Author: Sai Krishna

Bird.com secures $450m financing as it launches communications infrastructure for AI agents

• $450 million debt financing led by J.P. Morgan, Capital One and Citi comprises a $400 million term loan and $50 million revolving credit facility.
• Revamped Bird platform builds on giving AI agents access to the outer world in a regulated compliance-focused Agentic Harness to send messages, make calls, and manage email directly, as Bird accelerates its push into the US.
• Bird generated $165 million EBITDA in 2025 following extensive automation across the business.

NEW YORK and AMSTERDAM, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AI communications infrastructure company Bird.com has completed a $450 million debt financing, led by J.P. Morgan, and unveiled a revamped Agentic Harness platform that now lets AI agents send messages, place calls, manage email, and even get their own eSIM phone plan on Bird’s network without custom integration.

The platform forms part of Bird’s broader repositioning to serve the growing agent economy as the company accelerates its push into the US.

This follows a two-year period during which the company continued to grow, generated $165 million EBITDA in 2025 and extensively automated its operations.

Bird’s headcount has fallen from more than 1,000 at its peak to 120 today, driven by extensive automation across the business rather than a retreat from the market. The automation drive has resulted in higher productivity and lower prices for customers, with some channels costing 90% less than competitors.

Robert Vis, founder and CEO of Bird.com, said:

“This is the direction the global economy is heading in, and we as a company have demonstrated how automation can work. We didn’t automate to cut headcount, we did it to become more productive, and the headcount came down as a result.”

“Half the apps on your phone rely on our infrastructure, and yet we’re running this business at a fraction of the size we used to be. You can’t do that unless you’re automated in a way that would have sounded crazy a few years ago.“

The $450 million financing comprises a $400 million term loan and $50 million revolving credit facility. It is structured as a dividend recapitalization, providing liquidity to Bird’s existing shareholders, including current and former employees with equity in the company. The financing involved seven banks, including J.P. Morgan, Capital One and Citi.

Shikha Goyal-Allain, Managing Director and Market Executive, Innovation Economy, Commercial Banking at J.P. Morgan, said:

“We’re seeing significant growth in agentic AI, and we expect that to keep accelerating as agents transact and communicate on people’s behalf. Bird has built a business combining scale, a lean operating model and sustained profitability. Leading this financing reflects our confidence in Bird’s fundamentals and in Robert’s track record of running a highly efficient, profitable business as it takes on its next chapter.”

Bird’s revamped platform includes a new layer — its Agentic Harness — specifically designed for AI agents to use Bird’s products via the technical protocols they rely on to connect to software, with full access to create, update and manage information across Bird’s systems on their own, so no human needs to log in. Operational mechanics that previously had to be handled manually by developers, including how message delivery differs by country and how to reach an inbox differently depending on the provider, can now be executed without a human in the loop. Agents’ ability to manage the Harness end-to-end is a significant differentiator versus competitors such as Twilio where agents’ access is more limited. Further, the platform connects to multiple major AI models rather than a single one, giving Bird’s customers enormous flexibility.

Robert Vis added:

“The world is filling up with AI agents. They can reason, plan and decide. But an agent that can’t send the email, fire the text or pick up the phone never actually achieves anything. We’ve built the layer that lets AI take actions in the real world. With Bird, every app or web application can communicate through ChatGPT, Claude or Cursor, making the agent economy work.”

Notes to editors

J.P. Morgan led the financing as joint lead arranger, joint bookrunner and administrative agent, with Capital One and Citi as joint lead arrangers and joint bookrunners. Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), Flagstar and Huntington are also in the lender syndicate.

About Bird.com

Bird.com is an AI communications infrastructure company founded in 2011 by Robert Vis. It is the messaging infrastructure of the modern internet, moving trillions of messages a year. It offers one API for email, SMS, WhatsApp, voice and RCS, built so that developers and AI agents can reach the world in a few lines of code. It is trusted by enterprises across 150+ countries and is dual-headquartered in New York and Amsterdam. Learn more at bird.com.

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TGI Fridays™ Signs Development Agreement to Fuel Pakistan Growth

Plans include scaling to 15 restaurants as TGI Fridays continues to expand its footprint across South Asia and the Middle East under its 1-2-3 Strategic Vision.

DALLAS, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — TGI Fridays™ today announced a landmark development agreement with Meerab Hospitality, marking an exciting chapter for the brand in Pakistan and further accelerating its growth across South Asia. Following the brand’s recent development agreement in the Maldives, the partnership builds on growing momentum across the region and reinforces TGI Fridays’ strategy of expanding its global footprint through strategic, long-term franchise partnerships.

The agreement marks an important milestone in TGI Fridays’ continued international expansion and further strengthens the brand’s presence across South Asia and the Middle East, as it accelerates toward its 1-2-3 Strategic Vision of 1,000+ restaurants and $2 billion in annual revenue by 2030.

With more than 240 million people and a median age of just 21, Pakistan offers TGI Fridays a compelling combination of scale, youth and long-term growth potential. Rapid urbanization, continued investment in malls and mixed-use destinations, and an evolving dining culture are creating new opportunities for international restaurant brands as consumers increasingly seek distinctive, experience-led dining. Through its partnership with Meerab Hospitality, TGI Fridays is positioned to capture that opportunity with a brand guests already recognize, bringing its signature combination of bold American flavors, legendary mocktails, high-energy atmosphere and unmistakable Fridays hospitality to one of South Asia’s most dynamic consumer markets.

