25, Feb 2026
TOKYO SKYTREE Elevates Cherry Blossom Season with “THE Sakura SKYTREE” Spring Experience
Tokyo, Feb 25: Tobu Tower Skytree Co., Ltd. has announced the return of its seasonal spring event, “THE Sakura SKYTREE® – Going to Meet the Cherry Blossoms Above the Clouds,” at TOKYO SKYTREE. The limited-period experience will run from February 26 to April 14, 2026, offering visitors a reimagined cherry blossom celebration 350 metres above Tokyo.
Positioned around the theme “Sky × Sakura,” the event transforms the Tembo Deck (Floors 350 and 340) into a curated spring environment featuring cherry blossom décor and Japanese-inspired photo installations. Designed to evoke the fleeting beauty of sakura, the installation pairs seasonal symbolism with panoramic skyline views, creating a distinctive alternative to traditional park hanami.
Immersive Projection at SKYTREE ROUND THEATER®
A major highlight for evening visitors will be a special seasonal presentation at SKYTREE ROUND THEATER on Floor 350. The observatory’s expansive windows will convert into a panoramic projection surface for a three-minute visual narrative capturing the quiet poetry and transience of cherry blossoms.
Powered by 24 projectors and immersive surround sound from 13 speakers, the presentation integrates culture, technology, and storytelling within one of Tokyo’s most iconic landmarks, adding a theatrical dimension to the spring viewing experience.
Limited-Edition Sakura Café Menu
Complementing the visual programming, the SKYTREE CAFE on Floor 350 will introduce a limited-edition cherry blossom-themed menu. Offerings include both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, alongside spring-inspired sweets crafted to be visually striking and share-worthy.
Featured items include plant-based, vegan, and gluten-free donuts in “Sakura Mochi” and “Sakura Sky Vanilla” flavours. The menu aligns with growing demand for inclusive and aesthetically engaging culinary experiences at landmark attractions.
W1SH RIBBON Installation and Seasonal Illumination
Extending the spring theme, the W1SH RIBBON monument on the Tembo Deck will feature limited-edition pink ribbons throughout the event period. Visitors can tie their wishes against a softly illuminated pink installation symbolising renewal and new beginnings. The monument lighting will also transition to pink to ensure cohesive visual continuity across the deck.
On select evenings, TOKYO SKYTREE will be illuminated in a special spring lighting display titled “Sakura SKY (Sakura-Sora).” Inspired by cherry blossoms blooming against a vast spring sky, intersecting beams of soft pink light will symbolise petals dancing in the wind, transforming the tower into a seasonal beacon across Tokyo’s skyline.
A New Perspective on Hanami
With immersive décor, projection mapping, curated gastronomy, and city-scale illumination, “THE Sakura SKYTREE®” positions TOKYO SKYTREE as a compelling addition to Japan’s spring travel calendar. By blending tradition with contemporary presentation at 350 metres above ground, the event offers an atmospheric, accessible, and distinctly urban interpretation of cherry blossom season.
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- By Neel Achary
25, Feb 2026
When things have to be done quickly
Rail brakes support fast roller changes in laminating units
SAUERESSIG has evolved from being a manufacturer of printing and embossing rollers to becoming a highly innovative machine manufacturer with a diverse product range.
In a large laminating unit by SAUERESSIG Engineering for laminating steel strip on both sides, rubber rollers press a protective PET film onto hot steel strip. Despite cooling, these rubber rollers do wear down and need to be replaced regularly. Four profiled rail brakes by mayr® power transmission ensure that the laminating process, which takes place 24 hours a day, only has to be interrupted briefly to replace the rollers.
SAUERESSIG began manufacturing printing and embossing rollers for the packaging and printing industry around 70 years ago. Today, the company is a highly innovative mechanical engineering company with a diverse portfolio. As a leading full-range supplier of calendering, embossing and rotary processing systems in standard and special designs, the company supplies a wide range of industries.
The machine solutions include both complete production lines and customized systems for embossing, finishing, coating, smoothing, perforating and calibrating sheet materials such as paper, film or metal sheets. The company offers comprehensive expertise from the initial idea to the final customized solution, including planning and designing mechanics, drive and automation technology, pre-assembly and commissioning in the factory, and final approval at the customer’s premises.
SAUERESSIG’s large laminating unit coats both sides of the steel strip with a protective PET film
One such customized system, no less than six metres long and around four metres wide, coats a steel strip on both sides with a thin protective PET film. Harald Bartsch, Head of Design/Expert Advisor at SAUERESSIG Engineering, describes the machine’s design concept as follows “The complete laminating unit consists of two nearly identical, symmetrically arranged side frames, each with a rubberized laminating roller and a contact cooling roller. For laminating, the steel strip moves vertically between the two laminating rollers through the laminating unit at a conveying speed of up to 250 m/min. The laminating rollers press the film onto the hot steel strip from both sides.”
