SINGAPORE, October 9, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- ChaPanda has become the first Chinese modern tea brand to open at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris. The move follows its entry into the French capital in September 2025, when it opened its first store in the 13th arrondissement. It has since added outlets at Galeries Lafayette and the Palais Garnier. ChaPanda now has the largest number of stores in Paris among Chinese modern tea brands, with its overseas business also expanding: agreements have been signed for more than 130 stores, and over 100 are already operating across 13 countries and regions.

”The Louvre is known for its collection of paintings and sculptures and is one of the world's most visited museums," Wang Huan, CEO of ChaPanda Overseas, said. “We are honoured to open a store at the Carrousel du Louvre. We see this as recognition of ChaPanda. This allows international tourists to experience modern Chinese tea up close and helps raise ChaPanda's international profile."

ChaPanda’s Market Footprint

ChaPanda ranks among the top three modern tea brands in China by market share.

Founded in 2008 in Chengdu, Sichuan province, ChaPanda currently operates more than 8,800 stores globally. The company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2024, and its signature Mango Pomelo Sago series has recorded cumulative global sales of over 400 million cups.

In January 2024, ChaPanda opened its first overseas store in Seoul, South Korea. According to company data, it has since signed agreements for more than 60 stores in South Korea, making it the Chinese food and beverage chain with the most stores in the country. Local customers account for 90% of its clientele.

Localisation and Global Supply Chain

"ChaPanda has pursued a localisation strategy since it began expanding overseas, developing market-specific menus based on local preferences," Wang said. The strategy relies on the company's R&D capabilities and global supply chain. When entering a new market, R&D teams study local taste profiles and source regional ingredients. For example, ChaPanda uses Hallabong citrus from Jeju in drinks sold in South Korea. The teams also adjust standard operating procedures based on local water quality and raw materials, including fruit and dairy. The Carrousel du Louvre store follows a similar approach, offering limited-edition beverages and merchandise.

France is a strategic market for ChaPanda. The company is taking a more measured approach in France, focusing on landmark stores and long-term investment rather than replicating its expansion model in markets such as South Korea and Malaysia. "Becoming a global brand is a long-term endeavour. In a high-impact market like France, the value of a landmark location outweighs the importance of rapid store openings," Wang said. “The limited-edition beverages and merchandise launched at the Carrousel du Louvre are also part of our efforts to test the French market. More products and experiences will follow.”

ChaPanda now operates in 13 countries and regions, including Malaysia, Singapore, France, the United States, Canada, Vietnam and Australia. "Over the long term, we want to globalise both the brand and the supply chain," Wang said. "We hope our Paris stores can extend their reach to New York, our experience in New York can support our Singapore business, and our overseas supply chain can eventually reinforce our stores in China."

Media Contact

flora.li@yggbi.com

LONDON, United Kingdom, October 9, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- What does it take to build a financial industry where everyone has the opportunity to succeed? Technology is part of the answer, but so are the people who challenge conventions, bring different perspectives and open doors for others.

This is the idea behind Innovate Finance’s Pride in FinTech Powerlist 2026, which has recognised Alona Shevtsova, CEO of Sends, among the professionals contributing to a more inclusive future for financial services.

Now in its fourth year, the initiative celebrates the achievements and contributions of LGBTQIA+ professionals and allies across the FinTech sector. Supported by Google as Gold Sponsor, alongside Funding Circle and Alloy, the Powerlist highlights individuals whose leadership, expertise and commitment are helping shape an industry that is more representative of the communities it serves.

Why Pride in FinTech Matters

Financial technology has transformed how people access, manage and move money. Yet meaningful progress in finance goes beyond faster payments, digital platforms and new technologies. It also means challenging barriers that prevent talented people from contributing fully to the industry.

Launched by Innovate Finance, the independent industry body for UK FinTech, Pride in FinTech aims to increase the visibility of LGBTQIA+ professionals, celebrate their contributions and create a more welcoming environment for future generations of financial services leaders.

At its heart is a simple but powerful belief: people should not have to choose between being themselves and building successful careers.

The initiative goes beyond recognition. Its 2026 programme also includes a dedicated mentorship programme and a Leadership Council, bringing together experienced professionals to support career development, strengthen professional networks and encourage meaningful change across the sector.

Google's involvement as Gold Sponsor reinforces the importance of collaboration between technology companies, financial institutions and industry organisations in making inclusion a lasting part of the FinTech ecosystem.

Alona Shevtsova: Leadership Without Limits

For Alona Shevtsova, inclusion in the 2026 Powerlist represents recognition within an industry. As CEO of Sends, she leads a UK-based financial services company focused on making everyday financial operations more accessible and efficient for individuals and businesses. Under her leadership, Sends continues to develop its payment infrastructure, expand its range of digital financial services and strengthen its international presence.

Her approach to leadership reflects the belief that innovation requires more than technical expertise. It depends on the confidence to question established practices, the willingness to listen to different perspectives and the ability to create opportunities for others.

As Alona Shevtsova shared in her message for the Pride in FinTech Powerlist 2026: “Never let your identity define the limits of your ambitions.”

The message captures one of the initiative's central ideas: professional ambition should never be limited by personal identity or the expectations of others.

For Sends, this recognition also reflects the company's broader commitment to building and supporting the FinTech community. Most recently, Sends participated in the Pay360 Awards 2026 in London, where it had the honour of presenting the Best Financial Crime Prevention Initiative award to FNA.

Beyond the UK, Sends continues to strengthen its relationships with FinTech communities worldwide, with a particular focus on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. CEO Alona Shevtsova recently joined a panel discussion at the Middle East Banking Innovation Summit (MEBIS) 2026 in Dubai, contributing to conversations about the future of payments and financial innovation.

Explore Innovate Finance's Pride in FinTech Powerlist 2026.

About Sends

Sends is a UK-based fintech company offering digital financial services for individuals and businesses. Its solutions include personal and business payment accounts, international transfers, foreign exchange, payment cards, and merchant payment services. Through continuous product development and strategic partnerships, Sends aims to simplify everyday financial operations and support businesses operating across international markets. For more information, visit sends.co.

Media Contact

Anastasiia Pervushyna
Marketing Department, Sends
contact@sends.co
+44 1273 004434

BEIJING, China, October 9, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- “The Carbon Pursuit of Happiness” is co-produced by Phoenix Media Group, Guangzhou Pharmaceutical, and Guangzhou Baiyunshan Pharmaceutical, and will officially premiere on October 10. Using human health and happiness in the age of artificial intelligence as its starting point, the program blends scientific evidence, cultural wisdom and humanistic reflection. Through immersive field experiences and in-depth conversations among a Phoenix TV host, leading experts in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Western medicine, and guests from diverse disciplines, it explores the fundamental questions facing carbon-based life in an era of rapid technological change.

At its core, “The Carbon Pursuit of Happiness” is a 12-episode documentary conversation series, with each episode running for 28 minutes. Led by Phoenix TV host Tian Chuan, the traveling team includes leading experts in TCM and Western medicine, as well as influential voices from across cultures. Filmed in China and overseas, the series combines immersive field experiences, in-depth conversations and clashes of views around 12 propositions of carbon-based life shared by all humanity: diet, breath, sleep, rhythms, fertility, childhood, emotions, work, immunity, aging, technology, and the future.

The series is tailor-made for its 12 themes, precisely matching each with ideal guests and carefully selecting unique locations and experiential activities, taking the traveling team deep into culturally rich sites in China and overseas in search of essential answers about health and happiness. 

In the Diet episode, guests share chenpi tea — an infusion made from aged tangerine peel — at the Museum of Chenliji Traditional Chinese Medicines while discussing the Chinese idea that “food and medicine share the same origin.” At Wudang Mountain in Hubei province of China, the "Breath" episode considers how, with each breath, life resonates in harmony with heaven and earth. In the "Sleep" episode, the team moves through the late-night lights of Seoul, South Korea, to discuss the sleep dilemmas of modern society. In China’s capital Beijing, where past and present converge, the episode on Rhythms revisits how earlier generations observed the heavens, set the calendar and lived in accordance with nature. In other episodes, guests express their own views: emotion is discussed amid the slower pace of Thailand, childhood in multicultural Malaysia, and immunity in Bomi, Nyingchi of China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, where the team travels over mountains and rivers to reflect in nature on the resilience of life and the limits of human immunity. In Shenzhen, Guangdong province of China — a global test bed for advanced technology — the conversation turns towards a core question: how can carbon-based life and silicon-based intelligence coexist?

