PM Edition: Here are the top 10 business articles on LiveNews.co.nz for October 30, 2026 – Full Text
1. PhotonPay Raises $40M Series C to Scale Its Stablecoin-Centric Financial OS
October 30, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
Led by Blockchain Capital, the funding will accelerate the expansion of PhotonPay’s stablecoin-centric Financial OS, connecting stablecoin liquidity with global fiat networks to unlock digital assets for everyday corporate operations and cross-border settlement.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 October 2026 – PhotonPay today announced the closing of a $40 million Series C funding round led by Blockchain Capital, with participation from new investor SBI Group and follow-on investments from existing investors IDG Capital, GL Ventures, and Lightspeed Faction. Blacksheep Technology acted as exclusive financial advisor to PhotonPay on the transaction.
The new capital will support the expansion of PhotonPay’s stablecoin-centric Financial Operating System (Financial OS), with investment focused on enhancing multi-asset wallet capabilities, expanding global card issuing, strengthening local clearing infrastructure in key markets, and developing an agent-ready financial execution layer.
As of August 2026, PhotonPay’s annualized transaction volume reached US$65 billion. The company has secured 34 payment and financial licenses and regulatory authorizations across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and serves over 200,000 business customers across more than 200 countries and territories.
As stablecoins move beyond crypto-native use cases into corporate treasury, settlement and commercial spending, PhotonPay sees the next phase of global finance not as a choice between stablecoins and fiat currencies, but as the convergence of both. Its Financial OS connects on-chain liquidity with the banking, clearing and card networks businesses rely on for everyday operations.
“Moving money across borders in seconds means little if it still takes days to put that capital to work,” said Lewison Chen, Founder and CEO of PhotonPay. “Stablecoins are accelerating global money movement, while local clearing and global card issuing connect that liquidity to local settlement and everyday business spending. Our Financial OS brings these capabilities together, making the underlying infrastructure far less visible to businesses, even as it becomes more essential than ever.”
“At the same time, business software is becoming increasingly autonomous,” Chen added. “AI is shifting financial workflows from people manually operating fragmented tools toward systems that understand business intent and coordinate execution across assets, accounts and financial rails. That creates the foundation for agentic commerce. Stablecoins change how money moves. AI changes how it gets put to work. But commerce is still what money is for.”
Moving Money Across Assets and Markets
PhotonPay’s Financial OS brings together multi-asset wallets, global money movement, foreign exchange, local clearing, and global card issuing through an integrated API-first architecture. This unified system gives businesses access to the financial capabilities they need to manage and deploy funds across markets.
Stablecoins sit at the core of this architecture. PhotonPay’s multi-asset wallet connects stablecoin liquidity with fiat balances, integrating asset conversion, foreign exchange, and local clearing into a single connected workflow. This enables businesses to move funds across supported on-chain and traditional financial networks, turning digital asset liquidity into purchasing power for local payments and everyday corporate spending.
Supporting this dual-rail infrastructure is PhotonPay’s established global financial network. Businesses can open local collection accounts in 17 key markets and receive funds in more than 60 currencies. On the payout side, the network supports over 100 payment routes across local clearing systems, bank transfers, and digital wallets, including payouts to 74 major local e-wallets. Approximately 97% of payout transactions reach recipients within hours or on the same day, with 68% arriving in real time.
Global card issuing extends these capabilities into programmable business spending. Through PhotonPay’s APIs, businesses and platforms can issue virtual and physical cards, configure granular spending controls, and embed card payments directly into their software and automated workflows. Over the past 12 months, PhotonPay issued 4.4 million cards, up 275% YoY.
Beyond its first-party payment solutions, PhotonPay makes its infrastructure available through embedded finance, enabling technology platforms to natively integrate global accounts, payments, and card issuing into their own products. The company now serves more than 100 enterprise and platform partners, extending the reach of its Financial OS into industry-specific workflows.
From Financial Intent to Agentic Commerce
As AI agents assume active operational roles, financial infrastructure must evolve beyond API access to enable programmable, policy-governed execution. It requires systems capable of translating high-level instructions into coordinated financial actions, with deterministic controls governing how those actions are executed.
In May 2026, PhotonPay and Mastercard completed a live agentic payment demonstration using a tokenized PhotonPay card, validating AI-initiated transactions across existing global card networks.
Building on this milestone, PhotonPay is developing standardized financial interfaces designed for developers and AI agents. With planned support for the Model Context Protocol (MCP), PhotonPay aims to make account information, balances, card functions, and payments accessible as composable financial primitives, allowing AI agents to securely retrieve context and initiate financial workflows within defined authorization boundaries.
To govern this agent-ready layer, PhotonPay is developing a policy-based execution framework designed to enforce programmable authorization rules, spending limits, and transaction-level controls. The framework is intended to enable AI agents to coordinate financial tasks across supported accounts and assets, while ensuring that execution remains subject to explicit, enforceable policies set by businesses.
PhotonPay is also advancing its AI-assisted risk review capabilities, designed to identify complex cases for human assessment. Together, these initiatives reflect a foundational principle of autonomous finance: AI may interpret intent and coordinate tasks, but financial execution must remain governed by verifiable authorization, deterministic controls, and auditable records.
“Connecting financial networks is only the beginning. The real breakthrough is abstracting that complexity behind a unified, programmable financial layer, so businesses and AI agents can move from intent to execution within clearly defined boundaries,” said Chen.
Simple on the Surface, Deep by Design
The promise of a Financial OS is simplicity: enabling businesses to manage assets, route money, and execute payments through a unified financial operating layer. Yet delivering that simplicity requires deep financial infrastructure beneath the surface.
While stablecoins accelerate borderless value transfer, turning that liquidity into local settlement, supplier payments, and corporate spending still depends on established banking relationships, domestic clearing rails, foreign exchange infrastructure, and global card networks. Each market brings its own regulatory and operational requirements.
For PhotonPay, building a Financial OS means abstracting these fragmented global networks into a programmable, interconnected financial system. The objective is not to eliminate financial complexity, but to manage it within the underlying infrastructure, so businesses can operate without having to navigate these systems themselves.
“AI can simplify how businesses interact with financial services, but it cannot replace the infrastructure required to deliver them,” said JP Pi, Chief Compliance Officer at PhotonPay. “Establishing local financial capabilities takes years of investment, institutional partnerships, and regulatory engagement. Software or AI models alone cannot replicate that depth. The simplicity businesses experience is the result of that heavy lifting, not a substitute for it.”
PhotonPay has engineered a financial foundation spanning both stablecoin and fiat rails, connecting multi-asset conversion with local clearing networks. Institutional partnerships with J.P. Morgan, Standard Chartered, and DBS, alongside connections to domestic payment systems such as Brazil’s Pix and Mexico’s SPEI, form the backbone of this network.
