KYIV, Ukraine, August 28, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- The Lytvyn Foundation, established by Ukrainian digital entrepreneur and philanthropist Volodymyr Lytvyn, is building a free learning ecosystem for teenagers aged 13 to 17 across Ukraine. The Foundation's programs combine business education, technology development, mentoring, and sports, offering young Ukrainians practical tools to shape their professional futures during wartime.

Through its MindCraft school of online business, Code The Future hackathon series, business club and incubator, and the ONE POINT sports and education program developed jointly with the Elina Svitolina Foundation, the Lytvyn Foundation provides free educational opportunities to hundreds of teenagers across Ukraine.

"If you want to run your own business empire at 30 or 40, you need to start at 13. At that age, there are no limits and no fear. You just take action," said Volodymyr Lytvyn, founder of the Lytvyn Foundation.

Building a future in Ukraine

MindCraft has received more than 1,000 applications from teenagers across Ukraine; more than 400 have graduated from the program. Living through the war, they are choosing to build businesses in Ukraine, where they see their future. Students solve real business cases and pitch projects to industry professionals. Top graduates have received grants to develop their own projects — among them a micro-task marketplace, a psychology and personal branding platform, and an EdTech kit for young children. For example, some of the students are building an online chess school, a SaaS booking product, and a pet products brand.

Hackathons with real-world briefs

Code The Future is a hackathon series run by the Lytvyn Foundation for teenagers in Ukraine and for founders, engineers and ML developers aged 18 and over across Europe. Nearly 500 applications from teenagers were submitted for the first Ukrainian hackathon; 193 applicants advanced. Twelve teams reached the Kyiv final, where they analyzed client briefs, built technology solutions with a focus on AI, and presented working prototypes to an expert jury. The winning team received a grant to develop its project further.

The European edition for adults will take place later in 2026 in Barcelona, Paris and London.

A grant for a young athlete

In July 2026, the Lytvyn Foundation and the Elina Svitolina Foundation held the first ONE POINT: Game. Mind. Future. event in Kyiv. Eighty-five tennis players aged 10 to 14 competed; more than 200 people attended. The winner, aged 11, received a grant from the Lytvyn Foundation for sport, education, or personal development. The program will continue.

"We support the young generation growing up in difficult times. ONE POINT is about helping teenagers believe in their own potential, set ambitious goals and keep moving toward them," Lytvyn said.

Investing in Ukraine's youth

Participation in all Lytvyn Foundation programs is free. Graduates can continue developing projects through the business club and incubator with support from experienced entrepreneurs.

Through MindCraft, Code The Future and ONE POINT, the Lytvyn Foundation is helping shape the entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders Ukraine will need tomorrow.

About Lytvyn Foundation

The Lytvyn Foundation is a Ukrainian charitable organisation dedicated to entrepreneurship and technology education for teenagers aged 13 to 17. Founded by Ukrainian digital entrepreneur and philanthropist Volodymyr Lytvyn, the Foundation operates free programs including the MindCraft school of online business, Code The Future hackathon series, a business club and incubator, and the ONE POINT sports and education initiative, developed in partnership with the Elina Svitolina Foundation. The Foundation's mission is to equip a wartime generation with the skills, mindset, and networks needed to build Ukraine's future economy. For more information, visit lytvynfoundation.org.

Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding future programs, schedules, international events, and organizational initiatives — including planned hackathons in Barcelona, Paris, and London. These statements are based on current operational plans and expectations as of the date of publication and are subject to change without notice. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve inherent risks, uncertainties, and operational adjustments, particularly given unpredictable conditions during wartime. Actual event dates, locations, grant distributions, and program availability may vary. Participation in Lytvyn Foundation programs and grant awards is subject to official application processes, eligibility criteria, and program availability. The Lytvyn Foundation assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Media Contact

Press Office
Lytvyn Foundation
press@lytvynfoundation.org

DOVER, DE, August 28, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- BioLLM Co. has launched BioLLM Studio as a new IBM Partner Plus Silver Business Partner. The launch marks the company's first major product release since its founding in the United States in March 2026.

BioLLM Co. builds software and tools for human-computer interaction, with a focus on wetware-adjacent development workflows. The IBM Partner Plus Silver designation gives the company access to IBM's technical resources, co-selling channels, and partner support as BioLLM Studio enters general availability. The platform embeds IBM's watsonx.ai Orchestrate to power deep research workflows across BioLLM's products, including BioLLM Chat and a developer API.

How BioLLM Studio Works

BioLLM Studio is a middleware platform designed to make biological computing, commonly referred to as “wetware,” accessible to a broader range of developers and research teams. At the core of BioLLM's approach is a patent-pending thought-to-text agentic model that turns user intent into action through non-invasive brain-computer interface headsets. The technology uses human neurons to create a digital twin of the brain. This enables hands-free experiences in consumer AR and VR environments and in industrial workflows.

The platform offers two operational modes. A CL1 Live mode allows teams to work contextually with Cortical Labs' CL1 biological computing systems when customers have the appropriate infrastructure access. A Synthetic Data mode lets developers build, test, and validate workflows using curated datasets from BioLLM's data solution, without requiring access to live neural-culture systems.

IBM Integration

The product's data layer is built on IBM Cloud, IBM watsonx.data, and IBM watsonx.ai. Together, these tools help organize wetware-derived and synthetic datasets, retrieve relevant context, and support model-development workflows. BioLLM Studio is designed to sit at the intersection of experimental biological systems, simulation data, AI models, and developer tools. Teams gain a dedicated middleware layer for building and testing biological AI applications.

The core functionality of BioLLM Studio Deep Research is driven by WatsonX Orchestrate, which enables material drawn from more than 477 million scholarly articles to be incorporated contextually when working with CL1 compute for agentic coding.

BioLLM Agent, which powers the web interface, likewise employs WatsonX Orchestrate to enable the contextual simulation of wetware through natural language.

“Wetware remains difficult for mainstream developers to work with because the tooling, data formats, and live-system constraints are specialized,” said William Pete of BioLLM Co. “BioLLM Studio is designed to give teams a practical middleware layer that can move between live CL1 context and curated synthetic data workflows using IBM Cloud and watsonx technologies.”

Who It's For

BioLLM said the product is aimed initially at software developers, research teams, and enterprises exploring biological computing. If you are evaluating biological AI for your organization, BioLLM Studio provides repeatable workflows, contextual AI tools, and a synthetic-data development path that does not require live neural-culture access. Live CL1 workflows are available only where users have the necessary access, permissions, and operating controls in place.

The company noted that BioLLM Studio is middleware built for research, development, and productivity workflows and is not intended for clinical diagnosis, treatment decisions, or claims related to machine consciousness. Financial terms of the IBM partnership were not disclosed.

About BioLLM Co.

BioLLM Co. is a biological AI software company founded in the United States in March 2026. The company develops middleware and AI software for human-computer interaction, wetware-adjacent data workflows, and agentic development environments. BioLLM Studio is the company's flagship platform for integrating biological AI workflows. For more information, visit biollm.com.

Media Contact

info@biollm.com

SHERIDAN, WY, August 28, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Hearing loss is becoming an increasingly prominent health challenge amid the global aging trend. Flysound recently launched B02, an open-ear AI hearing aid designed for people with mild to moderate hearing loss. Unlike traditional in-ear hearing aids, B02 features a form factor and wearing experience closer to that of clip-on earphones.

A Design Built Around the People the Category Has Overlooked

For decades, the hearing aid has been defined by the ear canal — a device that sits inside it, seals it, and is fitted to its shape. That design assumption quietly excludes a substantial group of people. According to Jory Peng, founder of Flysound, at least 15%–20% of people with hearing loss cannot wear in-ear hearing aids at all, due to conditions including otitis media, ear canal discharge, ear canal deformities, and narrow ear canals.

B02 approaches the problem from the outside in. Because the device clips to the ear rather than filling it, it helps reduce common issues such as ear blockage, a stuffy feeling, and discomfort during prolonged use. The liquid silicone housing and sports-earphone profile also lower a barrier that has little to do with acoustics: the psychological hesitation some users feel toward the appearance of traditional medical devices. The response has been unusually strong for a category that rarely generates consumer momentum. Following its launch, B02 raised more than $3 million through a crowdfunding campaign in Japan, setting a global crowdfunding record for the hearing aid category. The product has since entered local e-commerce platforms, TV shopping channels, and selected offline retail.

The Hard Part Was Never the Shape — It Was the Feedback

Positioning the speaker outside the ear canal is simple from an industrial design standpoint, but it presents a complex engineering challenge. With less physical isolation between the receiver and the microphone, amplified sound can be picked up again and re-amplified, producing the whistle that has long been the category's most recognisable failure mode. The higher the gain, the harder that becomes to contain.

"Our approach is to use AI to first identify sound patterns that may lead to feedback, and then suppress them. B02 can control feedback at up to 50dB gain," said Peng, "At the same time, we developed a customized larger dynamic driver and ear tips to balance sound amplification, wearing stability, and sound leakage control."

The device runs on a 12nm AI chip with ultra-low 6ms latency to minimize echo, supporting four layers of real-time noise processing:

• Low-frequency noise reduction: Reduces surrounding noise while amplifying speech, aimed at outdoor situations such as walking or grocery shopping
• Impulse noise reduction: Lowers sound-wave peaks from sudden loud sounds such as thunder or firecrackers in real time, helps reduce the intensity of sudden loud sounds in real time
• Wind noise suppression: Continuously suppresses wind while keeping speech, vehicle sounds and horns audible
• Feedback cancellation: A sports-earphone structure prevents direct coupling between receiver and microphone, while AI monitors frequency bands in real time and suppresses waves likely to trigger feedback

Multiple ear tip options ship with the device, allowing users to find a closer fit and further reduce acoustic feedback.