Tian Chuan, the host of “The Carbon Pursuit of Happiness” and the series’s “observer of carbon-based life,” brings insight, warmth and an independent point of view. With acute empathy, questions infused with human warmth, and a delicate, natural yet poised manner of expression, she leads the traveling team across cultural sites at home and abroad, offering a warm response to the defining questions of our time through vibrant dialogue.

The series brings together leading figures in TCM and Western medicine, alongside prominent creators and influencers from a range of fields. It also introduces “A-Kang,” a silicon-based AI agent trained on a medical foundation model. Joining the conversations in real time, A-Kang offers reference opinions with big-data value on health and well-being for the happiness of carbon-based humanity. Bringing AI together with experts, scholars and cultural observers in the same space, the series creates a vivid scene of dialogue between TCM and Western medicine, guests from China and abroad, and carbon-based and silicon-based intelligence.

The host and guests draw on their own experiences to offer insights rich in human warmth and cultural depth. Discussing diet, Canadian food blogger and international food culture advocate David Klinck, who has lived in China for more than 20 years, observes: “Food is more than a form of culture; it is the meaning of life.” On sleep, former stand-up comedian Siwen, who has dealt with chronic insomnia, lays bare a common psychological predicament of modern people: “There is a kind of anxiety that is about anxiety itself—the harder you try to sleep, the less you can.”

Reflecting on childhood and the influence of the family of origin, Malaysian TCM practitioner Dr. Low Minghan offers warm encouragement: whether good or difficult, childhood remains part of our lives; what matters is living each day well in the present. In discussing natural rhythms, Qi Rui, Director of the Beijing Ancient Observatory and a science communicator in astronomy, concludes: “In the unity of humanity and nature, heaven comes first, followed by human beings. Living in harmonious resonance with heaven and earth is the ultimate way of life.”

Together, the 12 conversations reinterpret traditional Chinese approaches to health for contemporary life, explore shared health questions across cultures, and return to an essential question: what does it mean for people to live in health and happiness?

Guangzhou Pharmaceutical is a Fortune Global 500 industry powerhouse with a rich heritage, revitalizing Eastern wisdom through technological innovation. Phoenix Media Group, the largest overseas Chinese-language cultural and media group, reaches an audience of more than 2 billion people worldwide. Through “The Carbon Pursuit of Happiness” as their platform for collaboration, the two groups join forces as industry leaders, bringing Eastern health wisdom into deeper dialogue with modern science and technology, seeking answers through dialogue and embracing happiness through health.

The 12-episode documentary conversation series “The Carbon Pursuit of Happiness” will premiere across Phoenix TV’s omnimedia platforms on October 10, 2026, with two episodes airing back-to-back every Saturday at 22:00. Alongside the main feature, a diverse array of derivative content — including long-form video podcasts, short videos series, and themed live streams — will be rolled out progressively. With a global outlook, humanistic depth, and a youthful, internet-savvy tone, the program aims to engage audiences around the world.

Looking to the world while returning to the essence of life, the program explores the path to health and happiness for carbon-based life at the meeting point of scientific inquiry and humanistic care.

About Phoenix Satellite TV

Phoenix Satellite Television is part of Phoenix Media Group, a Hong Kong-headquartered media group listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Since its launch in 1996, Phoenix has grown into the largest overseas Chinese-language cultural and media group, now operating across television, digital platforms, outdoor screens, print media, mobile applications, and social media — reaching more than 2 billion people worldwide.

Media Contact

Cao Yuxuan
caoyuxuan@phoenixtv.com

ANAHEIM, CA, October 9, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Bill McIntosh, CEO of Buildy.ai, believes starting a business should begin with a conversation. His company has built an AI platform that takes the initiative: asking questions, guiding decisions, and putting specialized AI agents to work creating the business while the owner talks.

For aspiring entrepreneurs, that addresses a common problem. They have an idea and the drive to pursue it, but they don't know every step required to launch. Buildy guides them through those steps and handles the work.

"Someone can have a great idea and still have no clue how to build a website, set up email marketing, or launch an ad campaign," said McIntosh. "They shouldn't have to learn all of that before they can start. They should be able to talk through what they want, get guidance, and watch it take shape."

Buildy.ai was named Best AI Website Builder in the United States of 2026 by Evergreen Awards, which recognized its combination of business guidance, website creation, marketing, and workflow automation.

An AI That Knows What to Ask

At the center of Buildy's experience is a proactive agent system. Users can arrive with a rough idea, describe their goals, and let Buildy help them work through the decisions needed to move forward.

Buildy identifies missing information, asks follow-up questions, and helps shape the plan. As the conversation develops, its AI agents turn the user's answers into business assets and working systems.

"The AI prompts the human," McIntosh said. "You don't have to show up knowing the right commands or what needs to happen next. Buildy asks questions, helps you make decisions, and gets to work. That opens the door for people who have wanted to start a business for years but felt overwhelmed by the process."

That guidance extends from choosing a business idea and defining an offer to creating a brand, publishing a website, and launching marketing.

"I believe something special happens when you get to talk an idea through out loud," said McIntosh. "You say something, Buildy asks a question, and your answer takes you somewhere you hadn't thought to go. That back-and-forth can bring out a better offer, a fresh marketing angle, or a clearer picture of who you want to serve. There's real value in having a two-way voice conversation where you can think out loud, change your mind, and build on an idea together."

The Technology Behind the Conversation

Buildy.ai's patent-pending Voice Conversation-to-Company technology connects a conversational voice agent with an orchestration agent and specialized execution agents.

The voice agent talks with the user. The orchestration agent breaks goals into tasks, selects the skills needed, and coordinates the agents performing the work. Those agents can continue building in the background while the conversation moves forward.

Shared memory keeps the conversation connected to execution. Persistent memory carries business goals, preferences, and project details into future sessions. Buildy also adjusts its questions and explanations to the user's experience and communication style, while approval checkpoints keep owners involved in key decisions.

The result is a guided experience that connects strategy, design, development, marketing, and operations.

From a Business Idea to a Website and Marketing in Motion

Through conversations with Buildy, entrepreneurs can research their market, shape their offer, create their branding, and launch websites, web applications, and sales funnels. They can connect payments, create email campaigns, publish social content and SEO articles, launch paid advertising, and deploy AI agents for customer support and sales.

Buildy.ai reports that customers have used back-and-forth conversations to get their websites, email marketing, social media, content marketing, and paid advertising up and running in as little as an hour.

As of publication, Buildy's customers have built:

• 31,568 business projects with a website created and published
• 905,111 messages exchanged with Buildy
• 255,422 website edits
• 96,404 minutes of live voice conversations
• 13,833 ads created
• 15,395 social posts created
• 2,555 AI customer support and sales agents deployed
• 9,182 SEO blog posts published

"Every business starts with someone deciding to give their idea a chance," McIntosh said. "We built Buildy to help them take that next step, and the step after that. You bring your vision. Buildy helps you work out the details and brings it to life."

Entrepreneurs can experience Buildy today with a free trial at Buildy.ai.

About Buildy.ai

Buildy.ai helps entrepreneurs build, launch, and operate businesses through guided conversations with AI. Led by CEO Bill McIntosh, the platform combines business strategy, design, development, marketing, and operations through coordinated AI agents powered by its patent-pending Voice Conversation-to-Company technology. Buildy.ai has been awarded the title of Best AI Website Builder in the United States of 2026 by Evergreen Awards. For more information, visit Buildy.ai.

ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 8, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- The Kazakh National University of Sports (KNUS) celebrated its first graduating class this year, five years after its founding, with enrollment now exceeding 5,000 students, up from 260 in 2022.

In a recent interview with EU Reporter editor James Drew, KNUS founder and Director of Development at the International Esports Federation (IESF) Nurassyl Medeu described KNUS as an effort to bring international-standard sports education to Kazakhstan without requiring students to study abroad.

"Studying abroad can be an exceptional experience, but it is not an option for everyone," said Medeu. "I wanted talented students to have access to modern knowledge, new technologies, international experts, and professional networks without necessarily having to leave the country."

Adapting Global Benchmarks

Rather than replicating existing systems, KNUS takes inspiration from notable institutions such as Loughborough University and the German Sport University Cologne, particularly in the way they combine education, research, and professional practice, and adapts it into a model tailored for Kazakhstan and Central Asia.

"The goal was never to copy another system," said Medeu. "Our ambition is to meet international standards while developing the talent, research capacity, technology, and management expertise our region needs."

