Archives 2026

technology

Coral raises $12.5M to automate healthcare’s back office by working with, not against, the fax machine

Neel Achary 0 Comment

In less than a year, Coral has grown to multiple millions in revenue, pushed complete patient intakes to under five minutes, and is winning customers in infusion and specialty pharmacy who trust it enough to pay full contracts upfront. Its next target: 4x growth before the year is out.

New York, NY, Apr 21: In American healthcare, the most common reason a patient waits is not clinical. Referrals stall in fax queues. Prior authorizations sit unresolved. Discharges are delayed because paperwork has not been processed. The bottleneck is not a shortage of doctors. There is a shortage of people to handle the administrative work that comes before and after every appointment.

Coral was built to change that. Today, the company announced a $12.5 million investment led by Lightspeed and Z47. The company was founded by Ajay Shrihari and Aniket Mohanty.

For Ajay, the problem was not abstract. A minor accident sent him through the US healthcare system as a patient for the first time, and what followed was instructive. The clinical care was not the issue. Everything surrounding it was: follow-up calls that went unanswered for days, paperwork that outlasted the injury itself. Coral was the answer the two of them built to that experience.

Coral’s founding insight was simple. Do not replace the fax. Automate around it. Instead of asking providers to rebuild their infrastructure, Coral connects to existing EHR systems, fax lines, and payer portals and automates end-to-end administrative workflows for specialty healthcare providers, including DME suppliers, infusion centers, and radiology practices. The platform handles intake, prior authorization, fax processing, and patient communications without requiring providers to change how they work.

Coral’s models have now reached 99.7% accuracy on the document types that define healthcare’s back office: handwritten fax forms, scanned insurance cards, prior authorization templates, payer portal screens. Complete patient intakes, including the most complex cases the platform handles, now run in under five minutes, and when the information is missing, which happens frequently, Coral can seamlessly work with all the relevant parties to get information and process a patient’s case.

Ajay Shrihari, Founder and CEO, Coral said: “Every person in the healthcare system is being slowed down by the same thing: administrative work that was never built to scale. The coordinator chasing faxes. The patient waiting on a referral. The clinician buried in prior authorizations. When you automate the right things, all of them win at once. That is what Coral is building, and we are just getting started.”

Coral began by serving durable medical equipment (DME) providers, proving the model in one of the most fax-intensive corners of outpatient care. As it scaled, the same pattern appeared across every new specialty it entered. The administrative bottleneck was not a DME problem. It was a healthcare problem.

For infusion patients, a treatment delay is not an inconvenience. It is a missed dose. Coral has deployed its platform across infusion centres, handling the authorization and intake workflows that previously kept clinical staff from patients for hours at a time.

The strongest signal of customer confidence is not a case study but what customers choose to hand Coral next. A growing number are now running multiple modules across their operations, and a portion are paying the full contract value upfront, an unusual dynamic in enterprise software and a particularly striking one in a sector where vendor evaluation cycles are notoriously long. The calculation is straightforward: when a complex workflow completes in under five minutes at high accuracy, the return is immediate enough that the commitment follows.

Coral has reached multiple millions in revenues and is targeting 4x growth before the end of the year, expanding further across existing verticals while moving into radiology and additional specialty categories.

Rohil Bagga, Investor at Lightspeed added: “Healthcare is one of the hardest environments to automate, given legacy systems and fragmented workflows, yet Coral is delivering real outcomes at scale. Their product is already being used by some of the largest customers in the U.S. to dramatically reduce patient intake times and first-pass denials. At Lightspeed, we’ve had the privilege of being part of Coral’s journey since day one, and we’re excited to continue supporting the team as they transform the healthcare industry”

Ashwin KP, Investor at Z47 commented: “US healthcare admin carries over a trillion dollars in overhead each year, yet the back-office teams doing this work have been chronically underserved by technology. Our thesis is that the most compelling AI opportunities lie in workflow-heavy, tech-underserved categories that demand deep vertical expertise to crack. Ajay and Aniket are exceptionally customer-obsessed founders who embedded themselves with these teams, understood their pain at a granular level, and built a product their customers can’t live without. The rapid growth and the caliber of customers they’ve won in a short time only reinforced our conviction. We’re privileged to partner with them.”

The round goes toward the team and product. Coral is adding engineering talent alongside people who have spent careers inside healthcare operations, builders and industry experts working in the same room for the first time in this category.

On the product side, the company recently shipped AI-powered voice and text workflows, automating follow-ups with payers, patients, and referral sources that would previously require a staff member to pick up the phone. The next phase goes further. Coral is building an AI workflow builder that lets providers design and deploy their own administrative workflows without raising an IT ticket, adapting Coral to the way their operations actually run rather than the other way around.