Meerab Hospitality brings deep regional expertise and operating strength to the partnership. As the franchise and development arm of Meerab Properties, the company combines a two-decade track record across the Middle East, South Asia and Central Asia with extensive international hospitality experience. Together, TGI Fridays and Meerab Hospitality are well positioned to capture Pakistan’s growing appetite for international dining experiences, while creating new employment opportunities, investing in local hospitality talent and bringing the unmistakable Fridays spirit to a new generation of guests.

“We don’t enter a market like Pakistan because it’s on a list — we enter it because the fundamentals are right and the partner is right,” said Phil Broad, Global President, TGI Fridays. “Pakistan has one of the youngest populations anywhere in the world and a retail landscape that’s evolving fast. Meerab Hospitality understands that better than an outside operator could, and their hospitality background means they know how to run a room, not just build one. That’s the combination we look for.

What makes Pakistan particularly exciting is the energy of the market and the generation coming through. They’re connected, curious and looking for brands that give them more than just a meal. That plays directly to the strength of TGI Fridays. We’ve always been at our best when we bring people together, create a little theatre and give guests a reason to stay longer, celebrate louder and come back again. Pakistan gives us an exciting new stage to do exactly that.”

Pervaiz Iqbal Shahid, Founder and Group CEO, Meerab Properties, said:

“We are delighted to bring TGI Fridays back to Pakistan and to begin a new chapter for this iconic global brand in the country. Our ambition is to reintroduce the brand through an energized and well-capitalized platform, supported by strong operational leadership and a long-term commitment to responsible growth across Pakistan.

Our first flagship restaurant is targeted to open within the next 12 months at the prestigious Hyatt Regency Hotel complex in Lahore. This will provide an exceptional launch platform for the brand and establish the standard for the restaurants that follow.

Over the next decade, we look forward to developing TGI Fridays across Pakistan through a carefully considered combination of company-owned and approved sub-franchised restaurants. We are committed to protecting the strength of the brand, delivering an outstanding guest experience, and building a sustainable nationwide business together with the TGI Fridays team.”

The agreement is TGI Fridays’ second market signing this month, following the brand’s first-ever entry into the Balkans, and builds on a series of international agreements over the past year spanning Kenya, the Maldives, Peru, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines, Greece, Cyprus and Spain. Together, these agreements have added close to 200 restaurants to TGI Fridays’ global pipeline as the brand advances toward its 1-2-3 Strategic Vision of 1,000+ restaurants worldwide by 2030. The ambition is not about volume for its own sake but about selecting the right partners — experienced local operators who deeply understand the markets they are committed to developing.

At the heart of that growth is a deliberate franchise strategy: entering high-potential markets with partners who bring the local knowledge, capability and ambition to build TGI Fridays at scale. Meerab Hospitality is a strong example of that approach, combining deep market understanding with the hospitality expertise and ambition to build the brand for long-term success in Pakistan.

For more information: www.tgifridays.com/franchise/

About TGI Fridays™

Founded in 1965 as the world’s first casual bar and grill, TGI Fridays is where the world goes to celebrate. Operating nearly 400 restaurants in almost 40 countries, Fridays brings people together through its craveable American classics, legendary cocktails and that unmistakable Fridays™ feeling – all brought to life by its rockstar teams. Whether it’s full-service dining or bold-format convenience, TGI Fridays franchise-first approach, operational excellence, and brand power are built to scale. Franchisees are supported by global hubs in Dallas, Dubai and London, complemented by regional resources in select markets. Visit www.tgifridays.com for more information, join Fridays Rewards, and follow TGI Fridays™ on social media: Instagram @tgifridays, Tik Tok @tgifridays, Facebook TGI Fridays, and LinkedIn TGI Fridays.

About Meerab Hospitality

Headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, Meerab Properties is a diversified investment and operating company with investments and business interests across the UAE and Pakistan. The company develops long-term opportunities through direct ownership, strategic partnerships, and specialist operating platforms.

Through its hospitality platform, Meerab Hospitality Ventures, Meerab Properties is building a portfolio of international restaurant and hospitality brands in Pakistan, supported by experienced leadership, strong governance, and committed capital. Its strategy is focused on establishing sustainable businesses, developing local operating capabilities, and creating long-term value for its brand partners, customers, and stakeholders.

Media Contact:

TGIFridays@icrinc.com

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Basecamp Research raises $140M to advance AI-designed therapeutics

• Oversubscribed Series C led by S32 with backing from NVIDIA and others
• Funding will advance a pipeline of EDEN-designed therapeutics, starting with in vivo cell therapy, and expand pharmaceutical partnerships
• The company has demonstrated strong preclinical results across multiple modalities and disease areas

LONDON and BOSTON, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Basecamp Research, a frontier AI company developing AI-designed medicines, today announced a $140M Series C financing to train a new generation of EDEN models and advance a pipeline of AI-designed therapeutics towards clinical development.

Basecamp’s ambition is to develop cures for diseases that remain incurable by designing medicines that reprogram the body to repair itself. The company combines frontier AI models trained on proprietary biological data with technology for writing DNA sequences into cells.

“We believe the future of medicine lies in reprogramming the body to repair itself. We design the models and the medicines to teach it how,” said Glen Gowers, co-founder and CEO of Basecamp Research. “AI-based approaches promise to change what’s possible for patients who currently have few alternatives. This funding brings this technology closer to those who need it most.”

