Category: Asean

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GeekyAnts Announces Expo Feature Featuring Co-Founder Sanket Sahu on In-Browser Development Infrastructure

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sanket Sahu, the co-founder of GeekyAnts and creator of gluestack, recently shared his insights and has been featured in a technical publication by Expo.

The featured publication, ‘How I built a dev server entirely in the browser,’ offers an in-depth analysis of the pioneering browser-native architecture engineered by GeekyAnts to drive the future of development environments.

By focusing on complex organizational needs and product innovation, GeekyAnts remains at the forefront of legacy system modernization. The feature effectively highlights how our browser-based infrastructure developments continue to define the standard for the React Native ecosystem.

The full technical article, detailing the architectural shift toward sub-100ms preview updates and AI-assisted development workflows, can be accessed directly on the Expo blog:

[Link to Expo Article].

Contact Information

GeekyAnts Inc.
315 Montgomery Street, 9th & 10th Floors
San Francisco, CA 94104, USA
+1 845 534 6825
[email protected]
www.geekyants.com/en-us


GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 9626268

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Global digital entrepreneurship ecosystem index reveals stark gap between digital readiness and scaling capacity

New global DEE Index shows that digital infrastructure alone no longer drives entrepreneurial success

Report Cover Digital Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Index

Report Cover Digital Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Index

VIENNA, Jan. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Vienna Institute for Global Studies (VIGS), an independent interdisciplinary research institute based in Vienna, published the 2026 Global Digital Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Index Report, offering one of the most comprehensive global assessments to date of how digitalization translates into entrepreneurial and economic outcomes across 170 economies.

The findings point to a critical shift in the global innovation landscape. While digital infrastructure, connectivity, and basic digital skills have expanded rapidly worldwide, the ability of countries to convert these foundations into scalable entrepreneurial activity remains uneven — creating a widening gap between digital readiness and economic impact.

The DEE Index, covering the period from 2017 to 2022, measures the systemic interaction between digital infrastructure, platforms, institutions, and entrepreneurial agency. The report finds that although global digital capabilities have improved markedly, startup scaling, access to venture finance, and innovation commercialization continue to lag. As a result, entrepreneurial scaling has emerged as the primary structural bottleneck of the global digital economy.

High-income economies such as the United States, Denmark, and the United Kingdom lead the global rankings, benefiting from balanced ecosystems that combine strong institutions, deep capital markets, and mature digital platforms. At the same time, several emerging regions — including Sub-Saharan Africa and Central Asia — recorded the fastest relative growth, driven by foundational investments in connectivity and digital skills.

“We are at a turning point in the global digital economy,” said Prof. Dr. Zoltán Ács, Director of the Vienna Institute for Global Studies. “Digital access is no longer the main constraint. The real challenge is enabling entrepreneurship — particularly scaling, finance, and institutional coordination — so digital readiness can be transformed into economic value.”

The report calls on policymakers, investors, and ecosystem leaders to shift focus from expanding access toward strengthening venture finance, entrepreneurial talent, and platform-based innovation ecosystems. Without targeted interventions, the gap between digital capability and entrepreneurial impact is likely to widen further.

The full Digital Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Index – Global Report is available here.

About the Vienna Institute for Global Studies (VIGS)

VIGS is an independent, interdisciplinary research institute specializing in entrepreneurial ecosystems, international relations, geopolitics, and well-being. VIGS produces data-driven insights to support evidence-based policy and strategic decision-making worldwide.

Contact
Naomi Besedes
[email protected]
+436648463928

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c767208d-2682-41a7-8689-8b50f295740d

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 1001159093

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New report from Meltwater and We. Communications reveals 90% of PR teams are integrating generative AI into their workflows

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Meltwater, a global leader in media, social, and consumer intelligence, in partnership with We. Communications, released its first annual State of PR Report, based on insights from more than 1,100 PR and communications professionals worldwide. The report highlights how PR teams are navigating rising expectations, evolving measurement demands, and using AI as a strategic advantage – while increasingly positioning themselves as strategic drivers of business value.

