NewzIntel.com

Category: KB

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Join Elmer and friends at Leicester Museum this summer

    Source: City of Leicester

    THE JOYFUL world of Elmer the Patchwork Elephant will be delighting visitors to Leicester Museum & Art Gallery this summer.

    From Saturday (12 July), families can enjoy a free exhibition that includes interactive displays, author’s artwork and a giant jigsaw featuring everyone’s favourite elephant.

    Created by author and illustrator David McKee more than 35 years ago, and the star of more than 40 books, Elmer is joined at the exhibition by Mr Benn, King Rollo and Not Now, Bernard – popular characters also created by David McKee.

    Youngsters will be able to dress up in the Mr Benn costume shop and take part in free activities inspired by the imaginative world of Elmer and friends.

    On Friday 18 July, there’s an opportunity to make a storybook, while on Friday 25 July, children can use a range of materials to create their own collage creatures inspired by David McKee’s illustrations. Free craft activities on Friday 1 August include the chance to design a colourful trail of cardboard elephants. All drop-in activities run from 11am until 3pm.

    Elmer and Friends: The Colourful World of David McKee is an exhibition from Seven Stories, The National Centre for Children’s Books.

    It opens at Leicester Museum & Art Gallery on Saturday 12 July and runs until Sunday 9 November. Admission is free of charge.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General – on floods in Texas

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life, notably of a large number of children, caused by the recent floods in Texas, which struck during what should have been a time of celebration over the holiday weekend.

    The Secretary-General extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and expresses his solidarity with all those impacted, the people of Texas and the government of the United States.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: POET Technologies Announces US$25 Million Offering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — POET Technologies Inc. (“POET” or the “Corporation“) (TSXV: PTK; NASDAQ: POET), a leader in the design and implementation of highly-integrated optical engines and light sources for artificial intelligence networks today announces its intention to complete a non-brokered public offering of 5,000,000 units of the Corporation (the “Units“) at a price of US$5.00 per Unit (the “Issue Price“) for aggregate gross proceeds to the Corporation of US$25 million (the “Offering“). Each Unit will be comprised of one common share of the Corporation (each, a “Common Share“) and one common share purchase warrant of the Corporation (each, a “Warrant“), with each Warrant being exercisable to acquire one Common Share at a price of C$8.16 for a period of five years from the date of issuance.

    The Issue Price represents a discount of approximately 12.0% from the closing price of the Common Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange on Friday, July 4, 2025. The Corporation anticipates using the net proceeds of the Offering for working capital and general corporate purposes.

    The Offering will be made by way of a prospectus supplement (the “Prospectus Supplement“) to the short form base shelf prospectus of the Corporation dated September 6, 2024, which Prospectus Supplement will be prepared and filed by the Corporation prior to the closing of the Offering with the securities regulatory authorities in each of the provinces and territories of Canada, as well as with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as part of the Corporation’s U.S. registration statement on Form F-10 (“Form F-10“) (Registration No. 333-280553) under the U.S.-Canada Multijurisdictional Disclosure System, with such additions thereto and deletions therefrom as may be permitted or required by Form F-10. The Offering is expected to be fully subscribed by a single institutional investor in Canada that qualifies as an “accredited investor” under National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus Exemptions of the Canadian Securities Administrators.

    The consummation of the Offering remains subject to the receipt of all regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the “Exchange“), and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. No commission or finder’s fee will be paid in connection with the Offering.

    “We are very fortunate to have had strong interest from institutional, strategic and public market investors over the past 15 months, due largely to a compelling value proposition that combines key technical and commercial achievements with a vast market opportunity, rewarding innovative hardware solutions in Artificial Intelligence networks and systems,” said Thomas Mika, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of POET. “We have raised over US$100 million in equity capital at increasingly higher prices over the past year and have thereby achieved all of our near-term financing goals for the Corporation.”

    This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

    About POET Technologies Inc.

    POET is a design and development company offering high-speed optical engines, light source products and custom optical modules to the artificial intelligence systems market and to hyperscale data centers.  POET’s photonic integration solutions are based on the POET Optical Interposer™, a novel, patented platform that allows the seamless integration of electronic and photonic devices into a single chip using advanced wafer-level semiconductor manufacturing techniques. POET’s Optical Interposer-based products are lower cost, consume less power than comparable products, are smaller in size and are readily scalable to high production volumes. In addition to providing high-speed (800G, 1.6T and above) optical engines and optical modules for AI clusters and hyperscale data centers, POET has designed and produced novel light source products for chip-to-chip data communication within and between AI servers, the next frontier for solving bandwidth and latency problems in AI systems.  POET’s Optical Interposer platform also solves device integration challenges across a broad range of communication, computing and sensing applications.  POET is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, with operations in Singapore, Penang, Malaysia and Shenzhen, China.  More information about POET is available on our website at www.poet-technologies.com

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

    This news release contains “forward-looking information” (within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws) and “forward-looking statements” (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Such statements or information are identified with words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “expect”, “plan”, “intend”, “potential”, “estimate”, “propose”, “project”, “outlook”, “foresee” or similar words suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding any potential outcome. Such statements include, without limitation, the Corporation’s expectations with respect to consummation of the Offering, the Corporation’s ability to complete the Offering on the announced terms, the Corporation’s products, the scalability of the POET Optical Interposer and the success of the Corporation’s products, the Corporation’s ability satisfy all closing conditions and close the Offering within the announced timeline, the investor acquiring all of the Units under the Offering on the terms announced, the Corporation’s use of proceeds for the Offering, the Corporation’s ability to complete the Malaysia expansion, the Corporation’s ability to obtain the final approval of the Exchange, the Corporation being well-capitalized upon the closing of the Offering and the Corporation being able to advance its business objectives. Such forward-looking information or statements are based on a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions which may cause actual results or other expectations to differ materially from those anticipated and which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, management’s expectations regarding the size of the market for its products, the capability of its operations to produce products on time and at the expected costs, the performance and availability of certain components, and the success of its customers in achieving market penetration for their products. Actual results could differ materially due to a number of factors, including, without limitation, the attractiveness of the Corporation’s product offerings, performance of its technology, the performance of key components, and ability of its customers to sell their products into the market. For further information concerning these and other risks and uncertainties, refer to the Corporation’s filings on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the website of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. Although the Corporation believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information or statements are reasonable, prospective investors in the Corporation’s securities should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because the Corporation can provide no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking information and statements contained in this news release are as of the date of this news release and the Corporation assumes no obligation to update or revise this forward-looking information and statements except as required by applicable securities laws.

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

    120 Eglinton Avenue, East, Suite 1107, Toronto, ON, M4P 1E2- Tel: 416-368-9411 – Fax: 416-322-5075

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: POET Technologies Announces US$25 Million Offering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — POET Technologies Inc. (“POET” or the “Corporation“) (TSXV: PTK; NASDAQ: POET), a leader in the design and implementation of highly-integrated optical engines and light sources for artificial intelligence networks today announces its intention to complete a non-brokered public offering of 5,000,000 units of the Corporation (the “Units“) at a price of US$5.00 per Unit (the “Issue Price“) for aggregate gross proceeds to the Corporation of US$25 million (the “Offering“). Each Unit will be comprised of one common share of the Corporation (each, a “Common Share“) and one common share purchase warrant of the Corporation (each, a “Warrant“), with each Warrant being exercisable to acquire one Common Share at a price of C$8.16 for a period of five years from the date of issuance.

    The Issue Price represents a discount of approximately 12.0% from the closing price of the Common Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange on Friday, July 4, 2025. The Corporation anticipates using the net proceeds of the Offering for working capital and general corporate purposes.

    The Offering will be made by way of a prospectus supplement (the “Prospectus Supplement“) to the short form base shelf prospectus of the Corporation dated September 6, 2024, which Prospectus Supplement will be prepared and filed by the Corporation prior to the closing of the Offering with the securities regulatory authorities in each of the provinces and territories of Canada, as well as with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as part of the Corporation’s U.S. registration statement on Form F-10 (“Form F-10“) (Registration No. 333-280553) under the U.S.-Canada Multijurisdictional Disclosure System, with such additions thereto and deletions therefrom as may be permitted or required by Form F-10. The Offering is expected to be fully subscribed by a single institutional investor in Canada that qualifies as an “accredited investor” under National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus Exemptions of the Canadian Securities Administrators.

    The consummation of the Offering remains subject to the receipt of all regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the “Exchange“), and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. No commission or finder’s fee will be paid in connection with the Offering.

    “We are very fortunate to have had strong interest from institutional, strategic and public market investors over the past 15 months, due largely to a compelling value proposition that combines key technical and commercial achievements with a vast market opportunity, rewarding innovative hardware solutions in Artificial Intelligence networks and systems,” said Thomas Mika, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of POET. “We have raised over US$100 million in equity capital at increasingly higher prices over the past year and have thereby achieved all of our near-term financing goals for the Corporation.”

    This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

    About POET Technologies Inc.

