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Business Wire India

• Illicit cigarettes reached 10.3% of EU consumption in 2025 (41.8 billion), with an estimated €16.7 billion in lost tax revenues
• Counterfeits now lead the illicit market – accounting for 44% of EU illicit consumption (18.3 billion), up sharply year-on-year and displacing traditional East-to-West contraband flows
• Western Europe has the highest levels of illicit consumption, with France (41.4%), Belgium (24.8%), and the Netherlands (22.1%) among the most impacted. In France alone, counterfeit volumes reached nearly 10 billion cigarettes

A new study detailing the scale of the illicit cigarette trade in the European Union (EU) shows that consumption of black-market cigarettes rose more than 7% year-on-year in 2025, reaching levels not seen in over a decade, with counterfeit cigarettes playing an increasingly significant role across member states. Philip Morris International (PMI) (NYSE: PM) reiterates its call for a coordinated response to illicit trade in Europe, built on evidence-based regulation and strengthened cooperation.

 

According to the 20^th edition of the study “Illicit cigarette and heated tobacco consumption, and oral nicotine share in Europe”, which was conducted by KPMG LLP on behalf of Philip Morris Products S.A., illicit cigarettes in the EU accounted for more than one in ten cigarettes for the first time since 2014. In 2025, illicit volumes reached 41.8 billion in the EU—representing 10.3% of total consumption—resulting in an estimated €16.7 billion in lost tax revenues.

 

 

Across the 38 European countries included in the study, illicit consumption reached 55.3 billion cigarettes, corresponding to an estimated €22.4 billion in state budget revenue losses.

 

 

A structural shift: from contraband flows to “closer-to-market” counterfeits

 

 

The illicit market is undergoing a fundamental transformation: “Made in EU” counterfeit cigarettes are increasingly displacing traditional East-to-West contraband flows. Supply chains are becoming faster and harder to trace, and operations are moving closer to end consumers – especially in Western European countries such as France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, which are becoming central hubs for illicit tobacco and nicotine products.

 

 

Counterfeits have become the largest source of illicit cigarettes in the EU, reaching 18.3 billion and accounting for 44% of total illicit consumption in 2025. Counterfeit volumes increased more than 20% year-on-year, highlighting organized crime’s ability to rapidly adapt production and distribution models to reduce detection risks.

 

 

“The data is clear: counterfeits have become the primary engine of the illicit cigarette market in the EU, supported by criminal supply chains designed to bring fake products to consumers in high-value markets, undermining the European economy and fueling broader illicit activity,” said Christos Harpantidis, Group Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Philip Morris International. “It also underscores persistent structural vulnerabilities across regulation, enforcement, and judicial follow-through that create space for illicit trade to grow – at a time when many EU member states are under broader security and economic pressure, from inflation and competitiveness challenges to rising budget demands on security and defense due to geopolitical fragmentation. Closing these gaps in Europe requires coordinated action: stronger law enforcement, public-private cooperation and a focus on regulation that is balanced, evidence-based, and enforceable in practice,” Harpantidis added.

 

 

Estimates show that Europe’s tobacco and nicotine value chain supports over 2.1 million jobs and generates €224 billion in value – comparable to the EU’s 17th largest economy. With nearly €24 billion in annual exports, it is a significant industrial ecosystem, yet increasingly affected by illicit trade amid economic uncertainty and need for competitiveness in Europe. Addressing this requires pragmatic, evidence-based regulation and stronger cooperation, while supporting investment and innovation in Europe.

 

 

“Illicit trade is becoming more sophisticated, localized, and increasingly industrialized. It not only erodes legitimate business activity but also fuels criminal networks that operate with speed, scale, and impunity, discouraging investment, innovation and governments’ ability to deliver on public health and fiscal objectives,” said Yann Guérin, Group Chief Legal Officer, Philip Morris International.

 

 

Western Europe at the forefront of this trend

 

 

Illicit consumption is increasingly concentrated in major Western European countries—most notably France, Belgium, and the Netherlands—amplifying fiscal pressures and enforcement challenges as illicit penetration rises.