The new capital will enable PhotonPay to strengthen its local clearing and compliance infrastructure in existing markets while expanding into new jurisdictions, scaling the reach of its Financial OS across corporate spending, embedded finance, and agentic commerce.
“Businesses want one provider that can handle their payments across currencies and markets, whether they’re using bank transfers, stablecoins or cards. Lewison and his team have spent a decade building the banking relationships, licenses and local payment infrastructure to deliver that. We believe PhotonPay’s ability to bring these capabilities together gives it a strong advantage as businesses adopt stablecoins for everyday payments.” – BCAP，Yuanhan Li，Partner
“As stablecoins become increasingly integrated into global payment systems, bridging digital assets with traditional financial infrastructure will be essential to unlocking their real-world potential. PhotonPay’s established global payment network and its vision for a stablecoin-centric Financial OS align closely with SBI Group’s strategy to advance digital financial infrastructure and expand the practical adoption of digital assets. We look forward to supporting PhotonPay’s continued growth and exploring opportunities for strategic collaboration across the SBI Group ecosystem.” – Eiichiro So, CEO & Managing Director of SBI Ven Capital
https://www.photonpay.com
Hashtag: #PhotonPay #SeriesC #Stablecoin
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
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2. Hainan economic, trade delegation visits Hong Kong for investment promotion, 2 cooperation memoranda signed
October 29, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
<figure data-width="100%" data-caption="Signing ceremony for the cooperation memoranda Signing ceremony for the cooperation memoranda During its stay in Hong Kong, the delegation visited the CCPIT Representative Office in Hong Kong. It held discussions with CMA and co-hosted the Hainan Free Trade Port (Hong Kong) Economic and Trade Cooperation Exchange Meeting with FHKI. The event showcased the policies, key industrial layout and investment opportunities of the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP), and arranged one-on-one business matchmaking between Hainan and Hong Kong enterprises. Wang Yuyuan, Vice President of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Hainan Sub-council (CCPIT Hainan) and China Chamber of International Commerce Hainan Chamber of Commerce, noted that since the official launch of island-wide special customs operations at the Hainan FTP on December 18, 2025, 174,000 new enterprises have been registered, representing a year-on-year surge of 95.9 percent. Newly established foreign-invested enterprises rose by 35.8 percent year on year. In the first half of this year, inbound and outbound tourist arrivals exceeded 70 million, up 28 percent year on year, with the number of visa-free entry countries expanding to 88. From January to August, the province’s total goods import and export volume hit 250 billion yuan, growing by 61.5 percent year on year. Hainan is rapidly emerging as a critical gateway connecting China with the rest of the world and a prime channel for two-way investment. According to CCPIT Hainan, Hong Kong ranks as a major source of foreign investment for Hainan. In the first half of this year, Hainan registered 1,303 new foreign-invested enterprises, an increase of 38.62 percent year on year, with Hong Kong-funded enterprises accounting for the lion’s share. Hainan has issued offshore RMB local government bonds in Hong Kong for four consecutive years, with a cumulative issuance volume reaching 18 billion yuan. CMA is one of Hong Kong’s most representative non-profit industrial and commercial bodies, with around 3,000 member enterprises. It has long provided members with business services including exhibitions, brand promotion, testing and certification. FHKI, one of Hong Kong’s four major chambers of commerce, has approximately 2,000 corporate members. It focuses on boosting the sustained development of Hong Kong industry and manufacturing through policy advocacy, business matchmaking, certification services and youth talent cultivation. The two memoranda explicitly stipulate that the two sides will establish a regular liaison mechanism, build a long-term cooperation platform covering information sharing, business matchmaking, exhibition collaboration and professional services, and provide solid support for pragmatic business cooperation between Hainan and Hong Kong enterprises. Source: China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Hainan Provincial Committee (CCPIT Hainan) Hashtag: #CPITHainan
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The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
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3. Business Canterbury Celebrates a Strong Year for Canterbury at its AGM
October 29, 2026
Source: Business Canterbury
Business Canterbury has celebrated a strong year for Canterbury, its members and the business community at its Annual General Meeting today, which was hosted at capacity with a crowd of more than 100 members in the room, and others joining online.
Business Canterbury Chief Executive, Leeann Watson says, “This is the year we shifted gears, for Canterbury, for our members, our business community and for Business Canterbury itself.”
“Canterbury is in a strong position right now. Despite global uncertainty, cost pressures, and a general election, businesses haven’t put their plans on hold. They are continuing to invest, hire and back themselves.
“Our focus has been making sure the settings around them keep pace. Rather than responding after decisions are made, we are taking our members’ experiences directly to ministers and officials and shaping the outcomes.”
That work includes the Canterbury Ambition, a private sector-led vision for the region, with a clear set of priority asks to take to the government after the election. Business Canterbury also joined the seven other South Island Chambers of Commerce to launch a shared policy platform, Growing New Zealand from the South, and host the inaugural South Island Election Conference in August.
“We are giving government real clarity on what Canterbury and the South Island need to keep growing and provide the right environment for our members to grow, innovate and be more productive.”
Watson says Business Canterbury’s own financial position has also turned a corner, with revenue up more than $200,000 and a return to an operating surplus following a significant investment in its transformation over the last few years.
“A strong Business Canterbury means we can do more for our members and continue to deliver support that has real impact.”
The AGM also welcomed two new directors to the Business Canterbury Board, Damian Lynch and Paul Coughlan.
Damian Lynch is General Manager Merchandise at Foodstuffs South Island. He has held executive roles across retail, agribusiness, international business, economic development and technology commercialisation, and governance roles across education, industry and research.
Paul Coughlan is Chief Financial Officer and an Executive Director of Christchurch-headquartered manufacturer Bremca Group. He brings experience in financial leadership and strategic planning across manufacturing and energy, and has served as Event Director and Trustee of the International Track Meet since 2009.
Business Canterbury Board Chair, Paul Deavoll says, “Damian and Paul bring strong commercial, financial and governance experience to the Board, and a real understanding of what Canterbury businesses need to grow. We’re delighted to welcome them as Business Canterbury continues its next stage of growth.”
“After more than 165 years of backing business, Business Canterbury is well positioned for long-term success over the next 165.”
Watson adds, “When business succeeds, Canterbury succeeds. And when Canterbury succeeds, New Zealand is stronger for it.”
Business Canterbury, formerly Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce, is the second largest Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand and the largest business support organisation in the South Island. It advocates on behalf of its members for an environment more favourable to innovation, productivity and sustainable growth.