Fitting Moves From the Clinic to the Living Room

Beyond the open-ear form factor, Flysound is targeting the other convention the category has been built on: in-person fitting. Users download the Flysound app and complete a pure-tone hearing test at home, after which the system adjusts gain across frequency bands based on the results. A hearing care professional can then fit and fine-tune the devices remotely, one-on-one, across the 125 Hz to 7,500 Hz range relevant to speech recognition. With up to 16 adjustable channels, gain can be controlled more finely across frequencies, B02 delivers up to 50 dB full-on gain and 117 dB SPL maximum output.

Practical details round out the package for older users. A dual anti-loss system pairs an elastic multifunctional retention cord, secured with screws, with outdoor location tracking that lets users check the last connected location in the app. A nano-coating process gives the device an IP55 water-resistance rating, while an AI-powered internal noise suppression algorithm holds the device's own noise floor at 10 dB or below, improving comfort during extended wear.

B02 runs for up to 12 hours on a single charge, with the charging case extending total battery life beyond 60 hours. Bluetooth calls, music and short-video audio operate alongside hearing aid function, so surrounding sound remains audible during a call.

"We don't define our products simply as consumer electronics or medical devices. Users need hearing solutions that are easy to use, comfortable, effective, and accessible," Peng added. "Through technological innovation and proprietary AI algorithms, we aim to deliver hearing aids that combine advanced capabilities with a better user experience."

The B02 is available now through Flysound's online store with a 50-day risk-free trial and one-year warranty. The company's wider range of AI hearing aids includes behind-the-ear and receiver-in-canal models for users who prefer a conventional format.

About Flysound

Flysound Medical Inc is a hearing technology company operating under the mission "Make AI Hearing Aids Affordable." The company designs, manufactures, and sells AI-powered over-the-counter hearing aids with app-guided personalization, Bluetooth connectivity, and proprietary noise-reduction algorithms. The devices are engineered to meet FDA compliance standards, are FCC certified, and ISO 13485 certified. The company’s design work has received Red Dot and iF Design Award recognition. Learn more about Flysound’s AI hearing solutions at flysounds.com.

Media Contact

Perry Chen
Flysound
perry@flysounds.com

NEW YORK, NY, August 28, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- EZ Newswire, the only newswire engineered for AI visibility and premium publisher distribution, today announced it has earned seven G2 Badges in the Fall 2026 reports for Press Release Distribution Software. The recognitions include High Performer honors across the Global, Mid-Market, Small-Business, Europe, and EMEA Grid® Reports, along with an Easiest To Do Business With badge in the Relationship Index for Press Release Distribution. EZ Newswire also ranked in the top 10% of 115 vendors in G2's overall Press Release Distribution category.

Customer feedback consistently points to the same two things: hands-on support and access to publishers other platforms can't offer. Over 80% of EZ Newswire's G2 reviewers specifically praised the company's customer service, a pattern that helped drive its Easiest To Do Business With Badge in the Relationship Index. Reviewers called out EZ Newswire's exclusive distribution to premium outlets like Reuters and Fortune, and also highlighted the platform's AI visibility and AEO/GEO reporting as reasons for their high marks.

G2 Badges are awarded based on verified customer reviews and reflect real user feedback on product satisfaction, ease of use, and the overall customer relationship, rather than vendor-submitted claims.

EZ Newswire's Fall 2026 G2 Badges include:

• High Performer — Grid® Report for Press Release Distribution
• High Performer, Mid-Market — Mid-Market Grid® Report for Press Release Distribution 
• High Performer, Small Business — Small-Business Grid® Report for Press Release Distribution
• High Performer, Europe — Europe Regional Grid® Report for Press Release Distribution 
• High Performer, EMEA — EMEA Regional Grid® Report for Press Release Distribution 
• High Performer, EMEA Small Business — Small-Business EMEA Regional Grid® Report for Press Release Distribution
• Easiest To Do Business With — Relationship Index for Press Release Distribution

This latest recognition reinforces a trend that's been building all year: EZ Newswire has maintained a 4.8 out of 5 rating on G2, one of the strongest of any newswire.

"We built EZ Newswire because pricing, distribution, and measurement in this industry all needed a rethink, especially in the AI era," said Neel Shah, CEO and founder of EZ Newswire. "Earning High Performer recognition across seven G2 reports this season tells us customers see that difference, not just in the U.S., but in Europe and EMEA as well."

G2 is the world's largest and most trusted software marketplace, with more than 100 million people annually using G2 to make smarter software decisions based on authentic peer reviews. G2 Grid® Reports and Badges are compiled twice yearly using data from verified reviews, satisfaction scores, and market presence.

About EZ Newswire

EZ Newswire is the newswire built for AI performance with a premium distribution network, real-time reporting, and AI citation tracking and insights on a single platform. From startup to scale-up to S&P 500, the most influential agencies and organizations rely on EZ Newswire to shape digital and AI presence. Learn more at eznewswire.com.

Media Contact

Ethan Cantil-Voorhees
hello@eznewswire.com

SHANGRAO, China, August 28, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Geely Auto Group today unveiled a new suite of AI-powered technologies for electrified off-road vehicles, designed to combine demanding all-terrain capability with the comfort and refinement of everyday driving. Bringing together the dedicated GTA vehicle architecture, Geely EM-T hybrid powertrain and an AI all-terrain digital chassis, the technologies will make their debut in Geely’s off-road model Zhanjian 700.

GTA builds on Geely Auto Group’s experience in developing architectures including CMA, SEA and GEA. The company has invested more than RMB 50 billion in vehicle architecture development, with GTA extending that expertise to the specific requirements of electrified off-road vehicles.

The GTA architecture combines unibody construction with an integrated frame, bringing structural strength and passenger comfort into a single design. By integrating the frame into the body rather than mounting the body on a separate chassis, the architecture reduces weight and makes more efficient use of cabin and luggage space.

Developed for off-road use, the Geely EM-T hybrid powertrain combines a three-motor four-wheel-drive system with intelligent torque management and differential locking. Supported by Geely’s Xingtui AI-powered Drive technology, the system is designed to deliver responsive power and precise torque distribution, helping the vehicle maintain traction and regain mobility in difficult terrain.

Working alongside the powertrain, the AI all-terrain digital chassis calculates power distribution, torque control and vehicle body adjustments to suit driving conditions. Coordinating these functions helps maintain stability and control across different surfaces, making demanding terrain more manageable for the driver while supporting comfort on the road.

The technology suite extends Geely Auto’s safety engineering to situations that drivers may encounter beyond the road, including rollovers, water-related emergencies, and high-altitude conditions.

Alongside structural and battery protection, an emergency flotation and escape mode uses sonar and twin propulsors to assist vehicle movement in water-related emergencies. For high-altitude travel, an onboard oxygen supply system offers both cabin diffusion and direct nasal delivery, with a dedicated mode for use while sleeping during camping trips.

Satellite communications support messages, images, short voice messages and emergency assistance requests where mobile network coverage is unavailable.

The Geely Zhanjian 700 has undergone a development and validation program involving 659 test vehicles and more than 6.11 million kilometers of testing. The program has covered more than 80 real-world off-road scenarios and completed 7,933 validation items, including 433 newly added requirements specific to electrified off-road vehicles.

This work draws on Geely Auto’s broader global testing network, comprising five major test regions and 16 test bases. Each year, the company deploys more than 10,000 test vehicles and accumulates over 100 million kilometers of testing.

At the launch event, held at its Shangrao proving ground, Geely Auto Group also introduced a customer-focused global vehicle validation system, which brings together international standards, testing facilities and engineering expertise to assess vehicles against the conditions customers encounter in daily use. It expands the scope of validation beyond regulatory compliance to anticipate further requirements in safety, reliability and intelligent vehicle performance.

As Geely Auto Group expands internationally, the system will support vehicle development for diverse markets and operating environments. The company also aims to share testing capabilities and collaborate with industry partners on the development of validation methods and standards.

About Geely Auto Group

Geely Auto Group is a leading global automotive company headquartered in Hangzhou, China. Part of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, Geely Auto Group develops and manufactures passenger vehicles under the Geely, Lynk & Co, and Zeekr brands. With a strong focus on technology innovation, electrification, and sustainable mobility, Geely Auto Group operates world-class R&D centers and manufacturing facilities across China, Europe, and key international markets. The Group is committed to delivering safe, high-quality, and intelligent vehicles enabled by advanced technologies such as hybrid powertrains, full-electric architectures, smart connectivity, and autonomous driving systems. As a global company, Geely Auto Group continues to expand its international presence through strategic partnerships, localized operations, and industry-leading platforms. Geely strives to create mobility solutions that are greener, smarter, and more accessible, driving forward the future of sustainable transportation. For more information, visit global.geely.com.

Media Contact

Janet Chen
media@geely.com

NEW YORK, NY, August 28, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Spacely Media, the marketplace built to make premium media easier to buy and sell, is officially live, reaching a significant milestone with over 100 media partners and nearly $200 million in gross merchandise value (GMV) across the marketplace.

The milestone represents a major step forward for Spacely Media and for an industry that has historically relied on manual processes, fragmented communication, and existing relationships to connect advertising demand with available magazine inventory.

Spacely Media brings buyers and media suppliers together in one marketplace, creating greater visibility into what is available, where opportunities exist, and how buyers and sellers can connect and move business forward.

"Getting to this point is about much more than the numbers," said David Coker, co-founder and CEO of Spacely Media. "It demonstrates that there is real appetite across the industry for a better way to buy and sell magazine advertising. We are creating the infrastructure that makes premium media easier to discover, easier to evaluate and ultimately easier to transact."

For media buyers, Spacely Media creates a more efficient way to discover magazine advertising opportunities across publishers, understand available inventory and placement options, and manage opportunities within one environment. Instead of navigating individual conversations, spreadsheets, and disconnected processes, buyers gain a broader view of the marketplace while maintaining direct relationships with media partners.

For media suppliers, Spacely Media provides a new way to make inventory visible while buyers build their campaigns. Suppliers can manage inventory and availability, provide placement details, connect with interested buyers, and gain greater visibility into marketplace demand, while remaining in control of what buyers can see.

