The new building forms part of a long-term site plan that Jakob Rope Systems developed when it acquired the roughly 30,000-sq.m property in 2013.

Photo courtesy of Jakob Rope Systems

The new building has a footprint of around 2,000 sq.m and comprises three levels. The first floor will house a modern warehouse to meet the growing demand for space. The second floor serves as a reserve space for future developments. The third floor will house the production of stainless steel frames. The construction project also adds parking spaces and expands the outdoor facilities with green spaces and a sports area for employees.

With this expansion, Jakob Rope Systems is responding to the growth of its manufacturing site. In recent years, the company has launched new products, implemented modern manufacturing technologies, and steadily increased production capacity. Meanwhile, the demands on warehousing and material logistics have increased.

“With this investment, we are laying the groundwork for the next stage of development at our site in Vietnam. The new space will allow us to streamline our processes, implement new manufacturing technologies, and create room for future growth,” wrote Emanuel and Peter Jakob, the owners of the family-run group.

Construction begins imminently and is expected to last about one year. At the start of the construction phase, site development and the new access roads will be built. This will be followed by the construction of the building itself.

“We are investing in additional buildings and in the future of our manufacturing facility. Long-term planning allows us to develop the site strategically while continuing to provide customers and partners worldwide with top quality and reliable delivery,” added the Jakobs.

Amata City Ha Long lands $8 million investment from TianJian Vietnam Amata City Halong, also known as Song Khoai Industrial Park, has signed a land lease agreement with TianJian Vietnam for a new factory manufacturing speaker enclosures, plastic components, and moulds.

HD Hyundai Eco Vina breaks ground on $116 million tank plant in Quang Ngai Construction begins on over 26-hectare independent tank production zone in Dung Quat Economic Zone with a total investment of $116 million.

Vietnam signals stronger investment-led growth in July Vietnam’s July data point to a strengthening investment-led growth cycle, driven by expanding manufacturing, public investment and foreign direct investment.

The move marks another step in Yanmar’s long-term commitment to Vietnam – working together to create new value and contribute to a sustainable future.

Yanmar Vietnam (YVC) brings together the capabilities and expertise of three existing Yanmar entities in Vietnam, including Yanmar Asia (Singapore) Corporation Pte. Ltd. – Ho Chi Minh City Representative Office; Yanmar Agricultural Machinery Vietnam Co., Ltd.; and Yanmar Boat Manufacturing Vietnam Co., Ltd.

By integrating these organisations under a single company, Yanmar aims to establish a more integrated and agile company for Yanmar Group’s business operations in Vietnam, a market with significant growth potential.

Leveraging the expertise and capabilities developed through its existing businesses in Vietnam, YVC will strengthen collaboration across business areas and further enhance the value it delivers to customers.

Through closer collaboration among Yanmar Group companies, customers, dealers, and business partners, the new company aims to provide reliable products, services, and solutions tailored to the needs of the Vietnamese market.

In addition, the company will engage in a broad range of business activities, including sales, repair, maintenance, and support of agricultural machinery, marine and industrial engines, related products as well as the design of recreational boats.

Through the establishment of YVC, Yanmar reaffirms its long-term commitment to the Vietnamese market and will continue to create value for society through advanced products, services, and technologies, contributing to the sustainable growth of Vietnam.

With beginnings in Osaka, Japan, in 1912, Yanmar was the first ever to succeed in making a compact diesel engine of a practical size in 1933.

A pioneer in diesel engine technology, Yanmar is a global innovator in a wide range of industrial equipment, from small and large engines, agricultural machinery and facilities, construction equipment, energy systems, marine, to machine tools and components.

Japanese investors see growing opportunities in Vietnam's startup ecosystem Japanese venture capital firms and investors are deepening their engagement with Vietnam's startup ecosystem. Miki Takahiro, director of the Japan External Trade Organization in Ho Chi Minh City spoke with VIR's Thanh Van about the latest investment trends and startup opportunities.

Japan's MISUMI invests $31 million to expand manufacturing capacity in Vietnam and beyond MISUMI Group on August 6 announced an investment of approximately JPY4.6 billion ($31.3 million) to expand its manufacturing capacity in Vietnam and other countries.

Vietnam-Japan cooperation moves towards results-driven innovation From semiconductor workforce development and the establishment of innovation spaces to concrete technology projects, Vietnam-Japan cooperation is shifting towards deeper collaboration and tangible outcomes.

Under the MoU, both parties will join forces to deliver technical solutions in areas including offshore wind power, power grids, hydrogen, nuclear power, battery energy storage systems (BESS), carbon capture, utilisation and storage, and composite materials in Vietnam.

The two parties will assess cooperation opportunities and pursue potential projects in the energy sector. This is coupled with providing consulting services, training, and technical solutions to meet market demand and support Vietnam’s energy transition.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, François-Xavier Bauzet, deputy CEO of Southeast Asia at TÜV SÜD, said, “We highly appreciate VPO’s role in scientific research, technology development, and technical consulting for Vietnam’s energy sector. Recognising ample opportunities in Vietnam’s energy transition, we sign the MoU with VPO to combine expertise and experience to develop technical solutions jointly, training programmes, and high-quality consulting services for the Vietnamese market.”

Nguyen Thanh Tung, deputy general director of VPI, highly appreciated TÜV SÜD’s international capabilities and experience.

“The tieup is a suitable move, as Petrovietnam is expanding its operation into the new energy sector. As Petrovietnam’s scientific research institute, VPI is proactively studying and gaining access to international experience and technologies while connecting organisations operating in new energy fields such as offshore wind power, hydrogen, nuclear power, and advanced energy technologies,” he said.

VPI expects its cooperation with TÜV SÜD to contribute to improving the quality of research and training as well as developing optimal solutions for Vietnam’s energy sector.

Headquartered in Munich, Germany and founded in 1866, TÜV SÜD is one of the world's leading technical service organisations. The company has in-depth experience in auditing, certification, training, testing, and inspection services. In Southeast Asia, the company actively supports countries in their energy transition and the development of new energy sectors, including hydrogen, offshore wind power, and nuclear energy.

Petrovietnam and AFD advance cooperation on energy transition projects Petrovietnam and the French Development Agency have signed an MoU to foster collaboration on energy transition ventures in Vietnam.

Vietnam's Electricity Authority and Global Energy Alliance strengthen cooperation On August 24, the Electricity Authority of Vietnam, under the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet signed an MoU to strengthen cooperation supporting Vietnam's energy transition.

Smarter infrastructure design key to Vietnam’s AI ambitions As AI adoption accelerates, enterprises are facing growing pressure to ensure that their underlying infrastructure can support increasingly demanding workloads while keeping data secure and operations resilient.

Thomas Nguyen, chief global markets officer at SSI Securities. Photo: SSI

The initial flows are significant, but they should be kept in perspective. Under the current announcement, we estimate approximately $2.2 billion of cumulative passive inflows across the four implementation tranches. Because only around 10 per cent of the transition is scheduled for the first tranche, the September inflow itself could be closer to $200-220 million.

The 27 stocks will not benefit equally. Passive capital follows index weight and investable market capitalisation. The largest beneficiaries will generally be companies combining scale, liquidity, meaningful free float and sufficient foreign-ownership headroom. A company can be large in absolute terms but still receive a relatively modest allocation if only a small proportion of its shares is genuinely available to international investors.

But we should ask a more fundamental question: is $2.2 billion itself transformational? Vietnam has experienced more than $5 billion of foreign net selling over recent years. If we describe the upgrade simply as $2.2 billion coming back after more than $5 billion went out, we are missing the bigger story.

