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Business Wire India

 

• Esri and RoboGarden have signed an MOU to explore strategic collaboration that broadens access to modern GIS and geomatics education.
• RoboGarden, a Canadian EdTech company, offers gamified and scalable digital learning solutions for academic institutions, governments, and industry.
• The MOU outlines joint exploration of academic pathways, improved regional coordination, and potential creation of a Geospatial & Geomatics Virtual Academy.
• The agreement focuses on enhancing digital learning delivery, expanding localized e-learning opportunities, and supporting global workforce development in high-demand technology fields.
• To stay informed about Esri’s education initiatives and resources, visit esri.com/en-us/industries/education/overview.

 

Esri, the global leader in geographic information system (GIS) technology, today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with RoboGarden Inc. The MOU is aimed at expanding geospatial and geomatics education, improving academic collaboration, and strengthening global workforce readiness.

 

Specifically, this new agreement establishes a framework for Esri and RoboGarden to evaluate new approaches for scalable digital learning, regional responsiveness, and curriculum-aligned academic pathways. The MOU’s four strategic objectives include: creation of a geospatial and geomatics virtual academy, stronger regional execution and responsiveness, academic partnership pathways, and localized esri e-learning opportunities. Organizations across industries will benefit from this initiative, such as business, government agencies, academia, as well as individual learners seeking job-ready skills in GIS.

 

 

“Esri’s MOU with RoboGarden creates an important opportunity to explore new models for academic collaboration, digital learning delivery, and regional access that can help prepare the next generation of geospatial professionals,” said Esri President, Jack Dangermond.

 

 

“This MOU represents a strategic step toward reimagining how hands on and practical geospatial/geomatics skills are developed and delivered at scale,” said Mohamed Elhabiby, Co-Founder and President of RoboGarden Inc. “By exploring a virtual academy on the RoboGarden platform, deeper academic collaboration, and localized digital learning pathways, we are laying the foundation for accessible, practical, and globally relevant GIS education that better serves institutions, industries, and learners worldwide.”

 

 

To learn more about Esri’s education solutions and geospatial learning resources, visit esri.com/en-us/industries/education/overview.

 

 

About Esri

 

 

Esri, the global market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping, helps customers unlock the full potential of data to improve operational and business results. Founded in 1969 in Redlands, California, USA, Esri software is deployed in hundreds of thousands of organizations globally, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, nonprofit institutions, and universities. Esri has regional offices, international distributors, and partners providing local support in over 100 countries on six continents. With its pioneering commitment to geospatial technology and analytics, Esri engineers the most innovative solutions that leverage a geographic approach to solving some of the world’s most complex problems by placing them in the crucial context of location. Visit us at esri.com.

 

 

Copyright © 2026 Esri. All rights reserved. Esri, the Esri Globe logo, The Science of Where, ArcGIS, esri.com, and @esri.com are trademarks, service marks, or registered marks of Esri in the United States, the European Union, or certain other jurisdictions. Other companies and products or services mentioned herein may be trademarks, service marks, or registered marks of their respective mark owners.

 

 

 

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260331901628/en/

 

Business Wire India

Orient Electric Limited, part of the USD 3 billion CKA Birla Group, today unveiled Aero O2, a first-of-its-kind lifestyle innovation that evolves the ceiling fan from simple air movement to active air revitalization. Powered by patented Bio-Oxy Plasma ION+ Technology, Aero O2 is India’s first oxygen-enriching fan designed to create a fresher, more energizing indoor atmosphere for modern urban homes.

Urban consumers today spend more time indoors than ever before, often in enclosed, air-conditioned spaces where the air can feel heavy. Clubbed with challenges of urban deforestation and plummeting air quality, this presents a health hazard that deeply concerns today’s consumers. Aero O2 addresses this everyday reality by enriching indoor oxygen levels to improve breathing comfort, reduce fatigue, and support overall vitality. Powered by patented Bio-Oxy Plasma ION+ Technology, it releases active ions that break down pollutants such as PM2.5, smoke, and microbes to create a cleaner, oxygen-enriched environment.

Talking about this innovation, Ravindra Singh Negi, Managing Director and CEO of Orient Electric, said, “Urban consumers today are deeply concerned about the invisible health risks inside their homes, from toxic gases to declining oxygen levels in air-conditioned rooms. They are looking for solutions that don’t just ‘filter’ the air but actively improve its quality without the hassle of constant maintenance. Aero O2 is our direct response to this demand. By combining high performance cooling with patented Bio-Oxy Plasma technology, we are addressing a vital gap in the market- the need for a simple, zero maintenance way to detoxify and oxygenate indoor spaces 24/7.”

