20, Oct 2026
SPIRO launches its first 100 electric bikes in Ghana, marking a new milestone in its pan-African expansion

ACCRA, GHANA, 20 OCTOBER 2026 – Spiro, Africa’s largest electric mobility company, today officially launches its first 100 electric motorcycles in Ghana, marking a new milestone in its expansion across the continent. The launch introduces the Ekon 450 M1 V3 electric motorcycle to the Ghanaian market, alongside Spiro’s battery-swapping solution, designed to make electric mobility more affordable, accessible and practical for everyday riders.

Designed to meet the everyday mobility needs of African riders, the Ekon 450 M1 V3 offers an alternative to conventional petrol-powered motorcycles. Combined with Spiro’s battery-swapping technology, the motorcycle is designed to help riders reduce their daily operating costs, with Spiro riders saving up to USD 2 per day compared with conventional petrol-powered motorcycles. Rather than waiting for a motorcycle to recharge, riders can exchange a depleted battery for a charged one at a Spiro battery-swapping station in just two minutes, allowing them to get back on the road with minimal interruption. This integrated approach is particularly relevant for commercial riders, for whom fuel expenses and time on the road directly affect their daily earnings.

SPIRO launches its first 100 electric bikes in Ghana, marking a new milestone in its pan-African expansion

 

Kaushik Burman, CEO-Mobility of Spiro, said: “Ghana represents a major opportunity for electric mobility, with a rapidly growing two-wheeler market and increasing demand from commercial riders and delivery fleets. With the launch of the Ekon 450 M1 V3, we are bringing a solution that addresses two key barriers to adoption: operating costs and access to charging infrastructure. Our first 100 motorcycles mark the beginning of our ambition to make electric mobility accessible at scale across Ghana.”

The launch, held under the theme “The First 100: Powering a New Era of Mobility in Ghana”, features a symbolic key handover to the first ten riders, followed by a convoy of 100 Spiro electric motorcycles through Accra. The event concludes at Accra Mall, where visitors can discover the Ekon 450 M1 V3 through product demonstrations, test rides and live demonstrations of Spiro’s battery-swapping technology. 

Mr Maxwell Dodd, Managing Director of Spiro Ghana, said: “Today, Ghana’s electric mobility journey shifts into gear. With our first 100 Ekon 450 M1 V3 motorcycles hitting the road, we are showing riders that cleaner, more affordable transport is no longer a vision for the future, but a reality they can experience today.”

Following the launch, Spiro will continue engaging with prospective customers through test rides and product demonstrations across Greater Accra, supporting the progressive adoption of electric motorcycles in the Ghanaian market. 

Building on its recent USD 270 million equity funding round and additional USD 18 million in debt financing from the Africa Go Green Fund, Spiro is accelerating its expansion across the continent. With the ambition to establish a presence in 20 African markets, the company is preparing to enter new countries, including Ethiopia, Malawi, Mali and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as it continues to scale its electric mobility ecosystem. 

20, Oct 2026
Axera’s ADAS Chip Arrived in Europe with Leapmotor, Advancing Global Expansion

SHANGHAI, Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Axera’s intelligent driving chip has entered the European market in Leapmotor’s new global compact electric hatchback, marking a major step in the company’s international automotive expansion. Purpose-built for global markets, the chip brings Axera’s production-proven driver assistance technology to European consumers.

Axera

The vehicle is a core offering in Leapmotor’s global lineup, designed to make intelligent driving more accessible and support the automaker’s international growth. Industry data show that Leapmotor delivered over 660,000 vehicles from January to September 2026, including over 150,000 exports. With overseas sales approaching 23% of total deliveries, Leapmotor’s international momentum provides a strong foundation for expanding deployments of Axera’s ADAS chip beyond China.

Designed as a standardized ADAS SoC for global applications, the chip features Axera’s proprietary AXNeutron mixed-precision NPU. It natively supports BEV perception models and dynamic allocation of compute resources across INT4, INT8, and INT16 precision levels. Its proprietary AI-ISP supports 8MP@50fps, enabling reliable detection of pedestrians, non-motor vehicles, and road signs in challenging lighting conditions, including backlit scenes, rainy nights, and tunnels.

The chip first entered mass production in China in April 2026, debuted in a best-selling Leapmotor model. Powered by the chip, the complete driver assistance system was an early adopter of BEV perception models and introduced the industry’s first visual HMI prompts for road markings in its system class. It also meets China’s latest mandatory regulatory requirements, enhancing driving safety and comfort. With Leapmotor’s overseas production rollout, this mature ADAS solution is now reaching European consumers.