Alongside that, Coral is developing what it describes as a co-pilot layer for the business: a way to surface intelligence from the data it already processes. Which payers have the highest denial rates and what the common rejection reasons are. Where in the authorization process cases are stalling. Which referral sources convert to completed intakes and which do not. Where revenue is being stopped by insurance claim rejections, and what would change the outcome on resubmission. The ambition is that a practice manager can ask Coral what is slowing their operation down and get a specific, actionable answer, not a report to interpret but a clear next step.

The system is not going to simplify itself. Coral’s answer is that administration is a workflow problem, not a staffing one. Across DME, infusion, and specialty pharmacy, that answer is proving out. The fax queue gets shorter. Staff get to spend their time on patients.

 

news

Compass Group India Invests in Cage-Free Egg Production with Global Food Partners

Neel Achary 0 Comment

SINGAPORE – 21 April, 2026 – Global Food Partners (GFP), a global consultancy helping food businesses achieve higher animal welfare standards in their supply chains, today announced it has supported Compass Group India, a leader in food services, to drive cage-free egg production and support local farmers in India.

Due to limited cage-free supplies and regional market gaps, Compass Group India is using cage-free credits to offset a portion of its caged egg purchases. GFP administers the Impact Incentives programme; cage-free credits enable food businesses to directly support egg farmers making a sustainable transition to cage-free production—while helping to build and secure future supply.

Compass Group has initially purchased around 4,000 cage-free credits in India, with each credit offsetting the purchase of 1,000 caged eggs—a total of four million eggs. The funds for this credit purchase go directly to three farms in India to expand their cage-free capacities and invest in their logistics networks.

Via Compass Group Foundation, Compass Group India and other partners have also launched a new cage-free and free-range training centre with GFP as technical partner. The training centre, located outside of Bangalore, will support local farmers in their transitions to cage-free systems, teach best practices in egg production and management, and help farmers achieve long-term sustainability and profitability in their industry. 

“Compass Group India has shown enormous leadership and innovation in not only their own cage-free commitments, but also in driving substantial, foundational change in how eggs are produced and supplied throughout India,” said GFP CEO Elissa Lane. “Their commitment to responsible sourcing extends to the new training centre that meaningfully supports farmers and strengthens the nation’s food system.”

Compass Group has published a complete Animal Welfare Progress Report for 2026 with more details.

Other industry giants that have adopted Impact Incentives as part of their cage-free strategy include Kellanova, Best Western Hotels, Lagardère Travel Retail (PDF) Pizza Express (PDF). By sourcing cage-free eggs whenever possible, and using cage-free credits to address any supply-chain shortfalls, companies can report 100 percent compliance with cage-free mandates. GFP currently focuses on egg production throughout Asia, and has capabilities in Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Latin America.

business

Rupee Dips Early as Strong Dollar and RBI Policy Shift Pressure Sentiment

Neel Achary 0 Comment

Apr 21 (BNP): The Indian rupee weakened in early Tuesday trading, slipping by 16 paise to 93.32 against the US dollar, as the greenback held firm in global markets and recent regulatory changes influenced currency sentiment.

Rupee Dips Early as Strong Dollar and RBI Policy Shift Pressure Sentiment

Traders pointed to the Reserve Bank of India’s move to ease earlier curbs on speculative positions as a key factor behind the rupee’s decline. The central bank had initially introduced restrictions earlier this month to limit excessive volatility in the currency market, including a cap on banks’ exposure to non-deliverable forward (NDF) positions. The partial rollback of those measures appears to have reopened room for increased market activity.

Despite the dip, the rupee found some support from positive momentum in domestic equity markets and continued foreign fund inflows. However, lingering geopolitical concerns—particularly around developments in West Asia—kept investors cautious.

Overall, the currency’s movement reflects a mix of global dollar strength, policy adjustments at home, and an underlying sense of uncertainty in international markets.

business

Perma-Pipe International Holdings, Inc. Announces Record Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2025 Results; Net Sales Increase 33% and Net Income Grows 89%

admin 0 Comment
Business Wire India

 

  • Net sales increased to $55.1 million for the quarter and $210.9 million for the full year, compared to $45.0 million and $158.4 million in the prior year periods, respectively
  • Income before income taxes increased to $6.4 million for the quarter and $27.5 million for the full year, compared to $5.3 million and $18.5 million in the prior year periods, respectively
  • GAAP diluted earnings per share increased to $0.60 for the quarter and $2.09 for the full year, compared to $0.22 and $1.12 in the prior year periods, respectively
  • Backlog stood at $121.6 million, reflecting strong conversion to revenue during the quarter

 

Perma-Pipe International Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: PPIH) today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and 2025 fiscal year ended January 31, 2026.

 

“For the three months ended January 31, 2026, net sales were $55.1 million, an increase of $10.1 million, or 22.4%, compared to $45.0 million in the same quarter of the prior year. Growth was driven by higher sales volumes in both the Middle East and North America. Gross profit was $17.3 million, up $2.1 million from $15.2 million last year, reflecting higher activity levels. Selling, general and administrative expenses increased slightly to $10.3 million from $9.7 million, primarily due to higher payroll costs, partially offset by lower bonus costs. The Company’s effective tax rate (“ETR”) was 12.3%, compared to 32.1% in the prior-year quarter, reflecting the impact of product mix across various tax jurisdictions. As a result, net income attributable to common stock was $4.9 million, an increase of $3.1 million, or 172.2%, compared to $1.8 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024,” noted President and CEO Saleh Sagr.