Key takeaways from the report:

  • AI is officially mainstream: Over 90% of PR teams have already integrated generative AI into their workflows for tasks like drafting press releases, optimizing content, and brainstorming, but only 13% say it’s highly integrated.
  • AI can supercharge teams and reduce time-sinks: Teams reported reactive work, content creation, and measurement/reporting as their biggest time sinks. Conversely, they named identifying rising trends and issues and summarization of media coverage, as the areas AI can have the biggest impact on their efforts, illustrating the efficiencies that can be gained with greater AI integration.
  • PR measurement is entering its next era: While foundational metrics such as reach and media volume are still widely used, there is growing momentum toward outcome-based measurement tied to business KPIs. More than one-third of PR professionals say aligning metrics to business goals is now a top priority. With insufficient resources and proving ROI cited as the top two challenges PR teams are facing, it’s key that evolving measurement is key.
  • Budgets are flat, but expectations are higher: More than half of respondents expect little or no change in PR investment for 2026, despite increased demand for strategic impact.
  • Leadership buy-in is key: Nearly 40% of PR pros report that company leadership has a limited understanding of their PR team’s work, despite 36% saying that PR budget is dependent on CEOs, underscoring the critical need to prove ROI to earn a seat at the table.
  • LinkedIn dominates as the PR pro platform of choice: 62% of PR professionals said LinkedIn was the most valuable platform for their work, with Facebook and Instagram as the next most popular at 10% each.

“The world of PR is defined by constant change, yet our research shows that core challenges, specifically proving ROI and fighting a persistent lack of resources, remain front and center,” said John Box, CEO of Meltwater. “What’s different now is that AI-powered tools are giving teams concrete ways to improve operational efficiency, gain the insight needed to measure brand performance and ensure the PR function achieves recognition and investment it deserves.”

Melissa Waggener Zorkin, Global CEO of We. Communications, says the report also points to the need for a pivotal shift in how communicators measure success, as AI solutions can now link communications activity to reputation outcomes and enterprise value. “PR pros do a great job measuring activity, but we’re seeing a missed opportunity when it comes to measuring impact. We now have sophisticated AI solutions that connect communications to reputation and business value in clear, quantifiable ways, giving communicators the data they need to show organization leaders how their work drives real results.”

For more insights, read the full State of PR Report here.

For more information, please contact:
Stacy Slayden
Communications Manager
[email protected]

About Meltwater
Meltwater empowers companies with a suite of solutions that spans media, social and consumer intelligence. By analyzing ~1 billion pieces of content each day and transforming them into vital insights, Meltwater unlocks the competitive edge needed to drive results. With 27,000 global customers, 50 offices across six continents, and 2,200 employees, Meltwater is the industry partner of choice for global brands making an impact. Learn more at meltwater.com.

About We. Communications
We. is a global communications agency helping brands navigate an ever-changing world. We’ve spent decades at the intersection of technology and humanity, translating new innovations into meaningful experiences that connect with people. As change accelerates and expectations evolve, we use our expertise to help brands communicate through complexity to drive connection, understanding and progress. We offer a range of solutions with this in mind, across diverse industries, audiences and stakeholders. 

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 9625485

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Bitdeer AI Accelerates Global AI Cloud Expansion with NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 Deployment

SINGAPORE, Jan. 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitdeer AI, part of Bitdeer Technologies Group (NASDAQ: BTDR), an emerging AI cloud service provider and NVIDIA Cloud Partner, today announced the launch of its NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 deployment in Malaysia, marking a new chapter in the company’s mission to simplify and scale AI computing globally.

The deployment of GB200 NVL72 infrastructure, is built for the most demanding AI workloads, and underscores Bitdeer AI’s vision of delivering “AI Power, Simplified.” More than a hardware upgrade, this launch represents a pivotal step in Bitdeer Group’s broader strategy to expand its global AI infrastructure footprint, leveraging its robust power capacity and land resources to build next-generation systems for the AI-driven era.

