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Business Wire India

Numeros Motors, a rapidly growing Indian electric vehicle manufacturer, today announced its partnership with Jones Elite Logistics to supply 100 Diplos electric two-wheelers. This collaboration supports the logistics company’s ambitious ‘Go Green Initiative’ and lays the foundation for a wider fleet conversion aimed at significantly reducing carbon emissions.

Both companies share a deep commitment to clean mobility. A strong advocate for green logistics, Jones Elite is building more eco-friendly supply chains. Numeros Motors is proud to support this vision with practical, purpose-built EV two-wheelers engineered for India’s roads, climate, and last-mile delivery demands where reliability and uptime are non-negotiable.

“Our partnership with Jones Elite Logistics is more than a fleet transaction. It delivers real value today. At Numeros Motors, we understand that safety, reliability, and durability are non-negotiable. Our two-wheelers increase earnings for fleet operators and riders, enabling significantly higher income per vehicle with minimal downtime. Together, we are building a more efficient and profitable logistics industry while contributing to a cleaner, greener future,” said Mr. Ramkumar S, Vice-President (Sales), Numeros Motors.

Central to this partnership is Numeros’ flagship Diplos platform. Known for its robust performance and low maintenance requirements, the Numeros Diplos features swappable battery technology that keeps vehicles on the road longer and superior operational efficiency. For Jones Elite, this translates directly into lower operating costs, higher rider productivity, and a measurable reduction in emissions per delivery.

Mr. Stephen Arthur, Director, and Mr. Sunny Ranjan, CEO of Jones Elite Logistics, expressed their enthusiasm about the partnership. “This collaboration with Numeros Motors is a testament to our dedication to innovation and sustainability. Transitioning to electric vehicles not only aligns with our environmental goals but also enhances operational efficiency, reflecting our commitment to excellence in every aspect of our business,” they said.

Business Wire India

 

• Next phase of PIF strategy sets out roadmap to 2030, as PIF continues to drive the economic transformation of Saudi Arabia
• Strategy focuses on maximizing financial returns, strengthening investment efficiency and increasing private sector participation
• Investments will be structured into three portfolios: Vision Portfolio, Strategic Portfolio and Financial Portfolio
• Vision Portfolio will catalyze development of six ecosystems within the local economy

 

The Board of Directors ofPIF, chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Prime Minister and Chairman of the Board of Directors of PIF, has approved PIF’s 2026-2030 strategy, which is a continuation of PIF’s long-term strategy. The strategy will focus on delivering competitive domestic ecosystems to connect sectors, unlock the full potential of strategic assets, maximize long-term returns, and continue to drive the economic transformation of Saudi Arabia and further enhance the quality of life of its citizens.

 

The 2026-2030 strategy marks a natural evolution as PIF moves from a period of rapid growth and acceleration to a new phase of sustained value creation, with a strengthened focus on maximizing impact, raising the efficiency of investments, and applying the highest standards of governance, transparency and institutional excellence. In addition, PIF will further enable the role of the private sector as an effective partner for sustainable economic development.

 

 

Under the 2026-2030 strategy, PIF has structured its investments into three portfolios. The Vision Portfolio aims to leverage synergies across strategic sectors, maximize value for PIF portfolio companies, and continue to drive the growth of the local economy. It will contribute to national priorities through the delivery of six competitive domestic ecosystems and by further integrating PIF’s investments. The Vision Portfolio will unlock new opportunities for the domestic private sector as an investor, partner and supplier, to further enable its role as an effective partner for sustainable economic development, while also attracting global partners and investors.

 

 

The six ecosystems include: Tourism, Travel & Entertainment; Urban Development & Livability; Advanced Manufacturing & Innovation; Industrials & Logistics; Clean Energy, Water & Renewables Infrastructure; and NEOM.

 

 

The Strategic Portfolio will actively manage key strategic assets to maximize financial returns and the economic impact of PIF’s companies, while supporting their efforts to attract capital and become global champions. Through the Strategic Portfolio, PIF will also continue to invest in opportunities arising from long-term global trends.

 

 

The Financial Portfolio will focus on delivering sustainable financial returns to further strengthen PIF’s financial position and continue to grow national wealth for future generations. It will manage PIF’s direct and indirect investments in global markets to maximize returns, while building a more diversified and resilient portfolio. It will further strengthen strategic international partnerships to help attract capital and increase access to global investment opportunities.

 

 

His Excellency Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Governor of PIF, said: “PIF’s strategy continues to deliver results as we grow domestically and internationally. In less than a decade, we have launched unprecedented projects, including giga-projects and major real estate developments, in addition to unique investments in strategic sectors such as artificial intelligence, gaming and esports, and renewable energy. PIF also grew assets under management six-fold and attracted global partners and capital to take part in Saudi Arabia’s transformation. PIF will continue to support Saudi Vision 2030 objectives by delivering competitive domestic ecosystems, investing in national champions that have the potential to scale globally, and forming global economic partnerships, building on what has been achieved under PIF’s 2021-2025 strategy.

