price explodes. If it never is, the project still stands on its own strength, working tools, a growing platform, and a presale past $10.4 million, the exact reasons smart money bought in before any whisper existed. And everyone knows how the Shiba Inu story ended, the early buyers made millions out of one bold decision, buying before the market confirmed the potential. and based on every data, what sits on the table today is how that story looked when it began.

Check the Pepeto Price Before It Goes Up at Listing, Official Website: https://pepetocoin.com/

FAQs

What is the Ethereum price prediction for 2026?

The Ethereum price prediction for 2026 reaches $10,000 in the bull case per CoinDCX, Finder’s panel agreeing long term. ETH is recovering as ETF inflows return per CoinDesk.

Is Elon Musk behind Pepeto like Shiba Inu and Dogecoin?

Rumors keep spreading that Elon Musk found his next Shiba Inu in Pepeto. What is certain: Pepeto carries the energy Shiba Inu had early, viral, unlisted, spreading through crypto communities daily.

CONTACT: MEDIA CONTACT Contact: Dani Bonocci Email: info@pepeto.io Website: https://pepeto.io/ Phone: +971586738991

Silvaco to Accelerate Physics-Based Digital Twins for Semiconductor Design and Manufacturing Using NVIDIA AI and Accelerated Computing

Asia Insider — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 00:46:00 +0000

Silvaco is integrating NVIDIA accelerated computing and AI with its physics-based simulation portfolio to advance digital twins for semiconductor design and manufacturing

SANTA CLARA, Calif., July 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Silvaco Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SVCO) (“Silvaco”), a leading provider of TCAD, EDA software, and semiconductor IP solutions, and NVIDIA, a global leader in accelerated computing and AI, today announced a collaboration to advance next-generation digital twins for semiconductor design and manufacturing using NVIDIA accelerated computing and AI.

Silvaco is combining decades of physics-based modeling expertise with NVIDIA’s accelerated computing, CUDA-X™ libraries, PhysicsNeMo, Omniverse libraries, and Nemotron open models to help customers build, train, and deploy high-fidelity digital twins capable of predicting, optimizing, and validating complex semiconductor systems with unprecedented speed and accuracy.

Together, Silvaco’s physics-based simulation portfolio and NVIDIA accelerated computing and AI will help customers design, simulate and optimize increasingly complex semiconductor technologies.

Partnership Focus Areas

GPU-Accelerated Physics Simulation

Silvaco intends to use NVIDIA accelerated computing and CUDA-X™ libraries to accelerate its semiconductor device, process, photonics, and multiphysics simulation solutions, enabling dramatic reductions in simulation runtimes and increased design productivity. As an early proof point, Silvaco completed a fully scaled 3D FDTD simulation of a photonic edge coupler with 3.2 billion mesh nodes on 32 NVIDIA GPUs connected with NVLink in under four hours. The workload did not converge on CPUs, and the result achieved less than 0.15 dB difference between measurement and simulation.

AI-Driven Surrogate Modeling

Silvaco intends to leverage NVIDIA PhysicsNeMo to develop customizable AI surrogate models that complement high-fidelity physics simulation and accelerate exploration of design alternatives.

Digital Twin Visualization and Collaboration

Silvaco plans to connect its digital twin environment with NVIDIA Omniverse libraries™ and NVIDIA Cosmos™ to deliver collaborative, real-time visualization and simulation environments spanning semiconductor fabs, manufacturing systems, robotics platforms and infrastructure applications to provide interactive visualization and collaboration across semiconductor design and manufacturing workflows.

Scaled Engineering Workflows

Silvaco aims to establish cloud-native workflows that support design, testing, and validation across distributed teams and compute environments.

Delivering Measurable Customer Value

By combining the technologies, Silvaco expects to help customers:

Reduce Simulation Cycles from Weeks to Days
GPU-accelerated simulation and AI-driven modeling will enable faster design iterations and reduced time-to-market.
Improve Accuracy and Insight
High-fidelity digital twins will provide deeper visibility into system performance, enabling more precise validation and optimization.
Scale Engineering and Collaboration
Cloud-based visualization and AI-driven workflows will enable global teams to collaborate more efficiently and execute complex simulations at scale.