    POET is a design and development company offering high-speed optical engines, light source products and custom optical modules to the artificial intelligence systems market and to hyperscale data centers.  POET’s photonic integration solutions are based on the POET Optical Interposer™, a novel, patented platform that allows the seamless integration of electronic and photonic devices into a single chip using advanced wafer-level semiconductor manufacturing techniques. POET’s Optical Interposer-based products are lower cost, consume less power than comparable products, are smaller in size and are readily scalable to high production volumes. In addition to providing high-speed (800G, 1.6T and above) optical engines and optical modules for AI clusters and hyperscale data centers, POET has designed and produced novel light source products for chip-to-chip data communication within and between AI servers, the next frontier for solving bandwidth and latency problems in AI systems.  POET’s Optical Interposer platform also solves device integration challenges across a broad range of communication, computing and sensing applications.  POET is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, with operations in Singapore, Penang, Malaysia and Shenzhen, China.  More information about POET is available on our website at www.poet-technologies.com

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

    This news release contains “forward-looking information” (within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws) and “forward-looking statements” (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Such statements or information are identified with words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “expect”, “plan”, “intend”, “potential”, “estimate”, “propose”, “project”, “outlook”, “foresee” or similar words suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding any potential outcome. Such statements include, without limitation, the Corporation’s expectations with respect to consummation of the Offering, the Corporation’s ability to complete the Offering on the announced terms, the Corporation’s products, the scalability of the POET Optical Interposer and the success of the Corporation’s products, the Corporation’s ability satisfy all closing conditions and close the Offering within the announced timeline, the investor acquiring all of the Units under the Offering on the terms announced, the Corporation’s use of proceeds for the Offering, the Corporation’s ability to complete the Malaysia expansion, the Corporation’s ability to obtain the final approval of the Exchange, the Corporation being well-capitalized upon the closing of the Offering and the Corporation being able to advance its business objectives. Such forward-looking information or statements are based on a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions which may cause actual results or other expectations to differ materially from those anticipated and which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, management’s expectations regarding the size of the market for its products, the capability of its operations to produce products on time and at the expected costs, the performance and availability of certain components, and the success of its customers in achieving market penetration for their products. Actual results could differ materially due to a number of factors, including, without limitation, the attractiveness of the Corporation’s product offerings, performance of its technology, the performance of key components, and ability of its customers to sell their products into the market. For further information concerning these and other risks and uncertainties, refer to the Corporation’s filings on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the website of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. Although the Corporation believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information or statements are reasonable, prospective investors in the Corporation’s securities should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because the Corporation can provide no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking information and statements contained in this news release are as of the date of this news release and the Corporation assumes no obligation to update or revise this forward-looking information and statements except as required by applicable securities laws.

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

    120 Eglinton Avenue, East, Suite 1107, Toronto, ON, M4P 1E2- Tel: 416-368-9411 – Fax: 416-322-5075

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese-developed robotic dog reaches speed of 10.3 m/s

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, July 7 (Xinhua) — A Chinese-developed robot dog managed to reach a speed of 10.3 meters per second during a TV show on Sunday, matching the world’s best sprinters.

    During the race, the four-legged robot nicknamed “Heibao” /”Black Panther”/, weighing 38 kg and standing 0.63 m tall, broke the previous world speed record for such machines, which belonged to Boston Dynamics and their robot WildCat.

    A video broadcast by China Central Television shows Heibao reaching impressive speeds on a treadmill. Recall that Usain Bolt’s world record for the 100m is 9.58 seconds, which translates to a speed of 10.44 m/sec.

    Heibao was first unveiled in January of this year, when it demonstrated an astonishing step rate of 5 steps per second, making it one of the fastest quadrupedal robots in the world.

    The new development was made possible by a collaboration between Zhejiang University’s Innovation Institute, which specializes in humanoid robots, and Hangzhou-based startup Mirror Me.

    The newly upgraded Heibao now outsprints most humans, but still lags behind other recognized land-based sprinters such as cheetahs, ostriches, pronghorns, etc.

    In the future, it could be used for disaster relief and logistics. -0-

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s textile sector sees robust growth in Jan-Apr 2025

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, July 7 (Xinhua) — China’s textile industry recorded steady growth in the first four months of this year, data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology showed Monday.

    According to the agency, during the reporting period, the added value of products of the country’s leading textile companies, whose annual income from core activities is at least 20 million yuan (about 2.8 million US dollars), increased by 4.2 percent year-on-year.

    The combined operating income of the above-mentioned enterprises for the period was 1.49 trillion yuan, down 0.5 percent year-on-year.

    Meanwhile, from January to April, the sector’s leading retail chains posted combined sales of 6.4 trillion yuan, up 5.9 percent year-on-year.

    In the first four months, the country’s textile and clothing exports grew by 1.1 percent year-on-year to $90.5 billion.

    Experts believe that despite the increasing volatility in the international market and the continuing domestic difficulties, the textile industry, as a traditional sector, still has a large production scale, wide market demand and high employment capacity. It continues to play a key role in supporting the economy and the well-being of the population.

    According to an industry insider, many textile companies, under pressure from the difficult international environment, are stepping up their efforts to find and create new materials and are actively seeking to enter the premium segment of international production chains. -0-

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Two Palestinians killed by Israeli soldiers in West Bank

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    NABLUUS, July 7 (Xinhua) — Two Palestinians were killed Sunday by Israeli soldiers after they surrounded a house in the village of Salem, east of the northern West Bank city of Nablus, a Palestinian official and eyewitnesses said.

    Nablus Governor Ghassan Daglas identified the victims as Wissam Ishtaie, 37, and Qusay Nasser, 23.

    Israeli forces surrounded a house in Salem for several hours, during which there was a shootout and clashes with Palestinian youths, local witnesses said.

    The Israeli military has not yet commented on the incident. –0–

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • Tesla slides as Musk’s ‘America Party’ sparks investor worries

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Tesla shares fell nearly 7% in premarket trading on Monday after CEO Elon Musk’s plans to launch a new U.S. political party raised investor doubts about his focus on the electric automaker’s future.

    The former head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) unveiled the ‘America Party’ on Saturday, voicing his displeasure over President Donald Trump’s ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’.

    This further escalates Musk’s feud with Trump even as Tesla posted a second straight drop in quarterly deliveries. Their discord over the tax bill erupted into an all-out social media brawl in early June, with Trump threatening to cut Musk’s government contracts and subsidies.

    “Investors are worried about two things – one is more Trump ire affecting subsidies and the other, more importantly, is a distracted Musk,” said Neil Wilson, UK investor strategist at Saxo Markets.

    Investors had in May cheered Musk’s decision to scale back political spending and remain Tesla CEO for another five years. He had spent nearly $300 million around Trump’s re-election campaign last year.

    “But now (they) are worried he’s going to (get) sucked back in and take his eye off Tesla,” Wilson said.

    The first signs of investor unease surfaced soon after Musk’s announcement, with investment firm Azoria Partners delaying the listing of a Tesla exchange-traded fund.

    Trump on Sunday called Musk’s plans to form the “America Party” “ridiculous”, saying the Musk ally he once named to lead NASA would have presented a conflict of interest given Musk’s business interests in space.

    TESLA BOARD MOVES

    Wedbush analyst Dan Ives, a Tesla bull, said many investors are feeling a “sense of exhaustion” over Musk’s insistence on immersing himself in politics.

    Azoria Partners CEO James Fishback posted several critical comments on X about Musk’s new party, and called for the Tesla board to clarify Musk’s political ambitions and evaluate if his political involvement is compatible with his obligations to Tesla as CEO.

    The new party undermines the confidence shareholders had that Musk would be focusing more on the company, Fishback said.

    Musk’s latest political move raises questions around Tesla board’s course of action. Its Chair Robyn Denholm in May denied a Wall Street Journal report that said board members were looking to replace the CEO.

    Tesla’s board, which has been criticized for failing to provide oversight of its combative, headline-making CEO, faces a dilemma managing him as he oversees five other companies and his personal political ambitions.

    “This is exactly the kind of thing a board of directors would curtail – removing the CEO if he refused to curtail these kinds of activities,” said Ann Lipton, a professor at the University of Colorado Law School and an expert in business law.

    “The Tesla board has been fairly supine; they have not, at least not in any demonstrable way, taken any action to force Musk to limit his outside ventures, and it’s difficult to imagine they would begin now.”

    Tensions with Trump, struggling sales and an aging vehicle line-up have hurt Tesla’s stock, even as the company bets on growth from autonomous vehicles.

    The stock, which soared to over $488 in December after Trump’s November re-election, has lost 35% since then and closed last week at $315.35.

    Tesla is the worst performing stock among “the Magnificent Seven” group of high-growth U.S. companies this year.

    (Reuters)

     

  • Sanjog Gupta replaces Australia’s Geoff Allardice as ICC chief executive

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Indian Sanjog Gupta has succeeded Australia’s Geoff Allardice as chief executive officer of the International Cricket Council (ICC), the governing body said on Monday.

    Gupta previously served as CEO of JioStar Sports, taking up the job after Reliance Industries and Walt Disney’s $8.5 billion merger of their Indian media assets in November last year.

    His ICC predecessor Allardice, who was appointed CEO in November 2021 after an interim period of eight months following the suspension of Manu Sawhney, stepped down earlier this year.

    “These are exciting times for the sport as marquee events grow in stature, commercial avenues widen and opportunities such as the women’s game scale in popularity,” Gupta, who took charge on Monday, said in a statement.

    “Cricket’s inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and the rapid acceleration of technology deployment/adoption could act as force-multipliers for the cricket movement around the world.”

    ICC chair Jay Shah said Gupta’s experience in sports broadcasting and digital strategy would be invaluable for the governing body.

    “His deep understanding of the global sports as well as M&E landscape combined with his continued curiosity about the cricket fan’s perspective and passion for technology will prove essential in our ambition to grow the game in the coming years,” he added.

    “Our goal is to move beyond traditional boundaries and establish cricket as a regular sport in the Olympics, growing its expanse across the world and deepening its roots in its core markets.”