 

 

“The 2026-2030 strategy is a natural next step in PIF’s growth journey. It offers our partners more opportunities to invest in high-quality assets and ecosystems, alongside PIF. In the next five years, we will continue to build on our great achievements and strengthen our global leadership to deliver success for PIF and Saudi Arabia.”

 

 

PIF will continue to invest with agility in both local and international markets and maintain its ability to respond to emerging opportunities that benefit the local economy and impact an ever-shifting global economy. It will maintain a disciplined focus on value realization, sustainable returns, enhanced capital efficiency and the highest institutional standards, as it drives innovation and advanced utilization of data and artificial intelligence.

 

 

PIF’s 2026-2030 strategy provides a clear strategic direction for the coming decades. It also strengthens PIF’s position as a local and global investor, with a diversified and resilient portfolio that contributes to Saudi Arabia’s long-term economic prosperity. PIF’s unique mandate will remain the same: to drive the economic transformation of Saudi Arabia and generate sustainable financial returns.

 

 

The strategy builds on the substantial progress and achievements delivered by PIF under its previous strategies, including:

 

 

• Grown assets under management from $150 billion in 2015 to more than $900 billion
• Achieved an annualized total shareholder return of over 7% since 2017
• Invested more than $199 billion in new projects in Saudi Arabia from 2021 to 2025
• Contributed more than $243 billion to real non-oil GDP from 2021 to 2024, equivalent to around 10% of Saudi Arabia’s total non-oil GDP in 2024
• Spent together with its portfolio companies more than $157 billion with the local private sector from 2021 to 2024
• Expanded PIF’s global presence in priority markets with subsidiary company offices in North America, Europe and Asia to deepen PIF’s ties in international markets and continue to invest in sectors, industries and companies shaping the future of the global economy
• One of the few sovereign wealth funds with strong credit ratings from each of the world’s top three rating agencies. Moody’s rated PIF Aa3 with a stable outlook, while Fitch rated PIF A+, also with a stable outlook

 

This material is distributed by Teneo Strategy LLC on behalf of the PIF. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC.

 

 

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260415432832/en/

 

Business Wire India

Skild AI today announced the acquisition of Zebra Technologies’ Robotics Automation business, including its Symmetry Fulfillment orchestration platform.

 

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260415518240/en/

 

 

The Skild Brain — the industry’s first omnibodied AI software designed to operate without prior knowledge of a robot’s exact body form — can control any robot, across any task, in any warehouse environment. With Zebra’s battle-tested Symmetry orchestration platform, it now has the infrastructure to deploy and orchestrate entire fleets of Skild Brain-powered robots at enterprise scale.

 

 

From Fragmented Automation to Orchestrated Intelligence: Warehouse robots today are programmed task-by-task, locked to specific hardware. Change the robot, and you’re largely starting from scratch. The Skild Brain was built to break that dependency — generalizing across humanoids, mobile robots, and industrial arms without retraining. Symmetry, already proven in some of the world’s most demanding logistics environments, coordinates those robots in real time alongside frontline workers. Every new deployment feeds the Skild Brain’s data flywheel, making it smarter across every environment it operates in.

 

 

Together, they form something that hasn’t existed before: one intelligent layer that can run an entire warehouse, regardless of what robots are in it.

 

 

Turning Existing Warehouses Into Symphonies of Autonomy: Logistics operators no longer need to engineer their warehouse around their robots and deal with several partners — each providing one fragment of the automated solution. Skild AI’s acquisition of Zebra’s Robotics Automation business will create the first organization that can provide a full end-to-end automation solution for warehouses: humanoids for pick-place, robotic dogs for inspection, robotic arms for packing, AMRs for material movement and an orchestration layer to control them all.

 

 

Skild AI grew from zero to approximately $30M in revenue in just a few months in 2025 and is now positioned to scale enterprise deployments at a pace that was not previously possible. Skild AI will build end-to-end solutions for warehouses, accelerating the pace of deployments at a rate unheard of in the current AI robotics industry.

 

 

In their words:

 

 

“Warehouse automation remains deeply fragmented today, with classical approaches falling short in most real-world scenarios — a fundamental barrier to achieving true operational efficiency. Tearing down and rebuilding warehouses to suit pre-programmed robots is simply not a viable economic solution. By combining Zebra’s human-robot orchestration platform with Skild AI’s omnibodied brain, we are set to transform what end-to-end automation looks like in warehouses that exist today. Zebra’s orchestration layer brings humans into the fold alongside Skild AI’s vision of ‘any robot, any task, one brain’ — turning warehouses into living symphonies of human and machine autonomy.” — Deepak Pathak, CEO, Skild AI

 

 

“Lack of automated grasping and complex manipulation continues to slow down warehouses. The Skild Brain in conjunction with the Zebra’s tried and tested person-to-goods solution will turn warehouses into hubs of hyper-efficiency.” —Abhinav Gupta, President, Skild AI

 

 

About Skild AI : Founded in 2023, Skild AI builds a general-purpose foundation model for robotics. Backed by SoftBank Group, NVIDIA Ventures, Macquarie Capital (entities administered by Macquarie Capital), Jeff Bezos, Sequoia Capital, Lightspeed, Coatue, Felicis, and others, the company is valued at over $14 billion. Offices in Pittsburgh, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Bengaluru.