The steel strip’s high temperatures of up to 260 °C heat up the rubber coating on the laminating rollers. Water-cooled contact rollers dissipate this heat and limit the rubber coating’s temperature to a maximum of 90 °C. Despite the cooling, the rubber linings of the laminating rollers are subject to wear and must be replaced regularly. “As the laminating process should ideally be running continuously all year round and 24/7 without interruption,” explains Harald Bartsch, “the time required to replace the laminating rollers must be kept as short as possible. Therefore, the laminating unit is designed in such a way that the automated roller replacement only takes half an hour.”
The laminating unit consists of two symmetrically arranged side frames. Both side frames are mounted onto profiled rail guides and can be separated axially to replace the worn laminating rollers. While the coating process is in progress, profiled rail brake of the ROBA® guidestop® series by mayr® power transmission hold the two system parts in position backlash-free and with high rigidity. To replace the rollers, these safety brakes are released hydraulically, the two machine halves can be moved apart via rack and pinion gears and the laminating rollers can be replaced.
Profiled rail brake of the ROBA® guidestop® series by mayr® power transmission hold the two system parts of a large laminating unit in position backlash-free and with high rigidity.
The ROBA® guidestop® profiled rail brake serves as a reliable safety brake and backlash-free clamping unit. It can brake movements safely and quickly and clamps the axes rigidly and backlash-free.
Just like all safety brakes by mayr®power transmission, the profiled rail brakes also work according to the fail-safe principle. This means they are closed in de-energised condition. The ROBA® guidestop® brakes use pre-tensioned cup springs to press the brake shoes against the ‘waist’ of the profiled rail, thus clamping it in place.
The hydraulic brake design used in the SAUERESSIG laminating unit is released using a nominal pressure of 70 bar. This is comparatively low in relation to the very high holding forces. The brake mechanism is dimensioned for relatively large strokes. As a result, the brake can compensate for production tolerances on the profiled rails without losing braking force. The ROBA® guidestop® safety brakes are equipped with two independent brake circuits: This allows for either double holding forces or a redundant design.
The profiled rail brakes are therefore directly mounted onto the masses which are to be braked or held. This minimises the risk of hazards, particularly with gravity-loaded axles, as drive elements between the motor and the moving mass, such as spindles, spindle nuts, shaft couplings and gears, do not affect safety. This is different for concepts with motor brakes, as all drive elements must transmit the braking torque to the carriage. Furthermore, every element between the brake and the carriage has a negative effect on rigidity. ROBA® guidestop® safety brakes are therefore considerably more rigid than motor brakes, rod brakes or band brakes, which are often subject to backlash.
ROBA® guidestop® safety brakes by mayr® power transmission are available in pneumatic or electromagnetic versions in addition to the hydraulically opening design. The hydraulically releasing ROBA® guidestop® series covers nominal holding forces from 5000 to 34000 N with four sizes. The pneumatically releasing version offers the greatest variety of options: Six sizes with nominal holding forces from 700 to 15000 N are available in the standard product range. Both versions (i.e. pneumatically and hydraulically releasing) are available for all common linear guides. Electromagnetically opening rail brakes do not require any pneumatic or hydraulic equipment. mayr® power transmission developes this variant on request, customizing it for the respective application.
25, Feb 2026
Mr. Harsh Pawar wins Gold in 3D Digital Game Art at IndiaSkills Regional Competition; and Ms. Samruddhi Thombre secures full-time role with Galleri5
Mumbai, Feb 25: Arena Animation, a pioneer in animation, gaming, visual effects, and digital media education and a training brand of Aptech Limited, announced a dual milestone for its Nashik centre, a gold medal win at the regional round of the IndiaSkills Competition 2026 and a significant industry placement with Galleri5.
Mr. Harsh Pawar, student of Arena Animation, secured the Gold Medal in the 3D Digital Game Art category at the regional competition organised by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). The competition was held in Gandhinagar, and it brought together top talent competing across advanced skill categories aligned to global standards. His victory underscores the strength of structured, industry-relevant training and reinforces Arena Animation’s growing presence on nationally validated competitive platforms.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Sandip Weling, Chief Business Officer, Global Retail, Aptech Limited, and Brand Custodian, Arena Animation said,
“The achievements of students are an outcome of the discipline, industry-aligned learning, and a mindset of excellence nurtured at Arena Animation. Our focus is to go beyond classroom training—building the competitive capability, creative confidence, and career resilience of all our students. As the Orange Economy continues to emerge and bloom as a powerful driver of growth, innovation, and employability in India, we are proud to play a catalytic role in equipping today’s young talent with skills that power the next phase of growth.”