Since mass production began, Axera’s ADAS chip has rapidly scaled to more than 50,000 vehicle installations per month. It is now deployed across key models from leading Chinese brands, including Leapmotor, etc., with production ramping up well beyond industry expectations. The European launch is only the beginning of Axera’s global automotive expansion. Combining high integration and performance with low power consumption, and backed by comprehensive functional safety and cybersecurity certifications, the chip serves as a standardized ADAS platform. Multiple international Tier 1 suppliers have incorporated it into their global supply chains, while design wins with overseas automakers continue to advance.

Axera’s ability to deliver its proprietary intelligent driving chip platforms at scale has helped it respond to demand generated by China’s new mandatory regulations and the international expansion of the Chinese automotive supply chain. The company has quickly established itself among China’s leading automotive ADAS chipmakers. According to industry research, Axera’s share of its intelligent driving chip market segment rose from 8.9% in the first half of 2025 to 33.32% in the first half of 2026. It was the only domestic chipmaker in that segment to more than double its market share over the period, reinforcing its growing influence in the automotive chip market.

Automotive SoCs have become a core growth driver for Axera. Its first-half 2026 financial report recorded shipments of 420,000 automotive intelligent SoCs and 24 new design wins. The number of vehicle brands it serves grew to 25, including seven international and joint-venture automakers, reflecting continued growth in both scale and international reach.

Building on its established presence in China, Axera is expanding its role in the global ADAS market. The company will draw on its successful mass-production deployments to secure and bring more domestic and overseas vehicle programs to production, increase automotive chip shipments, and support sustained international growth.

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20, Oct 2026
WEMADE Celebrates Legend of YMIR’s First Anniversary with Major Content Roadmap and New Assassin Class

The milestone update includes a +600% EXP fast-track server alongside rewards and comeback perks for returning players 

SEOUL, South Korea, Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — WEMADE, the leading global game developer behind the blockbuster Unreal Engine 5 MMORPG Legend of YMIR, has rolled out a first-anniversary update to commemorate a full year of global live service of its flagship title. This milestone delivers a comprehensive content roadmap spanning October through December, headlined by the debut of a new Assassin class, the launch of the accelerated Boot Camp Season 2 progression server, and exclusive rewards.

Legend of YMIR combines high-fidelity visual worldbuilding with dark Norse mythology and large-scale Server Battles. Since its global debut, the game has kept its community engaged with steady content updates and events for players worldwide. The first-anniversary celebration now serves to expand and strengthen the established player base, as well as provide a frictionless entry point for new and returning adventurers looking to accelerate their progression.

The milestone update includes:

  • New Assassin Class: Delivering an agile, high-impact combat style unlike any other class in the game, players can adopt the new playstyle with class change support, without losing hard-earned character progress.
  • Boot Camp Season 2: A dedicated growth server engineered to expedite character development for new and returning users, it features a +600% EXP boost up to Level 65, specialized hunting buffs, and leveling support items — dramatically lowering barriers to entry and enabling players to swiftly catch up with veteran players.
  • Player Rewards: The pre-registration campaign surpassed 100,000 participants, unlocking the 1st Anniversary Legendary Companion for all active players. Pre-registrants will receive exclusive bonus rewards, and players who complete in-game missions during the anniversary event can also earn a Legendary-grade Disir and Valkyrie.
  • Community Events: Players who join community events on official social channels will stand a chance to win additional prizes by sharing anniversary messages and posting in-game screenshots.
  • Einherjar Fellowship Event: A referral initiative encouraging active players to invite new and returning players to the game. Invited players can earn rewards by accepting an invitation and completing designated missions, while inviters receive tiered rewards based on the number of completed “fellowships”. Rewards include Epic- and Legendary-grade items, with top-ranking inviters also having the opportunity to earn coveted Mythical-grade rewards.
  • Check-in Event and Mythical Companion Update: Mythical-grade Disirs and Valkyries will debut in December, alongside an exclusive 14-day check-in event for Boot Camp participants. Players who join the Boot Camp server after the first-anniversary event can still participate in this check-in event and earn a Legendary-grade Valkyrie on Day 7 and a Legendary-grade Disir on Day 14.

Michael Kim, Head of Business Division, WEMADE, said: “This first anniversary is a tribute to the passion and dedication of our global community. We have intentionally curated an extensive content roadmap designed to reward loyal veterans while providing a streamlined onboarding pathway for newcomers and returning players. With sustained updates leading into December and an upcoming YMIR Cup Season 3, we look forward to delivering even deeper immersion within the Legend of YMIR universe in the year ahead.”

For full details on the Legend of YMIR first anniversary update and events, please visit the official website as well as the official Discord, YouTube, and Facebook community channels for real-time updates and interaction.