Tested by a NABL accredited laboratory, the fan has demonstrated results to raise oxygen levels by up to 90% in 8 hours and reduce toxic gases such as NO₂, SO₂, and CO₂ by up to 75%. It further neutralizes up to 99.99% airborne microbes and improves the Indoor Air Quality Index by up to 60%.

Powered by a 38W BLDC motor and 1200 mm aerodynamic blades, it delivers 250 CMM air with strong, uniform, and whisper quiet performance. Its contemporary design complements modern interiors, while features such as an adjustable canopy, Point Anywhere remote and reverse rotation winter mode add everyday convenience. The Bio Oxy Plasma ION+ system can also operate independently of air circulation function, ensuring continuous oxygen enrichment across seasons, in air-conditioned settings, or even colder months without maintenance.

With Aero O2, Orient Electric is redefining the ceiling fan category, moving from air circulation to air transformation, and reinforcing its commitment to premium, technology-led innovation for evolving Indian homes.

Business Wire India

WHOOP, the human performance company, today announced it has raised $575 million in Series G funding at a $10.1 billion valuation, advancing its global expansion and long-term vision for personalized health. The round was led by Collaborative Fund and includes global participation from 2PointZero Group, Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), Mubadala Investment Company, Abbott, Mayo Clinic, Macquarie Capital (entities administered by Macquarie Capital), Glade Brook, B-Flexion, IVP, Foundry, Accomplice, Affinity Partners, Promus Ventures, and Bullhound Capital alongside a group of prominent global athletes and individual investors.

 

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260331399622/en/

 

 

 

Individual investors in the round include Cristiano Ronaldo, LeBron James, Rory McIlroy, Reggie Miller, Niall Horan, Karen Wazen, Virgil van Dijk, Mathieu van der Poel, and Shane Lowry, underscoring the deep connection between WHOOP and elite performance, health, and global culture.

 

This funding comes at a defining moment for WHOOP and the future of health. Chronic disease is rising globally, while many healthcare systems remain built for reactive care. At the same time, advances in AI and continuous biometric data are enabling a fundamentally new approach that predicts risk, guides behavior, and improves health in real time. WHOOP has spent over a decade building toward this moment. With this investment, the company will accelerate global expansion and scale its platform as a new standard for personalized, preventive health.

 

 

“Our raise brings together the world’s most sophisticated investors, leading health institutions, and iconic global athletes behind the mission to unlock human performance and healthspan,” said Will Ahmed, Founder and CEO of WHOOP. “We are building the personal health platform that people use to improve their health and livelihood.”

 

 

Accelerating International Growth

 

 

WHOOP is experiencing rapid global momentum amid an extraordinary period of growth:

 

 

• The company now has over 2.5 million members around the world
• In 2025, bookings grew 103% year-over-year, exiting the year at a $1.1B run rate
• In 2025, WHOOP operated cash flow positive
• WHOOP is hiring for over 600 new roles around the world this year to support research and development and international expansion

 

Proceeds from this Series G financing will fuel further U.S. growth and international expansion across Europe, the GCC, Latin America, and Asia.

 

Building the Preeminent Global Health Platform

 

 

This financing will accelerate WHOOP in building the world’s leading personal health platform – an intelligent, unified system designed to extend healthspan, optimize performance, and prevent disease before it begins.

 

 

Abbott, a global healthcare leader, joins as a strategic investor. With a broad portfolio spanning diagnostics, medical devices, nutrition, and generic medicines, Abbott brings deep healthcare expertise, scale, and a track record of health tech innovation, creating solutions that are more responsive, connected, and personalized. WHOOP and Abbott share a commitment to empowering people to take control of their health.

 

 

Powered by more than 24 billion hours of physiological data and purpose-built AI models, WHOOP delivers predictive, personalized health insights. Members open the app an average of over eight times per day – almost three times higher than other screenless wearables – to understand how they slept, whether they are recovered, how hard to push or pull back, and how daily behaviors like training, nutrition, and stress are impacting their performance and long-term health. These insights go beyond sleep and fitness, helping members identify early warning signs, reduce risk, and take action that can prevent serious health events. From world leaders and executives to elite athletes and artists, WHOOP has become an essential platform for those committed to performing and living at their highest level.

 

 

“WHOOP has become one of the most important tools I use to support my long-term health,” said Cristiano Ronaldo, a WHOOP investor and global ambassador. “I am proud to participate in this round because I believe in the future we are building together. No other company has created a health platform this powerful that people are proud to wear.”

 

 

To learn more about the company’s vision for the future of health, click here. Press materials, including imagery, are available here.

 

 

About WHOOP

 

 

WHOOP delivers a wearable membership to help people live healthier, longer lives and unlock extraordinary potential. Through a powerful 24/7 wearable with a 14-day battery life, WHOOP provides intelligent health guidance across sleep, recovery, strain, fitness, and longevity. The health platform includes an FDA-cleared ECG, a Healthspan longevity feature, Blood Pressure Insights, and Advanced Labs blood biomarker analysis. Research shows that people who wear WHOOP daily log more than 90 additional minutes of exercise per week, get over two extra hours of sleep, and have 10% higher heart rate variability.