Building the Foundation for the AI Future

The Bitdeer Group is actively expanding its AI infrastructure data center capacity to support the next wave of AI model development, deployment and broader AI demands, including generative AI, intelligent agent systems and enterprise-scale workloads.

As part of this initiative, the Bitdeer Group is constructing a 13 MW accelerated computing data center in Washington State, a 37 MW accelerated computing data center in Tennessee, a 570 MW accelerated computing data center in Clarington, U.S., and a 175 MW facility in Tydal, Norway. The Washington and Tennessee facilities, originally operated for cryptocurrency mining, is undergoing a full conversion to a GPU-optimized AI data center. This marks the beginning of Bitdeer’s long-term transformation to repurpose its mining infrastructure for AI computing with the NVIDIA accelerated computing platform.

The Bitdeer Group currently manages a global power capacity of approximately 3 GW across the United States, Norway, Bhutan, and Canada, and holds significant land reserves that provide the flexibility to expand and scale AI infrastructure rapidly. This foundation uniquely positions Bitdeer to build sustainable, large-scale AI data centers and deliver the computing power required for the world’s growing AI needs.

From IaaS to SaaS: A Strategic Evolution

Bitdeer AI’s growth reflects a deliberate evolution from Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) to Software as a Service (SaaS), a journey toward providing full-stack, vertically integrated AI solutions in one cloud.

The journey began with IaaS, where Bitdeer AI launched its GPU Cloud, delivering scalable computing power powered by NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD with NVIDIA Hopper GPUs. This made enterprise-grade compute accessible to businesses and researchers worldwide.

It then advanced into Platform as a Service (PaaS) through AI Studio, enabling users to build, train, and deploy models with greater ease and flexibility. Now, Bitdeer AI is progressing into SaaS with its AI Agent Builder, empowering enterprises to deploy intelligent automation and AI solutions seamlessly.

This full-stack evolution, from infrastructure to intelligence, delivers on Bitdeer AI’s promise of providing AI power with simplicity, scalability and value-driven innovation for developers, businesses, and institutions around the world.

Global Infrastructure for AI Cloud Services

This expanded infrastructure forms the backbone of Bitdeer AI Cloud, a unified platform designed to simplify access to accelerated computing resources. Powered by NVIDIA accelerated computing platform and Bitdeer AI’s high-efficiency data centers, the platform enables global enterprises, startups, and research institutions to train, deploy, and scale AI models without complexity.

By combining cutting-edge hardware, optimized orchestration, and flexible deployment options, Bitdeer AI ensures that businesses can focus on innovation instead of infrastructure, realizing its mission to simplify AI compute at global scale.

“The deployment of NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 infrastructure is a significant milestone in Bitdeer AI’s journey toward building a global, intelligent cloud,” said Louis Xu, Head of Bitdeer AI. “With our expanding data center capacity, land reserves, and GPU infrastructure, we’re creating a strong foundation that supports the entire AI lifecycle, from model training to intelligent application deployment. This is how we turn ‘AI Power, Simplified’ into reality.”

Looking Ahead: Powering Global AI Innovation

With the deployment of NVIDIA GB200 NVL72, Bitdeer AI is already planning for NVIDIA GB300 NVL72 infrastructure to further enhance its compute capabilities. This forward-looking roadmap ensures the company stays ahead of the evolving AI landscape, providing enterprises with the scalability and agility required to support large-scale model training, AI reasoning, multimodal agent development, and intelligent AI services.

As AI models and solutions grow more complex and data-intensive, Bitdeer AI aims to combine its power capacity, land scalability and cloud infrastructure for the next generation of large-scale model training, multimodal agent development, and intelligent solutions. Guided by its vision of “One Cloud, Infinite Possibilities,” Bitdeer AI continues to bridge the gap between infrastructure and intelligence, delivering powerful, accessible, and efficient solutions that accelerate innovation and redefine what’s possible in the AI-driven economy.