 

 

Follow some of Skild AI’s latest news on LinkedIn, X.com, Facebook and YouTube.

 

 

Follow Zebra on its Blog, LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.

 

 

 

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260415518240/en/

 

Business Wire India

Hyuga Hirano (United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, and collaborative graduate student at the National Museum of Nature and Science (President: Makoto Manabe)); Takashi Kikuchi (Application Laboratories, Global Product Unit, Rigaku Corporation, a group company of Rigaku Holdings); Futa Sakakibara (Technical Advisor, R&D Support Division, Asterism G.K.); Yoshinori Murai (Senior curator, Department of Botany, National Museum of Nature and Science); and colleagues have successfully determined the structures of more than ten phenolic glycosides from a tiny sample of an alpine plant flower by developing a trace analysis method. This achievement is particularly significant because alpine plants are typically small and difficult to collect due to legal, ethical, and environmental considerations, resulting in extremely limited sample availability. Determining the structures of numerous chemical components from such a small sample represents a pioneering research accomplishment.

 

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260415694539/en/

 

 

 

The method developed by the research team can be applied not only to the analysis of plant chemical constituents, but also to the exploration of underutilized resources across a wide range of fields, including physics, agriculture, and pharmaceutical sciences.

 

The research results were published online on February 22, 2026, in the online Journal of Molecular Structure. Related studies employing similar techniques have also been published in Biochemical Systematics and Ecology.

 

 

Research Summary:

 

 

• A method of isolating and crystallizing trace chemical components was established.
• Structural analysis of crystallized components was successfully achieved using analytical techniques such as single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD) and microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED).
• Using this approach, structural determination of phenolic compounds was successfully conducted in alpine plants for which research samples are difficult to obtain, revealing a diverse range of phenolic compounds present in the flowers of Diapensia lapponica.
• During the development of this method, related studies also led to the discovery of components associated with chemical adaptive mechanisms and phylogenetic characteristics in plants.

 

1. Background and Results

 

Alpine plants are distributed throughout Japan’s alpine and subalpine zones. To withstand the environmental stresses characteristic of alpine environments, such as intense ultraviolet radiation and low temperatures, these plants adapt by synthesizing and accumulating chemical compounds known as phenolic compounds. Many phenolic compounds are also recognized as potential natural resources. As alpine plants remain less well studied than lowland plants, further research in this field is particularly anticipated. At the same time, the harsh environments in which alpine plants grow result in small plant size. In addition, their distribution is restricted to high-altitude regions, making them relatively rare. Even in academic research, legal, permitting, and ethical considerations require that plant collection be strictly limited to minimize human disturbance to alpine ecosystems. Consequently, the amount of sample material available for structural analysis is extremely limited.

 

 

The research team had been developing a method for analyzing the components of trace samples. In this study, using a very small sample of flowers of the alpine plant Diapensia lapponica, the team isolated and purified individual components using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and determined their molecular weights by quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (QTOF-MS). The team then developed a method to optimize the crystallization of each component.

 

 

By applying analytical techniques such as single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD) and microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED), which enable structural determination from crystals approximately one hundredth the size required by conventional methods, the team successfully determined the structures of trace components from extremely small samples. The results demonstrated that D. lapponica, which thrives in harsh alpine environments, contains flavonoids and other phenolic compounds, including quercetin glycosides. These compounds have attracted attention in recent years as functional ingredients with potential health benefits.

 

 

In related research published in Biochemical Systematics and Ecology, the research team also succeeded in isolating and determining the structures of numerous components from the leaves of the same plant, discovering compounds that contribute to ultraviolet protection and antioxidant activity. The study further revealed that the accumulation of some components differs geographically, from the Chubu region of Honshu to Hokkaido. The present study represents an advancement of these earlier findings.

 

 

2. Notes

 

 

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC): An analytical technique that separates and detects components based on differences in their interactions with a mobile phase (solvent) and a stationary phase (column). The preparative HPLC system shown in Figure 2 was used to isolate each component.

 

 

Quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (QTOF-MS): A mass spectrometry technique that combines quadrupole and time-of-flight analyzers to achieve high mass accuracy, resolution, and sensitivity. The LC-QTOF-MS system shown in Figure 2 integrates HPLC with QTOF-MS.

 

 

Single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD): A method in which sample crystals are irradiated with an X-ray beam, and the resulting diffraction pattern is used to directly determine the three-dimensional molecular structure.

 

 

Microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED): A structural analysis technique that uses an electron beam instead of X-rays, enabling structure determination from much smaller, submicrometer-sized crystals.

 

 

3. Future Directions

 

 

In developing the analytical method described here, the research team used samples from the pincushion plant, an alpine species with a relatively wide geographical distribution. The team is currently applying this method to the analysis of rarer plant species, including species endemic to Japan and endangered species.

