Author: Sai Krishna

J.K. Fenner (India) Limited Announce Strategic Relationship with Yamada Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

CHENNAI, India, Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — J.K. Fenner (India) Limited, a leading manufacturer of automotive and industrial engineering solutions, today announced a strategic relationship with Yamada Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Japan, to strengthen the development and manufacturing of advanced automotive components for domestic and global markets.

Established in 1946, Yamada Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Japan, is a leading Japanese automotive component manufacturer with expertise in oil pumps, water pumps, steering columns, drivetrain components, and other precision automotive systems. The company serves leading global OEMs, bringing decades of engineering excellence and manufacturing expertise.

The strategic relationship combines JK Fenner’s strong manufacturing capabilities, engineering expertise, and customer reach with Yamada Manufacturing’s advanced Japanese technology and product development capabilities. The partnership aims to accelerate innovation, enhance product quality, and address the evolving requirements of automotive OEMs, including next-generation mobility solutions.

Through this strategic relationship, the two companies will focus on:

• Technology transfer for advanced automotive component manufacturing.
• Joint product development to meet global quality and performance standards.
• Localization of advanced technology products for the Indian automotive market.
• Enhancing manufacturing processes, quality systems, and engineering capabilities.
• Delivering innovative, reliable, and cost-effective mobility solutions to customers.

Through this strategic relationship, Yamada aims to accelerate its market entry and business expansion in India.

About Yamada Manufacturing Co., Ltd. 

Yamada Manufacturing Co.,Ltd. is specialized in development, design and manufacturing auto parts for the critical function of “driving, steering and braking” including transmission components, steering system components and automotive pumps, particularly oil and water pumps for automobiles and motorcycles. Yamada operates in Japan, United States, China and Thailand. Yamada’s philosophy is working together as a technology oriented corporation to provide value beyond customers’ expectations in a creative and original way, and to spread joy to people all over the world.

www.yamada-s.co.jp

About J.K. Fenner (India) Limited

J.K. Fenner (India) Limited is one of India’s leading manufacturers of automotive and industrial engineering solutions, offering a comprehensive portfolio that includes power transmission products, automotive components, sealing solutions, fluid transfer system, and engineered products. With a strong manufacturing footprint, advanced engineering capabilities, and a customer-first approach, the company serves leading OEMs and industrial customers across India and international markets.

www.jkfenner.com

Media Contact:

Phone: +91 44 4399 4666

Email:contact@jkfenner.com

Website:www.jkfenner.com

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Colgate India sets a World Record for the ‘Largest Multi-Location Oral Screening Programme’ reaching over 3 Lakh Students in 10 Days

Forging a landmark coalition this ‘World Smile Day’, Colgate joined forces with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Indian Dental Association (IDA) of Tamil Nadu to drive a comprehensive oral health mandate across the state’s CBSE schools

MUMBAI, India, Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Colgate has successfully executed a new record Oral Health screening initiative, reaching 308,106 students across 547 CBSE-affiliated schools in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry within a 10-day sprint (17 – 28 August 2026), illustrating the scalability of multi-stakeholder partnerships in driving public health outcomes.

Serving as the principal sponsor for this initiative, Colgate aligned with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the Indian Dental Association (IDA) of Tamil Nadu, 2,100 dentists and 29 regional dental colleges. This coalition mobilized across 40 districts to deliver the ‘Largest Multi-Location Oral Screening‘ activity, a benchmark officially recognized by the World Records Union (WRU). By structurally integrating dental professionals, educators, and civic volunteers, the campaign effectively bridged preventive oral healthcare with critical interventions regarding nutrition and substance abuse prevention.

This rapid-scale mobilization accelerates the long-term objectives of Colgate’s flagship Bright Smiles, Bright Futures® (BSBF) program. Since 1991, BSBF has established a foundation of preventive care for over 200 million children and their families across India, scaling its reach to engage over 11 million children across 35,000 schools in 2025 alone. By pairing diagnostic screenings with comprehensive oral health education, Colgate is advancing its community outreach from basic awareness to measurable, behavioral intervention.