 

 

“For the year ended January 31, 2026, net sales were $210.9 million, an increase of $52.5 million, or 33.1%, compared to $158.4 million in the prior year period. The increase was primarily attributable to higher sales volumes in both the Middle East and North America. Gross profit was $69.5 million, compared to $53.2 million in the prior year period, reflecting increased activity levels. Selling, general and administrative expenses were $40.1 million, up from $32.9 million, due to higher payroll and professional fees, including approximately $1.0 million related to Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404 compliance in connection with our transition from a non-accelerated filer to an accelerated filer. This also includes a one-time compensation charge of approximately $2.0 million related to the departure of the previous CEO. The Company’s effective tax rate was 24.9%, compared to 29.1% in the prior-year period. The change in the Company’s effective tax rate reflects product mix across various tax jurisdictions and the Company’s overall reduction in its effective tax rate for the year was partially offset by the impact of a tax limitation related to the one-time charge associated with the prior CEO’s departure. Net income attributable to common stock was $17.0 million, an increase of $8.0 million, or 88.9%, compared to $9.0 million in fiscal 2024,” Mr. Sagr commented.

 

 

President and CEO Saleh Sagr added: “Our backlog stood at $121.6 million as of January 31, 2026. This reflects strong operational execution as we successfully accelerated the conversion of existing sales orders into realized revenue. Our backlog remains at historically strong levels. We continue to see meaningful multi-regional expansion, particularly across North America and the Middle East, reinforcing sustained global demand for our solutions.”

 

 

“Our fiscal 2025 results represent a landmark achievement for the Company. Total revenues of $210.9 million and net income attributable to common stockholders of $17.0 million mark our highest level of earnings in the Company’s modern operating history, driven not only by strong top-line growth but also by improved margins. This record performance was driven by broad-based strength across our global footprint, with significant growth contributions from the Middle East and North America. Our ability to scale across these diverse markets while maintaining disciplined margin performance has enabled us to convert top-line momentum into meaningful bottom-line value for our shareholders.”

 

 

“To sustain this trajectory, we have entered into a long-term lease for a new production facility in Ohio (AI data centers). This strategically located hub will serve as a primary logistics center for the Northeast and New England corridors, enabling us to localize production for our district heating and cooling offerings and capture additional regional market share. The region’s favorable and flexible labor environment further enhances our operational agility.”

 

 

“Supporting our long-term growth strategy, we also finalized a new credit facility with J.P. Morgan Chase. This agreement represents a watershed moment for the Company. We have standardized our borrowing platform globally at significantly improved terms. This transition optimizes our cost of capital while providing the liquidity necessary to support the next phase of our global expansion,” Mr. Sagr continued.

 

 

“With record earnings as our foundation and a modernized capital structure as our fuel, we enter the remainder of 2026 with strong confidence in our ability to scale our global operations and drive meaningful shareholder returns,” Mr. Sagr concluded.

 

 

2025 Results

 

 

Net sales were $210.9 million for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2026, an increase of $52.5 million, or 33.1%, from $158.4 million in the prior year. The growth was primarily driven by higher sales volumes across our key markets in the Middle East, Canada, and the United States

 

 

Gross profit was $69.5 million, or 33% of net sales, compared to $53.2 million, or 34% of net sales, in the prior year. The $16.3 million was driven by higher sales volumes and consistent gross margins globally.

 

 

General and administrative expenses were $35.3 million, compared to $28.0 million in the prior year. The increase of $7.3 million was primarily related to higher compensation costs and professional fees, including approximately $1.0 million relating to Sarbanes-Oxley 404 compliance in connection with our transition from a non-accelerated filer to an accelerated filer. This also includes a one-time compensation charge of approximately $2.0 million related to the departure of the previous CEO.

 

 

Selling expenses were $4.7 million, compared to $4.9 million in the years ended January 31, 2026 and 2025, respectively. The decrease of $0.2 million was primarily driven by lower payroll expenses during the year.

 

 

Interest expense, net was $1.8 million and $1.9 million in the years ended January 31, 2026 and 2025, respectively. The decrease of $0.1 million was the result of an overall reduction in interest rates during the year.

 

 

The Company’s worldwide effective tax rates (“ETR”) were 24.9% and 29.1% in the years ended January 31, 2026 and 2025, respectively. The change in ETR was largely due to changes in the mix of income and loss in various tax jurisdictions and the domestic Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income (“GILTI”) inclusion.

 

 

Net income attributable to common stock was $17.0 million, or $ 2.09 per diluted share, for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2026, compared to $9.0 million, or $ 1.12 per diluted share, in the prior year. The 89% increase was driven by the significant growth in sales volumes and operational efficiencies discussed above, partially offset by the one-time charges previously noted and amounts attributable to non-controlling interest.