 

 

This approach is expected to facilitate the identification of trace components in plants that have previously been difficult to analyze, as well as the exploration of novel and underutilized biological resources. Furthermore, the method has broad applicability across diverse fields, including physics, agricultural science, and pharmaceutical sciences, and is expected to serve as an important source of foundational information for both basic and applied research.

 

 

4. Presented Papers

 

 

Title: Sustainable micro-scale identification of phenolic glycosides in alpine flower through single-crystal structure analysis
Authors: Hyuga Hirano, Takashi Kikuchi, Futa Sakakibara, Yoshinori Murai
Publication: Journal of Molecular Structure, 145740 (online February 22, 2026)

 

 

Related paper
Title: Phenolic compound diversity reflecting phylogeographic structure of Diapensia lapponica subsp. obovata (Diapensiaceae) populations in Japan
Authors: Hyuga Hirano, Toshiyo Kato, Keiichi Noguchi, Hisahiro Kai, Takuro Ito, Takashi Kikuchi, Futa Sakakibara, Yoshinori Murai
Publication: Biochemical Systematics and Ecology, 125: 105168 (online November 20, 2025; scheduled for print release in April 2026)

 

 

This research was supported by a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI Grant Numbers JP23K05503 and JP24KJ1011, and “Integrated Research on Extreme Environments” of the National Museum of Nature and Science, Japan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260415694539/en/

 

Business Wire India

Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, marks World Art Day 2026 through their Pan-African “Art and Fashion with Purpose” community, established by Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation. On this occasion, the Merck Foundation also proudly celebrates the 6-year anniversary of this impactful community, which continues to harness the power of art and fashion to address critical health and social issues in Africa and beyond.

Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej (Ret.), CEO of Merck Foundation and One of 100 Most Influential Africans 2019 – 2025 shared, “I am happy to mark World Art Day 2026, and I firmly believe that art, fashion, and media are powerful tools for raising awareness and addressing critical social and health issues. We also proudly celebrate the 6-year anniversary of our ‘Fashion and Art with Purpose’ Community, established in 2020. Through this dynamic community, we continue to raise awareness on important health and social issues like breaking infertility stigma, supporting girl education, ending FGM & child marriage, stopping gender based violence, women empowerment and diabetes, hypertension & cancer awareness, while empowering artists across Africa and beyond to use their day-to-day creative work as a powerful tool for awareness, education, and driving a meaningful cultural shift within their communities.

Our community today brings together talented members from more than 25 countries. I am proud of what we’ve built together and the positive social impact it continues to create.”

Merck Foundation has launched many initiatives including their first-ever pan-African TV program, ‘Our Africa by Merck Foundation’, which uniquely highlights pressing issues across the continent through the voices of their ‘Fashion and Art with Purpose’ community.

‘Our Africa by Merck Foundation’ is a pan African TV program that is conceptualized, produced, directed, and co-hosted by Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation to feature African Fashion Designers, Singers, and prominent experts from various domains with the aim to raise awareness and create a culture shift across Africa. The program has captured the attention and hearts of millions of viewers across Africa.

“Our Africa” has been broadcast on prime TV stations of many countries, and is currently on social media handles of Social Media handles of Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube) and Merck Foundation (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube).

Watch the Promo of the Program here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RIoIMbFd2Q

Beyond Our Africa TV Program, Merck Foundation in partnership with The First Ladies of Africa announces annually 8 important Awards, under two themes, for Media, Fashion Designers, Filmmakers and Musicians/ Singers, and potential young African talents in these fields. The themes of the two categories of awards are: 1) Breaking Infertility Stigma, Support Girls’ Education, End Child Marriage, End FGM, Stopping GBV and/ or Women Empowerment at all levels and 2) promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.

Entries for the 2026 Awards can be sent to: submit@merck-foundation.com

A significant part of Merck Foundation’s “Art and Fashion with Purpose” Community is made up of the talented winners of Merck Foundation annual Fashion, Film, and Song Awards.

“I am proud and delighted to share that in partnership with my dear sisters, The First Ladies of Africa, we have so far recognized and celebrated 175 exceptional talents as our winners from 25 countries through our Fashion, Film, and Song Awards. Each winner has become a valued member of our ‘Fashion and Art with Purpose’ Community. Together, they continue to use their voice, art, and influence to spark meaningful conversation, challenge deeply rooted perceptions, and raise awareness about sensitive social and health issues across their communities,” added Dr. Rasha Kelej.

The 175 winners include 102 Fashion Award winners, 53 Song Award winners, and 20 Film Award winners, selected for their outstanding creativity and impact from 25 countries including Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, CAR, Congo-Brazzaville, DRC, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Also, as a part of the Community Awareness Programs, Merck Foundation has created over 30 songs with many African Artists, in English, French, Portuguese and also local African languages to address critical issues like breaking infertility stigma, empowering women, supporting girl education, ending child marriage, diabetes awareness, promoting a healthy lifestyle, and more.

Merck Foundation in partnership with The First Ladies of Africa has also launched 9 Children’s Storybooks in five languages – English, French, Portuguese, Spanish and Swahili. Additionally, Merck Foundation has adapted their storybooks to create 6 Awareness Animation films in five languages – English, French, Portuguese, Spanish and Swahili, with the purpose of reaching out to the communities to raise awareness on the important issues with an aim of instilling change at grassroot levels.