The $2.2 billion is the headline. The global financial ecosystem arriving behind it is the story.

Vietnam is moving from a predominantly retail market towards an institutional market. Foreign investors represented only 7.4 per cent of trading activity in 2021, compared with 13.2 per cent during the first seven months of 2026. As global brokers, passive funds, quantitative investors and active institutions build their presence, I would not be surprised to see institutional participation move towards 20 per cent and eventually 30 per cent.

That transformation will also drive consolidation. Global institutions demand technology, capital, risk management, KYC, execution quality and settlement capabilities at international standards. Not every market participant will be able to make that investment. Business will increasingly concentrate among companies and securities firms capable of serving the global institutional ecosystem.

The upgrade changes Vietnam’s classification. Institutionalisation changes how the entire market operates.

Source: tinnhanhchungkhoan.vn

Beyond passive inflows, could FTSE inclusion drive sustained interest from global active investors in Vietnamese equities?

Vietnam is moving from a market that global investors could choose to study into one that many institutions will now be required to understand. The conversation is changing from “Why should we look at Vietnam?” to “How much should we allocate, when should we enter and which companies can absorb institutional capital?”

Active managers have much more flexibility than passive funds. Some may build positions ahead of the implementation dates because they anticipate passive demand. However, most will still require a compelling economic and investment case. That is where Vietnam is exceptionally well positioned: high GDP growth, macroeconomic stability, strong corporate earnings growth and an expanding universe of companies with regional and global ambitions.

The upgrade has also demonstrated something extremely important about the government’s commitment to reform. KRX was a key requirement for modernising the market’s infrastructure. Its implementation had been delayed for more than a decade, but once the current leadership made the upgrade a national priority, the system was brought into operation in less than a year.

The same pattern can be seen in non-prefunding and the Global Broker Model. The Global Broker Model became necessary because institutions such as Vanguard and their global brokers required more efficient access and execution. The government listened to that feedback and acted. This demonstrated not only determination, but also a willingness to design the market around the practical requirements of global investors.

The planned central counterparty will be the next important step. Together with the KRX infrastructure and supporting regulation, it can create the foundation for intraday trading, securities lending, short selling and a much more sophisticated market structure.

The upgrade is not merely the result of reform. It has become an engine driving reform.

Under the current announcement, Vietnam’s benchmark weight is approximately 0.49 per cent, supporting estimated cumulative passive inflows of around $2.2 billion. But there is certainly a possibility that Vietnam’s benchmark weight could expand further as free float increases, foreign-ownership constraints become less binding, new large companies list and more of the market becomes accessible.

That is the decisive distinction. September is the implementation event; investability is the long-term investment thesis. If Vietnam continues converting economic scale into investable market capacity, the active capital attracted by this transformation could ultimately become far more important than the initial passive inflows.

Could FTSE inclusion increase pressure on Vietnamese firms to improve governance, disclosure and investor relations?

The scrutiny will increase enormously, and it has already begun.

Inclusion in a global benchmark introduces a company to investors who compare it not only with other Vietnamese businesses, but with companies across Asia and the entire emerging-market universe. Reporting that may have appeared adequate domestically can look incomplete when measured against global peers.

International visibility is a privilege, but scrutiny is the price of admission.

The largest gap is the transition from regulatory disclosure to genuine investor communication. Global investors expect timely English-language disclosure, clear explanations of strategy, transparent related-party transactions, credible capital-allocation policies, strong boards and investor-relations teams capable of maintaining a continuous dialogue with the market.

Companies must explain not only what happened, but why it happened, what management intends to do next and how shareholders will benefit. Investor relations can no longer be treated as an activity performed only before an offering or when management wants to raise capital.

Passive funds will buy a company because the index methodology instructs them to do so. They do not need to decide whether the company is inexpensive, and a high valuation alone does not prevent an index-linked allocation. Benchmark weight can therefore become an increasingly important influence on capital flows and valuation.

However, active investors still decide how much conviction capital to allocate and how long to remain invested. Governance, disclosure and management credibility will be critical to that decision.

Passive capital may arrive because of a rule. Active capital stays because of trust.

FTSE Russell, SSC discuss next steps after Vietnam market upgrade The State Securities Commission and FTSE Russell have held talks on next steps following Vietnam's stock market upgrade, focusing on index development and regulatory reforms.

FTSE Russell names 27 Vietnamese stocks in review FTSE Russell has added 27 Vietnamese stocks to its global equity indices, marking a major milestone as Vietnam prepares to transition to emerging market status in September.

The conference took place as the public sector undergoes a “dual” transformation: restructuring the organisational apparatus while simultaneously redesigning operating models on digital platforms. The two-tier local government model is placing greater demands on data-driven governance, particularly at the commune level, where most public services are delivered directly to citizens.

Nguyen Hong Hien, director of the Department of Science and Technology under the Central Policy and Strategy Commission, said science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation have been identified as key drivers of the new growth model. The public sector therefore cannot remain outside this process.

“In particular, the operation of the two-tier local government model since July 2025 has created significant requirements for restructuring data and digital systems. As the organisational structure and administrative boundaries change, data must also be standardised, cleansed, updated, and connected under the new model, while ensuring continuity, consistency, and uninterrupted public services,” said Hien.

“The target by 2030 is to fully digitise records and results of administrative procedures, uniformly use shared digital platforms, and standardise and connect databases so they are ready for AI applications. However, in practice, data remains fragmented, quality is uneven, and interoperability between systems remains limited."

Nguyen Hong Hien, director of the Department of Science and Technology under the Central Policy and Strategy Commission. Photo: IEC Consulting

Jola Le, country manager of Synology, said data protection should be viewed as an ecosystem encompassing data storage, management, backup, recovery, access control, and security monitoring.

One of the solutions introduced at the conference was air-gapping, which enables backup systems to be isolated from the network when they are not required or when abnormal activity is detected, providing an additional layer of protection against the risk of data being encrypted or destroyed.

“Public-sector digital transformation therefore faces a dual requirement: systems must be sufficiently open to connect, share, and utilise data, while also being sufficiently secure to control, protect, and recover data when incidents occur,” said Le.

“In the process of building digital government and data-driven governance, security cannot be an additional layer added at the end. It must be embedded from the design stage of infrastructure, system architecture, and data organisation. This is also a critical condition for sustainable public-sector digital transformation, ensuring the continuity of government operations and essential services for citizens and businesses.”

Photo: IEC Consulting

Notably, Pham Trung Thanh, an expert at the National Cybersecurity Association, warned that the transition from physical infrastructure to cloud environments is forcing many agencies to operate legacy and new systems simultaneously, creating complex architectures while dedicated information security personnel remain limited.

“The risk does not only arise when a system is attacked,” said Thanh. “Hackers can remain hidden inside a system for months, seeking to escalate their privileges before launching an attack. By then, data may have been stolen or encrypted, while systems providing services to citizens could face disruption.This also shows that simply backing up data is no longer sufficient. If backup systems remain connected to the network, attackers may attempt to destroy or encrypt the backup data as well."

Vu Duy Hien, deputy secretary general cum chief of office under the National Cybersecurity Association, said that as data becomes a strategic asset and resource, the requirement is not only to manage and utilise it, but more importantly, to ensure its protection.