About Bitdeer AI
Bitdeer AI, an emerging AI cloud service provider, delivers GPU cloud and full-stack AI solutions designed to simplify and scale intelligent computing. Headquartered in Singapore , Bitdeer AI is an NVIDIA Cloud Partner offering GPU Cloud, AI Studio, and AI Agent Builder services, supported by the Bitdeer Technologies Group’s global data center network with up to 3GW of total power capacity across the U.S., Norway, Bhutan, and Canada. The company enables organizations across industries to advance impactful AI initiatives and drive meaningful goals globally. For more information, please visit https://www.bitdeer.ai.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements regarding Bitdeer AI’s anticipated future performance, market opportunities, and business strategies. These statements are based on current beliefs, assumptions, and expectations, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Bitdeer.AI disclaims any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or developments, except as required by law.

Contact
Retainna Lin
[email protected]

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 9625374

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1X Unveils Paradigm Shift In Humanoid AI: NEO’s Starting to Learn On Its Own

NEO 1X World Model
NEO demonstrating household capabilities. NEO using an air-fryer and ironing a shirt.

NEO demonstrating household capabilities. NEO using an air-fryer and ironing a shirt.

PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — 1X is excited to announce the new 1X World Model, a groundbreaking AI update for NEO, marking a major leap forward in humanoid robotics. The new 1X World Model enables NEO to turn any request into an AI capability on demand, using a video model grounded in real-world physics. This marks the first major step toward a future where robots can teach themselves to do anything a human can.

With this update, NEO leverages internet-scale video data fine-tuned on robot data to perform AI tasks, even with objects and environments it has never encountered before. This approach closes the loop between digital intelligence and physical reality, allowing NEO to build on humanity’s vast knowledge as captured in video.

“After years of developing our World Model and making NEO’s design as close to human as possible, NEO can now learn from internet-scale video and apply that knowledge directly to the physical world. With the ability to transform any prompt into new actions—even without prior examples—this marks the starting point of NEO’s ability to teach itself to master nearly anything you could think to ask.”

– Bernt Børnich, CEO and Founder, 1X

The 1X World Model Turns Any Prompt into Autonomous Action
With this update, users give NEO a simple voice or text prompt, and it uses what it’s looking at to generate visualizations of future actions, and a built-in inverse dynamics model then translates these into precise movements for NEO to complete the request.

“With the 1X World Model, you can turn any prompt into a fully autonomous robot action — even with tasks and objects NEO’s never seen before.”

– Daniel Ho, AI Researcher, 1X

Demonstrations in 1X’s latest video showcase NEO’s ability to generalize beyond training data. For simple prompts like packing a lunch box, NEO visualizes and executes fluidly, even with unfamiliar objects. More impressively, NEO handles completely novel tasks, such as operating a toilet seat, opening a sliding door, ironing a shirt, brushing a human’s hair and more without any prior examples in its dataset. This highlights the transfer of broad human knowledge through the World Model.

The Flywheel Toward Self-Teaching Robots
Where traditional AI models for humanoid robots have depended on data collected by human operators, the 1X World Model enables NEO to collect its own data and master new capabilities autonomously. This paradigm shift opens the door for robots to teach themselves anything—accelerating the path to general-purpose humanoids that learn continuously from experience.

Humanoid AI Capabilities Scaling Alongside Video Models
Where improvement in AI capabilities for humanoids have long been bottlenecked by the speed in which robot data can be collected by human operators, the 1X World Model doesn’t only self improve from NEO collecting it’s own data but benefits from the improvement of video models given the world model uses a video model at its core.

Robust Performance in Dynamic and Unpredictable Environments
Traditional models have historically struggled with changes in lighting, clutter, or chaos that is commonplace in the home. The 1X World Model applies human-like understanding to navigate extreme variability, maintaining composure amid rapid environmental shifts. NEO is now able to generate and execute actions across countless scenarios, a first of its kind development in the humanoid space.

Learn More About the 1X World Model
To learn more, please visit our blog or watch the demonstration video here.