-ENDS-

About WEMADE

WEMADE is the only company combining over two decades of AAA game development success with a fully operational, game-proven blockchain ecosystem—built entirely on its proprietary Layer-1 mainnet, WEMIX3.0. Known for global hits such as The Legend of Mir, MIR4, NIGHT CROWS and Legend of YMIR, WEMADE is leading the industry in seamlessly integrating gameplay, tokenomics, NFTs, stablecoin payments, and blockchain infrastructure. Through WEMIX PLAY, WEMADE delivers a unified digital economy where players, creators, and investors can own, trade, and benefit from digital assets—powering the next generation of interactive entertainment and driving the evolution of Web3 gaming. For more information, please visit https://wemade.com/.

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20, Oct 2026
Axera’s ADAS Chip Arrived in Europe with Leapmotor, Advancing Global Expansion

SHANGHAI, Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Axera’s intelligent driving chip has entered the European market in Leapmotor’s new global compact electric hatchback, marking a major step in the company’s international automotive expansion. Purpose-built for global markets, the chip brings Axera’s production-proven driver assistance technology to European consumers.

Axera

The vehicle is a core offering in Leapmotor’s global lineup, designed to make intelligent driving more accessible and support the automaker’s international growth. Industry data show that Leapmotor delivered over 660,000 vehicles from January to September 2026, including over 150,000 exports. With overseas sales approaching 23% of total deliveries, Leapmotor’s international momentum provides a strong foundation for expanding deployments of Axera’s ADAS chip beyond China.

Designed as a standardized ADAS SoC for global applications, the chip features Axera’s proprietary AXNeutron mixed-precision NPU. It natively supports BEV perception models and dynamic allocation of compute resources across INT4, INT8, and INT16 precision levels. Its proprietary AI-ISP supports 8MP@50fps, enabling reliable detection of pedestrians, non-motor vehicles, and road signs in challenging lighting conditions, including backlit scenes, rainy nights, and tunnels.

The chip first entered mass production in China in April 2026, debuted in a best-selling Leapmotor model. Powered by the chip, the complete driver assistance system was an early adopter of BEV perception models and introduced the industry’s first visual HMI prompts for road markings in its system class. It also meets China’s latest mandatory regulatory requirements, enhancing driving safety and comfort. With Leapmotor’s overseas production rollout, this mature ADAS solution is now reaching European consumers.

Since mass production began, Axera’s ADAS chip has rapidly scaled to more than 50,000 vehicle installations per month. It is now deployed across key models from leading Chinese brands, including Leapmotor, etc., with production ramping up well beyond industry expectations. The European launch is only the beginning of Axera’s global automotive expansion. Combining high integration and performance with low power consumption, and backed by comprehensive functional safety and cybersecurity certifications, the chip serves as a standardized ADAS platform. Multiple international Tier 1 suppliers have incorporated it into their global supply chains, while design wins with overseas automakers continue to advance.

Axera’s ability to deliver its proprietary intelligent driving chip platforms at scale has helped it respond to demand generated by China’s new mandatory regulations and the international expansion of the Chinese automotive supply chain. The company has quickly established itself among China’s leading automotive ADAS chipmakers. According to industry research, Axera’s share of its intelligent driving chip market segment rose from 8.9% in the first half of 2025 to 33.32% in the first half of 2026. It was the only domestic chipmaker in that segment to more than double its market share over the period, reinforcing its growing influence in the automotive chip market.

Automotive SoCs have become a core growth driver for Axera. Its first-half 2026 financial report recorded shipments of 420,000 automotive intelligent SoCs and 24 new design wins. The number of vehicle brands it serves grew to 25, including seven international and joint-venture automakers, reflecting continued growth in both scale and international reach.

Building on its established presence in China, Axera is expanding its role in the global ADAS market. The company will draw on its successful mass-production deployments to secure and bring more domestic and overseas vehicle programs to production, increase automotive chip shipments, and support sustained international growth.

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/axeras-adas-chip-arrived-in-europe-with-leapmotor-advancing-global-expansion-302913712.html

20, Oct 2026
“PASS THE COURVOISIER”: A GLOBAL CELEBRATION OF LEGENDARY HOSPITALITY

A NEW CHAPTER IN COURVOISIER: “PASS THE COURVOISIER” CELEBRATES THE LEGENDARY HOSPITALITY THAT MAKES STORIES TOO DELICIOUS NOT TO BE SHARED.

PARIS, Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Courvoisier unveils “Pass The Courvoisier”, the Cognac House’s first global campaign in nearly twenty years, launching across TV, social, out-of-home, retail, and live experiences.

To view the Multimedia News Release, please click: 

https://www.multivu.com/courvoisier/9427451-en-pass-the-courvoisier-global-celebration-legendary-hospitality

From the court of Napoleon III to the unveiling of the Eiffel Tower and the opening night of the Moulin Rouge, Courvoisier has been passed and poured amongst good company for almost 200 years. A House built on a spirit of generous hospitality, welcoming royalty and rebels alike, and setting the stage for stories worth telling.