Building International Partnerships

KNUS works with some of the world's leading international organizations, including the United Nations, the International Olympic Committee, and United World Wrestling. In July 2026, United World Wrestling (UWW), the global governing body for Olympic wrestling, signed a memorandum of understanding with KNUS and the Kazakhstan Wrestling Federation. In September 2026, KNUS became the first university in Central Asia to join the network of Olympic Studies and Research Centres coordinated by the International Olympic Committee, and the university has partnered with UN Women representatives on its Women in Sport initiative. 

KNUS also works with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). WADA President Witold Bańka spoke at the launch of the university's Global Clean Sport Leadership Diplomacy mini-MBA. The university has also signed a cooperation agreement with the IESF.

Expanding Access Through Scholarships

A cornerstone of Medeu's educational philosophy is ensuring that high-quality education remains accessible to all, regardless of financial background. To this end, KNUS offers two primary scholarship initiatives, funded by the university's post-tax profits:

• Life Chance: Designed for socially vulnerable students and those from rural or remote regions. The program covers full tuition, provides free on-campus accommodation, and includes a monthly stipend personally funded by Medeu.
• Merit: An academic scholarship awarded to students who demonstrate exceptional entrance exam results, strong ongoing academic performance, and active engagement in university life.

"Financial circumstances should not prevent talented young people from accessing a strong education," Medeu emphasized. "Life Chance is ultimately about opportunity, giving young people the support they need to turn their abilities, discipline, and hard work into a different future."

Through his ongoing work with KNUS and his leadership at the IESF, Medeu continues his long-term mission of educational entrepreneurship, merging national ambition with international standards to empower the next generation of industry professionals.

Read the full interview on EU Reporter.

About World Impact Media Organization

World Impact Media Organization is an independent international media and analysis platform covering global markets, industry, and policy developments. The organization provides fact-based reporting and neutral analytical perspectives to support informed decision-making among institutions, investors, and the public. For more information, visit worldimpactmedia.org.

About Kazakh National University of Sports (KNUS)

Founded in 2021 by Nurassyl Medeu, the Kazakh National University of Sports (KNUS) is a private higher education institution dedicated to reshaping the sports industry in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. Originally established as the Academy of Physical Education and Mass Sports (APEMS), the university integrates sports education with science, technology, and business management to prepare professionals for the modern athletic landscape. Operating from a state-owned campus in Astana under a formal agreement, KNUS serves over 5,000 students and champions accessible, world-class education through initiatives like the Life Chance and Merit scholarship programs, which support talented youth from rural and socially vulnerable backgrounds. For more information, visit knus.edu.kz/en.

Media Contact

Chief Editor, World Impact Media Organization
jasmine@worldimpactmedia.org

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, October 8, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- UAE-born global lifestyle brand ARMAF made THE ARMAF HOUR the centrepiece of its presence at Beautyworld Middle East 2026, a three-day programme built around product reveals, live performance and direct consumer engagement.

Each day gave visitors a new reason to return to the ARMAF space. Day One opened with the debut of Club de Nuit Intenso Fuego, Day Two put the spotlight on Club de Nuit Bling (Gold), and Day Three brought together ARMAF's launches, campaign films and experiential programme.

Day One: THE ARMAF HOUR Ignites With Fuego

The first ARMAF HOUR centred on Club de Nuit Intenso Fuego, bringing the fragrance's character to the exhibition floor through an energetic, flamenco-inspired live performance built around fire, movement and contrast. The Fuego campaign film extended the launch story into a cinematic format, connecting the product with a wider lifestyle narrative.

Day Two: THE ARMAF HOUR Shines With Bling GOLD

THE ARMAF HOUR revealed the Club De Nuit Bling GOLD Edition, making the fragrance the focal point of the day. The reveal introduced a more feminine and luminous side of the ARMAF portfolio, bringing together fragrance, personality and visual storytelling. The campaign film presented Club De Nuit Bling GOLD Edition through a visual narrative centred on confidence and distinctive identity.

Club De Nuit Bling GOLD Edition combines solar heliotrope and neroli with the warmth of Madagascar vanilla and Mexican Palo Santo. Its gold-toned presentation and structured bottle design support its visual identity.

Day Three: THE ARMAF HOUR Launches Précieux III

The final day of THE ARMAF HOUR was dedicated to the launch of Précieux III, staged as a thematic launch built around a box of jewels and the idea of the fragrance as a treasure. The unveiling of its campaign film accompanied the launch, extending the jewel-box theme into a visual story.

The day completed the three-day programme alongside Club de Nuit Intenso Fuego and Club de Nuit Bling, giving visitors the chance to sample the fragrance and explore the wider ARMAF portfolio, from intense and expressive compositions to feminine and refined interpretations.

Day Three also gave ARMAF the opportunity to engage with retailers, distributors, media, fragrance enthusiasts and other industry stakeholders.

More Than a Fragrance Launch

Conversations with visitors and retail stakeholders pointed to continued interest in distinctive fragrance profiles, warm and gourmand compositions, strong visual identities, and fragrances matched to different moods and occasions. Consumers also appear increasingly comfortable owning more than one fragrance, choosing different scents for different moments rather than relying on a single signature. These observations will help guide ARMAF as it continues to develop its portfolio across international markets.

UAE-Born Brand With a Global Outlook

Beautyworld also reinforced the position of the UAE as an important meeting point for the global fragrance and beauty industry.

For ARMAF, a UAE-born and UAE-based global lifestyle brand, the exhibition provided an opportunity to bring its international fragrance story back to its home market while engaging with audiences from across the region and beyond.

The three days brought together consumers, retailers, distributors, media and industry partners, with conversations spanning new launches, retail opportunities, distribution and the evolving expectations of fragrance consumers.

ARMAF’s Beautyworld presence ultimately demonstrated a shift in how the brand is approaching fragrance not simply as a product on a shelf, but as an experience that can be discovered, shared and integrated into lifestyle.

PARIS, France, October 8, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- On 4 October 2026, Foremost Hat Museum of Nantong, China — the country’s first private museum dedicated to millinery art and heritage — hosted a landmark dual-book launch at Hôtel du Louvre, unveiling"101 Hats" and "Dao, the Greatest Gift" to a European audience. The dual-book launch, which bridges the worlds of fashion and philosophy, is spearheaded by Jeffrey Sun, founder of Foremost Hat Museum. The evening also saw the official launch of the World Headwear Fund, an industry-wide initiative set to reshape the global landscape of hat creation, craft preservation and cross-border cultural exchange.

Gathering over 70 distinguished guests from the international fashion, art and cultural spheres, the event marked a defining moment for global millinery. For decades, the discipline has occupied a unique yet fragmented position within the global fashion system: a carrier of intangible craft heritage and a cornerstone of runway identity, yet lacking a unified, authoritative archive of contemporary practice across borders. "101 Hats" was created to fill that gap. Curated across 20 countries and featuring works by 72 leading milliners, the volume is more than a publication — it is a panoramic survey of 21st-century millinery creativity, documenting diverse artistic languages and regional craft traditions for future generations.

The event drew the most authoritative voices in global hat design and fashion education. Legendary milliner Stephen Jones, whose work has defined haute couture headwear for decades, joined the celebration alongside Elly Stemerdink, editor-in-chief of The Hat Magazine — the world’s leading publication dedicated to millinery. Roger Tredre, esteemed fashion critic, historian and course leader of MA Fashion Communication at Central Saint Martins, also took the stage to share insights into the book’s significance for fashion scholarship and archival practice. All three contributed prefaces to the landmark volume.

The evening’s most defining announcement was the launch of the World Headwear Fund. Initiated by the founder of Foremost Hat Museum, the fund is built on a core mission: to unite forces across the global millinery sector, and provide sustained support to practitioners and artists dedicated to original hat creation, traditional craft inheritance and the international dissemination of hat culture. For an industry long reliant on individual ateliers and regional ecosystems, the fund represents the first China-originated, globally oriented institutional platform dedicated to advancing millinery as a universal art form.

Complementing the contemporary fashion focus of "101 Hats," the second title "Dao, the Greatest Gift" brought philosophical depth to the fashion week programme. A brand-new English translation of Laozi’s 2,500-year-old Daodejing, the work reimagines how ancient Chinese wisdom can resonate with modern creative thinking. The translation’s distinctive “Dao-style English” prioritises rhythm, concision and inner resonance, seeking to restore the literary elegance and philosophical nuance often lost in earlier Western renditions.