Pricing and Availability
NEO is available via 1X’s online store [1x.tech/order] and comes in three distinct colors (Tan, Gray, Dark Brown). Customers interested in owning one of the first NEOs can purchase Early Access for $20,000, which includes priority delivery in 2026. There will also be a subscription model offering of $499/month.

About 1X
1X is a leading U.S. based AI and robotics company, developing NEO–the home robot. 1X’s mission is to create an abundant future through safe, intelligent humanoids.

Media Contact:
Kendall Pennington
Head of Communications, 1X
Email: [email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fe3770cd-6f5f-4bbc-a0ff-31e6d46e04ec

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 9623335

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Attindas Hygiene Partners Expands European Position with Key Acquisition

RALEIGH, N.C., Jan. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Attindas Hygiene Partners’ growth strategy realized an important step forward today with its acquisition of Societá Italiana Lavorazione Cellulosa (SILC S.p.A.). Attindas executed a share purchase agreement with SILC, acquiring all shares of the 53-year-old, family-owned company.

SILC S.p.A. serves customers throughout Europe with high-quality, absorbent hygiene and skin care products, produced at its manufacturing facility 22 miles southeast of Milan, in Trescore Cremasco. SILC’s customer base and product portfolio complements Attindas’ strong presence in northern and southern Europe, opening new opportunities to efficiently serve both European and export markets.

“Our strategy at Attindas focuses on meeting the growing demand for essential hygiene products in North America and Europe. The acquisition of SILC will allow us to accelerate our growth agenda,” said Esther Berrozpe, chief executive officer of Attindas. “Given the geography, markets served, reputation and core values, SILC is a perfect fit to help us achieve our growth ambition.” SILC’s customers, suppliers and other business partners will continue to experience business as usual while the company is integrated into Attindas Hygiene Partners over the next few months.

Attindas Hygiene Partners

Based in Raleigh, NC, USA, Attindas Hygiene Partners brings together a portfolio of companies including Attends Healthcare Products, Associated Hygienic Products, and HDIS in North America, and Laboratorios Indas and Attends Healthcare AB in Europe. Attindas designs, manufactures, and markets absorbent hygiene products for US, Canada, Europe and export markets worldwide. The company’s main business lines include adult incontinence and infant diapers through retail, and direct-to-consumer channels, private label, and its own well-known brands including Attends, Incopack, Indasec, Chelino, Comfees and Reassure. Learn more at www.attindas.com.

S.I.L.C. – Società Italiana Lavorazione Cellulosa

Based in Trescore Cremasco (CR – Italy), SILC designs, manufactures, and markets products for adult incontinence, feminine hygiene pads, baby diapers, personal care cosmetics, and hygiene products for pets. These products are distributed mainly through retail channels, pharmacies, and institutions such as nursing homes and hospitals, as well as through direct-to-consumer sales and exports to more than twenty foreign countries. In addition to numerous private‑label lines, the company also owns several brands (Soffisof, Laurella, Assorbello, and BeautyCase) and holds licensed brands (Trudi Baby Care). Learn more at https://silc.it

For More Information Contact:
Michael DiMauro
Attindas Hygiene Partners
[email protected]
4141 Parklake Ave, Raleigh, NC 27617

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 9622900

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Bruder Consulting & Venture Group to become Dark Horse Consulting Regenerative Medicine

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. and NEW YORK, Jan. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Dark Horse Consulting Group (“DHCG” or “the Group”), a leader in strategic and operational biotherapeutics consulting, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Bruder Consulting & Venture Group (“Bruder” or “BCVG”), a strategic advisory and consulting firm with a global footprint in biotech and biopharma, known for their expertise in the discovery, development, clinical design, and regulatory approval process of biologics, devices and combination products in the orthopedic, wound care, and plastic & reconstructive surgery markets. BCVG is now a department within Dark Horse Consulting (DHC) known as DHC Regenerative Medicine.