Today, that spirit feels more relevant than ever. In a culture where every moment can feel curated and judged, “Pass The Courvoisier” embraces the thrill of going off script, together. The impromptu house party. The unexpected guest. A conversation nobody saw coming. Moments shared, and worth talking about.

Inspired by this legacy of legendary hospitality, Grammy Award-winning creative powerhouse Ibra Ake has created a new film for the brand. Shot in Atlanta, Georgia, the film captures the collective energy and generosity that emerge when people gather. Set during a lively house party, a bottle of Courvoisier moves from hand to hand and room to room, connecting conversations, encounters and unexpected moments to the beat of one rallying cry, “Pass The Courvoisier”.



“It was fun because of the history,” said Ibra Ake. “We have warm memories of Courvoisier, so it was exciting to add my fingerprints to that legacy. What I loved about this film was capturing all those moments that make a party feel real: people cooking together, gaming, dancing, catching up. Everything starts with a simple call, ‘Pass the Courvoisier,’ and from there the energy takes on a life of its own.”

“Courvoisier has played a role in some of the world’s most memorable gatherings for nearly two centuries,” said Louise Dennett, Managing Director of Campari Group’s House of Cognac & Champagne. “The new campaign shows our spirit of hospitality today. A generous vision of Cognac, because we believe the finest bottles are made to be poured, passed, and shared.”

Created with BBDO Paris, “Pass The Courvoisier” marks the beginning of a long-term creative platform that will evolve through new stories, collaborations and experiences around the world, beginning with two flagship experiences in New York and Shanghai: the House of Courvoisier, a one-night-only immersive house party in NYC, and a takeover of INS Land, Shanghai’s premier nightlife destination and one of the world’s top-ranked nightclubs.

For tips on how to best enjoy and share Courvoisier, visit: https://www.courvoisier.com/ 

@Courvoisier #passthecourvoisier

About Courvoisier:

Since 1828, wood has been Courvoisier’s obsession, because time in oak barrels creates the delicious layers of Courvoisier. In fact, so passionate about wood is Master Blender Thibaut Hontanx that where some see a forest, he sees flavour. From selecting trees years before they become barrels to exploring different grains, toasts and maturation techniques, he knows that every choice leaves its mark on the eaux-de-vie. Just the seventh custodian of the House’s blending tradition, Thibaut oversees each stage of the journey from barrel to bottle.

Crafted in Jarnac, France, the collection today includes Courvoisier VS, VSOP and XO, alongside limited editions and market-exclusive expressions.

Courvoisier is the world’s most awarded Cognac House* and the only cognac house to have received the Prestige de la France distinction twice, in 1983 and 2021. From the courts of Europe and the table of Napoleon III to the inauguration of the Eiffel Tower and the opening of the Moulin Rouge, Courvoisier has long played a role in the world’s most memorable gatherings. Today, the House continues to champion a generous vision of cognac, believing the finest bottles are made to be poured, passed and shared.

*Based on the top 20 international spirits competitions since 2019

ABOUT CAMPARI GROUP: 

Campari Group is a major player in the global spirits industry, with a portfolio of over 50 premium and super premium brands, spanning across aperitifs, including iconic brands like Aperol and Campari, agave spirits such as Espolòn tequila, whiskeys and rum with Wild Turkey and Wray&Nephew Overproof, as well as cognac and champagne including Courvoisier and Grand Marnier.

Founded in 1860, Campari Group is one of the fastest growing global spirits companies and the undisputed leader in the aperitif category. It has a global distribution reach, trading in over 190 nations around the world with leading positions in Europe and the Americas.

Headquartered in Milan, Italy, Campari Group operates via 21 production sites worldwide and its own distribution network in 27 countries. Campari Group employs approximately 4,800 people.

The shares of the parent company Davide Campari-Milano N.V. (Reuters CPRI.MI – Bloomberg CPR IM) have been listed on the Italian Stock Exchange since 2001.

For more information: http://www.camparigroup.com/en.

Please enjoy our brands responsibly.

CAMPAIGN CREDITS :

CLIENT:

Brand: COURVOISIER

Chief Marketing Officer and Global Head of Strategy: Thomas MORADPOUR

Managing Director House of Cognac and Champagne : Louise DENNETT

Global Marketing Director Courvoisier: Pier Paolo CATUCCI

Global Marketing Manager Courvoisier : Giovanni BARBARISI

Global Integrated Communications Manager: Salomé DEGUEURCE

Global Communications & Cultural Activations Manager : Jessica RIEUTORD

Global Insights & Analytics Manager : Elena ROMEO

AGENCY:

Agency: BBDO PARIS

Creative Chief Officer: Alexander KALCHEV

Creative Director: Yassine OUADAH-TSABET

Artistic Director: Marion RICHARD, Mathieu MASSÉ

Producer: Quentin MOENNE LOCCOZ

Post-Producer: Jérôme DEPLATIÈRE

Print Production: Christine RETAUX, Erick BARBOTTE

Strategic Planner: Harrison STEINHART, Alice DE BRITO

Account team: Jessica FERRIS, Julie HASLÉ, Olivier GUILLEROT, Luca DUGARO, Paul PIEUCHOT,

Raquel VARANDAS, Yan GE

PRODUCTION:

Production partner: ICONOCLAST

Production Service: FRIENDS&FAMILY

Director: Ibra AKE

Movement Director: Chris GRANT

Director Of Photography: Arseni KHACHATURAN

1st AD: Zaida FAKIH

Iconoclast Executive Producer : Jean DUHAMEL

Iconoclast Line Producer: Laragh STEWART

Friends&Family Exec Producer: Jed HEROLD

Friends&Family Executive Producer: Jeff GUILLOT

Friends&Family Line Producer: Julien LEMAITRE

Production Coordinator: Lucas DEMERDJIBACHIAN & Joy AUTULY

Production Designer : Leigh Ann REGAN-BARNES

Stylist: Yohanna LEBASI

1st assistant stylist: Robbie VAN MIERLO

Hair designer: Shunika TERRY

Nail artist: Terrence TERRY

Key Visuals and Print Campaign photographer: DeMarquis McDANIELS

Brand Content Director: Kirby McCLURE

Digitals Stills: Eric JORDAN

BTS Photographer and Director: Matt SWINSKY

POST-PRODUCTION:

Post-Production Partner: EVEREST

Post-Production Supervisor: Thomas ESPINOSA

Post-producer: Jean-Marie RAVOT

Editors: Adrianna LEGAY & Elodie FOUQUEAU

Colorist: Jean-Clément SORET / Company3 *

Track: “Like a Movie” by Labrinth

Sound Design, Sound Production, Music & Mix: Attention Aux Chiens

Sound director: Fabrice SMADJ

 

Courvoisier celebrates generous hospitality with “Pass The Courvoisier,” its first global campaign in nearly 20 years. Directed by Ibra Ake and shot in Atlanta, the film follows a bottle passed between guests at a lively house party.
Photo: Ibra Ake for Pass The Courvoisier

 

 

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20, Oct 2026
Comarch Loyalty Transforms Azerbaijan Airlines’ Loyalty Program into a Fintech Ecosystem

AZAL Miles Now Operates as a Digital Wallet, Rewarding Passengers for Both Travel and Everyday Spending

KRAKÓW, Poland, Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Comarch Loyalty, a global leader in AI-driven loyalty, today announced it has overhauled AZAL Miles, the frequent flyer program for Azerbaijan Airlines. By implementing the Comarch Loyalty platform, the airline has shifted from a traditional distance-based reward system to a broader fintech model. The updated system ties status miles directly to ticket spend.

Comarch is a global software house delivering and integrating proprietary IT products. The company was founded in 1993 in Kraków, Poland and carries out projects for leading Polish and global brands in more than 100 countries on six continents. These brands include JetBlue, Heathrow Airport, TrueValue, Costa Coffee, BP, Heineken, Goodyear, Pepsi, BZ WBK (Santander Group), CitiFinancial (Citigroup), Deutsche Bank PBC, and ING Insurance.

Comarch Loyalty integrated a QR scanner directly into the AZAL app, allowing members to earn and spend miles across a network of non-airline partners. This infrastructure connects the loyalty program with companies across a wide range of sectors.

Comarch Loyalty also deployed a “Cash+Miles” payment module, enabling passengers to split transactions between cash and accumulated miles at checkout.

The new Comarch Loyalty architecture supports direct third-party API connections, including a recent integration with Bolt. Passengers can exchange miles for ride-hailing vouchers directly within their accounts.

On the backend, the Comarch Loyalty automation engine manages the program’s lifecycle rewards. These include issuing Welcome Miles for new registrations, distributing annual Birthday Miles, and deploying targeted promo codes to specific user segments without requiring manual oversight.

As the technological partner for the AZAL Miles program, Comarch Loyalty provides the scalable architecture needed to drive the airline’s ambitions to create new opportunities for members and offer more personalized services.

About Comarch Loyalty

Comarch Loyalty is a global leader in AI-driven loyalty solutions, empowering high-scale B2B, B2C, and coalition programs for more than 1.3 billion members in over 50 countries across 6 continents. Running 150+ active loyalty projects and seamlessly integrating with 2,000+ partners, Comarch Loyalty processes 15 billion loyalty-related transactions annually, transforming massive loyalty data into margin-accretive decisions and proven ROI.