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi pays tribute to martyrs in resistance war against Japanese aggression 2025-07-07 20:12:07 Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, paid tribute to martyrs who died in a major campaign in the war of resistance against Japanese aggression, in Yangquan of north China’s Shanxi Province on Monday.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense

      YANGQUAN, Shanxi, July 7 (Xinhua) — Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, paid tribute to martyrs who died in a major campaign in the war of resistance against Japanese aggression, in Yangquan of north China’s Shanxi Province on Monday.

    loading…

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Eastern route of South-to-North Water Diversion Project in E China

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Eastern route of South-to-North Water Diversion Project in E China

    Updated: July 7, 2025 20:15 Xinhua
    A drone photo taken on July 6, 2025 shows the Jiangdu water control project on the origin of the eastern route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in Yangzhou, east China’s Jiangsu Province. The first phase project of the eastern and middle routes of China’s South-to-North Water Diversion Project has altogether diverted 80 billion cubic meters of water, a new milestone, with 185 million people directly benefiting from the diversion. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A drone photo taken on July 6, 2025 shows watergates of the first phase project of the eastern route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in Yangzhou, east China’s Jiangsu Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A drone photo taken on July 6, 2025 shows a control station of the Jiangdu water control project on the origin of the eastern route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in Yangzhou, east China’s Jiangsu Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: Novel Digital Test Provides Revolutionary Tool to Assess Brain Chemistry

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN FRANCISCO, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — For the first time, a study shows a digital assessment can provide a scientific measure of acetylcholine – a key brain chemical whose decline signals the progression of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. The assessment (here) can be self-administered and completed in about three minutes on internet-connected devices — with big implications for cognitive aging and dementia. The assessment was developed by Posit Science, the maker of BrainHQ brain training exercises and assessments, and examined as part of an NIH-funded study in collaboration with researchers at McGill University.

    “Currently, it’s impossible for doctors to monitor this brain chemical despite its importance because it requires expensive imaging equipment and special expertise available at few research centers,” said Dr. Henry Mahncke, CEO of Posit Science. “This breakthrough shows a new path for routine monitoring of brain health by doctors and individuals.”

    The brain’s neuromodulatory system produces brain chemicals that impact mood, learning, attention, responsiveness, and memory. Brain scientists have known for decades that the system (and its subsystems that produce various brain chemicals) operate more sluggishly (downregulate) with aging and various health conditions.

    The assessment focuses on the cholinergic system — a subsystem that produces the brain chemical acetylcholine — sometimes called the “pay attention” chemical, because it is produced when you pay attention. The production of acetylcholine is known to down regulate with normal aging, and even more severely with pre-dementia and with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD).

    Cholinergic function is recognized as a key biomarker of overall brain health, regulates the ability of the brain to change (“plasticity”), and is associated with stronger cognitive performance (in sensory processing, attention, learning, memory, and executive function). Poor cholinergic function is linked to the production of plaque and tangles associated with ADRD, as well deficits in other conditions.

    Currently there is no easily accessible way to measure cholinergic function. No standardized blood test to directly measure it exists. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) brain imaging techniques can be used; however, this method is costly, requires specialized expertise, and exposes participants to radiation, limiting its use in clinical practice.

    “We developed a digital cognitive test to be a sensitive measure of brain health. To validate the test, we approached the researchers at The Neuro at McGill University, because it is one of a small number of places on the planet with the imaging technology to measure acetylcholine directly,” said Dr. Henry Mahncke. “In this study, they measured acetylcholine alongside cognitive performance using our assessment.”

    The imaging study enrolled 92 healthy older adults (average age 72). Each was measured using: a BrainHQ assessment (Double Decision); two other validated neuropsychological assessments; and a PET scan using tracer to evaluate cholinergic neurotransmission.

    The study showed better scores on the Double Decision assessment correlated with higher cholinergic function, indicating that the assessment could estimate cholinergic function without the complexity and risk of doing a PET scan. These results align with prior studies showing a significant relationship between cholinergic function and cognitive performance as measured by clinician-administered tools.

    The assessment was brief, taking an average of 3 minutes to complete, and demonstrated good usability with reasonable descriptive and psychometric properties. It was sensitive to age within the narrow band measured of 65-83 years and was not influenced by demographic factors such as years of education or gender.

    The researchers conclude: “The results support the adoption of this scalable form of biomarker-informed cognitive assessment available to individuals with an internet-connected device.”

    “These researchers also are looking at whether our brain exercises can upregulate acetylcholine, which would have a tremendous impact on cognitive aging and ADRD research,” Dr. Mahncke added. “We look forward to learning more.

    BrainHQ exercises have shown benefits in more than 300 studies. Such benefits include gains in cognition (attention, speed, memory, decision-making), in quality of life (depressive symptoms, confidence and control, health-related quality of life) and in real-world activities (health outcomes, balance, driving, workplace activities). BrainHQ is used by leading health and Medicare Advantage plans, by leading medical centers, clinics, and communities, and by elite athletes, the military, and other organizations focused on peak performance. Consumers can try a BrainHQ exercise for free daily at https://www.brainhq.com.

    This research was supported by the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health under Award Numbers R44AG039965 and 3R44AG039965-06S1. This content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: CORRECTION: Press Release Announcing Purchased About US$50 Million BNB

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HONG KONG, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nano Labs Ltd (Nasdaq: NA) (“we,” the “Company” or “Nano Labs”), a leading Web 3.0 infrastructure and product solution provider in China, today announced a correction to the first paragraph of its press release entitled “Nano Labs Has Purchased About US$50 Million BNB, Expands Digital Asset Reserves to around US$160 Million” which was issued on July 3, 2025 (the “Original Press Release”).

    The correction is to the Original Press Release’s first paragraph with the original version reading:

    “HONG KONG, July 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nano Labs Ltd (Nasdaq: NA) (“we,” the “Company” or “Nano Labs”), a leading Web 3.0 infrastructure and product solution provider in China, today announced the purchase of 74,315 Binance Coin (BNB) tokens through the OTC (Over-The-Counter) format at an average price of approximately US$672.45, with a total transaction value of about US$50 million. Following this transaction, the Company’s cumulative reserve of mainstream digital currencies, including Bitcoin and BNB, has around US$160 million, marking a successful initial step in Nano Labs’ BNB strategic plan and underscoring its commitment to increasing BNB holdings over time.”

    The complete, corrected release follows:

    “HONG KONG, July 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nano Labs Ltd (Nasdaq: NA) (“we,” the “Company” or “Nano Labs”), a leading Web 3.0 infrastructure and product solution provider in China, today announced the purchase of 74,315 BNB tokens through the OTC (Over-The-Counter) format at an average price of approximately US$672.45, with a total transaction value of about US$50 million. Following this transaction, the Company’s cumulative reserve of mainstream digital currencies, including Bitcoin and BNB, has around US$160 million, marking a successful initial step in Nano Labs’ BNB strategic plan and underscoring its commitment to increasing BNB holdings over time.”

    The Company committed to thoroughly evaluating the security and long-term value of BNB, aiming to acquire up to US$1 billion worth of BNB through convertible notes and private placements in the initial phase. Over the long run, Nano Labs intends to hold 5% to 10% of BNB’s total circulating supply.

    About Nano Labs Ltd

    Nano Labs Ltd is a leading Web 3.0 infrastructure and product solution provider in China. Nano Labs is committed to the development of high throughput computing (“HTC”) chips and high performance computing (“HPC”) chips. Nano Labs has built a comprehensive flow processing unit (“FPU”) architecture which offers solution that integrates the features of both HTC and HPC. In addition, it has established Bitcoin value investment and adopted Bitcoin as primary reserve asset. Nano Labs has established an integrated solution platform covering three main business verticals, including HTC solutions and HPC solutions. The HTC solutions feature its proprietary Cuckoo series chips, which have become alternative Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (“ASIC”) solutions for traditional GPUs. Nano Lab’s Cuckoo series are one of the first near-memory HTC chips available in the market*. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at: ir.nano.cn.

    *        According to an industry report prepared by Frost & Sullivan.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the Company’s plan to appeal the Staff’s determination, which can be identified by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. Such statements are based upon management’s current expectations and current market and operating conditions, and relate to events that involve known or unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the Company’s control, which may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under law.

    For investor inquiries, please contact:

    Nano Labs Ltd
    ir@nano.cn

    Ascent Investor Relations LLC
    Tina Xiao
    Phone: +1-646-932-7242
    Email: investors@ascent-ir.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: From Investment to Real Estate: U.S. Accepts Bitcoin for Home Purchases, and LET Mining Helps Asset Growth

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York City, NY, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As new federal guidelines enable cryptocurrency to qualify as a mortgage asset, U.S. homeowners can now leverage Bitcoin directly in home purchases—with LET Mining poised to support this evolution by helping investors grow and diversify their holdings through efficient, eco‑friendly cloud mining.

    Last week, Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to consider cryptocurrency holdings on U.S.-regulated centralized exchanges as qualifying assets in mortgage assessments, without requiring conversion to cash. This landmark shift could unlock homeownership opportunities for Bitcoin holders who previously faced forced liquidation or margin loans.

    To capitalize on this growing trend, LET Mining, a crypto‑mining and financial services platform founded in 2021, offers a secure, sustainable path to increase Bitcoin assets through its green‑powered intelligent cloud mining infrastructure. By enabling investors to compound Bitcoin holdings over time, LET Mining empowers users to build crypto reserves that now directly translate into home-buying power.

    How to create more value for BTC through LET Mining
    1. Log in to the website https://letmining.com/ and register an account in one minute. After successful registration, you can get a $12 reward

    LET Mining provides users with cloud computing power contracts with flexible investment strategies. Users have the following options (you can participate with a minimum of $100 worth of BTC)

    ●Experience Contract: Investment amount: $100, contract period: 2 days, daily income of $4, expiration income: $100 + $8
    ●BTC Classic Hash Power: Investment amount: $500, contract period: 5 days, daily income of $6, expiration income: $500 + $30
    ●DOGE Classic Hash Power: Investment amount: $3,500, contract period: 24 days, daily income of $50.4, expiration income: $3,500 + $1,209.6
    ●BTC Advanced Hash Power: Investment amount: $5,000, contract period: 30 days, daily income of $76, expiration income: $5,000 + $2,280
    ●BTC Advanced Hash Power: Investment amount: $10,000, contract period: 45 days, daily income of $173, expiration income: $10,000 + $7,785

    (Click here to view more high-yield contract details)

    3. Automatically obtain income every day and withdraw funds at any time

    “With Bitcoin now qualifying as a mortgage asset, investors need reliable, performance‑driven ways to grow their crypto holdings,” said Lillian Austen, Communications Director at LET Mining. “Our smart, renewable‑energy mining services help users scale their portfolios—and access the American dream through real estate.”