The oversubscribed round was led by S32, with participation from Anthropic’s Anthology Fund, Catalio Capital Management, European Tech Collective, Firebrand River Capital, Inception Fund, King Philanthropies, NATO Innovation Fund, NVIDIA, PostScriptum, Redalpine, The Rockefeller Foundation, Singular, Sovereign AI and True Ventures.

Additional investment comes from senior leaders from across pharma, biotech, and global industry, including André Hoffmann, Vice-Chairman of Roche, who said: “The biotechnology revolution that began fifty years ago transformed how we make medicines. Personalised, AI-designed therapeutics represent the next transformation of that journey. Basecamp Research has built the full platform to deliver it, from biological data to trained models to designed therapies. This will be key in helping the industry to continue to innovate.”

Applying EDEN to develop new therapies

Basecamp Research is applying EDEN, its biological foundation model, to in vivo cell therapy – reprogramming a patient’s cells inside the body. Today’s cell therapies are limited both in the complexity of what they can deliver and by a manufacturing process that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars per patient.

By pairing EDEN’s ability to design long and complex DNA sequences with large serine recombinases that can precisely integrate them into the genome, Basecamp’s platform aims to underpin the future of cell therapies, making them more sophisticated, more customisable and simpler to administer. This has the potential to transform how we treat cancer, autoimmune disease, and more.

The company has demonstrated strong preclinical results across multiple modalities and disease areas. To expand its pharmaceutical partnerships, Basecamp has appointed Richard Pearce, formerly of Biogen, as Chief Business Officer.

Andy Conrad, General Partner at S32 and former CEO of Google’s Verily, who joins the Board of Directors, said: “AI is opening up new possibilities across every part of society, but perhaps nowhere is the potential more meaningful than in human health. The ability to combine AI, biological data and scientific insight could transform how we understand disease, discover medicines and ultimately improve and extend people’s lives. Basecamp Research is building an important technology platform at the center of that opportunity.”

The AI and data powering Basecamp Research’s therapies

At the centre of Basecamp Research’s AI platform is the Trillion Gene Atlas, the world’s largest proprietary biological AI training dataset. Built with partners including NVIDIA, Anthropic, PacBio and Ultima Genomics, the Atlas draws on biological data collected through access and benefit-sharing partnerships in more than 30 countries across all seven continents.

Trained on this data, the company’s EDEN models recognise patterns across a huge breadth of previously unseen biology. Unlike AI systems developed for a single scientific task, EDEN models aim to deliver a universal understanding of how DNA works across all of life.

This means that the models can generate potential therapeutic candidates directly from information about a disease, an approach already demonstrated through Basecamp’s collaboration with Anthropic on Claude Science. The EDEN models’ capabilities include designing cell and gene therapies, enzymes and peptides.

About Basecamp Research

Basecamp Research trains frontier AI models for therapeutic design. The EDEN models are trained on the Trillion Gene Atlas, the world’s largest proprietary genomic dataset, collected through partnerships in more than 30 countries worldwide. Its pipeline of EDEN-designed therapeutics, beginning with in vivo cell therapy, is advancing towards clinical development. Basecamp Research is headquartered in London with offices and labs in Cambridge, MA.

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Supermicro Now Shipping NVIDIA Vera Rubin NVL72 Racks

• Supermicro’s DCBBS now supports all critical computing infrastructure to speed time-to-online for NVIDIA Vera Rubin NVL72 deployments
• Full liquid-cooling stack optimized for the NVIDIA Vera Rubin platform, from cold plates to CDUs, to cooling towers
• From a power envelope to an operational cluster: DCBBS Blueprints define a balanced bill-of-materials from 5 MW to gigawatt scale, with 1,152 GPUs and 331 TB of HBM4 per Scalable Unit
• One accountable team across site survey, project design, integration, L11 and L12 testing, on-site deployment, and ongoing support

SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Super Micro Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ: SMCI), an AI, Enterprise, Storage, and 5G/Edge IT Total Solution Provider, is now shipping NVIDIA Vera Rubin NVL72 racks integrated with Supermicro’s Data Center Building Block Solutions^® (DCBBS) and its direct liquid cooling stack (DLC-2).

“We have spent years building the liquid-cooling stack, the manufacturing capacity, and the deployment teams for exactly this moment,” said Charles Liang, president and CEO, Supermicro. “Our customers can now order a Scalable Unit and receive production-ready systems with end-to-end integration, because we design and build every layer between the cold plate and the cooling tower. Our development of DLC-2 technology is what sets Supermicro apart and allows us to deliver the most complete solution for the NVIDIA Vera Rubin platform.”

Learn more about Supermicro’s NVIDIA Vera Rubin NVL72 racks.

The NVIDIA Vera Rubin platform was designed in conjunction with direct liquid cooling technology to deliver AI-throughput-per-watt at efficiency levels unachievable with air cooling alone. With far greater AI operations per second comes a greater heat load: heat must be moved through the full fluid distribution loop, from the cold plates through manifolds, to the cooling tower. Supermicro tests and validates every rack with the full liquid cooling stack, speeding up time-to-online when deployed.

Supermicro’s path-to-production spans from the mechanical engineering of individual system nodes, the large-scale manufacturing of liquid-cooled racks, to the full onsite deployment of clusters based on NVIDIA reference architecture. Supermicro’s DCBBS provides unmatched thermal expertise and a comprehensive in-house portfolio of liquid cooling components. Cold plates, manifolds, hose kits, rack power shelves, in-row cooling distribution units (CDUs), in-rack CDUs, Liquid-to-Air sidecar CDUs, rear door heat exchangers, and facility-side cooling towers all come from the same portfolio.