This acquisition further strengthens DHCG’s patient-centered commitment to accelerating the development and commercialization of biotherapeutics by building out an integrated ecosystem of consulting services. The addition of BCVG extends the Group’s wide range of capabilities—following recent strategic expansions with BioTechLogic and Converge Consulting—to include regenerative medicine, tissue repair, and biomaterials. Bruder’s global reach is an ideal fit with DHCG’s position as a fully integrated global consulting practice.

“Welcoming Bruder into the Dark Horse family as our experts in Regenerative Medicine marks yet another meaningful milestone in our period of strategic growth,” said Anthony Davies, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of Dark Horse Consulting Group. “BCVG’s deep experience in regenerative medicine enriches our collective expertise and accelerates our capacity to deliver comprehensive solutions to developers and investors, thus moving therapies along further and faster for the ultimate benefit of patients worldwide.”

Scott P. Bruder, M.D., Ph.D., Founder and CEO of BCVG, added: “Joining forces with DHCG allows us to scale the expertise that our core team and advisors can provide, thus widening our opportunities to support client partners at all stages of the development process. Our expertise in the field of regenerative medicine will also add comprehensive additional value and service offerings to the Group’s current clients.”

As part of the transaction, BCVG was represented by Goodwin Procter LLP and Edgemont Partners. DHCG was represented by Fenwick & West LLP.

About Dark Horse Consulting Group

Dark Horse Consulting Group, a worldwide consulting organization with offices in North America, Europe, and APAC, was founded in 2014 with the purpose of accelerating development and delivery of cell and gene therapies through unmatched expertise. Since then, The Group’s focus has expanded dramatically, with consulting team subject matter expertise now encompassing strategy, operations, Quality, regulatory affairs, manufacturing, modeling, supply chain, commercial launch, and business optimization across the biopharma landscape. DHCG’s white glove client service is grounded in rigorous scientific and technical expertise to support clients from early discovery through commercial launch. The Group comprises three business units: DHC, BioTechLogic, and Converge Consulting, with BCVG now forming a specialized Regenerative Medicine department of DHC.

About Bruder Consulting & Venture Group

Bruder Consulting & Venture Group is a full-service strategic advisory firm with expertise in the discovery, development, clinical design, and regulatory approval process of biologics, devices and combination products in the orthopedic, wound care and plastic & reconstructive surgery markets. As veterans of product development, BCVG’s experts have completed more than 900 projects for over 150 companies around the world, and led or supported more than $2 billion of licensing, merger, and acquisition transactions in the USA and abroad.

Media inquiries:
[email protected]
+1 408-326-0303 ext. 209

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 9622893

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BEST FORTUNE. WORLD PARTY. Hong Kong Invites the World to Ring in the Year of the Horse with a Spectacular Cathay International Chinese New Year Night Parade and Citywide Celebrations

Cathay International Chinese New Year Night Parade

Cathay International Chinese New Year Night Parade

HONG KONG, Jan. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hong Kong is ready to welcome the Year of the Horse with one of the world’s most vibrant Chinese New Year celebrations. On 17 February, the first day of the Chinese New Year, the Cathay International Chinese New Year Night Parade will transform the city into a glittering carnival of light, music, global cultures and festive spirit. Celebrate a Chinese New Year like no other, with colorful blossoms in Lunar New Year Fairs, incense offerings for good luck in temples across Hong Kong, horse racing on Year of the Horse Raceday, and more.

Start the First Day of the Year of the Horse with a Parade of Dazzling Floats and Enticing Performances from All Around the World

Get ready for the first night of Chinese New Year with a pre-parade street party, leading up to the dazzling procession of floats and performances. The Parade will start from Hong Kong Cultural Centre and travel through major roads in Tsim Sha Tsui — including Canton Road, Haiphong Road, and Nathan Road — beginning at 8 PM on 17 February. With the theme “BEST FORTUNE. WORLD PARTY.”, the festivities celebrate the energetic spirit of the horse, a symbol of strength, vitality, progress, and success in Chinese culture.