 

 

• France remains Europe’s largest illicit market, at a 41.4% illicit share (20.5 billion cigarettes). Counterfeits alone accounted for almost 9.7 billion cigarettes (around 19% of total consumption). France saw the largest increase in illicit cigarette consumption across Europe in 2025.
• Belgium recorded an illicit share of nearly 25% (more than 2 billion cigarettes).
• The Netherlands rose above 22% illicit share (2.1 billion cigarettes), returning to levels last observed around 2006.

 

More broadly, six EU member states now record illicit shares above 20%, underscoring the scale and concentration of the issue. Outside the EU, the United Kingdom remains the second-largest illicit cigarette country in the study, with volumes now surpassing 7 billion, including 3.5 billion counterfeit cigarettes.

 

What works: evidence-based policy, not extremes

 

 

Not all markets move in the same direction. Some countries have achieved sustained declines through a balanced policy mix combining predictable fiscal approaches, proportionate regulation, and consistent enforcement.

 

 

• Greece (14.1% illicit share; 1.9 billion cigarettes) recorded one of the largest year‑on‑year declines – 3.4 percentage points. This marks a significant shift from previous years, when illicit levels consistently remained above 20%, highlighting a notable improvement in recent performance.
• Ukraine (15.9% illicit share; 5.1 billion cigarettes) saw illicit volumes decline by nearly 1 billion cigarettes year‑on‑year. This reduction is particularly notable given the highly challenging operating and security environment, pointing to sustained enforcement efforts and market resilience.

 

“The lesson we derive from the situation in Europe is that not one single lever solves the problem of illicit trade; it is that a well-coordinated set of measures does,” said Massimo Andolina, President, Europe Region, Philip Morris International. “Countries that coordinate a proportionate, evidence-based approach to regulatory and tax frameworks with a disciplined effort of enforcement demonstrate that illicit trade of nicotine products can be reduced to the benefit of consumers, public finances, and the fight against crime. On the contrary, countries that promote excessive tax increases, or, even worse, product bans, such as France and the Netherlands, see illicit trends worsening, public tax collection suffers, consumers gain access to uncontrolled products, and crime thrives. It is not the evidence that is now missing, but rather the desire to act rationally and decisively,” he added.

 

“Sustained public-private collaboration, combining effective law enforcement with robust data, expertise, information sharing, and operational capabilities, is essential to help identify, investigate, and dismantle counterfeit networks and enable authorities to stay ahead of illicit operators, moving beyond reactive measures toward a more proactive, intelligence-led approach,” added Guérin.

 

 

Heated tobacco and oral nicotine products

 

 

For the second consecutive year, the report also covered illicit consumption of heated tobacco products in selected European markets. It found contraband represented 1.2% of total heated tobacco consumption—significantly lower than in cigarettes—with Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands among the most impacted countries. No counterfeit heated tobacco flows were identified. However, the presence of contraband underscores that, while the scale remains limited, no product category is immune to illicit trade.

 

 

While electronic heating devices are not within the scope of the study, available PMI internal analyses and third‑party research similarly indicate no meaningful presence of contraband or counterfeit activity in this category to date.

 

 

For the first time, the study also assessed oral nicotine products in selected countries. It found that in markets where nicotine pouches are banned or highly restricted, survey data indicate significant availability—often involving counterfeit, non-compliant or non-domestic products—suggesting widespread consumer access despite legal restrictions. The highest shares of products not eligible for sale—with the potential to reach a substantial number of consumers—were observed in the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium.

 

 

“Philip Morris International believes policymakers in Europe should apply evidence-based, risk-proportionate regulatory approaches across all nicotine product categories – designing rules that protect consumers, support law enforcement, and avoid unintended consequences that shift demand toward the black market,” Christos Harpantidis added. “This is particularly important as evidence from other nicotine categories, including pouches and e‑cigarettes, indicates the emergence of widespread illicit activity in some parts of Europe – reinforcing the need for regulatory approaches that are both effective and grounded in real-world conditions.”

 

 

As Philip Morris International advances towards a smoke-free future, it continues to strengthen supply chain controls and cooperate with law enforcement and other stakeholders to combat counterfeiting and smuggling of tobacco and nicotine products.