 

 

Perma-Pipe International Holdings, Inc.

 

 

Perma-Pipe International Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”) is a global leader in pre-insulated piping and leak detection systems for oil and gas gathering, district heating and cooling, and other applications. It uses its extensive engineering and fabrication expertise to develop piping solutions that solve complex challenges regarding the safe and efficient transportation of many types of liquids. In total, the Company has operations at thirteen locations in seven countries.

 

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

 

Certain statements and other information contained in this press release that can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are subject to the safe harbors created thereby, including, without limitation, statements regarding the expected future performance and operations of the Company. These statements should be considered as subject to the many risks and uncertainties that exist in the Company’s operations and business environment. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) fluctuations in the price of oil and natural gas and its impact on customer order volume for the Company’s products; (ii) the Company’s ability to purchase raw materials at favorable prices and to maintain beneficial relationships with its suppliers; (iii) decreases in government spending on projects using the Company’s products, and challenges to the Company’s non-government customers’ liquidity and access to capital funds; (iv) the Company’s ability to repay its debt and renew expiring international credit facilities; (v) the Company’s ability to effectively execute its strategic plan and achieve sustained profitability and positive cash flows; (vi) the Company’s ability to collect a long-term account receivable related to a project in the Middle East; (vii) the Company’s ability to interpret changes in tax regulations and legislation; (viii) the Company’s ability to use its net operating loss carryforwards; (ix) reversals of previously recorded revenue and profits resulting from inaccurate estimates made in connection with the Company’s “over-time” revenue recognition; (x) the Company’s failure to establish and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting; (xi) the timing of order receipt, execution, delivery and acceptance for the Company’s products; (xii) the Company’s ability to successfully negotiate progress-billing arrangements for its large contracts; (xiii) aggressive pricing by existing competitors and the entrance of new competitors in the markets in which the Company operates; (xiv) the Company’s ability to manufacture products free of latent defects and to recover from suppliers who may provide defective materials to the Company; (xv) reductions or cancellations of orders included in the Company’s backlog; (xvi) risks and uncertainties specific to the Company’s international business operations; (xvii) the Company’s ability to attract and retain senior management and key personnel; (xviii) the Company’s ability to achieve the expected benefits of its growth initiatives; (xix) the impact of pandemics and other public health crises on the Company and its operations; and (xx) the impact of cybersecurity threats on the Company’s information technology systems. Shareholders, potential investors and other readers are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements made herein are made only as of the date of this press release and we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. More detailed information about factors that may affect our performance may be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available at https://www.sec.gov and under the Investor Center section of our website (http://investors.permapipe.com.)

 

 

The Company’s fiscal year ends on January 31. Years, results, and balances described as 2025, 2024, and 2023 are for the fiscal year ending January 31, 2026, 2025, and 2024, respectively.

 

 

Additional information regarding the Company’s financial results for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2026, including management’s discussion and analysis of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations, is contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2026, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or about the date hereof and will be accessible at www.sec.gov and www.permapipe.com. For more information, visit the Company’s website.

 

 

PERMA-PIPE INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(In thousands, except per share data)

(Unaudited)
 

 

 

Three Months Ended January 31,

 

 

Year Ended January 31,

 

 

 

2026

 

 

2025

 

 

2026

 

 

2025

 

Net sales

 

$

55,129

 

 

$

44,987

 

 

$

210,925

 

 

$

158,384

 

Gross profit

 

 

17,337

 

 

 

15,171

 

 

 

69,488

 

 

 

53,248

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

 

 

10,367

 

 

 

9,732

 

 

 

40,039

 

 

 

32,947

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income from operations

 

 

6,970

 

 

 

5,439

 

 

 

29,449

 

 

 

20,301

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest expense, net

 

 

505

 

 

 

451

 

 

 

1,822

 

 

 

1,940

 

Other (expense) income, net

 

 

(58

)

 

 

262

 

 

 

(134

)

 

 

107

 

Income before income taxes

 

 

6,407

 

 

 

5,250

 

 

 

27,493

 

 

 

18,468

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income tax expense

 

 

787

 

 

 

1,685

 

 

 

6,844

 

 

 

5,377

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

$

5,620

 

 

$

3,565

 

 

$

20,649

 

 

$

13,091

 

Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interest

 

 

702

 

 

 

1,805

 

 

 

3,614

 

 

 

4,108

 

Net income attributable to common stock

 

$

4,918

 

 

$

1,760

 

 

$

17,035

 

 

$

8,983

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average common shares outstanding

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

 

8,103

 

 

 

7,983

 

 

 

8,047

 

 

 

7,956

 

Diluted

 

 

8,206

 

 

 

8,073

 

 

 

8,148

 

 

 

8,015

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings per share

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

$

0.61

 

 

$

0.22

 

 

$

2.12

 

 

$

1.13

 

Diluted

 

$

0.60

 

 

$

0.22

 

 

$

2.09

 

 

$

1.12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
                                 

Note: Earnings per share calculations could be impacted by rounding.

