BEST'S MARKET SEGMENT REPORT: AM BEST MAINTAINS NEGATIVE OUTLOOK ON INDONESIA NON-LIFE INSURANCE MARKET

SINGAPORE, Oct 31 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- AM Best is maintaining its negative market segment outlook on the Indonesia non-life insurance segment, citing challenges in credit and motor insurance and ongoing macroeconomic uncertainties. Claims frequency normalization, which has the potential to dampen the segment’s profitability, also underpins the negative outlook.

In a new Best’s Market Segment Report, “Market Segment Outlook: Indonesia Non-Life Insurance,” AM Best notes that it expects the segment to exhibit higher growth in 2022, supported by the resumption of domestic activity and demand as Indonesia transitions to treating COVID-19 as endemic and moves away from strict lockdowns seen up to 2021. However, market growth is likely to fall short of the levels seen prior to the pandemic given the downside risks to domestic economic expansion, including a potential global recession, inflationary pressures and domestic monetary tightening.

In AM Best’s view, the poor underwriting performance in the credit insurance line is a systemic issue that continues to affect the market. “Underwriting losses stemming from credit insurance have led to financial strain for several industry players, as the economic impact from COVID-19 hampered the debt repayment abilities of consumers,” said Chris Lim, senior financial analyst, AM Best. “In turn, this has led to higher default rates, and therefore, higher credit insurance claims.”

Premium rate inadequacy, weaknesses in underwriting risk management and overexposure to credit insurance during a period of significant economic stress have weakened the financial profiles of various mid-to-large domestic insurers and reinsurers. This has led to a capital event for some and may continue to pose a drag on the operating performance of others.

Inflationary pressures are also anticipated to constrain the underwriting margins for insurers. In particular, AM Best expects claims inflation to weigh on the underwriting margins for motor and health insurance. “Rising inflation is expected to lead to an increase in motor claims costs, driven by the higher cost of labour and spare parts,” said Myles Gould, director, analytics, AM Best. “Medical cost inflation in Indonesia is also estimated to be rising at a pace notably faster than general inflation.”

In addition, business growth in motor insurance may be dampened by factors that negatively impact the demand for motor vehicles over the near term. Business expansion in motor insurance in 2021 and the first half of 2022 benefitted in part by an increase in new car sales, which was stimulated by a temporary reduction of luxury goods sales tax. However, this tax incentive has been terminated.

AM Best could revise the outlook to stable should these challenges diminish in the future.

To access the full copy of this market segment report, please visit http://www3.ambest.com/bestweek/purchase.asp?record_code=325505.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright © 2022 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

View source version on businesswire.com: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221030005002/en/

Contact

Chris Lim
Senior Financial Analyst
+65 6303 5018
chris.lim@ambest.com

Myles Gould
Director, Analytics
+44 207 397 0304
myles.gould@ambest.com

Christopher Sharkey
Manager, Public Relations
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159
christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

Al Slavin
Communications Specialist
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5098
al.slavin@ambest.com

Source : AM Best

Mary Kay Announces Skin Health Grants and Delivers Eye-Opening Research on the Biology of Droopy Eyes at the 51st Annual European Society for Dermatological Research Meeting

 

“Women are seeking more advanced at-home beauty treatment options and our Upstream Innovation team is meeting this need by designing new products that provide compelling skin benefits. Participation at international conferences like ESDR is one way we share and learn about the latest advancements in skincare science to remain relevant in our research efforts and build industry-wide connections,” said Dr. Lucy Gildea, Chief Innovation Officer, Product & Science at Mary Kay. (Credit: Mary Kay Inc.)

DALLAS, Oct 28 (BUSINESS WIRE)--

Mary Kay Inc., one of the world’s innovative skincare companies, has announced a new partnership with the European Society for Dermatological Research (ESDR) with its registered office in Geneva, Switzerland, to award grants to researchers at the 51^st Annual ESDR Meeting. The congress took place between September 28 – October 1, 2022, in person with the sessions recorded and available on-demand after the congress.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221025005847/en/ 

Mary Kay will be awarding two $20,000 grants to researchers conducting groundbreaking and innovative studies in skin health or skin diseases, for which eligible applicants can apply through December 9, 2022. Winners will be announced during a special virtual event this coming March preceding the inaugural meeting of the First International Societies for Investigative Dermatology conference in May. With these funds, Mary Kay hopes to empower researchers to uncover new perspectives and interventional strategies in dermatology.

Mary Kay presented exciting new findings at the 51^st annual ESDR meeting as part of its ongoing research focused on the biology of skin aging. The team explored the changes over time that impact the eye, specifically the upper eyelid. Over time, the upper eyelid contours begin to sag, leading to a droopy or hooded appearance. Currently, only in-office options have been shown to significantly improve the appearance of droopy lids. At the annual meeting, Geetha Kalahasti, Associate Principal Scientist, Upstream Research, Clinical & Scientific Credentialing at Mary Kay shared the results of a clinical study that evaluated the effectiveness of a cosmetic formulation containing botanical extracts as a topical solution to treat droopy lids. Botanical extracts targeted three main components that contribute to the effect - dermal matrix degradation, weakening of the upper eyelid retractor, and shifting of upper eyelid fat pads. The findings showed significant improvement in eyelid droopiness and contouring, providing a promising at-home cosmetic solution to the droopy eye concern. Two independent board-certified dermatologists evaluated the clinical images and confirmed the results to be compelling.

“Women are seeking more advanced at-home beauty treatment options and our Upstream Innovation team is meeting this need by designing new products that provide compelling skin benefits. This is just one of the many ways we meet and exceed consumer expectations,” said Dr. Lucy Gildea, Chief Innovation Officer, Product & Science at Mary Kay. “Participation at international conferences like ESDR is one way we share and learn about the latest advancements in skincare science to remain relevant in our research efforts, build industry-wide connections, and establish Mary Kay as a global leader in skin science.”

ESDR supports investigative dermatology with the goal of improving the health of patients who are suffering from skin disorders. The annual European Society for Dermatological Research (ESDR) Conference is held in Europe each year every September. The content of this year’s annual ESDR meeting included guest lectures from internationally recognized scientists, oral presentations from peer-reviewed abstracts, cutting-edge “frontier” talks in skin science, educational symposia on a wide range of topics, electronic presentations of posters, and interactive workshop-type sessions. With an attendance of over 1,100 registered delegates from 51 countries, the ESDR annual meeting attracts scientists from all over the world with an interest in dermatology to discover the latest basic, clinical, and translational research findings.

“On behalf of the ESDR board, we would like to thank Mary Kay for its support of the ESDR and its generous contribution to ESDR activities. A key objective of our Society is to promote innovative research in investigative dermatology and to support researchers' activities in translational skin research. We are honored, grateful, and delighted to have Mary Kay as part of this effort,” said Eli Sprecher, Chair of the Scientific Program Committee of ESDR.