    LET Mining’s smart cloud platform combines smart contracts, AI‑driven currency allocation, and predictive maintenance to ensure maximum mining efficiency. Its data centers rely on renewable energy and industrial-scale economies, reducing costs and carbon footprint while maximizing real output.

    As crypto-backed mortgages and cash‑deal home purchases gain traction, LET Mining also streamlines treasury growth for users. Instead of selling Bitcoin at the time of purchase, investors can continue accumulating via mining and rely on crypto mortgages or cash offers backed by their growing reserves. This reduces tax friction, volatility concerns, and liquidity constraints that previously hindered crypto holders from entering the housing market.

    Industry watchers anticipate only 1% of U.S. home purchases have involved crypto proceeds so far—but that figure is expected to rise sharply as institutional frameworks adapt, and platforms like LET Mining make growth accessible and sustainable.

    About LET Mining
    LET Mining, founded in 2021, is a leading cloud-mining and blockchain financial services provider. The London‑based platform specializes in green‑energy-powered, AI‑enabled mining solutions, enabling everyday investors to grow digital assets through efficient, secure, and compliant means. To learn more, visit https://letmining.com/.

    Media Contact:

    Lillian Austen
    Communications Director, LET Mining
    info@letmining.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: From Investment to Real Estate: U.S. Accepts Bitcoin for Home Purchases, and LET Mining Helps Asset Growth

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York City, NY, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As new federal guidelines enable cryptocurrency to qualify as a mortgage asset, U.S. homeowners can now leverage Bitcoin directly in home purchases—with LET Mining poised to support this evolution by helping investors grow and diversify their holdings through efficient, eco‑friendly cloud mining.

    Last week, Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to consider cryptocurrency holdings on U.S.-regulated centralized exchanges as qualifying assets in mortgage assessments, without requiring conversion to cash. This landmark shift could unlock homeownership opportunities for Bitcoin holders who previously faced forced liquidation or margin loans.

    To capitalize on this growing trend, LET Mining, a crypto‑mining and financial services platform founded in 2021, offers a secure, sustainable path to increase Bitcoin assets through its green‑powered intelligent cloud mining infrastructure. By enabling investors to compound Bitcoin holdings over time, LET Mining empowers users to build crypto reserves that now directly translate into home-buying power.

    How to create more value for BTC through LET Mining
    1. Log in to the website https://letmining.com/ and register an account in one minute. After successful registration, you can get a $12 reward

    LET Mining provides users with cloud computing power contracts with flexible investment strategies. Users have the following options (you can participate with a minimum of $100 worth of BTC)

    ●Experience Contract: Investment amount: $100, contract period: 2 days, daily income of $4, expiration income: $100 + $8
    ●BTC Classic Hash Power: Investment amount: $500, contract period: 5 days, daily income of $6, expiration income: $500 + $30
    ●DOGE Classic Hash Power: Investment amount: $3,500, contract period: 24 days, daily income of $50.4, expiration income: $3,500 + $1,209.6
    ●BTC Advanced Hash Power: Investment amount: $5,000, contract period: 30 days, daily income of $76, expiration income: $5,000 + $2,280
    ●BTC Advanced Hash Power: Investment amount: $10,000, contract period: 45 days, daily income of $173, expiration income: $10,000 + $7,785

    (Click here to view more high-yield contract details)

    3. Automatically obtain income every day and withdraw funds at any time

    “With Bitcoin now qualifying as a mortgage asset, investors need reliable, performance‑driven ways to grow their crypto holdings,” said Lillian Austen, Communications Director at LET Mining. “Our smart, renewable‑energy mining services help users scale their portfolios—and access the American dream through real estate.”

    LET Mining’s smart cloud platform combines smart contracts, AI‑driven currency allocation, and predictive maintenance to ensure maximum mining efficiency. Its data centers rely on renewable energy and industrial-scale economies, reducing costs and carbon footprint while maximizing real output.

    As crypto-backed mortgages and cash‑deal home purchases gain traction, LET Mining also streamlines treasury growth for users. Instead of selling Bitcoin at the time of purchase, investors can continue accumulating via mining and rely on crypto mortgages or cash offers backed by their growing reserves. This reduces tax friction, volatility concerns, and liquidity constraints that previously hindered crypto holders from entering the housing market.

    Industry watchers anticipate only 1% of U.S. home purchases have involved crypto proceeds so far—but that figure is expected to rise sharply as institutional frameworks adapt, and platforms like LET Mining make growth accessible and sustainable.

    About LET Mining
    LET Mining, founded in 2021, is a leading cloud-mining and blockchain financial services provider. The London‑based platform specializes in green‑energy-powered, AI‑enabled mining solutions, enabling everyday investors to grow digital assets through efficient, secure, and compliant means. To learn more, visit https://letmining.com/.

    Media Contact:

    Lillian Austen
    Communications Director, LET Mining
    info@letmining.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: NowVertical Announces 2025 Shareholder Meeting Results and Equity Grants

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NowVertical Group Inc. (TSXV: NOW) (“NOW” or the “Company”), a leading data and AI solutions provider, is pleased to announce the voting results from its Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders held on June 27, 2025 (the “Meeting”).

    At the Meeting, all matters of business set out in the Company’s management information circular dated May 16, 2025 (the “Circular”) were approved. Each of the five (5) director nominees proposed by management of the Company were elected to serve as directors of the Company until the close of the next annual meeting of shareholders or until their successor is elected or appointed. Detailed results of the votes are set out below:

      Votes For Votes Withheld/Abstained
    Nominee Number (#) Percent (%) Number (#) Percent (%)
    Sandeep Mendiratta 31,240,059 99.90% 30,000 0.10%
    David Charron 31,255,059 99.95% 15,000 0.05%
    David Doritty 31,203,059 99.79% 67,000 0.21%
    Elaine Kunda 31,003,601 99.15% 266,458 0.85%
    Chris Ford 31,255,059 99.95% 15,000 0.05%

    NOW’s shareholders also voted in favour of: (i) re-appointing Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s auditors for the ensuing year and authorized the board of directors of the Company to fix their remuneration; (ii) the approval of the 10% rolling omnibus equity incentive plan of the Company (the “Plan”); and (iii) the issuance of 477,459 Class A subordinate voting shares to Andre Garber in settlement of a portion of his wages for the period from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021 (the “Debt Settlement Transaction”). The Class A subordinate voting shares issued to Andre Garber will be subject to a statutory hold period of four (4) months and one (1) day from the date of issuance.

    The Debt Settlement Transaction with the Company is considered a “related party transaction” for purposes of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (“MI 61-101”). The Debt Settlement Transaction will be completed in reliance on exemptions available under MI 61-101 from the formal valuation of MI 61-101. The Company is relying on the exemption from the valuation requirement pursuant to subsection 5.5(a) of MI 61-101 for the insider participation, as the Class A subordinate voting shares do not represent more than 25% of the Company’s market capitalization, as determined in accordance with MI 61-101.

    For further information regarding the Plan and the Debt Settlement Transaction to Mr. Garber, please see the Circular which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com.

    Equity Award Grants

    In addition, the Company further announces the granting of 109,400 incentive stock options (“Options”) and 269,531 restricted share units (“RSUs”) to the non-executive members of the Company’s board of directors, and 1,177,422 performance share units of the Company (“PSUs” and together with the RSUs and the Options, the “Equity Grants”) to certain members of the Company’s management team.

    Each Option will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one (1) Class A subordinate voting share of the Company at an exercise price of CAD$0.64 per share for a period of five (5) years, subject to the terms of the Plan. The Options will vest on the one-year anniversary of the date of grant.

    The RSUs will be issued pursuant to the Plan and will vest on the one-year anniversary of the date of issuance. Each vested RSU will entitle the holder thereof to receive one (1) Class A subordinate voting share of the Company or a cash amount equal to the equivalent of one (1) share.

    The PSUs will be issued pursuant to the Plan and, subject to the achievement of certain performance milestones, will vest on the one-year anniversary of the date of issuance. Each vested PSU will entitle the holder thereof to receive one (1) Class A subordinate voting share of the Company or a cash amount equal to the equivalent of one (1) share.

    The Equity Grants were made as part of NOW’s annual compensation process and are intended to appropriately reward past and ongoing contributions and to incentivize contributions to NOW’s success in the future.

    About NowVertical Group Inc.

    NowVertical is a global data and analytics company which helps clients transform data into tangible business value with AI, fast. Offering a comprehensive suite of solutions and services, the Company enables clients to quickly harness the full potential of their data, driving measurable outcomes and accelerating potential return on investment. Enterprises optimize decision-making, improve operational efficiency, and unlock long-term value from their data using the Company’s AI-Infused first party and third-party technologies. NowVertical is growing organically and through strategic acquisitions.  

    For further details about NowVertical, please visit www.nowvertical.com. 