The event drew extensive media attention from both Chinese and international outlets. Senior editorial representatives from European Times and Phoenix TV attended to extend their congratulations, while correspondents from The New York Times and Harper’s Bazaar were on site for interviews and coverage, reflecting the cross-industry interest generated by the launch.

Among the 72 designers profiled in "101 Hats," 13 attended the Paris event in person. Foremost Hat Museum awarded each of them an official Collection Certificate and conveyed its commitment to ongoing, long-term collaboration moving forward.

Also in attendance were French artist representatives Laurence and Ma Zelin; Su Xiaoqing and Wang Fang of the France-China Committee for Development and Exchange; and Zhou Xiaoyan, Chairwoman of Huaxia Group Milan. These representatives of Chinese communities across Europe each delivered remarks to congratulate the museum on the landmark launch.

For Foremost Hat Museum, the Paris launch solidifies its position as a pioneer beyond traditional museum work. What began as an institution dedicated to preserving and exhibiting hat heritage has evolved into a global catalyst: curating international talent, building collaborative infrastructure, and anchoring contemporary fashion in enduring cultural values. In bringing "101 Hats" and the World Headwear Fund to the heart of Paris Fashion Week, the museum demonstrates how a Chinese cultural institution can lead, not just participate, in the global fashion conversation.

About Nantong Foremost Hat Museum

Founded in 1996, Nantong Foremost Garments & Accessories Co., Ltd. has grown into a leading comprehensive enterprise in China’s headwear industry over 30 years. It has been honored as a National Specialized, Refined, Differential and Innovative SME and a Hidden Champion of Chinese Manufacturing. Integrating R&D, design, manufacturing and distribution, its core products cover hats, gloves and scarves. With six production bases at home and abroad and multiple proprietary headwear brands, it runs China’s first full-category Foremost Hat Museum, has published multiple works on headwear culture, and hosts the "920 Headwear Carnival," "International Headwear Design Competition," and "101 Series Cultural Events" to advance industry exchange and cultural dissemination.

Media Contact

Jessy Guan
COO, Nantong Foremost Hat Museum
gxjessy@4mostcaps.com
+86 131 6736 7306

NEW YORK, NY, October 8, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Vega, the pioneer of agentic cyber defense, today announced the appointment of Scott Simkin as Chief Marketing Officer. Simkin joins as Vega II unleashes the best model trained for cyber defense to transform every alert, across all data sources, into a conclusive verdict at the speed of the attack. The platform keeps every lesson and gets faster with every fight, so defenders can finally outpace adversarial AI.

"Once a generation, a company changes how security gets done. For cyber defense in the age of AI, that company is Vega," said Shay Sandler, co-founder and CEO of Vega. "Scott built the stories and execution engine behind the two biggest names in security operations. Now he will help Vega define the post-SIEM era. There is no one I would rather have leading this charge."

Simkin is one of the industry's best-known storytellers, having twice helped define a category and drive growth at massive scale. At Palo Alto Networks, he served as Vice President of Marketing for the end-to-end Cortex platform, one of the fastest-growing portfolios spanning security operations, cloud security, and Unit 42 services, with annual revenue approaching $2 billion. Earlier, he helped pioneer the XDR category, which has since replaced EDR as the standard for modern endpoint security. At CrowdStrike, he led product marketing, technical marketing, portfolio positioning, and campaigns across the full Falcon platform. He also launched Falcon Next-Gen SIEM, which CrowdStrike says now exceeds $600 million in annual recurring revenue. Two years after founding, Vega already defends some of the world's largest banks, healthcare providers, and Fortune 200 enterprises, and Simkin joins to turn that momentum into dominant market leadership.

"For three years, CISOs have asked me the same question about AI in their SOC: isn't this just an iteration on the SIEM? They were right, and Vega is the answer," said Simkin. "AI across all your data, in place, without moving or ingesting it. Better outcomes, faster, at a lower total cost. That's Vega, and no one else comes close. I'm grateful for a career at the companies that built this market, and I've never been more certain about where cyber defense is going. Vega has the technology and the people this moment demands. There was only one choice."

Experience Vega II at Cyber Defense at the Frontier on Oct. 21, 2026, at 8 a.m. PT / 11 a.m. ET / 4 p.m. BST. Sign up for a demo today.

About Vega

Vega is the pioneer of agentic cyber defense. Built on the Security Analytics Mesh, the Vega platform runs detection, triage, investigation, and optimization across data lakes, object storage, security tools, and existing SIEMs. Founded in 2024, Vega has raised $185 million and is backed by Accel, Cyberstarts, Redpoint, and CRV. It protects Fortune 200 enterprises, global banks, and leading healthcare providers. For more information, visit vega.io, read our blog, follow on LinkedIn and Instagram. Vega: Attacks scale. Defense compounds.

Media Contact

press@vega.io

LONDON, United Kingdom, October 8, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Sends, a UK-based fintech company providing digital payment solutions for individuals and businesses, attended the Pay360 Awards 2026, held in London on 7 October, joining leading companies, innovators, and industry professionals for one of the key celebrations in the UK payments calendar.

The evening brought together representatives from across the payments industry to recognise outstanding achievements, technological innovation, and the organisations building the future of financial services. The ceremony featured 21 award categories, with more than 90 organisations shortlisted.

As part of the ceremony, Sends had the honour of presenting the Best Financial Crime Prevention Initiative award, recognising excellence in developing solutions that help financial institutions prevent, detect, and combat financial crime.

The award was presented to FNA, acknowledging the company's contribution to advancing financial crime prevention within the financial services industry.

"Financial crime prevention is one of the biggest responsibilities we have as a payments industry. As technology evolves, so do the risks, and staying ahead requires constant innovation and collaboration. At Sends, we know how important it is to build trust into every part of the payment experience. It was a pleasure to present this award and recognise the work being done to make financial services safer. Congratulations to FNA on this well-deserved recognition," said Alona Shevtsova, CEO of Sends.

Beyond the awards ceremony, the event provided an opportunity to reconnect with existing partners, strengthen business relationships, and engage with potential new partners from across the fintech and payments sectors.

"Events like the Pay360 Awards are a great reminder that, behind every technology and business solution, there are people building relationships, exchanging ideas, and working towards common goals. It was a pleasure to reconnect with our partners, meet new industry colleagues, and celebrate the achievements of companies moving our sector forward," added Shevtsova.

It is worth mentioning that Sends recently announced its global cooperation with UnionPay International, expanding its payment capabilities across card issuing and acquiring. Expanding the product, the company also introduced eSIM travel data integration, allowing customers to stay connected abroad directly through the Sends app.

In September, Sends also launched a special autumn offer for business customers, continuing its efforts to support and grow its business community.

Business and Partnership Enquiries

Interested in exploring opportunities with Sends? Contact our business development team through sends.co.

About Sends

Sends is a UK-based fintech company offering digital financial services for individuals and businesses. Its solutions include personal and business payment accounts, international transfers, foreign exchange, payment cards, and merchant payment services. Through continuous product development and strategic partnerships, Sends aims to simplify everyday financial operations and support businesses operating across international markets. For more information, visit sends.co.

Media Contact

Anastasiia Pervushyna
Marketing Department, Sends
contact@sends.co
+44 1273 004434

NEW YORK, NY, October 8, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- EZ Newswire, the newswire built for AI visibility and premium publisher distribution, today announced that Michelle Songy has joined as Head of Growth, the company's first senior sales and marketing hire. Songy will lead inbound, outbound, partnerships, and paid acquisition as EZ Newswire expands among PR agencies and corporate communications teams.

Songy has spent most of her career building brands and go-to-market teams from scratch. She co-founded Cake Technologies and, as CMO, led its brand and go-to-market from launch through its acquisition by American Express. She later founded Press Hook, a PR platform that connected thousands of brands with journalists for earned media. She has also worked at The Coca-Cola Company and led enterprise partnerships at American Express.

"I've known Michelle for years, and she understands this market from the customer's side," said Neel Shah, founder and CEO of EZ Newswire. "She has built go-to-market from zero more than once. She is the right person to do it here as we move beyond product-led growth."

The appointment comes as AI systems become a primary way people and software learn about companies and as bots and AI agents generate more web traffic than humans. In June, EZ Newswire launched its Reporting Dashboard, which tracks how each release is cited across major AI answer engines, including ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity, alongside distribution, reader engagement, and search performance.