To listen to the Merck Foundation songs, read Merck Foundation storybooks and watch Merck Foundation animation films, click on the below links:

https://merck-foundation.com/our-programs/Merck-Foundation-More-Than-a-Mother/Local-Songs-and-Children-Stories

https://merck-foundation.com/videos/animation-films-by-merck-foundation 

 

Click the link below to Download Merck Foundation App

https://www.merck-foundation.com/MF_StoreRedirection

 

Join the conversation on our social media platforms below and let your voice be heard

 

Facebook: Merck Foundation
X: @MerckFoundation
YouTube: MerckFoundation
Instagram: Merck Foundation
Threads: Merck Foundation
Flickr: Merck Foundation
Website: www.merckfoundation.com

Business Wire India

BPTP Limited announces the award of the construction contract for its residential development, Downtown 66 in Sector 66, Gurugram, to NCC Limited.

 

The contract, valued at approximately INR 488 Crore, pertains to civil structure and finishing with a total construction area of approximately 1,79,302 Sq.mtr. The scope of work includes towers, and other amenities, aligned with approved project plans and defined project specifications.

 

Commenting on the development, Manik Malik, CEO & President, BPTP Limited, said: “BPTP has awarded the construction contract for Downtown 66 to NCC Limited an established player in the construction sector. This engagement reflects our strategic emphasis on partnering with seasoned contractors for project execution, aligned with design imperatives and project requirements.”

 

Located along Golf Course Extension Road, Downtown 66 forms part of BPTP’s development portfolio in Gurugram. The project is planned with a focus on modern design, holistic and multi-generational living, sustainability, connectivity, and occupier requirements, and is being developed in compliance with applicable laws, approvals and regulatory framework.

 

Downtown 66 is envisioned to bring together design-led planning, sustainability discipline and engineering integration. The project includes collaboration with global and domestic consultants, including AEDAS Singapore (Principal Architect & Interior Design), Coopers Hill Singapore (Landscape), Nulty Studio Dubai (Lighting), End Point Dubai (Signage), GreenTree (Green Building), Manish Consultant (Structural Proof), BES (Façade), RSMS (Building Bye-laws), ATN Consultants (Kitchen Design), Sanelac (MEP), RWDI (Wind Tunnel), and Proion (Fire Safety). The development is being planned in alignment with India’s highest seismic considerations of Zone V for high-rise structures, viz-a-viz Zone IV as stipulated by Indian Codes and has received IGBC Platinum pre-certification, based on current design parameters.

 

NCC Limited has extensive experience across residential, commercial and infrastructure developments and will lead project execution in line with the defined scope of work. NCC is also engaged by other real estate developers in the region for their marquee residential and commercial projects.

Business Wire India

Omdia forecasts that V (formerly VIDAA), the smart TV operating system developed by Hisense, is set to overtake LG’s webOS in European shipments in 2025, signaling a significant shift in the competitive dynamics of the smart TV market.

 

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260415032885/en/

 

 

 

VIDAA’s rapid growth has been driven by the strong momentum of Hisense and its expanding footprint across Europe. The company has significantly increased its market share in recent years, supported by competitive pricing, broader distribution, and high-profile global marketing campaigns.

 

This growth is now translating into platform scale. Omdia data shows VIDAA steadily closing the gap with LG’s webOS, with shipments expected to surpass it this year.

 

 

“The European TV OS market is undergoing a structural shift,” said Maria Rua Aguete, Head of Media and Entertainment at Omdia. “Chinese manufacturers like Hisense and TCL are not only gaining share in hardware, but are now scaling their own platforms, challenging the long-standing dominance of Korean players.”

 

 

While Android TV continues to lead the market, benefiting from broad adoption across multiple brands, the competitive landscape is becoming increasingly fragmented. Both LG’s webOS and Samsung’s Tizen have seen gradual declines in share as alternative ecosystems gain traction.

 

 

The rise of VIDAA reflects a broader industry trend, with Chinese TV brands gaining ground on Korean manufacturers in both shipment volumes and platform influence, reshaping the smart TV ecosystem in Europe.

 

 

“Samsung and LG have built large installed bases over the past decade, reaching tens of millions of households,” said David Tett, Principal Analyst at Omdia. “However, Chinese vendors are rapidly expanding their installed base, driven by strong shipment growth across Europe.”

 

 

This increasing fragmentation presents new challenges for advertisers and content providers. As audiences spread across multiple platforms, achieving scale will require more sophisticated, multi-platform strategies.

 

 

At the same time, new entrants such as Titan OS are gaining traction, highlighting how quickly the European TV operating system landscape is evolving.

 

 

ABOUT OMDIA

 

 

Omdia, part of TechTarget, Inc. d/b/a Informa TechTarget (Nasdaq: TTGT), is a technology research and advisory group. Our deep knowledge of tech markets grounded in real conversations with industry leaders and hundreds of thousands of data points, make our market intelligence our clients’ strategic advantage. From R&D to ROI, we identify the greatest opportunities and move the industry forward.