The result is a marketplace designed not to replace the relationships that have long powered magazine advertising, but to remove the friction surrounding them.

Spacely Media initially launched its Transact for Print platform in private beta with just over $100 million in GMV. Reaching nearly $200 million and 100+ partners as the marketplace goes live signals both significant growth and increasing industry participation.

As Spacely Media continues to expand, the company remains focused on creating a more accessible, transparent, and efficient marketplace for premium media and helping buyers and sellers spend less time managing transaction mechanics and more time creating value.

About Spacely

Spacely Media is a two-sided marketplace built to make premium media easier to buy and sell. It gives media buyers greater visibility into available advertising opportunities while giving media suppliers a more efficient way to make inventory discoverable, manage buyer interest, and move opportunities toward a transaction. The company is headquartered in New York with a team spanning Detroit and Seattle. For more information, visit spacely.media and follow on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Media Contact

Beth Mach
Spacely Media
beth@spacely.media

BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom, August 28, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Slink has launched the Slink Platform, a new technology management platform designed to change how growing businesses interact with their IT provider.

For decades, outsourced IT has largely operated around the support ticket. A user has a problem, raises a request and waits for a technician to complete the work behind the scenes. Slink believes that experience needs to change.

The Slink Platform gives customers a central place to manage their technology environment, bringing together IT support, employee lifecycle management, devices, security, projects, service performance and automation.

Rather than simply providing another IT portal, Slink is building a technology operating layer that allows customers to see, request, approve and increasingly automate the work required to run their technology.

At the heart of the platform are Action Requests — structured workflows that turn common IT processes into controlled and increasingly automated actions.

Employee offboarding is one example. Instead of emailing a support desk and relying on a technician to manually complete a checklist, an authorised user can initiate the process directly through Slink.

Following the customer’s agreed approval process, the platform can execute predefined actions such as locking accounts, removing access and securing devices, while maintaining a complete audit trail of what was requested, approved and completed.

Slink is expanding the same approach across onboarding, access management, device management and other recurring technology processes.

The platform also gives customers greater visibility into their technology environment and the services Slink provides.

Slink’s longer-term vision is to connect technology management, service delivery, security data and automation into a single experience, reducing the number of portals, emails and manual processes businesses rely on to manage IT.

“The IT experience hasn’t changed enough. You raise a ticket, wait for somebody behind the scenes to do something and often have very little visibility of what is happening. We want IT to feel like the modern software businesses use every day. Simple, transparent, connected and increasingly automated. 

“We’re not building a better ticket portal. We’re changing the relationship businesses have with their technology provider,” said Tom Johnson, CEO of Slink.

The platform will continue to evolve with new integrations, Action Requests, automation capabilities and customer controls.

Slink's ambition is simple: make managing business technology dramatically easier and redefine what growing businesses should expect from their IT partner.

About Slink

Slink is the technology partner behind growing businesses. Through its Manage, Build and Scale services, Slink combines people, technology and automation to help businesses operate, improve and scale their technology. For more information, visit slink.co.uk.

Media Contact

Tom Johnson
tom.johnson@slink.co.uk

DALLAS, TX, August 27, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- MegPrime has launched its MPP Token rewards system across rent, mortgage, car, and bill payments, giving consumers a way to earn crypto on purchases they were already making. The launch follows the issuance of a staff No-Action Letter from the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance confirming that the MPP Token functions as a non-security utility and payment token.

Homeownership in the United States has been considered out of reach for many Americans. According to a housing market analysis from J.P. Morgan Private Bank, home prices have climbed roughly 60% since 2019, and mortgage rates remain near 7%, effectively locking out an entire generation of buyers. While most financial platforms have responded with budgeting tools and savings calculators, MegPrime is taking a different approach by rewarding consumers for spending they are already doing. 

A First in Regulations Sets the Precedent

In January 2026, MegPrime received an SEC staff No-Action Letter, which is one of only a handful ever issued for any crypto token and the first ever granted to a universal payments token. The SEC staff response confirmed it would not recommend enforcement action, based on MegPrime’s representations that the token is designed for consumer utility, carries no expectations of profit or governance rights, and is marketed strictly as a consumer reward and payment mechanism.

Most crypto tokens operate in a gray area that makes institutional partnerships, consumer trust, and mainstream adoption difficult to build. MegPrime prioritized regulatory clarity before scaling, a deliberate choice that reflects the background and approach of its founders. 

MegPrime was co-founded by Zach Ipour and Aaron Ipour. The platform’s Z5 Protocol is central to how MegPrime makes crypto payments practical. It allows a consumer to initiate a payment in crypto while the recipient, a landlord, lender, or billing company, receives the funds in conventional fiat currency deposited directly into a bank account. That means renters can earn MPP Token rewards without requiring their landlord to accept crypto. 

How the Rewards Model Works

Eligible users at MegPrime’s partnered Max Properties may earn up to 20% back in MPP Tokens on recurring expenses. Car payments earn 5% back, or a flat $200 in MPP Tokens per month for two years when made through a qualifying partner dealer. 

Under the platform’s RentForward program, consistent payment histories through the app may qualify participating users for down payment assistance credits ranging from $12,000 up to $25,000 on select partner home purchases, subject to program terms and property availability.

XRP Integration Launches Soon

MegPrime is developing functionality within its app to allow users to convert earned MPP Token rewards into standard digital assets, including USDC and XRP, subject to platform availability and regional regulatory requirements. The addition opens the platform to a large and active segment of the crypto community that has been waiting for real-world utility tied to XRP beyond trading. 

A Different Kind of Crypto Platform

With greater regulatory clarity and the XRP functionality launch, MegPrime is making a direct case that a crypto token built around everyday expenses can compete for the same consumers that have cash-back credit cards and traditional reward programs, while offering offering a novel alternative that connects daily household expenditure to developer-backed housing purchase incentives. 

MegPrime products, services, rewards, promotions, eligibility, and availability are subject to applicable terms and conditions and may change. See MegPrime’s Terms of Service for additional information.

About MegPrime

MegPrime is a financial technology platform powered by digital currency that helps individuals turn everyday expenses into real-world value and long-term financial progress. Designed as a universal payment ecosystem, MegPrime connects routine monthly expenditures — including rent, utility bills, and mortgage payments — to a unified rewards program that expands pathways to homeownership and household savings. By combining real estate expertise with digital currency infrastructure, MegPrime enables users to earn rewards on their daily spending while offering seamless on-ramp, off-ramp, and direct payment capabilities. For more information, visit megprimepay.com.

Disclaimer

This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any security, digital asset, or financial product. The SEC staff No-Action Letter referenced herein represents the non-binding response of the SEC staff based solely on the specific facts and representations presented by MegPrime; it does not constitute an endorsement, official rule, or legal determination by the Commission itself. Digital assets, including the MPP Token, involve market risks and volatility. Program availability, reward percentages, down-payment credits, and partner integrations — including planned XRP functionality — are subject to eligibility criteria, partner participation, and applicable Terms of Service, which may change without prior notice.

Media Contact

media@press-nexus.com

KYIV, Ukraine, August 27, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- The final stage of the GGBET Ukrainian 3x3 Basketball Championship took place in the capital of Ukraine. The tournament was held as part of a long-term collaboration between licensed betting operator GGBET.UA and the Ukrainian Basketball Federation as title sponsor.

The championship traveled all over the country for over three months, drawing teams and fans to outdoor courts across five Ukrainian regions. 12 teams faced off in the final for the grand prize after going head to head throughout the season.

The final turned out to be particularly tense, with the winner decided in overtime. The title shot came down from long range, securing a victory and the season’s gold medal.

GGBET.UA turned the championship final into a true celebration of basketball with a jam-packed entertainment programme for spectators: DJ sets, interactive activities, prize giveaways, and a performance by one of the country’s most decorated cheerleading squads. Watch the highlights and a full video recap on Instagram.

The total prize fund for the GGBET Ukraine Championship added up to nearly 1 million UAH. As is tournament tradition, the teams are donating 50% of their winnings to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The final in Kyiv marked a further step in the development of GGBET.UA's partnership with the Ukrainian Basketball Federation. Previously, GGBET.UA also served as the title sponsor of the Ukrainian men’s and women’s national basketball teams and as a partner of top Ukrainian football clubs. Support for the Ukrainian 3x3 Basketball Championship helps develop both amateur and professional players in Ukraine while bringing in new fans to the sport.

Disclaimer

This press release is issued for informational and editorial entertainment purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice, investment recommendations, or an invitation to participate in gambling. GGBET.UA operates as a licensed sports betting and iGaming platform in compliance with Ukrainian national regulatory frameworks.

Responsible Gaming Notice

Online sports betting and gambling involve financial risk and potential dependency. GGBET.UA is committed to promoting safe and responsible gaming. Betting services are strictly restricted to individuals who meet the legal age requirement (21+ in Ukraine) within their respective jurisdictions. If you or someone you know is experiencing signs of gambling-related harm, please seek confidential support from certified problem gambling resources.

Media Contact

Press Office
pr@ggbet.ua

WASHINGTON, DC, August 27, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- The American Kratom Association today announced it has filed a federal lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia (Case No. 1:26-cv-02997) seeking declaratory and injunctive relief to ensure that the Drug Enforcement Administration’s temporary scheduling order for mitragynine pseudoindoxyl (MGPI), MGM-15, and MGM-16 is not misapplied to traditional botanical kratom products that contain only incidental, naturally occurring, or naturally formed trace amounts of MGPI.

The complaint names the Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA Administrator Terrance C. Cole, and the U.S. Department of Justice as defendants. The lawsuit does not ask the court to invalidate DEA’s temporary scheduling order in the first instance. Instead, AKA asks the court to confirm that the order does not apply to traditional botanical kratom products merely because modern testing may detect naturally occurring or naturally formed trace amounts of pseudoindoxyl.

