China's first major project under the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), the Three Gorges New Waterway, officially commenced construction on June 8. The project, for which China Three Gorges Corporation (CTG) serves as the responsible entity, has an estimated static investment of 77.208 billion yuan ($11.4 billion) and is expected to significantly enhance the Yangtze River's shipping capacity in response to growing freight demand.

Related video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqURo6yMjKs (Produced by Hubei Media Group)

Zhao Yin, who has sailed between Chongqing and Shanghai for 15 years, calls this long-awaited news. He estimates the new waterway will cut his shipping costs by about 20% with much faster voyages.

"Back then, lock transit was fast, but things are different now. There are far more ships on the water. Once the new lock is finished, we’ll save lots of waiting time. I’m really looking forward to it," said Zhao Yin, Captain of Vessel Kuihang 908.

The 59-kilometer river reach between the Three Gorges and Gezhouba Dams forms a critical shipping bottleneck on the Yangtze. The Three Gorges ship locks officially opened to navigation in June 2003 and have maintained efficient operation for over two decades. Driven by China’s robust economic growth, the annual cargo throughput of the Three Gorges ship locks surged from an initial 18.02 million tons to 170 million tons by the end of 2025, exceeding its designed handling capacity by 70%.

Carving a brand-new water corridor one kilometer away

The Three Gorges New Waterway is a parallel corridor about 1km north of the existing locks. 6,680 meters long, it has double-line five-stage ship locks that lift 10,000-ton vessels over the dam like a staircase. To handle the increased flow, the downstream Gezhouba Dam is being demolished and expanded, with the whole project taking nearly a decade. Upon completion, annual lock capacity will jump from 100 million to over 300 million tons.

Why does the whole world care about this river?

The Yangtze is far more than an ordinary river today. It acts as a vital economic artery: upstream stretches carry energy and mineral resources, mid-reaches transport factory machinery, and downstream waterways connect to ocean-going giant ships bound for all corners of the globe.

"After the Three Gorges new waterway is put into operation, Chongqing's logistics costs for the manufacturing industry will drop by 30%. International investors will be more willing to develop relevant resources in upstream regions," said Qin Zunwen, Secretary-General of the Yangtze River High-End Think Tank Alliance, Research Fellow at Hubei Academy of Social Sciences.

Qin Zunwen said the new waterway links west to Europe via China-Europe Railway Express and east to Southeast Asia, forming a key Belt and Road rail-water artery. When completed, it will slash business logistics costs and boost efficiency. Upper Yangtze goods will reach estuary containers more reliably; foreign raw materials and equipment will ship straight to Chongqing, giving inland China easier access to global supplies.

While constructing a massive infrastructure project in a mountainous region, planners prioritized harmonious coexistence with aquatic wildlife inhabiting the river.

The Three Gorges, home to the Chinese sturgeon and Yangtze finless porpoise, has robust conservation measures built into the project. Acoustic deterrents keep fish away from construction sites. When operational, protected areas will have dedicated shipping lanes and speed limits, plus rare fish breeding and release programs to sustain populations. As 10,000-ton giant vessels steadily climb this aquatic staircase, the economic pulse of the Yangtze will beat stronger than ever.

Volodymyr Nosov, founder and president of W Group and WhiteBIT, has acquired a significant stake in Dutch luxury sports car manufacturer Spyker. As part of the transaction, Spyker will become part of the global W Group ecosystem, marking the group's expansion beyond fintech and digital assets into premium manufacturing and luxury mobility.

For W Group, the investment in Spyker represents more than the acquisition of a stake in an iconic automotive brand. It signals the next phase of the group's evolution from a fintech and blockchain ecosystem into a diversified international holding company. By expanding into traditional industries and premium manufacturing, W Group aims to bridge the gap between Web3 technologies and established Web2 businesses, creating a business ecosystem where innovation, digital infrastructure, and real-world assets operate within a single strategic framework.

The investment is intended to support the revival and long-term development of one of Europe's most historic automotive brands. Founded in 1880, Spyker is renowned for its handcrafted sports cars, aviation-inspired design, and limited-production approach that has made the marque highly sought after by collectors worldwide.

Alongside the investment, W Group and Spyker will launch Spyker Digital, a new technology company focused on developing digital infrastructure and ownership solutions for the premium automotive sector. The initiative aims to explore how emerging technologies can enhance customer experience, vehicle ownership, and brand engagement while preserving the exclusivity and craftsmanship that define the Spyker brand.

"For many years, I have been invested in rare automobiles and have always admired Spyker's unique design language and extraordinary heritage," said Volodymyr Nosov. "Becoming a co-owner of Spyker is both a personal and strategic investment. Our goal is to preserve everything that makes the brand special while helping it enter a new era of growth, innovation, and global relevance. Spyker Digital will become a synergy of the finest traditions of European engineering and the digital economy, where a sports car is integrated with blockchain products and tokens."

Victor Muller, founder and CEO of Spyker, welcomed the partnership, describing it as a significant milestone in the company's return to the global automotive market.

"The enthusiasm we have seen since announcing the new Spyker C8 Preliator XXV confirms that there is strong demand for the return of Spyker," said Muller. "With Volodymyr Nosov and W Group joining us as partners, we gain not only long-term strategic support, but also access to technologies and expertise that will help us build the next chapter of the Spyker story."

The investment in Spyker Cars expands W Group’s portfolio beyond fintech and digital assets, adding a premium manufacturing brand with a strong heritage and global recognition. For the W Group of companies, this step is an important part of its long-term strategy to enter traditional non-digital markets. This model of global expansion, in which digital assets and premium physical manufacturing operate within a single technological framework, creates a more multifunctional and resilient business ecosystem.

The Road to Pebble Beach

Spyker’s return starts off with the launch of the new Spyker C8 Preliator XXV at The Quail in Carmel, California, on August 14, followed by a display on the Concept Car Lawn of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on August 16, two of the most prestigious events in the world of automotive luxury.

The technical specifications of the new Spyker C8 Preliator XXV show a significant leap in performance: it boasts 800 bhp from a non-hybrid twin-turbo V8, allowing the car to reach a top speed of 350 km/h (217 mph).

About W Group

W Group is a global fintech ecosystem that makes blockchain and crypto easy, secure, and accessible for everyone. It is built on the values of security, professionalism, and innovation, serving 35 million users across 150 countries worldwide. At the center of W Group is WhiteBIT, the largest European crypto exchange by traffic, offering over 900 trading pairs, over 340 assets, and supporting 8 fiat currencies. WhiteBIT collaborates with Visa, FACEIT, FC Barcelona, Juventus FC, and the Ukrainian national football team. For more information, visit w.group.

About Spyker

Founded in 1880 in the Netherlands, Spyker is one of the world’s oldest ultra-luxury automotive brands, hand-building exclusive hypercars to individual commission. The brand’s rich heritage includes creating the world’s first four-wheel-drive car in 1903, building planes from 1914 to 1918, and participating in Formula One and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Today, the company produces vehicles exclusively in extremely limited numbers featuring aviation-inspired design elements. For more information, visit spykercars.com.

Media Contact

Whitebit PR Team
pr@whitebit.com

NeedTags, an authorized California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) business partner specializing in online vehicle registration services, today announced a structured customer feedback initiative designed to guide future enhancements to its digital platform. The program formalizes how customer input is collected, analyzed, and incorporated into service updates for California vehicle owners who rely on online registration solutions.

NeedTags operates within the DMV’s Business Partner Automation program, allowing it to electronically process registration renewals, title-related transactions, and replacement documents through integrations with state systems. The company focuses on helping drivers complete DMV-required transactions online, reducing the time and effort required for in-person visits.

The new customer feedback initiative creates a centralized channel for users to share detailed experiences with services such as instant registration renewal, expedited title transfer processing when required documents are submitted, and next-business-day shipment of replacement registration documents to addresses throughout the United States. Feedback will be used to prioritize improvements to workflows, communication, and self-service tools for California drivers.

Since launch, NeedTags estimates it has supported roughly two million customer interactions, including processed registrations and resolved questions from California vehicle owners navigating DMV requirements. Its platform is designed to address common problems such as avoiding lapses in registration tags and clarifying steps for required paperwork, particularly for busy drivers who may otherwise face delays or penalties.

“This initiative is about listening in a more structured way to the people who use our services every day,” said Eddy Asmerian, CEO of NeedTags. “Organizing customer feedback and tying it directly to product changes allows the company to focus on practical improvements that make DMV compliance faster and more straightforward for California drivers.”

The company’s services are built around electronic submission of DMV documentation and real-time or accelerated processing timelines made possible through application programming interface (API) connectivity with state systems. NeedTags maintains a strong online reputation, including a 4.8-star rating on the ShopperApproved review platform, reflecting satisfaction with its registration renewal and support offerings.

“Our goal is to consistently refine how we guide customers through each step of the process, from entering their vehicle information to receiving proof of registration,” Asmerian added. “Customer input highlights where instructions need to be clearer, where communication can be more proactive, and where automation can safely reduce friction.”

Customers will be able to submit feedback through designated forms on the NeedTags website, with an emphasis on detailed, transaction-specific experiences such as renewals close to expiration dates, replacement documents after a move, or questions about DMV notices. The initiative is open to all platform users, and submissions will be periodically reviewed to identify recurring themes and opportunities for system updates.

The program is intended to run on an ongoing basis, with NeedTags planning to periodically share information about categories of improvements that emerge from the feedback, such as interface changes or updated help resources. The company continues to focus exclusively on the California market, where it supports a high volume of vehicle registrations within a single, highly regulated environment.

“Customer feedback has always been present in our operations, but this initiative gives it a more formal and visible role in how we plan updates,” Asmerian said. “As vehicle registration requirements and digital expectations evolve, the direct experiences of California drivers will help us align our services with what they need from an authorized online DMV partner.”

About NeedTags

NeedTags is a California-based vehicle registration services provider that participates in the California DMV’s Business Partner Automation program, enabling it to process many common registration transactions online on behalf of vehicle owners. Through its web platform, NeedTags offers services such as instant registration renewal, electronic proof of registration, and shipment of physical documents, with a focus on helping drivers remain compliant with state requirements while minimizing time spent on administrative tasks.

Media Contact

Media Relations
media@needtags.com

Exalate, a global provider of real-time, two-way integration software for enterprise teams, is marking 15 years since the start of its company journey as integration becomes a strategic layer for organizations operating across fragmented tools, external partners, and AI-assisted workflows.