The 2026 Parade will be an authentic night-long celebration showcasing a spectacular line-up of themed floats sweeping in the best luck of the year. Some float sponsors will celebrate milestone anniversaries — with Cathay marking its 80th anniversary, Hong Kong Disneyland celebrating its 20th and McDonald’s Hong Kong debuting a float in honour of its 50th — adding extra excitement to the parade and doubling the surprises for all. The first-ever float from the Hong Kong Brand Toy Association will heat up the party by bringing beloved IP characters to the festivity. The Ocean Park Hong Kong will invite their adorable Panda Friends to spread new year blessings to families and friends, while the Hong Kong Jockey Club will spotlight the zodiac year with shimmering horse installations to bring prosperity to all. Multiple dazzling floats will be on display at Kai Tak Sports Park from 18 to 26 February, extending the Parade excitement to visitors throughout the festive season.

Citywide Celebrations

Citywide Celebrations

Beyond the floats, a dynamic line-up of performances from around the world during the Parade will reinforce Hong Kong’s status as a truly international festival city. Not only will France’s FierS à Cheval set the tone with illuminated horse tableaux that capture the spirit of the Year of the Horse, the exhilarating performances including the precision of the Xi’an Acrobatic Troupe from the Chinese Mainland, the comic acrobat duo Les Vitaminés from Canada, and the debut of Australia’s Manly Seabirds cheer performers will bring high-energy sparkle to the parade route.

The Parade also embraces innovation while honouring tradition. Hong Kong’s East-Meets-West culture shines bright as the mesmerising Luminous Dragon Dance by Chinese Martial Arts Dragon and Lion Dance Association of Hong Kong, China, dances along the parade route with Italy’s Cromosauro, a large-scale dinosaur skeleton adorned with vibrant, colourful fabrics.

Citywide Celebrations for best fortune in the Year of the Horse

There are many more Chinese New Year celebrations in addition to the Parade – the city pulses with festivities, giving visitors endless reasons to explore.

Chinese Mainland and International Performing Groups

Chinese Mainland and International Performing Groups

For a week running up to the early hours of Chinese New Year’s Eve (11–17 February), visitors can dive into the festive spirit at Lunar New Year Fairs, commonly known as Chinese New Year flower markets, where parks and community hubs will burst with seasonal flowers, symbolic decorations and joyful atmosphere. Be sure to drop by some of the popular fairs for experiencing the vibrant ambience such as in Victoria Park in Causeway Bay or Fa Hui Park in Mong Kok.

As we gallop into the Year of the Horse, visitors cannot miss at the much-loved Year of the Horse Raceday on the third day of Chinese New Year (19 February), where Sha Tin Racecourse will be filled with thrilling horse-racing, entertainment and festive excitement, promising your chance to boost the luck.

Visitors can also take part in heartfelt blessings at the Hong Kong Well-Wishing Festival in Lam Tsuen from 17 February to 3 March, where visitors can write their wishes on a piece of joss paper attached to an orange and toss it up to the tree. It is believed that wishes will come true if they successfully cling to the wishing tree. Those seeking spiritual connection can visit Hong Kong’s many historic temples — including Wong Tai Sin Temple, Che Kung Temple and Kwun Yum Temples — to pray for fortune, love, prosperity and success in the Year of the Horse.

With its captivating parade spectacles, luminous celebrations and welcoming festive spirit, Hong Kong’s Chinese New Year promises joy at every moment. This Year of the Horse, travellers are invited to embrace the energy, happiness and optimism that Hong Kong radiates at this special time of year. To begin planning your journey, visit Discover Hong Kong website for more details: https://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/what-s-new/events/chinese-new-year.html

Media can download photos at the following link:
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For media enquiries, please contact:

Mr Cameron Tong Mr Chokie Cheng
Tel: 2807 6367 Tel: 2807 6342
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Zoom Opens Nominations for First U.S. Solopreneur 50 List, Recognizing AI-First Solo Business Leaders

Inaugural grant and recognition program from Zoom highlights solopreneur success and scalability through AI integration and adaptation

SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Zoom opens nominations for its Zoom Solopreneur 50 List (ZSP50), a first-of-its-kind recognition and grant program celebrating the individuals who are redefining entrepreneurship by building and growing businesses on their own.