“The convergence of physics-based simulation, accelerated computing, and artificial intelligence is transforming design and manufacturing,” said Walden C. Rhines, President and Chief Executive Officer of Silvaco. “By combining Silvaco’s deep expertise in semiconductor and multiphysics digital twins with NVIDIA’s industry-leading computing and AI platforms, we can help customers model increasingly complex systems with greater speed, fidelity, and confidence. Together, we are positioning the industry for a future where AI-powered digital twins can fundamentally transform how semiconductor technologies are designed, validated, and optimized.”

“Digital twins are becoming essential tools for engineering and manufacturing innovation,” said Da Yang, senior director of product, semiconductor and EDA at NVIDIA. “By using NVIDIA AI, open models, libraries and accelerated computing, Silvaco is connecting high-fidelity simulation, helping customers move faster from modeling to insight across semiconductor design and manufacturing.”

The combination of Silvaco and NVIDIA solutions is expected to enable advanced digital twin applications including:

Semiconductor process, device, packaging, and photonics simulation
AI-assisted development of next-generation chips and advanced nodes
Factory optimization and predictive manufacturing

This collaboration brings together Silvaco’s semiconductor modeling expertise with NVIDIA accelerated computing and AI to advance high-fidelity simulation, AI surrogate models, and digital twins across semiconductor design and manufacturing.

About Silvaco

Silvaco is a provider of AI-enabled TCAD and EDA solutions, and SIP solutions that enable semiconductor design and digital twin modeling through AI software and innovation. Silvaco’s solutions are used for semiconductor and photonics processes, devices, and systems development across display, power devices, automotive, memory, high-performance compute, foundries, photonics, internet of things, and 5G/6G mobile markets for complex SoC design. Silvaco is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, and has a global presence with offices located in North America, Europe, Brazil, China, Egypt, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Learn more at silvaco.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each as amended, that are intended to be covered by the “safe harbor” provisions of those sections. Forward-looking statements give our current expectations and projections relating to our financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance and business and can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “estimate,” “potential,” “continue” and similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. These statements are based on the Company’s current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, including those described in the Company’s most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These factors may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

Media Contacts

Investor Relations:
investors@silvaco.com

Media Relations:
press@silvaco.com

Singapore tightens monetary policy as rising oil prices rekindle inflation risk

Asia Insider — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 00:34:22 +0000

In this article

@LCO.1

Commercial buildings illuminated at dusk in Singapore, on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. Photographer: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Singapore on Monday tightened its monetary policy for a second consecutive time, moving preemptively against a renewed oil price surge even as inflation at home stays subdued.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore said it will increase the rate of appreciation of the Singapore dollar’s nominal effective exchange rate policy band “very slightly,” with the adjustment smaller than April’s. The width of the band and the level at which it is centered were left unchanged.

Unlike most central banks, the MAS conducts its monetary policy by managing the Singapore dollar exchange rate against a trade-weighted basket of currencies within an undisclosed band, rather than setting interest rates.

“In an environment of continued heightened uncertainty, this calibrated adjustment to the policy stance builds on the tightening in April,” the MAS said in its statement.

Singapore’s core inflation, which excludes accommodation and transportation costs, ticked up to 1.6% in June from 1.4% in May, near the bottom of the MAS’s 1.5%–2.5% forecast range for this year, with headline inflation at 1.9%.

While transportation fuel prices quickly rose since the onset of the U.S.-Iran conflict, softer services inflation, particularly healthcare, communication, and education, helped offset much of the upward pressure on prices, according to BMI, a FitchSolutions company.

“Imported-cost pressures typically pass through to broader consumer prices with a lag, so we still expect inflation to rise in the coming months,” the intelligence group said.

Singapore’s near-total reliance on imported energy leaves it exposed to higher oil prices.

Brent crude climbed back above $100 a barrel last week after Houthi militants attacked two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea, deepening a supply threat that had eased before the collapse of the Middle East ceasefire.

The economy has so far shrugged off the turmoil as AI demand powers electronics exports.

Singapore’s gross domestic product expanded 5.7% in the second quarter from a year earlier, beating the 5.5% median estimate in a Reuters survey and well above the government’s full-year projection of 2%–4%.