The milestone comes as Exalate expands its global enterprise footprint, reporting 26% year-over-year revenue growth, more than 2,500 customers across 85 countries, an active partner network of more than 200 organizations, and over 40% of core revenue from the U.S. enterprise market.

Solving the Legacy of Software Fragmentation

Exalate’s trajectory reflects the broader acceleration and fragmentation of the global enterprise software landscape. The technology was originally conceived to address a persistent structural problem in corporate environments: collaboration breaks down when enterprise data is isolated across siloed team environments.

What began as a targeted solution to keep engineering and service teams aligned has expanded over a decade and a half into an enterprise-grade platform that bridges major corporate systems, including Jira, ServiceNow, Salesforce, Azure DevOps, Zendesk, Freshservice, Asana, and others.

Today, Exalate supports organizations ranging from fast-scaling startups to multinational corporations, managed service providers, and cross-company networks, helping them keep fast-moving data aligned across conflicting tools, permissions, and organizational boundaries. The company’s market distinction is built on a fundamental architectural principle: each side of an integration must retain control over its own data, local configurations, security protocols, and business logic.

This approach has grown increasingly critical as enterprise organizations weave artificial intelligence into their core operational workflows. AI systems can accelerate work, but their efficacy relies on the accuracy, context, and governance of the data flowing between business systems. When the underlying integration layer is fragile, corporate risk scales alongside automation speed. Incomplete context, broken sync logic, or unmonitored data movement can propagate errors across an enterprise before internal compliance teams can intervene.

“The governance gap in enterprise integration isn’t new. What’s new is the consequence,” said Francis Martens, co-founder and CEO of Exalate. “As AI agents begin to actively execute tasks across enterprise workflows, executive leadership needs to know exactly what data is moving, where it is routed, who controls it, and what happens when an upstream system changes. Basic connectivity is no longer sufficient. Governed integration is what keeps operational speed from turning into organizational chaos.”

De-Risking Complex Enterprise Workflows

Exalate’s ongoing product direction has been explicitly informed by complex, real-world enterprise scenarios where operational visibility and data control are mandatory. These include cross-border incident escalation, vendor-customer collaboration, large-scale M&A workflow consolidation, migration coexistence, managed service operations, and highly regulated data boundaries.

In today's business environments, standardizing on a single software tool across an entire ecosystem is rarely realistic. An internal support organization may operate natively in one system, engineering in a second, and an external strategic vendor in a third. Each entity operates under distinct compliance frameworks, security permissions, and definitions of workflow progress. Exalate is uniquely engineered to harmonize this systemic complexity without forcing any participant to yield control of their local environment.

“Fifteen years ago, integration was frequently dismissed as a back-office IT task,” notes Martens. “Today, as AI transforms enterprise operations, the reliability of that underlying synchronization layer is a boardroom priority. If your data infrastructure lacks context awareness and reliability, automation only accelerates your operational errors.”

Building AI-Assisted Integration Without Losing Control

To address these infrastructure challenges, Exalate introduced a redesigned product experience in 2026 that makes complex integrations easier to build, test, and govern while preserving enterprise control. The updated framework includes a unified management console, script versioning with rollback, and test run capabilities to validate changes before they affect live workflows.

A central element of this update is Aida, Exalate’s purpose-built, context-aware AI assistant embedded directly within the configuration flow. Aida allows operational teams to translate plain-language business intent into secure sync logic, interpret errors in context, and troubleshoot configuration issues. Rather than replacing human oversight, the AI assistant reduces manual configuration friction while ensuring all integration logic remains fully reviewable, auditable, and accountable.

This balance of operational flexibility and clear control mirrors a broader market shift. Integration has evolved past simple software connectivity to become part of the infrastructure governing how work and data move across corporate networks.

“Scaling from our roots in Antwerp into a technology provider trusted by global organizations required relentless discipline at every milestone,” says Hilde Van Brempt, CFO and co-founder of Exalate. “Our steady, product-led expansion was built by staying close to complex enterprise edge cases and making intentional architectural choices. The stability behind Exalate gives enterprise clients a foundation they can trust, while our product focus remains squarely on what’s next.”

As global enterprises scale their software footprints and deploy AI across critical workflows, Exalate’s 15-year milestone underscores an undeniable market reality: automation can only be trusted when the data layers beneath it remain synchronized, governed, and completely under control.

About Exalate

Exalate provides AI-assisted, real-time, two-way synchronization infrastructure across enterprise tools, internal teams, and corporate borders. Specifically engineered for complex ITSM, DevOps, migrations, managed service providers (MSPs), and secure cross-company B2B collaboration, Exalate allows organizations to build resilient operational bridges while maintaining ownership over their private data, local workflows, and compliance logic. The company is ISO 27001 certified and has been recognized in the Main Software 50 Benelux for three consecutive years. For more information, visit exalate.com.

Media Contact

Dafina Hristova
Brand & PR Manager, Exalate
pr@exalate.com
+32 3 318 00 81

The Scientific Association for Botanical Education and Research (SABER) today applauded the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for advancing the first randomized, placebo-controlled Phase I clinical trial evaluating mitragynine, the primary alkaloid found in the natural botanical kratom, as a potential treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD).

The study, sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), will evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of a purified mitragynine formulation known as MG001 in healthy adult volunteers. The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial represents the first human study conducted under an FDA-regulated drug development program for mitragynine.

"This is an important moment for kratom research," said Thomas Brendler, PhD, Chair of SABER's Scientific Steering Committee. "For years, there has been considerable discussion about mitragynine's potential benefits and risks, but limited controlled human data. NIH's decision to move this compound into clinical testing reflects the growing recognition that these questions deserve rigorous scientific investigation."

The study will evaluate escalating doses of mitragynine while monitoring a range of safety measures, including cardiovascular, respiratory, and pharmacokinetic outcomes. Researchers will examine how the compound is absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and eliminated in humans while collecting critical safety information needed for future studies.

According to NIH, the research is intended to support the development of mitragynine as a potential treatment for opioid use disorder. While the current study is not designed to evaluate efficacy, it represents an important first step toward understanding whether mitragynine can be safely administered under controlled clinical conditions.

"The significance of this study extends beyond the trial itself," said Dr. Mary Hardy, MD, another member of SABER’s Scientific Steering Committee. "Federal agencies are investing in research to understand the components of botanicals rather than relying on assumptions. That's exactly what many scientists, clinicians, and public health advocates have been calling for."

Hardy noted that the study focuses on purified mitragynine rather than the synthetic or semi-synthetic drugs that have emerged in recent years.

"As policymakers consider how to approach kratom and related products, it is important to recognize that not all products are the same," she said. "Research can help clarify those differences and support more informed public health decisions."

SABER views the launch of the trial as part of a broader shift toward studying botanical compounds through the same scientific framework used for other promising therapeutic candidates and commends NIH, NIDA, FDA, and the research team for advancing this work and looks forward to the publication of the study findings.

About Scientific Association for Botanical Education and Research (SABER)

The Scientific Association for Botanical Education and Research (SABER) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the evidence-based study, science-forward regulation, and safe access to botanical compounds. Led by a Scientific Steering Committee of medical professionals and researchers, SABER utilizes research partnerships, policy advocacy, and public education to ensure that natural products are studied responsibly and regulated appropriately. To learn more, visit www.saberscience.org.

Media Contact

Paloma Lehfeldt
info@saberscience.org

Krupp Agency, an independent New York-based public relations and communications strategy firm specializing in thought leadership, personal branding, and thought-led brands, today celebrates its 30th anniversary. Founded in 1996 by Heidi Krupp, who got her start at ABC NEWS 20/20 as a production secretary, Krupp Agency was launched with $5,000 and an unshakeable conviction that every expert, author, founder, and visionary brand has a backstory that is the foundation to their brand. The agency has three decades of experience transforming experts into household names and brands into cultural icons.

Over 30 years, Krupp Agency has launched more than 100 bestselling books, engineered culture-shaping campaigns and movements, and built a signature methodology centered on positioning authors, the original influencers, as authorities and businesses as influential brands. That approach has become a blueprint for modern thought leadership, PR, and strategic communications grounded in purpose.

What makes this milestone remarkable is not just its longevity, but the backstory behind it. Heidi Krupp launched her firm from Hoboken, New Jersey, with virtually no capital and no traditional path into publishing or the public relations industry but had an exceptional training ground getting her first publicity credit on Barbara Walters’ Most Fascinating People of the Year. A top literary agent recognized something in Krupp that she didn’t yet see in herself, and that lived experience being seen, elevated, and championed became the agency’s founding philosophy.

Today, helping others realize and recognize limitless potential drives every client engagement by uncovering the authentic human story behind founders, experts, authors, and brands, connecting it to larger cultural conversations, and activating it through the agency’s unrivaled network of conscious connections. Remarkably, the agency’s growth over the past 30 years has been driven entirely through referrals and long-standing client and media relationships, reinforcing its reputation as one of the industry’s most trusted independent PR firms.

“Krupp has never been just a PR agency. From the start, we’ve been producing and sharing purpose-driven stories to help inspire action and change. We look forward to continuing this into the next 30 years,” said Heidi Krupp, founder and CEO. “Throughout our history, we learned from more than 1,200 thought leaders and brands, generated 1 trillion media impressions, helped inspire 75 million readers of books sold and promoted, and represented 100+ best sellers, with 30 landing in the No. 1 slot on the New York Times list. This anniversary is our chance to finally celebrate our own story and to share everything we’ve learned from the extraordinary clients who trusted us to help tell theirs.”

To mark the 30th anniversary, the Krupp Agency is debuting a new commemorative logo and celebrating throughout 2026 by reflecting on the clients, milestones, and insights that have defined three decades of success in independent thought leadership, PR, authentic storytelling, and brand strategy.

The milestone anniversary arrives during a banner year for the firm. In 2026, Krupp Agency and its leadership have secured eight prestigious industry awards and honors recognizing excellence in strategic communications, media innovation, and independent leadership. These include high-profile distinctions from PRovoke Media's 100 Best Agencies in the US, the American Business Awards® (The Stevie® Awards), Campaign US Inspiring Women, PRNEWS Top Women in PR & Communications, the Entreprenista 100, and the Titan Women in Business Awards.

For 30 years, Krupp Agency has helped its clients tell their stories with clarity, purpose, and impact. In its anniversary year, the firm is finally turning that same lens on itself. Coinciding with the milestone, Heidi Krupp recently launched Krupp Connects, a biweekly LinkedIn newsletter focused on mentorship, entrepreneurship, authentic storytelling, brand building, and personal growth. After three decades of elevating other people’s voices, the newsletter serves as a platform for Krupp to share the insights, lessons, and conscious connections she has cultivated throughout her career as an entrepreneur, brand strategist, and thought leadership expert.