 

PERMA-PIPE INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In thousands)

(Unaudited)
 

 

 

January 31,

 

 

 

2026

 

 

2025

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current assets

 

$

146,734

 

 

$

108,802

 

Long-term assets

 

 

70,752

 

 

 

56,439

 

Total assets

 

$

217,486

 

 

$

165,241

 

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities

 

$

79,789

 

 

$

54,063

 

Long-term liabilities

 

 

31,396

 

 

 

28,073

 

Total liabilities

 

 

111,185

 

 

 

82,136

 

Non-controlling interests

 

 

15,663

 

 

 

10,967

 

Stockholders’ equity

 

 

90,638

 

 

 

72,138

 

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

 

$

217,486

 

 

$

165,241

 

 

PERMA-PIPE INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURE
ADJUSTED INCOME BEFORE TAX
(In thousands)
(Unaudited)

 

The following information contains a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measure of adjusted income before income tax and income before tax prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for the three and twelve months ended January 31, 2026, and 2025, respectively. This reconciliation is intended to provide investors with useful information in evaluating the Company’s performance. Adjusted income before tax includes certain adjustments as identified below. This measure is not considered an alternative to income before tax or other financial measures of performance that are prepared in accordance with GAAP. The Company believes that the exclusion of certain items from income before tax allows investors to more effectively evaluate the Company’s operating performance and identify trends that might not be apparent due to the variability and infrequent nature of these items. In addition, the Company believes this measure provides meaningful information to investors when comparing results between periods and performance with respect to the Company’s peers.

 

 

Adjustments were made for certain items as follows: (i) a one-time charge associated with the acceleration of executive compensation; (ii) a one-time litigation settlement charge; and (iii) other non-recurring items. These non-GAAP measures are provided to enhance the user’s overall understanding of the company’s current financial performance and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies.

 

 

The following table provides a reconciliation of the GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures:

 

 

 

 

For the three months ended

 

 

For the twelve months ended

 

 

 

January 31,

 

2026

 

 

January 31,

 

2025

 

 

January 31,

 

2026

 

 

January 31,

 

2025

 

Income before income tax (GAAP as reported)

 

$

6,407

 

 

$

5,250

 

 

$

27,493

 

 

$

18,468

 

Acceleration of certain executive compensation

 

 

–

 

 

 

–

 

 

 

2,018

 

 

 

–

 

Litigation settlement

 

 

–

 

 

 

–

 

 

 

–

 

 

 

35

 

Other one-time charges

 

 

–

 

 

 

–

 

 

 

88

 

 

 

517

 

Adjusted income before tax

 

$

6,407

 

 

$

5,250

 

 

$

29,599

 

 

$

19,020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

business

Kioxia Unveils Value-Oriented QLC-based KIOXIA EG7 Series SSDs for PC OEMs

admin 0 Comment
Business Wire India

Kioxia Corporation today announced KIOXIA EG7 Series solid state drives (SSDs), the first client solution to adopt Kioxia’s BiCS FLASH™ generation 8 4-bit-per-cell, quadruple-level cell (QLC) technology. The QLC-based KIOXIA EG7 Series delivers equivalent performance as TLC-based solutions(1), enabling better total cost of ownership (TCO) for value-oriented slim laptops, as well as commercial and consumer notebooks and desktops.

 

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260420977735/en/

 

 

KIOXIA EG7 Series Client SSD

KIOXIA EG7 Series Client SSD

 

KIOXIA EG7 Series SSDs bring the performance and power efficiency advantages of KIOXIA BiCS FLASH™ generation 8 QLC 3D flash memory to common computing workloads for PC OEMs. The new drives deliver random read and write performance of up to 1,000 KIOPS, sequential read speed of up to 7,000 MB/s, and sequential write speed of up to 6,200 MB/s.

 

The KIOXIA EG7 Series incorporates NVMe™ 2.0d support, giving PC OEMs greater flexibility in system design and device management. The drives are offered in M.2 Type 2230, Type 2242, and Type 2280 form factors, enabling broader compatibility across diverse system configurations and space constraints.

 

 

Positioned within Kioxia’s value-oriented client SSD portfolio, the DRAM-less KIOXIA EG7 Series leverages mature Host Memory Buffer (HMB) technology, utilizing a portion of system memory to help improve TCO and power consumption while maintaining responsive performance.

 

 

Additional features include:

 

 

  • PCIe® 4.0 specification compliant
  • Self-Encrypting Drive (SED) support based on TCG Opal version 2.02
  • Capacities of 512 GB, 1024 GB, and 2048 GB

 

The KIOXIA EG7 Series is currently sampling to select PC OEM customers, with PC shipments equipped with the SSD expected to begin from the second quarter of 2026 onwards.