 

 

The full study results, country profiles, detailed study methodology, and country-level findings are 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 from both EU27 and non-EU27 countries. There may also be counterfeit of brands that are not trademark-owned by participant manufacturers.”
• Not eligible for sale products: Products that are not eligible for sale in the market in which the product is consumed. This encompasses Non-Domestically labelled products, domestically labelled products which do not comply with regulations in the market of study, and Counterfeit products.

 

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 43% of PMI’s first-quarter 2026 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 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 consumablesand 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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Business Wire India

Global TV shipments increased 6% year-on-year (YoY) to 50.3 million units in 1Q26, as retailers increased inventory ahead of the upcoming 2026 World Cup, according to data from Omdia’s latest TV Sets (Emerging Technologies) Market Tracker: History – 1Q26. All regions grew YoY except for Mainland China, which continues to face weak local demand following domestic stimulus measures in 2025.

 

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Developing economies and North America propel global growth

 

The two fastest growing regions in the first quarter of 2026 were both considered developing economies, with Asia & Oceania (up 13%) and Latin America (up 12%) benefitting from Chinese vendors redirecting additional shipments into these regions as their domestic market remained weak.

 

 

North America also posted particularly strong shipment growth (up 11%), despite being a highly saturated market. A combination of factors contributed to this growth, particularly in the U.S. As a co-host of this year’s World Cup, the US market offers retailers a clear opportunity to promote TV sets aggressively. At the same time, competition among retailers remains intense. This is most clearly seen with Walmart, which has a strategic goal of increasing the reach of Vizio OS, available on Onn. and Vizio TVs, and generating advertising-derived revenue without relying on hardware sales for profitability.

 

 

These factors have helped ensure that North American consumers remain largely insulated from the increased memory prices affecting a wide range of consumer electronics goods. Globally, TV prices have also remained surprisingly stable, despite headline-grabbing increases in memory price. This reflects the highly competitive nature of the TV market and the shift in profit-generating momentum away from hardware and toward advertising.

 

 

RGB LED adoption accelerates

 

 

Omdia’s latest database now tracks RGB LED TVs, which are initially expected to compete directly with OLED TVs because both technologies carry premium price tags. While RGB based TVs represented only a small proportion of units in the first quarter of 2026, with just 39.4 thousand units shipped, the technology is set to play an increasingly important role through 2026 and in the coming years. This will be supported by more vendors introducing models and the potential for RGB LED technology to be used in mid-range TVs, similar to the adoption path of Mini LED technology.

 

 

“The Chinese market leads the adoption of RGB LED TVs, but this is primarily due to the early introduction of models from TCL and Hisense, ahead of international regions,” said Matthew Rubin, Research Manager, TV Set Research, Omdia. “With many more models being introduced ahead of the World Cup, shipment volume of this technology is expected to accelerate rapidly.”

 

 

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, makes our market intelligence our clients’ strategic advantage. From R&D to ROI, we identify the greatest opportunities and move the industry forward.

 

 

 

 

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Business Wire India

Approval introduces Pulsed Field Ablation technology to India. The VARIPULSE™ Platform is the first Pulsed Field Ablation system fully integrated with the CARTO™ 3 electroanatomical mapping system, designed to drive efficiency, reproducibility, and procedural accuracy.^{1, i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii, viii, ix}

 

Johnson & Johnson* today announced the approval of the VARIPULSE™ Platform, India’s first Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) technology that has been used to perform catheter ablation procedures for atrial fibrillation (AFib) in more than 80,000 procedures globally.² AFib is an irregular and often rapid heartbeat caused by extra, uncoordinated electrical signals in the atria and is associated with structural changes in the heart due to underlying conditions and lifestyle factors.^{x, xi} It significantly increases the risk of stroke, heart failure, and mortality.