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    For further information, please contact:

    Andre Garber
    Chief Development Officer
    IR@nowvertical.com

    Investor Relations: Bristol Capital Ltd.
    Stefan Eftychiou
    stefan@bristolir.com
    +1(905) 326-1888 x60

    This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (together “forward–looking statements”). Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, and contingencies. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts but instead reflect the Company’s expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release include, without limitation, statements with respect to the vesting of the securities issued under the Equity Grants, the issuance of Class A subordinate voting shares in the capital of the Company, and the achievement of the vesting criteria for the PSUs. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “may”, “should”, “will”, “could”, “intend”, “estimate”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “expect”, “believe” or “continue”, or the negative thereof or similar variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the estimated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and the forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed thereon, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements of the Company. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements are those risk factors identified in documents filed by the Company under its profile at www.sedarplus.com, including the Company’s managements’ discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2024. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended and such changes could be material. All of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are qualified by the foregoing cautionary statements, and there can be no guarantee that the results or developments that we anticipate will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences or effects on our business, financial condition or results of operation. Unless otherwise noted or the context otherwise indicates, the forward -looking statements contained herein are provided as of the date hereof, and the Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update the forward-looking statements except as otherwise required by applicable law. Investors are cautioned that, trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: NowVertical Announces 2025 Shareholder Meeting Results and Equity Grants

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NowVertical Group Inc. (TSXV: NOW) (“NOW” or the “Company”), a leading data and AI solutions provider, is pleased to announce the voting results from its Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders held on June 27, 2025 (the “Meeting”).

    At the Meeting, all matters of business set out in the Company’s management information circular dated May 16, 2025 (the “Circular”) were approved. Each of the five (5) director nominees proposed by management of the Company were elected to serve as directors of the Company until the close of the next annual meeting of shareholders or until their successor is elected or appointed. Detailed results of the votes are set out below:

      Votes For Votes Withheld/Abstained
    Nominee Number (#) Percent (%) Number (#) Percent (%)
    Sandeep Mendiratta 31,240,059 99.90% 30,000 0.10%
    David Charron 31,255,059 99.95% 15,000 0.05%
    David Doritty 31,203,059 99.79% 67,000 0.21%
    Elaine Kunda 31,003,601 99.15% 266,458 0.85%
    Chris Ford 31,255,059 99.95% 15,000 0.05%

    NOW’s shareholders also voted in favour of: (i) re-appointing Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s auditors for the ensuing year and authorized the board of directors of the Company to fix their remuneration; (ii) the approval of the 10% rolling omnibus equity incentive plan of the Company (the “Plan”); and (iii) the issuance of 477,459 Class A subordinate voting shares to Andre Garber in settlement of a portion of his wages for the period from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021 (the “Debt Settlement Transaction”). The Class A subordinate voting shares issued to Andre Garber will be subject to a statutory hold period of four (4) months and one (1) day from the date of issuance.

    The Debt Settlement Transaction with the Company is considered a “related party transaction” for purposes of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (“MI 61-101”). The Debt Settlement Transaction will be completed in reliance on exemptions available under MI 61-101 from the formal valuation of MI 61-101. The Company is relying on the exemption from the valuation requirement pursuant to subsection 5.5(a) of MI 61-101 for the insider participation, as the Class A subordinate voting shares do not represent more than 25% of the Company’s market capitalization, as determined in accordance with MI 61-101.

    For further information regarding the Plan and the Debt Settlement Transaction to Mr. Garber, please see the Circular which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com.

    Equity Award Grants

    In addition, the Company further announces the granting of 109,400 incentive stock options (“Options”) and 269,531 restricted share units (“RSUs”) to the non-executive members of the Company’s board of directors, and 1,177,422 performance share units of the Company (“PSUs” and together with the RSUs and the Options, the “Equity Grants”) to certain members of the Company’s management team.

    Each Option will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one (1) Class A subordinate voting share of the Company at an exercise price of CAD$0.64 per share for a period of five (5) years, subject to the terms of the Plan. The Options will vest on the one-year anniversary of the date of grant.

    The RSUs will be issued pursuant to the Plan and will vest on the one-year anniversary of the date of issuance. Each vested RSU will entitle the holder thereof to receive one (1) Class A subordinate voting share of the Company or a cash amount equal to the equivalent of one (1) share.

    The PSUs will be issued pursuant to the Plan and, subject to the achievement of certain performance milestones, will vest on the one-year anniversary of the date of issuance. Each vested PSU will entitle the holder thereof to receive one (1) Class A subordinate voting share of the Company or a cash amount equal to the equivalent of one (1) share.

    The Equity Grants were made as part of NOW’s annual compensation process and are intended to appropriately reward past and ongoing contributions and to incentivize contributions to NOW’s success in the future.

    About NowVertical Group Inc.

    NowVertical is a global data and analytics company which helps clients transform data into tangible business value with AI, fast. Offering a comprehensive suite of solutions and services, the Company enables clients to quickly harness the full potential of their data, driving measurable outcomes and accelerating potential return on investment. Enterprises optimize decision-making, improve operational efficiency, and unlock long-term value from their data using the Company’s AI-Infused first party and third-party technologies. NowVertical is growing organically and through strategic acquisitions.  

    For further details about NowVertical, please visit www.nowvertical.com. 

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    For further information, please contact:

    Andre Garber
    Chief Development Officer
    IR@nowvertical.com

    Investor Relations: Bristol Capital Ltd.
    Stefan Eftychiou
    stefan@bristolir.com
    +1(905) 326-1888 x60

    This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (together “forward–looking statements”). Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, and contingencies. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts but instead reflect the Company’s expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release include, without limitation, statements with respect to the vesting of the securities issued under the Equity Grants, the issuance of Class A subordinate voting shares in the capital of the Company, and the achievement of the vesting criteria for the PSUs. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “may”, “should”, “will”, “could”, “intend”, “estimate”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “expect”, “believe” or “continue”, or the negative thereof or similar variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the estimated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and the forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed thereon, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements of the Company. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements are those risk factors identified in documents filed by the Company under its profile at www.sedarplus.com, including the Company’s managements’ discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2024. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended and such changes could be material. All of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are qualified by the foregoing cautionary statements, and there can be no guarantee that the results or developments that we anticipate will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences or effects on our business, financial condition or results of operation. Unless otherwise noted or the context otherwise indicates, the forward -looking statements contained herein are provided as of the date hereof, and the Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update the forward-looking statements except as otherwise required by applicable law. Investors are cautioned that, trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: NowVertical Announces 2025 Shareholder Meeting Results and Equity Grants

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NowVertical Group Inc. (TSXV: NOW) (“NOW” or the “Company”), a leading data and AI solutions provider, is pleased to announce the voting results from its Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders held on June 27, 2025 (the “Meeting”).

    At the Meeting, all matters of business set out in the Company’s management information circular dated May 16, 2025 (the “Circular”) were approved. Each of the five (5) director nominees proposed by management of the Company were elected to serve as directors of the Company until the close of the next annual meeting of shareholders or until their successor is elected or appointed. Detailed results of the votes are set out below:

      Votes For Votes Withheld/Abstained
    Nominee Number (#) Percent (%) Number (#) Percent (%)
    Sandeep Mendiratta 31,240,059 99.90% 30,000 0.10%
    David Charron 31,255,059 99.95% 15,000 0.05%
    David Doritty 31,203,059 99.79% 67,000 0.21%
    Elaine Kunda 31,003,601 99.15% 266,458 0.85%
    Chris Ford 31,255,059 99.95% 15,000 0.05%

    NOW’s shareholders also voted in favour of: (i) re-appointing Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s auditors for the ensuing year and authorized the board of directors of the Company to fix their remuneration; (ii) the approval of the 10% rolling omnibus equity incentive plan of the Company (the “Plan”); and (iii) the issuance of 477,459 Class A subordinate voting shares to Andre Garber in settlement of a portion of his wages for the period from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021 (the “Debt Settlement Transaction”). The Class A subordinate voting shares issued to Andre Garber will be subject to a statutory hold period of four (4) months and one (1) day from the date of issuance.

    The Debt Settlement Transaction with the Company is considered a “related party transaction” for purposes of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (“MI 61-101”). The Debt Settlement Transaction will be completed in reliance on exemptions available under MI 61-101 from the formal valuation of MI 61-101. The Company is relying on the exemption from the valuation requirement pursuant to subsection 5.5(a) of MI 61-101 for the insider participation, as the Class A subordinate voting shares do not represent more than 25% of the Company’s market capitalization, as determined in accordance with MI 61-101.

    For further information regarding the Plan and the Debt Settlement Transaction to Mr. Garber, please see the Circular which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com.

    Equity Award Grants

    In addition, the Company further announces the granting of 109,400 incentive stock options (“Options”) and 269,531 restricted share units (“RSUs”) to the non-executive members of the Company’s board of directors, and 1,177,422 performance share units of the Company (“PSUs” and together with the RSUs and the Options, the “Equity Grants”) to certain members of the Company’s management team.

    Each Option will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one (1) Class A subordinate voting share of the Company at an exercise price of CAD$0.64 per share for a period of five (5) years, subject to the terms of the Plan. The Options will vest on the one-year anniversary of the date of grant.

    The RSUs will be issued pursuant to the Plan and will vest on the one-year anniversary of the date of issuance. Each vested RSU will entitle the holder thereof to receive one (1) Class A subordinate voting share of the Company or a cash amount equal to the equivalent of one (1) share.

    The PSUs will be issued pursuant to the Plan and, subject to the achievement of certain performance milestones, will vest on the one-year anniversary of the date of issuance. Each vested PSU will entitle the holder thereof to receive one (1) Class A subordinate voting share of the Company or a cash amount equal to the equivalent of one (1) share.

    The Equity Grants were made as part of NOW’s annual compensation process and are intended to appropriately reward past and ongoing contributions and to incentivize contributions to NOW’s success in the future.

    About NowVertical Group Inc.