“Cybersecurity must be built in from the outset when infrastructure is developed, data is organised, and digital systems are designed,” said Hien. “Alongside prevention capabilities, agencies and organisations need to proactively build detection, response, and recovery capabilities so that essential operations can continue and quickly return to normal when incidents occur. This is a critical aspect of today’s approach to data security. Protecting data is not only about preventing an attack; it must also account for scenarios in which a system has already been compromised, data has been encrypted, or services have been disrupted.”

Vietnam to assign unique digital ID codes to land plots Land plots are set to be assigned a unique identification code independent of administrative boundaries, paving the way for a shift from land-certificate-based management to data-driven management and integration with VNeID, allowing people to access land information publicly and transparently.

Smarter infrastructure design key to Vietnam’s AI ambitions As AI adoption accelerates, enterprises are facing growing pressure to ensure that their underlying infrastructure can support increasingly demanding workloads while keeping data secure and operations resilient.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The Silk Road Finance & Technology Forum 2026, convened by the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan and Singapore-headquartered Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), and co-hosted by Ant International, brings together more than 6,000 participants from 74 countries, almost 200 speakers and more than 25 investors representing US$4 billion in assets under management.

Held at CAEx on 24–25 August, the Forum moves to the Islamic Civilisation Centre on 26 August for The Azimuth, a dedicated programme on Islamic finance and entrepreneurship.

Uzbekistan's Reform Push Opens the Door to Global Investment

Opening the Forum, H.E. Jamshid Kuchkarov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan, set out the next phase of the country's economic transformation: converting a decade of reform into deeper markets, greater private-sector participation and long-term investment.

"Over the past 10 years, as a result of structural reforms, our economy has demonstrated strong and steady growth. During this period, the size of our economy has tripled. Going forward, we will work to achieve investment-grade credit ratings, complete accession to the World Trade Organization, further reduce the state's presence in the economy, and continue market-oriented reform. This effort will strengthen the role of the private sector, deepen Uzbekistan's integration into the global economy and create greater opportunities for domestic and international investors," said H.E. Jamshid Kuchkarov.

Uzbekistan enters the Forum with strong economic and regulatory momentum. GDP grew 8.5% in the first half of 2026, foreign investment reached US$8.3 billion in the first quarter, and Moody's upgraded the sovereign rating to Ba2 in June. Presidential Decree PQ-359 and the National FinTech Strategy are advancing open banking, digital payments and financial innovation, with a target of US$1 billion in fintech investment by 2030. Digital-payment adoption rose from 39% in 2021 to 71% in 2025.

In his opening address, The Silk Road Initiative: Turning a Socio-Economic Heritage into Central Asia's Financial Innovation Corridor, H.E. Timur Ishmetov, Governor, Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan, framed the country's fintech strategy through five building blocks drawn from the region's intellectual and commercial heritage: Al-Jabr, restoring what is missing; Al-Muqabala, balancing the elements of a sustainable financial ecosystem; Zarkaynar, creating a marketplace where innovation meets opportunity; Saroy, building shared financial infrastructure; and Madrassa, developing talent.

With 57% of payments now cashless, SMEs accounting for more than half the economy and a target of 5,000 young people trained in financial technology by 2030, the Central Bank is translating these principles into its regulatory sandbox, open-banking APIs, payments infrastructure and innovation framework.

"Scale alone is not sufficient. The objective must be to translate technological adoption and transaction growth into sustainable economic value, competition and broader financial development, while maintaining financial stability, resilience and public trust," Governor Ishmetov said.

Sopnendu Mohanty, Group CEO, Global Finance & Technology Network added:.

"Uzbekistan has the ingredients to become Central Asia's digital finance gateway: strong political commitment, bold regulatory reform, growing digital adoption and a clear ambition to attract international investment. The next step is to turn those foundations into investment, partnerships and financial corridors that connect Central Asia to the world. That is what the Silk Road Finance & Technology Forum is designed to accelerate."

That opportunity comes as fintech moves firmly into the global financial mainstream. In 2025, global fintech revenues reached US$504 billion, growing 22% and more than four times faster than incumbent financial institutions, while 74% of the largest public fintechs were profitable, according to the 2026 Global Fintech Report by BCG and FT Partners.

For Central Asia, the opportunity is to capture more of that growth by combining financial innovation, inclusion and regional connectivity with the regulatory and institutional foundations required to attract long-term capital.

From Domestic Reform to a Financial Silk Road

The Forum is examining how Uzbekistan's domestic transformation can support a more connected Central Asian financial system, with priorities spanning investable markets, interoperable payments, digital identity, open APIs, tokenisation, digital money, cross-border settlement and long-term institutional capital.

Central Asia's relatively young financial infrastructure creates an opportunity to build interoperable systems without inheriting all the constraints of legacy architecture. The next step is moving from domestic digitalisation to cross-border connectivity, with faster settlement, lower remittance costs and infrastructure capable of connecting national financial systems.

The wider ambition is to recast the historic Silk Road for the digital economy, extending its role from the movement of goods to the movement of money, capital and data between Central Asia and markets across the Middle East, China, South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Greater connectivity, however, will require more than technology. Predictable regulation, deeper markets, institutional capital, cybersecurity and trusted governance will determine whether new payment rails, AI, tokenisation and digital assets can scale safely across borders.

New Islamic Banking Law Opens Uzbekistan to US$6 Trillion Market

Uzbekistan's new Islamic banking law, effective from June 2026, creates the country's first legal framework for Shariah-compliant banking and opens a potential channel to a global Islamic finance market approaching US$6 trillion in assets.

The Forum culminates on 26 August with The Azimuth at the Islamic Civilisation Centre, focused on the standards, Shariah governance, liquidity, digital infrastructure and cross-border capital required to scale the sector. The opportunity extends beyond domestic Islamic banking to positioning Uzbekistan as a bridge between Central Asia and Islamic finance markets across the Gulf, Türkiye, South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Governor Ishmetov issued a direct invitation to international investors and innovators: "Uzbekistan is open to investment, technology, expertise and long-term partnership. Build here. Test new solutions here. Invest here. Develop talent here. With the right partnerships, Central Asia can become a more connected, competitive and internationally integrated financial region."

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Website: silkroadfinancetechnologyforum.com

For more information, please visit www.gftn.co

https://empyriondigital.com/

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

CoolNest® Ultra Memory Foam Mattress: Advanced Cooling Meets Advanced Support

As the latest addition to the CoolNest® Series, the CoolNest® Ultra Memory Foam Mattress is built around two core pillars: advanced cooling and advanced support. The all-foam design combines SweetNight's latest cooling and ergonomic technologies to address common hot-sleeper concerns around overheating and support.

The new mattress features SweetNight's upgraded 5-Stage Cooling System, designed to help manage nighttime heat and night sweats while promoting continuous airflow throughout the mattress. The system combines a cooling Ice Silk Cover with temperature-balancing PCMflux® High-Resilience Foam, AirMesh™ Breathable Memory Foam, and ventilated gel memory foam to support heat dissipation and airflow. A 3D airflow structure further enhances ventilation within the mattress, helping create a cooler, fresher, and more breathable sleep environment throughout the night.

Beyond temperature management, the CoolNest® Ultra delivers enhanced support through a Refined 7-Zone Support System that targets key pressure points of the body. Its ergonomic design is intended to promote natural spinal alignment and more even weight distribution, while a high-density support base provides added stability for lasting comfort.

"CoolNest® Ultra marks another step in SweetNight's commitment to advancing the cooling mattress experience for hot sleepers," said Amber ZHU, Marketing Director at SweetNight. "We're focused on creating thoughtful sleep solutions that address real consumer needs and bring greater comfort to everyday life."