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4. HKPC’s LogTech Expo 2026 Successfully Held Today
October 30, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
Attracts Active Participation from Industry Professionals and the Public, and Brings Together More Than 50 Enterprises to Showcase Innovative Logistics Solutions
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 October 2026 – Organised by the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) and funded by the Logistics Promotion Funding Scheme (LPFS) under the Maritime and Aviation Training Fund of the Transport and Logistics Bureau of the HKSAR Government, LogTech Expo 2026 attracted strong participation from industry professionals and the public, bringing together over 50 logistics, supply chain and innovation and technology (I&T) enterprises, as well as representatives from industry, academia and the public sector. The Expo showcased innovative technologies and applications spanning artificial intelligence (AI), smart supply chain management, smart warehousing, logistics robotics, green logistics and the low-altitude economy, fostering the integration of technology with real-world logistics scenarios and exploring new opportunities in the digitalisation and smart transformation of the logistics industry.
Aligned with the logistics and innovation priorities outlined in Hong Kong’s first Five-Year Plan and the 2026 Policy Address, including strengthening Hong Kong’s role as an international maritime centre and international aviation hub, promoting modern logistics development, and accelerating AI and low-altitude economy applications, the Expo was held under the theme “Smart-Driven Transformation, Leading the Future of Logistics”. Through exhibitions, forums, technical sharing sessions and business matching activities, the event promoted the integration of innovative technologies with real-world logistics applications and accelerated the industry’s digital and intelligent transformation. The Opening Ceremony was officiated by Mr YAU Cheuk Hang, Vic, JP, Permanent Secretary for Transport and Logistics of the HKSAR Government, and Mr DU Yonghai, Chief Innovation Officer of HKPC. The Expo also received support from more than 20 industry organisations.
Mr YAU Cheuk Hang, Vic, JP, Permanent Secretary for Transport and Logistics, said: “Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan and the 2026 Policy Address put forward the goal of fully developing Hong Kong into a ‘Global Maritime Capital’, focusing on the two key areas of ‘increasing quantity’ and ‘improving quality’. Driving the smart and green transformation of the logistics industry is one of the key priorities under the ‘improving quality’ agenda. The LogTech Expo has become an annual event for the logistics industry, enabling industry stakeholders to learn about the latest logistics technology solutions and to discuss the development trends and applications of smart logistics. It is hoped that this will help enhance the productivity of the industry and maintain the competitiveness of Hong Kong’s logistics sector.”
Mr DU Yonghai, Chief Innovation Officer of HKPC, said:”AI has evolved from being a tool for enhancing efficiency into a key engine driving the transformation and upgrading of the logistics industry. Through the integration of AI, robotics, automation systems and data analytics technologies, enterprises can enhance supply chain visibility, optimise decision-making processes and respond more quickly to changing market demands. HKPC has been actively promoting the application of AI and advanced manufacturing and logistics technologies. Through LogTech Expo 2026, we hope to facilitate technology exchange and cross-sector collaboration, helping the industry seize new opportunities arising from smart logistics and the low-altitude economy, while supporting Hong Kong’s logistics sector in advancing towards greater efficiency, intelligence and sustainability.”
AI, Robotics and Smart Warehousing Solutions Take Centre Stage
This year’s Expo brought together more than 50 logistics, supply chain and I&T enterprises, showcasing a wide range of smart logistics applications covering AI, smart warehousing, logistics robotics, supply chain visibility, Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and automated logistics systems. Through real-world use cases, exhibitors demonstrated how AI, robotics and data technologies are enhancing logistics operations, optimising warehouse management and improving supply chain transparency.
Highlights included quadruped robots (Robot Dogs), Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), intelligent sorting systems, Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS), RFID logistics tracking solutions and high-density smart warehousing equipment, which attracted strong interest from visitors seeking to understand their practical applications and future potential in logistics operations. Companies including BPS Logistics Technology, HSM Industrial Solution Limited, Million Tech Development Limited, IoT Systems Limited and Beijing Xingdongjiyuan Co., Ltd. showcased innovative solutions in smart warehousing, automated operations and supply chain management.
Participating companies also affirmed the Expo’s effectiveness as a platform for industry engagement. Eddie CHAP, General Manager of Supply Chain Solutions of Tradelink Electronic Commerce Limited, said, “The Expo brought together stakeholders from across the logistics and supply chain sectors, providing an ideal platform for industry exchange and the showcase of smart logistics solutions.”
Mandy MAK, Chief Operating Officer of Swivel Software, said, “The Expo helped facilitate effective alignment between logistics technologies and industry needs, driving the practical adoption of innovative solutions and advancing digital transformation within the industry.”
Industry Leaders Discuss AI Applications and Smart Logistics Trends
The Expo also facilitated the sharing of practical industry experience through thematic forums and technical presentations. One of the highlights was the opening seminar, “Smart Tools for Logistics: Practical AI Applications and Insights”, moderated by Ryan IP, Vice President and Executive Director of the Public Policy Institute of Our Hong Kong Foundation. The seminar featured Professor LAI Kee-hung, Head of the Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies and Chair Professor of Shipping and Logistics at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Sunny HO, MH, JP, FCILT, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Shippers’ Council; Keno CHEUNG Tai-yip, President of The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Hong Kong; and Suki CHEUNG Shuk-ming, Chief Executive Officer of MG Ship. The panel explored the logistics industry’s ongoing digital transformation from a model of “reactive response” to one driven by “predictive decision-making”, and examined the significant value of AI in enhancing efficiency, reducing costs, and strengthening risk management. Speakers noted that despite AI’s enormous potential, the industry continues to face challenges such as gaps between expected and actual returns on investment, poor data quality, and cybersecurity and compliance requirements. The speakers also pointed out that approximately 65% of small and medium-sized enterprises remain at an early stage of technology adoption. They unanimously advocated for the education sector to cultivate multidisciplinary talent equipped with critical thinking skills, while calling on the Government and industry stakeholders to jointly promote affordable and user-friendly digital solutions. Such efforts, they said, would help narrow industry gaps and accelerate the comprehensive upgrading of the logistics sector.
Throughout the day, the Expo hosted more than 10 thematic forums and technical sharing sessions covering AI, digital twins, cross-border e-commerce logistics, supply chain visibility, ESG and green logistics, and the low-altitude economy, providing an important platform for the industry to exchange practical insights and explore the latest technological applications.
Fostering Industry Exchange and Business Collaboration
In addition to the exhibition and seminar programme, the Expo featured a dedicated networking and business matching session that brought together exhibitors, logistics and supply chain practitioners, partners, buyers and other industry stakeholders to have in-depth discussions on logistics technology applications, digital transformation strategies, market trends and potential collaboration opportunities. This helps connect technology providers with enterprise users while facilitating the adoption of innovative solutions and new business partnerships, and further strengthens the Expo’s role as a platform for logistics technology exchange, business matching and knowledge sharing.
Looking ahead, HKPC will continue to work closely with industry partners to promote the practical adoption of AI, automation, data-driven technologies and other innovations across the logistics sector. By fostering deeper integration between technology and industry applications, HKPC is committed to supporting the digitalisation, intelligent transformation and high-quality development of Hong Kong’s logistics industry.
Please download the high-res photos HERE.