Adding to the centre’s achievements, student Ms. Samruddhi Thombre has secured full-time employment with Galleri5 as an AI Cinematic Artist, marking a significant step in her professional journey. Her success reflects resilience and her laser-sharp focus. Determined to build a career in animation, she navigated challenges with clarity and conviction, often stating she “had no option but to succeed.”
Mr. Harsh Pawar, Gold Medalist (3D Digital Game Art) at IndiaSkills shared his reaction,
“Winning Gold at the IndiaSkills regional round is more than just a personal milestone; it’s a validation of the hours spent refining every polygon and texture under the guidance of my mentors at Arena. The competition in Gandhinagar was intense and truly mirrored global standards. This win has given me the confidence to know that my creative skills aren’t just a hobby-they are world-class. I’m now focused on carrying this momentum to the nationals.”
Ms. Samruddhi Thombre, who secured a placement at Galleri5, said
“I’ve always believed that in the creative industry, your portfolio is your passport, but your mindset is your engine. When I started my journey at Arena Nashik, I told myself I had no option but to succeed. Securing this placement at Galleri5 is the culmination of that ‘all-in’ approach. It feels incredible to transition from the classroom to a professional studio, and I’m eager to contribute to the industry I’ve spent so much time studying. For me, this is just the beginning of a lifelong career in animation.”
Together, these accomplishments highlight Arena Animation’s commitment to developing industry-ready professionals through skills-first training, hands-on exposure, and continuous mentorship. The institute remains focused on empowering students to transform creative passion into competitive excellence and sustainable career growth.
25, Feb 2026
EUR/USD Remains Under Pressure as the USD Maintains Its Advantage on Growth and Interest Rate Differentials
By Linh Tran, Market Analyst at XS.com
EUR/USD has continued its downward trend since peaking around 1.2080 at the end of January, as the divergence in economic prospects between the United States and the Eurozone has become increasingly evident. This movement reflects the current macroeconomic landscape, where the US dollar remains supported by relatively stable growth and inflation that is still above target, while the Eurozone faces slower expansion and lacks sufficient policy momentum to trigger a meaningful shift in expectations.
Recent US economic data suggest that growth has moderated but has not deteriorated significantly. GDP expanded by only 1.4% year-on-year in the fourth quarter, a notable slowdown from the 4.4% recorded in the third quarter, partly reflecting the impact of a prolonged government shutdown that disrupted public spending and investment. Nevertheless, for the full year 2025, the US economy still grew by 2.2%, its lowest pace since 2020 but sufficient to avoid a broad-based recession.
While growth has cooled, inflationary pressures have not fully subsided. Core PCE remained around 3.0% year-on-year, well above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, forcing the central bank to maintain a cautious stance. At the same time, the US trade deficit in goods and services widened to approximately $901.5 billion in 2025, among the highest levels since records began in 1960, highlighting structural imbalances in external trade. However, with inflation still above target, the Fed’s primary policy focus remains price stability rather than growth stimulus.
The combination of slower but still positive growth and persistent inflation makes it difficult for the Fed to signal an early easing cycle. The “higher for longer” narrative continues to gain traction, keeping US Treasury yields relatively attractive compared to Europe. This yield differential remains a key factor supporting the US dollar and weighing on the euro.
On the other hand, the Eurozone has posted modest growth. The region’s GDP rose by 0.3% quarter-on-quarter in Q4 2025 and approximately 1.5% for the full year. Although the February Flash Composite PMI improved to 51.9 from 51.3 the previous month, indicating a mild expansion in overall activity, the pace of improvement remains insufficient to significantly alter expectations for ECB policy. In an environment of fragile growth, the ECB has less room to maintain a hawkish stance compared to the Fed.
In my view, the near-term outlook for EUR/USD will largely revolve around the policy divergence between the Fed and the ECB. With US policy rates still considerably higher than those in the Eurozone and core US inflation hovering around 3%, the Fed is unlikely to ease policy soon. Conversely, Eurozone inflation has eased to around 1.7% while growth remains modest, giving the ECB limited incentive to maintain a restrictive stance.
Under the base-case scenario, where US growth continues to slow but avoids a sharp downturn and inflation declines only gradually, the US dollar is likely to retain its relative advantage through yield differentials. The euro may only stage a sustained recovery if US economic data weaken sufficiently to push the Fed toward earlier-than-expected rate cuts. For now, the macro balance continues to tilt slightly in favor of the dollar, leaving EUR/USD more prone to sustained pressure than a decisive reversal.