 

Atrial Fibrillation affects 50 million people worldwide,^xii representing a burden comparable to heart failure, which impacts over 64 million people globally.^xiii In India, AFib prevalence is estimated at 0.1% to 1.6% of the population, with approximately 5 million people currently living with the condition.^{xiv, xv, xvi} Indian patients develop AFib nearly a decade earlier than those in Western populations, at an average age of around 55 years, extending the long-term disease burden.^{xvii, xviii} Underlying AFib in India is detected at the time of stroke in 20–45% of cases.^xix As a progressive condition, early intervention in AFib is critical to reducing stroke risk, particularly given that India accounted for 773,000 stroke deaths in 2021, or 10% of global stroke deaths.^xx

Business Wire India

 

Coolbrook, a transformational technology company dedicated to decarbonising heavy industry and industrial processes, has appointed renowned Finnish business leader Veli-Matti Mattila as Chairman of the Board effective immediately.

 

Mattila brings decades of international leadership experience and board expertise to support Coolbrook’s next phase of commercial growth, industrial execution, and global scale-up.

 

 

Veli-Matti Mattila is one of Finland’s most experienced technology business leaders, having served as CEO of Elisa Corporation from 2003 to 2024, following a long international career at Ericsson, where he held several senior leadership roles, including President of Ericsson Finland and COO & Deputy Head of Market Unit, Nordic & Baltic. He also spent four years in the U.S. and a period of time in Switzerland during his stint at Ericsson. He currently serves as Chairman of Orion Corporation and Enento Group, and has previously chaired Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK) and has extensive board experience, including with Sampo Group.

 

 

His appointment follows a thorough search and evaluation process carried out by Coolbrook’s Board of Directors and Nomination Committee to identify a Chairman with the strategic perspective, industrial leadership capabilities, and international business experience required to support the Company’s long-term ambitions.

 

 

Joonas Rauramo, CEO of Coolbrook, said: “Veli-Matti’s leadership experience, international perspective, and strong board background make him an excellent fit for Coolbrook at this stage of our growth. As we move from technology validation toward large-scale commercial deployment, his experience will help strengthen our industrial partnerships, support execution, and accelerate our mission to decarbonise heavy industry globally.”

 

 

Commenting on his appointment, Veli-Matti Mattila said: “Coolbrook has developed a highly innovative and globally significant technology with the potential to fundamentally transform industrial electrification and decarbonisation while enabling increased productivity. The Company is entering an exciting phase as it moves toward large-scale commercial deployment, and I look forward to working with the Board, management team, and shareholders to support Coolbrook’s growth and long-term success.”

 

 

About Coolbrook:

 

 

Hailed as the key technology for industrial decarbonisation globally, Coolbrook is a transformational technology and engineering company on a mission to decarbonise major industrial sectors like petrochemicals and chemicals, iron and steel, and cement. Coolbrook’s revolutionary rotating technology combines space science, turbomachinery and chemical engineering to replace the burning of fossil fuels across all major industrial sectors. The technology has two main applications: RotoDynamic Reactor™ (RDR™) to reach 100% CO2 free olefin production, and RotoDynamic Heater™ (RDH™) to provide carbon-free process heating to iron and steel, cement and chemicals production. Once implemented at scale, the RotoDynamic Technology has the potential to reach temperatures of 1700°C and cut 2.4 billion tonnes (30%) of annual CO2 emissions in heavy industry.

 

 

For more information, please visit www.coolbrook.com

 

 

Copyright^© Coolbrook Oy 2011-2023. All rights reserved.

 

 

 

 

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Business Wire India

 

Airgain, Inc. (NASDAQ: AIRG), a leading provider of advanced wireless connectivity solutions, today announced the continued expansion of its mission-critical connectivity portfolio with FirstNet®, Built with AT&T – America’s public safety network – to support reliable, high-performance communications for public safety agencies, utilities and field operations across the United States.

 

Growing its public safety connectivity capabilities, Airgain recently added the MegaFi 2™ and MegaGo 2™ to its portfolio. As FirstNet MegaRange™ solutions, which use High Power User Equipment (HPUE) technology, the two routers transmit with 6x the power exclusively on Band 14, nationwide, high-quality spectrum set aside by the government for public safety on FirstNet. This helps support reliable communications in remote areas and through signal-blocking materials like glass, concrete and metal.