“This lawsuit is about regulatory clarity, preserving science-based oversight, and ensuring the DEA’s temporary scheduling order stays focused on deliberately manufactured, concentrated opioid compounds — not natural kratom leaf,” said Mac Haddow, Senior Fellow on Public Policy for the American Kratom Association. “The AKA supports aggressive enforcement against chemically manipulated MGPI, MGM-15, and MGM-16 products. But responsible kratom consumers and legitimate botanical kratom businesses should not be put at risk because trace-level chemistry is detected in otherwise traditional botanical kratom.”

The lawsuit cites DOJ’s own public statement that the emergency scheduling action is directed at “deliberately manufactured and concentrated opioid products, not traditional botanical kratom.” AKA’s filing argues that DOJ’s statement should control how the temporary scheduling order is interpreted, and that traditional botanical kratom should not be criminalized when trace MGPI is present only as a result of the plant’s chemistry or ordinary post-harvest handling.

According to the complaint, the uncertainty arises because the agencies’ public statements point in one direction — targeting enhanced, synthetic, and concentrated kratom-related opioid products — while the unqualified chemical listing in the temporary scheduling order could be read to reach traditional botanical kratom if trace MGPI is detected by modern analytical methods.

“The federal government made the right decision to target dangerous chemically manipulated opioid products,” Haddow said. “But that objective is undermined if legitimate natural kratom leaf products are swept into Schedule I because laboratories can now detect trace compounds at levels that do not present the public safety threat DEA sought to address.”

The complaint asserts that mitragynine, 7-hydroxymitragynine, and pseudoindoxyl are chemically related, arguing that trace pseudoindoxyl can form through natural botanical processes, standard post-harvest handling, storage, or analytical conditions without intentional synthesis, enrichment, or fortification. The filing also notes that accredited laboratory testing found trace pseudoindoxyl in unprocessed kratom leaf and botanical powder at levels far below the concentrated products that prompted DEA’s action.

AKA emphasized that it is not seeking protection for intentionally manufactured, concentrated, fortified, or enhanced MGPI products. The complaint states that AKA’s GMP participants do not manufacture or sell products intentionally fortified with pseudoindoxyl and do not challenge federal control of intentionally synthesized, isolated, enriched, fortified, or concentrated pseudoindoxyl products.

“What we are asking for is simple: enforce the law against bad actors who manufacture and market dangerous concentrated opioid compounds, while preserving access to traditional botanical kratom products that comply with state Kratom Consumer Protection Acts,” Haddow said. “Consumers should not lose access to traditional botanical kratom because of an ambiguous emergency order that DOJ has already said is not aimed at botanical kratom.”

The lawsuit also points to DEA’s companion 7-OH scheduling approach, where DEA recognized the need for a threshold to distinguish botanical kratom containing naturally occurring trace 7-OH from enhanced or synthetic 7-OH products. AKA argues that the same kind of scientifically defensible threshold or objective line is needed for MGPI to prevent unintended consequences for traditional botanical kratom.

The complaint seeks a declaration that the temporary scheduling order does not apply to traditional botanical kratom products whose only pseudoindoxyl or MGM-related content is naturally occurring, naturally formed, or present only in trace quantities without intentional synthesis, isolation, enrichment, fortification, concentration, or addition. In the alternative, if DEA claims the order applies to traditional botanical kratom, AKA asks the court to set aside or enjoin that application and require a reasoned, scientifically defensible standard.

“This litigation is necessary because responsible companies, laboratories, researchers, and consumers need clarity now,” Haddow said. “Without clarification, the very testing and quality-control systems that protect consumers could become the basis for enforcement risk. That is bad science, bad policy, and bad consumer protection.”

AKA reiterated its support for strong federal enforcement against chemically manipulated opioids, including MGPI, MGM-15, MGM-16, and high-potency 7-OH products, while advocating for clear regulatory thresholds for natural kratom. While kratom has not been approved by the FDA, AKA maintains that traditional botanical products should be distinguished from synthetic chemical analogs.

“The right policy is not confusion,” Haddow said. “The right policy is targeted enforcement against dangerous chemically manipulated opioids, paired with clear federal standards for natural kratom products that protect consumers and preserve access.”

About American Kratom Association (AKA)

The American Kratom Association is a consumer advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the rights of Americans to safely use natural kratom products. The AKA supports federal and state enforcement actions targeting chemically manipulated 7-OH products and advocates for the Kratom Consumer Protection Act — including product testing, labeling standards, and age restrictions — in states across the country. For more information, visit americankratom.org and learn more at kratomanswers.org.

Disclaimer

The American Kratom Association (AKA) is a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization. This press release is provided for informational and public policy purposes only. Information contained herein reflects the policy analysis of the issuing party regarding federal administrative actions and does not constitute legal or medical advice. Statements made regarding natural kratom have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Readers should consult qualified medical professionals before using any botanical products.

Media Contact

Mac Haddow
Senior Fellow on Public Policy
press@americankratom.org
+1 571-294-5978

LOS ANGELES, CA, August 27, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. (NASDAQ: FFAI) (“Faraday Future”, “FF” or the “Company”), a California-based global Embodied AI (EAI) ecosystem company, today held its first ever FF EAI Robotics “Built in USA” Upstream & Downstream Business Partner Conference at its LA headquarters. FF made numerous announcements and Company updates, including presenting the three-phase execution roadmap for FF EAI Robotics’ “Built in USA” Acceleration Program.

Industry guests attending the event included Steven Newton, Senior Consultant of the U.S. General Services Administration and a member of the Los Angeles Unified School District Procurement Committee; Andrew Stokes, President of MOSO Robotics; and Praveen Penmetsa, founder of Motivo Engineering. They spoke highly of FF’s established industry foundation, technological strength, and compliance capabilities in robotics, as well as the industry alliance initiative proposed by the Company.

FF officially begin recruiting downstream partners and unveil the FF PAR Revenue Flywheel, enabling the Company’s partners to earn not only one-time sales margins, but also recurring income that builds over time as the ecosystem grows, creating higher returns for our partners.

On September 28, FF will host Part Two of the FF EAI Robotics “Built in USA” Launch and Business Partner Conference. Together with our upstream partners, FF will work to build the industry ecosystem. FF’s “Built in USA” strategy will provide a compliant entry point for upstream partners looking to expand into the U.S. market, turning advanced global technologies, supply chains, and system capabilities into market opportunities in the United States.

Against the backdrop of the FCC’s new policy framework, FF, as the first U.S. Company to have delivered both humanoid and bionic robots, is well positioned to capitalize on the market opportunities created by rising industry entry barriers and accelerate the conversion of its first-mover advantage in product delivery into a competitive market advantage.

FF has officially upgraded its EAI robotics strategy to the Four-Core Full-Stack AI Ecosystem Strategy, comprising the EAI Brain; EAI Devices; Industry Productivity Solutions and Developer Platform; and EAI Data Factory.

“Robotics companies fall into two types: EAI robotics companies and non-EAI robotics companies. What sets an EAI robot apart is a combination of critical capabilities, including an intelligent brain, foundation models, a physical embodiment, and the ability to generalize across different tasks and environments. EAI robotics companies tend to bring substantially greater value.” said YT Jia, founder and Global CEO of Faraday Future. “Join us on this ‘Built in USA’ journey. Together, we can move the robotics industry forward and maximize value for every distributor partner who joins us.”

FF EAI Robotics’ “Built in USA” Strategy and FCC Compliance

Built on FF’s “Four-Core Full-Stack AI” ecosystem, FF will build U.S.-based R&D, production, and supply chain capabilities for EAI Devices and key components in phases all while complying with the latest FCC policies targeted towards robotics. At the same time, it will strengthen its U.S. capabilities across the EAI Brain, Industry Productivity Solutions and Developer Platform, and EAI Data Factory.  targeting to establish itself as a leading EAI robotics platform company in the United States; and drive the rapid, long-term growth of the U.S. EAI robotics industry. 

FF began executing this strategy last year, when it accelerated its EAI robotics business; core Phase One capabilities are now complete. 

The new policies recently announced by the FCC are not intended to cut off global collaboration. Advanced technologies and supply chain capabilities from around the world can still be brought into the United States. For global partners, a compliant U.S. platform can still provide a more efficient path into the U.S. market. This is also where FF offers unique value.

FF has already established an evolutionary flywheel driven by its “Four-Core Full-Stack AI” ecosystem, its Global Industry Bridge, and scaled deliveries. Taken together, the new policies are reshaping the rules of the industry and, with full FCC compliance as a prerequisite, further strengthen the value of that bridge — positioning FF to translate its advantages in compliance, global connectivity, and early scaled delivery into market share and a stronger competitive moat.

Three-Phase Execution Roadmap for FF EAI Robotics’ “Built in USA” Acceleration Program

In Phase One, by the end of July this year, FF had completed the initial implementation of three core capabilities: the EAI Brain, Industry Productivity Solutions and Developer Platform, and the EAI Data Factory. This laid the technical foundation for the continued development of its EAI Devices. On the manufacturing side, FF also began establishing Its U.S. footprint, including evaluating a retrofit of the Company’s Hanford factory and possible sites for a new facility.

In Phase Two, from this August through the first quarter of 2027, FF will accelerate the “Assembled in USA” implementation for EAI Devices and the parts required for FCC compliance. FF’s goal is to bring its robotics factory online by the end of this year and have its first new EAI Device roll off the production line in February 2027.

In Phase Three, by the fourth quarter of 2028, FF’s ultimate goal is to achieve “Made in USA” for its EAI Devices, the parts required for FCC compliance, and a group of critical parts capable of driving major advances across the industry.

The following three-phase roadmap and timelines reflect the Company’s current targets and may be adjusted based on current FCC policies, applicable laws and regulations, and actual execution progress.

New EAI Devices Selected for the “Built in USA” Program

The first two new EAI Devices selected for the “Built in USA” program are the full-size humanoid Next Futurist and the quadruped Next Aegis.