25, Feb 2026
Nikhil Kamath and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei Discuss AI’s Next Frontier, Biotech Acceleration, and the Evolving Role of Data
Kolkata, Feb 25: In a recent episode of People by WTF, Nikhil Kamath, co-founder of Zerodha, engaged in an in-depth conversation with Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, to explore the evolving trajectory of artificial intelligence, its accelerating impact on biotechnology, and the changing dynamics of data as a competitive advantage.
During the discussion, Amodei expressed optimism about AI’s transformative potential in scientific discovery—particularly in healthcare and biotechnology. “I’m positive on biotech. I think biotech is about to have a renaissance… ultimately driven by AI,” he noted.
He emphasized that AI advancements could significantly accelerate the optimization of biological systems. Areas such as peptide-based therapies and cell-based treatments like CAR-T were highlighted as domains where AI-driven modeling and design could expand medical innovation and reduce development timelines.
Rethinking Data as AI’s Core Advantage
The conversation also examined shifting assumptions about data’s role in AI development. Amodei observed that reinforcement learning environments and synthetic data generation are becoming increasingly central to training advanced AI models.
“When you train on math or coding environments, you’re not really getting data… it’s more synthetic. You’re creating the data,” he explained, adding that “dynamic data that the model creates itself… is becoming more important.”
While acknowledging that traditional datasets remain valuable—particularly in language optimization and enterprise use cases—Amodei suggested that environment-based learning and iterative model refinement may gradually reduce the dominance of static data as a long-term competitive moat.
Accessibility and the Learning Curve
As AI tools expand beyond technical communities, usability and accessibility were identified as key challenges. Amodei noted Anthropic’s focus on improving user interfaces and investing in education initiatives to lower adoption barriers.
“There’s a learning curve,” he said, comparing prompt engineering to learning a musical instrument. “You mostly learn by doing.”
This reflects a broader industry recognition that democratizing AI usage requires both technological advancement and user enablement.
Regulatory and Geopolitical Dimensions
The discussion also touched upon global regulatory trends shaping AI deployment. Amodei referenced evolving data localization policies in Europe as indicative of a future where AI infrastructure may become more regionally distributed, incorporating localized data centers and compliance-driven architectures.
Such shifts suggest that AI development will increasingly balance innovation with governance frameworks and geopolitical considerations.
AI and Biology: A Converging Frontier
Reflecting on AI’s long-term trajectory, Amodei maintained a balanced perspective that acknowledges both transformative opportunity and associated risks. “My instinct is we’re about to cure a lot of diseases,” he remarked, while underscoring the importance of responsible development and oversight.
The conversation concluded with a focus on programmable biology as a key frontier, with both speakers highlighting the convergence of artificial intelligence and life sciences as a potential driver of profound technological transformation in the years ahead.
25, Feb 2026
Dhoot Transmission Partners with FourFront to Scale Automotive Electronics Business
Bangalore, Feb 25: Dhoot Transmission Limited one of India’s leading electrical and electronic companies, today announced a partnership, pursuant to which FourFront Limited a Tier-1 supplier of customized electro-mechanical and electronic solutions to Original Equipment Manufacturers headquartered in Pune, will merge with one of the Company’s subsidiaries.
FourFront will become part of Dhoot Transmission’s automotive electronics and electrical platform, enabling the Company and its team to continue serving its existing customer base while moving towards the next phase of growth. The combined platform brings together complementary product capabilities, manufacturing depth, and long-standing OEM relationships to support the increasing electronics content and electrification requirements of the automotive industry.
FourFront is a trusted supplier to leading Passenger Vehicle (“PV”)and Commercial Vehicle (“CV”) OEMs in India, with a strong portfolio spanning electromechanical switches, power electronics products and electric vehicle (“EV”) products. With the rapid evolution of vehicle architectures and rising adoption of electric vehicles, FourFront is well poised to benefit from EV tailwinds, supported by its capabilities in power electronics, engineering depth, and focus on quality and reliability.
The merger represents an important step in the Company’s journey to build a scaled, integrated automotive electronics and electrical platform, offering end-to-end solutions to OEM customers across conventional and electric vehicle programs.
Bain Capital will continue to support Dhoot Transmissions and FourFront through its global automotive experience and value-creation capabilities, as it scales its automotive electronics and electrical platform and pursues its next phase of growth. This support is expected to further strengthen the combined platform’s ability to deepen OEM partnerships, expand product offerings, and drive operational excellence in line with evolving customer requirements.