CoolNest® Cooling Comforter & CoolNest® Ergonomic Cooling Pillow: Cooling Beyond the Mattress

The launch expands the CoolNest® portfolio beyond the mattress with two new cooling bedding products, each designed to address a different aspect of nighttime comfort. The CoolNest® Cooling Comforter combines advanced dual-cooling technology, silk-inspire fabric, and a lightweight comfort design to deliver cooler, drier comfort without the heavy feel of traditional comforters. The CoolNest® Ergonomic Cooling Pillow pairs precision neck and spinal support through its ErgoContour™ Neck Support Design with progressive cooling technology that provides an instantly cool feel and helps release heat throughout the night.

"A comfortable sleeping environment goes beyond the mattress. By expanding the CoolNest® portfolio into cooling bedding, we're taking another step toward creating a more complete cooling sleep experience across the bedroom," added Amber Zhu.

For more information, please visit www.SweetNight.com

The collaboration will be led by Lecturer Daiki Kato, Professor Takayuki Nakagawa, and Professor Manabu Mochizuki, Director of the Affiliated Veterinary Medical Center, The University of Tokyo. The research team brings extensive expertise in translational oncology, cancer immunotherapy, and genomic medicine in companion animals, and operates one of Asia's most comprehensive comparative oncology platforms.

Accelerating Human Clinical Development Through Comparative Oncology

The primary strategic objective of this collaboration is to generate the scientific evidence required to support the expansion of ABT-301's human clinical indications and to optimize the compound's combination strategies ahead of future clinical trials. Naturally occurring cancers in dogs are widely recognized as clinically and molecularly analogous to their human counterparts. Among these, canine osteosarcoma represents one of the most extensively studied comparative oncology models due to its remarkable biological and clinical similarities to human osteosarcoma. Insights generated from this naturally occurring disease provide a unique opportunity to evaluate therapeutic strategies at disease stages that are often difficult to study in early human clinical development, making canine data directly informative for human clinical trial design, patient selection strategies, and regulatory submissions. Using The University of Tokyo's proprietary preclinical models, the collaboration will evaluate ABT-301 as a monotherapy and in combination with other agents, with comprehensive mechanistic analyses to elucidate its mechanism of action and identify the molecular backgrounds most predictive of response. Findings will directly inform indication selection and combination regimen design for future human trials.

Dr. John Hsu, Chairman and CEO of Anbogen Therapeutics, said: "Comparative oncology is far more than animal research. It is a powerful platform for generating cross-species translational evidence that can bridge preclinical findings and human clinical development. Through this collaboration, we aim to evaluate ABT-301 in models that more closely reflect real-world disease biology, generating scientifically robust translational data to support future indication expansion and clinical development decisions. This strategic partnership will enable us to systematically assess ABT-301 across a broad range of difficult-to-treat solid tumors and extend its clinical potential beyond our current colorectal cancer program. The resulting evidence will be critical for designing and supporting the expansion of our ongoing human clinical development into new indications."

ABT-301 is currently being evaluated in a Phase I/II clinical trial in combination with anti-PD-1 and anti-VEGF in patients with pMMR/non-MSI-High metastatic colorectal cancer. As an isoform-selective Class I HDACi, ABT-301 is designed to modulate the tumor immune microenvironment and sensitize tumors to immune checkpoint inhibition where lies the potential applicability across immunologically cold solid tumors. Importantly, independent Phase III clinical studies evaluating other HDAC inhibitors in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors have demonstrated significant synergistic efficacy in advanced cancers, including a marked improvement in progression-free survival (PFS). These external clinical findings provide strong proof-of-concept for the HDAC inhibitor–immune checkpoint inhibitor combination strategy and further support the clinical development of ABT-301 across multiple cancer indications.

Dr. Daiki Kato, The University of Tokyo, said: "Naturally occurring cancers in dogs and cats develop spontaneously under environmental and lifestyle conditions shared with humans and evolve through immune editing to acquire complex tumor immune microenvironments. These unique characteristics enable naturally occurring canine and feline cancer models to faithfully recapitulate key biological, immunological, and clinical features that are difficult to reproduce in conventional preclinical models. We believe this collaborative research will generate robust translational evidence to support the clinical development of ABT-301. Our research team is fully committed to maximizing the scientific impact of this collaboration and to providing the scientific evidence needed to support indication expansion and future clinical development of ABT-301."

ABT-301 (Imofinostat)

ABT-301 is an orally available, selective Class I HDAC inhibitor designed to reverse immune evasion in solid tumors by enhancing antigen presentation and promoting anti-tumor immune activity. ABT-301 is currently being evaluated in a Phase I/II clinical trial in combination with anti-PD-1 and anti-VEGF therapy for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. The Company believes that ABT-301's mechanism of action has broad applicability across multiple immunotherapy-resistant solid tumor types.

The two products recreate the flavors of Kaden's best-known menu items for the home kitchen: Signature Udon, a warm bowl built on a clear, deeply savory dashi, and Chilled Udon, its cold, no-broth counterpart.

Jung is one of Korea's most recognizable Japanese-cuisine chefs, familiar to audiences from Netflix's "Culinary Class Wars" Season 2 and the long-running "Chef & My Fridge." After earning his footing in Japanese restaurants in Korea, he trained at the Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka, then returned to open the izakaya Kaden and, later, Udon Kaden. He has spent more than 20 years cooking Japanese food.

Udon Kaden built its reputation on two things: noodles with a taut, bouncy bite, and a broth of kombu, anchovy and smoked mackerel flakes. The restaurant has drawn steady lines in Seoul for nearly a decade, and today operates locations in Seoul's Yeonhui-dong neighborhood and on Jeju Island.

Signature Udon pairs fresh-frozen udon noodles with a broth modeled on the restaurant's dashi, finished with bonito flakes. The noodles boil in 8 to 9 minutes while the broth heats separately in 1 to 2 — assemble, and the bowl is done. Chilled Udon takes the opposite path: a concentrated dashi-rich sauce, grated radish and toppings poured over cold noodles, trading the comfort of hot soup for a chewier bite and a denser hit of umami.

Both dishes arrive with a track record. In Korea, where the products launched first on Kurly's marketplace, Signature Udon (sold there as Original Udon) has drawn nearly 20,000 customer reviews, and the Udon Kaden line's combined product page has accumulated more than 50,000.

The launch extends a playbook Kurly has refined in Korea since 2017: working directly with chefs and restaurants to turn their signature menus into frozen meals. Kurly USA previously introduced Mokran, the Chinese-cuisine brand of chef Lee Yeon Bok, and is broadening the lineup with Udon Kaden and Yun Seoul, from chef Kim Do Yun.

To mark the launch, Chef Jung will host in-store tastings across California on August 22–23 — in Southern California at H Mart Buena Park and H Mart Irvine NorthPark, and in Northern California at Jagalchi in Daly City and Mega Mart in East Palo Alto.

"Udon Kaden is a defining example of what we do: a chef's recipe and a restaurant's identity, thoughtfully recreated as a frozen meal," said Ryan Chung, Head of Global Business at Kurly. "Starting with Asian grocery retailers, we will keep widening the places where American consumers can bring Korea's chefs and restaurant brands into their everyday cooking."

Signature Udon and Chilled Udon are available at H Mart and other participating retailers, and online at Kurlyglobal.com. Online delivery areas and stock may vary by address and time of order.

The titles mark an important step in Elseland's evolution from a founder led experiment into a team operation built for continuous AI game production. By developing multiple genres in parallel, the team can test concepts earlier, refine gameplay faster and turn more original ideas into complete playable games.