 

Notes:

 

(1) Compared to KIOXIA BG7 Series SSDs

 

 

– Definition of SSD capacity: Kioxia Corporation defines a kilobyte (KB) as 1,000 bytes, a megabyte (MB) as 1,000,000 bytes, a gigabyte (GB) as 1,000,000,000 bytes, a terabyte (TB) as 1,000,000,000,000 bytes, and a kibibyte (KiB) is 1,024 bytes. A computer operating system, however, reports storage capacity using powers of 2 for the definition of 1GB = 2^30 bytes = 1,073,741,824 bytes and 1TB = 2^40 bytes = 1,099,511,627,776 bytes and therefore shows less storage capacity. Available storage capacity (including examples of various media files) will vary based on file size, formatting, settings, software and operating system, and/or pre-installed software applications, or media content. Actual formatted capacity may vary.

 

 

– Read and write speed may vary depending on the host device, read and write conditions, and file size.

 

 

– IOPS: Input Output Per Second (or the number of I/O operations per second)
– Availability of the SED model lineup may vary by region

 

 

– NVMe is a registered or unregistered mark of NVM Express, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

 

 

– PCIe is a registered trademark of PCI-SIG.

 

 

– Other company names, product names, and service names may be trademarks of third-party companies.

 

 

About Kioxia

 

 

Kioxia is a world leader in memory solutions, dedicated to the development, production and sale of flash memory and solid-state drives (SSDs). In April 2017, its predecessor Toshiba Memory was spun off from Toshiba Corporation, the company that invented NAND flash memory in 1987. Kioxia is committed to uplifting the world with “memory” by offering products, services and systems that create choice for customers and memory-based value for society. Kioxia’s innovative 3D flash memory technology, BiCS FLASH™, is shaping the future of storage in high-density applications, including advanced smartphones, PCs, automotive systems, data centers and generative AI systems.

 

 

*Information in this document, including product prices and specifications, content of services and contact information, is correct on the date of the announcement but is subject to change without prior notice.

 

 

Customer Inquiries:
Global Sales Offices
https://www.kioxia.com/en-jp/business/buy/global-sales.html

 

 

 

 

 

news

LIV Process Recognizes University Health San Antonio’s Denine Temple with First-ever Invisible Hero Award for Outstanding Work in Fight Against C. Diff

Neel Achary 0 Comment

PHILADELPHIA, April 21, 2026 – LIV Process, Philadelphia-based biotech, announces Denine Temple, System Director of Environmental Services (EVS) at University Health San Antonio, as the first recipient of the Invisible Hero Award, which honors outstanding work in the fight against C. diff (Clostridioides difficile). With the creation of the Invisible Hero Award, LIV Process continues to draw national attention to one of the most stubborn and costly healthcare-associated infections—and the often-overlooked heroes working to stop the spread of C. diff before it starts. 

“We’re proud to recognize Temple and the EVS teams at University Health San Antonio for their exceptional commitment to stopping the spread of C. diff,” said Michael McIntyre, Founder and CEO of LIV Process. “Our first awardees are working in hospitals and healthcare settings to directly address gaps in infection prevention and cleaning effectiveness.” 

For leadership in advancing infection-prevention protocol in her health system and nationwide, Temple is being recognized along with four University Health San Antonio Environmental Services (EVS) teams, led by: 

  • Bryan Blecha, Director, Ambulatory Sites Team 

  • David Harris, Director, Sky Team 

  • Jaime Rymers, Director, Rio and Horizon Team 

  • A’Neita Sammons, Director, Women’s and Children’s Team 

“I’m honored to accept this award alongside my hardworking colleagues doing the often-invisible work of infection prevention,” said Denine Temple, System Director of Environmental Services, University Hospital San Antonio. 

In addition to University Health San Antonio, LIV Process plans to award other outstanding advocates reducing infections across the United States. LIV Process technology is being applied by EVS personnel across leading US healthcare systems, including Veterans Health Administration hospitals, University of Virginia Health, University of Texas Southwestern, University of Massachusetts, Duke University Medical Center, Cleveland VA, Houston Methodist and Baptist Health. 

business

Markets Edge Higher Amid Cautious Sentiment

Neel Achary 0 Comment

Apr 21 (BNP): Indian equity markets kicked off Tuesday’s session on a mildly positive note, reflecting cautious optimism among investors despite ongoing global geopolitical tensions.

Markets Edge Higher Amid Cautious Sentiment

 At the opening bell, the BSE Sensex rose by over 200 points to reach 78,732.45, marking a gain of 0.27%. Meanwhile, the NSE Nifty 50 edged up slightly to 24,374.55, registering an increase of 0.04%.

The early uptick suggests that market participants are maintaining a balanced stance—encouraged by domestic factors but still wary of uncertainties in the global landscape. Analysts note that while the green opening indicates resilience, volatility could persist throughout the session as investors closely monitor international developments and their potential economic impact.