Nominations are open until 5 p.m. ET on February 13, 2026. Individuals can nominate themselves or others by completing a short form at zoom.com/solo50.

The ZSP50 will honor 50 trailblazing “businesses of one” across the U.S. — independent creators, consultants, educators, inventors, and innovators using technology, ingenuity, and purpose to make an outsized impact. For business owners working alone, this is the opportunity to be part of a select group of doers with similar drive and grit.

“AI is expanding what a single person can accomplish,” said Kimberly Storin, Chief Marketing Officer at Zoom. “Solopreneurs are using AI to remove friction, move faster, reach further, and operate with a level of sophistication that used to be out of reach. The Solopreneur 50 recognizes the builders proving that scale today is driven by capability, not company size. Zoom is focused on enabling that future.”

Scaling Solos with AI

There are over 30MM small businesses in the U.S., 82% of which operate without employees (U.S. Chamber of Commerce). For an increasing number of solopreneurs, AI has become a core operating capability, enhancing decision-making, execution, and customer engagement.

Zoom, in partnership with Upwork, recently surveyed more than 1,000 small businesses (SMB), including solopreneurs, 64% of whom said they couldn’t be in business without AI. What’s more, 91% of small businesses saw a return on their AI investments within one year, and SMBs and solopreneurs report that AI has helped them reduce business costs (82%), increase customer acquisition (91%), and increase customer retention (87%).

Many solopreneurs can quickly adopt and iterate with AI tools, unencumbered by legacy systems or lengthy approval processes, allowing them to test, learn, and apply new capabilities in real time.

“Some of the most effective uses of AI aren’t coming from big companies – they’re solopreneurs,” said Lisa Scheiring, Global Small Business Advisor (informally known as the “Chief Solo Officer”) at Zoom. “They’re not waiting for polished playbooks or permission; they’re using AI to solve real problems in real time, from gaining continuous visibility into operations, to accessing expertise on demand, to turning a single hour of work into an entire marketing campaign. That speed and agility are real advantages, and it’s reshaping what’s possible for armies of one.”

The ZSP50 is part of Zoom’s broader initiative to provide independent business builders with research, recognition, and real-world tools to scale their success.

The ZSP50 Program

The ZSP50 recognizes a growing community of individuals who operate and scale their ventures independently, with no full-time employees, across multiple sectors including but not limited to technology and design, wellness, media, and social impact.

Eligible nominees must:

  • Operate a U.S.-based business with no full-time employees
  • Have been in operation for at least 12 months
  • Demonstrate innovation, independence, and measurable impact

A jury of experts drawn from Zoom’s network will evaluate solopreneur nominees across five dimensions that reflect what it takes to build a durable solo business today:

  • Originality of idea or execution
  • Demonstrated financial performance
  • Measurable business impact
  • Authentic connection to culture and community
  • Influence in shaping conversations, markets, or communities.

Honorees will be announced in Q2 2026, and gain exposure through Zoom’s platforms and media ecosystem, access to a community of peers and mentors, and eligibility for financial grants awarded to the top-five honorees to accelerate their growth and impact.

For more information, visit zoom.com/solo50. Contact Zoom at [email protected] with additional questions or inquiries.

About Zoom
Zoom’s mission is to provide an AI-first work platform for human connection. Reimagine teamwork with Zoom Workplace — Zoom’s open collaboration platform with AI Companion that empowers teams to be more productive. Together with Zoom Workplace, Zoom’s Business Services for sales, marketing, and customer experience teams, including Zoom Contact Center, strengthen customer relationships throughout the customer lifecycle. Founded in 2011, Zoom is publicly traded (NASDAQ:ZM) and headquartered in San Jose, California.

Get more information at zoom.com.

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