“For nearly nine decades, Colgate has operated not just as an oral care brand, but as a systemic partner in India’s foundational health journey,” stated Shilpashree Muniswamappa, Director – ESG & Communications, Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited. “This World Smile Day milestone validates our collaborative model. I’d like to thank NCB, IDA Tamil Nadu and CBSE for partnering on this vision. Screening over three lakh students in 10 days proves that public-private synergies can rapidly scale critical health interventions. While the World Record highlights the operational scale of this effort, our strategic focus remains on institutionalizing preventive habits that deliver lifelong developmental dividends for the next generation.“

This targeted mobilization operates within Colgate India’s overarching 2030 SMILE Strategy. Additionally, by systematically addressing intersectional barriers across education, financial inclusion, and water security—which has positively impacted over 640,000 beneficiaries to date through the ‘Keep India Smiling’ and Rural Development programs—Colgate continues to architect holistic solutions that drive measurable social impact and community resilience in India.

About Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited

Colgate is a caring, innovative growth company that is reimagining a healthier future for all people, and the planet. Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited is the market leader in Oral Care in the country, committed to delivering sustainable, profitable growth for its shareholders, while fostering an inclusive workplace for its people. With a primary focus on science-led innovations in Oral Care & Personal Care in the Indian market, the company is recognized for its leadership and innovative efforts in advancing sustainability and community well-being. Among its recent accomplishments, the company has made significant strides in reducing plastic waste and promoting recyclability, conserving water and energy at its manufacturing facilities, empowering women with financial and digital literacy and enhancing children’s oral health through its flagship, Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures® program. For more information about Colgate’s global business and how it is building a future to smile about, visit:www.colgatepalmolive.co.in.

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NuSummit Appoints Kunal Purohit as Managing Director and CEO

MUMBAI, India, Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — NuSummit, a leading global provider of AI-led cybersecurity, data, digital, and cloud transformation solutions across Capital Markets, Insurance, Banking, and Financial Services, today announced the appointment of Kunal Purohit as Managing Director and CEO.

Anantharaman Sreenivasan (Ganesh), who led NuSummit through five years of growth, integration, and transformation, will transition from his current role as MD and CEO immediately and continue as an Executive Director on NuSummit’s Board till 31st March 2027, supporting the leadership transition.

Kunal brings more than two decades of experience in starting and scaling businesses around modern technologies. He has held leadership positions at Tech Mahindra and HCL Technologies, where he helped clients redesign business processes and deliver business outcomes using technologies such as cybersecurity, AI, cloud, and data. Entrepreneur India recognized him among the Top 25 Tech Trailblazers in India, and IIM Indore awarded him the Distinguished Alumni Award for his impact in AI. He also sits on the boards of several start-ups.

Varun Laul, Partner, Investcorp and Board Member, NuSummit, said, “We are delighted to welcome Kunal to lead NuSummit into its next phase of growth. Kunal brings deep expertise in next-generation technologies, such as cybersecurity, cloud engineering, and AI, which are core offerings for NuSummit. His deep experience scaling global technology businesses will help the company accelerate and deliver greater value to clients. We also thank Ganesh for his contributions to NuSummit in its early years as an independent company.”

Kunal Purohit said, “I am excited to join NuSummit at an important juncture for the company. There is a crucial convergence of AI, cybersecurity, data, and cloud emerging across the enterprise technology landscape, and NuSummit is well positioned to support clients through this transformation journey. We bring deep industry expertise and strong engineering capabilities across these modern technologies and create meaningful business value.”

About NuSummit

NuSummit is a global technology leader in AI-led cybersecurity and digital transformation, spanning applications, data, analytics, and cloud. With over two decades of experience, we serve 300+ clients worldwide, including 22 Fortune 500 companies, with core expertise in banking, insurance, and capital markets.

Backed by Investcorp, a leading global alternative investment firm, NuSummit empowers organizations to orchestrate outcomes that help navigate the complex digital and cybersecurity landscape with confidence. 

For more information, visit www.nusummit.com.