True to the agency’s foundational ethos, Krupp is also developing a charitable give-back initiative focused on important causes they work with, as well as mentorship, storytelling, and supporting emerging entrepreneurs, with a full rollout planned for later in 2026. To kick off the campaign, Krupp will donate its 30th anniversary to client charity: water, with a fundraising effort and matching commitment to help ensure people around the world have unconstrained access to life’s most basic need: clean water.   

“Reaching 30 years as an independent agency in today’s rapidly evolving media landscape is an incredible milestone,” said Darren Lisiten, Chief Financial and Operating Officer of Krupp Agency. “Our longevity comes from staying true to our values, remaining agile, and continuously reinvesting in our people, processes, technology, and ultimately, our clients. We’ve intentionally protected our independence so we can focus on work that genuinely creates impact and helps thought-led brands and visionary founders grow with authenticity and purpose.”

To follow Krupp Agency’s 30th anniversary journey, subscribe to the Krupp Connects newsletter and explore thought leadership insights from one of the country’s leading independent PR and brand strategy firms; visit Krupp Agency on LinkedIn and Instagram.

About Krupp Agency

Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Krupp is a premier PR agency for visionary thought leaders and their thought-led brands. Founded in 1996 by former television producer Heidi Krupp, the agency operates at the intersection of public relations and brand strategy. With a legacy of launching more than 100 New York Times bestsellers, Krupp specializes in transforming experts into household names and brands into cultural icons. The agency is built on the core belief that every brand has a transformative story to tell; its mission is to uncover those narratives and activate them through an unparalleled network of "conscious connections" to drive global impact. Recognized by industry leaders such as PRovoke Media, the Stevie Awards, and the Inc. 5000, Krupp remains a leading independent voice in the industry. Founder and CEO Heidi Krupp has received numerous distinctions, including Campaign US's Inspiring Women and PRNEWS' Top Women in PR.

Media Contact

Deborah Sierchio
EVP/Managing Director, Krupp Agency
dsierchio@kruppagency.com
+1 201-240-5440

Charleston luxury real estate advisor Bryan Crabtree of IndigoOak Christie’s International Real Estate today announced the listing of 222 South Plaza Court, a waterfront residence located within The Renaissance on Charleston Harbor in Mount Pleasant.

The residence is situated adjacent to Charleston Harbor and offers proximity to the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge pedestrian and cycling path, downtown Charleston, Shem Creek, Patriots Point and Charleston Harbor Marina. According to the listing, the property also features views of Charleston Harbor, the Cooper River and the downtown Charleston skyline.

Located near the foot of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, the property provides convenient access to one of the region's most frequently used recreational corridors, connecting Mount Pleasant and downtown Charleston for cyclists, runners and pedestrians. The bridge pathway extends nearly three miles across Charleston Harbor and is a prominent feature of the surrounding area.

The residence is also located within a short distance of Shem Creek, known for its waterfront dining, boating and recreational activities. Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms are accessible via nearby roadways, while downtown Charleston's dining, cultural and business districts are located across the harbor.

The Renaissance on Charleston Harbor is positioned adjacent to Patriots Point Links and Charleston Harbor Marina. The marina serves recreational and transient boaters throughout the region, while Patriots Point offers public golf overlooking Charleston Harbor.

Community amenities at The Renaissance include a waterfront swimming pool, fitness facilities, secure access, guest accommodations and landscaped common areas. The property is located within a residential setting that provides direct access to many of the area's waterfront and recreational destinations.

“There are luxury properties throughout the Charleston area,” said listing agent Bryan Crabtree. “But very few locations allow residents to experience this much of the Charleston lifestyle from a single front door. You can walk the Ravenel Bridge before breakfast, bike to Shem Creek for lunch, play a round at Patriots Point in the afternoon, meet clients downtown, have dinner on King Street, and be back home with a glass of wine overlooking the harbor before ten. The completeness of this lifestyle is what separates The Renaissance from virtually everything else available in the market right now.”

For additional information about 222 South Plaza Court, contact Bryan Crabtree at +1 843-343-4141 or visit www.therealestateexperts.com.

About Bryan Crabtree Real Estate

Bryan Crabtree is a Charleston, South Carolina real estate broker and Realtor® with Indigo Oak | Christie’s International Real Estate, serving Charleston, Mount Pleasant, and the surrounding Lowcountry. With over 27 years of experience, more than 5,500 homes sold, and over $1 billion in career sales, he has consistently been recognized as one of the top-performing agents in the Charleston market. Crabtree specializes in luxury homes, historic properties, golf communities, and waterfront real estate, working with both local and relocating buyers and sellers. He is widely known for his expertise in pricing strategy, advanced marketing, and maximizing value for his clients. For more information, visit www.therealestateexperts.com.

Media Contact

Bryan Crabtree
Real Estate Broker, IndigoOak | Christie's International Real Estate
bc@therealestateexperts.com
+1 843-343-4141

Cardtonic, a leading African fintech platform serving over 1.8 million active users across Nigeria and Ghana, announced the participation of its chief executive officer, Emmanuel Sohe, in the "The New Go-To-Market Blueprint: Building Predictable Revenue in 2026" panel session at Web Summit Vancouver 2026. The global tech conference is held between May 11 and 14 at the Vancouver Convention Centre, Canada.

Sohe was among the invited operators who shared practical, experience-backed insights on building predictable and sustainable revenue. What made Cardtonic’s story stand out is that the company reached this scale without raising a single dollar of institutional seed capital.

Building Predictable Revenue in an Emerging Market

Sohe opened his contribution by putting the challenge in context. “If you are from an emerging market where I am from, where trust, infrastructural constraints, and regulatory complexity make it a bit difficult to predict your revenue, you are quick to learn that you need more than just a blueprint to scale in the market,” he told the audience.

For Cardtonic, operating in a volatile macroeconomic environment forced a level of structural discipline that most well-funded startups never develop. Growth was tied to actual customer demand rather than vanity metrics like total downloads, page views, or registered user counts.

That discipline is visible in how the business scaled: from a manual gift card trading operation to a multi-product super-app offering virtual dollar cards, NFC contactless cards, eSIMs, bill payment services, and a gadget store, all funded by cash-flowing utility rather than outside capital.

Three Things Cardtonic Says Every Product Needs

Sohe outlined three practical requirements he believes any product must meet to generate predictable revenue, particularly in the African market.

“One, your product needs to be innovative. What are you bringing to the market? Can your users depend on it? You can come up with all of the frameworks and models you need, but without an innovative product, there’s a high chance that you’ll still fail. Two, pricing is a big deal back home in Africa. People are very careful about their one cent. So your pricing also has to be competitive. Third, your tech needs to be agile. Your engineering velocity is almost proportionally related to your revenue velocity,” Sohe said.

The Role of Product in Revenue Strategy

The panel also explored whether siloed departments hurt or help a startup’s ability to generate consistent revenue.

Sohe’s answer was direct: the product is what ties everything together. “When you have a growth, tech, finance, and marketing team all doing separate work, the product is what unifies everyone,” he said.

His recommendation was to create a unified KPI that mirrors the product’s performance, so every team is pulling in the same direction rather than optimising for separate outcomes.

Focus on What Happens After Acquisition

Sohe closed his session with a challenge to founders on where they place their attention. “Most founders obsess over user acquisition. But what you should obsess over is what happens after the user acquisition. Where do you go from there? And what do you want to do differently?”

That shift in focus, from acquiring users to retaining and growing them, reflects the broader theme of the session: in today’s funding climate, investors are paying closer attention to companies with clear paths to profitability. Sustainable growth has become the real competitive advantage.

Cardtonic’s presence at Web Summit Vancouver and the practical lessons Sohe contributed make a strong case for why African fintech operators are increasingly relevant in global conversations about building businesses that last.

About Cardtonic

Cardtonic is a fast-growing fintech super-app enabling payments beyond borders through alternative channels such as virtual dollar cards and digital assets. The platform serves more than 1.5 million users, providing frictionless access to global payments, secure gift card exchange, international bills, and digital connectivity via eSIMs.

With a strong culture of discipline, speed, and customer trust, Cardtonic gives Africans the freedom to transact globally without relying solely on limited traditional banking rails. For more information, visit cardtonic.com.

Media Contact

Partnerships Team
clients@memoir-communications.com

Chairman of the Federation of Saudi Chambers and President of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Development, Abdullah Saleh Kamel, said the world needs an economic system that restores ethics to capital, warning of structural imbalances in the prevailing global economic model.

Speaking at the opening of the Third Global Islamic Economy Summit in Istanbul, Kamel said the shortcomings of the current model stem from the transformation of capital into a “negative instrument” concerned only with its owner and private gain, without regard for any adverse consequences resulting from its use, particularly for the most vulnerable groups and marginalized communities.

The summit, organized by the AlBaraka Forum for Islamic Economy under the theme “Capital in the Islamic Economy: Structuring Wealth for Sustainable Development,” is being held from June 3-6 in Istanbul under the patronage and in the presence of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Abdullah bin Humaid, Imam and Khateeb of the Grand Mosque, advisor at the Saudi Royal Court, member of the Council of Senior Scholars, and president of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy.

Kamel, who also serves as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the AlBaraka Forum for Islamic Economy, stressed the need for an economic system based on justice and productive spending rather than profit alone. He criticized corporate social responsibility practices in their current form, saying companies contribute only a fraction of what is needed to remedy the significant harm their practices inflict on the environment, people, and animals, in violation of the Islamic principle of preventing harm.

He noted that countries around the world are studying the introduction of legal age restrictions on social media use to protect children after studies demonstrated its harmful effects on their minds, psychological well-being, and behavior. He said this reflects the depth of the ethical imbalance in the prevailing economic model, which produces such practices and then struggles to address their consequences.

Kamel outlined three characteristics that should define capital in the Islamic economy. First, capital should be productive, generate wealth, and be spent. Second, money itself should not be traded as a commodity, which forms the basis for the prohibition of usury (riba), as it transforms money into a commodity rather than a tool serving the economy. Third, wealth should neither be hoarded nor monopolized, but developed through zakat, charitable giving, and endowments (awqaf), which constitute a form of social and charitable capital.

He said wealth concentration and rising sovereign debt are interconnected phenomena that reveal the depth of the imbalance in the prevailing global economic model. He noted that wealth continues to become increasingly concentrated in the hands of the wealthiest one percent, both within individual countries and globally, resulting in the rich becoming richer and the poor becoming poorer.