Supermicro’s DCBBS Solutions for NVIDIA Vera Rubin NVL72 include:

• NVIDIA Vera Rubin NVL72 racks. 72 NVIDIA Rubin GPUs and 36 NVIDIA Vera CPUs in a single liquid-cooled rack operating as one machine; Eighteen 1U compute trays, each with four Rubin GPUs and two Vera CPUs, connect through nine sixth-generation NVIDIA NVLink switch trays delivering 216 TB/s of scale-up bandwidth; Each rack provides 20.7 TB of HBM4 memory and up to 54 TB of LPDDR5X
• Supermicro in-row cooling distribution units, rated at 1.8MW per CDU, deployed with N+1 redundancy
• Optional Supermicro Rear Door Heat Exchangers ensure capture of residual heat load
• Networking integration and cabling services based on NVIDIA Reference Architecture, including the AI compute fabric, converged fabric, and out-of-band management cabling

To ease deployment of NVIDIA Vera Rubin NVL72 racks, Supermicro’s DCBBS Blueprint defines a balanced bill-of-materials for a given power envelope, from 5 MW to gigawatt scale. The DCBBS Blueprint based on one Vera Rubin NVL72 Scalable Unit provides 1,152 NVIDIA Rubin GPUs with 331 TB of HBM4 memory across 16 compute racks, with balanced cooling capacity, power delivery, high-performance storage, context memory storage, and networking. A Supermicro team manages the project across site survey, design, integration, testing, delivery, deployment, and ongoing support.

Explore here to learn how DCBBS can help build and scale your next-generation AI infrastructure.

About Super Micro Computer, Inc. 

Supermicro (NASDAQ: SMCI) is a global leader in Application-Optimized Total IT Solutions. Founded and operating in San Jose, California, Supermicro is committed to delivering first-to-market innovation for Enterprise, Cloud, AI, and 5G Telco/Edge IT Infrastructure. We are a Total IT Solutions provider with server, AI, storage, IoT, switch systems, software, and support services. Supermicro’s motherboard, power, and chassis design expertise further enables our development and production, enabling next-generation innovation from cloud to edge for our global customers. Our products are designed and manufactured in-house (in the US, Taiwan, and the Netherlands), leveraging global operations for scale and efficiency and optimized to improve TCO and reduce environmental impact (Green Computing). The award-winning portfolio of Server Building Block Solutions® allows customers to optimize for their exact workload and application by selecting from a broad family of systems built from our flexible and reusable building blocks that support a comprehensive set of form factors, processors, memory, GPUs, storage, networking, power, and cooling solutions (air-conditioned, free air cooling or liquid cooling). 

Supermicro, Server Building Block Solutions, and We Keep IT Green are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Super Micro Computer, Inc. 

All other brands, names, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. 

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Cognex Launches New Wafer Reader to Help Semiconductor Manufacturers Scale Production

In-Sight 1750^® helps chipmakers maintain throughput and product quality as demand for advanced semiconductors grows

NATICK, Mass., September 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Cognex Corporation (NASDAQ: CGNX), the global technology leader in industrial machine vision, today announced the launch of the In-Sight^® 1750 Series, a next-generation wafer and panel identification system designed to help semiconductor manufacturers reduce disruptions, improve traceability, and maintain throughput.

As semiconductor manufacturers expand capacity to support AI infrastructure, advanced computing, and next-generation electronics, the ability to accurately track wafers throughout production has become increasingly important. Even a small number of missed reads can create delays, increase work, and impact equipment efficiency.

The In-Sight 1750 helps manufacturers overcome these challenges by reliably reading many difficult wafer and panel markings and IDs, including various degraded marks and challenging substrates that often require intervention. Building on Cognex’s long-standing leadership in wafer identification, the system brings together Cognex’s latest AI innovations, advanced imaging, and purpose-built illumination to help manufacturers maintain traceability and throughput in challenging semiconductor environments. The result is often fewer interruptions, more consistent process control, and greater confidence in manufacturing operations.

“Investment in AI infrastructure is driving a new wave of expansion across the semiconductor industry, and chipmakers are being asked to bring new capacity online faster than ever while maintaining the highest quality standards,” said Matt Moschner, President and CEO of Cognex. “The In-Sight 1750 combines our latest AI technology with decades of semiconductor expertise to help manufacturers scale production without sacrificing quality or traceability.”

Key customer benefits

• More reliable wafer traceability, helping manufacturers maintain quality and process control throughout fabrication and packaging.
• Fewer production disruptions, reducing the need for operator intervention and manual troubleshooting.
• Faster upgrades, allowing existing users to transition from previous-generation systems without extensive redesign.
• Higher equipment utilization, helping manufacturers maintain throughput even when reading difficult marks on challenging wafer and substrate materials.

The In-Sight 1750 is designed to fit seamlessly into existing operations. By integrating advanced AI capabilities into a wafer identification platform refined through decades of semiconductor experience, the system helps manufacturers improve traceability and throughput without requiring significant changes to existing processes. Built with current In-Sight 1740 users in mind, it supports job conversion and straightforward upgrades, helping manufacturers transition to next-generation wafer identification with minimal disruption while taking advantage of Cognex’s latest AI-powered capabilities. A new web-based setup experience simplifies configuration and helps users get up and running quickly, while built-in read logging supports quality and process control.