"What drew me to EZ Newswire was the depth of its technical bench and the product it has built," said Songy. "Legacy newswires still measure success by pickups and inflated potential audience metrics, which are no longer relevant in the AI and agentic era. EZ Newswire is the only newswire that shares detailed analytics and insights showing customers how their news surfaces in AI answers, which are increasingly where reputations are formed and decisions are made. The team has built something rare in this category, and my job is to help scale it."

The hire follows a period of product-led growth for EZ Newswire, which is the exclusive newswire partner of Reuters and Fortune. In recent months, the company has distributed news for global brands including AB InBev, American Airlines, JD.com, Liberty Mutual, and Zeekr, as well as high-growth startups such as Warp and Campfire.

In its first year on G2, the company earned seven badges in the Fall 2026 reports for Press Release Distribution Software, including High Performer honors across the Global, Mid-Market, Small-Business, Europe, and EMEA Grid Reports and an Easiest To Do Business With badge, and ranked in the top 10% of 115 vendors in the category.

About EZ Newswire

EZ Newswire is the newswire built for AI performance with a premium distribution network, real-time reporting, and AI citation tracking and insights on a single platform. From startup to scale-up to S&P 500, the most influential agencies and organizations rely on EZ Newswire to shape digital and AI presence. Learn more at eznewswire.com.

Media Contact

Ethan Cantil-Voorhees
media@eznewswire.com

UNION CITY, NJ, October 7, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- OKOA Skin is expanding its range of targeted skincare formulas, bringing together daily products designed around specific skin concerns, including hydration, uneven tone, under-eye puffiness and visible signs of aging.

The company's approach combines peptides, botanical extracts and other active ingredients in formulations intended for different stages of a skincare routine. Its product range includes cleansers, serums, moisturizers and targeted treatments, reflecting a focus on combining multiple functions within individual products.

Targeted Formulas for Everyday Skincare

The range includes OKOA Skin's Comprehensive Caffeine Eye Cream, built for the eye contour and the three things people usually notice there first: puffiness, dark circles and fine lines. Caffeine sits ninth on its ingredient list, above every botanical extract and well above the preservatives, so it's there in a real amount rather than as a label mention.

Caffeine does the fast work. It constricts the tiny blood vessels under the eye, which is why puffiness and bluish shadows look calmer within minutes, especially in the morning. Pullulan, a natural film-former, smooths the surface at the same time, while squalane and jojoba oil keep the thin skin around the eye soft and comfortable. Bioskinup Contour 3R, a botanical complex of white lily, pfaffia and marapuama, was developed specifically for under-eye bags and dark circles and covers the slower side of the formula.

The cream is made for morning and night use, with the morning application doing the most visible work on puffiness and the evening one building results over the first four weeks. Used that way, it gives the eye area its own step instead of whatever is left over from a face moisturizer.

A Changing Beauty Market

OKOA Skin's product range is developing amid a challenging environment for established beauty companies, which are balancing consumer demand with pricing, marketing expenditure and product development costs.

In August 2026, Beiersdorf, the German consumer goods company behind Nivea, lowered its full-year sales and earnings forecasts, citing difficult market conditions and a slower-than-expected recovery in its core brand. The company also outlined increased investment in marketing and product launches as part of its efforts to improve performance.

The Beiersdorf outlook illustrates the commercial pressures facing established skincare businesses as they adjust their product and marketing strategies in response to market conditions.

Procter & Gamble also forecast slower annual sales growth in July 2026, pointing to tighter consumer spending and higher operating costs. Despite those pressures, the company reported growth in its beauty segment, highlighting differences in demand across consumer product categories.

Its 2027 growth forecast reflects the broader challenge of maintaining growth while managing costs and responding to changing purchasing patterns.

These developments provide a backdrop for smaller skincare brands, for which product differentiation and the way individual formulations meet consumer needs are important parts of establishing a market position.

Combining Ingredients with Different Functions

OKOA Skin's broader range follows a formulation strategy that combines different ingredients according to the intended role of each product. Its Dual Action Peptide Lifting and Firming Cream, for example, features IDEALIFT™, a bioactive peptide, alongside sodium hyaluronate, aloe vera and glycerin.

The brand also offers a Vitamin C Brightening Serum and a Retinol Firming Serum, each centred on different active ingredients and skincare objectives. Its Deep Hydration Moisturizer incorporates botanical oils and other conditioning ingredients, while its Glycolic Daily Cleanser is formulated with glycolic acid.

Together, these products illustrate how the company organizes its range around distinct formulation purposes rather than a single skincare ingredient or concern. The products can be incorporated into morning and evening routines, with more intensive treatments available separately.

The distinction between daily skincare and more targeted treatments is also reflected in the brand's product bundles, which bring together selected formulations for particular routines.

Formulation and Consumer Choice

The variety of skincare products available means consumers must consider more than a product's headline ingredient when choosing what to use. Ingredient combinations, application instructions and compatibility with existing routines can all influence product selection.

OKOA Skin's range reflects this variety through products designed for different concerns and stages of daily skincare. Its emphasis on multi-benefit formulations offers one example of how brands are organizing products around several intended functions rather than treating each skincare concern in isolation.

For the wider beauty industry, the challenge remains balancing product innovation with commercial pressures and changing consumer expectations. For smaller brands, developing a recognizable formulation strategy provides one way to define their offering within a competitive category.

About OKOA Skin

OKOA Skin is a skincare brand focused on science-based formulations that combine active ingredients, peptides and botanical extracts. Its product range includes cleansers, serums, moisturisers, lifting treatments and targeted products for the eye area. The company takes a layered approach to skincare, with products designed for different stages of daily routines. For more information, visit okoaskin.com.

Media Contact

Nieem Sekiri
nieem@prsoprano.com

MCKINNEY, TX, October 7, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- TEXITcoin today provided an update on its ongoing proceedings with the Texas State Securities Board following an August administrative hearing and a subsequent letter from its legal counsel to Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

The September 22 letter, sent by Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan and Wright Close Barger & Guzman, cites sworn testimony from Texas State Securities Board lead investigator Phillip Fuselier concerning factual statements contained in the Board's February 11 emergency cease and desist order.

One exchange concerned the order's statement that purchasers “never receive any mining hardware or control over mining hardware.” According to the hearing testimony cited in the letter, Fuselier confirmed that some purchasers had received at-home mining equipment. When asked during cross-examination whether the original statement was false, Fuselier replied, “Correct.” 

In its September 22 letter to Governor Abbott, TEXITcoin's legal counsel also cited testimony concerning other statements contained in the order, including:

• Fuselier's acknowledgement that he was aware before the order was filed of public statements in which TEXITcoin founder Bobby Gray discussed the Mulligan Mint bankruptcy
• Testimony that information concerning MineTXC's assets, liabilities and capitalization had been disclosed on its website
• Fuselier's acknowledgment that he was aware of evidence concerning disclosures around hardware failures, power outages, network disconnections and the location and security of TEXITcoin's mining operations

“The August hearing provided an opportunity for the evidence underlying the Board's allegations to be examined under cross-examination,” said Bobby Gray, founder of TEXITcoin. “We welcome scrutiny of TEXITcoin and believe the full hearing record should be considered before conclusions are reached.”

On August 28, TEXITcoin's legal counsel asked the Board to withdraw the emergency order and dismiss the proceedings. The Board declined. Counsel subsequently wrote to Governor Abbott requesting a review of the agency's conduct and citing testimony from the August hearing.

The proceedings remain ongoing and an administrative law judge has not yet issued a final decision.

The case comes as Texas continues to expand its involvement in digital assets. The state established the Texas Strategic Bitcoin Reserve in 2025, recognising in state law the “strategic potential” of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

The federal regulatory position around proof-of-work mining has also evolved. In March 2025, staff at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's Division of Corporation Finance published a statement on certain proof-of-work mining activities stating that the protocol mining activities described in the statement do not involve offers and sales of securities.

The SEC statement does not determine the TEXITcoin proceedings, which concern a specific mining participation model.

About TEXITcoin

TEXITcoin (TXC) is a Layer 1 Scrypt Proof-of-Work cryptocurrency mined in Texas, with no premine and no team allocation. TEXITcoin is part of the honest money movement, built on the idea that money should be backed by real work and real infrastructure rather than created by decree. TXC has traded on public exchanges since June 2024. For more information, visit texitcoin.org.

Disclaimer

This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice, nor an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security, cryptocurrency, or mining participation model. Investing in digital assets involves a high degree of risk, including the potential loss of capital. This statement also contains forward-looking statements regarding ongoing administrative and legal proceedings; actual outcomes may differ materially from expectations, and TEXITcoin assumes no obligation to update these statements based on new information or future developments.