Commenting on the transaction, Rahul Dhoot, Managing Director, Dhoot Transmission Group, said, “This partnership is closely aligned with our strategy of building a differentiated automotive platform with strong capabilities in electronics and electrical systems. FourFront has developed trusted relationships with OEM customers and built meaningful expertise in power electronics. As part of the Dhoot platform, FourFront and its team will be well positioned to continue delivering the same level of quality and service levels to customers while benefiting from our scale, manufacturing depth, and long-term investment approach.”
Saahil Bhatia, Partner at Bain Capital, said,
“India continues to be an economy with a strong long-term growth trajectory, supported by favourable demographics, rising domestic consumption, and sustained investment in manufacturing and infrastructure. Against this backdrop, we see a compelling opportunity to support platforms like Dhoot, and now FourFront, as they scale capabilities, deepen OEM partnerships, and build high-quality automotive solutions aligned with evolving technologies such as ADAS and increasing electronics content across vehicle segments.”
“Over the last 15+ years, FourFront has built very a strong foundation and is recognized for innovative solutions, superior design capabilities, and responsiveness towards customer demands,” said Shrikant Neurgaonkar, Chairperson and Managing Director at FourFront. “The partnership with Dhoot Transmission and Bain Capital will put us in a strong position to further enhance our product offerings and continue to invest in manufacturing facilities, R&D and people for the next phase of growth. We’re very excited to partner with Dhoot Transmission to create an electronics platform focused on technical and operational excellence.”
The partnership is expected to support growth by enabling broader product offerings, deeper customer engagement, and operational efficiencies through a shared manufacturing and supply-chain ecosystem. It also strengthens the Company’s presence across PV and CV segments, aligned with long-term industry trends, including electrification and increasing electronics penetration.
KPMG and PwC served as financial advisors, and Trilegal served as legal advisors to Dhoot Transmission. KPMG Corporate Finance and Desai & Diwanji served as advisors to FourFront
25, Feb 2026
Caspia Launches New RTL Security Analyzer Enabling Agentic Silicon Security Verification
GAINESVILLE, Fla., Feb. 25: Caspia Technologies announced broad availability of its flagship security verification product CODAx. New and unique capabilities delivered by the product were described, along with its impact on the customer base. The company also provided a preview of its plans to build agentic security verification workflows.
CODAx is Caspia’s security-aware auditing solution that analyzes early (RTL) code of IP/SoC designs to detect coding styles that can introduce security vulnerabilities. Over 150 insecure coding practices are recognized and suggested corrections are also provided.
CODAx security checks are informed by public vulnerability databases including CWE, CVE, and Trust-Hub, which catalog over 1,000 known hardware security weaknesses. Caspia applies GenAI techniques to systematically map these weaknesses to detectable RTL coding patterns.
The latest release of CODAx, V2026.1 provides deeper security checks that span across the design hierarchy, enabling identification of weaknesses that travel up and across design modules. The company reported that comprehensive stress testing was performed on this release with 10,000+ intentionally vulnerable designs.
Caspia also reported that a popular open-source root-of-trust design containing 400+ design files, approximately 3 million gates, and 500,000 lines of RTL code was analyzed by CODAx in about 45 minutes. Multiple security weaknesses were found during this analysis.
Caspia has been working with all the major EDA suppliers to ensure a smooth integration of its tools with existing design flows. The company also reported that major chip and system companies from around the world are successfully deploying CODAx for designs that support applications such as automotive, data center, communication, storage, multimedia, precision analog and embedded computing.
Caspia announced that Stuart Audley has joined the company as VP/GM of product management, with a focus on agentic security workflows. Audley brings decades of experience designing and deploying cryptographic hardware and security IP for top defense primes and leading semiconductor companies. He previously led advanced security platform development for FPGAs and ASICs at The Athena Group, Inc. and Mercury Systems.
“We are expanding our security verification footprint to include both advanced tools and enablement of agentic workflows,” said Rick Hegberg, CEO of Caspia. “I am delighted to add someone with Stuart’s experience and background to the team. This will ensure we can focus on delivering cutting-edge capabilities and AI-driven security automation.”
“Caspia is evolving from a provider of point security verification tools to an agentic platform supplier where AI orchestrates comprehensive hardware security workflows,” said Audley.
He went on to say, “the elements of our plan include unifying all our tools with AI-assisted workflows that span the entire hardware security lifecycle: analyzing RTL, identifying vulnerabilities, and verifying the results.
Traditional design flows remain fully supported, but we are creating a new category for agentic-enabled hardware security verification.”
Caspia will present its latest technology in booth 702 at DVCon on March 2-5, 2026, to be held at the Santa Clara Hyatt Regency in Santa Clara, CA.