About Investcorp

Investcorp is a global investment manager, specializing in alternative investments across private equity, real estate, credit, absolute return strategies, GP stakes, infrastructure, and insurance asset management. Since our inception in 1982, we have focused on generating attractive returns for our clients while creating long-term value in our investee companies and for our shareholders as a prudent and responsible investor.

Investcorp has 14 offices today across the US, Europe, the GCC, and Asia, including India, China, Japan, and Singapore. Currently, Investcorp Group has $64 billion of AUM in scale, including assets managed by third-party managers, and employs approximately 500 people from 40 countries globally across its offices. 

For further information, visit www.investcorp.com and follow us @Investcorp on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

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IBM Introduces Self-Hosted Deployment for IBM Bob to Help Enterprises Advance AI Sovereignty and Governance

Enterprises can now benefit from AI-powered software development and modernization without moving sensitive code, data, or workflows outside their controlled infrastructure

ARMONK, N.Y., Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced self-hosted deployment for IBM Bob, allowing organizations to bring AI software development to on-premises, private-cloud, sovereign-cloud, and air-gapped environments where they have control. Bob is IBM’s agentic software development platform that helps teams move beyond code generation to apply AI to the work of software delivery and modernization.

Enterprises are investing heavily in AI-powered software development, but organizations that manage sensitive source code, regulated data, or mission-critical infrastructure often face strict security and compliance requirements that can limit their ability to use public AI platforms. For many organizations, especially those in regulated industries, AI adoption requires control over where AI runs, what data AI can access, and how AI systems are governed.

According to a report from Futurum Research, hybrid and edge deployments are projected to capture 44% of the AI infrastructure market by 2030 as organizations seek sovereign control alongside ecosystem connectivity, while public cloud share is projected to decline to 46% in that same timeframe.

IBM Bob’s self-hosted deployment option brings AI to customer-managed infrastructure and is specifically designed for organizations that require greater control over data residency, security policies, AI governance, and software development workflows. Unlike many AI coding and software development tools that require organizations to move data to external services, the self-hosted version of IBM Bob allows enterprises to deploy AI software development and modernization capabilities in environments where their code, application context, and data already reside.

“The future of enterprise AI will depend on security, governance and sovereignty,” said Neel Sundaresan, GM of AI and Automation, IBM. “Organizations need AI that operates inside environments they have control over, especially when working with sensitive code and regulated data. Bob’s self-hosted deployment provides a way for enterprises to bring agentic AI directly to those environments so they can benefit from the technology while maintaining security, compliance, and operational control.”

Most enterprises operate software environments that contain sensitive data like intellectual property, proprietary source code, and regulated customer information. According to The Calculus of AI Sovereignty, a report published in June 2026 by IBM’s Institute for Business Value, 68% of surveyed executives say meeting data residency and sovereignty requirements across geographies is challenging.

Now, IBM Bob’s deployment flexibility can help enterprises address those requirements by allowing them to bring AI to the data instead of moving their data for the AI. Enterprises can run supported models on premises, including in air-gapped environments, using supported models they’ve licensed or connect Bob to supported external model services through hybrid configurations.

While many AI development tools have been designed primarily for cloud-native environments, enterprise modernization often involves applications and data distributed across on-premises systems, private clouds and other controlled environments. IBM Bob’s deployment flexibility allows organizations to use AI for software development and modernization across infrastructure environments and models, helping them achieve true AI adoption.

For additional information about self-hosted options for IBM Bob, visit: https://www.ibm.com/new/announcements/ibm-bob-expands-to-self-hosted-environments-for-sensitive-and-mission-critical-enterprise-software 

About IBM

IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of governments and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service.



Visit www.ibm.com for more information.

Media contact:

Rebecca Neufeld

IBM

rebecca.neufeld@ibm.com

Sources:

• “Sovereign AI: What Nations Want (And What They’ll Actually Get)” Futurum Research, 2026
• “The Calculus of AI Sovereignty” IBM Institute for Business Value, 2026

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Emerald Clinical Trials Appoints Michael Stibilj as Chief Executive Officer to Lead Next Phase of Global Growth

SINGAPORE, Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Emerald Clinical Trials, a leading global clinical research organization anchored in Asia-Pacific, today announced the appointment of Michael Stibilj as Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 October 2026. The appointment marks the beginning of the company’s next phase of growth.