He added that the dominance of multinational corporations, particularly major technology companies, continues to expand, while governments and societies seek to reduce their negative effects.

Addressing sovereign debt, Kamel said finance ministers’ primary concern today is meeting annual debt-servicing obligations, while repayment of the principal lies beyond the scope of consideration. He said this situation places a burden on stronger economies before weaker ones and highlights deep structural imbalances in the global economic system.

Kamel attributed the root cause of these challenges to the transformation of capital into a “negative instrument” focused solely on its owner and private benefit, without consideration for the effects it leaves on others, particularly vulnerable groups and marginalized communities.

He stressed that Islamic economics offers a different structural framework for capital based on productivity, wealth creation, spending, the prohibition of trading money itself, and the development of wealth through zakat, charitable giving, and endowments. He said this framework is intended not only to benefit Muslims, but humanity as a whole.

Concluding his remarks, Kamel said the role of capital in Islamic economics extends beyond serving Muslims to benefiting all humanity. He expressed hope that the summit would serve as an influential model for Muslim capital in the service of humanity through its financial sustainability, growing impact, and leadership in shaping the future of Islamic economics.

The Third Global Islamic Economy Summit is being held with the participation of ministers, central bank governors, heads of financial institutions, and researchers from around the world.

The summit is organized by the AlBaraka Forum for Islamic Economy in strategic partnership with the Investment and Finance Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, the Turkish Wealth Fund, the Istanbul Financial Center, Ibn Haldun University, and the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum.

Marquis Who’s Who is honoring Stacey Carreiro, senior manager of finance at Kroll LLC, for her distinguished career in the complex world of international financial operations. Ms. Carreiro approaches her responsibilities not simply as a role, but as a series of high-impact challenges requiring precision, strategic thinking and disciplined execution. Based in Oxford, New Jersey, she is focused on strengthening finance and accounting operations through a leadership style grounded in accountability, curiosity and continuous improvement.

Ms. Carreiro considers her pursuit of higher education one of her most defining accomplishments. After beginning her professional career, she made the deliberate decision to return to school in her 20s to formally pursue finance and accounting. Over the course of a demanding decade, she balanced full-time roles, career advancement and significant personal responsibilities, demonstrating resilience and sustained commitment. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting from Kaplan University in 2013.

Continuing her academic progression, Ms. Carreiro earned a scholarship that enabled her to move directly into her graduate program, where she completed a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in finance and accounting in 2016 and was recognized on the dean’s list for her academic performance. She is currently advancing her professional credentials and is working toward certification through Payroll.org, reflecting her commitment to ongoing technical development. She also holds a Certificate in Accounting from CDM Institute and is a member of The Alpha Beta Kappa National Honor Society and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.

A defining element of Ms. Carreiro’s career trajectory has been her long-standing professional relationship with a chief financial officer who recognized her leadership potential early on. This mentorship led to progressive roles at Jackson Hewitt, Covanta (now Reworld) and ultimately Kroll LLC, with each role expanding her scope of responsibility and operational impact.

Ms. Carreiro has consistently delivered measurable improvements across complex organizations. During her tenure at Jackson Hewitt Inc., where she spent close to a decade, her contributions were recognized with a “Best in Class” nomination, culminating in her participation in the Closing Bell ceremony at the New York Stock Exchange in 2010. Her work supported operational effectiveness across a network of more than 4,000 locations. At Covanta, she further established herself as a transformation-focused leader by streamlining accounts payable operations and advancing automation initiatives and system implementations that enhanced efficiency, scalability and control.

Through her leadership, Ms. Carreiro has emphasized accountability, process integrity and team development. She takes on challenges with energy and purpose and works effectively with teams across global regions. She believes that effective global teamwork is built on clear communication, mutual respect and an understanding of regional differences in both business practices and culture. Drawing on experience working across multiple regions, she has successfully aligned teams around shared objectives and driven consistent results in complex, multinational environments.

Looking ahead, Ms. Carreiro is strategically focused on transitioning into consulting over the next five to 10 years, where she aims to partner with a broader range of organizations to optimize financial operations and implement sustainable process improvements. Her advice to aspiring professionals reflects her own journey: “Take risks and never feel like you can't do something — because the only real limitation is choosing not to try.”

Outside of her professional accomplishments, Ms. Carreiro places a strong emphasis on maintaining balance and personal fulfillment. She enjoys traveling and values the opportunity it provides to experience different cultures, perspectives, and ways of working. In her role within a global organization, she believes that embracing diversity and working effectively with people across the world is essential to driving innovation and achieving strong business outcomes. She also enjoys reading, spending time with her family, and maintaining a busy lifestyle. Additionally, she is deeply interested in pedigree dog training and development, with a particular appreciation for the standards and practices associated with the American Kennel Club (AKC), reflecting her dedication to discipline, structure and continuous improvement both professionally and personally. 

About Stacey Carreiro

Stacey Carreiro is a finance and accounting leader with extensive experience driving operational excellence across complex, multinational organizations. Currently serving as Senior Manager of Finance at Kroll LLC, she specializes in financial operations, process improvement, automation, and global team leadership. Throughout her career, Ms. Carreiro has led transformative initiatives at organizations including Jackson Hewitt, Covanta (now Reworld), and Kroll, earning recognition for her commitment to accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.

About Marquis Who's Who

Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who’s Who in America®, Marquis Who’s Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who’s Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms worldwide. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who’s Who® website, marquiswhoswho.com.

Romanian law firm Blaj Law has obtained a series of final court rulings annulling additional VAT liabilities imposed by the Romanian tax authority on HoReCa (an acronym for hotels, restaurants, and cafés/catering) operators in relation to coffee and tea-based beverages served in cafés, restaurants, bars and vending machines.

The VAT Dispute Concerning Coffee and Tea-Based Beverages

The judgments have enabled companies represented by Blaj Law to recover several million Romanian lei, and have created a relevant line of case law in a matter that affected the entire Romanian HoReCa sector. The rulings confirm that fiscal obligations must have a clear legal basis and cannot be created or extended through subsequent administrative interpretation.

The disputes concerned the VAT rate applicable to coffee and tea-based beverages following the fiscal amendments applicable from 1 January 2023. Through those amendments, certain non-alcoholic beverages were removed from the reduced VAT regime. In its considerations, the legislative change referred, in particular, to beverages containing added sugar, other sweeteners or flavourings. In the text of the law, the change targeted products falling under specific customs classification codes.

As such, the measure was generally perceived as targeting soft drinks and similar bottled products, rather than coffee or tea-based beverages prepared for immediate consumption in the HoReCa market. Coffee and tea-based beverages served in cafés, restaurants, bars or through vending machines are not typically placed on the market as bottled soft drinks and were not regarded by operators as falling under the relevant customs classification codes. They are prepared on the spot, served directly to the consumer and, in many cases, do not contain added sugar or sweeteners unless the consumer expressly requests or adds them.

For this reason, during a significant period after the entry into force of the amendments, most operators treated such beverages as continuing to benefit from the reduced 9% VAT rate applicable in Romania at the time. This approach was also supported by the fact that certain operators expressly sought clarification from local fiscal authorities as to whether the amendments applied to coffee and tea-based beverages prepared and served for immediate consumption in cafés and similar HoReCa venues. In one such case, the answer received from a local tax authority indicated that the amendment did not apply to these products. At that stage, however, no unified national interpretation had been issued.

Several months later, the national tax authority adopted a unified interpretation taking a different view, considering that certain liquid products based on coffee, tea or cocoa could fall within the category excluded from the reduced VAT regime and should therefore have been subject to the standard 19% VAT rate.

Following tax audits, operators were required to pay the 10% VAT difference for products already sold to final consumers. Since the transactions had already taken place, the prices had already been paid and the fiscal receipts had already been issued, the additional VAT could no longer be recovered from customers. As a result, the reassessed VAT became a direct cost for the businesses concerned.

For high-volume products, the financial exposure was substantial. A difference that may appear limited when assessed at the level of an individual product may have a material impact when applied across thousands or millions of transactions, and that was exactly the case here. The exposure was further increased by interest and penalties, although the taxpayers had acted in a period marked by legislative ambiguity and lack of clear administrative practice.

Court Challenges and Final Rulings Obtained by Blaj Law

Blaj Law challenged this approach before the Romanian courts on behalf of several operators in the HoReCa industry. The firm argued that the tax authority had exceeded the limits of the applicable legal framework and had unlawfully assimilated coffee and tea-based beverages to a category of products which the legislature had not intended to exclude from the reduced VAT regime.

Blaj Law further argued that, even if the wording of the legislation left room for interpretation, such ambiguity could not be resolved by adopting the most burdensome reading for taxpayers and applying it to transactions already completed. In tax matters, administrative interpretation cannot replace the law and cannot be used to extend the scope of a fiscal obligation beyond the wording, purpose and limits set by the legislature.

On June 12, 2025, the Brașov Court of Appeal issued the first final judgment in this series of disputes, upholding the annulment of the tax authority’s decisions establishing additional VAT liabilities. In that case, the court confirmed that the application of the 19% VAT rate, instead of the reduced 9% rate, to coffee and tea-based beverages was unlawful.

The same approach was followed in subsequent cases finally resolved to date, confirming that the disputed interpretation was not an isolated assessment issue, but reflected an administrative practice that could not be upheld within the limits of the applicable legal framework.

The consequences of the judgments were substantial for the firm’s clients. Once the tax claims were annulled, the taxpayers were restored to their previous legal position, and the amounts already paid became subject to restitution, together with the related interest. The rulings therefore reversed not only the legal position adopted by the tax authority, but also the economic effect of that interpretation on the companies concerned.

“Tax obligations cannot be created or extended through administrative interpretation. Where the law is ambiguous, the taxpayer cannot be penalised for adopting a reasonable and legally grounded interpretation, especially in respect of transactions already completed,” stated Bogdan Blaj, Blaj Law founder and managing partner.

Broader Implications for Taxpayers in Romania

The VAT disputes handled by Blaj Law arise in a broader fiscal context in which companies operating in Romania have faced frequent legislative amendments, increased tax burdens and inconsistent administrative practice. Romania has been undergoing an accelerated fiscal adjustment, under the pressure of major budget deficits. In recent years, the fiscal framework has been amended repeatedly, including through increases in tax rates, restrictions on preferential tax regimes, changes to reduced VAT rates, amendments to the taxation of dividends and other measures aimed at consolidating public finances and increasing budget revenues.