25, Feb 2026
India’s Luxury Destination for Grand Weddings – Where Scale, Spectacle, and Sophistication Converge at Fairmont Mumbai
Mumbai, Feb 25: Designed to host the most extraordinary moments of a lifetime, Fairmont Mumbai emerges as one of India’s most definitive destinations for luxury weddings and milestone celebrations. Home to one of the country’s largest and most technologically advanced banqueting portfolios, the hotel brings together monumental scale, architectural drama, and deeply personalised service—setting a new benchmark for grand Indian weddings, receptions, and multi-day celebrations.
From opulent wedding galas hosting over 2,000 guests to intimate mehendi lunches, cocktail soirées, and elegant receptions, Fairmont Mumbai seamlessly blends grandeur with warmth—creating celebrations that feel expansive yet exquisitely personal.
Where Wedding Grandeur Meets Thoughtful Craft
Every celebration space at Fairmont Mumbai has been envisioned as an immersive canvas—architecturally bold, technologically seamless, and intuitively designed to translate a couple’s vision into unforgettable reality. State-of-the-art, plug-and-play infrastructure allows for effortless customisation, while layered design details lend each venue a sense of timeless elegance.
Golden accents add understated opulence, while bespoke carpets inspired by Paithani sarees—crafted by artisans from Maharashtra—root the spaces in regional heritage. Even at a monumental scale, the experience remains bespoke, with dedicated wedding specialists ensuring every detail—from décor and culinary journeys to guest flow and ceremonies—is thoughtfully curated.
Innovative ceiling structures with a 100-tonne hanging capacity allow for dramatic floral installations, chandeliers, and aerial performances, while a dedicated car lift enables luxury vehicle entries—transforming bridal arrivals and baraats into unforgettable moments of theatre.
A Versatile Canvas for Every Wedding Moment
Fairmont Mumbai’s expansive celebration venues offer unparalleled flexibility for multi-event weddings and large-scale festivities:
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Infinity Ballroom: A breathtaking 21,000 sq. ft. pillarless ballroom complemented by an equally expansive 21,000 sq. ft. pre-function area with two live theatre kitchens—ideal for grand wedding ceremonies and receptions hosting up to 2,000 guests.
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Eon Ballroom: A chic, high-energy venue with a built-in bar, perfect for sangeet nights, cocktail celebrations, and stylish after-parties.
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The Vantage: A 12,000 sq. ft. rooftop venue with sweeping views of the city and airport, designed for elegant open-air celebrations, sunset pheras, and evening receptions under the stars.
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Samaa: A refined rooftop setting offering an intimate yet atmospheric backdrop for pre-wedding soirées, haldi and mehendi celebrations, curated cocktail evenings, and close-knit wedding festivities—where elevated cuisine, ambient lighting, and open skies come together to create unforgettable moments.
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Grand Terminus: A sophisticated space for intimate gatherings, family meetings, and private wedding functions.
A Destination Designed for Once-in-a-Lifetime Celebrations
“Fairmont Mumbai’s wedding and celebration offering has been thoughtfully conceived as a destination in itself—where scale is matched by sensitivity, and grandeur is delivered with intent. Every wedding hosted here is a deeply personal journey, elevated through design, technology, and the signature Fairmont approach to service. Our vision is to create a setting where India’s most meaningful celebrations unfold with effortless elegance.” — Rajiv Kapoor, General Manager, Fairmont Mumbai
“Fairmont Mumbai represents a defining chapter in our vision to build enduring destinations that host the most important moments in people’s lives. The scale and ambition of its celebration spaces reflect our commitment to creating landmarks designed for generations of weddings and milestones. Together with Fairmont, we have created an address where heritage, architecture, and contemporary luxury come together to celebrate love and legacy.” — Nitan Chhatwal, Chairman & Managing Director, Shrem Group
The New Address for Iconic Weddings in India
In a city where celebrations are woven into everyday life, Fairmont Mumbai stands apart as a destination designed for weddings that demand scale, sophistication, and soul—redefining how landmark celebrations are imagined and experienced.
25, Feb 2026
General Magic Raises Oversubscribed US$7.2M to Cut Insurance Quote Time to 3 Minutes
Toronto, Canada – February 25, 2026; Insurance is complicated. Customers have questions before they quote, need guidance after, and expect clarity when they file a claim. But the work of answering those questions, collecting documents, and following up still runs on calls, emails, and portals stitched together by manual effort. For brokers and carriers, this coordination overhead is one of the most operationally expensive and taxing parts of the business.
General Magic is building AI agents to solve this problem.
The company announced a US$7.2M seed funding round led by Radical Ventures, with significant participation from a16z Speedrun and new investment from Figma VP of Product Brendan O’Driscoll and Larry James Erwin from OpenAI. The company has raised $8.4M to date, backed by Radical Ventures, a16z Speedrun, and Comma Capital, along with operators who have built foundational AI and product platforms, including Aidan Gomez, CEO of Cohere, as well as the executive team at Braze, including Kevin Wang, Chief Product Officer, and Spencer Burke, SVP of Growth.