    NowVertical is a global data and analytics company which helps clients transform data into tangible business value with AI, fast. Offering a comprehensive suite of solutions and services, the Company enables clients to quickly harness the full potential of their data, driving measurable outcomes and accelerating potential return on investment. Enterprises optimize decision-making, improve operational efficiency, and unlock long-term value from their data using the Company’s AI-Infused first party and third-party technologies. NowVertical is growing organically and through strategic acquisitions.  

    For further details about NowVertical, please visit www.nowvertical.com. 

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    For further information, please contact:

    Andre Garber
    Chief Development Officer
    IR@nowvertical.com

    Investor Relations: Bristol Capital Ltd.
    Stefan Eftychiou
    stefan@bristolir.com
    +1(905) 326-1888 x60

    This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (together “forward–looking statements”). Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, and contingencies. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts but instead reflect the Company’s expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release include, without limitation, statements with respect to the vesting of the securities issued under the Equity Grants, the issuance of Class A subordinate voting shares in the capital of the Company, and the achievement of the vesting criteria for the PSUs. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “may”, “should”, “will”, “could”, “intend”, “estimate”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “expect”, “believe” or “continue”, or the negative thereof or similar variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the estimated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and the forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed thereon, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements of the Company. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements are those risk factors identified in documents filed by the Company under its profile at www.sedarplus.com, including the Company’s managements’ discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2024. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended and such changes could be material. All of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are qualified by the foregoing cautionary statements, and there can be no guarantee that the results or developments that we anticipate will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences or effects on our business, financial condition or results of operation. Unless otherwise noted or the context otherwise indicates, the forward -looking statements contained herein are provided as of the date hereof, and the Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update the forward-looking statements except as otherwise required by applicable law. Investors are cautioned that, trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Apollo Names Brian Chu Head of Apollo Portfolio Performance Solutions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Apollo (NYSE: APO) today announced that Brian Chu has joined the firm as a Partner and Head of Apollo Portfolio Performance Solutions (APPS). In this role, Chu will lead APPS’ mission to deliver strategic and hands-on operational support across Apollo’s private equity portfolio. He will build on the team’s established value creation model, which combines generalist operating partners and deep functional expertise to unlock transformational growth opportunities for Apollo’s funds’ portfolio companies.

    Chu brings more than 20 years of experience in operational leadership and private equity to Apollo. He most recently served as Senior Managing Director and co-head of the portfolio operations group at Centerbridge Partners, where he led value creation efforts across a portfolio of approximately 30 companies. His career has been defined by close collaboration with management teams and boards to drive growth and implement organizational change. Prior to Centerbridge, he was an Operating Partner at Bain Capital and has held several senior roles in operations and technology.

    Aaron Miller, who led APPS since joining the firm in 2019, will transition to Chairman of APPS. In this role, he will continue to advise on strategic initiatives, work closely with select portfolio companies on high-priority value creation projects and support the continued evolution and expansion of the APPS platform.

    “Brian’s exceptional ability to build high-performing operations teams, combined with his disciplined approach to value creation, makes him the ideal leader to continue building upon the strong foundation that Aaron has established and developed,” said Antoine Munfakh, Partner and Head of Private Equity – North America, and Michele Raba, Partner and Head of Private Equity – Europe. “As our industry increasingly recognizes that outperformance will be driven by improving businesses rather than expanding multiples, the role of APPS has never been more crucial. Scaling our APPS platform has been a game changer for our private equity franchise, transforming the way we partner with outstanding management teams to create tangible value at each stage of the investment lifecycle.”

    “Apollo has built one of the most effective operating platforms in the industry, known for its deep alignment with management and relentless focus on business transformation,” said Brian Chu. “I’m honored to join this talented team and to carry forward the APPS mission—accelerating growth through investments in technology, talent and commercial excellence. I look forward to expanding our capabilities and helping portfolio companies realize their full potential.”

    Miller said, “I’m deeply proud of the culture of innovation, performance and collaboration we’ve built at APPS. Working alongside such a talented group of professionals—and seeing the tangible, lasting value we’ve helped create—has been one of the most fulfilling chapters of my career. I’m excited to support Brian and the team as they take APPS to even greater heights.”

    About Apollo Portfolio Performance Solutions (APPS)

    APPS supports Apollo funds’ portfolio companies throughout every stage of ownership by leveraging deep expertise across critical functional domains, including digital transformation, AI integration, procurement and supply chain optimization. With a team of 35 full-time professionals—comprising both functional specialists and generalist operators—APPS partners closely with company leadership to implement tailored value creation strategies. Through Value Creation Offices (VCOs), the team works with management to ensure rigorous execution and accountability, driving sustained performance improvements and long-term value.

    About Apollo

    Apollo is a high-growth, global alternative asset manager. In our asset management business, we seek to provide our clients excess return at every point along the risk-reward spectrum from investment grade credit to private equity. For more than three decades, our investing expertise across our fully integrated platform has served the financial return needs of our clients and provided businesses with innovative capital solutions for growth. Through Athene, our retirement services business, we specialize in helping clients achieve financial security by providing a suite of retirement savings products and acting as a solutions provider to institutions. Our patient, creative, and knowledgeable approach to investing aligns our clients, businesses we invest in, our employees, and the communities we impact, to expand opportunity and achieve positive outcomes. As of March 31, 2025, Apollo had approximately $785 billion of assets under management. To learn more, please visit www.apollo.com.

    Contacts

    Noah Gunn
    Global Head of Investor Relations
    Apollo Global Management, Inc.
    (212) 822-0540
    IR@apollo.com

    Joanna Rose
    Global Head of Corporate Communications
    Apollo Global Management, Inc.
    (212) 822-0491
    Communications@apollo.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Home Decor Brand Graham & Brown Boosts Operational Efficiency and Growth with BigCommerce

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AUSTIN, Texas and LONDON, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BigCommerce (Nasdaq: BIGC), a leading provider of open, composable commerce solutions for B2C and B2B brands, retailers, manufacturers and distributors, today announced that Graham & Brown, a leading UK wallcoverings and home décor company, has achieved measurable improvements in customer experience, revenue growth, operational efficiency and digital maturity since launching its B2B ecommerce site on BigCommerce.

    In an industry traditionally driven by human touchpoints and manual processes, Graham & Brown recognised a fundamental shift in buyer expectations to increasingly demand the convenience and efficiency of digital self-service. Working with BigCommerce, Graham & Brown built a B2B ecommerce site to improve the buyer experience and its own business operations.

    Achieving revenue growth and market expansion

    This transformation moved quickly from concept to delivery. Within just 12 weeks, Graham & Brown launched a fully functioning B2B ecommerce site in January 2025. Adoption was rapid with 90% of key accounts having embraced the new digital channel, in the first few months, underlying the demand for a more efficient, customer-centric buying experience.

    Building on this early success, Graham & Brown rapidly expanded the platform beyond the UK, launching in Ireland and the broader European market by March. Designed from the outset with global scale in mind, the platform supports multi-currency transactions in GBP, USD, EUR, AUD, and NZD.

    Enhancing customer experience

    Central to Graham & Brown’s digital transformation was a focus on delivering a better customer experience. By engaging real customers in the build process, Graham & Brown gained direct insights into day-to-day user needs, enabling the development of features specifically tailored to the B2B buyer. BigCommerce allowed Graham & Brown to streamline the buyer experience, including a Quick Order tool for frequent, high-volume purchases, real-time visibility into credit balances and industry-specific functionality such as specifying batch numbers for wallpaper orders to ensure exact colour consistency.

    Another standout innovation was the launch of bespoke print-to-order wallpaper mural creation tools for B2B customers. This innovative feature allows trade clients to input custom dimensions and crop and zoom onto the design, to create a bespoke feature wall mural.

    “BigCommerce’s platform has been incredibly successful at delivering and achieving our digital goals from the onset,” said Mike Berry, head of ecommerce at Graham & Brown. “Not only has the platform elevated our customers’ journey by creating a more tailored and personalised experience, but it has also significantly eased the burden on our sales team.”

    Realising operational efficiencies

    The benefits of the new platform have been felt strongly inside the organisation. By shifting routine transactions and inquiries online, Graham & Brown has achieved significant operational efficiencies. The customer service team experienced a reduction in inbound calls, as common questions about stock, pricing and order status were answered by the website’s self-service tools. Likewise, the sales team has seen the typical Monday morning backlog of orders and emails decline.

    “We’re thrilled that Graham & Brown’s B2B website is delivering a tailored, elevated digital experience that meets the unique needs of the home furnishings industry,” said Lance Owide, general manager of B2B at BigCommerce. “Graham & Brown had a vision to use ecommerce to drive operational efficiency, and to power the company’s global growth ambitions, and the results so far have achieved this while staying true to the core values of the brand.”

    To learn more about BigCommerce B2B Edition, click here.

    About BigCommerce

    BigCommerce (Nasdaq: BIGC) is a leading open SaaS and composable ecommerce platform that empowers brands, retailers, manufacturers and distributors of all sizes to build, innovate and grow their businesses online. BigCommerce provides its customers sophisticated professional-grade functionality, customisation and performance with simplicity and ease-of-use. Tens of thousands of B2C and B2B companies across 150 countries and numerous industries rely on BigCommerce, including Coldwater Creek, Harvey Nichols, King Arthur Baking Co., MKM Building Supplies, United Aqua Group and Uplift Desk. For more information, please visit www.bigcommerce.com or follow us on X and LinkedIn.

    BigCommerce® is a registered trademark of BigCommerce Pty. Ltd. Third-party trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.

    Media Contact:
    Brad Hem
    pr@bigcommerce.com 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Home Decor Brand Graham & Brown Boosts Operational Efficiency and Growth with BigCommerce

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AUSTIN, Texas and LONDON, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BigCommerce (Nasdaq: BIGC), a leading provider of open, composable commerce solutions for B2C and B2B brands, retailers, manufacturers and distributors, today announced that Graham & Brown, a leading UK wallcoverings and home décor company, has achieved measurable improvements in customer experience, revenue growth, operational efficiency and digital maturity since launching its B2B ecommerce site on BigCommerce.