Photo Captions:
| 1. Mr YAU Cheuk Hang, Vic, JP (middle), Permanent Secretary for Transport and Logistics of the HKSAR Government, Mr DU Yonghai (right), Chief Innovation Officer of the Hong Kong Productivity Council, and Ms Karen FUNG, Chief Marketing Officer of the Hong Kong Productivity Council officiate at the Opening Ceremony of LogTech Expo 2026. |
| 2. Mr YAU Cheuk Hang, Vic, JP, Permanent Secretary for Transport and Logistics of the HKSAR Government, delivers remarks at the Opening Ceremony of LogTech Expo 2026, sharing insights on logistics technology and smart logistics development. |
| 3. Mr DU Yonghai, Chief Innovation Officer of HKPC, said that AI is increasingly becoming a key driver of transformation and upgrading across the logistics industry. He noted that HKPC will continue to promote the adoption of AI and advanced logistics technologies to help the industry enhance competitiveness and operational efficiency. |
| 4. Mr DU Yonghai, Chief Innovation Officer of HKPC, said that AI is increasingly becoming a key driver of transformation and upgrading across the logistics industry. He noted that HKPC will continue to promote the adoption of AI and advanced logistics technologies to help the industry enhance competitiveness and operational efficiency. |
| 5. Mr YAU Cheuk Hang, Vic, JP, Permanent Secretary for Transport and Logistics of the HKSAR Government, toured the exhibition and exchanged views with exhibitors on the latest applications of AI, automation and smart logistics technologies. |
| 6. The opening seminar, “Smart Tools for Logistics: Practical AI Applications and Insights”, was moderated by Ryan IP(1st left), Vice President and Executive Director of the Public Policy Institute of Our Hong Kong Foundation, and featured Professor LAI Kee-hung(2nd left), Head of the Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies and Chair Professor of Shipping and Logistics at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Sunny HO, MH, JP, FCILT, (2nd right), Executive Director of the Hong Kong Shippers’ Council; Keno CHEUNG Tai-yip, (1st right), President of The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Hong Kong; and Suki CHEUNG Shuk-ming, (middle), Chief Executive Officer of MG Ship. Together, they explored how AI can enhance logistics operational efficiency, drive supply chain digitalisation and support Hong Kong’s development as a smart logistics hub. |
| 7. HSM Industrial Solution Company Limited: Hong Kong’s first industrial mobile charging robot addresses the challenge of ageing power grids lacking three-phase power supply, enabling flexible charging for industrial fleets and private vehicles without costly grid upgrades or additional charging infrastructure. |
| 8. Axis Communications Limited: The edge AI monitoring system integrates video analytics, temperature sensing and gas detection technologies to identify workplace safety incidents in real time and issue instant alerts, enhancing warehouse safety management. |
| 9. BPS Logistics Technology (HKLTS): Equipped with infrared sensing capabilities, the quadruped inspection robot is specifically designed for inspection tasks and operations in hazardous environments across construction sites and logistics facilities, helping to reduce personnel safety risks. |
| 10. Summation Solutions: The RFID inventory robot can automatically scan warehouse racks up to 2.8 metres in height, significantly improving inventory accuracy while reducing manpower requirements. |
| 11. Million Tech Development Limited: The automated labelling system uses robotic arms to precisely handle goods of different shapes, effectively reducing labour costs and training requirements in logistics packaging operations. |
| 12. The Embodied AI International Applications Hub under the Hong Kong Industrial Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Centre (FLAIR): Designed for small-parcel sorting, the humanoid robot is capable of operating 24/7 and is continuously being enhanced to meet the diverse parcel-handling needs of Hong Kong’s logistics sector. |
| 13. Centre of Advanced Power and Autonomous Systems (APAS) under HKPC: Featuring high payload capacity and obstacle-avoidance capabilities, the autonomous mobile robot and electric delivery vehicle support the logistics industry’s ESG transformation through all-lithium electric technology. |
Hashtag: #HKPC
About the Hong Kong Productivity Council
HKPC focuses on addressing businesses challenges and industrial technology needs, promoting the full integration between technological and industrial innovation. Through technology transfer, product innovation, intellectual property protection and commercialisation of R&D outcomes, the Council fosters collaboration with the local business community as well as top global R&D institutions, delivering added value to industries and advancing the development of new productive forces. HKPC’s world-class R&D achievements have been widely recognised over the years, winning an array of local and overseas accolades, reinforcing Hong Kong’s role as an international innovation and technology centre and a smart city.
To help enterprises capitalise on Hong Kong’s strengths in international connectivity to expand into global markets, HKPC offers comprehensive overseas expansion services tailored to critical areas including product development, technology, manufacturing, and management, enabling businesses to successfully go global from Hong Kong.
HKPC is also committed to providing timely and practical support to SMEs and startups with timely and practical, assisting them in accessing Government funding programmes. Through its FutureSkills training initiatives, HKPC helps both industry and academia stay ahead in latest digital and STEM technologies, nurturing a future-ready talent pool for Hong Kong.
For more information, please visit HKPC’s website: www.hkpc.org/en.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
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5. CPA Australia Congress 2026 in Hong Kong brings think tanks to shape the future
October 29, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, speaks at the CPA Congress 2026
Held under the theme “Lead the Outcome: Shape What’s Next”, the Congress brought together policymakers, business leaders and industry experts to examine some of the forces reshaping the global business landscape, from AI and innovation to governance, leadership, organisational resilience and the skills needed to build future-ready organisations.
The Congress featured opening remarks from The Honourable Paul Chan, GBM, GBS, MH, JP, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Gareth Williams, Australian Consul-General in Hong Kong and Macau; and Dr Asheley Jones, Chief Learning and Innovation Officer at CPA Australia.
Preparing professionals to lead in a changing world
Dr Asheley Jones said the profession must prepare the next generation of accounting and finance professionals not simply to adapt to change, but to help shape what comes next. “We are not simply preparing the next generation of accounting professionals for the world as it is today. We are preparing them to lead in a world that is still being imagined.”
“Our ambition extends beyond knowledge. It is about preparing future accounting and finance professionals to apply judgement, question assumptions and respond confidently to a changing world. As information becomes increasingly accessible, professional value will not be measured by what you know alone, but by how you interpret it, act on it and create trust through the decisions you make.”
(From second left to right) Mr George Kapitelli, Chief Financial Officer of CPA Australia; Mr Cyrus Cheung, Greater China Divisional President; Mr Paul Chan, The Financial Secretary; Mr Gareth Williams, the Consul-General of Australia to Hong Kong and Macao; Dr Asheley Jones, Chief Learning and Innovation Officer, CPA Australia.
Hong Kong turns capital and innovation into new growth
Opening the Congress, Financial Secretary Paul Chan reflected on the theme “Lead the Outcome” and the increasingly strategic role played by accountants in business decision-making.