Next Futurist is an “All-in-One Professional Expert,” designed for high-value use cases including research and education, industrial applications, services, and inspection. Its key upgrades will focus on motion control, multimodal perception, and AI capabilities. We will also explore advanced technologies such as NVIDIA SONIC, enabling it to progress from motion execution toward task understanding and autonomous operation.

Next Aegis is positioned as an “All-Scenario EAI Quadruped Robot” for education, inspection, security, and other applications at scale. Its key upgrades will focus on power, endurance, complex-terrain mobility, and autonomous navigation. Its modular design will also allow it to be configured for different use cases. More importantly, both products will share the EAI Brain, Data Factory, Developer Platform, and Skills system. Together, they will validate the technical approach of “One Brain, Multiple Forms; Multiple Forms, Multiple Capabilities” and help keep the evolutionary flywheel of FF’s “Four-Core Full-Stack AI” ecosystem moving.

EAI Education Ecosystem Updates

The Company has built the initial foundation of an education ecosystem covering EAI Devices, structured curricula, AI development tools, hands-on robotics training, and teacher support. We have also designed a curriculum framework spanning nine levels and three stages of learning. The Company has established partnerships with two public school districts in California — Lynwood Unified and El Segundo Unified — covering approximately 22 K-12 schools. Our EAI robotics summer camps have validated the model in real educational settings. This has established B2B educational institutions and B2C family education entry points along with a FF representative joining the El Segundo Unified School District’s CTE Advisory Committee.

FF has completed the initial development of Version 1.0 of FF’s Industry Productivity Solution for the EAI Education Ecosystem. It will officially launch on September 19. The solution will serve K-12 schools, after-school programs, and family education. It will empower our partners across eight dimensions, including EAI Devices, level-based curricula, development tools, teacher training, instructional management, and technical support.

FF has also officially launched its EAI EDU Nationwide Replication at Scale Sub-Campaign. Over the next four months, FF will expand its K-12 demonstration programs and advance blended learning, teacher training, and its classroom management platform. FF will also accelerate progress toward implementation for 11 potential education partnerships currently under development across 10 U.S. states.

Partnership Policy & Downstream Partner Recruitment:

FF officially launched its Partnership Policy & Downstream Partner Recruitment at today’s event. FF’s robotics business maintained ramp-up in sales and a positive contribution margin throughout the first half of the year. At the same time, the Data Factory has completed its first commercial closed loop, and the Developer Platform is live.

FF is recruiting four types of partners — each able to create value within the commercial flywheel and share in the returns. Channel partners — including distributors, regional agents, and rental operators, who bring market coverage and local service capabilities. Industry solution partners and developers, who bring industry expertise and project delivery capabilities. AI partners, who contribute Skills modules and model capabilities. And data and Skills partners, who contribute compliant data and validated assets.

FF PAR partners can access two forms of value.  Direct value includes product margins and business development incentives. These programs are supported by signed agreements and a fulfillment record. Flywheel value will be created after a robot enters a customer’s real-world environment. This includes deployment, training, operations, software subscriptions, curricula, upgrades, capacity expansion, and referrals. Each of these services is contracted, priced, and accepted independently. None of them constitutes a disguised discount on another.

RoboShare Updates

RoboShare is AIxC’s robot-sharing and operations platform, and FF is AIxC’s majority stockholder. RoboShare aims to build an “Uber + Turo”-style sharing and operations platform for robots. Its goal is to unlock their value as shared assets — transforming them from hardware sold through a one-time transaction into a new type of productive asset capable of generating ongoing revenue. RoboShare has already completed its first paid commercial order and secured a one-year rental order valued at $33,000. This long-term demand led an education customer to expand its original plan to purchase five NAVI robots into a firm order for 23 FFAI robots, generating 18 additional unit sales for FFAI.

AIxC officially launched RoboShare & Co. across North America, offering five partnership models: ROBOPARs support customer development, robot sales, local fulfillment, and lease-to-own programs; asset owners list eligible robots; users access diverse robots with transportation, operation, and on-site services; referral partners introduce customer demand and earn bonuses under official policies; and rental operators provide local transportation, operation, maintenance, repair, and after-sales support. Building on its initial orders, RoboShare is expanding its partner network with the goal of becoming North America’s largest and most diverse robot-sharing platform.

RoboShare is moving beyond its initial orders and beginning to expand its partner network across North America. It aims to build North America’s largest and most diverse robot-sharing platform.

Next, RoboShare will begin rolling out its Ten-City Strategy, starting in Los Angeles. We will validate repeat demand, equipment utilization, and its operating model. FF will provide AIxC with strategic, product, and technology support. In turn, RoboShare will help drive sales through real-world usage.

“FF combines deep roots in the United States with its role as a global Embodied AI industry bridge and today’s conference brought together many new ideas from the Company,” said YT Jia, FF founder and Global CEO. “FF is extending an invitation to all potential partners around the world: Let’s bring the best technologies, products, and supply chain capabilities to the United States, create value here, 'Built in USA, Benefit the World.'”

About Faraday Future

Founded in 2014, Faraday Future (FF) is a U.S.-based Physical AI ecosystem company dedicated to reshaping the future of robotics and mobility solutions through AI innovation and technologies. FF focuses on two major product strategies within the Embodied AI (EAI) robotics business: EAI humanoid and bionic robots, and EAI automotive-focused robots. By building a "Four-Core Full-Stack AI" ecosystem of EAI Brain, Device, Industry Productivity Solutions and Developer Platform, and Data Factory, FF aims to create an evolutionary flywheel: scaled device delivery, data collection and training, continuous evolution of the EAI Brain, stronger product capability, and even larger-scale delivery and deployment. Through this flywheel, FF seeks to maximize its commercial value and lead to the advancement of Physical AI. For more information, please visit Faraday Future's official website: ff.com. 

Disclaimer

This press release includes “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words “estimates,” “projected,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “forecasts,” “plans,” “intends,” “believes,” “seeks,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “future,” “propose” and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements, which include statements regarding Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc.’s (the “Company’s”) “Bridge Strategy,” the Company’s growth strategy, fundraising activities and prospects, the development of markets in which the Company operates or seeks to operate, the production and delivery of the FF 91, the Faraday X(FX) brand, and future compliance with Nasdaq listing requirements, are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside the Company’s control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this call, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

Important factors, that may affect actual results or outcomes include, among others: the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern and improve its liquidity and financial position; the Company’s ability to pay its outstanding obligations, which it currently lacks; the availability of sufficient share capital to meet its current obligations and execute on its strategy; the willingness of convertible debt investors to fund the Company; demand for the Company’s robotics products; the ability of B2B preorder companies to locate customers to purchase our robotics products, on which their nonbinding preorders substantially depend; competition in the robotics industry, which includes companies with far superior experience, funding and name recognition; the ability of the Company to build an EAI education ecosystem that serves both the B2C consumer market and the B2B institutional education market; the acceptance by teachers and students of the Company’s robotics products in the education market; the ability of the Company to expand into additional markets for its robotics products; the Company’s reliance on a single OEM for most of its robotics products; the Company’s reliance on Chinese OEMs for all of its robotics products; the possibility of the federal government banning imports of Chinese robotics products; the Company’s ability to get the planned robotics products to comply with all applicable U.S. rules and regulations; the ability of the robotics OEM to timely supply robotics to the Company; tariff uncertainty for imported products, particularly from China; demand from automobile dealers for robotics products; the Company's ability to homologate FX vehicles for sale; the Company’s ability to secure the necessary funding to execute on the FX strategy, which is substantial; the Company’s ability to secure an occupancy certificate covering all of its Hanford facility; the Company's ability to remediate its material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting and the risks related to the restatement of previously issued consolidated financial statements; the Company’s limited operating history and the significant barriers to growth it faces; the Company’s history of substantial losses and expectation of continued losses; the success of the Company’s payroll expense reduction plan; the Company’s ability to execute on its plans to develop and market its vehicles and the timing of these development programs; the Company’s estimates of the size of the markets for its vehicles and cost to bring those vehicles to market; the rate and degree of market acceptance of the Company’s vehicles; the Company’s ability to cover future warranty claims; the success of other competing manufacturers; the performance and security of the Company’s vehicles; current and potential litigation involving the Company; the Company’s ability to receive funds from, satisfy the conditions precedent of and close on the various financings described elsewhere by the Company; the result of future financing efforts, the failure of any of which could result in the Company seeking protection under the Bankruptcy Code; the Company’s indebtedness; the Company’s ability to use its “at-the-market” program; insurance coverage; general economic and market conditions impacting demand for the Company’s products; potential negative impacts of a reverse stock split; potential cost, headcount and salary reduction actions may not be sufficient or may not achieve their expected results; circumstances outside of the Company's control, such as natural disasters, climate change, health epidemics and pandemics, terrorist attacks, and civil unrest; risks related to the Company's operations in China; the success of the Company's remedial measures taken in response to the Special Committee findings; the Company’s dependence on its suppliers and contract manufacturer; the Company's ability to develop and protect its technologies; the Company's ability to protect against cybersecurity risks; and the ability of the Company to attract and retain employees, any adverse developments in existing legal proceedings or the initiation of new legal proceedings, and volatility of the Company’s stock price. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026; the quarter ended March 31, 2026, filed with the SEC on May 14, 2026, and Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 31, 2026, and other documents filed by the Company from time to time with the SEC.

Media Contact

john.schilling@ff.com

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, August 27, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- New assessments analyzed by RD Noticias from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the U.S. International Trade Administration (Trade.gov) reaffirm the Dominican Republic’s position as one of the Caribbean’s largest and most dynamic economies under the administration of President Luis Abinader.

Foreign direct investment in the Dominican Republic reached $3.2765 billion in the first half of 2026, with energy and tourism accounting for nearly half of total inflows. The figures provide a clearer view of where international capital is concentrating in the country and how key sectors continue to shape its investment profile.