Michael brings over 30 years of global CRO industry experience. He joins Emerald Clinical after six years with Novotech where he was Chief Operating Officer; prior to that he was CEO at PPC Group for three years and spent 22 years with IQVIA in several regional and global leadership positions. He has helped these organizations through complex transformations, driving significant revenue growth and market leadership, with deep operational experience across Asia-Pacific, including China, Singapore and Australia.

His appointment follows a transformative year for Emerald Clinical, including the acquisition of Hongyi Clinical Development Services. The combination created a uniquely positioned clinical development platform of more than 1,000 professionals across 40+ countries and 70+ locations, supporting sponsors from first-in-human trials through post-marketing across China, Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Americas.

“Michael is the right leader for Emerald Clinical’s next chapter of growth,” said Sean Carney, Chairman of the Board. “He combines proven operational strength, a global perspective, and deep Asia-Pacific experience with a track record of taking businesses to the next level. On behalf of the Board, I thank Glenn Kerkhof, whose leadership as Interim CEO delivered growth and continued excellence for our customers. Glenn remains on the Board and continues to advise the company.”

“The outlook for our industry has never been more exciting: global clinical development is on a sustained growth path as innovation pipelines expand — and Asia-Pacific is where that growth is fastest. The future of clinical research will be shaped by the application of technological advances at the intersection of global reach and Asia-Pacific depth — and no company sits more squarely at that intersection than Emerald Clinical,” said Michael Stibilj, Chief Executive Officer. “Our commitment to our people and customers is clear: high-quality delivery, speed, and transparency in everything we do. I am excited to join a team with this much momentum, and I am confident in what we will build together — a globally competitive CRO anchored in Asia-Pacific.”

About Emerald Clinical Trials

Emerald Clinical Trials is a global, full-service CRO with over 25 years of experience, partnering with 160+ biotechnology companies and 15 of the world’s top 20 pharmaceutical firms. Headquartered in Singapore, with 1,000+ professionals across 40+ countries and a collaborative network spanning 70+ locations, Emerald delivers end-to-end Phase I–IV and real-world solutions, with recognized scientific leadership across Renal, Oncology, Cardiometabolic, Autoimmune, Ophthalmology, and Early Phase development. In China, the company operates as Emerald Clinical 弘翼临床. For more information, visit www.emeraldclinical.com.

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The Michelin Guide Expands to Phu Quoc, Vietnam

PHU QUOC, Vietnam, Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The MICHELIN Guide announces its expansion to Phu Quoc, the fourth Vietnamese destination, with the Vietnam 2027 restaurant selection to be revealed in mid-2027.

Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guide, says: “Phu Quoc has a distinctive culinary identity, deeply connected to the sea and exceptional local products such as its renowned fish sauce and aromatic pepper. What has particularly captured our Inspectors’ attention is the duality of its down-to-earth fishing-village food culture, paired with an evolving dining scene shaped by international culinary talents. This combination gives Phu Quoc a character of its own, and we are delighted to extend the MICHELIN Guide’s journey in Vietnam to the island.”

Phu Quoc’s culinary landscape is shaped by the sea and distinctive local produce. Fresh seafood features prominently in local cooking, alongside two of the island’s best-known products: aromatic Phu Quoc pepper and renowned fish sauce.

This expansion is supported by Sun Group. Mr. Dang Minh Truong, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sun Group, says:

“Phu Quoc’s appeal, as the island continues its journey towards becoming a world-class destination, is shaped not only by its exceptional natural beauty and impressive hospitality experiences, but also by its growing accessibility to the world, particularly as the only destination in Vietnam offering visa-free stays of up to 30 days to travelers from all countries and territories. As Phu Quoc becomes increasingly accessible to global travelers, the depth of its culture and distinctive local identity with gastronomy at its heart will give visitors even more reasons to stay longer and explore the island more deeply.