“As an accountant myself, it is good to see accountants being invited into the conversation before decisions are made, and not just afterwards to explain what happened.”
Chan highlighted finance and innovation and technology as two interconnected priorities under Hong Kong’s first Five-Year Plan, pointing to the city’s ability to turn its strengths in capital, innovation, enterprise and professional expertise into new engines of growth.
Highlighting Hong Kong’s role in connecting the Chinese Mainland with international capital and global markets, Chan pointed to the strong momentum in the city’s capital market.
“The momentum is encouraging. In the first nine months of this year, IPOs in Hong Kong raised some HK$388 billion, more than double the amount a year earlier. International investors from the US, Europe, Southeast Asia and the Middle East are major players here, while capital from the Mainland continues to flow in.”
Turning to innovation and technology, Chan highlighted the Northern Metropolis as a key part of Hong Kong’s future growth, with ambitions extending beyond physical infrastructure to establish an ecosystem connecting education, research, talent, enterprises and industry.
“We are bringing education, research, talent, enterprises and industry together to create a new engine of growth. By shortening the time to take discoveries to market and supporting them with patient capital, we give start-ups and young companies room to grow and scale.”
AI will redesign jobs, not simply replace them
Internationally recognised futurist Dr Ben Hamer urged businesses and professionals to focus less on predicting precisely what will happen and more on building the capabilities needed to respond to change.
“Nobody can predict the future with certainty. But while we can’t predict it, we can prepare for it. The future is not about being right, but about being ready.”
Internationally recognised futurist Dr Ben Hamer urged businesses and professionals to focus less on predicting precisely what will happen and more on building the capabilities needed to respond to change.
“AI is less a story about job loss and more a story about job redesign. As routine tasks become increasingly automated, professional roles will evolve towards the judgement, insight and trusted advice that clients value most.”
“The firms that succeed won’t be those with access to the latest technology, but those that invest in their people. Building AI fluency alongside human skills such as curiosity, adaptability and sound judgement will be critical to helping professionals thrive in a rapidly changing world.”
AI could be obsolete within 18 months
Dr Catherine Ball, scientific futurist and globally recognised innovator of influence, offered a provocative vision of what she described as the sixth Industrial Revolution, predicting that the way society thinks and talks about artificial intelligence could change rapidly.
“Welcome to the sixth Industrial Revolution, where passive, ambient intelligence predicts and protects, and the very term ‘AI’ will be dead within 18 months. Governing this shift means recognising that all AI strategies are actually data strategies, and that global oversight must mirror our financial regulatory system.”
Ball also highlighted a new challenge as AI is increasingly used to manage other AI systems.
“Using AI to manage AI is both the next frontier of financial security and a new attack layer, reminding us that humans are the loop, not just in it. Leaders should weigh what is possible, probable, and preferable while asking whose local cultural ethics and frameworks apply.”
Looking beyond technology, Ball said genuine human relationships and the ability to navigate uncertainty would become increasingly valuable.
“Ultimately, in a world where systems make everything expected, human value will shift from what you know to who you know, defined by real connections, effort signalling, and the courage to be unpredictable in the face of the unknown.”
CPA Australia will continue to support members and business professionals through thought leadership, professional development and its global network, helping them build the professional, technological and human capabilities needed to navigate change and contribute to sustainable business growth.
Hashtag: #CPAAustralia
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
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6. HKSTP Releases First-Ever Battery and Energy Storage Strategy Analysis Report
October 29, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
Leveraging Hong Kong’s Leading Four-Stage Value Chain in Asia to Capture Significant Market Opportunities
- Responding to Global Energy Transition Demands: Energy security, renewable energy grid integration, accelerating electrification, and surging power demand from AI infrastructure are jointly propelling the growth of the battery and energy storage (BES) industry.
- Demonstrating Hong Kong’s Comprehensive Industrial Ecosystem: Boasting a comprehensive four-stage BES value chain, Hong Kong ranks among Asia’s premier energy storage ecosystems, driving circular industry development. Three of the world’s top ten energy storage giants—CATL, BYD, and Gotion High-Tech—have established a presence within HKSTP’s ecosystem
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 October 2026 – Facing global energy security challenges, accelerating electrification, and massive power demands driven by artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, Battery and Energy Storage (BES) has emerged as a key driver of the low-carbon energy transition. Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) today officially released its inaugural BES Strategic Analysis Report at the international flagship event One Earth Summit 2026.
Mr Terry Wong, Chief Executive Officer of HKSTP hosts a media briefing, sharing key findings from the report and successful experiences in translating local battery R&D into commercial applications.
Mr Terry Wong, Chief Executive Officer of HKSTP, delivered a keynote address titled “Supercharging Battery and Energy Storage Innovation for Energy Transition” at the Summit, to share insights from the report and experiences in commercialising home-grown R&D. The report highlights the explosive growth of the global BES market while underscoring Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s leading Greentech hub, driven by a comprehensive four-stage value chain spanning frontier R&D, integration and intelligence, green finance, and end-of-life battery management.
Mr Terry Wong, Chief Executive Officer of HKSTP, said: “HKSTP is fully committed to supporting the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong’s first Five-Year Plan, and the HKSAR Government’s Policy Address initiatives, as we work tirelessly to build Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology hub. The global energy transition is ushering in an unprecedented golden era for the BES industry. By taking the initiative to publish our inaugural Strategic Analysis Report, HKSTP is not only identifying global industry opportunities, but also showcasing Hong Kong’s position as a leading energy storage ecosystem in Asia with a comprehensive value chain. HKSTP will continue to serve as both a ‘super-connector’ and a ‘super value-adder’, helping companies overcome commercialisation barriers, align with international standards, and capture the significant opportunities in the global multi-trillion-dollar energy storage market.”
HKSTP regards green technology as one of its core strategic industries. Its ecosystem brings together more than 250 green tech companies, around 100 of which focus on BES. In response to the strong growth driven by the global energy transition, HKSTP aims to increase the number of BES companies by 60% to more than 160 over the next few years. Notably, three of the world’s top ten battery and energy storage leaders—CATL, BYD, and Gotion High-Tech—have already established a presence within the HKSTP ecosystem. Their presence creates strong industrial synergies with park companies, deepening cross-disciplinary technology exchanges, supply chain integration, and business matching.
Two Key Insights Outlining Opportunities for Hong Kong’s Energy Storage Industry:
The report provides an in-depth analysis of market data and compares BES development models and policies across major global economies. Drawing on interviews with local and overseas industry partners and park companies, it identifies two key insights:
1. Global Energy Opportunities Drive Rapid Growth in the BES Industry
As the world confronts a global energy transition, nearly 200 countries have pledged to expand renewable energy and phase down fossil fuel reliance, aiming to boost electricity’s share of global final energy demand from approximately 20% today to 35% by 2035. Concurrently, the rapid rise of AI is driving an unprecedented surge in data center power demand. Global electricity consumption from computing infrastructure is projected to more than double, rising from 415 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2024 to 945 TWh by 2030. Battery and energy storage technologies are becoming increasingly critical, with related industry investment expected to reach USD 5 trillion—equivalent to nearly HKD 40 trillion—over the next decade.