 

 

 

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260415032885/en/

 

Business Wire India

Riskified (NYSE: RSKD), a leader in ecommerce fraud and risk intelligence, today announced an innovation-led partnership with Rue Gilt Groupe (RGG), a premium and luxury off-price ecommerce company, to implement risk-aware identity intelligence to transform RGG’s customer experiences. By integrating Riskified’s real-time identity risk scores directly into customer service workflows, RGG is enabling agents to instantly distinguish between loyal members and professional abusers, delivering a better experience for trusted customers while surgically mitigating losses from fraud and abuse.

 

For years, Customer experience (CX) leaders have faced a difficult compromise: offer instant resolution to drive loyalty or implement rigid rules to stop the rising tide of fraudulent refund claims and return abuse. This challenge is amplified by the rise of Generative AI, which has scaled the opportunity for exploitation through synthetic identities, doctored photos, voice spoofing, and increasingly persuasive social engineering scripts.

 

 

Riskified identity intelligence addresses this gap by extending the company’s policy abuse prevention capabilities, including Policy Protect, into customer service workflows, directly within the CRM or service console agents use. By leveraging an identity engine that parses more than 5 billion historical transactions across our global merchant network, this identity clustering solution provides a high-confidence view of the unique individual behind every email, order, account, address, claim, and phone number. Of identities with multiple claims, 13% have activity across more than one merchant, and those identities are associated with 7x more accounts on average than identities with no claims. This makes a network view of identity critical for detecting repeat and coordinated abuse.

 

 

When a customer contacts a service center with a refund claim or a high-risk request such as a package reroute, agents are provided with a real-time identity risk score. This gives agents immediate visibility into risk signals and the trustworthiness of the individual behind the request, helping them make faster and more accurate decisions in the moment. As more large enterprises deploy AI agents on the front lines of customer service, real-time identity risk becomes even more important. It helps prevent manipulation and abuse while reducing false positives that can negatively impact customer satisfaction.

 

 

“When you know exactly who you’re dealing with, you no longer have to choose between protecting the business and delighting the customer. Riskified’s identity intelligence improves our ability to do both,” said Maria Vargas, SVP of Member Experiences at Rue Gilt Groupe. “By bringing Riskified’s risk and identity insights directly into our Zendesk service console, we are giving our frontline teams the confidence to fast-track our most valuable members for instant resolution, while applying the necessary friction to deter serial abusers who hide behind fake or stolen accounts.”

 

 

Riskified identity intelligence is already delivering significant operational impact. Merchants using Riskified’s Policy Protect solution have seen up to a 30% reduction in complaint rates and in several instances a 7-figure reduction in refund and return costs by automating decisions for low-risk identities and providing clear guidance on higher-risk cases.

 

 

This reflects how concentrated policy abuse can be. Using Riskified Policy Protect, Ring, Amazon’s smart home security system, was able to determine that 600 individuals were responsible for $4M+ in abuse each year, with some committing as much as $150K annually. This demonstrates how a small group of repeat offenders can drive outsized losses. Read Amazon Ring’s success story here.

 

 

“The future of retail hinges on delivering fast, exceptional experiences to loyal customers while protecting against increasingly sophisticated abuse,” said Jeff Otto, Chief Marketing Officer at Riskified. “Our partnership with Rue Gilt Groupe represents the next evolution of CX. With risk-aware identity intelligence, service teams, both human and AI, can instantly reward trusted customers and accelerate resolution, while stopping bad actors. Every interaction is powered by network-scale intelligence to maximize lifetime value and prevent leakage.”

 

 

Join the webinar, The Risk-Aware CX Revolution, live on Tuesday, April 23, 2026, or on demand. Learn how Riskified identity intelligence gives customer service teams real-time insight into who they’re interacting with, helping merchants fast-track trusted customers, block serial abusers, and protect revenue, and how Rue Gilt Groupe transformed its customer service workflow.

 

 

About Rue Gilt Groupe

 

 

Rue Gilt Groupe is the premier off-price e-commerce portfolio company, connecting more than 35 million members with coveted designers at an exceptional value. Two complementary brands, Rue La La and Gilt, utilize world-class merchandising, technology and marketing to strategically support our brand partners and inspire members daily. Our approach to retail brings excitement to online shopping and the best-in-class experience that today’s customers demand.

 

 

About Riskified

 

 

Riskified (NYSE:RSKD) empowers businesses to unleash ecommerce growth by outsmarting risk. Many of the world’s biggest brands and publicly traded companies selling online rely on Riskified for guaranteed protection against chargebacks, to fight fraud and policy abuse at scale, and to improve customer retention. Developed and managed by the largest team of ecommerce risk analysts, data scientists, and researchers, Riskified’s AI-powered fraud and risk intelligence platform analyzes the individual behind each interaction to provide real-time decisions and robust identity-based insights. Learn more at riskified.com.

 

 

 

 

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Business Wire India

 

Following its 2026 Annual Member Summit, AMGTA today released Additive Manufacturing in Resource-Efficient Manufacturing Systems, an independent report establishing how additive manufacturing should be evaluated, communicated, and deployed across part, system, and enterprise levels.