ABOUT MARY KAY

One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty company in 1963 with one goal: enriching women’s lives. That dream has blossomed into a multibillion-dollar company with millions of independent sales force members in nearly 40 countries. As an entrepreneurship development company, Mary Kay is committed to empowering women on their journey through education, mentorship, advocacy, networking, and innovation. Mary Kay is dedicated to investing in the science behind beauty and manufacturing cutting-edge skincare, color cosmetics, nutritional supplements, and fragrances. Mary Kay believes in enriching lives today for a sustainable tomorrow, partnering with organizations from around the world focusing on promoting business excellence, supporting cancer research, advancing gender equality, protecting survivors of domestic abuse, beautifying our communities, and encouraging children to follow their dreams. Learn more at marykayglobal.com, find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or follow us on Twitter.

ABOUT THE EUROPEAN SOCIETY FOR DERMATOLOGICAL RESEARCH (ESDR)

The European Society for Dermatological Research (ESDR), founded in 1970, is a non-profit organization promoting basic and clinical science related to dermatology. The ESDR is the largest investigative dermatology society in Europe with a current membership of about 1100. By supporting investigative dermatology and skin research, the ESDR contributes to an in-depth understanding of skin homeostasis and towards improving the health of patients suffering from skin and venereal diseases. The ESDR facilitates the exchange of information relevant to investigative dermatology between clinicians and scientists worldwide. The ESDR also organizes educational events throughout the year to further knowledge in dermatological research. For more information, please visit: https://esdr.org/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221025005847/en/

Contact

Mary Kay Inc. Corporate Communications
marykay.com/newsroom
972.687.5332 or media@mkcorp.com

Source : Mary Kay Inc.

MonetaGo, SWIFT fight fraud with live launch of Financing Validation Service

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 (Bernama) -- MonetaGo and SWIFT have achieved an important milestone in the global fight against fraud and duplicate financing with the live launch of the Trade Financing Validation Service provided by MonetaGo over the global SWIFT network.

In a statement, MonetaGo said the service was the first third-party service in trade available through the SWIFT API channel. 

“For the first time in the history of trade finance, there is now a global standardised system to check duplicate financing.

“The additional authentication services availed through the same system will provide greater assurance to lenders on the integrity of their financing transactions,” said MonetaGo chief executive officer Neil Shonhard.

SWIFT wholesale payments and trade strategy head Shirish Wadivkar said the validation service is a great example of how MonetaGo’s API platform could be harnessed to provide a single solution to help banks tackle fraud and financial crime at the international level.

The Trade Financing Validation Service’s live launch came after the successful completion of the pilot phase which saw the participation of 20 institutions on four continents, MonetaGo said.

“The service can now be accessed by all the 11,000 plus institutions in the SWIFT network.

“The participating institutions included some of the world’s largest trade finance banks, representing lenders in the US, the UK, Europe, Asia and Australia,” it added.

MonetaGo said the trade finance industry has a natively global solution that is interoperable by markets, institutions and platforms, enabling financiers to catch and stop cross-border fraud with the launch of the validation service over SWIFT.

MonetaGo provides the first-ever global solution to duplicate financing fraud in trade finance and is the world’s foremost provider of such technology to prevent both domestic and cross-border duplicate financing.

-- BERNAMA

ASUENE RAISES US$20 MILLION IN SERIES B ROUND, AIMING TO BECOME ASIA'S NO.1 CLIMATE TECH COMPANY THROUGH SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT

AsiaNet 98487

TOKYO, Oct. 27, 2022 /Kyodo JBN-AsiaNet/ --

Asuene Inc., the leading climate tech company in Japan, has raised US$20 million in total Series B round. This brings the cumulative total of investments and loans to US$23 million since the company's inception in October 2019.
 
Image1:
https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/
M107387/202210208473/_prw_PI1fl_F4lZv0fc.jpg
 
 
In this round, a total of US$20 million was raised from 14 venture capitals and financial institutions, including Pavilion Capital, an investment company under the Singapore government, and Axiom Asia Private Capital, a leading private equity fund in Asia, as new investors. In addition, in the second close, Asuene welcomed Salesforce Ventures which is known for investing in leading SaaS companies globally, and Masayuki Mochida from Tybourne Capital Management as new investors.
 
The procured funds will be used to strengthen the recruitment of talented personnel, expand system functions to improve the usability of measuring carbon emissions throughout the supply chain, and enhance system specifications for the global market.
 
"Through this financing, we expect to recruit and train human resources, expand system functions, and enhance system specifications for global expansion, with a focus on the cloud service 'Asuzero,'" said Chee Kong Choun, head of Japan Investments at Pavilion Capital. "We also expect that the initiatives and efforts of Asuene will enhance measuring and managing the progress of programs and plans related to CO2 emissions reduction."
 
"Asuene is the leading CO2 and renewable energy platform in Japan and showing very strong growth," said Chris Loh, managing partner of Axiom Asia. "We strongly believe in the company's mission, 'Making a better world for next generations,' and the importance of building a sustainable world. We have high confidence in the company's services and are very excited to work together with the highly capable management team through its next phase of growth."
 
"The issue of climate change is imminent, and as listed companies on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market are required to disclose more information on their climate change measures, companies need to take stronger measures to combat climate change," said Takuya Hosomura, principal of Salesforce Ventures. "Based on the business they have developed, Asuene can provide such companies a 'one-stop solution for decarbonization' with visualization, target management, and the reduction of CO2 emissions. We are honored to support the company working with its clients to realize 'a better world for the next generations.'"
 
Asuene will promote decarbonization in all industries, both domestic and international, and create social impact through business growth as a leading climate tech company.
 
"We are very grateful to all of our existing shareholders for their additional investment in this series B round, and to our new investors who have strengths in B2B SaaS, global finance, ESG, and investments in Asian market," said Kohei Nishiwada, co-founder CEO of Asuene. "We will invest all the funds and resources to become the overwhelming No. 1 climate tech company, providing a one-stop solution for decarbonization management."
 
About Asuene
Asuene is a leading climate tech company in Japan with the mission, "Making a better world for next generations." Its cutting-edge service Asuzero is a climate cloud platform for measuring, reporting and reducing carbon emissions for enterprises, and visualizes the emissions throughout the supply chain for Scope 1-3 (*1) in the global standardized frameworks, Greenhouse Gas Protocol (*2). Asuene also provides comprehensive Sustainability Transformation (SX) consultation including global initiative alignment assistance for TCFD, CDP, SBTi and PCAF. Asuzero's contracted orders continue to grow at a significant rate, with an average monthly growth of over +120% and now introduced in 450+ companies.
 
URL: https://earthene.com/asuzero/en
 
Image2:
https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/
M107387/202210208473/_prw_PI2fl_o7suQFjB.jpg
 
 
Notes:
(*1) Definitions of Scope 1, 2 and 3:
- Scope1: Direct emissions from owned or controlled sources
- Scope2: Indirect emissions from the generation of purchased energy
- Scope3: All indirect emissions (not included in scope 2) that occur in the value chain of the reporting company, including both upstream and downstream emissions
 
(*2) Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Global standardized frameworks to measure and manage greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
 
 
Source: Asuene Inc.

CONG THANH NGUYEN JOINS NIKKISO CLEAN ENERGY & INDUSTRIAL GASES GROUP

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 (Bernama) -- Nikkiso Cryogenic Industries’ Clean Energy & Industrial Gases Group, part of the Nikkiso Co Ltd (Japan) group, has appointed Cong Thanh Nguyen as business development manager for its cryogenic equipment and solutions market in Vietnam.