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Source: CNBC

2026 World Internet Conference Digital Silk Road Development Forum Opens in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province

Asia Insider — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 05:56:00 +0000

XI’AN, China, July 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from CRI Online:

On July 22, the 2026 World Internet Conference (WIC) Digital Silk Road Development Forum officially opened in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province. Hosted by the WIC and organized by the Shaanxi Provincial Government, the forum was held under the theme "Pooling Intelligence on the Silk Road, Embarking on a Digital Future — Jointly Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace". Approximately 800 participants from more than 50 countries and regions, as well as seven international organizations, attended the event.

2026 World Internet Conference Digital Silk Road Development Forum

Mayra Arevich Marín, Minister of Communications of Cuba; Faqir Mahbub Anam, Minister of Posts, Telecommunication & Information Technology and Minister of Science and Technology of Bangladesh; Samba Diouf, Minister of Telecommunications and Digital Affairs of Senegal; Wang Binying, Deputy Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO); John Higgins, President of the International AI Governance Association (IAGA); and Wang Xingxing, Founder and CEO of Unitree Robotics, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches.

Following the opening ceremony, a ministerial meeting was held. Thematic forums were convened focusing on Silk Road e-commerce cooperation and development, collaborative innovation and development of AI agents, digital and intelligent health, and the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage in the digital intelligence era. These discussions aimed to help Belt and Road partner countries strengthen consensus, deepen cooperation, and seize new opportunities brought by digital and intelligent development. During the forum, the World Internet Conference Cultural Heritage Digitalization Case Collection (2026) was released. A series of capacity-building activities under the WIC Digital & AI Academy were also held, including a capacity building program on AI-driven digital trade, a salon on "Copyright Empowerment in Cultural Heritage Digitalization", and a field study at a digital port.

Urbanica Furniture Builds Ergonomic Office Bundles Around How People Work

Asia Insider — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:30:00 +0000

Eleven coordinated desk and chair bundles help customers choose workspace furniture based on room size, movement, comfort, and daily work needs

Urbanica Furniture Ergonomics

Creative Bundle by Urbanica Furniture

Casual Bundle by Urbanica furniture

Compact Bundle by Urbanica Furniture

Ergonomic Bundle by Urbanica Furniture

Minimalist Bundle by Urbanica Furniture

Breezy Bundle by Urbanica Furniture

Active Bundle by Urbanica Furniture

Coastal Bundle by Urbanica Furniture

Executive Bundle by Urbanica Furniture

Inspired Bundle by Urbanica Furniture

Relaxed Bundle by Urbanica Furniture

LAUDERHILL, Fla., July 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Urbanica Furniture is helping individuals and businesses create more practical workspaces through 11 ergonomic office bundles built around how people work, move, and use their available space.

The Urbanica Furniture bundle collection combines compatible ergonomic chairs with compact standing desks, fixed height office desks, and full standing desks. Customers can begin with a coordinated pairing and select available sizes, finishes, chair options, and accessories based on their workspace needs.

“At Urbanica Furniture, we understand that there is no single office setup that works for everyone,” the company said. “Some people need a compact workstation for a smaller room. Others want a wider desk for multiple monitors or the flexibility to move between sitting and standing. Our bundles make it easier to start with a setup that reflects those differences.”

Urbanica’s compact configurations include the Casual Bundle, Ergonomic Bundle, Compact Bundle, and Coastal Bundle. Each pairs an ergonomic chair with the Mini Standing Desk for workspaces where floor space and movement are important.

For traditional seated work, the collection includes the Creative Bundle, Minimalist Bundle, Executive Bundle, and Relaxed Bundle.

Customers seeking a larger height adjustable work surface can explore the Inspired Bundle, Active Bundle, and Breezy Bundle.

Depending on the selected bundle, customers may choose from different desk widths, desktop finishes, frame finishes, chair variations, and compatible accessories. Available additions may include storage, cable management, laptop stands, chair headrests, and desk power options.

By presenting chairs, desks, and accessories as connected parts of one workspace, Urbanica Furniture reduces the need for customers to compare every product separately.

“Our goal is to make office furniture easier to understand and easier to personalize,” Urbanica Furniture said. “The bundles provide clear starting points while leaving customers in control of the final workspace.”

About Urbanica Furniture

Urbanica Furniture is a family-owned office furniture company supported by three decades of furniture manufacturing experience. The company offers ergonomic chairs, office desks, standing desks, tables, storage products, power solutions, and workspace accessories for individuals and businesses.