Foreign direct investment in the Dominican Republic reached $3.2765 billion in the first half of 2026, an increase of 7.7% from the same period a year earlier, according to the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic.

The headline figure is significant, but the composition of those flows provides a more detailed view of the country’s investment profile. Energy accounted for 27.8% of FDI and tourism for 20.1%, meaning the two sectors together attracted nearly half of all foreign direct investment entering the country during the first six months of the year.

The data place two established economic sectors at the center of the investment picture: a tourism industry that continues to generate foreign-exchange earnings and an energy sector attracting capital as the country expands generation and infrastructure.

The figures do not establish that these trends are the result of any single administration. Tourism has been a major component of the Dominican economy for decades, while investment decisions reflect multiple economic, regulatory and international factors. What the latest data show is where foreign capital is concentrating during the current phase of the country’s development.

Dominican Republic FDI maintains momentum

The first-half figures follow a record year for foreign investment. The Central Bank reported that FDI reached $5.0323 billion in 2025, an increase of 11.3% from 2024. Tourism accounted for 26.3% of those inflows and energy for 23.8%, putting the two sectors at just over half of total FDI for the year.

Their continued prominence in the first half of 2026 suggests that the latest sector mix is not simply the result of a single quarter or isolated project cycle.

There has, however, been a shift within that mix. Energy moved ahead of tourism as the largest recipient of FDI during the first half of 2026, while tourism remained the second-largest destination for foreign capital. Real estate development and mining each accounted for another 12.4%.

The Central Bank expects total FDI toexceed $5.3 billion in 2026, although that remains a projection rather than a completed result. The institution has also noted that global investment flows are recovering unevenly and that competition among economies for strategic projects remains high.

That distinction matters. The investment story is not only that capital is entering the Dominican Republic, but that significant volumes continue to be allocated to sectors tied to infrastructure, international demand and foreign-exchange generation.

Tourism provides scale and demand visibility

Tourism remains one of the clearest sources of external revenue in the Dominican economy. Central Bank figures show that tourism receipts reached $6.716 billion in the first half of 2026, up 15.3% from the same period in 2025. Visitor arrivals increased 7.9%, surpassing 6.5 million during the period.

For investors, that scale has implications beyond hotels. Tourism demand supports activity across aviation, construction, real estate, food and beverage, transportation and other services. It also creates an established demand base for investment in destinations where accommodation capacity and supporting infrastructure continue to expand.

The regional context reinforces the sector’s scale. The Caribbean Tourism Organization reported that the Dominican Republic was the most visited Caribbean destination in 2024, with 8.5 million overnight tourists, within a regional market that recorded approximately 34.2 million international arrivals.

The country’s investment profile reflects that position. The U.S. Department of State’s 2026 Investment Climate Statement, published through Trade.gov, identifies tourism alongside real estate, telecommunications, free trade zones, mining and energy among the sectors that have attracted the most FDI into the Dominican Republic.

Tourism, in other words, is not the country’s only investment story. But its scale provides a visible source of demand against which international investors can evaluate projects in related sectors.

Energy becomes a larger part of the investment mix

The rise of energy to 27.8% of first-half FDI adds another dimension to the country’s investment profile. Electricity infrastructure has historically been an important consideration for investors assessing the Dominican economy.

Recent investment has increased the scale and diversity of the system, while transmission, distribution and storage are becoming increasingly important as generation capacity expands.

In 2025, 16 strategic energy projects added 1,138 megawatts of generation capacity, backed by more than $1.5 billion in private investment, according to government figures released in February 2026.

Of that new capacity, 697 MW came from renewable sources, primarily solar and wind, while 438 MW came from more efficient thermal generation, largely natural gas. Installed capacity increased from 4,921 MW in 2020 to 7,120 MW in 2025, according to the same official figures.

Energy is absorbing substantial private capital at the same time that demand, generation capacity and the need for transmission and storage infrastructure are increasing.

Trade.gov’s assessment similarly identifies energy among the sectors that have historically attracted significant FDI, reinforcing its growing relevance within the country’s investment profile. The combination of capital inflows and infrastructure requirements helps explain why energy has become a larger component of the Dominican Republic’s current investment mix.

Where tourism and energy intersect

Tourism and energy are usually measured as separate sectors, but their investment dynamics increasingly overlap. New hotels, residential developments, airports, ports and tourism corridors all depend on reliable electricity and supporting infrastructure.

As tourism expands geographically, the ability to provide power to emerging destinations becomes part of the economics of development.

Pedernales offers a concrete example. Government figures released in February 2026 highlighted the definitive connection of Pedernales to the national electricity system, an infrastructure step intended to strengthen supply in an area that is simultaneously being developed as a new tourism destination.

The significance is not that one project proves a national trend. Rather, it illustrates how tourism development and infrastructure investment can become mutually dependent: new destinations require utilities and connectivity, while infrastructure investment becomes more economically relevant when it supports areas attracting private development.

This interaction helps explain why the concentration of FDI in tourism and energy deserves attention beyond the individual sector percentages.

Investment climate and sector concentration

The broader investment climate remains important to this analysis. The U.S. Department of State’s 2026 Investment Climate Statement describes the Dominican Republic as an upper-middle-income economy in which FDI plays an important role. It notes that the country actively seeks foreign investment through incentives and identifies membership in CAFTA-DR as an advantage for international investors.

The United States remains the country’s largest single foreign investor, according to the report. That context helps explain why international capital flows continue to be relevant for sectors tied to infrastructure, tourism, energy and services.

The same assessment also points to institutional and investment-related measures implemented in recent years. Against that backdrop, the latest FDI figures provide another measurable indicator of the country’s ability to continue attracting international capital.

A more diversified investment signal

The first half of 2026 provides a relatively clear picture of where foreign capital is concentrating. Energy and tourism accounted for 47.9% of FDI, while real estate and mining added another 24.8%. Tourism receipts continued to rise, energy infrastructure attracted significant private capital and overall FDI increased from the previous year.

The Dominican Republic’s investment case is increasingly supported by the composition as well as the scale of foreign capital entering the country. The latest data show that foreign investment continues to flow into sectors with clear links to external demand, infrastructure and long-term development.

The trends coincide with a period in which the Dominican Republic has continued to promote foreign investment, expand energy capacity and sustain tourism development within an economy closely connected to the United States and international capital.

For investors assessing the Dominican Republic in 2026, the composition of that capital may be as informative as the headline FDI total itself.

Disclaimer

This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Information contained herein is compiled from public third-party sources, including the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic, the IMF, and U.S. Trade.gov. Statements regarding projected 2026 Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and economic trends are forward-looking expectations subject to global economic risks, market conditions, and regulatory shifts. Actual results may differ materially. Readers and potential investors should conduct independent due diligence before making investment decisions.

Media Contact

contacto@noticiaspais.com

STERLING, VA, August 27, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Wine & Champagne Gifts, a premier nationwide purveyor of curated beverage gifting, today announced the launch of its 2026 Holiday Corporate Gift Sale. The program offers enterprise clients and small businesses up to 20% savings on premium wine and champagne sets designed for employee, client, and partner appreciation.

To help organizations secure premium inventory and favorable pricing ahead of the Q4 rush, Wine & Champagne Gifts is introducing a flexible order-reservation system. Corporate customers who place a preliminary order by October 15 will lock in the up to 20% discount. Recognizing that corporate recipient lists frequently change, the company allows businesses to submit an estimated headcount now and finalize the exact list later. Any added recipients will receive the original discounted rate, while companies will be fully refunded for any initial recipients removed from the final manifest.

The 2026 holiday catalog features a curated selection of top-tier labels, including Veuve Clicquot, Dom Perignon, and Caymus. To enhance the gifting experience, clients can opt for custom bottle engraving or build fully tailored gift baskets to match specific corporate branding or recipient tastes.

To support tight holiday timelines, Wine & Champagne Gifts utilizes a robust logistics network, offering same-day delivery in Los Angeles, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., and next-day delivery across major hubs including California, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Massachusetts.

Corporate buyers can access the Holiday Corporate Gift Sale and consult with bulk-order specialists directly at wineandchampagnegifts.com.

About Wine & Champagne Gifts

Wine & Champagne Gifts is a trusted U.S. online gift store offering premium wine gift baskets, champagne gift baskets, Hickory wine gift baskets, Tiffany champagne flutes, and other beverage gifts for every budget and special occasion. From birthdays and anniversaries to holidays, weddings, client appreciation, and corporate celebrations, our curated gifts are designed to make every occasion more memorable. For more information, visit wineandchampagnegifts.com and follow on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Trustpilot.

Media Contact

Charu Smith
Wine & Champagne Gifts
charu@wineandchampagnegifts.com

SHANGHAI, China, August 26, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Since opening on July 3, Shanghai Summer 2026 has been turning the city into a season-long programme of sport, culture, gaming, exhibitions, and family entertainment, with major international events rolling out across Shanghai from July through October.

Under the theme “Shanghai Summer, Join the Family Fun,” this year’s international consumption season brings together 11 flagship events across six “S-U-M-M-E-R” (sports, urban, museum, music, entertainment, relax) themed categories, alongside family-focused ticketing, cross-venue packages, and services designed for international visitors.

The result is an increasingly connected event ecosystem in which major tournaments, exhibitions and festivals are extending their impact beyond individual venues and into shopping districts, attractions, restaurants, and neighbourhoods across the city.

Rolex Shanghai Masters Introduces New Festival Format

The 2026 Rolex Shanghai Masters, Asia-Pacific’s only ATP Masters 1000 tournament, will take place from October 5 to 18 at Qizhong Tennis Center.

This year, the event is expanding beyond the main competition with the launch of a new Masters Carnival from October 1 to 4. Ticket holders will receive consumption vouchers of equivalent value and gain access to player practice sessions, tennis culture exhibitions, amateur competitions, and youth events.