At the core of the platform is an advanced Agentic AI layer that proactively monitors program health, allows marketers to build campaigns and extract data insights in plain language, and predicts customer behavior to deliver the Next Best Offer. Combined with AI Loyalty Guard for real-time fraud detection, Comarch Loyalty equips iconic brands – including BP, Ford, Heathrow, JetBlue, and Deutsche Bahn – with the technology to maximize Customer Lifetime Value and profitability. This global expertise is consistently recognized by prestigious industry awards and regularly featured in leading analyst reports. For more information, visit loyalty.comarch.com.

Media Contact: michal.ostasz@comarch.com 

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20, Oct 2026
TraceLink Announces $1 Million Challenge to Build Agentic Business Processes

Global competition invites developers, solution partners, and business process specialists worldwide to build and demonstrate innovative AI-powered business processes using TraceLink’s OPUS platform

BOSTON, Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — TraceLink, the world’s largest Agentic Business Network, today announced the $1 million OPUS Agentic Business Process Challenge, a global competition offering a $1 million winner-takes-all prize to the individual or team that develops the best agentic business process using TraceLink’s OPUS Agentic Supply Chain Operating System.

TraceLink logo

Announced at FutureLink Barcelona 2026, the competition will launch in January 2027 and invite developers, business process specialists, companies, and universities worldwide to submit a contest application to create working Agentic Business Processes (ABPs).These processes bring AI agents together with humans, enterprise systems, business rules, operational context, and process requirements to perform complex business work that traditionally requires manual coordination across multiple systems and organizations. To express interest and receive contest updates, including registration details and participation requirements, visit: https://www.tracelink.com/1-million-opus-agentic-business-process-challenge.

The initiative is designed to encourage participants to learn OPUS, develop new skills, and demonstrate how AI agents can transform end-to-end business processes across industries.

“We believe the opportunity to transform business processes with AI agents is far greater than the market recognizes today,” said Shabbir Dahod, President and CEO of TraceLink. “We’re putting $1 million behind a challenge to developers and business process innovators everywhere: learn OPUS, build something extraordinary, and show the world what’s possible. We want to unleash the creativity of participants worldwide and demonstrate the breadth and scale of Agentic Business Processes that can be built on OPUS.”

Advancing AI-Powered Business Process Innovation on OPUS

While individual AI agents can perform specific tasks, transforming end-to-end business processes requires coordinating the work of multiple agents, humans, and enterprise systems, often involving different organizations across the supply chain.

TraceLink’s OPUS Agentic Supply Chain Operating System provides a no-code, agentic platform foundation for building and orchestrating these processes. It brings together governed AI agents, business process orchestration, enterprise and multienterprise data integration, operational knowledge and context, and TraceLink’s global business network.

Through the $1 Million Agentic Business Process Challenge, TraceLink aims to demonstrate the range of business challenges that can be addressed while expanding the global community of developers, companies, and technology partners capable of building them on OPUS.

Competition Participation and Timeline

The challenge welcomes individual developers, business process specialists, and companies interested in building Agentic Business Processes on OPUS. Participants may include software developers, AI engineers, solution architects, business process architects, business process management (BPM) specialists, process automation engineers, and business process reengineering consultants.

Companies are also encouraged to participate, including TraceLink customers, other enterprises, systems integrators, consulting firms, and technology companies. Universities and academic teams are also welcome. Individuals and teams may participate independently, without requiring enterprise sponsorship or an existing paying customer relationship with TraceLink.

Beginning in January 2027, participants will have access to OPUS Link Labs, TraceLink’s development environment, and supporting training and development resources to design, build, and demonstrate working Agentic Business Processes that address meaningful business challenges.

The winning individual or team will receive a $1 million award, with selected submissions potentially showcased to demonstrate the breadth of innovation enabled by OPUS.

TraceLink will publish additional information about eligibility, judging criteria, competition requirements, technical resources, and the submission process ahead of the January 2027 launch.

Express Interest in the $1 Million Challenge

TraceLink introduced the competition during TraceLink CEO Shabbir Dahod’s keynote at FutureLink Barcelona, October 19–21, 2026.

Additional background on TraceLink’s approach to Agentic Business Processes is available in its foundational whitepapers on the Agentic Supply Chain Operating Model, Agentic Supply Chain Operating System, and Integrated Agentic Business Processes Transform the Supply Chain Operating Model.

About TraceLink

TraceLink powers the transformation to an Agentic Supply Chain Operating Model, enabling organizations to perform and improve supply chain work across their business and trading partner networks. The OPUS Agentic Supply Chain Operating System brings together Agentic Business Processes, Agentic Control Towers, governed OPUS Agents, and the Integrate-Once™ Agentic Business Network to link systems, end-to-end business transactions, and collaborative peer-to-peer processes with trusted, real-time operational context. In this agentic environment, humans and agents work together with greater speed, reasoning, control, and accountability to improve organizational productivity, service, inventory, working capital, cost, compliance, quality, resilience, and revenue performance.

For more information, visit www.tracelink.com.