    In an industry traditionally driven by human touchpoints and manual processes, Graham & Brown recognised a fundamental shift in buyer expectations to increasingly demand the convenience and efficiency of digital self-service. Working with BigCommerce, Graham & Brown built a B2B ecommerce site to improve the buyer experience and its own business operations.

    Achieving revenue growth and market expansion

    This transformation moved quickly from concept to delivery. Within just 12 weeks, Graham & Brown launched a fully functioning B2B ecommerce site in January 2025. Adoption was rapid with 90% of key accounts having embraced the new digital channel, in the first few months, underlying the demand for a more efficient, customer-centric buying experience.

    Building on this early success, Graham & Brown rapidly expanded the platform beyond the UK, launching in Ireland and the broader European market by March. Designed from the outset with global scale in mind, the platform supports multi-currency transactions in GBP, USD, EUR, AUD, and NZD.

    Enhancing customer experience

    Central to Graham & Brown’s digital transformation was a focus on delivering a better customer experience. By engaging real customers in the build process, Graham & Brown gained direct insights into day-to-day user needs, enabling the development of features specifically tailored to the B2B buyer. BigCommerce allowed Graham & Brown to streamline the buyer experience, including a Quick Order tool for frequent, high-volume purchases, real-time visibility into credit balances and industry-specific functionality such as specifying batch numbers for wallpaper orders to ensure exact colour consistency.

    Another standout innovation was the launch of bespoke print-to-order wallpaper mural creation tools for B2B customers. This innovative feature allows trade clients to input custom dimensions and crop and zoom onto the design, to create a bespoke feature wall mural.

    “BigCommerce’s platform has been incredibly successful at delivering and achieving our digital goals from the onset,” said Mike Berry, head of ecommerce at Graham & Brown. “Not only has the platform elevated our customers’ journey by creating a more tailored and personalised experience, but it has also significantly eased the burden on our sales team.”

    Realising operational efficiencies

    The benefits of the new platform have been felt strongly inside the organisation. By shifting routine transactions and inquiries online, Graham & Brown has achieved significant operational efficiencies. The customer service team experienced a reduction in inbound calls, as common questions about stock, pricing and order status were answered by the website’s self-service tools. Likewise, the sales team has seen the typical Monday morning backlog of orders and emails decline.

    “We’re thrilled that Graham & Brown’s B2B website is delivering a tailored, elevated digital experience that meets the unique needs of the home furnishings industry,” said Lance Owide, general manager of B2B at BigCommerce. “Graham & Brown had a vision to use ecommerce to drive operational efficiency, and to power the company’s global growth ambitions, and the results so far have achieved this while staying true to the core values of the brand.”

    To learn more about BigCommerce B2B Edition, click here.

    About BigCommerce

    BigCommerce (Nasdaq: BIGC) is a leading open SaaS and composable ecommerce platform that empowers brands, retailers, manufacturers and distributors of all sizes to build, innovate and grow their businesses online. BigCommerce provides its customers sophisticated professional-grade functionality, customisation and performance with simplicity and ease-of-use. Tens of thousands of B2C and B2B companies across 150 countries and numerous industries rely on BigCommerce, including Coldwater Creek, Harvey Nichols, King Arthur Baking Co., MKM Building Supplies, United Aqua Group and Uplift Desk. For more information, please visit www.bigcommerce.com or follow us on X and LinkedIn.

    BigCommerce® is a registered trademark of BigCommerce Pty. Ltd. Third-party trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.

    Media Contact:
    Brad Hem
    pr@bigcommerce.com 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Home Decor Brand Graham & Brown Boosts Operational Efficiency and Growth with BigCommerce

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AUSTIN, Texas and LONDON, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BigCommerce (Nasdaq: BIGC), a leading provider of open, composable commerce solutions for B2C and B2B brands, retailers, manufacturers and distributors, today announced that Graham & Brown, a leading UK wallcoverings and home décor company, has achieved measurable improvements in customer experience, revenue growth, operational efficiency and digital maturity since launching its B2B ecommerce site on BigCommerce.

    In an industry traditionally driven by human touchpoints and manual processes, Graham & Brown recognised a fundamental shift in buyer expectations to increasingly demand the convenience and efficiency of digital self-service. Working with BigCommerce, Graham & Brown built a B2B ecommerce site to improve the buyer experience and its own business operations.

    Achieving revenue growth and market expansion

    This transformation moved quickly from concept to delivery. Within just 12 weeks, Graham & Brown launched a fully functioning B2B ecommerce site in January 2025. Adoption was rapid with 90% of key accounts having embraced the new digital channel, in the first few months, underlying the demand for a more efficient, customer-centric buying experience.

    Building on this early success, Graham & Brown rapidly expanded the platform beyond the UK, launching in Ireland and the broader European market by March. Designed from the outset with global scale in mind, the platform supports multi-currency transactions in GBP, USD, EUR, AUD, and NZD.

    Enhancing customer experience

    Central to Graham & Brown’s digital transformation was a focus on delivering a better customer experience. By engaging real customers in the build process, Graham & Brown gained direct insights into day-to-day user needs, enabling the development of features specifically tailored to the B2B buyer. BigCommerce allowed Graham & Brown to streamline the buyer experience, including a Quick Order tool for frequent, high-volume purchases, real-time visibility into credit balances and industry-specific functionality such as specifying batch numbers for wallpaper orders to ensure exact colour consistency.

    Another standout innovation was the launch of bespoke print-to-order wallpaper mural creation tools for B2B customers. This innovative feature allows trade clients to input custom dimensions and crop and zoom onto the design, to create a bespoke feature wall mural.

    “BigCommerce’s platform has been incredibly successful at delivering and achieving our digital goals from the onset,” said Mike Berry, head of ecommerce at Graham & Brown. “Not only has the platform elevated our customers’ journey by creating a more tailored and personalised experience, but it has also significantly eased the burden on our sales team.”

    Realising operational efficiencies

    The benefits of the new platform have been felt strongly inside the organisation. By shifting routine transactions and inquiries online, Graham & Brown has achieved significant operational efficiencies. The customer service team experienced a reduction in inbound calls, as common questions about stock, pricing and order status were answered by the website’s self-service tools. Likewise, the sales team has seen the typical Monday morning backlog of orders and emails decline.

    “We’re thrilled that Graham & Brown’s B2B website is delivering a tailored, elevated digital experience that meets the unique needs of the home furnishings industry,” said Lance Owide, general manager of B2B at BigCommerce. “Graham & Brown had a vision to use ecommerce to drive operational efficiency, and to power the company’s global growth ambitions, and the results so far have achieved this while staying true to the core values of the brand.”

    To learn more about BigCommerce B2B Edition, click here.

    About BigCommerce

    BigCommerce (Nasdaq: BIGC) is a leading open SaaS and composable ecommerce platform that empowers brands, retailers, manufacturers and distributors of all sizes to build, innovate and grow their businesses online. BigCommerce provides its customers sophisticated professional-grade functionality, customisation and performance with simplicity and ease-of-use. Tens of thousands of B2C and B2B companies across 150 countries and numerous industries rely on BigCommerce, including Coldwater Creek, Harvey Nichols, King Arthur Baking Co., MKM Building Supplies, United Aqua Group and Uplift Desk. For more information, please visit www.bigcommerce.com or follow us on X and LinkedIn.

    BigCommerce® is a registered trademark of BigCommerce Pty. Ltd. Third-party trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.

    Media Contact:
    Brad Hem
    pr@bigcommerce.com 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Home Decor Brand Graham & Brown Boosts Operational Efficiency and Growth with BigCommerce

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AUSTIN, Texas and LONDON, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BigCommerce (Nasdaq: BIGC), a leading provider of open, composable commerce solutions for B2C and B2B brands, retailers, manufacturers and distributors, today announced that Graham & Brown, a leading UK wallcoverings and home décor company, has achieved measurable improvements in customer experience, revenue growth, operational efficiency and digital maturity since launching its B2B ecommerce site on BigCommerce.

    In an industry traditionally driven by human touchpoints and manual processes, Graham & Brown recognised a fundamental shift in buyer expectations to increasingly demand the convenience and efficiency of digital self-service. Working with BigCommerce, Graham & Brown built a B2B ecommerce site to improve the buyer experience and its own business operations.

    Achieving revenue growth and market expansion

    This transformation moved quickly from concept to delivery. Within just 12 weeks, Graham & Brown launched a fully functioning B2B ecommerce site in January 2025. Adoption was rapid with 90% of key accounts having embraced the new digital channel, in the first few months, underlying the demand for a more efficient, customer-centric buying experience.

    Building on this early success, Graham & Brown rapidly expanded the platform beyond the UK, launching in Ireland and the broader European market by March. Designed from the outset with global scale in mind, the platform supports multi-currency transactions in GBP, USD, EUR, AUD, and NZD.

    Enhancing customer experience

    Central to Graham & Brown’s digital transformation was a focus on delivering a better customer experience. By engaging real customers in the build process, Graham & Brown gained direct insights into day-to-day user needs, enabling the development of features specifically tailored to the B2B buyer. BigCommerce allowed Graham & Brown to streamline the buyer experience, including a Quick Order tool for frequent, high-volume purchases, real-time visibility into credit balances and industry-specific functionality such as specifying batch numbers for wallpaper orders to ensure exact colour consistency.

    Another standout innovation was the launch of bespoke print-to-order wallpaper mural creation tools for B2B customers. This innovative feature allows trade clients to input custom dimensions and crop and zoom onto the design, to create a bespoke feature wall mural.