“Cong’s industry and international business experience, combined with his knowledge of the local market, will be of great benefit, as we work to develop the opportunities in this region,” vice-president, Southeast Asia, Tim Born said in a statement.

Based in Hanoi, Cong will be on the front line of the region’s growing industrial gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) business, providing solutions from the group’s industrial products line and offering strong service and local support.

The company said he will be responsible for expanding the brand awareness of the group to a broad range of local customers. Additionally, this will complete three major business lines of Nikkiso in Vietnam besides aerospace and medical divisions.

Previously, Cong was business development manager for Vietnam Industrial Gas. His responsibilities included collaborating with numerous departments to develop and implement improvement strategies.

With his appointment, Nikkiso continues its commitment to provide direct support and be both a global and local presence for its customers.

-- BERNAMA

Chongming's good air quality a boon to farms, crops

Caption: Chongming's fishery and electricity symbiosis, which includes a solar energy panel on a culture pond, benefits from natural resources.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 (Bernama) -- Chongming farmers have unanimously recognised the positive impact of good air on agricultural products.

Toxic gases in the air, such as sulphur dioxide, ozone and nitrogen oxides, can enter the leaves or crops through the open stomata on their surface, thus affecting photosynthesis efficiency and damaging leaf tissue, leading to yellowing, whitening and withering of the leaves.

The Shanghai Chongming District People’s Government Information Office said the excellence of air quality in Chongming Island increased from 80.5 per cent in 2017 to 92.8 per cent in 2021.

“The concentration of fine particulate matter PM2.5 decreased by 31.6 per cent during the same period,” it said in a statement.

It said the concentration of nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and nitric oxide continued to decrease, reaching the national first-class standard. Chongming’s overall air quality is one of the best among Shanghai’s 16 districts.

Farmers who plant crispy taros in Luhu Village are proud of their better quality products compared to neighbouring provinces. 

“We don’t use pesticides to enhance rice growth because the soil is good, the water is good, and the air is good,” said Huang Guochao, who planted rice in Miaozhen Town and initiated the “rice-fish symbiosis” project.

In addition, the 10 hectares of honey pear planted in Xinhe Town also require a high-growth environment, and only in Chongming can they grow well, local farmers added.

-- BERNAMA

INTERNET INITIATIVE JAPAN’S CLOUD SERVICE TO AUTOMATE SECURITY OPS AT OVERSEAS LOCATIONS

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 (Bernama) -- Internet Initiative Japan Inc (IIJ), one of Japan's leading Internet access and comprehensive network solutions providers, has launched IIJ Safous SOARaaS, a monthly cloud service that streamlines and automates security operations at overseas locations.

This service provides integrated security monitoring and operational management of the customer's environment by a dedicated team of analysts through the linkage of the customer's cloud, endpoint, firewall and related security infrastructure with the service platform (SOAR platform).

Security Orchestration Automation and Response (SOAR) refers to technologies and solutions that streamline and automate operations related to security operations.

In the event of a security incident, IIJ Group security analysts will examine security alerts as necessary and notify customers of the analysis results, the scope of impact and other information, according to a statement.

The service will provide Japanese companies with many offices in Asia and companies operating worldwide with global security control and reduce the operational burden of security.

Depending on the severity of the incident, analysts will quickly coordinate information with the customer via e-mail or telephone. Outsourcing customers' primary response to security incidents can greatly reduce their operational costs.

IIJ has also established a security centre in Indonesia, where the IIJ Group security analysts provide 24/7 customer support in English and Japanese.

In cooperation with its local subsidiaries in Asia, IIJ plans to provide support in Chinese, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai and other languages by the financial year 2023.

Additionally, managed integrated operational services including installation and replacement of security products, operation of service infrastructure, fine-tuning and version upgrades will enable customers to fully control the security of their overseas branches via IIJ's new service.

More details at https://www.iij.ad.jp/en/

-- BERNAMA

CONSUMER SPENDING USING BNPL PLATFORMS TO HIT US$437 BLN IN 2027 - JUNIPER RESEARCH

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 (Bernama) -- The consumer spending using Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) platforms will reach US$437 billion (US$1=RM4.73) globally in 2027, rising from US$112 billion in 2022, according to a new Juniper Research study.

“This sizeable growth of 291 per cent will be driven by escalating financial pressures from the rising cost of living and increasing demand for cheap credit solutions,” it said in a statement.

BNPL schemes allow consumers to pay using regular interest-free instalments, which is attractive to those reliant on credit for purchases. Additionally, the schemes only require soft credit checks, making it easier to access than credit.

The research found the most significant issue currently facing the BNPL market is the debt trap. Its lack of credit checks poses a considerable market hurdle as consumers are being approved for larger loans than they are actually able to repay.

However, the report predicts the introduction of financial regulations in several countries will help alleviate this issue as these new regulations are similar to existing credit services.

Meanwhile, in markets where regulations are softer, it is still vital that vendors act responsibly and clearly communicate all incurred debts promptly to users, helping minimise repayment default rates.

The research also predicts that BNPL vendors must look to provide services in alternative verticals to diversify their monetisation opportunities as e-commerce becomes oversaturated with solutions.

Juniper Research provides research and analytical services to the global hi-tech communications sector, providing consultancy, analyst reports, and industry commentary.

-- BERNAMA

FOLK HERO™ PARTNERS WITH LINGERIE LABEL INTIMISSIMI TO LAUNCH GLOBAL BRAND CAMPAIGN CELEBRATING 'THE ART OF ITALIAN LINGERIE' FEATURING ICONIC HEIDI KLUM AND LENI KLUM

FOLK HERO -- part of [INVNT GROUP] The Global BrandStory Project™ -- developed INTIMISSIMI’s BrandStory, and wrote, creative directed, and executed the campaign


New York, NY, Oct 25 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- INTIMISSIMI, the Italian brand partnered with brand strategy firm, FOLK HERO, to develop and reimagine their Brand Story . Ultimately leading to the launch of INTIMISSIMI’s new global platform, The Art of Italian Lingerie.

The inaugural campaign, features supermodel, producer, and businesswoman Heidi Klum, alongside daughter Leni Klum, and is launching globally. The Art of Italian Lingerie tells the story of Italy’s great attention to beauty, touch, and color and how those things elevate lingerie beyond form and function and into the realm of art.

“Once a brand is really clear on the story they are trying to tell, once they have found something truly compelling to say it becomes so empowering creatively,” said Rob Klingensmith, CEO of FOLK HERO. “We just had a lot of fun with this.”

FOLK HERO developed the brand and launch strategy, writing, producing, and creative directing the campaign, which was directed by award-winning creative director, Thomas Hayo.

“What an absolute pleasure to capture the bond, love, and joyful spirit of Heidi and Leni Klum for INTIMISSMI and crafted around The Art of Italian Lingerie,” said Thomas Hayo.

“The Art of Italian Lingerie is not only INTIMISSMI’s brand platform, but a testament to our leading innovation that drives luxury and confidence for our consumers and the global community. We are honored to partner with some of the greatest strategic and creative minds to share our spirited message of joy, “ said, Marcello Veronesi, General Manager of Calzedonia Group.