 

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The report establishes a structural argument for how additive manufacturing should be evaluated — not at the part level alone, but across part, system, and enterprise levels where AM’s most significant advantages in resource efficiency, supply chain resilience, and capital allocation actually materialize. It draws on six years of sustained observation across both sides of the AM ecosystem — technology developers and manufacturing users — producing findings that neither side could reach from its own position. It is designed for use in investor presentations, policy discussions, procurement conversations, and organizational decision-making.

 

The report was presented to and discussed with AMGTA’s global membership at the 2026 Annual Member Summit, held April 13 in Boston, alongside the companion Strategy 2030 document.

 

 

Standard cost comparisons of additive manufacturing against conventional manufacturing capture the same direct production costs on both sides while systematically excluding costs that conventional manufacturing embeds as invisible background — tooling capital committed before demand is known, inventory carrying costs, minimum order quantity waste, and obsolescence write-offs. The result is a structural bias that makes AM appear more expensive than a complete evaluation would show.

 

 

The report identifies this as a framing and measurement problem, not a technology problem, and provides the evaluative structure organizations need to conduct complete comparisons across all three levels at which AM creates value.

 

 

As the only global, independent organization focused exclusively on the intersection of additive manufacturing and resource-efficient manufacturing systems — with no equipment to sell, no materials to promote, and no national interest to advance — AMGTA occupies a structural position no other organization holds. This report could not have been produced by a technology provider without reading as advocacy, or by a manufacturer without reading as justification. It required the vantage point of both sides simultaneously.

 

 

“The technology is proven. But the current adoption curve doesn’t reflect it—and one major reason is that the industry has been evaluating AM against a standard that was never designed to capture what AM actually changes,” said Sherri Monroe, Executive Director of AMGTA. “This report is the result of six years of watching that gap play out across industries, applications, and geographies. It is the argument the industry has needed and that only an organization with no commercial interest could make.”

 

 

“When I founded AMGTA, the goal was to create something the industry didn’t have: an independent, non-commercial voice that could make the case for AM’s value in the rooms where the real decisions get made,” said Brian Neff, Chair of the AMGTA Board of Directors. “This report is that voice. It makes the argument we’ve been building toward—complete, rigorous, and designed to hold up under scrutiny from finance, procurement, and policy. This is what six years of membership made possible.”

 

 

The report is available at www.AMGTA.org. The companion Strategy 2030 document—What We Do and Why Membership Matters—is available to AMGTA members.

 

 

About the Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association (AMGTA)

 

 

The Additive Manufacturing Green Trade Association (AMGTA) is the only global, independent organization focused exclusively on the intersection of additive manufacturing and resource-efficient manufacturing systems. Founded in 2019, AMGTA convenes technology developers, manufacturing users, and ecosystem partners across five continents to establish evidence-based understanding of where and how additive manufacturing strengthens resource and operational performance. AMGTA has no equipment to sell, no materials to promote, and no national interest to advance. www.AMGTA.org

 

 

 

 

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Business Wire India

• A new report highlights that 31.9% of cigarettes consumed in the Latin America and Canada region are from the illicit market, making it a global hotspot for illicit cigarette consumption, according to Philip Morris International internal estimates and other third-party reports.
• An estimated 77 billion illicit cigarettes were consumed in 2025 across the 11 countries analyzed in the study, resulting in an estimated USD 8.5 billion in lost tax revenues during the year.

 

Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM) today emphasizes the importance of effective policymaking in responding to the growing illicit tobacco trade in the Region of the Americas (excluding the United States), where almost one out of every three cigarettes consumed across 11 countries in the region comes from illegal sources.

 

The results of the study, conducted by KPMG LLP on behalf of Philip Morris Products S.A., reflect that illicit trade is a defining feature of the regional cigarette market. In 2025, an estimated 77 billion illicit cigarettes were consumed across the region, representing 31.9% of total cigarette consumption. The scale of illicit trade highlights the growth of an unregulated parallel economy: the Region of the Americas (excluding the U.S.) has the highest rate of illicit cigarette consumption worldwide, with an incidence more than twice the global average of 15%, according to PMI internal estimates based on industry reports and third-party research studies.

 

 

“Reports like this are relevant not only to highlight the illicit cigarette trade problem, but also to invite authorities to search for solutions, which promote technological innovation, intelligence gathering, and data-driven action,” said Marco Hannappel, President, Latin America & Canada. “Philip Morris International believes partnering with governments can help tackle this problem, and that balanced regulations allowing commercialization of new smoke-free products can end smoking, which would in turn indirectly decrease illicit cigarette trade,” he added.

 

 

Illicit consumption remains resilient and structurally high across the region, showing that extreme regulations and steep and abrupt tax increases can boost the illicit tobacco trade.

 

 

While some governments across the region have imposed heavier taxes and regulations on tobacco products, the current state of illicit trade in the region shows that demand for cheaper products is not disappearing. Instead, it is shifting toward illegal markets, where consumers can find a wide array of illicit cigarettes.