For companies, however, the effect goes beyond a higher tax burden. Higher taxation is a challenge that businesses may incorporate into their financial planning where the rules are clear, stable and applied consistently. A more difficult risk arises where rules are amended rapidly, their scope is unclear, secondary legislation or implementation guidance is delayed, and administrative practice varies from one period to another or from one taxpayer to another.

As an EU Member State and one of the largest markets in Central and Eastern Europe, Romania remains an important jurisdiction for cross-border investment, manufacturing, retail, energy, technology, transport and services. However, companies operating in Romania must increasingly assess not only the content of fiscal legislation, but also the risk that such legislation may later be interpreted by the tax administration in a stricter or more burdensome manner.

The central question for taxpayers is therefore not only what the law provides at a given moment, but whether the interpretation adopted in good faith at the time of the transaction will remain accepted, whether administrative practice will be applied consistently and whether the tax authority may subsequently reassess completed transactions on the basis of a different interpretation.

In this context, the final rulings obtained by Blaj Law are significant because they confirm the role of judicial review as a safeguard against unlawful or excessive administrative interpretation. Courts do not replace the legislature and do not deny the State’s right to collect taxes. However, they have the authority and obligation to verify whether a tax act was issued in compliance with the law, whether the authority’s interpretation has a valid legal basis and whether the obligation imposed on the taxpayer is lawful and justified.

The experience of Blaj Law in the VAT on coffee litigation shows that an administrative tax interpretation in Romania may be successfully challenged where it lacks sufficient legal basis. For companies, the practical conclusion is that in an unstable fiscal climate, legal defense is a necessary component of tax risk management.

About Blaj Law

Blaj Law is a Romanian law firm advising local and international clients on complex legal matters involving dispute resolution, tax and administrative litigation, corporate, commercial law and regulatory issues. The firm combines courtroom experience with strategic legal consultancy, assisting companies in preventing, managing and resolving disputes with public authorities, commercial partners and other stakeholders. Its work includes analysing and challenging tax and administrative acts, representing clients before Romanian courts, advising on regulatory and commercial risks, and managing cases in which the interpretation of legal rules may have significant economic effects on business operations.

Icarus Behavioral Health Nevada is raising awareness of its integrated treatment services for adults facing gambling addiction alongside mental health and substance use concerns, offering structured care for a growing need in Las Vegas, across Nevada, and throughout the nation.

Gambling addiction can affect finances, relationships, employment, emotional stability, and overall well-being. For many individuals, compulsive gambling is not an isolated concern. It may occur alongside depression, anxiety, trauma, alcohol use, drug use, or other behavioral health challenges that make recovery more complex. 

Icarus Nevada addresses these overlapping needs through a dual diagnosis model designed to treat the broader clinical picture, not just the outward behavior.

“Gambling addiction often carries a heavy burden of secrecy and shame, and many people try to manage it alone for far too long,” said a spokesperson for Icarus Behavioral Health Nevada. “Our goal is to help clients understand that gambling disorder is treatable, especially when care also addresses the anxiety, depression, trauma, or substance use concerns that may be present at the same time.”

With locations in Henderson and Las Vegas, Icarus Behavioral Health Nevada provides adult mental health and addiction treatment for those who need a more structured level of support. The program helps clients examine the patterns, triggers, emotional stressors, and underlying conditions that can contribute to gambling behavior while also building tools for long-term recovery.

Particularly in Las Vegas, where gaming, sports wagering, and online betting are highly visible and easily accessible, recovery can be difficult without professional support. Icarus Nevada works with clients to develop practical coping skills, relapse prevention strategies, emotional regulation tools, and healthier responses to stress and urges.

Both outpatient and residential treatment programs at Icarus include individual therapy, group therapy, behavioral health support, relapse prevention planning, and personalized care coordination based on each client’s needs. When gambling addiction occurs alongside substance use or psychiatric symptoms, the clinical team works to address both concerns together so that untreated challenges in one area do not undermine progress in another.

Icarus Behavioral Health Nevada also recognizes the importance of family education and support. Gambling addiction often affects spouses, parents, children, and loved ones who may feel confused, hurt, or unsure how to respond. 

By helping families better understand compulsive gambling and dual diagnosis concerns, the program aims to reduce stigma and support more informed care decisions.

About Icarus Behavioral Health Nevada

Icarus Behavioral Health Nevada provides JCAHO-accredited, compassionate, and evidence-based care for individuals facing substance use disorders, mental health challenges, and behavioral addictions. Through personalized treatment plans, integrated inpatient programs, and a commitment to long-term recovery, the organization helps clients build healthier, more stable lives in a supportive therapeutic environment. Many forms of insurance are accepted for treatment. For more information, visit icarusbehavioralhealthnevada.com.

Disclaimer

This press release is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, treatment recommendations, or a guarantee of treatment outcomes. Individual results may vary based on a variety of factors, including personal circumstances, clinical needs, and participation in treatment. Anyone experiencing gambling-related, mental health, or substance use concerns should consult a qualified healthcare professional to determine appropriate care. References to treatment services, accreditation, or insurance acceptance are subject to change and may vary by location, provider availability, and individual eligibility.

Media Contact

Rachel Lissor
contact@icarusbhnv.com

The 4th Tianjin International Shipping Industry Expo (TISIE) opened in north China's Tianjin Municipality on June 2, showcasing growing AI opportunities in the shipping industry. This event is organized by Zhenwei International Exhibition Group.

Themed shipping to the world and navigating towards the future with AI leading new opportunities for the development of ports and shipping, the four-day expo covered fields such as green shipping, maritime equipment, logistics services and more.

The TISIE has been held annually in Tianjin since 2023 to promote global shipping cooperation, industry investment and trade exchange.

Xu Kai, chief information officer of Shanghai International Shipping Institute, said that China has built the world's largest network of automated container terminals, with notable breakthroughs in unmanned shore cranes, intelligent guided vehicles and automated yards.

"Terminal equipment should not only operate efficiently but also perform regional dynamic optimization based on real-time fluctuations in vessel arrivals, sudden weather changes and instantaneous cargo flow surges," Xu said. "This requires AI to evolve from executing commands to autonomous reasoning, and from single-machine intelligence to group collaboration."

Waqas Samad, CEO of Lloyd's List Intelligence, said that with the world's largest fleet, and as the world's biggest shipbuilder and producer of shipping containers, China plays a key role in today's shipping landscape. But more importantly, China represents something significant about the future of shipping, not just scale and infrastructure, but the combination of connectivity, technology and intelligence.

"AI will reshape our industry in practical and powerful ways," said Thomas Sim, president of the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations.

He noted that AI should empower freight forwarders, not replace their professional judgment; enhance human capability, not remove accountability; and strengthen the role of freight forwarders as trusted logistics architects, not reduce them to platform users.

Feng Boming, vice president of China Merchants Group Limited, said that AI was evolving from a conversational assistant that supports decision-making and improves efficiency to an action-oriented intelligent agent capable of autonomously understanding intentions, invoking tools and executing specific tasks.

"However, greater autonomy also entails greater security responsibilities," Feng said. "We must clearly recognize that behind AI's empowerment of thousands of industries, various new types of security risks and governance challenges continue to emerge, posing entirely new challenges to the orderly development of the industry and the safe operation of the sector."

X-VPN has completed an independent no-logs audit conducted by one of the Big Four auditing firms on February 28, 2026 under the ISAE 3000 (Revised) standard. The review examined whether the company’s privacy policy statements on user data handling were supported in practice by its systems, operations, and governance processes.

What the Audit Covers in Practice

The audit examined whether X-VPN’s Privacy Policy statements related to user data handling were supported in practice by the company’s systems, operational processes, and governance measures. Within that defined scope, the audit was organized around five areas tied to X-VPN’s handling of user data and the controls surrounding it. First, X-VPN does not store or record sensitive user activity information. Second, it examined the company limits data processing to the minimum user information required to provide the service. Third, VPN servers, core databases, and code are maintained in a secure and compliant manner across deployment, operation, and maintenance. Fourth, it looked at the Privacy Policy and its execution remained aligned with actual system operations and data-handling practices. Fifth, it included the mechanisms related to X-VPN’s data protection supervision framework, including those oversight processes operating with independence, transparency, and traceability.

In practical terms, this means the review was not framed around a single no-logs policy in isolation. It connected the company’s public-facing privacy commitments with the operational and governance structures that support them. The audit therefore covered both the handling of activity-related data and the broader processes intended to ensure that privacy-policy commitments are applied consistently in practice.

What the Audit Result Indicates

Based on the audit result, X-VPN does not track, collect, or store data that could identify users or link them to their online activities. This includes user IP addresses, destination IP addresses, websites visited, browsing history, VPN server information, DNS queries, downloaded content, VPN connection timestamps, and sensitive payment details. Framed this way, the outcome speaks directly to the types of records users and outside observers most often look to when assessing whether a no-logs position is meaningful in practice.

Those categories matter because they are the kinds of data that could otherwise be used to reconstruct where a user connected from, what destinations were accessed, or when activity took place. By stating the result in terms of specific data types rather than broad privacy language alone, the audit gives a more concrete foundation for understanding what the reviewed no-logs commitments cover within scope.

Industry Context: Increasing Demand for Verification

The audit comes at a time when privacy claims in the VPN market are facing closer scrutiny from both users and regulators. While “no-logs” has become a common positioning across many VPN providers, the extent to which those claims are independently examined varies widely across the industry.

In recent years, expectations have shifted from broad privacy assurances toward more verifiable forms of evidence. For users, the key question is no longer only what a provider states in its policy, but whether those statements can be assessed against actual systems and operational practices. Independent audits have increasingly become one of the ways to bridge that gap.

At the same time, regulatory attention around data handling and user privacy has continued to grow in multiple jurisdictions. This has added further emphasis on transparency, consistency between policy and practice, and the ability to demonstrate how user data is handled within defined frameworks.

Within that context, third-party assurance engagements such as no-logs audits are being used more frequently as a reference point for evaluating privacy claims. They can provide a clearer view of how a provider’s stated practices align with its operations.

Access to the Audit Report

X-VPN makes the audit report available to users through its account center. Users can access the report after logging in to their X-VPN account.

Providing access to the report matters because it gives users a direct way to review the audit outcome beyond summary statements in announcements or product messaging. In practical terms, it means the result is not presented only as a headline claim, but as a documented review that users can consult within the company’s designated access path.