The tournament is also adding upgraded family zones, interactive areas, and the returning ACE Pet World, while a new “second venue” along Suzhou Creek will bring selected event experiences into the city centre.

A wider ticketing strategy includes products for families, office workers, traveling fans, and international visitors, as well as cross-event packages linked with Shanghai Disney Resort and the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix.

Gaming and Anime Take Over the City

Another major pillar is Shanghai International Game and Anime Month, which has expanded this year from an anime-focused programme into a broader gaming and youth culture platform.

On August 8, the 2026 Pudong ACG Merchandise Carnival opened at Super Brand Mall in Lujiazui in collaboration with ChinaJoy. Satellite venues and check-in points have been introduced across Pudong, while IP operators are developing new retail concepts including themed stores and restaurants.

In Huangpu, the Game and Anime Month programme is also bringing together Shanghai heritage brands, traditional crafts, domestic animation, and digital gaming IPs.

Products ranging from fragrance and personal care to collectibles are being reworked through character collaborations and contemporary Chinese design, demonstrating how established consumer brands are using entertainment IP to reach younger audiences.

Museum Exhibition Extends into Retail

The cultural programme is also producing activity outside traditional museum spaces.

Shanghai Museum’s The Summit of the World Tree: Ancient Civilizations of the Americas, which opened on July 9, has expanded into two creative retail pop-ups on Huaihai Road and Nanjing Road.

The Nanjing Road store attracts several thousand visitors on busy days with selected cultural merchandise regularly selling out. Interactive experiences derived from the main exhibition, together with VR and AI-enabled interpretation, have proved particularly popular with families and international visitors.

At the Huaihai Road location, weekend traffic has reached around 2,000 visitors with a purchase conversion rate approaching 30%.

Pet Fair Asia Expands into a Citywide Programme

From August 19 to 23, the 28th Pet Fair Asia will occupy 320,000 square metres at Shanghai New International Expo Centre and bring together more than 2,600 exhibitors.

For the first time, the event is introducing a dedicated Shanghai Summer family ticket package alongside new themed zones focused on imported products, cat lifestyles, and human-pet living.

The fair is also extending beyond the exhibition centre through Shanghai Pet Month, linking more than 100 commercial districts, shopping centres, and pet-friendly businesses across the city.

The City Becomes the Venue

Beyond the flagship events, Shanghai’s commercial and cultural districts are running their own summer programmes.

Panlong Tiandi in Qingpu has introduced a waterfront night festival with a water market and three-kilometre light show. Shanghai LEGOLAND Resort is marking its first anniversary with a play festival, drone performances, and a themed train. Shanghai Disney Resort is celebrating its 10th anniversary with extended summer evenings and new ticket products.

Nanjing Road, Yuyuan Garden, the Bund, and other commercial areas are also hosting exhibitions, digital entertainment festivals, family activities, and cross-venue promotions.

The programme will continue into September and October with the MXGP World Motocross Championship Shanghai, the Shanghai International Light Festival, Shanghai Fashion Week, and the second edition of RED LAND, which will transform an 80,000-square-metre site on Fuxing Island into an open-world entertainment experience.

From global sports and large-scale exhibitions to IP activations and citywide festivals, Shanghai Summer 2026 is increasingly positioning the entire city as one connected event platform — where a ticket is not simply entry to a venue, but the starting point for a wider urban experience.

BATUMI, Georgia, August 26, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Origami Holding, a real estate development and management group operating in Georgia, has announced the acquisition of land on Ambassadori Island Batumi for the construction of a new multifunctional complex. The project represents a $200 million investment in coastal real estate, modern urban engineering, and property development in the Black Sea region.

The complex will be integrated into the Ambassadori Island infrastructure. The initiative forms part of the ongoing economic and tourism development of the Adjara region, aiming to expand Batumi's hospitality and commercial real estate portfolio.

Development and Regional Infrastructure

Designed in accordance with current urban planning and environmental standards, the complex on the artificial island will include residential and commercial spaces constructed to international technical specifications. The project is expected to contribute to the expanding urban and business infrastructure of Batumi.

Operational Background and Performance Metrics

Origami Holding (founded in 2008 in Batumi as BWC) operates through three primary divisions: Architecture, Development, and Hospitality. The group employs up to 600 professionals across its operational branches. Key operational figures include:

• Over 3,000,000 square meters designed: Architectural planning and design across multiple urban projects in Georgia over an 18-year period.
• Over 200,000 square meters built: Completed construction projects, including the White Sails residential enclave and the Well Home complex in Batumi.
• Over 1,000,000 guests welcomed: Hospitality management across completed residential and hotel properties.

Investment Overview and Project Phase

The multifunctional complex incorporates several functional characteristics:

• Revenue potential: A mix of residential and commercial spaces intended to support year-round commercial activity and rental opportunities.
• Asset appreciation: Real estate developed on limited coastal land structures typically demonstrates long-term demand and value retention.
• Phased launch: Initial property releases will be made available to early-stage buyers ahead of the broader market launch.

Following the acquisition of the land plot, initial planning and preparatory site works are complete. Architectural plans, site layouts, and 3D visualization materials are available on the company platform.

Active sales are scheduled to open on September 1 with initial unit reservations currently available on the platform.

About Origami Holding

Origami Holding is a development, architectural, and hospitality company based in Georgia, focused on commercial and residential real estate projects across the region. For more information, visit www.origamiholding.ge.

Disclaimer

This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any investment, real estate equity, or financial security. Financial and ROI projections relating to the project were based on project data and investment information provided by Origami Holding. Cushman & Wakefield | Veritas did not undertake a separate independent valuation or financial assessment of these projections, and they should not be regarded as a guarantee of future financial performance or asset appreciation. Real estate investments involve inherent market risks, including the potential loss of capital, fluctuation in property values, and shifting regional economic conditions. Prospective buyers and investors should conduct their own independent due diligence and consult with qualified financial, legal, and tax advisors before entering into any binding agreements or unit reservations.

Media Contact

Astamur Chazmava
info@origamiholding.ge

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, August 26, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Kommo, a conversational CRM focused on centralizing client communication, has released its new AI booking agent, which manages bookings and reduces administrative tasks.

The new feature reduced repetitive scheduling work by detecting client intent, finding real-time availability, and scheduling appointments automatically.

The AI booking agent is designed to reduce manual work and manage the scheduling lifecycle, helping minimize missed appointments and reducing the volume of tasks handled manually.

When activated, the booking agent can:

• Qualify booking requests: Kommo's AI agent asks clarifying questions and organizes incoming requests.
• Prepare booking types and service information: Set up and maintain the types of bookings handled, from initial scheduling to confirmations.
• Confirm booking requests and transfer them to a human agent: Route confirmed bookings to the appropriate team member.

"As a company that manages communication between people, we saw that the biggest challenge was organizing appointments and schedules in a fluid way," said Gabriel Motta, Head of Digital PR at Kommo. "We built this to reduce the manual work involved in managing a busy schedule."

About Kommo

Kommo is a CRM specializing in business communication and automation. Their focus is on offering innovative solutions that empower companies to streamline customer interactions, enhance engagement, and scale efficiently. In other words, Kommo supports businesses across various industries in optimizing their messaging strategies, focused on driving smarter business communication. For more information, visit www.kommo.com.

Media Contact

Stephanie Serafini
stephanie@kommo.com

WASHINGTON, DC, August 26, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- The American Kratom Association (AKA) today applauded the U.S. Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration for the emergency scheduling of three potent opioid compounds chemically related to 7-hydroxymitragynine: mitragynine pseudoindoxyl (commonly known as MGPI or MP), MGM-15, and MGM-16.

The Justice Department announced that the DEA is temporarily placing these three 7-OH-related substances in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act because they pose an imminent hazard to public safety. DOJ stated that preclinical evidence indicates all three are potent mu-opioid receptor agonists and may present risks associated with other mu-opioid agonists, including dependence and respiratory depression.

“This action is a critically important step in protecting American consumers from dangerous chemically manipulated opioid products that never should have been marketed as kratom,” said Mac Haddow, Senior Fellow on Public Policy for the AKA. “The DEA and DOJ are properly targeting manufactured, concentrated, fortified, or intentionally added opioid compounds — not safely formulated natural kratom leaf products.”

The AKA particularly commends the DOJ for recognizing that the federal action is directed at deliberately manufactured and concentrated opioid products, not traditional botanical kratom, and that the Department will exercise enforcement discretion when only incidental trace amounts of MGPI are confirmed in a product otherwise consistent with botanical kratom.

“That recognition is essential,” Haddow said. “Trace detection is not the same as chemical manipulation. The same principle that supports a threshold for dangerous 7-OH products should apply to MGPI: regulators should target intentionally manufactured or concentrated opioid compounds, while protecting consumers’ access to legitimate natural kratom products that are safely formulated, properly labeled, and age-restricted.”

“This is exactly the kind of precision that consumer protection requires,” Haddow added. “Bad actors have been chemically manipulating kratom alkaloids into opioid products and selling them in ways that put consumers at risk. At the same time, millions of responsible consumers rely on natural kratom leaf products. Those two categories must not be confused.”

The AKA has consistently urged federal and state policymakers to draw a bright line between natural kratom leaf and chemically manipulated products such as high-potency 7-OH, MGPI, MGM-15, and MGM-16. Responsible kratom regulation must protect consumers from adulterated, synthetic, semi-synthetic, concentrated, or manipulated products while preserving lawful access to natural kratom leaf products manufactured under appropriate consumer protection standards.

“The path forward is clear,” Haddow said. “Remove dangerous chemically manipulated opioids from the marketplace. Hold the perpetrators accountable. Preserve access to real kratom products that are safely formulated, accurately labeled, tested for contaminants, and restricted to adults.”

The AKA calls on state legislatures, attorneys general, health departments, and law enforcement agencies to align their enforcement strategies with the federal approach: target chemically manipulated opioids and bad actors, not natural kratom consumers.