The company also recently announced that Jennifer Lopez (J.Lo), will be the next brand and campaign ambassador.

###

ABOUT INTIMISSIMI

Launched in 1996, and part of the Calzedonia Group, Intimissimi was created to convey sophistication and romance, rapping into unmistakable Italian style to satisfy the desires and needs of all women seeking comfort, performance and quality, without sacrificing glamour. For more information visit: www.intimissimi.com

ABOUT FOLK HERO

Folk Hero, established by award-winning brand strategist Rob Klingensmith and part of [INVNT GROUP] The Global BrandStory Project™ specializes in bringing story strategies to the executive level, creating master brand narratives that act as brands’ operating and organizing principles. The firm helps its clients develop unusually compelling brand narratives, architecture, identity and tone-of-voice, all underpinned by a robust research methodology and deep understanding of contemporary consumer behaviors. For more information visit: www.folkhero.com 

ABOUT [INVNT GROUP]

[INVNT GROUP] THE GLOBAL BRANDSTORY PROJECT was established in 2020, as an evolution of the founding global live brand storytelling agency INVNT in 2008, with a vision to provide consistent, meaningful, well-articulated BrandStory across all platforms. With offices in New York, Sydney, London, Singapore, Dubai, San Francisco, Stockholm, Detroit, and Washington D.C.; headed by President and CEO, Scott Cullather, [INVNT GROUP] represents a growing portfolio of complementary disciplines designed to help forward-thinking organizations everywhere, impact the audiences that matter, anywhere. The GROUP consists of modern brand strategy firm, Folk Hero; creative-led culture consultancy, Meaning; production studio & creative agency, HEVĒ; events for colleges and universities, INVNT Higher Ed; digital innovation division, INVNT.ATOM; creative multimedia experience studio, Hypnogram; and the original live brand storytelling agency, INVNT. For more information visit: www.invntgroup.com

Attachment

• INTIMISSIMI : The Art of Italian Lingerie

Jhonathan Mendez de Leon
[INVNT GROUP]
jmendezdeleon@invnt.com


SOURCE : FOLK HERO

JUMIO UNVEILS EXTENDED KYX PLATFORM AT MONEY20/20 USA

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 (Bernama) -- Jumio, the leading provider of end-to-end identity proofing, risk assessment and eKYC/AML compliance solutions, has unveiled its extended Jumio KYX Platform at Money20/20 USA, with an integrated orchestration hub benefiting from the company’s acquisition of 4Stop.

“The new innovations and scope of Jumio’s extended KYX Platform is proof of our unwavering commitment to eliminating digital fraud.

“Jumio continues to lead the industry with solutions powered by AI, biometrics and other innovations that help organisations outpace tech-driven fraud advancements, which are expanding in terms of volume, origin and sophistication,” said Jumio Chief Executive Officer, Robert Prigge, in a statement.

The platform streamlines fraud and eKYC/AML compliance management with the intuitive one-stop orchestration hub, which brings together global data, risk signals, real-time analytics, actionable insights and a configurable rules engine to help businesses defend against fraud without compromising user experience.

With over one billion identity, risk and AML transactions completed for over 1,000 organisations in more than 200 countries and territories, Jumio is delivering on its promise to eradicate online identity fraud and accelerate digital trust for all.

The Jumio KYX Platform helps businesses know and trust their users, players, patients – whoever the “X” is in their business – online.

Its intuitive orchestration hub assists professionals tasked with protecting the organisation and its customers from fraud, money laundering and other financial crimes during account onboarding, authentication and ongoing transaction processes.

Based in Palo Alto, Jumio operates globally with offices in North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East.

-- BERNAMA

TACONIC BIOSCIENCES UNVEILS SUPER IMMUNODEFICIENT MOUSE MODELS FOR ANTIBODY THERAPY ASSESSMENT

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 (Bernama) -- Taconic Biosciences, a global leader in providing drug discovery animal model solutions, has launched the FcResolv™ NOG portfolio.

The portfolio is the first and only super immunodeficient mouse models lacking residual murine Fc gamma receptors (FcγRs) known to confound results in antibody-based therapy studies.

According to a statement, murine FcγRs can cause false positives or false negatives, leading to incorrect conclusions and derail drug discovery.

FcResolv NOG models knock out these receptors for greater clarity in antibody-based drug studies, affording investigators greater confidence and more translatable data with fewer studies and fewer animals.

With applicability in oncology, immuno-oncology, and autoimmune disease, FcResolv NOG models are suitable for engrafting a wide range of human cells and tissues, including simultaneous human tumour engraftment and immune system humanisation.

FcResolv NOG models eliminate the false negatives that occur when an antibody-based therapeutic’s Fc domain interacts with murine FcγRs as well as the false positives that result when FcγRs trigger residual murine immune activity.

They also eliminate costly deconvolution steps otherwise needed to distinguish true drug efficacy from off-target effects mediated through the mouse immune system.

With more reliable answers, researchers can target their drug discovery investments more strategically and effectively.

-- BERNAMA

CHONGMING WATER SECRET TO HIGH-QUALITY CROPS PRODUCE

AsiaNet 98439

^{Chongming Water Secret}


SHANGHAI, Oct. 25, 2022 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--
 
Water is believed the secret to the bumper harvest of high quality agricultural products in Chongming. The quality of water in the district maintains the same standard as the water quality of the Dongfeng Xisha Reservoir and Qingcaosha Reservoir -- the major drinking water sources for Shanghai residents.
 
Since 2007, Chongming has initiated an industrial structure adjustment program in accordance with the requirements of its ecological island construction and the city's industrial structure adjustment.
 
After over 10 years of effort, nearly 300 projects with out-dated production capacity have been shut down or relocated, including industries such as textile, printing and dyeing, and paper making, which are worried to cause pollution to the water environment.
 
Through the unremitting water environment improvement project, Chongming's surface water quality compliance rate has reached 100 percent, and agricultural production continues to benefit. Mitten crab is one of the most renowned local aquatic products. Chongming crab is often hailed by gourmands for its attractive aroma and sweet taste.
 
Wang Chenghui, a professor with Shanghai Ocean University, attributes Chongming's location at the mouth of the Yangtze River to this special flavor. The water quality here, where the fresh water and salty water meets, is rich in nutrients, Wang says.
 
Although Chongming has a smaller water area and limited production capacity compared with nearby crab-breeding areas in Jiangsu and Anhui provinces, it can improve its crab quality to increase its popularity and value, Wang adds.
 
Like the crab, high-quality rice is another signature produce of the district. In 2017, Chongming Rice, free from use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, won the silver medal for its high quality in Shanghai.
 
The allocation of farming area for green food within the district has reached 92 percent.
 
At the Jiangfan Fruit and Vegetable Professional Cooperative in Chongming's Miaozhen Town, the model of "rice, fish and cray- fish" has been ongoing for many years.
 
By raising fish, crayfish and other organisms in rice fields, weeds and pests can be minimized without the use of pesticides.
 
In the nutritious water, fish and crayfish are well fed while rice produces a good yield, as well as an increased market value.
 