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20, Oct 2026
New Innovative Molecular Technology Combination “LAMP + CRISPR” as CE-IVD

A Collaboration Leads to Molecularbiological Innovation

MUNICH, Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AmplexDiagnostics and Scope Biosciences are proud to introduce a groundbreaking solution in molecular diagnostics. In a new approach, “eazySNP” combines the highly specialized molecular technologies LAMP and CRISPR. By integrating these two methods, eazySNP enables the rapid and highly specific detection of genetic variants. This technological synergy was made possible through the scientific collaboration between AmplexDiagnostics and Scope Biosciences and represents a significant advancement in molecular SNP diagnostics, demonstrated by the successful introduction of the first CE-IVD product based on this technology.

eazySNP-Candida-FKS1-S639

First Product: eazySNP C. auris FKS1 S639 (CE-IVD)

With the first application of the eazySNP technology, AmplexDiagnostics targets one of the world’s most significant multidrug-resistant yeast pathogens: Candidozyma auris. “eazySNP C. auris FKS1 S639” is the first CE-IVD diagnostic test of its kind and enables the highly specific detection of clinically relevant mutations in the FKS1 gene associated with echinocandin resistance. As echinocandins currently represent the first-line treatment option for C. auris infections, the rapid identification of resistance-associated variants is of considerable clinical importance. The assay is performed directly from a yeast colony on the AmplexDiagnostics eazyMini platform and delivers results within just 45 minutes. The eazySNP technology therefore provides, for the first time, a rapid and targeted molecular solution for the detection of this important resistance marker.

For Scope Biosciences, the launch represents a strategic expansion from molecular diagnostics for plant health into human molecular diagnostics.

“This launch is an important milestone for Scope Biosciences: our CRISPR technology has moved from a versatile platform to a regulated product that addresses a concrete diagnostic need,” said Bas van der Baan, CEO of Scope Biosciences. “Together with AmplexDiagnostics, we have translated single-nucleotide precision into a practical assay for routine laboratories. It marks our entry into human diagnostics while we continue expanding our portfolio for plant health.”

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20, Oct 2026
Rafay Joins Lenovo AI Innovators to Help Cloud Operators and Enterprises Turn Lenovo AI Infrastructure into Revenue-Ready AI Services

With this new partnership, Rafay and Lenovo will initiate joint sales alignment to help companies orchestrate and monetize enterprise AI and cloud-native workloads across the Americas, EMEA and APAC 

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Rafay Systems, the infrastructure orchestration and monetization platform for enterprise AI and cloud-native workloads, today announced it has joined Lenovo AI Innovators, Lenovo’s ecosystem of AI software providers and industry solutions. Rafay and Lenovo will bring the Rafay Platform to customers deploying Lenovo AI infrastructure, and the two companies have initiated joint sales alignment across the Americas, EMEA and APAC.

Rafay Systems

AI infrastructure spend is shifting from acquiring GPU capacity to operating it as a service. With that, neoclouds, sovereign AI clouds, telcos and enterprises all face the same gap between installing GPUs and delivering a usable service to customers. Closing that gap takes multi-tenant isolation, quota enforcement, self-service portals, and usage metering, which most teams would otherwise have to build themselves. Rafay provides that orchestration and monetization layer for Lenovo infrastructure, the AI control plane Lenovo sees as critical to running hybrid AI across on-premises, hosted private AI and neocloud environments. It covers GPU and Kubernetes lifecycle management, SKU management, and AI Token Factory, which delivers models as token-metered inference APIs.

Rafay and Lenovo already share multiple customers globally, with Sharon AI – a publicly traded neocloud based in Australia that runs on Lenovo infrastructure and uses Rafay to orchestrate its AI infrastructure – being a preeminent example. The two companies are additionally prosecuting a healthy, joint pipeline of neoclouds and telecommunications companies.

“The hard part of AI infrastructure is operating GPUs as a service: shared safely across tenants, governed by policy, and metered so every GPU hour or token ties back to revenue,” said Rupen Shah, Global AI Ecosystem Partnerships at Rafay Systems. “That operating layer is what Rafay builds. Lenovo customers already rely on Lenovo for the infrastructure, and with Rafay they can run it as a hybrid AI platform, whether they are an enterprise building private AI or a neocloud selling GPU capacity and tokens.”

Lenovo reaches customers through channel partners in more than 180 markets. Learn more at lenovo.com/ai-innovators and rafay.co. 

About Rafay Systems 

Rafay Systems is a leading software provider powering the operators building the AI cloud, including neoclouds, telecommunications providers, enterprises, and sovereign AI operators. The Rafay Platform lets these organizations operationalize GPU and compute infrastructure with self-service automation, governance, and multi-tenancy, spanning bare metal provisioning, infrastructure lifecycle management, virtual machines, Kubernetes, GPU PaaS, AI development environments, and Token Factory for publishing AI models as token-metered inference services. By simplifying orchestration and operations across this stack, Rafay helps operators increase GPU utilization and turn raw infrastructure into monetizable, production-ready AI services, all while maintaining security, consistency, and control. Rafay is a validated partner in the NVIDIA AI Cloud Ready initiative. For more information, visit rafay.co.  