From a Solo Experiment to an AI Game Production System

Elseland's AI game development journey began in April, when founder Phil Liu started exploring how far one person could take the creation of a 3D open world with AI.

Over the following months, that individual experiment evolved into a team production system supported by specialized AI agents. Under the team's creative direction, AI is used throughout visual creation, 3D modeling, gameplay logic, level design, balancing and narrative development.

The system allows the team to test concepts earlier, explore several creative directions at once and refine playable builds more efficiently. Instead of using AI for only one part of development, Elseland connects it across the full production process.

The 20 new games represent the clearest demonstration of this capability to date. They show how a single AI production framework can support different visual styles, gameplay systems and narrative formats.

Twenty New Games Across Multiple Genres

The collection highlights the range of games that Elseland can produce through its AI based workflow.

Match 3 and visual world building

Candy Kingdom takes players into a colorful 3D confectionery world created through AI assisted modeling. The game combines match 3 mechanics with storytelling, character skins and environmental exploration.

Spatial and logic puzzles

The collection includes 3D Sudoku and an animal themed sliding puzzle inspired by Klotski. Both games reinterpret familiar logic challenges through new visual styles and spatial interactions.

Social and casual experiences

Capybara Poker Lounge introduces a relaxed card game experience centered on playful characters, humor and a distinctive social setting.

Arcade, action and hypercasual games

The lineup also features runners, action titles and arcade experiences designed for immediate play, short sessions and replayability.

Interactive stories and role playing

A narrative game reverses the familiar cat and mouse chase by placing the mouse in pursuit of the cat. Another title explores AI powered tabletop role playing, allowing the adventure to develop in response to player choices.

Together, these titles show how AI can support not only faster production, but also broader creative experimentation across genres.

An Open World Universe Filled with Playable Experiences

Elseland is an open world game universe where players can explore, discover and instantly enter a growing variety of games.

Players can move through different environments, encounter minigames and switch between experiences whenever they choose. A visit to Elseland might begin with a puzzle, continue with an arcade challenge and lead into a story driven adventure.

By connecting different types of games within one universe, Elseland aims to make discovering a new experience part of the experience itself.

Over time, the platform also plans to introduce more opportunities for creators to test ideas, remix gameplay mechanics and build character driven worlds for others to explore.

The Next Step for Elseland

Following the release of these 20 new games, Elseland plans to introduce a larger AI powered 3D world connecting characters, minigames and explorable locations.

The environment will allow players to discover experiences through places, quests and encounters rather than selecting every game from a conventional menu. This will move Elseland closer to its long term vision of a continuously expanding universe shaped by new games, characters and stories.

"Elseland began with a simple question: how far can one person take game creation with AI?" said Phil Liu, founder of Elseland. "What started as a 3D open world experiment has grown into a team production system. AI helps us explore more ideas and shorten the distance between an idea and something people can actually play. It gives creators more freedom to focus on what makes a game original, engaging and fun."

To explore Elseland and play the latest games, visit elseland.ai or follow Elseland on X at @Elselandai.

Organized jointly by AsianNet and the B2B marketplace TradeAsia, AsianPLAS 2026 provides participating companies with extended international exposure while enabling buyers to discover products, review supplier information, and submit sourcing inquiries online. Through TradeAsia's B2B platform and digital matchmaking resources, the exhibition facilitates connections between global buyers and plastics and rubber suppliers, creating additional opportunities for international sourcing and cross-border business cooperation.

Expanding International Sourcing Opportunities Through Global Industry Exposure

To increase global visibility and sourcing opportunities, AsianPLAS 2026 aligns its exhibition period with several major international plastics and rubber industry events, including Expo Plast Peru, Taipei International Plastics and Rubber Industry Show, West Africa Plastprintpack, Fakuma, PLAST IMAGEN MEXICO, and IPF Japan. By running alongside major international industry exhibitions, AsianPLAS 2026 provides additional opportunities for participating suppliers to reach international buyers and expand their exposure across global markets.

Through AsianPLAS 2026, buyers can review supplier information, browse product catalogs, and directly contact exhibitors for sourcing inquiries. The platform gives international buyers convenient access to plastics and rubber manufacturers and suppliers across a wide range of materials, machinery, products, and related industry applications, while helping participating companies strengthen their international visibility and explore new business opportunities.

Comprehensive Product Categories and Industry Suppliers Across the Plastics & Rubber Sector

The exhibition brings together suppliers and manufacturers from across Asia's plastics and rubber industry. International buyers can explore products and sourcing opportunities presented by companies including ELASTIN INTERNATIONAL, YI CHI HSIUNG, SHANG-YUH MACHINE, LIO CHENG KUNG, UNILONG ENTERPRISE CO and KAIPHONE TECHNOLOGY.

These exhibitors represent a diverse range of products and applications across the plastics and rubber supply chain, including plastic and rubber materials, processing machinery, plastic and rubber products, packaging and containers, polymers and resins, adhesives and sealants, coatings, chemical additives, and related industrial equipment.

Supporting Global B2B Trade Through Digital Sourcing Solutions

Powered by TradeAsia's B2B platform, AsianPLAS 2026 provides exhibitors with online product showcases, supplier profiles, and digital e-catalogs designed to increase international exposure and sourcing opportunities.

International buyers can browse products and communicate with suppliers online regardless of location or time zone, making it easier to compare products, review supplier capabilities, and submit inquiries efficiently. The exhibition's extended online format also enables participating companies to maintain continuous visibility throughout the more than four-month exhibition period.

By integrating online sourcing, digital promotion, and buyer-supplier matchmaking services, AsianPLAS 2026 creates an efficient digital environment for global B2B trade and international procurement across the plastics and rubber industry.

Start Sourcing Now

Explore suppliers, discover products, and connect directly with exhibitors through the official AsianPLAS 2026 online exhibition platform:

https://www.etradeasia.com/online-show/47/Asian-Plastics-Rubber-Industry-Online-Exhibition-2026.html

Starting August 18 local time in Southeast Asia, Europe, and Oceania, players can download the PC client from the official Ragnarok Zero: Global website and begin playing immediately. The title operates under a subscription-based service model. It is noteworthy that Gravity Game Unite (GGU) is directly operating the game not only in Southeast Asia and Oceania, but also across Europe.

Building on the core elements of the original PC MMORPG Ragnarok Online, including its iconic 2D pixel graphics and class system, Ragnarok Zero: Global introduces new episodes along with modern features such as auto-hunting and an updated UI/UX. The official version features a variety of new content designed to offer an experience beyond the original, including the connected game Get Poring, RO Factory, the first User Generated Content (UGC) feature in a Ragnarok IP title, a new Germany-themed map, the new MVP Raid content, and a new Valkyrie skin. The game supports French, German, Spanish, English, Turkish, Simplified Chinese, Thai, and Indonesian.

In particular, Get Poring and RO Factory attracted significant attention even before the official launch of Ragnarok Zero: Global.

Get Poring is a connected game where players can collect and raise unique Porings and monsters, which can then be used as pets. RO Factory is a platform that allows players to create their own footprint items. The initial 100 available slots filled up quickly, generating strong interest among players and prompting GGU to expand the number of available slots. GGU also plans to identify items and effects that players would like to see and add them in future updates.