According to Huang Guochao, head of the cooperative, the income per hectare on the farm is several times that of conventional rice planting.
 
Source: Information Office of Shanghai Chongming District People's Government
 
Image Attachments Links:
 
   Link: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=432159
 
   Caption: Chongming Water Secret
 
   Link: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=432165
 
   Caption: Chongming crab

AM Best affirms credit ratings of Tokio Marine Pacific Insurance Ltd

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 (Bernama) -- United States-headquartered AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A+ (Superior) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “aa-” (Superior) of Guam’s Tokio Marine Pacific Insurance Ltd (TMPI).

With a stable outlook of these credit ratings, it reflects TMPI’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management. 

According to a statement, the ratings also acknowledge the wide range of implicit and explicit support that TMPI receives from Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Company, Ltd (TMNF), which is the main insurance operating entity of Tokio Marine Holdings Inc (TMH).

The global credit rating agency AM Best assesses TMPI’s risk-adjusted capitalisation at the strongest level, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio.

Although increased dividend payouts in recent years led to a slowdown in its capital growth, AM Best expects the company’s risk-adjusted capitalisation to remain comfortably at the strongest level over the medium term.

TMPI has a historical track record of generally positive and stable operating performance, although its underwriting margin remains thin due to its focus on the accident and health (A&H) segment and market competition. 

The company reported favourable earnings in 2020 and 2021, driven by declined medical and auto claims amid the COVID-19 pandemic and various underwriting initiatives. 

A wholly owned subsidiary of Tokio Marine North America and ultimately owned by TMH, one of Japan’s largest non-life insurance groups, TMPI has a strong presence in Guam’s non-life industry, underpinned by its dominant position in the A&H segment. 

-- BERNAMA

Uniphore announces comprehensive platform to transform customer experience

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 (Bernama) -- Uniphore, the leader in conversational artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, has announced the release of its enhanced Uniphore X platform.

The platform is the industry’s most comprehensive platform that enables brands to accelerate and improve two key areas of their business, namely customer experience and sales.

According to a statement, new capabilities embedded into the Uniphore X Platform support both the Uniphore U product line and the Uniphore Q for sales product line.

“With our customers top of mind, our focus from the beginning has been to build a powerful platform that delivers the latest and most beneficial innovations in conversational, video and knowledge AI, and automation all in one place,” said Uniphore chief executive officer and co-founder Umesh Sachdev.

With the latest enhancements to the platform, the conversations that happen between live or virtual agents as well as those happening between sales and prospects are now more effective and with minimal friction.

Complete with conversational AI, emotion AI, knowledge AI, computer vision and robotic process automation, the power of the X platform lies in its robust architecture and the strong value proposition it offers customers. 

From designing frictionless customer journeys to enabling virtual sales scenarios, customers can expect the X platform to help them significantly improve their customers’ experiences, and for sales teams, better engage with existing customers and new prospects.

In addition to the release of Uniphore’s enhanced X Platform and building on the platform’s breadth, speed and simplicity, it is now offering customers solution packs with pre-defined templates that empower enterprises to realise the quick value and quicken the return on investment. 

-- BERNAMA

NUVEI LAUNCHES INSTANT SETTLEMENT OPTIONS IN NEW GEOGRAPHIES

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 (Bernama) -- Nuvei Corp, a Canadian financial technology company, announced that its merchant client base can now benefit from instant settlement globally and around the clock in Euro Coin (EUROC) and Tether (USDT) stablecoins.

In a statement today, it said that while merchants in many countries benefit from instant settlement through various payment schemes such as Instant Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), Real-Time Payments (RTP) or Faster Payments, alternatives are not always available in all corners of the world.

It said that stablecoins -- backed by a fiat currency such as the euro or US dollar -- can be used as an alternative payment scheme.

Because they combine the benefits of open, borderless cryptocurrency with the price stability of traditional currencies, stablecoins provide new ways to support corporate finance and working capital management, Nuvei said.

The company already offers its merchants instant settlement in locations where Instant SEPA, RTP and Faster Payments are available in fiat currencies.

However, for those merchants trading on the blockchain or in regions where these options are not available, settlement in EUROC and USDT stablecoins provides a viable option.

“The addition of settlement through the EUROC and USDT stablecoins helps merchants build their next-generation payment treasury.

“Stablecoins can be transacted by utilising blockchain which makes global cash flow easier to manage,” said Nuvei president Yuval Ziv.

Nuvei’s modular, flexible and scalable technology allows leading companies to accept next-generation payments, offer all payout options and benefit from card issuing, banking, risk and fraud management services.

-- BERNAMA

QUANTEXA RECOGNISED AS CATEGORY LEADER IN CHARTIS KYC SOLUTIONS REPORT

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 (Bernama) -- Quantexa, a global data and analytics software company, has been recognised as a category leader in the just released 2022 Chartis KYC Solutions Market Update and Vendor Landscape Report.

Chartis is a research and advisory firm that provides technology and business advice to the global risk management industry.

According to a statement, Quantexa is recognised as a category leader for the completeness of its enterprise solution as well as for its market potential.

The Quantexa KYC Solution was rated “best in class” for the Know Your Customer (KYC) risk scoring and customer profile enrichment with additional data and received an advanced ranking for customer onboarding and reporting, and dashboarding.

“Quantexa is thrilled to be included in the Chartis KYC Market Quadrant Report, positioned very strongly amongst an esteemed list of enterprise solution providers,” said Quantexa chief product officer Dan Higgins.

The Chartis KYC report is focused on the macro themes of cost savings and efficiency. Currently, KYC processes can be manual, and error-prone and result in a poor experience throughout the customer lifecycle.

Quantexa’s Decision Intelligence Platform transforms the approach to KYC by adding context and clarity from onboarding to exit, dynamically monitoring and assessing customer risk and opportunity, and shifting away from manual periodic reviews to an automated, proactive process.

The platform connects internal and external data to create a single, enriched, holistic view of a customer and its control and uncovers hidden connections between customers, counterparties and their behaviours which are often impossible to see in isolation.

Quantexa’s positioning in the report is reflective of its customers’ proven results and is proof that adopting a contextual and perpetual approach to KYC reduces the time and costs involved for businesses.

-- BERNAMA

MARY KAY ADVOCATES WOMEN EMPOWERMENT IN GENDER-RESPONSIVE PROCUREMENT

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 (Bernama) -- Mary Kay Inc, a global champion for women’s empowerment and gender equality, has advocated the inclusion of women suppliers of services and products into the global value chain as a powerful strategy for companies to drive sustainable growth and social impact.

At the Diversity Summit held in Praque, Czech Republic, its global head of sustainability and social impact, Virginie Naigeon-Malek said investing in women-owned businesses and including them in the global supply chain is not only the right thing to do, it is also the smart thing to do for corporations.

Naigeon-Malek said that as women suppliers win more business, their families, local communities and national economies benefit.

“Studies show that women entrepreneurs tend to reinvest up to 90 per cent of their earnings in their families and communities, thus linking inclusive economic growth directly to development.

“Women businesses need to have an equal footing while competing for contract opportunities,” said Naigeon-Malek, who was one of the featured keynote speakers at the summit.