Overall, the tone remains cautiously positive, with traders expected to stay selective and alert in the near term.

news

Former MLB Players Lead Ember Sports Mobile App, Bringing Pro-Level Training to Athletes Everywhere

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The MLB veterans say platform is a “game changer” for athletes at every level 

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — April 21, 2026 — Sports technology company Ember Sports is bringing professional-level baseball and softball training tools to athletes nationwide through a new mobile app developed in collaboration with former Major League Baseball players and coaches Brady Clark and Damon Mashore. Designed to make advanced player development more accessible, the platform delivers real-time performance insights using a mobile device, eliminating the need for costly hardware or exclusive facility-based systems. 

Clark and Mashore, former MLB outfielders with a combined 18 seasons in the major leagues, now serve in leadership roles at Ember, helping guide the platform’s development and real-world application. Clark is the company’s Chief Operating Officer, while Mashore serves as Chief Integration Officer. Their involvement reflects a broader shift toward making the types of training tools once reserved for professional athletes available to players at every level. 

Leveraging built-in iOS video capture, Ember’s mobile app provides immediate, actionable feedback through tools such as its Hitting and Pitching Analyzers. Athletes can review performance using video replay, telestration and side-by-side comparisons, allowing for deeper analysis of swing mechanics, pitch execution and overall performance. 

The platform also introduces virtual reality capabilities designed to enhance training in ways that are difficult to replicate in traditional environments. A key feature is Ember’s ability to teach pitch tunneling, an advanced skill in which multiple pitches follow the same initial path before breaking differently, making them more difficult for batters to recognize and hit. 

“Teaching hitters how to see the ball the way MLB players do has always been one of the hardest things to train,” Mashore said. “With Ember’s technology, we’re able to simulate that in a meaningful way. That’s a big step forward.” 

With more than 25 million baseball and softball athletes across the United States, access to advanced training tools has often been limited by cost and availability. Ember aims to expand that access with a subscription starting at $12.99 per month, delivering data and insights traditionally available only at the professional level. 

“This is truly disruptive technology because of how easy it is to use and the low-cost barrier,” said Clark. “It opens the door for more players at every level. From the conversations Damon and I have had across our baseball network, the reaction is usually, ‘I can’t believe you guys can do this.’ Especially with VR, no one has been able to teach how we ‘see’ the ball.” 

By removing the need for specialized equipment and training facilities, Ember is expanding access to high-level development tools once reserved for the big leagues. Its virtual reality platform places athletes in customizable environments that simulate live pitching with adjustable speed, movement and location, helping improve pitch recognition, timing and decision-making. 

“You’re either on the forefront of technology or you’re behind the game,” Mashore added. “Being able to deliver this level of insight to players outside of the professional level at such an affordable cost is simply a game changer.” 

With leadership rooted in decades of professional playing and coaching experience, Ember Sports is entering the market with strong credibility and a focus on accessibility, aiming to bring professional-grade training within reach for the next generation of baseball and softball athletes. 

news

Mumbai Indians Crush Gujarat Titans by 99 Runs as Tilak Varma Stars with Maiden IPL Century

Neel Achary 0 Comment

Mumbai, April 21(BNP): Mumbai Indians delivered a commanding all-round performance to secure a resounding 99-run victory over Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League 2026 clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Mumbai Indians Crush Gujarat Titans by 99 Runs as Tilak Varma Stars with Maiden IPL Century

Arriving at a venue that has historically posed challenges and amid a difficult run of form, Mumbai Indians rose to the occasion with a clinical display. The innings was anchored by Tilak Varma, who registered his maiden IPL century with an unbeaten 101 off 45 balls, guiding MI to a formidable 199/5 in 20 overs.

After a measured start—scoring 19 off his first 22 deliveries Tilak Varma shifted gears dramatically, adding 82 runs from his next 23 balls. His knock came at a crucial juncture after early setbacks caused by Kagiso Rabada, and proved pivotal in setting up a challenging total.

In response, Gujarat Titans struggled to build any momentum as Mumbai’s bowlers dominated proceedings from the outset. Early breakthroughs from Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya put the hosts on the back foot, while Ashwani Kumar delivered a standout performance with a four-wicket haul. Support from Mitchell Santner and Allah Ghazanfar ensured Gujarat Titans were bowled out for 100 in 15.5 overs.

Speaking after the match, Tilak Varma said, “The first hundred is always special. It was important for me to spend time at the crease and then play according to the situation. I backed my basics and it paid off.”

Captain Hardik Pandya added, “Winning here is always challenging. This result was much needed for the team and will give us confidence going forward.”

Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill acknowledged the team’s shortcomings, highlighting lapses in the middle overs and inconsistent execution with the ball as key factors behind the defeat.