The arrival of the MICHELIN Guide in Phu Quoc will therefore not only bring the island’s cuisine closer to diners around the world, but also create an opportunity to discover the values that define its culinary identity, most notably the abundance of fresh seafood caught in the island’s surrounding waters, alongside its renowned fish sauce and culinary traditions and craftsmanship passed down through generations.

As the MICHELIN Guide’s Destination Partner in Vietnam, Sun Group is proud to support this journey. We believe that when gastronomy becomes a compelling reason for travelers to visit Phu Quoc, they will stay longer, explore more deeply, and experience the distinctive identity of Pearl Island in a more meaningful way.”

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IMG Completes Acquisition of World Nomads, Expanding Global Travel Insurance Distribution

SYDNEY, Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — IMG (International Medical Group) is excited to announce the successful completion of its acquisition of World Nomads.

First announced in February 2026, the acquisition strengthens IMG’s global travel insurance distribution capabilities and expands its presence in key international markets. World Nomads serves travelers from more than 100 countries and has built a strong reputation for specialized travel insurance products and safety advice for adventure travelers.

“The completion of this acquisition marks an important milestone for IMG,” said Will Nihan, Chief Executive Officer of IMG. “World Nomads is a highly respected brand with a loyal customer base around the world. Together, we are expanding our ability to reach travelers globally while continuing to deliver exceptional coverage, service, and support.”

The addition of World Nomads enhances IMG’s international travel insurance distribution, which will now include the United States, United Kingdom, countries of the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, and Canada. Together, IMG and World Nomads will continue providing travel protection and assistance solutions to millions of travelers around the globe.

“World Nomads has spent more than two decades helping travelers pursue adventure with confidence,” said Nihan. “We are excited to support the continued growth of the brand while preserving the qualities that have made it successful. Customers and partners will continue to enjoy the products, service, and reliability they know today as we invest in new opportunities to enhance the traveler experience.”

To learn more about IMG’s award-winning travel insurance and health safety solutions, please visit www.imglobal.com.

About IMG^® (International Medical Group^®)

IMG^® (International Medical Group^®), a SiriusPoint company, is an award-winning global insurance benefits and assistance services company that has served millions of members worldwide since its founding in 1990. The preeminent provider of travel and health safety solutions, IMG offers a wide range of insurance programs, including international private medical insurance, travel medical insurance, and travel insurance, as well as enterprise services, including insurance administrative services and 24/7 emergency medical, security, and travel assistance. IMG’s world-class services, combined with an extensive product portfolio, provide Global Peace of Mind^® for travelers, students, missionaries, marine crews, and other individuals or groups traveling, working, or living away from home. For more information, please visit www.imglobal.com.

About World Nomads

Since 2002, World Nomads has helped adventurous travelers explore the world with confidence through specialized travel insurance, travel safety information, and expert support.

Serving travelers from more than 100 countries, World Nomads offers coverage for a wide range of unexpected travel events, including emergency medical expenses and evacuation, trip cancellation, and airline delays. Plans also include coverage for more than 250 adventure sports and activities, as well as baggage and gear.

World Nomads believes travel can be a force for good. Through its Footprints program, customers can contribute to community development projects around the world by adding a small donation to their travel insurance plan in support of World Nomads’ nonprofit and charity partners.

Acquired by IMG^® (International Medical Group^®), a SiriusPoint company, in 2026, World Nomads combined its long-standing expertise in adventure travel with IMG’s global resources and assistance capabilities, strengthening its ability to deliver innovative travel protection and customer support to travelers around the world.

Media Contact: Carly Kessler, IMG Communications Manager, carly.kessler@imglobal.com

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Casio to Release MR-G Crafted in Blue Sapphire Crystal

Featuring Multi-Component Structure with Screwless Design

TOKYO, Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Casio Computer Co., Ltd. announces the release of a new MR-G timepiece, adding to the flagship collection of the G-SHOCK brand of shock-resistant watches. The new MRG-D5000 features a screwless, multi-component structure and a bezel rendered entirely in blue sapphire crystal. The watch will be available in a limited edition of only 20 pieces worldwide.