“At the summit, Mary Kay has shared with transparency its gender-responsive procurement (GRP) global journey,” it said in a statement.

Hosted by Startup Disrupt in September 2022, the summit was the largest European hybrid conference on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), bringing together more than 50 keynote speakers from the non-profit, government and business sectors.

Speakers and thought leaders shared insights on key topics such as leveraging DEI ecosystem with business goals; developing and sustaining DEI company culture; inclusive design and innovation; and women’s empowerment.

-- BERNAMA

MARY KAY JOINS UN OCEAN STEWARDSHIP COALITION AS PART OF CONSERVATION COMMITMENT

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 (Bernama) -- Mary Kay Inc, a global advocate for corporate sustainability and stewardship, has furthered its commitment to securing a healthy and productive ocean by recently joining the United Nations (UN) Global Compact’s Ocean Stewardship Coalition.

The coalition is an effort to bring together the private sector alongside UN agencies, academia, governments and non-governmental organisations to address biodiversity and climate change through a focus on ocean health.

“Nature-based solution projects led by women are revolutionising the way we protect our oceans for future generations.

“By joining the Ocean Stewardship Coalition, Mary Kay hopes to support these projects and inspire additional women to take action in their local communities,” Mary Kay chief operating officer Deborah Gibbins said in a statement.

The Ocean Stewardship Coalition seeks to leverage private sector involvement to increase ocean awareness and develop climate-smart innovation.

It also calls upon stakeholders, including business leaders, to use climate-smart policies to address environmental and climate injustices as well as adopt a human-centred approach to policy solutions.

In alignment with the Sustainable Ocean Principles and the Ocean Stewardship Coalition, Mary Kay has supported several projects this year in partnership with The Nature Conservancy.

This is to improve ocean health through the protection and restoration of critical habitats such as coral reefs, oyster reefs, and coastal wetlands, as well as to advance women’s leadership in conversation.

-- BERNAMA

DUCK CREEK IN CLOUD-BASED INTEGRATION WITH EXAMWORKS

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 (Bernama) -- Duck Creek Technologies, an intelligent solutions provider, has announced a cloud-based integration with ExamWorks’ US IME division to offer independent medical examinations (IME) to property and casualty (P&C) and legal customers.

Following this, customers will be able to send relevant claimant information and medical records associated with the IME request for workers’ compensation, auto, and liability claims via the Anywhere Enabled Integration (AEI) feature embedded within the Duck Creek platform, according to a statement.

“We are thrilled to partner with a leading provider of independent medical exams and offer Duck Creek customers a more seamless IME experience.

“The claims lifecycle is a core insurance process, and we are committed to partnering with industry leaders who help enable a simple and consistent workflow for our customers,” said its senior product manager Elaine Rogalla in the statement.

ExamWorks’ co-chief executive officers Wesley Campbell and Miguel Fernandez said the company is pleased to become part of the Duck Creek ecosystem and will continue to simplify IME referral requests for carriers while providing more granular views to realise efficiencies and reduce costs.

More details at www.duckcreek.com.

-- BERNAMA

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY SPECIALTY INSURANCE NAMES PEDRO MAIROS GLOBAL UNDERWRITING OFFICER, MARINE

BOSTON & LONDON, Oct 18 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE)-- Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) today announced that it has appointed Pedro Mairos as Global Underwriting Officer, Marine. He was previously Head of Marine for the UK & Ireland at BHSI.

“Our large global footprint coupled with the substantial growth of our Marine business made now the optimal time to deepen the global leadership of our marine underwriting team worldwide,” said Dean LaPierre, Chief Underwriting Officer, Property & Marine, BHSI. “We are pleased to have such a deep bench of talent across both underwriting and claims to service our marine customers and brokers in local markets around the globe.”

Pedro joined BHSI in 2019. He has more than two decades of experience in the global marine market, including Europe, Asia and the Middle East. He will continue to be based in London and can be reached at pedro.mairos@bhspecialty.com.

BHSI offers a full range of marine insurance products worldwide, including inland transit, motor truck cargo, warehouse legal liability, builder’s risk, contractor’s equipment, ocean cargo, stock throughputs, project cargo, and marine equipment, including subsea equipment.

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (www.bhspecialty.com) provides commercial property, casualty, healthcare professional liability, executive and professional lines, transactional liability, surety, marine, travel, programs, accident and health, medical stop loss, homeowners, and multinational insurance. The actual and final terms of coverage for all product lines may vary. It underwrites on the paper of Berkshire Hathaway's National Indemnity group of insurance companies, which hold financial strength ratings of A++ from AM Best and AA+ from Standard & Poor's. Based in Boston, Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance has offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Indianapolis, Irvine, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, San Ramon, Seattle, Stevens Point, Adelaide, Auckland, Brisbane, Brussels, Cologne, Dubai, Dublin, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, London, Lyon, Macau, Madrid, Manchester, Melbourne, Munich, Paris, Perth, Singapore, Sydney, Toronto, and Zurich.

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221017005198/en/


Contact

MEDIA
JoAnn Lee
+1 617.936.2937

Source : Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance 

--BERNAMA

Xctuality unveils Singapore’s first homegrown Metaverse platform

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 (Bernama) -- Xctuality recently announced the launch of Xctualyfe, Singapore's first homegrown Metaverse platform.

According to a statement, users can connect from around the world, interact and have fun together in uniquely designed and well-thought-out virtual environments.

For the past two and a half years of Xctualyfe's development, the platform’s virtual experiences have shown to present their capabilities and artistic style.

In early 2022, Xctuality showcased local Kampong Glam with snapshots featured on Channel NewsAsia sporting the Xctualyfe design and can be navigated using virtual reality (VR).

Thereafter, a series of projects was launched and with the most significant being an entire virtual world developed dedicated to Singapore's National Day Parade (NDP).

Users can now register and visit a variety of virtual worlds in Xctualyfe, including the NDP experience, to socialise and earn rewards.

Additionally, Xctualyfe users can host up to twenty friends in personal virtual homes called Lyfespace to communicate and mingle.

With further gamified features and activities awaiting to be developed and activated, Xctualyfe looks ahead to innovate and create an exciting Metaverse platform that bridges communities around the globe.

More details at https://xctualyfe.com.

-- BERNAMA

AM BEST REVISES OUTLOOKS, AFFIRMS CREDIT RATINGS OF PEAK RE

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 (Bernama) -- Global credit rating agency, AM Best has revised its outlook for Peak Reinsurance Co Ltd (Peak Re), Hong Kong and its subsidiary, Peak Reinsurance AG, Switzerland to negative from stable and affirmed the Financial Strength rating of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer credit rating of “a-” (Excellent).

The revised ratings reflect Peak Re’s strong balance sheet, adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

In addition, the rating factor in a neutral impact from the company’s parent, Fosun International Holdings Ltd (Fosun).

According to a statement today, the negative outlooks reflect AM Best’s expectation that macroeconomic headwinds and current unfavourable capital and investment market conditions may induce financial stress on Fosun over the short to intermediate term.

However, AM Best notes that Peak Re has demonstrated a track record of effective mitigation of potential contagion risk stemming from Fosun’s weaker credit fundamentals, and the company can maintain its own financial strength.