About Cognex Corporation

For over 40 years, Cognex has been making advanced machine vision easy, paving the way for manufacturing and distribution companies to become faster, smarter, and more efficient through automation.

Innovative technology in our vision sensors and systems solves critical manufacturing and distribution challenges, providing unparalleled performance for industries from automotive to consumer electronics to packaged goods.

Cognex makes these tools more capable and easier to deploy thanks to a longstanding focus on AI, helping factories and warehouses improve quality and maximize efficiency without needing highly technical expertise.

We are headquartered near Boston, USA, with locations in over 30 countries and more than 30,000 customers worldwide. Learn more at cognex.com.

Media Contact

Liz Bradley

Head of Communications

Cognex Corporation

pr@cognex.com

IR Contact

Greer Aviv

Head of Investor Relations

Cognex Corporation

ir@cognex.com

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Bybit Copy Trading Now Supports TradFi Perpetual Contracts, Bringing Equities Exposure to Classic Crypto Trading Tool

DUBAI, UAE, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, announced that its Copy Trading feature now supports TradFi Perpetual Contracts (TradFi Perps), bringing traditional financial assets to the tool for the first time. Master Traders can now take positions on assets including Tesla, Apple, and NVIDIA within Copy Trading Classic, and other users can replicate those positions directly.

The added support allows Copy Trading users to follow Master Traders who take positions on TradFi Perps in addition to crypto pairs, with all positions settled in USDT. Through Bybit, users can gain exposure to TradFi assets without navigating traditional brokerage accounts, and TradFi Perps on Bybit are traded 24/7, consistent with the always-on nature of the perpetual contract model.

To activate the feature, an eligible Bybit user may simply follow a Master Trader on Bybit Copy Trading Classic to mimic their moves in Bybit TradFi Perps. Whether the user is looking to adjust their portfolio beyond crypto or venturing into real-world assets, diversification is convenient and straightforward with Bybit Copy Trading: both crypto and stock positions can be managed within a single Copy Trading Classic account.

In 2026, crypto-native trading platforms have been emerging as the world’s fastest-growing venues for trading stocks, gold, and other traditional assets, including through perpetual futures contracts. Over the 18 months to June 2026, the monthly trading volume of TradFi assets on major crypto exchanges grew 117x, from $3.32 billion in January 2025 to $387.39 billion in June 2026. In the first five months of 2026, cumulative TradFi perpetual contracts trading volume reached $1.32 trillion, roughly 12.7 times the $104.21 billion generated in the entire year of 2025.

Bybit continues to unlock multi-asset market access across its product suite as it builds towards its New Financial Platform vision. Copy Trading, including the new TradFi Perps functionality, is available on Bybit’s Copy Trading Classic. Terms and conditions apply.

About Bybit

Bybit is The New Financial Platform.

We believe every person should have access to every financial opportunity on earth. That’s why we’re building the first intelligent platform that connects anyone, anywhere to the world’s finance.

Trusted by more than 80 million users worldwide, Bybit brings together investing, trading, payments, and wealth-building in a single secure and intelligent ecosystem. Through the combination of AI-powered technology, deep global liquidity, robust security, and transparent operations, Bybit makes global finance more accessible, efficient, and empowering for everyone.

Built for everyone. Powered by intelligence. Open to the world.

Learn more at Bybit.com.

For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press

For media inquiries, please contact: media@bybit.com

For updates, please follow: Bybit’s Communities and Social Media

Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Reddit | Telegram | TikTok | X | Youtube

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Fashion Trust U.S. Appoints Dr. Omar Mir to Board of Directors; Names Him Lead for 2027 Sustainability Award

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fashion Trust U.S. is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Omar Mir to its Board of Directors. Bringing a distinguished global background in business, philosophy, and culture, Dr. Mir joins one of American fashion’s most influential platforms dedicated to fostering emerging talent.

In addition to his board appointment, Dr. Mir will serve as the driving force behind the 2027 Sustainability Award. This prestigious honor celebrates a new generation of American designers who are redefining the boundaries of responsible luxury and ethical production.

“Omar brings a rare combination of global perspective, intellectual curiosity, and a genuine commitment to the next generation,” said Tania Fares, Founder of Fashion Trust U.S. “We are thrilled to welcome him to our Board and to have his support behind the Sustainability Award. He understands that the future belongs to people willing to challenge the way things have always been done, and that is exactly what these young designers are doing.”

The Sustainability Award has quickly become a cornerstone of the Fashion Trust U.S. honors, recognizing visionaries who prove that high-level creativity and desirability can coexist with environmental and social responsibility. Since its introduction, the award has brought together leading voices in fashion and culture with some of American design’s most exciting emerging talent: Laura Brown presented the 2024 award to Batsheva Hay of Batsheva; Kate Hudson presented the 2025 honor to Nana Kwame Adusei of Kwame Adusei; and Jodie Turner-Smith presented the 2026 award to Maxwell Osborne and Kristy Chen of AnOnlyChild

“The most exciting ideas often begin with someone willing to imagine what doesn’t exist yet,” said Dr. Omar Mir. “Fashion has always possessed that power. Sustainability asks us to go further and imagine not only what is beautiful, but what is possible. I am honored to join the Board of Fashion Trust U.S. and to support a generation of designers with the courage to shape the future of the industry.”