Media Contact

Conor McLarnon
conor@lunapr.io

WILMINGTON, DE, October 7, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Fuelfinance, the financial operations company, on Sept. 30 launched Fuel Agents, a multi-agent platform that turns a finance team's recurring work into workflows that run on their own.

Finance teams spend hours a day on routine tasks: matching payments to invoices, tying out accounts, and rebuilding forecasts by hand. With Fuel Agents, that work goes to specialized AI agents. Each agent does one task, and agents are chained into workflows that run on a schedule and report back in Slack or Microsoft Teams, with a human in the loop for every judgment call.

The launch includes a library of more than 35 agents across close and control, cash and treasury, and analysis and reporting. Teams can combine them into workflows or build custom agents for processes unique to their business.

Designed for Control and Security

Fuel Agents are designed around the controls finance teams need before letting software near their books:

• Humans approve every change. Agents can draft invoices, journal entries, and payment runs, but nothing posts to accounting records until a person with approval rights signs off.
• Agents are pre-tested on historical data. Each agent is scored on a company's past periods, where the right answers are already known.
• Numbers are designed to be traceable. Findings link back to the transactions they came from, and an audit log records what data was used, what was assumed, and who approved it.
• The system learns. Every correction and ruling is stored and applied on the next run, so a finding dismissed in June doesn't return in July.
• Deterministic steps, such as matching and recalculating, run as code rather than through an AI model, which helps maintain calculation accuracy and keep running costs low.

"We don't replace financial expertise. We free it from repetitive work," said Alyona Mysko, founder and CEO of Fuelfinance. "Agents do the finding. Your team decides."

A Four-Week Pilot on Real Data

Companies start with a four-week pilot. They choose one time-consuming process, and Fuel's finance engineers, including former CFOs, build and run the workflow on the company's real data, then measure the time saved. From there, Fuel trains the finance team to run and build its own agents.

Fuel Agents are available today. Companies can book a demo at fuelfinance.me/demo.

About Fuelfinance

Founded in 2019, Fuelfinance is an AI-native financial operations platform for mid-market and enterprise companies. It combines specialized finance agents with experienced finance professionals to deliver accurate, auditable financial operations. Fuelfinance is rated a G2 High Performer with a 4.9/5 score. 

Media Contact

Lucy Tsotsorina
Head of Marketing, Fuelfinance
go@fuelfinance.me

BUCHAREST, Romania, October 7, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- AENO has opened its first brand corner in Romania, at Băneasa Shopping City in Bucharest, adding an in-store channel to its existing online sales in the country. The corner carries the company’s personal care, household cleaning, and kitchen products.

Among the products on sale is the HD5 AI ProDryer, a hair dryer that adjusts its airflow temperature based on the distance between the nozzle and the hair. In its AI mode, the dryer measures how far the nozzle is from the hair and changes the airflow temperature as that distance changes. A separate NTC temperature sensor monitors the airflow and reduces heat when the temperature rises above a set limit.

A motion sensor detects when the dryer is put down and pauses the airflow, then restarts it when the dryer is picked up. Users can switch between AI, Soft, Hot, and Cold modes with voice commands or on a touchscreen. The HD5 also has an ionic function and comes with magnetic attachments, including a diffuser and a styling nozzle.

The HD5 is available in black, white, and grey.

About AENO

AENO is a consumer electronics brand that makes smart home, personal care, household cleaning and kitchen products. Its products are sold through retail and e-commerce partners in several international markets. For more information, visit aeno.com.

Media Contact

Andrii Didukhovych
AENO
a.didukhovich@asbis.com

LONDON, United Kingdom, October 7, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Global App Testing, the trusted enterprise software evaluation partner, today announced that it has been named an OpenAI Select Partner within the OpenAI Partner Network.

 The OpenAI Partner Network is a global program for partners to build, sell, and deliver AI solutions with OpenAI. It brings together partners with deep industry expertise, delivery capabilities, and customer relationships while equipping them with resources, enablement, and support to help enterprises adopt OpenAI frontier models and products and turn them into measurable impact.

As an OpenAI Select Partner, Global App Testing will continue working with OpenAI to help organisations build, deploy and scale AI solutions responsibly and effectively. This work will help organisations get more useful work from every token and stronger performance per dollar with GPT-5.6, while using ChatGPT Work to turn ambitious goals into finished work.

With more than 120,000 professional evaluators across over 190 countries, Global App Testing brings the real-world insight and industry expertise needed to help enterprises evaluate AI-driven products at global scale.

"Being named an OpenAI Select Partner is a testament to the rigorous, real-world evaluation we bring to the AI ecosystem. We are excited to deepen our collaboration with OpenAI to ensure that frontier models not only perform technically but also deliver reliable, culturally relevant experiences for users everywhere," said Nick Viney, CEO, Global App Testing.

Learn more about what the OpenAI select partnership means for Global App Testing.

Global App Testing supports organizations across enterprise technology, fintech, travel, and social media with comprehensive, real-life software evaluation services. Its work includes collaborating with world-leading AI organizations to evaluate models and agents, and generate high-quality human data that improves AI performance across real-world scenarios.

Looking ahead, Global App Testing plans to expand its global network of experts and AI-focused services to meet growing demand for high-quality evaluation and human data.

 Learn more about the OpenAI Partner Network.

About Global App Testing

Global App Testing is the trusted crowdtesting partner for enterprise software. With over 120,000 professional evaluators and more than one million-plus user profiles across 190-plus countries, GAT helps global software leaders release faster, optimize for growth, and deliver product-market fit. ISO 27001 certified and rated 4.5/5 on G2. Learn more at globalapptesting.com.

Media Contact

Carole Picou-Katmann
Director of Marketing 
marketing@globalapptesting.com

LAS VEGAS, NV, October 7, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Botanic Tonics, the leader in kava-centric botanical supplements, today announced an accelerated nationwide rollout of KavaMaté™, its groundbreaking clean energy botanical formula of noble kava root and yerba mate, following rapid success in convenience retail. Building on that momentum, Botanic Tonics will introduce a new KavaMaté SKU with 50% more caffeine from plants in 2027, continuing its innovation in the traditional energy space.

Since expanding to select retailers earlier this year, KavaMaté's remarkable retail momentum reflects growing consumer interest in clean energy offerings. KavaMaté delivers sustained, grounded energy without the crashes and jitters associated with traditional caffeine and energy products.

Bringing Kava to Traditional Energy

"Driving growth in convenience means giving consumers a compelling reason to try something new. With KavaMaté, we're disrupting traditional energy by pairing noble kava root with plant-derived caffeine to deliver a distinct, grounded energy experience," said Cameron Korehbandi, CEO of Botanic Tonics. "Kava is at the center of everything we do, and we see significant opportunity for this botanical in the energy category. We're building on KavaMaté's retail momentum with new products and formats that give consumers what they didn't think was possible: novel botanical pairings that deliver function you can feel."

Consumers Asked, KavaMaté Delivered: More Botanical Energy

In response to consumer feedback, Botanic Tonics will introduce a new KavaMaté SKU with 50% more caffeine from plants in 2027. The new offering will continue to pair noble kava root and yerba mate and deliver the same sustained, grounded energy that has made KavaMaté a favorite with both consumers and retailers.

Two Botanical Traditions, One Distinct Energy Experience

KavaMaté brings together two revered botanicals with deep cultural roots that have been trusted for centuries. Noble kava root, ceremonially cherished throughout Pacific Island cultures for more than 3,000 years, provides mental clarity while maintaining calm. Yerba mate, valued by Indigenous South American communities for centuries, delivers natural sustained energy. Together, they create grounded energy: a balanced state of alert calm, ideal for transforming ordinary moments.

KavaMaté blends the natural energy of yerba mate with the calm focus of noble kava root, creating an energy experience greater than the sum of its parts. This innovative pairing delivers sustained, grounded energy without the crashes and jitters associated with conventional caffeine products, designed specifically to meet the moments that call for presence and purpose, from an early morning workout to the afternoon work slump.

KavaMaté joins feel free CLASSIC®, Botanic Tonics' flagship tonic, in the company's growing convenience retail presence. Both products are made in the United States at an FDA-registered, cGMP-certified facility and undergo testing for consistency and quality.