To celebrate the official launch, Gravity Game Unite (GGU) is holding a variety of in-game events. Until the maintenance on September 24, players can receive various rewards by logging in with a character for at least one hour on 5, 10, and 15 separate days. Players can activate or deactivate participation in the event by speaking with the NPC Ribello. During the same period, rewards will also be provided to Guild Masters when their guild reaches levels 5, 10, and 15. Players can also participate in additional events featuring Catch the King Poring, Reach Max level 50, EXP Boosting, Monster Gauntlet, and more.

GGU has also prepared a crossover event with RO Lite - Arrow, the first title under RO Lite, a casual brand based on the Ragnarok IP. Players who play RO Lite - Arrow and clear up to Stage 100 can receive a one-day Ragnarok Zero: Global Game Pass up to twice per month. RO Lite - Arrow is a stage-based puzzle game featuring simple controls and collectible Ragnarok monsters. Players complete each stage by finding the correct sequence to move all arrows off the puzzle board. The second title in the series, RO Lite - Puzzle & Monster, is also scheduled to be unveiled at a later date.

Gravity Game Unite (GGU) President Harry Choi said, "Ragnarok Zero: Global is a highly anticipated title that preserves the core elements that have made Ragnarok Online beloved by players around the world, while introducing new experiences such as Get Poring and RO Factory that have already attracted attention ahead of launch."

He added, "We have worked to enhance the overall quality of the game to meet players' expectations. As we directly operate the game across multiple regions, we will continue to communicate our service direction, listen closely to player feedback, and strive to build long-term relationships with our community after launch."

Download Game
https://roz.mygnjoy.com/main?media=glbglpr1

Stay Connected
Players can follow the official Ragnarok Zero: Global channels for the latest news and updates.

Discord: https://discord.gg/bFg77WjcHT
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ragnarokzeroglobal/

With a growing demand for cyber resilience, identity security, AI governance, cloud security, and managed detection and response (MDR), Australia represents a significant milestone in Inspira's global growth journey. The expansion will enable Australian enterprises and government organizations to leverage Inspira's deep expertise in delivering outcome-driven cybersecurity services backed by AI-powered innovation.

"Australia is one of the world's most digitally advanced economies, with organizations accelerating AI adoption while navigating an increasingly sophisticated cyber threat landscape," said Josef Figueroa, President – ASEAN, Inspira Enterprise. "Our expansion reflects our long-term commitment to the region. We are bringing together global expertise, local talent, strategic technology partnerships, and AI-powered security capabilities to help Australian organizations build resilient, secure, and future-ready digital enterprises."

"Our vision has always been to help organizations stay ahead of evolving cyber risks through innovation, intelligence, and trusted partnerships," said Chetan Jain, Co-founder & Managing Director, Inspira Enterprise. "Australia is a strategic market for us, and this expansion strengthens our ability to serve customers with local expertise backed by our global delivery capabilities and 24x7 Cyber Fusion Centers."

The Australian expansion further strengthens Inspira's presence across North America, Middle East & Africa, ASEAN and India, enabling customers to access globally consistent cybersecurity services while benefiting from local engagement and regional expertise.

Inspira will be formally launching their operations via a hosted client event at the University of Technology in Sydney on the 26th of August, 2026.

Website: www.inspiraenterprise.com

The focus of this strategy extends beyond logistics services to the development of a multimodal cargo transshipment network linking production areas, border gates and industrial and service centres with port systems and major domestic and international markets.

As the northern gateway to the Mekong Delta, Dong Thap covers nearly 6,000 square kilometres and has a population of more than 4.2 million. The province’s development space stretches from the border area adjoining Cambodia to the coastal area in the east, creating distinct advantages for trade connectivity.

This geo-economic position makes Dong Thap a point of convergence for diverse road and inland waterway transport routes, as well as international trade corridors along the Mekong River. From here, goods can be efficiently connected with Ho Chi Minh City, the southeast region, other localities in the Mekong Delta region and the Cambodian market.

This distinct advantage is opening up a new room for development in Dong Thap in logistics, trade, processing industries, services and tourism.

More importantly, the advantage provides the foundation for Dong Thap to become an important link in the flow of goods from Cambodia and the Mekong Delta to Ho Chi Minh City, the southeast region and major seaports, while also enabling goods to move comfortably from consumption centres and seaports back to production areas.

This is also the basis for the decision from Dong Thap People’s Committee to approve adjustments to the provincial planning for the decade, with a vision to 2050. It sets out the goal of developing Dong Thap into a modern agricultural centre of the entire region, while positioning it as a logistics hub, a processing industry centre and a strategic connector between the Mekong Delta and Ho Chi Minh City, the southeast region and the Mekong subregion.

The new planning is built on principles that aim to restructure the province’s development space, establish new growth areas and economic corridors, and lay the foundation for long-term growth.

Dong Thap eyes success as Mekong transshipment hub

Cross-border logistics

Dong Thap’s ambition to become a transshipment centre for the Mekong subregion is being pursued first through a strategy to develop a modern logistics system and an integrated transport infrastructure network.

Accordingly, before 2030, the province will prioritise investment in expressways, national highways, inland waterway ports and logistics centres to strengthen inter-regional connectivity, reduce transportation costs and enhance the competitiveness of businesses.

Under the planning scheme, Dong Thap will establish five key economic corridors: the central economic corridor, the eastern coastal economic corridor, the Tien River corridor, the corridor connecting the Dong Thap Muoi area, and the Hau River corridor. These will form an important connectivity network linking border gates and raw material production areas with seaports and major consumption centres.

They should be viewed as components of an integrated economic and logistics network, with each corridor playing a distinct role in connecting raw material areas, production zones, logistics centres, border gates, ports and consumer markets.

In particular, the border economic zone is envisioned as an international trade hub connecting the Mekong Delta with Cambodia, while the area from southern Tien River to northern Hau River is planned as a logistics centre linked to processing industries and trade services.

Together, these two development poles will form a cross-border logistics chain, strengthening Dong Thap’s position in regional supply chains.

To realise the plan, Dong Thap has identified five strategic breakthroughs, with transport and logistics infrastructure being set as the top priority. Infrastructure development needs to be directly aligned with the goals of reducing logistics costs and transit times, expanding market access, enhancing the province’s appeal to investors, and stimulating local processing industries, trade and exports.

The province is focusing on building a modern transport system that is climate-resilient, while developing multimodal and cross-border logistics to maximise its geo-economic advantages. Simultaneously, it is boosting ecological and high-tech agriculture linked to processing industries and export value chains.

Alongside infrastructure, Dong Thap is prioritising the development of modern industries, the marine economy and port services, while attracting projects that use advanced, environmentally friendly technologies.

Moreover, developing suitable personnel, encouraging innovation and accelerating digital transformation have also been identified as new drivers to foster the province’s competitiveness.

Partnering with investors

Beyond infrastructure, turning Dong Thap into a fully-fledged transshipment centre will also require the simultaneous development of logistics businesses, warehousing and distribution networks, human resources, digital transformation and trade support services. This will help convert the province’s connectivity advantages into service delivery strengths and higher added value.

By 2030, Dong Thap aims to achieve average annual regional GDP growth of 9.5-10 per cent, total development investment capital of approximately $30-32 billion, export value reaching $14.8 billion and an urbanisation rate of around 50 per cent.

Alongside infrastructure investment and completion, Dong Thap will continue improving local investment environment and the quality of services provided to businesses and investors, creating new advantages for project implementation across the province.

At a conference announcing adjustments to the provincial planning in late May, numerous corporations, businesses, and investors spoke high of Dong Thap’s potential, advantages and development orientation.