General Magic builds AI agents that take over the work insurance teams spend the most time on: answering routine questions, collecting documents, and following up with customers when clarity matters. These agents work across the full insurance lifecycle, covering pre-quote eligibility, post quote engagement, and claims coordination. They do all of this while connecting directly to broker management systems, quoting platforms, and CRMs.
Early deployments show what’s possible. Working with one of the world’s largest general insurers, General Magic has reduced time-to-quote from roughly 30 minutes down to under 3 minutes via its SMS-based agent.
“Too much of insurance still relies on manual follow through across calls, inboxes, and scattered systems,” said Jai Mansukhani, Co Founder and President of General Magic. “We focus on keeping customers engaged at every stage of the lifecycle, not just at quote or claim. Our agents handle the routine work that slows teams down, while giving insurance leaders real visibility into what customers are asking, where they are getting stuck, and how they are feeling. When that engagement and data flow directly into core systems, teams move faster and customers feel genuinely supported.”
The company’s agentic offerings are centered around a product called Cell, a proactive AI agent that connects directly to the systems insurance teams already use. Cell integrates with broker management systems, quoting and rating platforms and CRMs to support teams. It can be deployed across SMS, iMessage and RCS, and can extend into policy, billing and claims workflows as needed.
When a customer has a question, they can text Cell over SMS, or the insurance team can proactively deploy it to the customer. The agent responds using real system data, asks for missing information, follows up automatically, and updates records as workflows progress. Conversations stay in one thread, context is preserved, and customers move forward at their own pace without being chased or dropped.
Early deployments point to the scale of the opportunity. In early rollouts with large personal lines insurers, General Magic is reducing the time required to generate and finalize quotes from roughly 30 minutes to about 3 minutes by automating routine clarification and follow-ups over SMS across auto and life insurance workflows. This increase in speed expands effective quoting capacity while keeping customers engaged through the most failure prone part of the journey after a quote is issued. By handling frequent questions and coordination over text, the agent reduces delays and prevents conversations from stalling. General Magic is currently supporting deployments with carriers across auto and life insurance, where post-quote and customer coordination are most critical.
In parallel, the team is focused on building agents that understand the realities of insurance distribution, including licensing and regulatory frameworks such as RIBO, OTL, and other broker and advisor exams. By specializing agents around how licensed professionals are trained to communicate, General Magic aims to ensure conversations feel accurate, compliant, and aligned with how insurance teams actually explain coverage to customers.
General Magic was founded by Anthony Azrak and Jai Mansukhani, second-time founders who previously sold AI products into legacy industries. The company’s move into insurance came from firsthand frustration. After a water leak spiraled into weeks of calls, delays, and higher premiums, the founders began exploring how common this experience really was. What they found was an industry that technically works, but often fails customers and intermediaries in the moments that matter most. That insight shaped General Magic’s decision to go deep into insurance rather than remain a horizontal AI platform.
The broader industry context underscores the urgency. Retention rates in insurance lag behind other sectors, and acquiring new customers costs significantly more than keeping existing ones. As digital distribution accelerates and customers shop more aggressively at renewal, both carriers and brokers that fail to improve post-quote engagement risk losing revenue they already worked to win.
Looking ahead, General Magic plans to expand across insurance lines and workflows, staying focused on moments where customer intent is high and coordination most often breaks down. The platform is being built to support high impact workflows across the insurance stack, prioritising areas where follow-through fails today and where fixing it creates meaningful value for customers, brokers, and carriers.
The long term vision is simple but ambitious: make follow through automatic, reliable, and invisible. By removing the need for manual chasing and fragmented handoffs, teams can spend less time managing processes and more time serving end customers. The team is motivated by solving complex, real world problems that sit at the center of insurance operations, with the goal of delivering tangible improvements to how people experience insurance when it matters most.
Sanjana Basu, partner at Radical Ventures, commented: “Most of the world’s financial and insurance data is locked inside rigid, legacy systems that were never designed for the AI era. General Magic isn’t trying to convince enterprises to throw away that infrastructure. Instead, they are giving them a way to finally talk to it. By building a reasoning layer that sits on top of existing systems of record, the General Magic team are unlocking a massive amount of trapped value. This is how the Fortune 500 becomes AI-native. Not by rebuilding from scratch, but by bridging the gap between old data and new intelligence.”