Mainland BES companies currently account for more than half of the global battery applications market. Leveraging its unique advantage of being backed by the Chinese Mainland while connected to the world, Hong Kong has become a preferred springboard for Mainland energy leaders expanding overseas. As European and US markets impose increasingly stringent trade and compliance requirements on new energy supply chains, Mainland companies can draw on Hong Kong’s mature common law system, international certification standards, and leading green finance platform in Asia-Pacific to meet international compliance requirements and expand their global presence.
2. A Comprehensive BES Value Chain Among Asia’s Leaders Supports Circular Industry Development
Hong Kong’s BES development is supported by a four-stage value chain covering “Material and Battery”, “Integration and Intelligence”, “Project Management and Finance”, and “End-of-Life Battery Management”, enabling sustainable development and a green circular economy.
- Material and Battery: Hong Kong is home to five of the world’s top 100 universities and possesses world-class research capabilities. Its leading university network and open talent admission schemes have successfully attracted international talent. Several HKSTP park companies focus on cutting-edge R&D in next-generation batteries. For example, Luquos Energy, led by a team from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, has successfully developed the world’s first sulphur-based flow battery. Technology significantly reduces costs while avoiding the fire risks associated with overheating in conventional lithium-ion batteries, enhancing safety.
- Integration and Intelligence: Assembling batteries into battery packs or containerised energy storage systems enables wider deployment across communities. Hong Kong’s exceptionally high-density urban environment offers abundant real-world application scenarios for energy storage technologies. The growing number of electric vehicles is driving demand for fast-charging infrastructure. With more than 60% of private buildings in Hong Kong over 30 years old and facing power supply capacity constraints, energy storage systems can store electricity during off-peak periods and discharge it during peak periods, providing a supplementary solution for ageing buildings. Park companies’ technologies are also being deployed at construction sites to support the high-power demands of heavy machinery and reduce reliance on conventional diesel generators. Meanwhile, intelligent technologies are steadily maturing, including the use of AI to monitor battery condition and health.
- Project Management and Finance: A range of large-scale projects in Hong Kong supports BES development, including a major local battery energy storage system under construction by a power company. The commercial sector is also accelerating the adoption of energy storage technologies. Park company Halo Energy, for example, has partnered with XPENG to introduce the world’s first megawatt-level ultra-fast EV charging station in Hong Kong, setting a new benchmark for smart mobility in the city. As Asia’s largest international green and sustainable debt arranging hub, Hong Kong also plays a distinctive role as a green finance gateway, with related issuance exceeding USD 76 billion in 2025. This month, HKSTP also signed a memorandum of understanding with the “Green Accelerator” to connect promising green tech companies with capital and financing channels, helping startups progress from R&D to commercialisation.
- End-of-Life Battery Management: Market projections indicate that Hong Kong will generate nearly 6,700 tonnes of retired EV batteries in 2030, making proper treatment and the reduction of environmental pollution pressing priorities. Several park companies have already taken the lead in technology development. GRST, for example, has developed a non-toxic, water-soluble battery binder that eliminates the need for conventional incineration or strong-acid soaking during battery recycling, reducing carbon emissions at the recycling stage by up to 80%. Together with the HKSAR Government’s introduction of the city’s first large-scale EV battery recycling facility last year, which converts waste batteries into valuable mineral resources, these efforts demonstrate how industry, government, and the research community are working together to build a green circular economy.
HKSTP is committed to capturing the global energy transition opportunities identified in the BES Strategic Analysis Report and developing Hong Kong into an international green technology hub. HKSTP’s GreenTech Hub in Kowloon Tong will continue to serve as a bridge, deepening cross-sector collaboration among companies, research institutions, and industry partners. It will help investors identify energy storage opportunities, advance the adoption of cutting-edge green solutions, and accelerate startup commercialisation, building a green innovation ecosystem with international influence and jointly tapping into the global market for the green energy transition.
HKSTP also showcased green solutions from six park companies at the summit, fostering exchanges among tech ventures, industry partners, and investors.
Exhibiting Park Companies:
- Luquos Energy Limited
- Syneric Technology (HK) Limited
- CAS Testing Technical Services (Hong Kong) Company Limited
- Nanofil Filtration Technology Limited
- ECO Technologies Limited
- i2Cool Limited
Hashtag: #HKSTP
Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation
As an ecosystem orchestrator, HKSTP provides end-to-end support to attract and nurture talent, accelerate commercialisation and help technology ventures scale. Its innovation infrastructure spans over 240 hectares covering Hong Kong Science Park in Pak Shek Kok, InnoCentre in Kowloon Tong, and three modern InnoParks in Tai Po, Tseung Kwan O and Yuen Long, advancing Hong Kong’s vision for new industrialisation and smart manufacturing.
Hong Kong Science Park Shenzhen Branch in Futian, Shenzhen, strengthens cross-border collaboration by connecting Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and global innovation networks and propels Chinese innovators onto the world stage, while also delivering comprehensive GBA landing support to accelerate cross-border success for local and international ventures.
As HKSTP enters its next chapter with strong foundations, it continues to deepen impact, elevate quality and create value for innovators. As an ecosystem built to lead change, HKSTP is empowering Hong Kong to define what comes next in innovation, growth and opportunity.
More information about HKSTP is available at www.hkstp.org.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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7. AOX recognised as APAC’s Top Collagen-Renewing Water Dispensers in 2026 by Healthcare Business Review
October 29, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
Singapore-founded company marks 17 years of growth as it builds a new category around everyday hydration and wellness
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 October 2026 – Singapore-founded water brand AOX has been named ‘Top Collagen Renewing Water 2026′ by Healthcare Business Review APAC, marking a new milestone for a brand that has spent more than 17 years developing a differentiated approach to drinking water.
The recognition comes as AOX seeks to build the Collagen Renewing Water category – moving the conversation beyond the appliances that dispense water towards the properties of the water people drink daily.
Unlike conventional water dispensers, which tend to compete on temperature settings, design or convenience, AOX’s central proposition is its proprietary approach to filtration and mineral formulation. Its systems combine filtration with a formulation that includes calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and silica to deliver what the company describes as Collagen Renewing Water.
This latest recognition reflects AOX’s water-first approach, built around its proprietary mineral formulation, including the specific sourcing of minerals and the process used to create its final water profile. It adds to a long track record of business, brand and design awards accumulated over more than 17 years.