Visit Urbanica Furniture to learn more.

Media contact

URBANICA Furniture
hello@urbanicafurniture.com
Website: https://urbanicafurniture.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/urbanicafurniture
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urbanicafurniture/
Twitter: https://x.com/urbanica_us
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/urbanicafurniture/

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6ab9e683-a612-4986-8733-7e24a0d10db1

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From China Mobile’s Call Upgrade to the Commercial Launch of “Calling + AI” by Leading Operators: AI Is Reshaping the Value of Native Calling

Asia Insider — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 11:35:00 +0000

BEIJING, July 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On June 15, 2026, China Mobile announced a comprehensive upgrade to its traditional calling services, ushering in a next-generation calling experience defined by HD, intelligence, and security. This milestone not only marks a major leap in telecommunication innovation but also reflects a global, inevitable shift: the transformation of basic communication into intelligent, inclusive services.

Breaking Experience Barriers and Redefining the Paradigm of Basic Calling

Overcoming the limitations of traditional, voice-only interactions, China Mobile has leveraged its mature VoLTE/VoNR network foundation to deeply integrate AI models with HD audio and video capabilities. Without requiring users to change their phones or SIM cards, seven core AI functions are now seamlessly embedded into the native dialer interface.

These upgrades include Live Captions bridge communication gaps for the elderly and hearing-impaired; HD video calls and AI noise reduction create a crystal-clear, immersive calling experience; AI anti-fraud intercepts high-risk calls in real time to safeguard users’ assets. Furthermore, the introduction of Data Channel (DC) technology and visual call menus transforms standard calls into agile, interactive service windows, enabling multi-party collaboration and seamless business transactions directly within the call. Through this initiative, China Mobile has successfully evolved traditional calls from a mere voice pipeline into a secure, integrated information hub.

"Calling + AI" Becomes a Strategic Consensus Among Global Leading Operators

From a global perspective, China Mobile’s call upgrade is not an isolated milestone, but a microcosm of the global telecommunications industry’s broader transformation. Throughout 2026, major operators worldwide are accelerating the commercial deployment of "Calling + AI" solutions:

Deutsche Telekom launched Magenta AI, leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance calling across all scenarios;
T-Mobile US introduced a network-side, real-time translation service covering over 80 languages, effectively breaking down cross-border communication barriers;
Saudi stc rolled out English-Arabic bilingual simultaneous interpretation, which has now entered large-scale commercial trials;
South Korea’s LG U+ launched its ixi-O intelligent calling assistant, shifting the user experience from passive responses to proactive smart interactions and earning three prestigious GLOMO industry awards.

The synchronized efforts of these global leaders confirm that basic calling services have officially entered a new era of AI integration. Deeply empowered by artificial intelligence, "Calling + AI" has become the definitive blueprint for the intelligent transformation of the global telecommunications industry. As operators continue to refine these native capabilities, the traditional voice network is poised to reclaim its position as the most secure, ubiquitous, and valuable entry point in the AI era.

Finland’s radical answer to renewable energy’s biggest headache: The world’s largest sand battery

Asia Insider — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 05:29:38 +0000

The industrial-scale sand battery in Finland’s Pornainen can cover almost one month of the town’s heating demands in the summer and as much as one week in the winter.

Polar Night Energy

A small town in southern Finland has turned to the world’s largest commercial sand battery to fix what many see as the most critical problem facing renewable energy: intermittency.

Standing at 13 meters tall and 15 meters wide, the eye-catching facility uses 2,000 metric tons of crushed soapstone to store clean energy in the form of heat to provide 100 megawatt-hours of thermal energy.

That’s enough to provide the 5,000 residents of Pornainen with nearly one month of heat demand through the summer — and roughly one week of demand in the winter.

Commissioned by Finnish district heating company Loviisan Lämpö and developed by Polar Night Energy, the giant sand battery launched last year as part of a push to introduce a flexible heat production technology and reduce carbon emissions generated by the local district heating network.

Polar Night Energy said the project is estimated to have slashed greenhouse gas emissions from the heating network by almost 70% and reduced the use of wood chips by about 60%. An existing wood-chip power plant remains in operation as a backup and peak-load facility.

Tommi Eronen, CEO of Polar Night Energy, said Pornainen had previously relied on burning oil and wood chips for its heating needs — but the town’s sand battery was now able to provide combustion-free heating for the majority of the year.