 

 

Trusted by millions of members worldwide including athletes, global leaders, military operators, executives, and artists, WHOOP has become a modern symbol of disciplined, intentional living. WHOOP was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in Boston. The company has raised more than $900 million in venture capital, ships to 56 countries, and operates in six languages. To learn more or start a one-month free trial, visit whoop.com and connect with WHOOP on Instagram, X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

 

 

 

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260331399622/en/

 

Business Wire India

AGEasy, the consumer products brand under Antara Senior Care—India’s most comprehensive and fully integrated senior-care ecosystem—has introduced the country’s first adult diaper pants featuring Smart Liquid Distribution™ technology. Re-engineered specifically for seniors, it features a unique three-layer design that offers measurably improved absorption over ordinary adult diapers, reduces sagging and delivers more reliable protection for everyday ease and joy. AGEasy has redesigned each layer and how they work together, creating a technology unlike any other. The in-house innovation is currently awaiting grant of patent.

 

AGEasy Adult Diaper Pants with Smart Liquid Distribution™ marks a significant step in addressing one of the most common yet poorly addressed problems of ageing: incontinence. Existing chronic conditions and ageing exacerbate incontinence, instilling a fear of stepping out in seniors. Making the right protection, therefore, is not only a hygiene choice but a gateway to independence. This makes well-designed hygiene solutions an important enabler of dignified and active ageing.

 

Existing adult hygiene products continue to fall short on leakage protection, fit, odour control, and skin safety despite growing acceptance. Recognising these gaps, AGEasy conducted extensive research into the real-life challenges faced by seniors to re-engineer the adult diaper.

 

Rajit Mehta, Managing Director & CEO of Antara Senior Care, said, “At AGEasy, seniors have always been at the heart of everything we do, pushing us to innovate. We looked at incontinence and asked ourselves how we can deliver dignity and independence. Designing adult hygiene products is about understanding what seniors like to do but get restricted by fear. The answer couldn’t just be better absorption; it had to be a product that’s secure, safe, comfortable, that moves with them, and doesn’t announce itself. We challenged our team to go back to the very architecture of how adult diapers work, and they came up with AGEasy Adult Diaper Pants (with Smart Liquid Distribution™).”

 

Ishaan Khanna, CEO, Antara Assisted Care Services, said, “Our research revealed a key insight. In many adult diapers, the top sheet is often the weakest link. If liquid does not move quickly through this layer to reach the absorbent core, even the most advanced core cannot perform effectively. We addressed this with a uniquely perforated top sheet that enables near-immediate liquid transfer. But we didn’t stop there. We also redesigned the standard acquisition distribution layer with a proprietary architecture that distributes the liquid uniformly across the entire diaper surface. This prevents pooling in one area, which is the root cause of sagging, leakage, and skin discomfort. Together, these interventions form the basis of the Smart Liquid Distribution™ technology.”

 

The product has been tested in NABL-accredited laboratories and is ISI-marked, demonstrating significantly faster absorption and improved dryness compared to market-leading alternatives.

 

AGEasy’s vantage point is unlike that of any other player in the senior care products category. At Antara, we have spent over a decade learning from seniors so we can build for them. That institutional knowledge is what powered the Smart Liquid Distribution™ technology. The AGEasy Adult Diaper Pants deliver on every dimension that existing products have long compromised on:

 

• Smart Liquid Distribution™ technology for superior dryness
• Anti-sagging performance for a discreet fit
• Up to 12 hours of protection for uninterrupted confidence
• Anti-bacterial core for hygiene and skin safety
• Wetness indicator that signals when it is time for a change
• Skin-friendly, soft material designed for all-day comfort

 

The product is designed to be worn like a regular undergarment that remains hidden under clothing. It is available on the AGEasy website and partner marketplaces.

 

AGEasy continues its mission of making ageing easier by offering thoughtfully curated products that address chronic health needs across fall prevention, joint care, lung care, diabetes management, gut care and adult hygiene. With this launch, AGEasy further strengthens its position as an innovation-led brand dedicated to improving the quality of life for India’s seniors, empowering them to live with ease, joy, and independence.

Business Wire India

R Systems International Limited, a global leader in digital product engineering, today announced the appointment of Farooq Ahmad as Chief Revenue Officer. Based out of California, Ahmad will lead the company’s global sales engine, strengthening its go-to-market and accelerating growth across key markets.