Experience KavaMaté at NACS

The National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Show attendees can learn more about KavaMaté and meet with the Botanic Tonics team at booth C3880, taking place Oct. 7 to 9 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The Botanic Tonics Difference

All feel free products contain no synthetic active ingredients and no chemical extracts and are manufactured in the U.S. at an FDA-registered, cGMP-certified facility and undergo multiple quality and safety tests for consistency and compliance. Botanic Tonics continues to lead the energy and supplement category in education and transparency through extensive consumer education.

About Botanic Tonics

Botanic Tonics is the leader in botanical supplements. Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, the company's feel free® product line harnesses the wisdom of ancient botanical traditions to support energy, focus, and mood. Its flagship product, feel free CLASSIC®, combines noble kava root and natural kratom leaf, in a formulation that contains no synthetic ingredients, alcohol, or chemical extracts and is for responsible consumption, adults 21+. Its KavaMaté product delivers botanical pairings that provide sustained, grounded energy without the jitters associated with artificial energy drinks. With hundreds of millions of servings sold, feel free CLASSIC® is produced in accordance with strict manufacturing and quality standards, supported by independent batch testing and peer-reviewed research. Botanic Tonics’ products are manufactured in an FDA-registered, cGMP-certified facility and undergo multiple tests for consistency and safety. Botanic Tonics continues to lead the energy and supplement category in education and transparency through extensive consumer education. Learn more at botanictonics.com.

Disclaimer

The statements in this press release have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The products referenced are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This announcement is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.

Warning & Caution

feel free CLASSIC can be habit-forming. Consume responsibly. For adults 21 years of age and older only. Do not exceed 1 serving (1/2 bottle) at any one time, and do not exceed 2 servings (1 bottle) in a 24-hour period.

feel free CLASSIC contains kratom leaf which, like nicotine and alcohol, can become habit-forming and harmful to your health if consumed irresponsibly. DO NOT USE if you have a history of substance abuse.

May interact with certain medications — consult a licensed, qualified healthcare professional before use. Do not consume with excessive alcohol. Not intended for individuals sensitive to active ingredients or women who are pregnant, nursing, or trying to become pregnant. For more information, visit the Botanic Tonics Consumer Education page.

Media Contact

media@botanictonics.com

MÉXICO D.F., Mexico, October 7, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Zeevo Group LLC (“Zeevo”) shared with the delegates of the ISTAT Latin America conference how its PMO team led a finance transformation effort at a global aircraft lessor, deploying an aviation-grade ERP capable of supporting the platform’s fast-growing business.

The lessor’s existing system environment had evolved into dozens of separate sets of accounting records, covering a portfolio of over 100 aircraft and engines held through multiple operating companies in conjunction with an evolving structure of special-purpose entities and joint-venture vehicles. The lessor’s geographically dispersed finance and accounting teams struggled with inefficient reporting dependent on spreadsheets and handling tasks at risk of being affected by the vendor-mandated retirement of a general ledger system. Concomitantly, the lessor had already modernized another critical part of its operating model by deploying Lease Logic’s Fly Forward® to serve as the backbone of its lease and asset management operations.

The next step was not simply to buy a new general ledger — it was to design a finance architecture capable of supporting the business going forward: one accounting backbone, a controlled entity structure, asset-level analysis, consolidated reporting, traceability from the general ledger back to operating transactions, and an implementation process that would withstand scrutiny from management, investors, and auditors.

“Putting an aviation-grade ERP into production in under a year — without losing the audit trail — is a herculean undertaking for any lessor’s Finance team, who are often forced to manage complexity disproportionate to their department’s headcount,” explained Stacy Townes, Zeevo Group’s PMO leader.

Lessors’ relatively small Finance teams tend to support dozens of legal entities, assets operating across jurisdictions, external investors, financing structures, joint ventures, and reporting obligations — all while maintaining asset-level visibility and responding to auditors, lenders, and management. This operating model is all too familiar for lessors, funds, and investment platforms active in Latin America and beyond.

Townes emphasized that the client lessor, therefore, required the support of more than an ERP vendor, stating, "it needed a broadly skilled team that understood aircraft leasing, finance, entity structures, accounting data, controls, and the operating systems that generate the transactions ultimately posted to the general ledger.”

Through a four-phase implementation process, Zeevo’s PMO team carried out the finance transformation project from ERP selection through implementation and integration, focusing on accounting design, requirements, controls, governance, and management decisions.

• Phase 1 involved identifying, evaluating, and selecting a purpose-built aviation finance ERP, not simply because it met functional requirements, but because the combined platform, implementation approach, and delivery model fit the lessor's operating environment.
• Phase 2 focused on consolidating over 100 legacy charts of accounts (“COA”) into one master, with a documented crosswalk and a decision trail management can explain later.
• Phase 3 converted opening balances and legacy transaction history with a documented implementation record, giving the auditors a path back to source.
• Phase 4 automated the posting of billing, cash, and allocation journals to the new ledger in controlled batches checked against source totals.

“Most ERP overruns are not caused by the software, they are caused by the same question being answered differently in design, in conversion and in the vendor build, then reconciled late. Treating the work as one coordinated finance transformation rather than three workstreams meant it was answered once, built once and never reworked. The implementation was faster, cheaper and lighter on the client's own people as a result,” added Townes.

Today, the new ERP is live and operating with a straightforward architecture:

• One accounting backbone
• Fly Forward as the accounts receivable sub-ledger
• A traceable path from the aircraft transaction to the general ledger
• Robust reporting, from asset-level analytics to consolidated financial and management reports

“Getting here required considerably more than installing software. It required treating finance transformation as exactly that — a transformation. That means designing the audit trail while designing the system, settling the entity structure before anyone builds against it, and keeping the client's Finance team on the business rather than on the project,” concluded Townes.  

Zeevo’s PMO services bring together professionals who have worked inside aircraft lessors, have used many of the same finance and lease management systems they now implement, and have led finance, accounting, and audit work at a Big Four firm and for aviation clients. That combination of operator, audit, and implementation experience allows Zeevo to coordinate decisions across legal entities, system design, data conversion, controls, vendor selection, and implementation as one program. The approach is designed to reduce rework, build auditability in from the outset, tighten control over schedule and budget, and lessen disruption to the client’s Finance team while the transformation is underway.

For more information, read the One Ledger for a Hundred Entities customer success study.

About Zeevo Group LLC

Zeevo Group LLC (“Zeevo”) provides business, finance and information technology consulting services and products to a broad range of clients representing such key industries as aircraft leasing, technology and consumer products. For more information, visit zeevogroup.com.

Disclaimer

Fly Forward® is the exclusive property of Lease Logic, Inc. Zeevo® Group LLC is an independent entity acting as the exclusive distributor of Fly Forward under a contractual agreement. Nothing in this material, nor any communication related to it, shall be construed as creating any partnership, joint venture, or agency relationship between Lease Logic, Inc. and Zeevo Group LLC. All transactions, warranties, and representations related to Fly Forward remain the sole responsibility of Lease Logic, Inc.

Media Contact

María Teruel
Zeevo Group
mteruel@zeevogroup.com
+1 760-933-8607

NEW YORK, NY, October 6, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Vega, the pioneer of agentic cyber defense, today introduced Vega II, the next generation of its platform and its most important release since emerging from stealth. Vega II brings the industry’s first model trained for cyber defense to the fight, gives the agentic SOC a memory that outlasts every ticket, and tears down the legacy SIEM and pipeline barriers that kept data out of reach.

With Vega II, every security team has the harness for cyber defense: the system where AI runs detection, triage, and investigation as an autonomous loop, directed by the judgment of their best defenders, and spanning every source they were forced to keep out of the SIEM.

"AI gave attackers a head start. It doesn’t have to give them the future," said Shay Sandler, co-founder and CEO of Vega. "Two years ago, we founded Vega on one conviction: the SOC has a new operator, AI agents, and they need all your data, the knowledge and judgment of your best defenders, and a proprietary, open-weight model built for agentic cyber defense. With Vega II, every team finally has the harness, the model, and the speed required to win the fight."

Why Now

Adversaries adopt frontier models the week they ship. Defenders answer with reasoning never tuned for cyber defense, facts lost when the case closes, and data held behind connectors and pipeline projects. And generic AI is slow: it reasons from scratch on every alert while attackers keep moving. Break the barriers keeping frontier AI from becoming extraordinary cyber defense, and the next era belongs to the defenders.