Going forward, Dong Thap will continue to entice investment in sectors aligned with its development strategy, including logistics, processing industries, high-tech agriculture, renewable energy, industrial park infrastructure, and trade and services, striving to best avail of investment resources and propel socioeconomic development.

A number of strategic transport projects are being accelerated, including the Cao Lanh-An Huu expressway, My An-Cao Lanh expressway, the expansion of Ho Chi Minh City-Trung Luong-My Thuan expressway, the road network linked to Dong Thap Muoi area, the upgrading of Cho Gao Canal, and the port system along the Tien and Hau rivers, together with the Go Cong general seaport.

Once completed, these projects will help complete the interregional logistics network and provide fresh momentum to spur local economic development.

Chairman of Dong Thap People’s Committee Pham Thanh Ngai stated that the adjustment of the provincial planning is a strong commitment to building a transparent, favourable and effective investment environment.

“The province will continue to stand alongside businesses and mobilise all available resources to effectively implement the planning, gradually realising the goal of making Dong Thap a place worth living and a new growth pole for the Mekong Delta,” said Chairman Ngai.

Dong Thap pushes on with crane conservation efforts Dong Thap People’s Committee held a meeting last week to update its aims to preserve and develop red-crowned cranes in Tram Chim National Park.

Dong Thap excited to hail investors to industrial zones The Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap is sparing no efforts to develop industrial infrastructure aligned with its planning direction, while completing economic zone infrastructure at border crossings to welcome new financial backers.

Dong Thap pioneers ecosystem for startup businesses The Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap has been named an exemplary locality for building a startup ecosystem, underscoring the province’s efforts to foster a constructive environment for local startups.

Dong Thap asserts key status as Mekong Delta gateway Dong Thap is driving economic transformation after merging with Tien Giang province, aiming to become the Mekong Delta’s strategic gateway through infrastructure upgrades, investment growth, and decisive government reform.

WWF, Dong Thap launch second phase of climate resilience project WWF-Vietnam has launched the second phase of a climate resilience project in the Mekong Delta, aiming to restore freshwater ecosystems and secure sustainable livelihoods.

In logistics, items are generally variable – individual products, parcels, packages, and pallets come in a range of shapes, sizes, and materials, and they’re usually presented to machine vision cameras in a less structured manner, with items on wide conveyor belts and loading areas in all sorts of positions and clusters. It means machine vision, 3D and industrial scanning technology needs to be able to deal with wider variations and unexpected scenes and formations.

Machine vision has been the preserve of the manufacturing industry for the past 25 years – it’s where the technology and use cases began and were hardened over decades. But over the past three to five years, the accessibility of neural processing, the development of 3D sensing, and AI algorithms have improved. Software suites and hardware platforms can apply these newer tools in manufacturing, such as more subtle defects or anomaly detection, as well as in much less structured environments like logistics.

Technical advances – Here’s the proof

Visual automation solutions generally slot into four main categories where machine vision, industrial scanning, AI, and 3D can be brought to bear on a host of applications between inbound and outbound for each of these four categories.

The first is vision-guided robotics to pick and sort items. For instance, a major industrial food manufacturer is securing lower error rates and higher throughput of goods using machine vision software guiding a robotic arm. The facility inspects its full range of packaged goods using this integrated solution. It can carry out efficient, intelligently automated picking with the robotic grip handling between 25 and 30 packages per minute, without damaging the items or packaging. It’s estimated that the solution has secured up to 75 per cent cost savings compared to traditional camera and lighting inspection approaches and eliminated the need for frontline workers to carry out repetitive, manual visual inspection and picking.

Second is inspection, for product integrity, damage detection and order completeness. For example, hyperspectral imaging can be applied to understand whether boxes have leakage, possibly signifying a damaged product, which may be seen with a colour camera but not necessarily with a normal greyscale camera.

The third is measurement, specifically dimensioning items, parcels and pallets to understand different shapes and sizes so they fit into various packages, loading areas, and vehicles. The logistics team at a leading national grocery retailer has cut workflow times by up to half with a new intelligent automation solution. It is built on a fleet of mobile devices with integrated parcel dimensioning software using modern time-of-flight sensors combined with AI algorithms. Working together, it virtually reconstructs and measures standard cuboidal parcels and irregular non-cuboidal items.

The final category is identification, which uses various methodologies such as barcode, data matrix, colour, optical character recognition, pattern, and shape. A global third-party logistics (3PL) provider receives up to 25 truckloads of goods each week at one of its major distribution sites from a leading fashion and lifestyle retail customer. The associated data is logged in the provider’s enterprise resource planning system. Each box is redistributed to its final destination, and the company has achieved over 50 per cent in time savings in inbound storage operations using fixed industrial scanners.

Zebra Altiz 3D Profiler Inspecting Automotive Sealant Bead. Photo: Zebra Technologies

During the first five months after its installation, the solution enabled the 3PL to intelligently automate the scanning and validation of around 700,000 packages. As the complete process time for each package has been dramatically reduced, follow-up processes have been further automated, and staff now only need to intervene with exception.

Today’s 3D casts new light

As with 2D machine vision, more structured manufacturing sectors have led the way with 3D scanning. On a global stage, automotive OEMs have utilised these advanced systems to secure a 10-15 per cent defect rate reduction for items as complex as car doors. Machine vision integrators create solutions built on dual-camera, single-laser Zebra AltiZ 3D Profile Sensors integrated with AI software. The 3D sensor scans items like car doors, capturing thousands of data points, and turns those into highly detailed point cloud and depth map representations for the AI software to interpret and inspect for defects. Thankfully, warehousing and logistics organisations are also catching up here.

In logistics, traditional structured light 3D scanners have been popular, as they provide sub-millimeter resolution and high accuracy for scanning static scenes. But if the sensor or the scene moves during the scanning process – which is always possible given the unstructured nature of logistics goods and conveyor belts – the 3D scan will be distorted. Traditional time-of-flight systems are also useful for certain use cases and offer very fast scanning speed and data acquisition, but some may compromise on resolution and noise levels.

However, newer generations of 3D sensing are delivering highly accurate scanning using unique parallel structured light technology. This allows for real-time, high-resolution 3D scanning of objects moving at speed, by constructing multiple virtual images within one exposure window. This opens new possibilities in warehousing and logistics robotic guidance, damage detection, advanced bin and conveyor belt picking, uniform and mixed palletisation and de-palletisation, and digital twinning.

As global industries continue advancing with machine vision, AI‑driven inspection and 3D sensing, Vietnam’s logistics and warehousing sector is also entering a rapid digitalisation phase. With e‑commerce growing around 25 per cent annually and the online retail market projected to reach $31 billion by 2025, demand for advanced visual automation - particularly robotic guidance, automated inspection and real‑time 3D dimensioning - is expected to accelerate significantly in the next two to three years.

This trajectory aligns with Vietnam’s Logistics Services Development Strategy for 2025–2035, with a vision to 2050, which emphasises digital transformation, automation, and the adoption of emerging technologies to build a modern, efficient and globally competitive logistics sector.

The event will open with an Opening Address by Guest-of-Honour Mr Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Digital Development and Information, Republic of Singapore, before bringing together global AI ecosystems to drive business collaboration, technology adoption and international partnerships across healthcare, robotics, logistics, transportation, retail and other key sectors.

Catalysing Conversations around Industry Innovation

Building on Singapore's ambitions to become a global hub for responsible AI innovation and deployment across industries, AIMX Singapore 2026 will present a conference programme focused on one of the most pressing challenges facing organisations today—moving AI beyond pilot projects into enterprise-wide implementation. Through expert-led discussions and real-world case studies, delegates will gain practical insights into deploying AI responsibly, scaling adoption and delivering measurable outcomes across key sectors of the economy.