“We’re changing from a world where big power plants were doing the energy production to where solar and wind are producing the energy, then we need a massive amount of storage,” Eronen told CNBC on a video call.

“Hopefully a big portion of those storages could be sand battery-type of storages where we don’t need rare earth materials, like in many chemical batteries, such as lithium-ion batteries.”

The Pornainen project is about 10 times larger than an earlier version launched in the country in 2022, reinforcing the potential for sand batteries to play a more prominent role in cutting emissions both domestically and abroad.

Battery storage is widely expected to play a pivotal role in the energy transition — and sand batteries in particular have shown promise for regional heat storage, but scaling up this technology faces significant hurdles. Some notable criticisms include their ability to efficiently convert heat back to electricity and their relatively low energy density compared to traditional batteries.

How does it work?

Essentially, the sand battery technology operates as something akin to a giant thermos with heat-storing material.

The first step is to get electricity off the grid when there is plenty of wind or solar power, before then heating up the sand to very high temperatures. The heavily insulated silo keeps that heat trapped for days or weeks before being discharged via heat exchangers to warm water for the local district heating network.

“Three steps — and the key to the whole thing is the sand enables you to have a delay between the time you use electricity, and you use the steam,” Polar Night Energy’s Chief Commercial Officer Annette Höglund-Dönnes told CNBC by video call.

“That delay is your business advantage because you can heat up the sand when the electricity is cheap, and you use the steam when normally it would be very expensive to produce steam off the grid, which is the daytime when everybody else is using it,” she added.

The industrial-scale sand battery in Finland’s Pornainen stands at 13 meters tall and 15 meters wide. The facility uses 2,000 metric tons of crushed soapstone to store clean energy in the form of heat.

Polar Night Energy

Höglund-Dönnes compared the process to charging a cell phone overnight given that this can be less expensive than during the day.

Asked whether the project could be replicated internationally, Höglund-Dönnes said Polar Night Energy had been contacted by teams from “every single continent,” particularly by communities dependent on fossil fuels, such as coal and oil.

Climate scientists have repeatedly warned that a substantial reduction in fossil fuel use will be necessary to curb global heating, with the burning of coal, oil, and gas identified as the chief driver of the climate crisis.

Renewable intermittency

Jan Rosenow, professor of energy and climate policy at the U.K.’s University of Oxford, agreed that electrothermal storage technologies, such as sand batteries, were likely to be replicated across the globe.

“You don’t need rare earths, critical raw materials and the beauty is you can also charge up the battery when the electricity is cheap and discharge whenever you need the heat,” Rosenow told CNBC.

“And you can store it for long periods, not just two hours or four hours like lithium-ion batteries, but potentially for days and maybe even weeks.”

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Critics of renewable energy, for example, often point out that technologies such as solar and wind only produce energy when the wind is blowing or the sun is shining.

Energy storage systems such as batteries play a pivotal role in smoothing renewable intermittency by absorbing excess solar and wind generation and dispatching it when production dips.

Mikko Paajanen, CEO of Loviisan Lämpö, said the sand battery helps to clear this energy transition hurdle.

“The main thing is that we can separate the electricity procurement from the district heating production because now we are able to deliver this heating during the wintertime for one week, with one charge of the battery, and during the summertime, it even lasts as long as one month,” Paajanen told CNBC by video call.

“So, we can utilize the low spot prices very well.”

Loviisan Lämpö’s’ CEO said the company was aiming to produce between 55% to 60% of the municipality’s district heating production from the sand battery through the first few months of this year, up from roughly 30% in 2025.

Finland’s Climate Minister Sari Multala described the sand battery project in Pornainen as a “very inspiring” and innovative example of how to solve the challenge of energy storage.

“I understood when I also visited the plant when it was opened that they are now also developing solutions for maybe using electricity as well in the future, which would be, of course, groundbreaking — and this would be something that a lot of people would see value in,” Multala told CNBC.

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Source: CNBC

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From China Mobile’s Call Upgrade to the Commercial Launch of “Calling + AI” by Leading Operators: AI Is Reshaping the Value of Native Calling

Finland’s radical answer to renewable energy’s biggest headache: The world’s largest sand battery

How does it work?

Renewable intermittency

Read more