The result marks Gujarat Titans’ heaviest loss in IPL history, while also providing a significant boost to Mumbai Indians’ campaign. With this emphatic win, Mumbai Indians strengthen their position in the standings and gain crucial momentum for the remainder of the tournament, while Gujarat Titans will look to regroup and address key areas ahead of their upcoming fixtures.

business

Rigaku Enters Strategic Alliance with Onto Innovation through 27 % Equity Investment

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Business Wire India

Rigaku Holdings Corporation (headquarters: Akishima, Tokyo; President and CEO: Jun Kawakami; “Rigaku”), a global leader in X-ray analytical technologies, today announced that it has entered into a strategic capital and business alliance with Onto Innovation Inc. (headquarters: Massachusetts, USA; CEO: Michael P. Plisinski; “Onto Innovation”).

 

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260420467739/en/

 

 

Double Logo

Double Logo

 

“As semiconductor devices become more complex, particularly with the increasing importance of three-dimensional structures, Rigaku has been seeking to enhance its analytical capabilities by incorporating advanced model-based and AI-driven algorithms in optical metrology,” said Jun Kawakami, President and CEO, Rigaku Holdings Corporation. “Onto Innovation not only brings strong expertise in optical technologies and software, but also capabilities in physical modeling for X-ray analysis, making it an ideal partner for us.”

 

This alliance directly supports Rigaku’s core growth strategy in semiconductor process control. By combining Rigaku’s X-ray technologies with Onto Innovation’s complementary optical metrology and advanced analytics software, including AI-driven solutions, the companies aim to deliver next-generation hybrid metrology solutions for increasingly complex semiconductor devices.

 

 

“The pace of change in semiconductor production is accelerating as the industry combines more complex and exotic materials with new 3D transistor structures, and advanced packaging to implement 3D and 2.5D chiplet architectures. ” said Michael P. Plisinski, CEO, Onto Innovation Inc. “These changes necessitate new and innovative ways to measure, characterize, and ultimately control theses new production technologies. We are pleased to be able to expand our partnership with Rigaku and together deliver the solutions our customers need to maintain their pace of innovation.”

 

 

The two companies have already been collaborating on hybrid metrology solutions, integrating Rigaku’s CD-SAXS with Onto Innovation’s analytics software. The new agreement will further accelerate and expand this joint development.

 

 

About Onto Innovation: Onto Innovation is a leader in process control, combining global scale with an expanded portfolio of leading-edge technologies that includes un-patterned wafer quality, 3D metrology spanning chip features from nanometer scale transistors to large die interconnects, macro defect inspection of wafers and packages, metal interconnect composition, factory analytics, and lithography for advanced semiconductor packaging. Headquartered in Wilmington, Massachusetts, Onto Innovation supports customers with a worldwide sales and service organization. For more information, visit https://ontoinnovation.com/

 

 

Strategic Highlights

 

 

  • Aligned with core growth strategy: Strengthens Rigaku’s offering in semiconductor process control, a key driver of future growth
  • Highly complementary technologies: Rigaku’s X-ray solutions and Onto Innovation’s complementary optical and software capabilities present strong synergies benefitting customers with deeper process insights
  • Positioned for evolving industry structure: Responding to increasingly sophisticated customer requirements and growing complexity in semiconductor manufacturing
  • Strengthening competitiveness: Transaction enables Rigaku to be even more competitive in semiconductor process control segment

 

Key Initiatives

 

  • Establishing hybrid metrology for Front End Of Line: Enhancing measurement capabilities for advanced logic and memory devices through the combination of X-ray and optical technologies
  • Expansion into advanced packaging: Accelerating entry into inspection and metrology applications in advanced packaging
  • New market creation: Targeting at least $300 million in incremental market opportunity for Rigaku’s products by 2030
  • Integration of software and AI: Supporting the development of integrated solutions spanning measurement, analysis, process optimization, and yield management
  • Global customer reach: Utilizing Onto Innovation’s global customer base to expand Rigaku’s market presence

 

Equity Investment

 

Onto Innovation has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 61,123,436 shares (27.0% of total shares outstanding as of March 31, 2026, excluding treasury shares) of Rigaku from Atom Investment, L.P., establishing a long-term strategic alliance between the two companies.

 

 

Governance

 

 

Rigaku will maintain its management independence as a publicly listed company. The agreement also includes provisions to ensure a stable, long-term alliance, including certain restrictions on share transfers and additional acquisitions.
For more details, please refer to the timely disclosure released today, available on Rigaku’s website and the Tokyo Stock Exchange website.

 

 

About the Rigaku Group

 

 

Since its establishment in 1951, the engineering professionals of the Rigaku group have been dedicated to benefiting society with leading-edge technologies, notably including its core fields of X-ray and thermal analysis. With a market presence in 136 countries and regions and some 2,000 employees from 9 global operations, Rigaku is a solution partner in industry and research analysis institutes. Our overseas sales ratio has reached approximately 70% while sustaining an exceptionally high market share in Japan. Together with our customers, we continue to develop and grow. As applications expand from semiconductors, electronic materials, batteries, environment, resources, energy, life science to other high-tech fields, Rigaku realizes innovations “To Improve Our World by Powering New Perspectives.”
For details, please visit: rigaku-holdings.com/english