“As global organizations move from experimentation to enterprise-wide deployment, they are seeking strategic partners to help them integrate AI and deliver sustained value. Ahmad joins with a clear focus on deepening our enterprise footprint and expanding our presence in key markets by enabling our clients translate their priorities into scalable, real-world outcomes. He brings a strong combination of client insight, sector depth, and execution discipline and I am excited to welcome him to R Systems, and partner in our next phase of growth,” said Nitesh Bansal, Managing Director & CEO, R Systems.

His appointment comes at a time when R Systems is seeing increasing traction in AI-led digital product engineering, with growing demand from global enterprises looking to combine engineering depth with scalable execution. In this role, Ahmad will lead R Systems’ global sales engine as the company supports customers with increasingly complex, multi-cloud, enterprise-wide data and AI initiatives.

Ahmad brings nearly three decades of experience in the IT services industry, spanning global business development, P&L management, and client leadership across industries. He joins R Systems from Brillio, where he served as Regional Revenue Officer and Managing Director, and has previously held senior leadership roles at high-tech industry business of HCL Technologies.

Farooq Ahmad, Chief Revenue Officer, R Systems, said, “What stands out to me about R Systems is the strength of its engineering culture and the trust it has built with clients over time. The opportunity now is to build on this foundation and scale it with sharper focus and I am excited to work with the teams to translate this momentum into sustained growth.”

This appointment reinforces R Systems’ focus on strengthening its leadership team and investing in capabilities that enable long-term, scalable growth.

Business Wire India

Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM) today released its Value Report 2025, offering a holistic perspective on the company’s approach to sustainable value creation. The report marks the completion of PMI’s 2025 Roadmap, communicating achievements for each aspiration introduced by the company in 2020, and introduces its Value Plan 2030+, set to guide the company’s continued path to sustainable growth.

 

“For more than a decade, PMI has pursued an industry-leading shift away from cigarettes—a transformation that goes far beyond product innovation to encompass how we allocate capital, engage stakeholders, and measure success,” said Jacek Olczak, Group Chief Executive Officer. “‘change in motion’ captures the reality that transformation is not a project with a defined end date, it is the continuous work of improvement, innovation, and adaptation that keeps us relevant and resilient. We transform continuously because markets evolve, science advances, stakeholder expectations rise, and new opportunities emerge. This is who we are: a company perpetually in motion toward a better future, refusing to stand still even as we celebrate how far we have come.”

 

 

Built on the progress that PMI has made over the past decade, the report explains how the company is securing the resources, capabilities, and stakeholder trust that will sustain its business for decades to come. The sustainability of the business is PMI’s strategy; it is how it secures resources, manages risk, meets stakeholder expectations, and future-proofs a business built to deliver results today, while securing the ability to deliver tomorrow.

 

 

“Our approach to value creation is anchored in a simple conviction: long-term financial success depends on the health of the resources and relationships that make it possible.By investing in natural, human, social, intellectual, and manufactured capital—what we define as non-financial capitals—we strengthen the very foundations on which long-term financial success depends,” said Emmanuel Babeau, Group Chief Financial Officer. “This is fundamental to our growth, resilience, and identity as a forward-thinking organization.”

 

 

PMI achieved meaningful progress across both product and operational impact in 2025, as it closed its 2025 Roadmap.

 

 

PMI’s Business Transformation Metrics (BTMs) have provided stakeholders with clear, comparable indicators of our progress toward a smoke-free future. These metrics go beyond traditional reporting frameworks to capture aspects unique to PMI’s change of motion. They include the following:

 

 

• Around 43.5 million adult consumers of smoke-free products worldwide.ⁱ
• PMI’s smoke-free products were available for sale in 106 markets.ⁱⁱ
• PMI’s smoke-free business net revenues reached USD 16.9 billion and represented 41.5% of total annual net revenues.ⁱⁱⁱ

 

In addition, PMI celebrated progress on:

 

• 98% coverage of shipment volume with youth access prevention programs in its indirect retail channels.^iv
• 91% coverage of shipment volumes with PMI’s anti-littering programs for cigarette butts.^v
• 76% of PMI employees globally had access to structured lifelong learning opportunities. ^vi
• 99.6% of contracted farmers supplying tobacco to PMI made a living income by year-end 2025. This was achieved through initiatives aimed at boosting farm productivity and encouraging income diversification.^vii
• 99.3% of tobacco purchased at no risk of net deforestation of managed natural forest and no conversion of natural ecosystems.^viii
• 46% decrease versus 2019 on absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with the company achieving carbon neutrality in its direct operations^ix, and PMI’s absolute Scope 3 Forest, Land, and Agriculture (FLAG) GHG emissions decreased by 31% versus 2010.^x

 

“We have identified six strategic priorities that reflect what matters most to our stakeholders and our business: consumers and product health impact, circularity, climate change, nature and biodiversity, our own workforce, and workers throughout our value chain, which are consolidated in our Value Plan 2030+. This plan identifies where our actions intersect most significantly with business imperatives, ensuring our initiatives drive tangible outcomes across various forms of capital, creating a strategy that is comprehensive yet focused, ambitious yet pragmatic, and deeply integrated into how we operate and grow,” said Jennifer Motles, Chief Sustainability Officer. “Our plan is explicit about what we control directly and what requires the action of, and partnership with others, setting a strong foundation for effective action. That is the spirit with which we present our Value Plan 2030+, as an invitation to dialogue, a platform for collaboration, and a roadmap for the next chapter: turning sustainability into lasting business value.”