A key highlight will be a fireside conversation featuring Ho Kwon Ping, Founder and Executive Chairman of Banyan Group, on "Human-Centric AI: Redefining Trust, Experience and Leadership in the Intelligent Economy." Drawing on his experience building and leading a global hospitality business, Ho will explore how organisations can embrace AI while preserving human connection, trust and purpose, and how leadership must evolve as intelligent technologies become increasingly embedded in business and society.

The other highlights in the programme include Embodied Intelligence: Bridging AI and Physical Action, which explores the next frontier of autonomous AI systems; Optimising Clinical Workflows with AI: Hospitals of the Future, examining how AI is transforming healthcare delivery; Autonomous Operations: AI in Ports, Airports & Freight Hubs, showcasing AI's role in strengthening critical infrastructure; and From Experimentation to Enterprise-Wide AI Deployment, where industry leaders will share practical lessons on overcoming implementation barriers and successfully scaling AI initiatives.

"AI is entering a new phase where success depends on how effectively organisations can deploy and scale it in the real world. Through our partnerships with TechInnovation and AI Gravity, AIMX Singapore 2026 brings together the expertise, technologies and collaborations needed to accelerate AI adoption, create new business opportunities and strengthen Singapore's position as a leading hub for AI innovation." Jason Ng, Managing Director, MP Group.

Co-organised with TechInnovation, AIMX Singapore 2026 extends beyond knowledge-sharing to drive tangible collaboration and commercialisation of diverse technologies that extends beyond AI. Through TechInnovation's tech-matching programme, participants can explore curated business meetings with enterprises, technology providers, researchers and investors to identify partnership and innovation opportunities. Delegates will also get the chance to speak with Innovation Advisors where they can receive guidance on business and technology adoption at IPI's booth at the event.

"Most organisations today are not short of awareness about AI and innovation. What they need is a clear path from interest to implementation. Through TechInnovation we present a platform for businesses to cut through the noise, identify use cases that are grounded in real operational needs, and map out the next practical steps that will bring them close to create impactful outcomes.", Michael Goh, Chief Executive Officer, IPI Singapore.

Advancing Global Collaborations

AIMX Singapore 2026 further strengthens its international AI ecosystem in close partnership with AI Gravity, the international cross-collaboration platform of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) Shanghai. AI Gravity has supported the curation of the conference programme and exhibition, bringing together global AI leaders, technology enterprises and ecosystem partners to showcase emerging technologies, facilitate international business collaborations and create new opportunities for knowledge exchange across the region.

Complementing the conference, AIMX Singapore 2026 will feature an international exhibition with more than 100 exhibitors from Singapore, Southeast Asia and beyond. With "token factories" from Run Jian, embodied AI & humanoid robots from AGIBOT, Weston Robot, R2 Robotics, Robocore, and Five Ages, to enterprise solutions from Zenative AI, Superb AI, Huawei and more, visitors can expect to experience market-ready solutions that are transforming industries and are already being deployed across healthcare, logistics, retail and manufacturing.

Dedicated country and regional pavilions will spotlight AI innovation from across Asia, including the Hong Kong Pavilion led by HKSTP (Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation), the Japan Pavilion led by JCTI (Japanese Corporates Technology Innovation) Launchpad, and the Singapore Pavilion led by SAIA (Singapore AI Association). Together with startups, research institutions and technology providers, these showcases will enable participants to discover emerging technologies, connect with innovators and explore practical AI solutions with real-world applications across industries.

Accelerating AI Discovery & Deployment

Alongside the conference and exhibition sections at AIMX Singapore 2026, attendees can look forward to discovering more deployable technologies and collaborations at the event.

• The AI Experience Zone: The AI Experience Zone will offer immersive and interactive experiences that showcase how artificial intelligence is transforming the way people work, create and engage with AI. Featuring demonstrations powered by generative AI, embodied AI and intelligent automation, the zone provides visitors with a hands-on opportunity to experience the practical applications of AI beyond the conference stage.
• The Ecosystem Lounge: Designed as a dynamic convergence point for the AI ecosystem, the Ecosystem Lounge brings together key sectors through a blend of hand-on workshops, deep dive sessions and networking opportunities to enable cross-sector and cross-border exchange, practical learning and meaningful collaborations.
• The Startup Zone: Experience emerging AI technologies from AI and tech startups leading the charge in the real-world deployment of AI across industries.
• The Business Matching Lounge: Through the AI-enabled capabilities of the AIMX Singapore event web app, attendees can pre-schedule and arrange for meetings with other attendees at the lounge, furthering conversations on AI adoption and deployment at the event.

Registration for AIMX Singapore 2026 is now open. Complimentary passes are available for eligible industry professionals.

For more information about AIMX Singapore 2026, please visit https://aimx.global/aimx-singapore-2026/.

Amart offers more than 2,000 products, from sofas and dining sets to home décor and signature collections. Managing seasonal demand, long import lead times, and complex delivery schedules placed increasing pressure on its planning processes. Its legacy planning process relied heavily on manual work and spreadsheets, making it difficult to respond quickly to changing demand and support the company's continued growth.

With RELEX, Amart will be able to forecast demand at the DC and Store level, factoring in delivered-sales timing and pre-sold quantities to protect service levels and smooth inbound inventory flow. Where container optimization has historically been a manual and costly process, RELEX will optimize purchase orders against fill, weight, and volume constraints to build cost-efficient import loads. It will also continuously learn from the gap between expected and actual supplier lead times, automatically adjusting safety stock and order timing so Amart's planning teams spend less time managing supply uncertainty and more time on decisions that move the business forward.

"We wanted a planning platform that could keep pace with our business and give our teams greater confidence in the decisions they make every day," said Gary Draper, Planning Manager at Amart Furniture. "RELEX stood out for its ability to manage the complexity of our supply chain while giving us the flexibility to adapt as our business evolves. We're looking forward to building a stronger planning foundation that supports both our operations and our customers."

"Amart selected RELEX for its ability to address the supply chain challenges unique to furniture retail," said Rod Talbot, VP APAC at RELEX Solutions. "Container optimization, variable lead times, and seasonal demand require a level of planning precision that legacy systems cannot deliver at scale. We're looking forward to working with Amart to bring that precision to their planning and help their teams make faster, more confident decisions every day."

Learn more at: relexsolutions.com/customers

Lilly Gateway Labs is a best-in-class innovation hub designed to empower biotechnology companies to advance groundbreaking science by providing access to wet lab facilities and opportunities to engage with Lilly scientists and executives. Lilly Gateway Labs is part of Lilly Catalyze360, alongside Lilly Ventures, Lilly ExploR&D, and Lilly TuneLab, which together support biotech innovation by providing access to strategic capital, lab space and technology, and research and development capabilities.

Through its entry into Lilly Gateway Labs, Rznomics plans to accelerate candidate discovery and development across its target gene database bank comprising over 200 disease targets, while simultaneously driving long-term efforts to establish global clinical infrastructure for its lead pipelines, expand global strategic partnerships, and recruit top-tier R&D researchers in the U.S.

"Joining Lilly Gateway Labs in San Diego represents a meaningful milestone for Rznomics' proprietary RNA platform," said Seong-Wook Lee, CEO of Rznomics. "We intend to advance the development and commercialization of our RNA therapeutics by active collaboration with the global biotech ecosystem."

For more information, please visit www.rznomics.com