Troy Kirwin, investment partner at a16z Speedrun, added: “We’ve watched Anthony and Jai grow exponentially both during their speedrun cohort and in the months after. They are building a truly compelling product that we believe will revolutionize workflows across insurance carriers and brokerages globally. I have a personal thesis that outsiders will disrupt legacy industries, and General Magic has helped buttress this thesis with the immense progress they’ve made. We are excited to deepen our partnership through supporting their seed round.”
Pete Tessier, BFA, CAIB, President at insurance MGA Taycon Risk, added: “What I have seen with General Magic and their approach to AI was a willingness to adapt to the insurance industry’s needs. This is significant because of the varied nuances of the insurance industry and how its products are distributed, and why internal and external customer journeys are different. The challenge will be making it scale across all channels of insurance product distribution. This might be the first true ‘game changer’ for the industry and deliver on customer experience and expectations”
25, Feb 2026
MedScout Raises $10M and Launches AI Agents for MedTech Commercial Teams
Backed by Fulcrum Equity Partners, MedScout has grown enterprise revenue by 3x since its Series A as MedTech companies adopt AI agents to turn commercial strategy into field execution
AUSTIN, TX — Feb 25
MedScout, the commercial engine for MedTech, announced a $10M growth round led by Fulcrum Equity Partners, with participation from existing investors Live Oak Venture Partners and Stage 2 Capital. The round, which more than doubled the company’s valuation from its Series A, will fuel continued investment in MedScout’s AI capabilities and support growing demand from enterprise customers.
“MedScout is tackling one of the most pressing challenges in MedTech: turning company strategy into revenue performance,” said Philip Lewis, Partner at Fulcrum Equity Partners. “What they’ve built combines commercial expertise and AI to solve that problem in a highly actionable way that’s unique to each customer. This is the future of how companies put AI to work, and it’s why we’re doubling down on our investment in MedScout.”
Alongside the funding, MedScout is launching Strategies, AI agents that analyze market and account-level referral networks, procedure volumes, payer dynamics, and more to deliver prioritized, ready-to-work territory plans to reps.
“MedTech companies spend months developing commercial strategies that don’t make it to the field as intended,” said Skylar Talley, Co-founder and CEO of MedScout. “MedScout bridges that gap by translating commercial priorities into clear, territory-specific actions. Sales reps know which providers to prioritize and how to build and expand those relationships.”
MedTech commercial teams face a core disconnect: strategy is set at the top, but the tools reps use in the field don’t reflect it. Instead, reps rely on Google, stale spreadsheets, or data platforms that lack the context to tell them what really matters.
Each Strategy is an AI agent built around a company’s specific commercial context, how it wins in the market, and its definition of a best-fit target. Drawing on industry expertise and field-tested patterns from working with hundreds of MedTech commercial teams, each agent can pinpoint the accounts and physicians most likely to convert. MedScout made Strategies available to customers in late 2025.
“In January, our customers deployed 81% more unique AI agents than the month before — evidence that sales teams are seeing value quickly and building on early success,” said Talley.
MedScout’s growth reflects the urgency of the problem it solves. Enterprise MedTech organizations are increasingly relying on MedScout to keep their large and distributed sales forces focused on the right accounts and opportunities. Enterprise revenue has grown 3x since its Series A in July 2024, and monthly active reps are up 135% month over month as sales teams expand their use of Strategies.
“Everything we do is in service of better patient outcomes, and that starts with getting our innovations into the hands of the right clinicians,” said Meraj Khan, Chief Marketing Officer, Surgical Innovations at GE Healthcare. “MedScout has been a strategic partner in helping our field teams identify, prioritize, and connect with the facilities and providers where our technologies can have the greatest impact. The result is stronger commercial performance and more patients benefiting from precision care. We’re proud to work with MedScout and excited for this next phase of our partnership.”
MedScout customers deploy Strategies aligned to their specific growth priorities and market positioning, such as:
- A surgical robotics company pinpoints orthopedic surgeons who perform high volumes of traditional total knee replacements, have a Medicare-heavy patient mix (60%+), and haven’t adopted robotic-assisted procedures. Reps get a clear list of high-fit targets where the clinical case for adoption is already established.
- A diagnostic imaging company identifies primary care physicians within a 25-mile radius of a priority account who see patients with pulmonary nodules but refer lung biopsies to competing practices. Reps receive a prioritized list of physicians whose referral patterns offer the greatest opportunity to expand biopsy volume at the target facility.
- A cardiology device company identifies hospitals that performed 30% fewer TAVR procedures year over year while maintaining 250+ annual cardiac catheterization cases. Reps get a ranked list of high-capacity programs losing structural heart volume — a clear signal to re-evaluate technology partnerships. Each site has a tailored ROI story that quantifies revenue at risk and frames a path to recapture volume.
MedScout is actively deploying Strategies within commercial teams across MedTech.