Driven by the philosophy, “Breaking Ground,” the MR-G collection has consistently defied convention in watchmaking. Since its launch in 1996, MR-G has drawn on fine processing technologies and master craftsmanship to create timepieces that combine toughness and beauty.

The MRG-D5000 is the first G-SHOCK timepiece to achieve a shock-resistant structure using components made with blue sapphire crystal. The proprietary MR-G Multi-Guard Structure employs a bezel and case composed of multiple separate components assembled without the screws that can cause sapphire crystal to crack. Casio analyzed the force transmitted to the sapphire crystal when the watch is subjected to impact and developed a shock-resistant structure optimized for protecting that material. The resulting case and bezel combine tough construction with aesthetic beauty. Blue sapphire crystal is also set into the screw-lock case back, which is engraved with an individual serial number marking each of the 20 limited-edition timepieces. The module incorporates Gallium Tough Solar for outstanding durability under intense light and highly efficient charging.

Casio also announces the release of two additional timepieces designed with blue sapphire crystal. The MRG-B5000SA is an MR-G timepiece featuring two-carat, facet-cut blue sapphire crystals at the top and bottom of the case. The bezel is made with a super-hard alloy, while blue arc ion plating (AIP) is applied to both the case and bezel. The GMW-B5000SB, a full-metal G-SHOCK, presents blue sapphire crystal stones set at four points on the front of the bezel.

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Project Tapestry Gains Momentum for Sovereign AI During UN General Assembly Week

First Technical Milestones Achieved Alongside Expanded Collaborations with Vietnam and India

NEW YORK, Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The AI Alliance today announced significant progress for Project Tapestry, combining completion of its first technical milestone with expanded sovereign AI collaborations with Vietnam and India during United Nations General Assembly Week in New York.

Project Tapestry is building an open, global consortium to develop advanced AI, enabling nations and institutions to collaborate on increasingly capable foundation models while retaining control of their data, sovereign models, and deployments.

First Technical Milestone Demonstrates New “Consortium Training” Approach

Project Tapestry recently completed its first major technical milestone, demonstrating key building blocks that let organizations across different countries, infrastructure, and jurisdictions collaboratively train and adapt AI models.

Two proofs of concept coordinated model training across four geographically distributed sites, while keeping the underlying training data local to participating sites. Teams also demonstrated cultural alignment – modifying a large language model to better understand the unique social and linguistic aspects of Indian and Vietnamese cultures.

The milestone provides an initial demonstration of one of Project Tapestry’s central premises: organizations do not need to centralize their compute or data under a single institution in order to collaboratively build increasingly capable AI models.

Vietnam Advances Sovereign AI Collaboration

During UN General Assembly Week, AI Alliance and Project Tapestry leaders met in New York with Vietnam’s General Secretary and senior government ministers to advance collaboration on the development of sovereign AI capabilities for Vietnam.

The discussions affirmed an intention to collaborate on a sovereign AI model aligned with Vietnam’s national AI strategy and priorities, including Vietnamese language, culture, knowledge, and national use cases.

Vietnam has participated in Project Tapestry since its early stages, and the expanded collaboration represents an important step toward translating the consortium model into national-scale sovereign AI development.

“Project Tapestry gives Viet Nam an opportunity to turn international collaboration into lasting national capability—developing AI that understands our language, culture, knowledge, and priorities, while building the engineers and institutions to operate, adapt, and advance the technology,” said Ambassador Hoang Anh Tuan, Consul General of Viet Nam in San Francisco.

“Our meeting with General Secretary and President Tô Lâm, and his strong support for this direction, underscores the broader vision for Tapestry,” said Christopher Nguyen, Chief Architect of Project Tapestry. “Across Viet Nam, India, Japan, Bhutan, and beyond, we are building a model for nations to shape the frontier together while preserving sovereignty over their data and technological future.”