“A water dispenser can have all the features in the world, but ultimately, what matters most is the water you drink from it every day,” said John Tan, Chief Executive Officer of AOX. “That belief has shaped AOX for more than 17 years and is why we continue investing in Collagen Renewing Water, our proprietary formulation and the research behind it. This recognition encourages us to keep building that category and challenging consumers to look beyond the machine.”
The award also signals AOX’s next chapter under John Tan’s leadership. After working across finance, operations and marketing at AOX before becoming CEO, he is leading its next phase of research, product innovation and market growth, with a goal to reach new audiences and respond to changing consumer expectations around water quality and everyday wellness.
AOX has commissioned laboratory and preclinical research into the properties of its water, including collagen-related fibroblast activity, cell migration, antioxidant activity, and metabolic markers in preclinical models. The company will continue to invest in research while communicating its findings responsibly and within appropriate scientific boundaries.
Founder Jeffrey Tan said the recognition was a reminder of the original idea that shaped the business. “When we started AOX, we wanted people to think more carefully about the water they drink every day,” he said. “Over the years, the technology, products and people’s expectations have evolved, but that belief has remained the same. It is encouraging to see AOX recognised as we continue to build on that foundation.”
AOX’s product range includes direct-piped water systems for homes and organisations, spanning hot and cold, ambient and compact formats. The company’s focus remains on growing its Collagen Renewing Water category while continuing to develop products around the needs of modern households and workplaces.
Hashtag: #AOX
About AOX
Over more than 17 years, AOX has grown to serve more than 10,000 households and organisations, while developing water systems that combine water quality, practical design and long-term after-sales support.
AOX has also commissioned laboratory studies using human cells and preclinical research into the properties of its water, including collagen-related activity, antioxidant activity, weight gain and liver-lipid accumulation. In 2026, AOX was recognised by Healthcare Business Review APAC as the Top Collagen Renewing Water Dispensers in APAC 2026.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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8. SeABank announces Sustainable Finance Framework
October 30, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
<figure data-width="100%" data-caption="Sustainable Finance Framework continues SeABank’s sustainability efforts. Sustainable Finance Framework continues SeABank’s sustainability efforts. SeABank’s SFF aligns with six international principles and guidelines issued by the International Capital Market Association (ICMA), Loan Market Association (LMA), Asia-Pacific Loan Market Association (APLMA), Loan Syndications and Trading Association (LSTA), and International Finance Corporation (IFC). It governs the full fund lifecycle through four pillars: use of proceeds, process for evaluation and selection, management of proceeds, and reporting. Funding under this Framework will support eligible projects across 14 green categories (40-45%), 7 blue categories (10-15%), and 5 social objectives (40-45%). This initiative aims to address Vietnam’s environmental and social challenges, such as emissions, water security, waste management and pollution, while improving underserved communities’ access to vital services, housing and finance. SeABank also supports marine biodiversity and ecosystem conservation, pioneering the field of blue financing. The Framework sets quantitative criteria, such as a minimum 20% performance improvement in energy savings, emission reduction or water efficiency. All credit exposures are screened and assessed through SeABank’s Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS). These criteria and reporting mechanisms aim to enhance accountability and integrate sustainable finance into operations. Building on its 2025 Green and Blue Bond Framework, ICMA-aligned and rated “Medium Green” by S&P Global Ratings, the updated Framework adds lending and social objectives, unifying green, blue, and social financing under one structure. Through these moves, SeABank has mobilized nearly US$1.1 billion from international institutions, including IFC, AIIB, Norfund, Proparco, FMO, and DFC. As of September 2026, outstanding green credit exceeded VND4.1 trillion, up over 150% from end-2025. By 2030, SeABank targets green credit at 5% of total outstanding loans alongside a 10% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions against its baseline year, while expanding financial access for vulnerable groups, women-owned businesses, and MSMEs. Guided by its sustainability vision, SeABank is integrating ESG criteria into its long-term strategy and operations. The SFF serves as an indispensable instrument for capital mobilization and deployment, empowering clients’ green transition as Vietnam advances toward Net-Zero by 2050. Learn more: SeABank’s SFF | S&P Global SPO Hashtag: #SeABank
” data-caption-display=”block” data-image-width=”0″ data-image-height=”0″ class=”c8″ readability=”1″>
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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9. Alibaba Cloud Launches First Public Cloud Region in the Netherlands
October 29, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
- Two new data centres aim to bring robust infrastructure, lower latency and in-region data residency to local and European customers
- New AI and cloud products unveiled to meet the growing demand of enterprise AI in Europe
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 October 2026 – Alibaba Cloud, a leading global provider of AI infrastructure and the intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group, today announced the launch of its first public cloud region in the Netherlands, located in Amsterdam, with two new data centres now available to meet growing European demand for cloud and AI services. The announcement was made at the first International Apsara Conference, Alibaba Cloud’s flagship technology event in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
“The Netherlands is one of Europe’s most vibrant digital economies, and our first region here is a direct response to the strong demand we see from local businesses building and scaling with AI. By bringing our advanced AI and cloud capabilities to Amsterdam, we are giving customers the in-region infrastructure, performance and data residency they need to innovate faster, scale securely and operate with greater efficiency in the AI era,” said Dr. Feifei Li, Chief Technology Officer and President of International Business, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence.
The launch reflects surging customer demand as European businesses scale cloud-native operations and integrate AI at scale. By establishing infrastructure locally, Alibaba Cloud can deliver more resilient, low-latency services, strengthen disaster recovery, and support customers who require their data to be processed and stored locally in Netherlands and within Europe.
The new region offers a comprehensive suite of cloud computing products—spanning elastic computing, storage, container, networking, big data, security, database and cloud-native services. To meet the growing demand for enterprise agents across Europe, Alibaba Cloud also plans to bring a suite of agentic AI services to the region.
These products include ACS Agent Sandbox, which provides hardware-level security isolation while reducing the operational cost of AI agents; Agent Security Center, an integrated defense platform for AI agents; AI Security Guardrails 2.0, an upgraded security solution with end-to-end risk detection capabilities; Agentic SOC, an enterprise-grade, AI agent-driven security operations platform; and STAROps, a comprehensive intelligent operations platform. Together, these products are designed to streamline the building and running of enterprise-scale agents in a secure environment, giving enterprises full-cycle management of agent engineering.
During the conference, Alibaba Cloud also unveiled the latest generation of Apsara Stack, a flexible hybrid cloud solution built on public cloud architecture for public sector and enterprise AI workloads. The new solution delivers more than 80 cloud and AI products and provides round-the-clock service to customers worldwide. Powered by AI-driven operations and maintenance, it has improved operational accuracy to 92.5% and increased automation rates to 70%.
Apsara Stack offers a seamless hybrid cloud experience by bringing full-stack capabilities on premises. The platform combines flexible deployment and licensing with robust disaster recovery and enhanced security. This enables finance, telecom and public sector organizations to maintain controlled asset ownership and compliance while benefiting from agile cloud scalability.