Company Comment

According to Sandra Mitchell, Tech Writer and PR Lead at X-VPN, the audit is intended as part of a broader, ongoing effort rather than a one-time announcement. She described the audit as a starting point for continued transparency initiatives, including regular audits and incremental improvements to privacy and security practices.

Mitchell also stated that X-VPN plans to incorporate commonly raised concerns regarding privacy gaps and information visibility into a longer-term governance roadmap. According to her, the goal is to address these areas through trackable updates and verifiable actions rather than isolated responses.

As part of this approach, Mitchell said that X-VPN will continue publishing updates through its Transparency Report on the company's official website. She also noted that X-VPN has introduced additional privacy and security features, including post-quantum encryption and Tor over VPN, as part of its ongoing product development efforts.

In addition, Mitchell stated that X-VPN has supported organizations focused on internet security and privacy, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and the Internet Society (ISOC), and expects to continue supporting similar initiatives in the future.

About X-VPN

X-VPN is a global privacy and security service operated by LIGHTNINGLINK NETWORKS PTE. LTD., based in Singapore. With over 10,000 servers across 80 countries, X-VPN provides encrypted internet access using AES‑256 encryption, supporting users in protecting data, and maintaining anonymity online. The company enforces a strict no-logs policy, ensuring that no identifiable data is ever stored or shared. For more information, visit xvpn.io.

Media Contact

Sandra Mitchell 
Tech Writer and PR Lead, X-VPN
sandramitchell@media.xvpn.io

SignalPlus, a leading provider of institutional digital assets options and derivatives trading infrastructure, today announced the closing of its US$50M Series B1 funding round at a post-money valuation of US$500M. This round was led by HashKey Capital, with follow-on participation from BlockBooster and AppWorks. This investment reflects institutional conviction in SignalPlus’s evolution from a digital assets specialist into an institutional-grade, multi-asset trading infrastructure provider.

Goldman Sachs served as the sole financial advisor on the transaction.

Empowering Institutional Options and Derivatives Trading with Best-in-Class Technology

Founded by a team of capital markets veterans and enterprise tech builders, SignalPlus has established a reputation as the industry-leading options trading platform for institutional traders in the digital assets space. The company’s flagship trading terminal offers a Wall Street-grade position and order execution management system made accessible to the professional trader. Featuring multi-venue connectivity to the industry’s largest exchanges, it delivers unparalleled risk attribution, position analytics, and comprehensive ‘what-if’ scenario analysis exceeding the standard of current market alternatives.  

Additionally, its comprehensive risk management and pricing infrastructure enables professional clients and centralized exchanges to operate automated risk management and structured product pricing around the clock. Trusted by the industry’s largest market makers and CEXs, the company achieved a record US$160 billion in platform volumes during Q4-2025, including nearly US$70 billion in Block-RFQ transactions cleared via Deribit alone.  Furthermore, terminal volumes have grown at a 74% quarterly CAGR since 2023, driven by a significant rise in institutional onboarding, with the SignalPlus platform now servicing the industry’s largest options players including Cumberland, FalconX, and Galaxy Digital.

Bridging the Technology Gap Between Digital Assets and Traditional Finance

As the institutional adoption of digital assets accelerates, SignalPlus has expanded its technology suite to support structured commodity products, bringing vital modernization to a market long reliant on outdated legacy infrastructure. Proceeds from this latest fundraising round will drive product diversification and geographic expansion, building upon a trajectory that has seen the company’s market share multiply tenfold over the past 18 months.

Furthermore, SignalPlus will be releasing a comprehensive platform upgrade integrating agentic AI into its existing product workflow. Powered by the company’s proprietary QuantLab engine, users will soon be able to analyze volatility market structure, perform strategy back-testing, and create actionable trading modules — a step-change improvement over the workflow available at incumbent brokerages.

“SignalPlus was founded with the ambitious goal to be the leading infrastructure bridge connecting digital assets with traditional capital markets, a journey defined by strict operational discipline at every cycle. This funding round powers the next inflection point - growing our crypto leadership against a maturing regulatory backdrop, extending our institutional-grade infrastructure into traditional finance, and launching the SignalPlus 2.0 platform to bring agentic AI capabilities into a secure trading environment accessible to every user," said Chris Yu, co-founder and CEO of SignalPlus.

“The digital asset market is entering a new phase of institutional maturity, and SignalPlus has established itself as the leading infrastructure provider in the crypto options space, delivering a platform that meets the highest standards of operational rigor, risk management, and liquidity demanded by top-tier institutions globally. We believe the next wave of digital finance will win at the infrastructure layer, and in options, SignalPlus is already defining that standard. As regulatory clarity accelerates across key markets, this partnership will be central to expanding Hashkey Group's product offerings and reinforcing our leadership across the institutional digital asset ecosystem. We are pleased to lead this round and to deepen our long-term partnership with the team,” said Deng Chao, CEO of HashKey Capital.

"SignalPlus provides the infrastructure underpinning institutional participation in digital asset derivatives, combining the liquidity, risk management, and operational rigor that sophisticated players demand. Our relationship with the team long predates this round, and this investment directly aligns with a core thesis BlockBooster has long held: that institutional capital will enter digital assets through credible, enterprise-grade infrastructure. As a full-stack alternative asset manager pairing an incubation engine with capital management, we see SignalPlus sitting precisely at that intersection. We anticipate deep collaboration as their infrastructure connects with our capital strategies and broader ecosystem, and we are proud to back that vision with a significant commitment as the team enters its next phase of growth," said Samuel Gu, founder and CEO of BlockBooster.

About SignalPlus

Headquartered in Hong Kong, SignalPlus builds institutional-grade derivatives trading infrastructure for the converging capital markets. Its platform provides professional options analytics, real-time risk management, and execution tools to hedge funds, market makers, proprietary trading desks, and asset managers across digital and traditional financial markets. The company partners with the industry’s leading exchanges and trading institutions, and is backed by HashKey Capital, AppWorks, Tencent, and other prominent technology and financial investors.

Media Contact

Corri Wang
pr@signalplus.com

Campfire is proud to announce it has been named to Inc.’s 2026 Best Workplaces list. The list honors American companies that have built exceptional workplaces and vibrant cultures that support their teams and businesses, whether in-person, remote, or hybrid.

The award is the result of comprehensive measurement and evaluation of hundreds of applicants. The process involved a detailed employee survey conducted by Quantum Workplace, covering critical elements such as management effectiveness, perks, professional development, and overall company culture. Each company’s benefits were also audited to determine the overall score. Campfire is honored to be included among the 507 companies recognized this year.

"This recognition means a great deal because it comes directly from the people who make Campfire what it is," said John Glasgow, founder and CEO of Campfire. "We've grown from 10 to over 115-plus employees over the last year by hiring people with exceptional drive, curiosity, and ownership. We believe the best talent is looking for growth, and we've built a culture where people can learn quickly, take on real responsibility, and have a meaningful impact from day one.” 

Campfire builds AI-native ERP software for modern finance and accounting teams. Designed as a full replacement for legacy systems, Campfire brings together the general ledger, revenue automation, close management, and reporting in one unified platform. Its proprietary AI technologies, including its Ember agents, are trained exclusively on accounting data to automate tasks such as reconciliations, anomaly detection, and report drafting with industry-leading accuracy. This allows finance teams to close faster, reduce manual work, and focus on analysis instead of administration.

“This year’s Best Workplaces list goes beyond great company culture — it highlights companies making meaningful and sustained investment in their employees,” said Bonny Ghosh, editorial director at Inc. “Even in a labor market that favors employers, these companies understand that an intentional and authentic commitment to their teams drives stronger employee retention, engagement, and ultimately, a stronger business overall.”

To view the full list of winners, visit www.inc.com/best-workplaces/2026.

About Campfire

Campfire is the AI-native ERP for high-growth companies. They give modern, mid-market and enterprise accounting teams superpowers by automating the work that nobody wants to do: manual transaction categorization, bank reconciliation, revenue recognition, and variance analysis. Their customers close 5x faster and save up to hundreds of thousands annually. Campfire is privileged to work with some of the fastest-growing AI companies in the world, including Replit, Decagon, and PostHog, as well as services providers, health tech, and aerospace companies. For more information, visit campfire.ai.

About Inc.

Inc. is the leading media brand and playbook for entrepreneurs and business. Through its journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of its community: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating the future of business. Inc. is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow leading business publication Fast Company. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

About Quantum Workplace

Quantum Workplace, based in Omaha, Nebraska, is an HR technology company that serves organizations through employee-engagement surveys, action-planning tools, exit surveys, peer-to-peer recognition, performance evaluations, goal tracking, and leadership assessment. For more information, visit www.quantumworkplace.com.

Media Contact

Katrina Queirolo
katrina@campfire.ai

Generative AI has made finished work easier to produce and harder to interpret. Two people can submit equally polished AI-assisted work while demonstrating very different reasoning. Most institutions still see only the output. For more than a century, institutions evaluated people through exams, grades, resumes and credentials. In the age of generative AI, output alone is no longer enough to measure reasoning, judgment, or understanding.

Today, Answer Labs Inc., the company behind the Answerr platform, launched AIQ™ — a learning-provenance system that documents how a person reasons with AI across a body of work and converts that behavioral evidence into a verifiable AIQ profile and credential. The company describes AIQ as “proof of intelligence for the age of AI.”

Rather than detecting whether AI was used, AIQ evaluates how it was used. The system analyzes behaviors such as verifying claims, refining prompts, challenging outputs, connecting sources and recovering from weak AI responses.

AIQ is built for universities, employers and learning platforms that need to evaluate AI-assisted work without banning tools or relying on AI detection. As AI fluency becomes increasingly important in admissions, hiring and workforce development, AIQ is designed to provide institutions with a standardized signal of AI-assisted reasoning and judgment.

“AI can generate infinite content. Human judgment is becoming a scarce resource,” said Mohd Qaiser Malik, co-founder and CEO of Answer Labs Inc. “The future will not reward people for accessing AI. It will reward those who think well while working alongside it.”

AIQ is built on SLPT, the Standard Learning Provenance Taxonomy — an open specification for structuring behavioral evidence in AI-mediated learning environments.

The reference implementation includes 178 tests and five interoperability adapters — LTI 1.3, xAPI, CLR 2.0, cmi5, and Common Cartridge — enabling compatibility with systems institutions already use.

SLPT has been published under the Apache 2.0 license with a registered DOI (10.5281/zenodo.20297510), allowing institutions, researchers, and developers to inspect, validate, and build on the framework openly.