 

 

The implications extend beyond the tobacco sector, as the report estimates that illicit cigarette consumption resulted in an estimated USD 8.5 billion in lost tax revenues across the region in 2025.

 

 

“These are resources that could otherwise fund public goods such as healthcare, education, infrastructure, and enforcement capacity. Instead, they are captured by an illicit market,” said Hannappel.

 

 

Illicit trade is not only a fiscal issue – it is also a public health, security, and institutional challenge. Illegal products bypass controls, expose consumers to unknown risks, and weaken the effectiveness of regulation.

 

 

In several countries, illicit trade has reached levels that displace the legal market. Brazil remains the largest illicit cigarette market in the surveyed region by volume and fiscal impact, while in countries such as Panama and Ecuador illicit products account for more than 80% of consumption, illustrating how illicit trade expands when enforcement, regulation, and market conditions fall out of alignment.

 

 

Philip Morris Products S.A. commissioned KPMG LLP to develop the analysis to contribute data-driven evidence to policymakers, stakeholders, and enforcement authorities across 11 markets in the Region of the Americas, with the aim of supporting more informed public discussion and more effective policy and enforcement responses.

 

 

The 11 countries studied for this analysis are Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico and Panama.

 

 

The report was presented at an event hosted by the Council of the Americas (COA) in Washington, D.C., where experts from government, academia, and the private sector discussed the scale of the challenge and the need for coordinated responses.

 

 

Key Report Findings:

 

 

1. Almost a third of cigarettes consumed in Latin America and Canada are illicit. In 202531.9% of all cigarettes consumed in the region were illicit.
2. A total of 77 billion illicit cigarettes were consumed in 2025 in the 11 countries included in the report across Latin America and Canada. Public enforcement reporting consistently links illicit cigarettes to wider criminal economies, including other contraband and illicit activities.
3. Illicit trade is draining public finances at scale. An estimated USD 8.5 billion in tax revenues was lost in 2025 due to illicit cigarette consumption.
4. Illicit trade proved more resilient than the legal market. Illicit cigarette use declined much less than total cigarette consumption in 2025.
5. Brazil is the largest illicit cigarette market in the region. In 2025, it accounted for 41.8 billion illicit cigarettes, representing 54% of total illicit consumption across the 11 markets.
6. Panama and Ecuador have reached critical levels of illicit consumption. Illicit cigarettes account for approximately 89% of total consumption in Panama and 84% in Ecuador.
7. Illicit Whites (cigarettes that are in most cases legally produced in a country, but with the sole intention of being smuggled into other markets) dominate the illegal market. They represent 73% of all illicit cigarettes, equivalent to approximately 56.5 billion cigarettes.

 

A detailed overview of the results, country profiles and methodology of the study is available here.

 

For more information about PMI’s illicit trade prevention efforts, visit PMI.com.

 

 

Note to editors

 

 

Definitions of illicit cigarette categories, as detailed in the KPMG report:

 

 

• Counterfeit: “Cigarettes that are illegally manufactured and sold by a party other than the original trademark owner.”
• Illicit whites: “Cigarettes that are usually manufactured legally in one country/market but which the evidence suggests have been smuggled across-borders during their transit to the destination market under review where they have limited or no legal distribution and are sold without payment of tax.”
• C&C: “Counterfeit and contraband, including illicit whites. Contraband refers to genuine products that have been either bought in a lower-tax country and which exceed legal border limits or acquired without taxes for export purposes to be illegally re-sold (for financial profit) in a higher priced market.”
• Other C&C: “Other C&C comprises contraband which does not fall within the Illicit Whites definition. It is often duty paid product. There may also be counterfeit of brands that are not trademark-owned by participant manufacturers.”

 

Philip Morris International: A Global Smoke-Free Champion

 

Philip Morris International is a leading international consumer goods company, actively delivering a smoke-free future and evolving its portfolio for the long term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company’s current product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, nicotine pouch and e-vapor products. Our smoke-free products are available for sale in over 105 markets, and as of December 31, 2025, PMI estimates they were used by over 43 million legal-age consumers around the world, many of whom have moved away from cigarettes or significantly reduced their consumption. The smoke-free business accounted for 41.5% of PMI’s full year 2025 total net revenues. Since 2008, PMI has invested over $16 billion to develop, scientifically substantiate and commercialize innovative smoke-free products for adults who would otherwise continue to smoke, with the goal of completely ending the sale of cigarettes. This includes the building of world-class scientific assessment capabilities, notably in the areas of pre-clinical systems toxicology, clinical and behavioral research, as well as post-market studies. Following a robust science-based review, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized the marketing of Swedish Match’s General snus and ZYN nicotine pouches and versions of PMI’s IQOS devices and consumables – the first-ever such authorizations in their respective categories. Versions of IQOS devices and consumables and General snus also obtained the first-ever Modified Risk Tobacco Product authorizations from the FDA. With a strong foundation and significant expertise in life sciences, PMI has a long-term ambition to expand into wellness areas. References to “PMI”, “we”, “our” and “us” mean Philip Morris International Inc., and its subsidiaries. For more information, please visit www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com.

 

 

 

 

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