 

 

The addition of MegaFi 2™ and MegaGo 2™ strengthens Airgain’s growing AirgainConnect® portfolio, which also includes AirgainConnect® Fleet™ (AC-Fleet) and Go-Kit Pro™. Together, these solutions provide integrated vehicle, fixed, portable, and rapid-response connectivity options for organizations operating in challenging coverage environments, including public safety agencies and critical infrastructure operations that support their missions such as utilities, transportation, energy and field services.

 

 

“First responders depend on reliable communications in every environment,” said Matt Walsh, AVP – FirstNet and NextGen 9-1-1 Products, AT&T. “Working with organizations like Airgain that are focused on supporting the operational needs of public safety agencies and extending connectivity in challenging coverage areas is essential to helping field teams stay connected when it matters most.”

 

 

Both solutions are FirstNet Trusted™, which means they have met strict cybersecurity and network connectivity requirements that go beyond commercial standards to meet the critical operational needs of public safety agencies.

 

 

“Reliable connectivity is critical for today’s first responder community,” said Jacob Suen, President and Chief Executive Officer of Airgain. “Our work with the FirstNet team at AT&T is continuing to support Airgain’s ability to deliver connectivity solutions purpose-built for demanding field environments. With the AirgainConnect portfolio, we are giving public safety agencies, utilities and other critical infrastructure organizations more options to support vehicle, portable, fixed, and rapid-response operations.”

 

 

Airgain solutions help organizations reduce deployment complexity, simplify installation, and improve operational flexibility across vehicles, remote locations, and temporary field deployments. With integrated 5G connectivity, multi-carrier support, ruggedized designs, and flexible deployment options, Airgain helps customers modernize communications infrastructure while improving reliability and operational readiness.

 

 

To learn more about Airgain’s connectivity solutions, visit Airgain.

 

 

About Airgain

 

 

Headquartered in San Diego, California, Airgain, Inc. (NASDAQ: AIRG) is a leading provider of advanced wireless connectivity solutions that drive cutting-edge innovation in 5G technology. We are committed to delivering high-performance, cost-effective, and energy-efficient wireless solutions that enable rapid market deployment. Our mission is to connect the world through integrated, innovative, and optimized wireless solutions. Our diverse product portfolio serves enterprises, automotive, public safety, and consumer markets. For more information, visit airgain.com, or follow Airgain on LinkedIn and X.

 

 

FirstNet and the FirstNet logo are registered trademarks and service marks of the First Responder Network Authority. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

 

 

Airgain, AirgainConnect, AC-Fleet, Go-Kit Pro, MegaFi 2, MegaGo 2, and the Airgain logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Airgain, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

 

 

 

 

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Business Wire India

 

Mouser Electronics, Inc., the authorized global distributor with the newest electronic components and industrial automation products, today announced the latest installment of its Empowering Innovation Together (EIT) technology series, Rise of the Robots, which explores key technologies behind humanoid robots and their potential for transformation. The series shares how these robots have progressed from simple machinery to critical tools used in caregiving, industrial automation, education, and even in the harshest environments.

 

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260602293561/en/

 

 

 

While science fiction has long envisioned robots resembling humans, recent advances in sensing, actuation, AI, embedded computing, and power systems have enabled practical, real-world robotic deployments across industrial, healthcare, and high-risk environments. Engineers are now integrating multimodal perception, real-time control, and simulation-driven training using physical AI approaches to accelerate development and improve performance. Although many systems still require supervision, they serve as the foundation for collaborative robotic platforms capable of complex, human-like interaction. The latest EIT installment explores the engineering design process, system integration challenges, and the role of legacy infrastructure, safety, and ROI in shaping scalable humanoid robot deployment.

 

“Humanoid robotics represents a convergence of sensing, control, and embedded intelligence that is reshaping how engineers approach system design,” said Jeff Newell, President of Mouser Electronics. “Through this latest installment of Empowering Innovation Together, we’re providing engineers with the insights and resources they need to better understand and navigate that shift.”