India Expands Its Role in Project Tapestry

During UN General Assembly Week, Consul General Binaya Srikanta Pradhan hosted Project Tapestry leaders at the Consulate General of India in New York. Prof. Ganesh Ramakrishnan of BharatGen, Prof. Ritwik Banerjee of Stony Brook University in the United States, and Kaushik Bhatta, Partner, Director, AI Alliance, briefed the Consul General on consortium-driven AI development, Tapestry’s approach, and Stony Brook’s recent addition to the consortium.

“India is a microcosm of the world. AI built for its languages and cultures preserves agency,” said Pradhan.

India has been an early contributor to the project. BharatGen, India’s government-backed, open-source foundation model stack, ran one of the two proofs of concept under the guidance of Dr Maneesh Singh, VP Machine Learning, in Tapestry’s first technical milestone, training jointly with Monash University across India and Australia while each institution’s data remained in its home country.

The same week, the Gates Foundation named Prof. Ramakrishnan a 2026 Goalkeepers Champion, recognizing him at Goalkeepers New York for his leadership of BharatGen.

The meeting comes ahead of a Project Tapestry workshop in Mumbai on October 15, hosted by BharatGen, which will bring together technical and institutional leaders to plan the next phases of India’s participation.

From Technical Proof to Global Collaboration

With momentum from its first technical accomplishments and national-scale collaborations, Project Tapestry is moving into its next phase, expanding work in consortium training, cultural alignment, and data governance, with growing participation from countries and institutions worldwide.

Tapestry contributors also presented “Sovereignty Through Interdependence: Epistemic Agency, Intelligent Action, and Federated AI” at the First Workshop on Sovereign AI for Collaborative and Pluralistic AI Ecosystems, co-located with ACM HCOMP 2026 in Washington, D.C., and organized by researchers at Taiwan’s Academia Sinica. The paper, by Dr. Maneesh Singh, Ritwik Banerjee, Lav R. Varshney, and Kaushik Bhatta, examines how federated approaches like Tapestry’s can support AI sovereignty through collaboration.

“Our first milestone and growing global collaborations demonstrate that Tapestry is moving from architecture to working technology,” said Anthony Annunziata, co-founder and chair of the board of the AI Alliance. “Organizations operating across countries and infrastructure have now trained models together while maintaining control of their own data. It is an important first step toward building advanced AI collaboratively, openly, and sovereign by design.”

About Project Tapestry

Project Tapestry is an AI Alliance initiative developing an open consortium approach to building advanced foundation models and sovereign AI systems. Its architecture enables distributed organizations to contribute data, compute, expertise, and model improvements while maintaining control over their underlying data.

About the AI Alliance

The AI Alliance is a global nonprofit research and technology organization dedicated to advancing open, safe, and responsible AI through innovation, collaboration, and advocacy. The Alliance brings together more than 200 organizations across 29 countries spanning industry, academia, startups, research, and government.

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THE HEADLINER PROJECT launched today with Will Smith, bringing the genuine artistry of a Hollywood icon to ambitious companies across six markets.

Put a Hollywood Star in Your Company’s Advertising

TOKYO, Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Eclairer Inc. today officially launched THE HEADLINER PROJECT, a corporate advertising program featuring award-winning actor, musician, and producer Will Smith with applications open in six markets: Japan, South Korea, Taiwan (China), Australia, India, and Indonesia.

Background 

In an age where generative AI enables anyone to produce information and content, trust in who delivers the message has become more valuable than ever.

That is precisely why authenticity has never been more valuable. Now that synthetic faces and generated voices can be produced with ease, this project deals in the real and nothing else: authentic photography and film of a genuine, acclaimed actor, captured with Hollywood’s production craft. What elevates a brand is not imitation, but authenticity itself. Meanwhile, countless companies with outstanding products and services remain unable to deliver their value to the market, held back by barriers of brand power and recognition. Through Smith’s reach and expressive power, the program communicates the true value of companies to the world and supports the creation of new business opportunities.