The Harness and the Model, Built for the Fight

Agentic cyber defense demands a purpose-built model, lasting memory of the environment, and access to all data wherever it is stored. With Vega II, teams can:

• Bring the best AI reasoning to the fight: Vega’s first proprietary, open-weight model runs beside frontier intelligence in the platform. Built for speed: it reaches the verdict while generic AI is still thinking, so every alert gets an expert’s read at a scale no team can staff.
• Make every lesson last: Vega Memory captures the environment’s ground truth and actions taken, so each verdict starts from what the team already knows. Engineers inspect, trace, and control what gets saved.
• Access all data: Vega Gateway streams any source into low-cost object storage over OpenTelemetry, webhook, or API, without complex pipelines or legacy connectors. It extends Vega’s in-place analytics to the sources with nowhere to live, onboarded in minutes, so investigations follow attackers where the SIEM never looked.

Supporting Quotes

"The Post-SIEM Era is here, and you can’t wait until something happens to make the switch. It has to happen now," said Conor Quinlan, member of technical staff, security, at Profound. "Profound is growing about as fast as a company can, and our security program has to keep up. Alerts can no longer be siloed. All of detection and response must live in one platform for the agentic SOC to work. I’ve built world-class cyber defense operations twice with Vega at the center, and Vega II is exactly where security operations needs to go."

"Every AI SOC vendor can triage an alert in a demo. The constraint CISOs keep describing to us sits underneath: whether the agent can reach the evidence where it already lives, whether it carries context from one case to the next, and what continuous inference costs at scale," said Francis Odum, founder and CEO of Software Analyst Cyber Research. "Vega built its architecture around those questions rather than around ingestion-based pricing, and Vega II is the clearest statement yet of the power this approach holds."

Experience Vega II at Cyber Defense at the Frontier on Oct. 21, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. PT / 11:00 a.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. BST. Sign up for a demo today.

About Vega

Vega is the pioneer of agentic cyber defense. Built on the Security Analytics Mesh, the Vega platform runs detection, triage, investigation, and optimization across data lakes, object storage, security tools, and existing SIEMs. Founded in 2024, Vega has raised $185 million and is backed by Accel, Cyberstarts, Redpoint, and CRV. It protects Fortune 200 enterprises, global banks, and leading healthcare providers. For more information, visit vega.io, read our blog, follow on LinkedIn and Instagram. Vega: Attacks scale. Defense compounds.

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MCKINNEY, TX, October 6, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- ScienceSoft’s Q3 2026 Healthcare AI Trend Watch finds that AI use in healthcare is already widespread, while consistent ways to prove its value remain much less established.

ScienceSoft’s analysis draws on several recent surveys. More than 90% of health systemssurveyed by CCM and KLAS had deployed third-party AI. However, in a separate value-measurement question, nearly a third of the surveyed leaders admitted they had not started measuring AI value. In Black Book’s survey of 230 U.S. and EU healthcare leaders, 76% monitored model accuracy after deployment, while only 32% tracked clinical outcomes and only 28% tracked staff workload.

ScienceSoft notes that value measurement becomes especially important when providers decide whether to expand a successful pilot. A model can perform well on its immediate task without delivering the expected result across the wider workflow. ScienceSoft recommends defining the outcome that should justify wider deployment — such as more appointments, less after-hours documentation, or lower operating costs — and checking whether that outcome actually improves.

The Trend Watch also highlights other Q3 developments. Some large health systems are adopting dedicated AI governance platforms. AI agents are handling substantial volumes of patient calls, scheduling, and billing interactions. And general-purpose AI interfaces such as Gemini are beginning to connect patients directly to provider search and appointment booking.

Read ScienceSoft’s full Q3 2026 Healthcare AI Trend Watch for the complete analysis and sources.

Press Inquiries Welcome

ScienceSoft is a U.S. AI transformation and healthcare IT consulting company working with healthcare providers and healthtech companies on AI adoption, implementation, and scaling. Journalists can contact ScienceSoft’s experts for full research data or commentary on healthcare AI value measurement, adoption, and deployment decisions via our Press Room.

About ScienceSoft

ScienceSoft is an AI transformation and software engineering company with more than 150 successful projects for healthcare organizations in the U.S. and around the globe. Working in the medical IT field since 2005, ScienceSoft delivers secure, risk- and cost-aware, and highly interoperable software for clinical workflows, diagnostics, and patient outreach. Holding ISO 13485, 9001, and 27001 certifications, the company focuses on designing digital solutions that bring long-term clinical and operational gains despite diverse staff and patient expectations, shifting priorities, and legacy system constraints. For more information, visit www.scnsoft.com/healthcare.

Media Contact

Alexa Tsviatkova
ScienceSoft
adtsviakova@scnsoft.com

LONDON, United Kingdom, October 6, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Cashfloat, an authorised UK-based direct lender providing short-term loans, has shown how advances in fintech are helping lenders streamline loan approval processes without compromising regulatory protections for consumers. The company has explained how automated systems can work to assess straightforward applications, while complex cases can be identified and referred to experienced underwriters for more detailed consideration.

As consumers increasingly expect financial services to offer speed and convenience, lenders facing the challenge of balancing this demand with appropriate affordability and eligibility assessments may be able to use technology to meet consumer requirements while upholding their responsible lending duties.

How Fintech Is Helping to Make Loan Applications Both Faster and Fairer

Traditional loan assessment processes can involve several phases and manual evaluations, potentially increasing the time consumers must wait before a decision is made. While not relevant to all loan applications, modern fintech systems can automate some elements of that process, ensuring information provided is assessed against eligibility and affordability criteria.

Cashfloat has explained that this does not mean every application can be automatically approved or rejected. Technology can help identify applications that clearly meet the lender's requirements and thresholds, while working alongside safeguards to ensure those cases requiring greater scrutiny are referred on to underwriters.

The benefits of this hybrid approach may include:

• Prompt lending decisions without unnecessary delays
• Consistent loan application assessments against a series of objective criteria
• Improved experiences for consumers with less of the uncertainty sometimes associated with waiting for lending decisions
• Additional safeguards that enable applications that do not clearly meet all requirements to be referred rather than automatically declined
• Human oversight for more complex or non-standard applications to ensure they receive a more detailed assessment from an experienced underwriting team

"Technology has transformed the way consumers interact with many financial services, and the important factor is that responsible lending and satisfactory loan application experiences are not competing priorities," said Peter Kimpton, Chief Operating Officer of Cashfloat. "Instead, automation can support robust lending processes rather than replacing them, ensuring that where decisions can be made efficiently, consumers are not left waiting. However, those that need to be examined in more detail are identified, and applicants who may need debt management support can be signposted to relevant services."

Lenders Continue to Enforce Responsible Lending Policies Alongside Introducing Fintech Resources

Cashfloat has emphasised that faster processing times do not mean the checks carried out before a lending decision are reduced. The firm's approach uses technology where it can improve efficiency, while ensuring applications that cannot be assessed this way are not subject only to automated processes.

This can be especially important where an application includes information that needs to be clarified or checked, or where it falls outside the parameters that apply to automated decision-making systems.

Applications are not treated identically, with referral mechanisms that ensure more complex circumstances are considered manually and separately. 

The lender has found that combining technology with human oversight has created a fairer experience for applicants, with many satisfied with the speed of lending decisions where manual assessment processes may be unnecessary.

The Western Circle Group brand has stressed that regulatory compliance must remain central to all lending processes, regardless of how application assessments are completed. Fintech is seen as a tool to support responsible lending but cannot be used to bypass the checks and safeguards all regulated lenders are expected to implement.

While digital financial services continue to evolve, Cashfloat believes the right focus is on balancing convenience, efficiency, and consumer protections, reinforcing the reassurance that applications that may not be responsible or affordable will not be processed automatically.

About Cashfloat

Cashfloat is a UK direct lender providing online lending services. Cashfloat considers applications from customers with a range of credit histories, subject to eligibility and affordability checks. Cashfloat is fully authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. For more information, visit cashfloat.co.uk.

About Western Circle Group

Western Circle Group is a UK-based, FCA-authorised consumer credit provider specialising in fast, responsible, online lending. Western Circle Ltd (company number: 07581337) is fully authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 714479) and with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO: Z3305234).

Disclaimer

This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice, an offer, or a solicitation to borrow. Cashfloat is a trading style of Western Circle Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 714479). All loans are subject to status, eligibility, and affordability assessments. Borrowing money costs money and involves risk; short-term credit is not suitable for long-term financial needs. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, free and independent debt advice is available from MoneyHelper (moneyhelper.org.uk).

Media Contact

Cashfloat
info@cashfloat.co.uk