 

 

In The Tech Between Uspodcast, Raymond Yin, Director of Technical Content at Mouser Electronics, and Leo Chen, Head of US Operations at robotics manufacturer Engineered Arts, discuss the role of robotics in industrial settings and the engineering approach to creating human-like facial features and expressions. Chen also explains how the Engineered Arts’ humanoid, Ameca, came to fruition with careful design considerations.

 

 

“Developing humanoid robots requires solving complex, system-level challenges across perception, actuation, and real-time control,” said Yin. “In this episode, we break down how engineers approach those challenges and what it takes to build systems that can operate reliably in real-world environments.”

 

 

In addition to the podcast, the EIT series includes an in-depth video, technical articles, a topic-related infographic, as well as subscriber-exclusive content, exploring practical applications of AI in engineering workflows. By examining the range of cases where AI can enhance technical expertise, engineers can develop tools to help reshape how people think, decide, and create while protecting privacy and control.

 

 

Established in 2015, Mouser’s Empowering Innovation Together program is one of the electronic component industry’s most recognized educational programs. To learn more, visit https://www.mouser.com/empowering-innovation/humanoid-robotics-systems/ and follow Mouser on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.

 

 

For more Mouser news and our latest new product introductions, visit https://www.mouser.com/newsroom/.

 

 

As a global authorized distributor, Mouser offers the widest selection of the newest semiconductors, electronic components and industrial automation products. Mouser’s customers can expect 100% certified, genuine products that are fully traceable from each of its manufacturer partners. To help speed customers’ designs, Mouser’s website hosts an extensive library of technical resources, including a Technical Resource Center, along with product data sheets, supplier-specific reference designs, application notes, technical design information, engineering tools and other helpful information.

 

 

Engineers can stay abreast of today’s exciting product, technology and application news through Mouser’s complimentary e-newsletter. Mouser’s email news and reference subscriptions are customizable to the unique and changing project needs of customers and subscribers. No other distributor gives engineers this much customization and control over the information they receive. Learn about emerging technologies, product trends and more by signing up today at https://sub.info.mouser.com/subscriber/.

 

 

About Mouser Electronics

 

 

Mouser Electronics is an authorized semiconductor and electronic component distributor focused on New Product Introductions from its leading manufacturer partners. Serving the global electronic design engineer and buyer community, the global distributor’s website, mouser.com, is available in multiple languages and currencies and features more than 6.8 million products from over 1,200 manufacturer brands. Mouser offers 28 support locations worldwide to provide best-in-class customer service in local language, currency and time zone. The distributor ships to over 650,000 customers in 223 countries/territories from its 1 million-square-foot, state-of-the-art distribution facilities in the Dallas, Texas, metro area. For more information, visit https://www.mouser.com/.

 

 

Trademarks

 

 

Mouser and Mouser Electronics are registered trademarks of Mouser Electronics, Inc. All other products, logos, and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

 

 

 

 

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Business Wire India

 

Blue Cloud Ventures (BCV), a venture growth firm focused on investing in enterprise software companies, announced the final close of its fifth fund, Blue Cloud Ventures V (BCV V). This milestone reinforces the firm’s continued mission to back category-defining companies that are poised to thrive in the age of AI.

 

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260602186634/en/

 

 

 

At the core of BCV’s strategy is building deep conviction in and backing companies that possess the potential to define or reshape entire industries. With BCV V, the firm is doubling down on its AI-first investment thesis, aiming to back and support visionary teams on their long-term growth journey as they build the systems that will serve as the backbone of the modern enterprise.

 

Blue Cloud typically invests between $10 and $30 million as a lead, co-lead, or co-investor. Beyond support with strategy, recruiting, and customer introductions, the firm provides three unique pillars of value: deep operational expertise through a network of 100+ tech founders and CEOs, many of whom are limited partners (LPs) in BCV funds; global expansion support via international LPs and operating partners across Europe, the Middle East and Asia; and specialized capital raising and M&A deal execution expertise leveraging the investment banking background of the team.

 

 

“We believe we are in the early innings of a massive structural shift in enterprise software,” said Rami Rahal, Founder & Managing Partner at Blue Cloud Ventures. “Our focus is to partner with the architects of this shift to ensure they have the runway and strategic support to become the systems-of-record in the AI era.”