The framework was developed with contributions from Trond Arne Undheim, author of "The Platinum Workforce: How to Train and Hire for the 21st Century’s Industrial Transition," and Nada Hashmi, co-founder of Answer Labs and MIT Research Affiliate.

Answer Labs is also part of the MIT Startup Exchange (STEX), a corporate-startup collaboration platform, and is currently inviting universities, enterprises, LMS providers and workforce organizations to collaborate on the next phase of AI governance and learning-provenance infrastructure.

About Answer Labs Inc. (Answerr)

Answer Labs Inc. is an AI infrastructure company building systems for trusted learning, human judgment verification, and AI-assisted education and workforce environments. Its flagship platform, Answerr, provides institutions and enterprises with infrastructure for AI governance, learning provenance and AI-mediated decision-making. For more information, visit answerr.ai.

Media Contact

Mohd Qaiser Malik
qaiser@answerr.ai

PatSnap, the AI-native innovation intelligence company for IP and R&D teams, today released its "2026 R&D Benchmark Report: Waste, AI and the Race to Market." The report draws on responses from more than 200 senior R&D professionals across North America, the U.K., and Europe, spanning nine industries, all with annual R&D budgets of at least $50 million. 

PatSnap commissioned the research to quantify what its customers have long described: that even well-resourced, AI-enabled R&D organizations are making consequential decisions on incomplete intelligence, and paying for it. The findings confirm that the problem is structural, measurable, and addressable.

"We commissioned the '2026 R&D Benchmark Report' because our customers kept describing the same problem: their AI was capable, but the intelligence feeding it was not keeping pace. We wanted to know whether that was isolated frustration or a reality across the market,” said Jason Resnick, General Manager, PatSnap West. “The data confirmed it was consistent across every industry and budget level we surveyed. Patent landscapes shift. Competitive pipelines move. Intelligence that was accurate last quarter can send a team in the wrong direction. In R&D, the cost of acting on incomplete intelligence is not a delayed report. It is months of work that cannot be recovered."

Key findings include:

• R&D waste is significant and recurring: More than a third of organizations (37%) spend between 25% and 40% of their entire R&D budget on projects that never reach the market. When projects are terminated late in development or testing, 45% of respondents estimate the wasted investment at $1 million or more per project.
• Most projects don't make it: Nearly three quarters of respondents (73%) report that half or fewer of their initiated R&D projects ultimately reach market launch.
• AI adoption is near-universal, but the intelligence gap persists: 92% of respondents are using AI in their R&D process at least moderately, and 70% say implementations have been largely successful. Among the heaviest AI users, 54% say better, faster access to intelligence would still have the greatest impact on their R&D success, a higher rate than among moderate users (43%).

Alongside the report, PatSnap is launching an interactive R&D Benchmark Calculator that allows organizations to compare their own spending and project outcomes directly against survey respondents. Users can input details including their industry, annual R&D spend, the share of projects reaching market, average development cycle length, and typical project cost, to understand how their organization stacks up against peers across the survey.

Download the report: "2026 R&D Benchmark Report: Waste, AI and the Race to Market"

About PatSnap

Founded in Singapore in 2007, PatSnap is a leading global innovation intelligence company. Leveraging domain-specific AI agents and robust analytics tools, PatSnap empowers IP and R&D teams to unlock insights, accelerate discoveries and protect breakthroughs. Trusted by nearly 20,000 enterprises, law firms and research institutions in over 50 countries including one-third of the world’s largest R&D spenders, PatSnap transforms how organizations innovate and make critical decisions. Learn more at www.patsnap.com.

Media Contact

Kate White
media@patsnap.com

At eMerge Americas 2026, Miami-Dade County named Miami-based WorkWise Robotics as the workforce partner behind an autonomous deployment at PortMiami — a future-ready bet designed to expand operational capacity, elevate the passenger experience, and reposition the existing facilities team into higher-value roles before labor pressures force less-considered choices.

As public infrastructure demand outpaces workforce capacity across U.S. cities, the deployment marks a shift in what smart city investment looks like, turning the gap into an opportunity. The digital layer — dashboards, connectivity, agentic AI assistants — has dominated the conversation for a decade. The physical layer, the workforce that actually maintains terminals, concourses, and public-facing facilities, has largely been treated as a given.

PortMiami, the Cruise Capital of the World® and Cargo Gateway of the Americas®, is now the proving ground for what a smart city strategy looks like when both layers move forward together.

“This is what the future looks like — and it’s being built right here in Miami-Dade,” Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said at the unveiling. “We’re not just keeping pace with innovation. We’re leading it, harnessing artificial intelligence to transform how we serve our visitors and our community every day. From our airport to our seaport, we are creating a smarter, more connected, and truly Future-Ready Miami-Dade.”

A Robotics Workforce at the Country’s Busiest Cruise Port

WorkWise Robotics deployed autonomous cleaning robots at PortMiami during peak cruise season, when the terminal processes its highest volume of passengers per day and the operational tolerance for downtime is lowest. The robots operate alongside the maintenance team, providing continuous floor coverage across high-traffic terminal areas — freeing staff to focus on specialized cleaning tasks where human judgment and detail matter most.

“The innovation from WorkWise Robotics is supporting our maintenance and cleaning staff by enabling them to focus on more technical and specialized cleaning tasks,” said Gustavo Grande, Head of Innovation at PortMiami. The biggest return, Grande noted, is felt “during passenger days and peak times, when the robots manage the heavy load of cleaning while staff focus on bathrooms and other high-touch areas to maintain an overall high-hygiene environment.”

The deployment converts what had been a coverage problem — too much demand for too few staff-hours — into a workforce evolution. Cleaning consistency improves because the robots run continuous shifts across high-traffic floors. Specialized cleaning quality improves because the maintenance team is freed for the technical work where their judgment matters. The passenger experience improves because both happen simultaneously, rather than sequentially.

Smart City Innovation, Rethought

The hardest lesson of the last decade of smart city investment is that dashboards don’t maintain buildings. Floors still need cleaning. Terminals still need turnover. Passengers still notice. Miami-Dade’s Future-Ready strategy invests across both layers — digital traveler-facing tools at Miami International Airport, and WorkWise’s robotic deployment at PortMiami.

“The digital layer is getting smarter. The physical layer is getting thinner,” said Cam Parra, Chief Executive Officer of WorkWise Robotics. “PortMiami is proving that the next layer of smart city investment isn’t another dashboard. It’s a robotics workforce that keeps the physical environment performing at the same level as the digital one. Ports and public infrastructure facilities around the world face the same structural challenge — aging maintenance models, overextended workforces, rising demand. The cities that figure out how to modernize the physical layer first will set the standard. That’s what we’re doing in partnership with Miami-Dade and PortMiami, and it’s paying off in operational efficiency and in passenger experience.”

The Workforce Question Smart Cities Can No Longer Defer

South Florida’s public infrastructure is in the middle of an unprecedented capital expansion. Miami International Airport is investing $14 billion in capital improvements through the end of the decade. PortMiami contributes $43 billion in annual economic impact and supports more than 334,000 jobs, with cruise lines committing additional terminal investments through 2027. New gates. New terminals. New concourses. And, year over year, more passengers.

The workforce maintaining that infrastructure is not scaling at the same pace. Building and grounds maintenance employment, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is projected to grow well below the rate of demand through the end of the decade. In tourism-driven economies, the resulting capacity gap shows up directly in the visitor experience: floors, restrooms, terminals, concourses — the spaces where passenger perception is formed.

For airport and seaport leaders, this is not just a capacity question — it’s a workforce evolution question. The window to reposition the existing facilities team into higher-value roles is open now, while operational pressure is still manageable. Counties that wait until the labor gap forces the issue end up backfilling rather than upskilling, and the institutional knowledge built over years of service walks out the door with the people who held it. It is also a stewardship question: every dollar of capital improvement funds a facility that must be maintained, every additional passenger raises the bar on cleaning and turnover, and every workforce gap left unaddressed shows up in the visitor experience that drives convention bids, cruise bookings, and regional economic competitiveness. A smart city investment that does not evolve the workforce is an investment that does not protect the asset — or the people maintaining it.

A robotic workforce solves four things at once: it opens an upskilling pathway for the existing facilities team into higher-value roles — robot fleet coordinators, performance analysts, hybrid workforce supervisors; it elevates the passenger experience through continuous coverage of high-traffic spaces; it expands operational capacity in step with rising demand; and it extends what the existing team can deliver without expanding the public payroll. The workforce evolves rather than stretches. The visitor experience improves. The same taxpayer dollar goes further.

Under the Robots-as-a-Service model, the effective cost is roughly 30 cents per robot operating hour — designed to fit operating budgets, not capital approval cycles.

A Workforce That Evolves

That four-part promise — upskilling, experience, capacity, payroll efficiency — is only as good as the deployment model that delivers it. WorkWise’s deployment model has one rule: no robot goes live before the people on the ground are trained to manage it. Existing facility staff are trained through WorkWise Academy to operate the robots, interpret performance data, and coordinate fleets across shifts.

“Our mission is empowering the next generation of work — where facilities workers become robot fleet coordinators,” Parra said. “Every deployment starts with the people already on the ground. Before a single robot goes live, the existing team goes through WorkWise Academy. They learn to operate the machines, read the performance data, and coordinate a hybrid workforce. By the time we hand over, the team isn’t watching the robots — they’re managing them. That’s the difference between deployments that disrupt and deployments that elevate.”

WorkWise operates on a Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) model — a monthly subscription that includes hardware, software, maintenance, and ongoing customer success support. The model is purpose-built for institutional and enterprise buyers who need to validate measurable outcomes before committing to a long-term roll out.

“We start with the single workflow consuming the most labor hours with the least return,” Parra said. “Deploy a targeted robotic solution, measure everything for 30 days, and let the data make the case. The pilot generates evidence before it requires commitment — critical when you’re talking about public facilities or large commercial operations.”

The Wave Is Here

The shift to a robotic public infrastructure workforce is no longer something city officials can wait out. Tampa International Airport, Salt Lake City International Airport, and Pittsburgh International Airport all introduced autonomous cleaning fleets during the pandemic and never sent them back. By 2024, nearly 100 autonomous cleaning robots deployed across airport environments had logged almost 10,000 operating hours and cleaned more than 35 million square feet of terminal space. The operational case is settled.