 

PMI’s Value Plan 2030+ sets the course for the company’s next chapter—a continuation of the change in motion that has defined PMI’s evolution over the past decade. It focuses on accelerating the growth of its smoke-free product portfolio, working to make cigarettes obsolete, and exploring adjacent avenues of growth in wellness, while maintaining responsible sales and marketing practices, investing in human and natural capital, and strengthening the operational resilience that underpins long-term, sustainable value creation.

 

 

PMI’s Value Report 2025 has been prepared with reference to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Universal Standards (2021) and relevant topic-specific standards. This report follows guidance from the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) of the IFRS Foundation, including SASB Standards, Integrated Thinking Principles, and the Integrated Reporting Framework. Beginning with the 2025 reporting cycle, the company renamed its annual disclosure from the ‘Integrated Report’ to the ‘Value Report’ to reflect its commitment to transparency, communicating how it creates, preserves, and enhances value over the short, medium, and long term. The Value Report continues to build on the foundation established by previous Integrated Reports, providing a comprehensive and integrated view of PMI’s strategy, management, performance, and outlook in relation to its most significant sustainability-related topics.

 

 

Please visit www.pmi.com/sustainability to learn more and read the full 2025 Value Report, as well as Stories of Impact.

 

 

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.

 

 

Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements

 

 

This press release contains projections of future results and goals and other forward-looking statements, including statements regarding business plans and strategies. Achievement of future results is subject to risks, uncertainties, and inaccurate assumptions. In the event that risks or uncertainties materialize, or underlying assumptions prove inaccurate, actual results could vary materially from those contained in such forward-looking statements. Pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, PMI is identifying important factors that, individually or in the aggregate, could cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements made by PMI.

 

 

PMI’s business risks include: marketing and regulatory restrictions that could reduce our competitiveness, disrupt our SFP commercialization efforts, eliminate our ability to communicate with adult consumers, or ban certain of our products in certain markets or countries; excise tax increases and discriminatory tax structures; health concerns relating to the use of tobacco and other nicotine-containing products; litigation related to tobacco and/or nicotine products and intellectual property rights; intense competition; inability to anticipate changes in adult consumer preferences; use and reliance on third-parties; the adverse effects of global and individual country economic, regulatory and political developments, natural disasters and conflicts; geopolitical instability affecting international trade; the impact and consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; changes in adult smoker behavior; continued decline of tax-paid cigarettes; lost revenues as a result of counterfeiting, contraband and cross-border purchases; governmental investigations; unfavorable currency exchange rates and currency devaluations, sustained periods of elevated inflation, and limitations on the ability to repatriate funds; adverse changes in applicable corporate tax laws; disruptions in the credit markets or changes to its credit ratings; recent and potential future tariffs imposed by the U.S. and other countries; adverse changes in the cost, availability, and quality of tobacco and other agricultural products and raw materials, as well as product components for our electronic devices; and the integrity of its information systems and effectiveness of its data privacy policies. PMI’s future profitability may also be adversely affected should it be unsuccessful, in key markets or systemically, in its efforts to introduce, commercialize, and grow smoke-free products or if regulation or taxation do not differentiate between such products and cigarettes; if it is unable to successfully introduce new products, promote brand equity; if there are prolonged disruptions of facilities used to produce its products; if it is unable to enter new markets or improve its margins through increased prices and productivity gains; if other market participants are more successful in their SFP commercialization efforts; if it is unable to attract and retain the best global talent; or if it is unable to successfully integrate and realize the expected benefits from recent transactions and acquisitions. Future results are also subject to the lower predictability of our smoke-free products performance.

 

 

PMI is further subject to other risks detailed from time to time in its publicly filed documents, including PMI’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2025. PMI cautions that the foregoing list of important factors is not a complete discussion of all potential risks and uncertainties. PMI does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that it may make from time to time, except in the normal course of its public disclosure obligations.