 

 

BCV V has already invested in several market leading companies including:

 

 

• Exein: An IoT security leader building a “digital immune system” for connected devices
• Forethought: An end-to-end AI-native CX platform
• Impact Analytics: An AI-driven retail planning and supply chain optimization platform
• Sanity: The modern content operating system for the AI era
• RapidFort: A pioneer in software attack surface optimization and supply chain security
• Writer: A leading generative AI platform for the enterprise

 

BCV V marked its first liquidity event following Zendesk’s acquisition of Forethought in March 2026. BCV V led Forethought’s $25 million growth round in April 2025, backing its pioneering agentic AI customer service platform.

 

The success of BCV V was made possible by the unwavering support of our limited partners. Our investor base consists of top-tier institutional investors, family offices, and an extensive network of successful tech entrepreneurs and executives.

 

 

“This has been one of the most selective fundraising environments our industry has seen in years. We are incredibly grateful to our LPs, many of whom have been with us since our first fund,” said Joel Lou, Founder and Operating Partner at Blue Cloud Ventures. “Their support allows us to remain agile as we navigate the rapidly evolving AI landscape.”

 

 

About Blue Cloud Ventures

 

 

Blue Cloud Ventures is a New York-based venture growth firm that invests in leading SaaS, infrastructure, and open-source software companies. BCV has a track record of supporting visionary entrepreneurs from growth to exit, with a portfolio of over 50 category-defining software companies in the United States, Canada and Europe.

 

 

 

 

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Business Wire India

Laserfiche — the leading SaaS provider of intelligent content management — has partnered with AWS to make Laserfiche available through AWS Marketplace. This collaboration enables AWS customers to seamlessly procure Laserfiche’s document management platform to manage content, automate workflows and implement agentic AI capabilities.

 

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260602537198/en/

 

 

 

“We’re excited about this evolution of our long-standing partnership with AWS,” said Thomas Phelps, Laserfiche senior vice president of corporate strategy and CIO. “AWS Marketplace provides a near-frictionless experience for Laserfiche direct customers who want to accept negotiated private offers, manage billing and payment history, and apply eligible purchases toward their AWS Enterprise Discount Program (EDP) commitments — all through their centralized AWS account.”

 

Laserfiche provides document lifecycle management, information governance and workflow automation tools on a platform that earned multiple Champion awards from Info-Tech Research Group. Laserfiche AI features include automatic metadata extraction, document summarization, chat and agentic capabilities.

 

 

“Within two weeks of requesting the ability to procure Laserfiche Cloud through AWS Marketplace, Laserfiche confirmed its availability on the marketplace,” said Bianca Lochner, Ph.D., City of Scottsdale CIO. “We appreciate Laserfiche’s swift execution and anticipation of our needs as our business partner.”

 

 

“We are thrilled to welcome Laserfiche to AWS Marketplace,” said Carol Potts, AWS General Manager of US ISV Sales. “Organizations in highly regulated industries can now adopt Laserfiche’s intelligent content management and agentic AI capabilities to quickly automate how they organize, govern, and act on critical information at scale. Enabling access to these innovations is how we help customers transform the way they work.”

 

 

To learn more, explore AWS Marketplace.

 

 

About Laserfiche

 

 

Laserfiche is a leading enterprise platform for document management and content-centric workflow automation. Through scalable workflows, forms, no-code templates and AI-enabled capture, the Laserfiche® platform accelerates how business gets done.

 

 

Laserfiche pioneered the paperless office with enterprise content management. Today, Laserfiche’s cloud-first development approach incorporates innovations in machine learning and AI to enable organizations globally to transform into digital businesses. Customers in every industry — including government, education, financial services, healthcare and manufacturing — use Laserfiche to boost productivity, scale their business and deliver digital-first customer experiences.

 

 

Laserfiche employees are committed to the company’s vision of empowering customers and inspiring people to reimagine how technology can transform lives.

 

 

Connect with Laserfiche:

 

 

Laserfiche Blog | X | LinkedIn | Facebook

 

 

 

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260602537198/en/