ABOUT FTUS

Fashion Trust U.S. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to recognizing and supporting the next generation of U.S.-based emerging fashion designers. Launched in 2022 with its first Award Gala in 2023, the Fashion Trust U.S. initiative provides financial support and fashion industry mentorships to promising designers across the U.S.

Founded by Tania Fares, her vision began in 2011 with the launch of the British Fashion Council’s Fashion Trust in the U.K., which she led for a decade. Tania now serves as co-chair of the British Fashion Council (BFC) Foundation.

Each year, winners receive financial grant funding and a one-year intensive mentorship covering budgeting, brand strategy, marketing, social media optimization, merchandising, and overall business growth. As part of the program, each winner is also flown to London to take part in the British Fashion Council’s Fashion Trust initiative, an immersive mentorship experience designed to help scale fashion businesses. There, designers are connected with respected industry voices, who generously share their insights, experience, and strategies for long-term success. It’s a strong network and community that embodies the true spirit of Fashion Trust.

U.S.-based designers in the categories of Ready-to-Wear, Jewelry, Accessories, as well as recent fashion school Graduates, are invited to apply during the open application period from June through end of November. Applications are free to submit via our website. Eligible designers are required to be in business between two to seven years.

ABOUT DR. OMAR MIR 

Dr. Omar Mir is a global business leader, academic, and philanthropist whose work intersects technology, culture, and social empowerment.

A recognized expert in the global technology ecosystem, Dr. Mir serves as the Advisor on AI and Advanced Technology to The King’s Trust International founded by HM King Charles III and as Chief Digital Advisor to HM Princess Royal Anne’s Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA UK). His academic contributions include serving on the Imperial College Business School London Advisory Board and holding an appointment as Honorary Visiting Professor. He also serves as a Strategic Advisor to the Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and is a member of their Honour Guard.

Dr. Mir’s philanthropic efforts are centered on expanding opportunity for youth. Beyond his role with The King’s Trust International, he has provided personal support to over 50,000 children via educational initiatives and holds board or advisory roles with the American Ballet Theatre, Holocaust Museum LA and WeProtect.

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Werfen Announces US FDA 510(k) Clearance and CE Mark for Aptiva® Antiphospholipid Syndrome IgA Reagent

FDA Clearance and CE Mark Complete Aptiva’s Antiphospholipid Syndrome Portfolio, Expanding Global Access to Comprehensive APS Testing

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Werfen today announced that its Aptiva Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS) Immunoglobulin A (IgA) Reagent has received both U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance and CE Mark under the European Union’s In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Regulation (IVDR). Together, these milestones complete the Aptiva APS testing portfolio, which now offers all three APS isotypes, IgA, IgG, and IgM, for both anti-cardiolipin (aCL) and anti-beta 2 glycoprotein 1 (aβ₂GP1) antibodies.

The achievement expands global access to comprehensive APS testing on Aptiva and further strengthens its growing portfolio of assays, which also includes testing for Celiac Disease and Connective Tissue Diseases (CTD). Together, these assays provide laboratories with a more comprehensive solution for autoimmune testing and patient evaluation. 

The Aptiva APS IgA Reagent utilizes Aptiva’s particle-based multi-analyte technology (PMAT) for the semi-quantitative determination of anti-cardiolipin (aCL) and anti-beta 2 glycoprotein 1 (aβ₂GP1) IgA antibodies in human serum. When used alongside the Aptiva APS IgG and IgM Reagents, and in conjunction with other laboratory and clinical findings, the IgA assay provides additional diagnostic information that may aid in the diagnosis of both primary and secondary APS. 

Antiphospholipid syndrome is an autoimmune disease characterized by thrombotic events and pregnancy-related complications and can be difficult to diagnose because its clinical manifestations often overlap with other conditions. Having access to a complete APS antibody profile may provide clinicians with valuable diagnostic insight and support patient management decisions.  

“Completing the APS isotype panel with the addition of IgA significantly enhances the clinical value of the Aptiva system,” said Anthony Prestigiacomo, Vice President of Research and Development at Werfen. “APS can present with nonspecific or overlapping symptoms, making diagnosis challenging. By offering all three isotypes, clinicians and laboratories can obtain a more comprehensive assessment that supports informed clinical decision-making and improved patient care.”

Aptiva is a fully automated, next-generation multi-analyte system designed to streamline autoimmune testing workflows. Powered by PMAT, the system processes multiple analytes simultaneously from a single patient sample, delivering high throughput with minimal hands-on time. Aptiva helps laboratories improve efficiency while providing comprehensive diagnostic information to clinicians.  

“As the Aptiva menu continues to expand, with additional key biomarkers in development, we are building a platform that advances laboratory efficiency while delivering deeper clinical insight,” said Vijay Namasivayam, PhD, Chief Operating Officer at Werfen. “The FDA clearance and CE Mark for APS IgA represent important milestones in our commitment to expanding access to innovative autoimmune diagnostics worldwide.”

With the addition of APS IgA, the Aptiva portfolio now comprises a comprehensive menu of autoimmune markers across key disease states. This continued expansion underscores Werfen’s commitment to delivering innovative, consolidated solutions that help laboratories achieve high-quality diagnostic results and support better patient outcomes.

About Werfen

Werfen (werfen.com) founded in 1966, is a worldwide developer, manufacturer and distributor of specialized diagnostic instruments, related reagents, automation workcells, and data management solutions for use primarily in hospitals and independent clinical laboratories. The Company’s clinical areas of focus include Autoimmunity, Hemostasis, Acute Care Diagnostics, Transfusion, and Transplant. 