 

 

________________________________

i Total PMI smoke-free users is defined as the sum of total IQOS users, total oral smokeless users, and total e-vapor users of PMI products and considering poly-users across PMI’s smoke-free product categories. For definitions, see Glossary in PMI’s Value Report 2025.

ii For definition of available for sale, see Glossary in PMI’s Value Report 2025.

iii For definition of net revenues related to smoke-free, see Glossary in PMI’s Value Report 2025. This information should be read in conjunction with the Reconciliation of non-GAAP measures in PMI’s Value Report 2025.

iv Total shipment volume includes cigarettes, other tobacco products (OTPs), and smoke-free product consumables. See PMI’s Non-financial KPI hub for further details.

v See PMI’s Non-financial KPI hub for further details.

vi See PMI’s Non-financial KPI hub for further details.

vii Excludes China, Thailand, Switzerland, and India (flue-cured). See PMI’s Non-financial KPI hub for further details on methodology.

viii For definitions, please see PMI’s Zero Deforestation Manifesto and PMI’s Non-financial KPI hub.

ix Ambition achieved in early 2026 against 2025 emissions; data refer to yearly gross emissions from the reporting year minus the retroactive offsetting of the previous year’s emission. See PMI’s Non-financial KPI hub for further details.

x For further details on scope 3 calculation, please refer to PMI’s Value Chain Carbon Footprint Methodology Overview and PMI’s Non-financial KPI hub.

 

 

 

 

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260331272710/en/

 

Business Wire India

Partnership delivers quantum-resilient drone platform for NATO allies

Technical breakthrough: first airborne deployment of Classic McEliece algorithm

Combat-proven UAV systems integrated with Classic McEliece post-quantum cryptography (PQC) to secure unmanned operations against future quantum threats.

 

STV Group a.s., a European defence technology integrator with platforms deployed in Ukraine and allied theatres, and Post-Quantum, the UK cybersecurity company, today announced successful testing of the world’s first quantum-safe drones for active deployment across allied theatres.

 

As allied nations adapt to warfighting defined by autonomous systems and drones, the ability to futureproof secure communications between drones and their operators is of paramount importance.

 

 

Drone swarms procured today may be stored and deployed in future operations years later. This dynamic requires drones manufactured today incorporate encryption that’s resistant to attack by both classical and quantum computers.

 

 

The collaboration combines STV’s combat-tested unmanned systems and command-and-control infrastructure with Post-Quantum’s patented post-quantum cryptography and secure radio technologies. The two companies have now successfully trialled the new approach at STV’s weapons testing facility in the Czech Republic. This is unique as STV is one of very few companies worldwide which can deploy its drone solutions directly to theatre without further certification.

 

 

The partnership introduces two industry firsts:

 

 

• A quantum-resilient drone architecture designed for contested operational environments
• The first airborne deployment of Classic McEliece, the longest-studied post-quantum public-key cryptographic algorithm, previously considered infeasible for DDIL (denied, disrupted, intermittent, limited) communications

 

Securing Drone Operations for the Quantum Era

 

Unmanned systems now play a central role in modern defence operations, supporting Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (ISR), electronic warfare, precision strike, border security and critical infrastructure monitoring. Drone fleets are increasingly operating in swarms and multi-domain environments, placing greater demands on communications security.

 

 

In theatres such as Ukraine and the Middle East, unmanned platforms must operate under conditions that include:

 

 

• Jamming, GPS denial and signal interception
• Beyond-line-of-sight missions over degraded communications links
• Large-scale fleet command and control
• Continuous transmission of sensitive ISR data

 

At the same time, governments recognise that adversaries may already be collecting encrypted communications for decryption once quantum computing becomes viable. With drone platforms expected to remain operational for decades, protecting these systems against future quantum threats is becoming a near-term requirement.

 

Classic McEliece for Operational Deployment

 

 

Underpinning the new platform is Classic McEliece, the code‑based post‑quantum cryptographic scheme co-invented by the team at Post-Quantum.

 

 

Classic McEliece is based on the original McEliece cryptosystem with the longest unbroken security track record in public‑key cryptography. Designed conservatively and subjected to almost 50 years of cryptanalytic scrutiny without security degradation, it is widely regarded as the most robust option for scenarios where long‑term confidentiality is paramount.

 

 

The partnership’s architecture uses Classic McEliece in a targeted, mission‑aligned way by encrypting full‑motion video, imagery and flight metadata for the duration of the mission. This ensures sensitive ISR data remains confidential over the long term against Harvest Now Decrypt Later attacks.

 

 

As co-inventor of the algorithm, Post-Quantum brings specialised expertise in adapting Classic McEliece for hostile operational environments, including secure radio systems and contested electromagnetic conditions.

 

 

Post-Quantum, being the pioneer in promoting crypto agility since 2009 and the author of the IETF hybrid quantum-safe VPN protocol, is also uniquely positioned to optimise and deliver CNSA 2.0 compliant PQC requirements in the most constrained environments.