Building a Robust Ecosystem with Customers and Partners to Thrive in the AI-powered Digital Era
As AI and cloud adoption accelerate, the new Netherlands region enhances Alibaba Cloud’s ability to deliver AI-ready infrastructure to European businesses—improving resilience, reducing latency, strengthening data localisation and supporting broader digital transformation goals. A growing ecosystem of Netherlands-based innovators is already building on Alibaba Cloud’s advanced and secure cloud and AI technologies.
- JetBrains, a software development company is working with Alibaba Cloud to explore the integration of Qwen models to power Junie, JetBrains AI coding assistant, across both cloud and local scenarios. The collaboration gives JetBrains and its developers strong cost-to-performance, early access to frontier Qwen models, and the flexibility to choose where models run — from in-region cloud to fully local, on-device setups.
- “AI development is moving quickly, and developers need the freedom to choose the tools and models that work best for them. Working with Alibaba Cloud gives us an opportunity to combine JetBrains’ expertise in software development and AI with Alibaba Cloud’s infrastructure and AI capabilities, giving developers more choice while keeping them in control of how they build with AI,” said Kirill Skrygan, CEO of JetBrains.
- Netherlands-based LLM platform orq.ai has partnered with Alibaba Cloud to integrate Qwen models into its hosted model garden, served natively from Alibaba Cloud’s AI development platform Model Studio. This integration allows orq.ai’s customers to access diversified cutting-edge generative AI while maintaining strict EU data localisation.
- “For us at orq.ai, the value of local infrastructure is what businesses can build on it. We welcome Alibaba’s investment in the Netherlands and look forward to working together to help more organisations put AI into everyday use in a reliable and scalable way,” said Anthony Diaz, Co-Founder and CPTO, orq.ai.
- Monks, a global digital-first marketing and technology services company headquartered in Amsterdam is integrating Alibaba’s latest generative AI models into Monks.Flow, its proprietary end-to-end AI marketing platform through Alibaba Cloud Model Studio platform. By leveraging Alibaba Cloud’s advanced AI capabilities, Monks can deliver highly ambitious creative assets faster, providing global brands with greater speed-to-market and flexible token optionality. The companies plan to expand the use of these models beyond content creation into wider marketing workflows, with Monks adopting Alibaba latest AI models in the future.
- “AI moves fast. Our job is to turn that progress into a creative and commercial advantage for our clients, and to provide flexibility and optionality in their token usage. Our partnership with Alibaba Cloud will give our teams access to its latest image, video and language models for use in Monks.Flow, helping us bring more ambitious ideas to life and get great work into market faster,” said Wesley ter Haar, Co-Founder of Monks and Chief AI Officer.
- Magnific, the world’s leading AI platform for creatives serving more than one million subscribers and thousands of enterprise clients worldwide, has integrated Alibaba’s advanced AI models into its platform to help content creators generate, enhance, and refine content more efficiently, while unlocking new levels of creativity and productivity.
- “We are pleased to partner with Alibaba and integrate its advanced AI models into Magnific. This collaboration strengthens our platform and gives creators more powerful tools to accelerate their work and expand their creative possibilities,” said Jose Florido, CGO from Magnific.
- Idea.ai, an Amsterdam-based digital design marketplace, has leveraged Alibaba’s advanced AI models to power its next generation of generative media inside idea.ai, delivering high-quality, cost-competitive creative tools to its tens of millions of registered users. The two companies plan to deepen their collaboration across the full creative spectrum.
- “We are committed to making great creative tools accessible to everyone, and Alibaba Cloud’s advanced AI models help us deliver that at scale cost-effectively. This is just the start; we’re excited to deepen the collaboration across the whole creative industry,” said Roemie Hillenaar, CEO and Co-founder, Idea.ai.
Alibaba Cloud’s Growing Presence Across Europe
As part of Alibaba’s previously announced US$53 billion investment in AI and cloud infrastructure, the new Netherlands region expands Alibaba Cloud’s global infrastructure to 109 availability zones across 32 regions worldwide, providing secure, scalable and robust cloud and AI infrastructure to support customers everywhere on their digital innovation journeys.
Joining Alibaba Cloud’s existing European regions in Germany (Frankfurt), the UK (London) and France (Paris), the Netherlands becomes the company’s fourth region in Europe, giving businesses more in-region options for data residency and keeping their data and AI workloads within Europe.
In addition, Alibaba Cloud is also planning to establish its first cloud regions in Finland, while expanding its data center footprints in Germany and France over the next 12 months. The expansion will further increase Alibaba Cloud’s global computing capacity and strengthen its ability to provide localized cloud and AI services to customers across key European markets.
Hashtag: #AlibabaCloud
About Alibaba Cloud
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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10. MAJOR MILESTONE FOR FIJI’S PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY
October 29, 2026
Source: Pacific Trade Invest New Zealand
29 October 2026
Following Cabinet approval on 14 October and months of work by both organisations, Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) New Zealand and Fiji’s Ministry of Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Industry signed a three-year MOU on 28 October at the Ministry’s office in Raiwaqa, Suva, Fiji.
The partnership aims to strengthen Fiji’s pineapple sector and promote quality Fiji pineapples in overseas markets, with New Zealand as the priority export market.
Backed by a joint investment of approximately NZ$115,000, it will support national branding, market research, promotion, export readiness and stronger producer-buyer connections.
Work is already underway, with PTI New Zealand having engaged a specialist firm to develop the Fiji Pineapple brand, a key step towards building recognition and demand internationally.
Fiji’s pineapple production grew by 45.5% between 2023 and 2025, reaching approximately 12,499 tonnes. Yet exports totalled just 16.5 tonnes in 2025, highlighting the potential to turn production growth into greater commercial opportunities.
Trade Commissioner, Ms Glynis Miller, emphasised the importance of ensuring more value reaches Pacific producers and communities.
“It is not enough simply to produce more or export more. We should look at how we can differentiate our products, tell our story, and strengthen our quality and marketing position to ensure more of the value created flows back to Pacific producers and communities. That principle sits at the heart of this project,” said Ms Miller.
She also highlighted that a strong brand must be supported by consistent quality, reliable supply, market readiness, appropriate standards and a clear understanding of what customers value.
This initiative is a step towards building a stronger pineapple sector, supporting existing growers and creating opportunities for more farmers and producers in Fiji to enter pineapple farming as market demand develops.
Beyond pineapple, this partnership offers an opportunity to demonstrate how Pacific agricultural products can compete on quality, provenance and their unique stories, creating a model for other sectors across Fiji and the wider Pacific.
We thank the Fiji Government, particularly the Ministry of Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Industry, for its partnership and commitment to strengthening Fiji’s pineapple sector.
Together, we look forward to turning the commitment formalised through this MOU into practical action, measurable commercial outcomes and greater value for Fiji’s farmers, exporters and rural communities.
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