Werfen’s solutions help improve the way patients with autoimmune diseases are diagnosed, monitored, and treated. The autoimmunity portfolio includes Aptiva^®, BIO-FLASH^®, NOVA View^®, and QUANTA-Lyser^® 3000 systems, and QUANTA Link^® data management solution.

The Werfen logo is a trademark of Werfen. Aptiva, QUANTA-Lyser, QUANTA Lite, QUANTA Link, QUANTA Flash, NOVA View, NOVA Lite are registered trademarks of Inova Diagnostics, Inc., a Werfen company. BIO-FLASH is a registered trademark of Biokit S.A. All other product names, company names, marks, logos, and symbols are trademarks of their respective owners.  

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vHive Expands Industry-Leading Digitization Platform into the Data Center Market

vHive’s field proven digitization technology empowers data center operators to bridge the gap between physical infrastructure and digital management, driving automation, space optimization and precision.

NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — vHive, a global leader in end-to-end asset digitization software, today announced the expansion of its WorldTwin AI™ engine into the Data Center sector. This strategic move brings vHive’s field-tested Digital Twin expertise from the telecommunications and renewable energy industries, where it has successfully digitized complex physical critical infrastructure for global operators and tower companies, to meet the critical, rapidly evolving needs of the data center market.

As AI-driven demand accelerates, data centers are expanding at an unprecedented pace, creating complex infrastructure environments that are constantly in flux. Current Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) solutions often focus on the network and logic layers, frequently leaving a disconnect with the physical reality of the facility. vHive bridges this gap by connecting the physical and digital, providing a single source of truth that spans floors, racks, and down to a specific piece of equipment for both facility operators and their co-location tenants.

“Data centers are the backbone of the modern AI economy, yet many operators struggle with an ‘inventory visibility gap’ because their digital systems are disconnected from the physical assets on the floor,” said Yariv Geller, CEO and Co-Founder of vHive. “By applying the same Physical AI principles we perfected in the telecom and renewable energy sectors, we are enabling data center operators to move beyond static, manual spreadsheets to a dynamic, always current, structured understanding of their facilities. We are creating a bridge where the physical asset, the digital model, and the management software act as one.”

vHive’s solution automates the capture of field or facility data, using autonomous technologies to create intelligent Digital Twins. This allows operators to catalog and map equipment, visualize rack density, identify available floor and rack space and track changes over time, at the speed that their infrastructure configuration evolves.

“vHive’s extendible WorldTwin AI™ engine uses our proprietary World Model that enables an understanding of the facility in its entirety, enabling operators to simulate changes, spot available space to accelerate customer onboarding , and verify the build status against planning,” said Tomer Daniel, CTO and Co-Founder of vHive. “Expanding from telecom and renewable energy to Data Centers is a natural evolution for us. In fact, some of our customers provide both services. Whether it is a radio tower or a server rack, the core challenge remains the same: the need for accurate understanding of the infrastructure through an automated, repeatable workflow that ensures that digital databases match physical sites.”

Key benefits of vHive’s Data Center digitization platform include:

• Simple, Automated Data Capture: Using off the shelf cameras to survey a Data Center.
• Unified Digital Source of Truth: Reconciles disparate physical records with the actual state of the facility, from floor-level layout to individual rack-mounted equipment.
• Space & Capacity Optimization: Instantly pinpoints unallocated rack units and available free space to maximize capacity usage and accelerate time-to-revenue.
• Seamless Tenant Management: Empowers Data Centers’ operations and co-location tenants with interactive 3D digital views of their dedicated physical assets, enhancing transparency without requiring physical site visits.
• Operational Efficiency: Automates inventory verification, reducing the time and labor required for manual audits and documentation.
• Advanced Analytics: Provides spatial topology and rack density insights, enabling operators to optimize power and cooling management in high-density environments.
• Physical Understanding: Leverages vHive World Model AI to provide Physical understanding capabilities that allow for predictive diagnostics and automated maintenance workflows.
• Connectivity with Real-Time Monitoring Solutions: Overlays real-time power and thermal monitoring sensor data on a 3D spatial view of the facility.
• Cross-Department Alignment: Eliminates traditional friction from planning through building, operations, and maintenance via a unified source of truth, aligning physical reality with logical planning for faster tenant onboarding.

With a proven track record of digitizing over 120,000 critical infrastructure assets globally, vHive is uniquely positioned to help data center operators solve the challenges of hyperscale growth and talent shortages. By automating the digitization process, vHive empowers teams to focus on performance and uptime rather than manual data entry and site verification.

For more information about vHive’s data center solutions, visit www.vhive.ai.

About vHive

vHive is a global leader in end-to-end digitization solutions, empowering organizations to unlock the full potential of their infrastructure assets through data-driven decision-making. The vHive platform leverages advanced data capture technologies to digitize assets and deliver actionable insights based on AI analytics. Focused on uncovering new revenue opportunities, optimizing operational efficiency, and enhancing safety, vHive helps organizations transform their operations.

Founded in 2016, vHive operates across 5 continents and over 40 countries, serving industries such as Telecom, Data Centers and Renewable Energy. The company is venture-backed by PSG, Octopus Ventures, Deutsche Telekom, and StageOne, and continues to drive innovation in asset digitization.