 

 

Executive Commentary

 

 

JUDr. Pavel Kudrhalt, Chief Executive Officer of STV Group, said:

 

 

“STV’s unmanned platforms operate daily in Ukraine, where drone communications are among the most contested in the world. In this environment, communications security is no longer an afterthought – the risk of an adversary intercepting or even seizing control of a drone swarm is simply unacceptable. By integrating Classic McEliece into our operational stack, we are giving our customers the strongest available future‑proof cryptography, engineered for the realities of the battlefield and ready for immediate deployment.”

 

 

Rikky Hasan, Chief Executive Officer of Post-Quantum, said:

 

 

“Classic McEliece’s large key size has long been considered too large for real world deployments, especially for airborne platforms operating in DDIL environments. We have proven that assumption wrong. Its tiny ciphertexts and ultra‑fast encryption, combined with our experience in government‑grade radio communications and electronic warfare, make it the ideal choice for protecting drone ISR against both classical and quantum attacks. This partnership is about more than cryptography – it is about delivering a complete sovereign unmanned operations system, with quantum‑resilient security built in as standard.”

 

 

Deployment Plans

 

 

The companies will begin phased integration of the quantum-resilient UAV platform across European and allied defence programmes. Additional field validation will be conducted on systems already operating in active theatres.

 

 

The architecture is designed to extend beyond aerial systems, enabling the same quantum-resilient communications layer to support ground, maritime and subsurface unmanned platforms.

 

 

www.stvgroup.cz

 

 

www.post-quantum.com

 

 

 

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260331258346/en/

 

Business Wire India

Regnology, a global leading provider at the intersection of regulatory, risk, finance and supervisory technology, today announced the evolution of Ascend, the next‑generation Regnology platform. This landmark release introduces a powerful agentic AI layer to the Regnology platform and formally integrates the Regnology Supervisory Hub (RSH) into the Ascend ecosystem.

 

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260330254615/en/

 

 

Launched in late 2025, Ascend is the catalyst of Regnology’s Straight-Through-Reporting (STR) vision. The initial rollout empowered financial institutions with RRH Ascend delivering intelligent data governance for proactive quality assurance, predictive insights to anticipate regulatory demands, powerful automation to execute complex workflows, and contextual collaboration for seamless human oversight.

 

 

“Our position at the nexus of risk, regulation, and finance gives Regnology a unique vantage point to support the industry’s evolution,” said Rob Mackay, CEO of Regnology. “Our next‑gen Ascend platform is the engine of a paradigm shift transforming compliance into a single strategic command center where high‑quality data, continuous insight, and intelligent orchestration converge.”

 

 

With the new AI-agentic orchestration layer, Ascend transforms regulatory reporting and financial oversight into adaptive, intelligent, and automated processes. Built on Regnology’s unified RGD data foundation, AI agents embedded within the Regnology platform will continuously manage workflows, analyze regulatory data and generate advanced and contextually accurate insights. Operating on a consistent, high‑quality data model, enables these agents to strengthen both institutional reporting and supervisory understanding.

 

 

The Ascend platform now supercharges RSH across the entire oversight lifecycle. Workflow agents automate data collection, validation, and examinations, while real‑time analytics agents surface critical Key Risk Indicators (KRIs) and interpret everything from granular indicators to narrative reports. By consolidating these capabilities on a trusted unified platform that operationalizes STR, RSH Ascend enables a more autonomous supervisory operating model delivering faster oversight cycles, higher efficiency, and significantly stronger risk anticipation.

 

 

“Ascend was designed as the foundation for a new era of regulatory reporting —bringing automation, transparency, and intelligence to the core of the financial operating model,” said Linda Middleditch, Chief Product Officer at Regnology. “By extending agentic AI to both regulators and the regulated on a trusted RGD data backbone, we empower the industry to move from reactive reporting to continuous intelligence for faster decisions and more resilient oversight.”

 

 

Regnology will progressively onboard all its entire solution offering to the agentic-AI enabled Ascend platform, helping accelerate the industry’s transition toward full realization of the STR vision.

 

 

About Regnology

 

 

Regnology is a recognized leader in regulatory, risk, tax, and finance reporting technology— connecting regulators and the regulated across more than 100 countries. Our unique position enables us to span the full spectrum of industry needs, delivering solutions that address both oversight and compliance requirements to a broad range of clients, including global Tier 1 banks, local and regional institutions, corporates, insurers, and authorities.

 

 

With presence in over 30 countries and deep local expertise, Regnology combines a truly global approach with an understanding of regional regulatory requirements. Our unified data model and “map once, report many” methodology ensure consistency, auditability, and scalability across jurisdictions, while our modular, cloud-native solutions empower clients to achieve compliance, unlock enterprise-wide insights, and future-proof their operations.

 

 

Regnology’s leadership is underpinned by fast-paced growth and a front-running approach to innovation, continually investing in automation, AI, and domain expertise to deliver future-ready solutions.