Peak Re’s standalone business fundamental remains stable as the company’s risk-adjusted capitalisation -- measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio -- is projected to remain at the strongest level over the short to intermediate term.

The company’s capital and surplus have achieved a compounded average growth rate of 11.8 per cent during the five-year period from 2017 to 2021, mainly due to the issuance of perpetual subordinated guaranteed capital securities in 2020, a capital injection from shareholders in 2018 and the full retention of earnings.

Additionally, it has consistently reported favourable operating results, with an average return on equity of 4.4 per cent during the same period, supporting a strong interest coverage.

Peak Re’s non-life portfolio is diversified both by product lines and geography, with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region.

The company aims to selectively expand its United States casualty business, continue growing its non-proportional treaty business, and expand in traditional risk business in the life segment.

-- BERNAMA

INDIA'S ADANI POWER SELECTS BLACK & VEATCH TO OPTIMIZE THERMAL POWER ASSETS, REDUCE OPERATIONAL COSTS AND EMISSIONS

Global infrastructure solutions leader implements Asset Performance Management (APM) Program to deliver timely, actionable insights


MUMBAI, India, Oct 13 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Adani Power Limited (APL) has appointed Black & Veatch to optimize operations and improve reliability and performance of its power assets in India, with goals including an overall reduction in carbon emissions.

Black & Veatch will deploy predictive analytics software at 23 thermal units to monitor, in real time, the health and performance of critical assets fleet-wide. The implementation will support reliable, efficient and sustainable operation of nearly 12 gigawatts (GW) of thermal power generation infrastructure in India by minimizing unplanned shutdowns and improving operational efficiency.

“The challenges that India’s power sector has undergone in recent years have tested the resilience of our business model. By being prudent, persistent and disciplined, we can prioritize investments and improve our assets’ performance with the help of data analytics and engineering expertise,” said Jayadeb Nanda, Chief Operating Officer, Adani Power Limited.

The asset performance management solution implemented by Black & Veatch will provide Adani Power with additional data-driven monitoring and diagnostics services from its India and global centers. The remote monitoring and diagnostics services produce repeatable, successful processes; flag performance anomalies; recommend investigative actions; and formulate immediate remediation measures and long-term strategies to mitigate risk and reduce costs across a variety of plant sizes and environments.

Commenting on the value the program will bring to Adani Power, Hoe Wai Cheong, President, Asia-Pacific and India, Black & Veatch, said, “Industries of all sizes are facing an increasingly competitive marketplace where success hinges on effectively leveraging data to ensure reliable, efficient and resilient operations. Black & Veatch’s portfolio of Asset Performance Management solutions achieves these objectives by converging data analytics, people and processes to inform and guide timely decisions that help businesses achieve sustainable, resilient and profitable results.”

Adani Power Limited (APL) is part of the diversified Adani Group. APL is the largest private thermal power producer in India. It has a power generation capacity of 12,450 MW comprising thermal power plants in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh and a 40 MW solar power project in Gujarat.

The ASSET360® Monitoring & Diagnostics (M&D) solutions are powered by Atonix Digital’s AtonixOI cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI)/ machine language (ML) data analytics platform that combines the power of predictive analytics with built-in collaboration workflow. The platform rapidly deploys ML models, detects operational deviations, facilitates diagnosis, and connects teams to ensure issue resolution.

Editor’s Notes:

• Black & Veatch applies its monitoring and diagnostics processes to more than 150 generating units, representing more than 50,000 MW of power generation capacity.
• Black & Veatch operates four monitoring and diagnostics centers focusing on power generation, renewable generation, process industries and distributed energy resources (DER)
• Black & Veatch has saved its clients over $121 million due to early detection and quantification of engineering issues. It monitors over 25,000 assets with its ASSET360® solutions, powered by AtonixOI.

About Black & Veatch

Black & Veatch is a 100-percent employee-owned global engineering, procurement, consulting and construction company with a more than 100-year track record of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people around the world by addressing the resilience and reliability of our most important infrastructure assets. Our revenues in 2021 exceeded US$3.3 billion. Follow us on www.bv.com and on social media.

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Contact

Media Contact Information:
EMILY CHIA | +65 6335 6623 P | +65 9875 8907 M | Chialp@bv.com
24-HOUR MEDIA HOTLINE | +1 855-999-5991

Source : Black & Veatch

MEDTECH STARTUP NOUSQ RECEIVES US$175K GRAND PRIZE FOR PEDIATRIC EAR TUBE INSERTION DEVICE

LOS ANGELES & SINGAPORE, Oct 13 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- MedTech Innovator, the largest accelerator of medical devices in the world, in partnership with Asia Pacific Medical Technology Association (APACMed), the first and only regional association to provide a unified voice for the medical technology industry, today announced NousQ as the winner of the 2022 Asia Pacific Accelerator program. The winning company was determined by a live audience vote on Sept. 26 during the MedTech Innovator Asia Pacific 2022 Grand Finals hosted by MedTech Innovator in partnership with APACMed.

NousQ is a Singapore-based company that has developed CLiKX, a novel handheld robotic ventilation tube applicator that offers pediatric patients with otitis media a simple and quick alternative to invasive ventilation tube surgery.

“Being part of the MedTech Innovator program has supercharged our acceleration, helped uncover potential blind spots, and extended our networks,” said Lynne Lim, founder of NousQ, and Senior Consultant Ear Nose Throat Surgeon, and Adjunct Associate Professor and Visiting Consultant to the National University Health System Singapore. “The funding and continued support will provide significant value to NousQ as we work to transform the surgery for glue ear in children and adults.”

Selected from a pool of more than 250 applicants, NousQ was awarded the US$175,000 non-dilutive grand prize to advance its business goals and mission to improve future health outcomes of patients in the Asia Pacific region. The company was also awarded a one-year membership to APACMed and was the recipient of the Cambridge Consultants Product Development Award, where they will receive exclusive technical and consultation services from Cambridge Consultants.

Additionally, NousQ was announced winner of Enterprise Singapore’s (EnterpriseSG) Startup SG award, comprising an SGD$30,000 grant prize and access to extensive resources and networks within Singapore’s startup ecosystem. The company will also be fast-tracked to EnterpriseSG’s SLINGSHOT global startup competition happening at the Singapore Week of Innovation & TeCHnology (SWITCH) in October, where the Top 50 will pitch their solutions on a global stage and stand to win additional prizes.

“With otitis media being the leading cause of hearing loss in children, NousQ has the potential to provide a game-changing treatment alternative for millions of pediatric patients around the world,” said Paul Grand, CEO of MedTech Innovator. “We applaud the hard work and tenacity the NousQ team has demonstrated to earn its spot as the winner of our 2022 Asia Pacific Accelerator program, amidst several other awards.”

“My utmost congratulations to NousQ on winning the APAC MedTech Innovator 2022 title,” said Harjit Gill, CEO, APACMed. “The Asia Pacific region continues to be a magnet for medtech innovation and I am thrilled to witness the finalist companies who participated in this year’s competition are developing breakthrough technologies to advance healthcare for patients. APACMed is proud to support the MedTech Innovator APAC program and we look forward to watching NousQ’s journey and advancement as they advance their health solution towards commercialization.”