What’s now emerging is the strategic conversation — and Miami-Dade is leading it in public. By unveiling WorkWise’s deployment at eMerge Americas 2026, the County’s flagship innovation event, Miami-Dade did more than disclose a vendor partnership. It positioned a robotic workforce alongside its other Future-Ready announcements, signaling that physical-layer infrastructure investment now sits at the same strategic altitude as digital-layer investment. Miami International Airport CEO Ralph Cutie has publicly tied the airport’s $14 billion modernization plan to a vision of global competitiveness anchored by both physical and digital innovation.

For mayors, port directors, and aviation leaders watching the pattern, the playbook is becoming clear: identify the workflows where labor pressure is highest and visitor visibility is greatest, deploy a targeted robotic solution, measure for 30 days, and let operational data and workforce outcomes guide expansion. The cities that move while the upskilling window is open will set the standard the rest will spend the next decade trying to replicate.

What Comes Next

WorkWise is in active discussions with public infrastructure operators across Florida and evaluating expansion into other major U.S. metro markets facing similar workforce capacity pressures.

“WorkWise brings together a best-in-class robotics ecosystem and a customer success model that ensures robots and humans work collaboratively to amplify impact and scale,” Parra said. “That’s what makes our model fit the public institutions, like Miami-Dade, where workforce evolution and operational excellence have to advance together. For the cities watching this trend, the window to lead is open.”

About WorkWise Robotics

WorkWise Robotics is a Miami-based robotic workforce company deploying autonomous cleaning, cargo transport, and service robots through a Robots-as-a-Service model to hospitality, transportation, cruise, retail, public infrastructure, and warehousing enterprises across the United States. Founded by operators from McKinsey, BCG, Google, and Microsoft, WorkWise pairs commercial robotics with the enterprise transformation discipline required to institutionalize adoption — sequencing rollout, aligning executive sponsors, training existing teams through WorkWise Academy, and measuring outcomes that move the business. Learn more at workwiserobotics.com.

Media Contact

WorkWise Robotics
press@workwiserobotics.com

Service-sector demand is climbing faster than workforce capacity for the first time in a generation. The lesson from enterprise AI adoption is what happens next: AI-native startups built market positions in less than two years that incumbent SaaS players had spent a decade building — and forced those incumbents into reactive product cycles they’re still trying to escape. The companies that moved early on AI integration built moats. The ones that treated it as a watch-and-wait technology lost market share to entrants that didn’t exist five years ago.

Robotics is now positioned to do to service businesses what AI did to software. The enterprises building a robotic workforce into their operating model in 2026 are constructing the same kind of moat — and the companies that wait will spend the next decade competing against operators who used those years to deliver customer experiences they cannot match.

And across hospitality, transportation, retail, cruise, and public infrastructure, enterprise leaders have started institutionalizing — turning autonomous service robots into a permanent layer of their workforce strategy. Cam Parra, CEO of WorkWise Robotics — the Miami-based company behind more than 90,000 commercial robot deployments worldwide — sees the inflection point as a true turn of the page onto the next decade of competitive advantage for service players.

The evidence is now visible across every service-driven sector:

• Airports & Ports: Autonomous cleaning fleets have moved from pandemic-era pilots to permanent operations at major U.S. airports and seaports — improving cleaning consistency, lifting passenger satisfaction scores, and freeing maintenance teams for specialized work that requires human judgment. Autonomous cargo and baggage transport robots are accelerating dock-to-terminal flows and reducing the lost-luggage incidents that drive compensation expense and CSAT decline.
• Retail: Big-box operators are deploying mobile retail-media units — moving promotional shelf space and digital ad displays into high-traffic zones — to lift same-store sales, increase basket size, and create a new monetizable surface for supplier-funded campaigns. Restocking robots are moving cases and totes across sales floors to accelerate dock-to-pick cycles and improve on-shelf availability, two of the highest-leverage levers in retail OKRs.
• Hotels & Cruises: Cleaning robots are taking on the heavy load of large-area floor care — lobbies, corridors, hallways, dining floors, decks — so cabin and room attendants can concentrate on the cabin and room turnover speed that determines whether the next guest checks in to a ready space on time. Food-runner and bussing robots are absorbing the repetitive transport work that consumed front-of-house labor hours during peak service, redirecting that time into guest interaction, upselling, and the touchpoints that drive repeat visits and brand loyalty.
• Public infrastructure: Municipalities are deploying robotic cleaning and service workflows in public-facing facilities — ports, transit hubs, civic spaces — to expand operational capacity ahead of rising passenger volumes, with Miami-Dade County’s deployment at PortMiami unveiled at eMerge Americas 2026 emerging as the public-sector reference case.
• Warehousing and logistics: Inventory management and autonomous transport robots are improving stock accuracy, compressing cycle counts, and lifting order-fulfillment speed during the peak seasons that determine whether operators meet annual revenue targets.

The common thread across every vertical is the same: robots absorbing the high-volume repetitive work that doesn’t differentiate the brand, frontline teams concentrating on the work that does.

“The companies investing today see payback inside ninety days, and they’re positioning to play offense when the next demand cycle hits,” Parra said. “The ones waiting will spend the same capital playing defense — catching up to competitors who already moved. The math favors those who move early.”

Two paths from the same starting line

Every CEO in a service-driven industry is standing at the same inflection point. From that point, two paths run in opposite directions — and they widen with every quarter that passes.

On one path, operators integrate a robotic workforce into the workflows where it produces the highest leverage — floor care, food and bev transport, internal logistics, restocking, room delivery. Their frontline teams are redirected from repetitive physical work into the moments that build brand: personalization, problem-solving, anticipating guest needs, curating experiences. Robotics-generated capacity gets reinvested into the customer experience layer that drives repeat business, loyalty, and lifetime value.

On the other path, operators wait — watching pilots, requesting more data, deferring procurement decisions. Their frontline teams stay stretched across the same workload that was already overextended in 2024. Customer experience slips not in any visible way, but in the small moments that compound into satisfaction scores, repeat bookings, and brand preference. Twelve to eighteen months in, the gap on the competitor running the other path becomes operationally and financially material.

“The cost of inaction is simply losing ground on customer lifetime value, retention, and loyalty while competitors invest in better experiences without impacting margin,” Parra said. “Every hour their frontline team spends on guest experience instead of repetitive tasks widens the gap. That asymmetry compounds.”

Why the moat compounds — and the late mover pays twice

The economics of early adoption aren’t linear — they compound. A hospitality operator that deploys robotic floor care and back-of-house transport in 2026 doesn’t just save labor hours that quarter. They reinvest those hours into guest-facing service quality, which lifts satisfaction scores, which lifts repeat-booking rates, which lifts revenue per available room over the next three to four cycles. The capital that funded the original robotics program is recovered inside ninety days and then continues generating return through the customer experience flywheel it set in motion.

The operator on the other path doesn’t just stand still. They lose share to the competitor who moved first — because guest expectations don’t reset. Once a traveler experiences the cleaner property, the faster room service, the more attentive concierge, the more responsive cabin crew, the baseline they hold their next booking to has moved. The late mover now faces two costs simultaneously: catching up on the operational capability they didn’t build, and rebuilding loyalty with guests who have already chosen a different brand.

“WorkWise’s mission is to empower the next generation of work — where robots and humans work collaboratively to amplify impact and scale,” Parra said. “The companies pulling ahead aren’t replacing teams. They’re equipping them to deliver experiences their competitors can’t match.”

What playing offense actually requires

The same enterprises that are now setting the pace didn’t arrive there by buying robots. They arrived there by treating robotics adoption as a workforce strategy with a multi-year horizon — sequenced carefully, integrated with existing operational rhythms, and measured against business outcomes, not pilot metrics.

“Robotics is a long-duration strategy, not a tactical purchase,” Parra said. “The companies that move now are scaling their workforce capacity ahead of the next demand cycle — letting robots absorb the eighty percent of repetitive work that doesn’t differentiate them, so their people can focus on the twenty percent that builds brand loyalty and the experiences guests remember.”

The strategic premise behind that quote is the operational principle that separates the offense path from the defense path. Robotics doesn’t replace the workforce; it concentrates the workforce on the work that drives competitive differentiation. Floor care, food running, supply transport, restocking — the work that gets done either way and that no guest remembers — moves to autonomous systems. Hospitality, judgment, problem-solving, brand delivery — the work that determines whether a guest returns — moves to the front of every frontline team’s day.

The partner question

“The mistake I see is treating robotics like a technology purchase. It isn’t. It’s a workforce strategy that touches every part of how a service business operates — from how frontline teams are trained, to how leaders measure performance, to how the brand promise is delivered every shift. The companies that get this right design the strategy first and pick the technology second. That’s where WorkWise comes in — as the technology and operational consulting partner that helps enterprises design the strategy, sequence the rollout, and measure the outcomes,” Parra said.

A robotics program isn’t a procurement decision — it’s a workforce strategy. WorkWise was built on that insight, by operators from McKinsey, BCG, Google, and Microsoft who have led the kind of enterprise transformation programs that move thousands of people through new ways of working. They bring the discipline of designing SOPs and OKRs, leading change management at scale, aligning executive sponsors, and measuring outcomes that move the business. That’s where technology meets operational consulting at its finest — and where most robotics adoption programs stall without it.

WorkWise operates on a Robots-as-a-Service model that aligns to operating budgets rather than capital approval cycles. Existing facility staff are trained through WorkWise Academy to operate the robots, interpret performance data, and coordinate fleets across shifts — turning a procurement event into a workforce evolution. The same playbook that institutionalizes the technology institutionalizes the people running it.

The decision in front of every service-sector CEO

The window to lead this curve, rather than chase it, is open right now. Adoption signals across hospitality, transportation, cruise, and retail are converging on a single conclusion: the operators who institutionalize a robotic workforce in 2026 will define their industry’s customer experience benchmark for the rest of the decade. The operators who wait will be reacting to that benchmark, not setting it.

“The strategic question isn’t whether robotics will be adopted as a workforce strategy. It’s at what scale, and across what departments first,” Parra said. “The companies that move first will set the pace for their industry. The ones that wait will be running someone else’s playbook.”

About WorkWise Robotics

WorkWise Robotics is a Miami-based robotic workforce company deploying autonomous cleaning, cargo transport, and service robots through a Robots-as-a-Service model to hospitality, transportation, cruise, retail, public infrastructure, and warehousing enterprises across the United States. Founded by operators from McKinsey, BCG, Google, and Microsoft, WorkWise pairs commercial robotics with the enterprise transformation discipline required to institutionalize adoption — sequencing rollout, aligning executive sponsors, training existing teams through WorkWise Academy, and measuring outcomes that move the business. Learn more at workwiserobotics.com.

Media Contact

WorkWise Robotics
press@workwiserobotics.com