 

 

For more information about Regnology, connect with us on LinkedIn.

 

 

Visit our website: www.regnology.net.

 

 

 

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260330254615/en/

 

Business Wire India

UST, a leading AI and digital transformation solutions company, has announced the third edition of the UST Trivandrum Marathon. UST, along with execution partner NEB Sports, will organise the Trivandrum Marathon 2026 on November 15, this year.

The 2026 edition, which will be the biggest marathon ever organised in Kerala’s capital, Thiruvananthapuram, is expected to have over 15,000 participants running in four different categories. The company also expects a large number of employees from across its various centres in India participating in this year’s UST Trivandrum Marathon.

As seen last year, the marathon will have categories such as Full Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K and 5K runs. The marathon will begin from the UST campus and traverse through different parts of the city and conclude at the campus. 

“UST takes great pleasure in announcing the third edition of Kerala’s largest marathon. The tremendous success of the last two years’ events and the roaring response to it, demonstrated the importance of a healthy society, and also made our people aware of their own physical and mental well-being. This year’s edition will take the message forward in a more meaningful way. I look forward to welcoming participants from across the country and making this year’s marathon a transformative success,” said Alexander Varghese, President, UST.

“We are glad we are back again in Thiruvananthapuram for the third edition of the UST Trivandrum Marathon. Associating with UST for this mega event has brought in more than 10,000 runners in the 2025 edition of the marathon, making it the largest ever in the state of Kerala. We look forward to seeing this number jump to more than 15,000 this year, thereby creating an event that upholds the message of fitness and a healthy lifestyle in a major manner,” said Nagaraj Adiga, CMD, NEB Sports.

Participants who wish to be a part of Thiruvananthapuram’s largest marathon can register via this link: https://mysamay.in/public/event/info/e3e02f08-0651-493f-b7eb-953a359bf17f%3Fcmeta%3DNsVT4A0i27

And for more details visit: https://www.trivandrummarathon.com

Business Wire India

Lenovo today announced a global partnership with David Beckham, bringing together one of the world’s most recognized cultural figures and one of the world’s leading technology companies.

 

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260330443523/en/

 

 

 

The collaboration builds on Lenovo’s expanding role in global football, including its position as the Official Technology Partner of FIFA World Cup 2026™ and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™. This first of its kind Lenovo partnership will see David Beckham participating in Lenovo’s work on sports-focused AI-driven solutions that are transforming the game for clubs, players, officials, and fans, specifically related to improving performance for teams, creating better experiences for fans, enabling more efficient operations, and driving new revenue streams through AI-driven innovation.

 

As someone who runs his own businesses, David Beckham brings a perspective that resonates well beyond the pitch. Whether it’s the professional managing their day from a single device, the small business owner trying to do more with less, or the enterprise rethinking how entire teams work, David Beckham will help bring to life the idea at the heart of the collaboration: that the right technology, powered by AI, can help anyone operate at their best.

 

 

David Beckham will also feature in Lenovo’s upcoming global marketing campaign, due to go live in May, one month before the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026™.

 

 

Commenting on the partnership, David Beckham said:

 

 

“Lenovo is a global leader with a proven track record on the world’s biggest stages. I am proud to partner with Lenovo for the FIFA World Cup and beyond. Football will always be defined by talent, instinct, hard work and the unforgettable moments that make the game special. Now AI and data are helping us to understand the sport more deeply – shaping how players and coaches prepare and how fans connect with the game. I look forward to learning more about Lenovo’s cutting-edge work which is opening up new ideas and expanding access to the game.”

 

 

Lenovo CEO & Chairman Yuanqing Yang added:

 

 

“David is not only a global figure across football, business, and culture, but is someone who understands the power of innovation to transform the world, making him the perfect partner to help us demonstrate how Smarter AI can drive better life and more efficient work for all. Together we will demonstrate how AI-powered technology, solutions, and insights – from the training ground to the boardroom – can transform understanding, preparation and decision making in ways that were previously unimaginable for the sport.”

 

 

About Lenovo

 

 

Lenovo is a US$69 billion revenue global technology powerhouse, ranked #196 in the Fortune Global 500, and serving millions of customers every day in 180 markets. Focused on a bold vision to deliver Smarter Technology for All, Lenovo has built on its success as the world’s largest PC company with a full-stack portfolio of AI-enabled, AI-ready, and AI-optimized devices (PCs, workstations, smartphones, tablets), infrastructure (server, storage, edge, high performance computing and software defined infrastructure), software, solutions, and services. Lenovo’s continued investment in world-changing innovation is building a more equitable, trustworthy, and smarter future for everyone, everywhere. Lenovo is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange under Lenovo Group Limited (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY). To find out more visit https://www.lenovo.com, and read about the latest news via our StoryHub.

 

 

 

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260330443523/en/