“Innovation is at the heart of Johnson & Johnson MedTech’s mission. Our strategic partnership with MedTech Innovator enables us to support APAC innovators to realise breakthrough healthcare solutions,” said Ashley Wittorf, Head of Business Development – Asia Pacific, Johnson & Johnson MedTech. “As one of the judges in the competition, I’m inspired by and congratulate all the amazing finalists this year.”

“Congratulations to the winners and finalists of the MedTech Innovator Asia Pacific competition,” said Audrey Lok, director of healthcare and biomedical, Enterprise Singapore. “We are strong supporters of MedTech Innovator’s accelerator model which pairs innovative startups with seasoned corporate mentors. We believe it takes a community to bring an idea to market and we are delighted to partner with MedTech Innovator for yet another successful run of their Asia Pacific accelerator and competition."

MedTech Innovator carefully selected 20 best-in-class startups from across Asia Pacific for its 2022 program, providing the companies with exposure to industry leaders and awarding over US$300,000 in cash prizes and in-kind awards. During its final competition, MedTech Innovator also announced the winners of several additional awards.

SharpArrow, Seattle, WA, was awarded one-year of residency by JLABS, Johnson & Johnson Innovation’s global network of life science incubators.

Medicaretec, Seoul, South Korea, received the Sterile Barrier System Design & Development Award from Oliver Healthcare Packaging, where they will receive exclusive technical and consultation services from Oliver Healthcare Packaging in the development of the sterile barrier system for their device.

ErleaDx, Singapore, was announced the winner of the MedTech Innovator Asia Pacific Best Video Award with a US$5,000 prize.

Judges of the 2022 Asia Pacific final competition included: Ashley Wittorf, head of business development – APAC, Johnson & Johnson MedTech; Sameer Desai, vice president of marketing, Asia Pacific, Align Technology; Purushottam Awasthi, senior vice president and head of strategy and business development, Asia Pacific and Japan, Siemens Healthineers; and Dr. Joseph Smith, chief scientific officer, Becton Dickinson (BD).

MedTech Innovator works closely with stakeholders across the industry to foster the growth of early to mid-stage startups. MedTech Innovator’s 2022 Asia Pacific program sponsors include Johnson & Johnson MedTech, Nipro Medical Corporation, Align Technology, Oliver Healthcare Packaging, Siemens Healthineers, Cambridge Consultants, Jabil Healthcare and Enterprise Singapore. The MedTech Innovator Asia Pacific Program is held in partnership with APACMed.

About MedTech Innovator

Based in Los Angeles, Calif., MedTech Innovator is the largest accelerator of medical technology companies in the world and the premier nonprofit startup accelerator in the medical technology industry.[i] Its mission is to improve the lives of patients by accelerating the growth of companies that are transforming the health care system. MedTech Innovator matches health care industry leaders with innovative early stage and emerging growth medtech companies for mentorship and support.

To date, MedTech Innovator has supported 509 alumni companies that have gone on to raise US$5.3 billion in follow-on funding, brought 130 products to market, and achieved 30 exits.

For more information about MedTech Innovator, visit https://medtechinnovator.org/ and follow @MedTechAwards on Twitter and on LinkedIn. To receive industry insights and highlights about MedTech Innovator’s current and alumni participant companies, subscribe to its monthly newsletter.

About APACMed

Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Singapore, APACMed represents manufacturers and suppliers of medical equipment, devices and in vitro diagnostics, industry associations and other key stakeholders associated with the medical technology industry in Asia Pacific.

Providing a unified voice for the medical devices and in-vitro diagnostics industry in Asia Pacific, APACMed works proactively with bilateral, regional, and local government bodies to shape policies, demonstrate the value of medical technology and promote regulatory harmonization. APACMed strives to promote digital health innovation and impact policy that advances healthcare access for patients by engaging with medical device associations and companies in Asia Pacific.

APACMed is also host to the annual Asia Pacific MedTech Forum.

www.apacmed.org

Media Contact:

[i] Gibbs, M., Johnson, B., Silva, B. A., & Berube, K. (2020, July 10). Q2 2020 Life Science Accelerators Insights Cipher Bio. Retrieved September 15, 2020, from https://www.cipherbio.com/blog/life-science-accelerators-insights/

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Contact

Joe Duraes
Pazanga Health Communications
jduraes@pazangahealth.com
(917) 687-6419

Source : MedTech Innovator

CELLEBRITE ENHANCES ITS INVESTIGATIONS & EVIDENCE MANAGEMENT SOLUTION WITH NEW FEATURES CENTERED AROUND THE ETHICAL TREATMENT OF DIGITAL EVIDENCE

The Cellebrite Guardian solution provides additional features to address the challenges around the ethical treatment of digital evidence, especially child sexual abuse material

PETAH TIKVA, Israel and TYSONS CORNER, Va., Oct 13 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cellebrite DI Ltd. (Nasdaq: CLBT), a global leader in Digital Intelligence (DI) solutions for the public and private sectors, today announced the release of the next generation of Cellebrite Guardian, which provides critical features aiding law enforcement in handling digital evidence in an ethical way, including storing, managing, and sharing evidence, with unmatched instant review of digital evidence.

Cellebrite Guardian is an immediately deployable and highly secure SaaS-based solution that streamlines management of investigations and evidence, removes silos, and connects all stakeholders. Cellebrite Guardian provides unlimited evidence storage and access, as well as immediate sharing and review of evidence for real-time collaboration, inter- and intra-agency.

Cellebrite Guardian marks the cornerstone of Cellebrite’s approach to the importance of ethical values in the conduct of law enforcement investigations, including by eliminating the number of physical copies, controlling access per role to sensitive evidence, providing accurate audit trails of all activity, and ensuring adherence through streamlined workflow management.

Investigators of suspected child sexual abuse material (CSAM) can prevent unintentional sharing with access, review, and tagging functionality for each upload so that only the submitter, case owner, and administrator can access the file(s). The enhanced Investigator Activity Report shows all details, creating and maintaining a full chain of custody. Cellebrite Guardian is built to Security First and Zero Trust principles, is hosted on AWS GovCloud in the U.S., aligns to UK Cloud Security Principles, and is SOC2 compliant.

Detective Duane Jacques, of the Portsmouth Police Department, NH ICAC unit commented, “As a regional task force county lead working in the field of child exploitation material, requests from affiliate agencies are often submitted for me to coordinate a review between the case agent and the county prosecutor. Cellebrite Guardian simplifies this process while treating the evidence in an ethical manner, retaining a chain of custody and an audit trail without requiring the case agent and the attorney to travel. Cellebrite Guardian allows for virtual evidence review and collaboration, which creates court material all while in a secure cloud environment.”

Detective Jacques added, “With the new feature of the added level of the visual cue, Cellebrite Guardian ensures all content is treated with the utmost protection. We can rest assured that the sensitive material is being treated with the care that it demands.”

To learn more about Cellebrite Guardian, visit here.

Cellebrite Media

Victor Cooper
Public Relations and Corporate Communications Director
Victor.Cooper@cellebrite.com
+1 404.804.5910

SOURCE : Cellebrite Inc.