“Natural kratom consumers deserve clarity and protection,” Haddow said. “This action recognizes that dangerous manufactured opioid compounds are the problem — not trace-level analytical findings in legitimate botanical kratom products.”

About American Kratom Association (AKA)

The American Kratom Association is a consumer advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the rights of Americans to safely use natural kratom products. The AKA supports federal and state enforcement actions targeting chemically manipulated 7-OH products and advocates for the Kratom Consumer Protection Act — including product testing, labeling standards, and age restrictions — in states across the country. For more information, visit americankratom.org and learn more at kratomanswers.org.

Disclaimer

The American Kratom Association (AKA) is a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization. This press release is provided for informational and public policy purposes only. Information contained herein reflects the policy analysis of the issuing party regarding federal administrative actions and does not constitute legal or medical advice. Statements made regarding natural kratom have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Readers should consult qualified medical professionals before using any botanical products.

Media Contact

Mac Haddow
Senior Fellow on Public Policy
press@americankratom.org
+1 571-294-5978

MIAMI, FL, August 26, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- HelloGov AI, Inc. ("HelloGov"), the citizen and business services platform, today announced that Francis X. Suarez, the 43rd Mayor of Miami and former President of the United States Conference of Mayors, has joined the company as Advisor to the Board. Suarez, an attorney, will advise HelloGov on regulatory matters, compliance, and the company's work with government agencies as it scales following its merger with iVisa.

Suarez served two terms as Mayor of Miami from 2017 to 2025, becoming the first Miami-born mayor in the city's history and winning re-election in 2021 with more than 78% of the vote. As mayor, he championed the modernization of government services, overseeing the digitization of the city's permitting and plans-review processes so residents and businesses could complete government transactions online. He served as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors from 2022 to 2023 and was named to Fortune's list of the World's 50 Greatest Leaders in 2021.

"Francis spent two decades in public service making government work better for the people it serves, and he did it by embracing technology and welcoming the private sector as a partner," said Adam Boalt, co-CEO of HelloGov. "As we expand from passports into travel visas, tag and title, and business services, his experience at the intersection of government, law, and innovation is exactly the guidance we want in the room."

"I have always believed that the private sector, working transparently alongside the government, can make public services more accessible for everyone," said Suarez. "Programs like the State Department's registered hand-carry courier program exist because many citizens simply don't have the time to navigate these processes themselves, and companies that operate within that framework — with full compliance and full disclosure — provide a real convenience to the public. The combination of HelloGov and iVisa brings that same approach to travelers worldwide, and I look forward to advising the team on regulatory and compliance matters as they grow."

Suarez's appointment follows HelloGov's merger with iVisa, completed July 1, 2026, which created the world's largest AI-powered consumer passport and visa platform — expected to process more than 1.5 million applications annually across over 100 destinations in 14 languages. HelloGov is registered as a hand-carry passport courier company with the U.S. Department of State and operates an online marketplace supporting a network of more than 40 registered couriers.

About HelloGov

HelloGov AI, Inc. is an AI-powered consumer and business platform for government documentation. Following its merger with iVisa, the company combines thirteen years of global visa infrastructure with an AI-assisted passport application platform across more than 100 destinations and 14 languages. HelloGov's services will be available to customers globally through retail partnerships and travel memberships. Every application receives specialist review. HelloGov is a private company registered with the U.S. Department of State as a hand-carry passport courier, and it operates a marketplace of independent registered couriers. For more information, visit hellogov.com.

Disclaimer

HelloGov AI, Inc. ("HelloGov") and its subsidiary iVisa are private commercial entities. HelloGov is not a government agency, is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of State, and is not affiliated with any foreign government or embassy. HelloGov provides third-party application preparation, AI-assisted review, and courier coordination services for an additional fee. Registration as a hand-carry passport courier with the U.S. Department of State allows submission and pick-up of applications at regional agencies on behalf of clients; it does not constitute government endorsement, authorization to issue government documents, or a guarantee of application approval or processing times. Government application forms and official information are available free of charge directly from official government portals (e.g., travel.state.gov). Third-party service fees are separate from non-refundable government processing fees. 

Media Contact

Paula Voto Bernales
pr@hellogov.com

BOSTON, MA, August 26, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Four Massachusetts retailers of natural kratom leaf products have filed a lawsuit in Suffolk County Superior Court against the state Department of Public Health and its commissioner, Robbie Goldstein, alleging the Commonwealth's new blanket ban on all kratom products does not meet standards established by the Legislature.

The complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief, dated Aug. 21, also faults the defendants for failing to distinguish between natural kratom leaf and chemically manipulated 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), as well as for relying on death data that does not distinguish the traditional leaf from chemically manipulated products.

Natural kratom is derived from the leaves of a Southeast Asian tree and has been consumed for centuries. Today, millions of Americans and tens of thousands of Bay Staters regularly purchase natural kratom leaf products in the commercial retail marketplace. By contrast, concentrated or synthetically isolated 7-OH products represent high-potency formulations distinct from traditional, raw botanical kratom leaf.

Massachusetts' blanket kratom ban will have significant unintended economic consequences, particularly for businesses that operate legally, transparently, and in compliance with state and local laws. The new order risks crushing an entire category of legitimate commerce in natural kratom and will cause major job losses and economic harm.

Regulatory action threatens to eliminate retail inventory and jobs without providing a workable regulatory compliance framework, despite the fact that legal kratom businesses contribute to the economy through sales and payroll taxes, commercial rent, and local fees. Driving these businesses out of the regulated market reduces state and local revenue while pushing demand into unregulated channels.

This is why the Department of Public Health must reverse its order and pursue a targeted, science-based approach that protects young people, establishes appropriate consumer safeguards, and focuses enforcement on chemically manipulated products, not responsible retailers of natural kratom leaf. A narrower approach would align with recent federal actions by the FDA and DEA, which initiated temporary scheduling procedures targeting concentrated 7-OH and synthetic alkaloid derivatives while distinguishing them from raw leaf.

Retailers who have lawfully sold natural kratom leaf for years should not suddenly face criminal consequences because dangerous new products have entered the marketplace.

About American Kratom Association (AKA)

The American Kratom Association is a consumer advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the rights of Americans to safely use natural kratom products. The AKA supports federal and state enforcement actions targeting chemically manipulated 7-OH products and advocates for the Kratom Consumer Protection Act — including product testing, labeling standards, and age restrictions — in states across the country. For more information, visit americankratom.org and learn more at kratomanswers.org.

Disclaimer

The American Kratom Association (AKA) is a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization. This press release is provided for informational and public policy purposes only. Content herein reflects the statements and unverified legal allegations of the issuing party and does not constitute endorsement, legal advice, or medical advice by this publication. Statements made regarding natural kratom have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Readers should consult qualified medical professionals before using any botanical products.

Media Contact

Mac Haddow
Senior Fellow on Public Policy
press@americankratom.org
+1 571-294-5978

SAN DIEGO, CA, August 26, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Faro AI, Inc. today announced it has raised $37.3 million in Series B financing. The round was co-led by Merck Global Health Innovation Fund and S32, with participation from all existing investors, including General Catalyst, Northpond Ventures, Polaris Partners, PTX Capital, and Zetta, and new investors, including Ankona Capital.

The financing will fund Faro’s next stage of growth as pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies increasingly look to AI agents to automate complex workflows across clinical development. Faro will use the proceeds to expand its agentic AI capabilities and accelerate its work with customers deploying AI agents across their development organizations, helping teams improve the quality and efficiency of the processes required to move medicines from first-in-human studies through approval.

Clinical development is built on a highly interconnected set of scientific, medical, regulatory, and operational decisions. Automating these processes requires more than applying large language models to the documents that describe them. AI systems need a structured understanding of the concepts, relationships, constraints, and intent that drive how clinical studies are designed and executed.

Faro has built proprietary clinical development data models that translate these complex and interconnected concepts into structured, machine-readable intent. This foundation allows AI agents to reason across clinical development processes and automate workflows while maintaining the context and oversight required by development teams. Protocols and other clinical documents can be generated from this foundation, but documents represent only one of the many outputs and workflows the underlying models can support.

Faro’s platform is now used by six of the world’s ten largest pharmaceutical companies, giving the company experience modeling clinical development programs across a broad range of therapeutic areas, study designs, and development workflows.

“By saving time and improving quality, agentic AI has the potential to transform the way the biopharmaceutical industry conducts clinical development," said Mike Morgan, Principal at Merck Global Health Innovation Fund. “Faro has built a foundational platform that creates an important opportunity to apply AI reliably to increasingly complex workflows across the clinical development continuum.” 

“This financing gives us the resources to accelerate what our customers are already asking us to do,” said Scott Chetham, co-founder and CEO of Faro. “Clinical development involves some of the most complex and interconnected workflows in biopharma. Our customers want to use AI agents not simply to generate content, but to understand development intent, reason across these processes, and automate more of the work required to move a program forward. Faro’s ontology and data models give those agents the foundation they need to do that reliably.”

Chetham continued, “We started by creating a structured model of the clinical trial because the protocol sits at the center of so many downstream development activities. As that foundation has grown, so has the opportunity. This round allows us to accelerate the development of agents that can operate across increasingly complex clinical development workflows and, over time, extend that foundation into other areas of biopharma.”

About Faro AI

Faro provides the structured data and AI infrastructure for modern clinical development. Its proprietary ontology and data models translate complex scientific, medical, regulatory, and operational concepts into structured intent that software and AI agents can reason over and act upon.

Used by six of the world’s ten largest pharmaceutical companies, Faro enables development teams to design and operationalize clinical studies, generate clinical documents, identify risks and inconsistencies, and automate increasingly complex workflows across the development lifecycle. By giving AI systems a structured understanding of clinical development rather than relying on documents alone, Faro helps pharmaceutical and biotechnology organizations improve quality, reduce rework, and move development programs forward more efficiently.

For more information, visit faro.ai.

Media Contact

Chief Commercial Officer, Faro
marketing@faro.ai