About Lenovo 

Lenovo is a US$83 billion revenue global technology powerhouse, ranked #153 in the Fortune Global 500, and serving millions of customers every day in 180 markets. Guided by its vision of “Smarter Technology for All”, Lenovo is executing a Hybrid AI strategy that spans Personal AI – one personal AI, multiple devices; and Enterprise AI – helping customers turn data into insights and value. This strategy is delivered through the Group’s commitment to world-class innovation and a full-stack AI portfolio, including devices (PCs, workstations, smartphones, tablets, accessories), infrastructure solutions (server, storage, edge, high performance computing and software defined infrastructure), as well as software, solutions, and services. With a global footprint spanning more than 20 research and development locations and a global supply chain that includes more than 30 manufacturing sites across 11 markets, Lenovo is widely recognized for its operational excellence. Lenovo is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange under Lenovo Group Limited (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY). 

Media Contact

Rafay Systems

Angela Shugarts

angela@rafay.co

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20, Oct 2026
LITILIT opens femtosecond laser factory in Vilnius with the world’s highest potential production capacity

LITILIT opens femtosecond laser factory in Vilnius with the world's highest potential production capacity

 Nikolajus Gavrilinas, CEO and co-founder of LITILIT at the factory opening event in Vilnius. (Source: LITILIT)

LITILIT’s new factory covers 4,000 sq m and will produce around 3000 lasers a year at full capacity. The €6 million project includes a modern CNC metal machining shop, robotized femtosecond laser assembly and testing shops, and an ISO 5 cleanroom of about 2,500 sq m, one of the largest in the Baltics.

Vilnius, October 20. On Friday, October 16, femtosecond laser manufacturer LITILIT opened a new laser factory in Vilnius that, according to the company, has the world’s highest potential femtosecond laser capacity. LITILIT plans to scale capacity gradually, targeting 1 000 femtosecond lasers a year in the first year after launch and reaching 3 000 at full capacity. The majority of the factory’s lasers will be exported to Europe, North America and Asia.

Nikolajus Gavrilinas, co-founder and CEO of LITILIT, says that the new factory marks an important milestone both for the company, which has been developing its laser technology since 2014, and for the whole laser industry.

“The growing use of femtosecond lasers in semiconductor manufacturing, data center equipment, electronics, medicine and other fields is driving demand across Europe, North America and Asia. Our factory comes at exactly the right time and will serve businesses on all three continents. The Vilnius plant is only the first stop; later, we plan to replicate this model in other countries together with our international partners,” says Gavrilinas.

Construction of the factory began this June. Located in Sirin Park Gariūnai, a modern logistics park developed by SIRIN Development on Plungės Street in Vilnius, the factory covers over 4,000 sq m and houses a CNC metal machining shop, robotized assembly and testing shops, and an ISO 5 cleanroom of about 2,500 sq m, one of the largest in the Baltics. The total value of the project is €6 million.

Gavrilinas notes that femtosecond laser production remains limited worldwide because the technology evolved from scientific systems and is notoriously difficult to produce at scale. Last year, global femtosecond laser production capacity was an estimated 9,600 units, according to Reports and Markets.

LITILIT can scale laser production quickly because of its patented architecture based on modular design, reduced component complexity, and a high level of automation. At full capacity, the factory will employ about 150 people, several times fewer than conventional production would require. Besides scalability, the architecture also gives LITILIT’s lasers a performance edge. According to Gavrilinas, they reach around 20% electrical-to-optical efficiency and are up to half the size of the industry average, which makes them easier to integrate into production lines.

The company developed its technology based on two international patents, one of which was made in collaboration with the Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC) in Lithuania.

Ramūnas Skaudžius, director at FTMC, says the factory is a reminder that the value of scientific research is measured not only by publications or patents. It also confirms that in Lithuania it is possible to complete the entire journey from a scientific idea to a product serving global markets.

“The laser technology developed and patented at FTMC has now become the foundation of advanced industrial manufacturing. Yet the technology itself is not the most important part of the story. What matters most is that knowledge created in Lithuania has been transformed into a business capable of competing on the international stage. This is a long and demanding journey that requires not only scientific excellence, but also entrepreneurial courage, investors’ confidence, and perseverance,” Skaudžius says.

Femtosecond lasers use extremely short pulses that process materials with only minimal heat damage to surrounding structures. This quality, known as cold ablation, makes them indispensable in applications ranging from eye surgery and vascular stents to manufacturing computer chips and display screens.