Media Contact:

Naomi Stol Zamir, Marketing Communications Director, naomi@vhive.ai 

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Tradewind Finance Hosts Global Webinar on Rethinking Trade Routes from Far East to Americas

Industry experts discuss supply chain shifts, working capital pressures, and the strategic role of non-recourse export factoring

SHANGHAI, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Tradewind Finance, a global trade finance provider, brought together four regional leaders on September 9 for a webinar on how geopolitical shifts, changing sourcing patterns and tighter working capital are redrawing global trade. The session, “Beyond the Horizon: Rethinking Trade Routes from Far East to Americas,” was moderated by Cole Thompson, vice president of sales at Tradewind Finance.

He was joined by Chris Chang, regional commercial director for the Far East; Brian Dowd, senior vice president of sales for the Americas; and Christopher Algarin, international factoring consultant.

Cash is taking longer to come back, and Asia waits longest

Companies worldwide now take 67 days on average to turn a unit of cash spent on operations into cash collected from customers, according to Allianz Trade’s annual DSO and Cash Conversion Cycle report, published in July 2026. The cycle lengthened by half a day in 2025 and now sits three days above its ten-year average. Inventory is what holds the cash. Stock accounts for close to 80% of the cycle as companies move away from just-in-time buying toward keeping more in reserve. Payment terms are not the global pressure point: days sales outstanding stands at 56.5 days and has been broadly flat since 2022.

Asia is the outlier. Its cycle reached 70 days in 2025, the longest of any region and a record five days above the pre-2020 average, with Allianz forecasting 72 days in 2026. The reason is unusual. Asian companies are paying their own suppliers faster, cutting days payable outstanding by 1.4 days to 44, while collecting no sooner from their own customers. Days sales outstanding held at 59 days, the longest customer payment terms in the world. Cash leaves earlier and arrives no faster.

Atradius found the same pressure in receivables. Its 2026 Payment Practices Barometer for Asia, published in July, reports that more than 80% of suppliers are paid late and that overdue invoices tie up close to a third of B2B receivables. In Western Europe, nearly four in five companies say business customers pay late, and roughly a quarter of invoices are settled after the due date.

Atradius also points to a structural shift behind those numbers. As bank finance has tightened, more Western European sales have moved onto credit terms, now around 52% of B2B transactions, which leaves suppliers carrying more of the payment risk. That was the backdrop for the panel’s discussion of non-recourse factoring.

Sources: Allianz Trade, Days Sales Outstanding and Cash Conversion Cycle report, July 2026; Atradius Payment Practices Barometer, Asia (July 2026) and Western Europe (May 2026).

Supply chain diversification is now permanent

Chang said Chinese supply chains have been moving to new manufacturing hubs over the past two years, among them Morocco, Costa Rica and Vietnam. Dowd said the shift has outlasted the event that triggered it. “It seemed like a trend during COVID, but that was just a catalyst. A lot of companies, especially in the West, are rethinking their supply chains and how to diversify where they import from.”

Algarin pointed to Mexico as a clear beneficiary, citing the USMCA trade agreement, competitive labor costs and mature industrial clusters. “Chinese companies are establishing factories in Mexico and partnering with local manufacturers. We are convinced that this phenomenon of relocation to Mexico and Southeast Asia is here to stay.”

Credit risk now drives payment risk

The leading causes of payment disruption have changed, Dowd said. Large fraud cases and logistics delays now do more damage than traditional buyer insolvency. “There have been some large fraud cases that had ripple effects across the entire supply chain, including the financial services industry. Many suppliers lost the financial facilities they had in place.”

Chang described a furniture trade show in Shanghai where a major U.S. buyer’s bankruptcy hit the industry hard. “Credit insurance only protects against insolvency. The trade finance component, along with collections, is something very unique and highly sought after.” Big bankruptcies and fraud events, he added, typically push more SMEs toward non-recourse invoice finance.

Working capital: non-recourse factoring as a strategic tool

With payment terms running from 30 to 90 days and beyond, Algarin said the usual fixes do not hold up over time: larger bank facilities, shareholder contributions, supplier credit. “This is precisely when having a non-recourse factoring facility becomes so important. The more you sell, the greater your access to cash, and best of all, it is achieved without incurring additional debt.”

Dowd said the structure underwrites the buyer’s credit risk rather than the seller’s balance sheet. “You could be a one-year-old company with very low sales, but if you get a $1 million order from Amazon, we are happy to finance that business based on Amazon. It is not a loan, you do not have to pay it back.”

He drew a line between the two models. Recourse factoring works like a loan secured on the seller’s balance sheet. Non-recourse factoring is an outright purchase of the invoice, and once it is sold the credit and collection risk sits with the factor, not the exporter.

Compliance and verification: the value of local presence

Algarin pointed to a common mistake among exporters: extending terms on the strength of an unpolished website or a friend’s recommendation instead of proper diligence. “A third party fully committed to preserving its own capital will diligently verify the buyer’s reputation, payment history, size, and market potential.”

Chang said Tradewind’s 14 offices across 12 countries let the company verify buyers directly. “We have people in the most important markets to explain, work with, and verify buyers. This is a very important value adder that Tradewind offers.”

About Tradewind Finance

Founded in 2000, Tradewind Finance is a global trade finance provider helping importers and exporters improve cash flow, accelerate payments and manage risk. With over 25 years of experience and 14 offices across 12 countries, Tradewind delivers funding solutions to businesses worldwide. The company specializes in non-recourse export factoring, purchasing eligible invoices after goods have shipped and collecting payment directly from customers, thereby assuming the credit and collection risk on those receivables.

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