About THE HEADLINER PROJECT 

THE HEADLINER PROJECT is a corporate advertising service that enables companies to deploy advertising creative featuring Will Smith. Engaging a global star typically requires substantial upfront investment ̶ contract fees, shooting, and production costs. Under this program, those initial costs are covered by the project, allowing companies to use official Will Smith assets for a usage fee.

The service provides curated official creative ̶ cinematic, story-driven photo and video assets ̶ that companies can feature as their own main visuals. All assets are designed for advanced adaptation, including background removal and tone adjustment, enabling seamless integration into each brand’s visual world. Creative can be deployed across both online and offline media, from web advertising, social media, and landing pages to large-scale OOH, transit advertising, and in-store visuals.

The six selected markets span Asia and Oceania ̶ all regions where economic growth and the digitalization of advertising are advancing rapidly, yet where global-star endorsements have long been within reach of only a handful of major corporations. Smith’s work has been widely loved across these regions for decades, and his rare power as a “universal language” that transcends countries and languages will support companies taking on these markets.

Key Features

1. World-class brand value, remarkably seamless ̶ The program eliminates the complexity of direct Hollywood negotiations, intricate international licensing contracts, and the risk of heavy upfront investment. Companies can feature Smith’s official creative as their own main visual, instantly elevating brand credibility and scale to a global standard. Hollywood talent contracts ̶ once within reach of only major corporations ̶ are now accessible to far more companies.

2. Curated creative assets that tell a story ̶ A quality-first selection of cinematic, emotionally rich photo and video assets, spanning business scenes to evocative storytelling moments, delivers commanding presence as a corporate asset. All assets are real photography and film; no synthetic or AI-generated likeness is used. This protects Smith’s own image and the cinematic quality that underpins it. Voice-over assets recorded by Smith are also available, enabling creative that builds deep emotional resonance.

3. Advanced customization, fully integrated into your brand world ̶ The program provides curated official photo and video assets formally licensed by Smith’s team. Cinematic, finely crafted creative can be used as your main visual with all rights already cleared. Assets are designed for advanced adaptation ̶ background removal, tone curve adjustment, and layout integration ̶ enabling full alignment with your brand’s visual world.

4. Omnichannel presence across online and offline ̶ Deploy seamlessly across digital channels (web advertising, social media, landing pages) and physical media (large-scale OOH, transit advertising, in-store main visuals), with usage across six markets.

Comment from the Project Lead (Itsuo Teruya) 

“No matter how exceptional a business is, if no one knows about it, it may as well not exist. THE HEADLINER PROJECT is a platform designed to amplify the value of ambitious companies with world-class reach ̶ turning value the world hasn’t discovered into value the world knows. We look forward to writing new growth stories together with companies ready for their next stage.” 

Profile : Will Smith

Will Smith is one of the defining entertainers of his generation: an Academy Award–winning actor, multi-platinum recording artist, best-selling author, and producer whose work moves effortlessly between blockbuster spectacle and genuine heart. He made history as the winner of the first-ever Grammy for rap, going on to earn four in total, before launching hip-hop further into the mainstream and headlining era-defining films like Independence Day, Men in Black, and Bad Boys – culminating in a Best Actor win for King Richard.

In recent years he’s carried that same curiosity into the real world with National Geographic, venturing across all seven continents in Pole to Pole with Will Smith and exploring the planet’s wonders in Welcome to Earth; pushing his own limits while inviting audiences along for the discovery. Beyond the screen, he’s a dedicated entrepreneur and philanthropist, building businesses and backing causes with the same ambition he brings to his art. With new films on the horizon, Smith remains what he’s always been: a storyteller who keeps finding bigger worlds to explore.

Service Overview

• Name: THE HEADLINER PROJECT
• Launch: October 1st 2026, 8:00 AM JST
• Markets: Japan / South Korea / Taiwan (China) / Australia / India / Indonesia
• How to Apply: https://headliner-project.com/

*All applicants are subject to a corporate review by the project office.

Operating Company

• Company: Eclairer Inc.
• Website: https://eclairer.co.jp/

Media Contact 

Momo Takase / E-mail: contact@headliner-project.com

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