    “BigCommerce’s platform has been incredibly successful at delivering and achieving our digital goals from the onset,” said Mike Berry, head of ecommerce at Graham & Brown. “Not only has the platform elevated our customers’ journey by creating a more tailored and personalised experience, but it has also significantly eased the burden on our sales team.”

    Realising operational efficiencies

    The benefits of the new platform have been felt strongly inside the organisation. By shifting routine transactions and inquiries online, Graham & Brown has achieved significant operational efficiencies. The customer service team experienced a reduction in inbound calls, as common questions about stock, pricing and order status were answered by the website’s self-service tools. Likewise, the sales team has seen the typical Monday morning backlog of orders and emails decline.

    “We’re thrilled that Graham & Brown’s B2B website is delivering a tailored, elevated digital experience that meets the unique needs of the home furnishings industry,” said Lance Owide, general manager of B2B at BigCommerce. “Graham & Brown had a vision to use ecommerce to drive operational efficiency, and to power the company’s global growth ambitions, and the results so far have achieved this while staying true to the core values of the brand.”

    To learn more about BigCommerce B2B Edition, click here.

    About BigCommerce

    BigCommerce (Nasdaq: BIGC) is a leading open SaaS and composable ecommerce platform that empowers brands, retailers, manufacturers and distributors of all sizes to build, innovate and grow their businesses online. BigCommerce provides its customers sophisticated professional-grade functionality, customisation and performance with simplicity and ease-of-use. Tens of thousands of B2C and B2B companies across 150 countries and numerous industries rely on BigCommerce, including Coldwater Creek, Harvey Nichols, King Arthur Baking Co., MKM Building Supplies, United Aqua Group and Uplift Desk. For more information, please visit www.bigcommerce.com or follow us on X and LinkedIn.

    BigCommerce® is a registered trademark of BigCommerce Pty. Ltd. Third-party trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.

    Media Contact:
    Brad Hem
    pr@bigcommerce.com 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Mawer Announces Organizational Updates for the Global Equity Strategy

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mawer Investment Management Ltd. (“Mawer”) announced today that Paul Moroz, CFA, has assumed the role of lead portfolio manager and David Ragan, CFA, has assumed the role of co-manager for the Mawer Global Equity Strategy, effective immediately. Manar Hassan-Agha, CFA, will continue as co-manager. While Christian Deckart, CFA, PHD, is stepping down from the portfolio management role, effective today, he will continue to be involved with the strategy for the next several months.

    Paul Moroz brings a wealth of experience to this role, having served as lead portfolio manager for the Mawer Global Equity Strategy from 2009 to 2021. Mr. Moroz joined Mawer in 2004, and over his tenure he has held several key positions, including Chief Investment Officer from 2018 to June 2024, lead portfolio manager of the Mawer Global Small Cap Strategy from 2007 to 2017, and co-manager of the Mawer Private Equity Strategy since 2023.

    David Ragan is a portfolio manager with extensive experience managing Mawer’s international equity strategies. He joined the International Equity team the year he joined the firm in 2004, became lead portfolio manager from 2010 to 2021, and continues to serve as co-manager of both the Mawer International Equity and EAFE Large Cap Strategies.

    “I am energized by the opportunity to once again lead the Mawer Global Equity Strategy,” said Paul Moroz. “Our focus is on delivering long-term value for our clients through disciplined, research-driven investing.”

    About Mawer Investment Management Ltd.
    Founded in 1974, Mawer is an independent investment firm managing portfolios for a broad range of foundations and not-for-profit organizations, pension plans, strategic alliances, and individual investors. For more information, visit Mawer at www.mawer.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: FTC Solar Announces $75 Million Strategic Financing

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    $14.3 million received July 2
    Additional $23.2 million expected to close in third quarter of 2025
    Total funding scalable to $75 million

    AUSTIN, Texas, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FTC Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: FTCI), a leading provider of solar tracker systems, software and engineering services, today announced that it entered into a new $75 million strategic financing facility (the “Financing Facility”) with Cleanhill Partners and affiliates, AV Securities and other long-term investors.

    The Financing Facility provides for an initial term loan financing of up to $37.5 million. Of this amount, $14.3 million of term loan financing and an associated warrant issuance closed and funded on July 2, 2025. The balance of $23.2 million of the initial financing is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025, subject to shareholder approval of the maximum number of shares for which the warrants issued in connection with the Financing Facility may be exercised and the other conditions under the Financing Facility.

    The Financing Facility also provides for up to an additional $37.5 million in funding to be available to the company as may be needed in the future upon mutual agreement between the company and the investors under the Financing Facility, for a total potential financing of $75 million.

    “We couldn’t be more excited to invest in what we view as a clear future industry leader in FTC Solar,” said Ash Upadhyaya and Rakesh Wilson, Managing Partners at Cleanhill Partners. “Discussions with multiple industry participants led us to reach out to FTC Solar, and our research and feedback from developers and EPCs has only led us to be even more excited about the future prospects of the company. We believe FTC Solar has one of the most revolutionary technology platforms in the industry and a great team to drive strong future performance. The size and scalability of our investment reflects our interest in ensuring the long-term success of the company. This investment also builds on Cleanhill’s longstanding history of investing in energy transition businesses.”

    “This investment adds significant strength to our balance sheet, ample runway to achieve profitability, and incremental comfort to our global customers that we’ll continue to provide the products and services they love long into the future,” said Yann Brandt, President and CEO of FTC Solar. “Shoring up backlog and adding liquidity were priority areas for me when joining FTC. The investment announced today, along with funds raised in the fourth quarter, provide more than sufficient liquidity. And driven by the recent expansion of one of the most innovative new tracker lines to hit the market, we have recently added more than 6.5 gigawatts of new business with Tier 1 customers. I have been quite bullish on the long-term potential and prospects for FTC Solar and this agreement only increases our potential for accelerating business momentum. I want to thank Cleanhill and AV Securities for their support and for sharing our vision.”

    The Company will use the proceeds of the Financing Facility for balance sheet support, growth acceleration, and general corporate purposes. The Company currently expects to hold a special meeting of stockholders in early September 2025 to approve the full exercise of the warrants issued in connection with the Financing Facility.

    Additional details of the Financing Facility and the associated warrant issuance will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on a Current Report on Form 8-K.

    About Cleanhill Partners
    Cleanhill Partners is a private equity firm pursuing investments in the energy transition sector that contribute to decarbonization. The firm invests in scalable businesses with visibility into revenues, earnings and cash flow growth, leveraging its thesis-driven approach and operational expertise to enhance value in each of our investments. For more information, visit www.cleanhillpartners.com.

    About FTC Solar Inc.
    Founded in 2017 by a group of renewable energy industry veterans, FTC Solar is a global provider of solar tracker systems, technology, software, and engineering services. Solar trackers significantly increase energy production at solar power installations by dynamically optimizing solar panel orientation to the sun. FTC Solar’s innovative tracker designs provide compelling performance and reliability, with an industry-leading installation cost-per-watt advantage.

    FTC Solar Investor Contact:
    Bill Michalek 
    Vice President, Investor Relations 
    FTC Solar
    T: (737) 241-8618 
    E: IR@FTCSolar.com

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This press release contains forward looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but rather are based on our current expectations and projections regarding our business, operations and other factors relating thereto. Words such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “anticipate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are only predictions and as such are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. New risks and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible to predict all risks and uncertainties. No representations or warranties (expressed or implied) are made about the accuracy of any such forward-looking statements. You should not rely on our forward-looking statements as predictions of future events, as actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements because of several factors, including, but not limited to, the satisfaction of conditions under the Credit Facility relating to the advance of additional term loan financing, risks relating to shareholder approval of the maximum number of shares for which the warrants issued in connection with the Financing Facility may be exercised, risks relating to our expected use of proceeds and the anticipated benefits of the Financing Facility, and the other risks and uncertainties described in FTC Solar’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in the “Risk Factors” section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and in subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. FTC Solar undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations, except as required by law.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: FTC Solar Announces $75 Million Strategic Financing

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    $14.3 million received July 2
    Additional $23.2 million expected to close in third quarter of 2025
    Total funding scalable to $75 million

    AUSTIN, Texas, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FTC Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: FTCI), a leading provider of solar tracker systems, software and engineering services, today announced that it entered into a new $75 million strategic financing facility (the “Financing Facility”) with Cleanhill Partners and affiliates, AV Securities and other long-term investors.

    The Financing Facility provides for an initial term loan financing of up to $37.5 million. Of this amount, $14.3 million of term loan financing and an associated warrant issuance closed and funded on July 2, 2025. The balance of $23.2 million of the initial financing is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025, subject to shareholder approval of the maximum number of shares for which the warrants issued in connection with the Financing Facility may be exercised and the other conditions under the Financing Facility.

    The Financing Facility also provides for up to an additional $37.5 million in funding to be available to the company as may be needed in the future upon mutual agreement between the company and the investors under the Financing Facility, for a total potential financing of $75 million.

    “We couldn’t be more excited to invest in what we view as a clear future industry leader in FTC Solar,” said Ash Upadhyaya and Rakesh Wilson, Managing Partners at Cleanhill Partners. “Discussions with multiple industry participants led us to reach out to FTC Solar, and our research and feedback from developers and EPCs has only led us to be even more excited about the future prospects of the company. We believe FTC Solar has one of the most revolutionary technology platforms in the industry and a great team to drive strong future performance. The size and scalability of our investment reflects our interest in ensuring the long-term success of the company. This investment also builds on Cleanhill’s longstanding history of investing in energy transition businesses.”

    “This investment adds significant strength to our balance sheet, ample runway to achieve profitability, and incremental comfort to our global customers that we’ll continue to provide the products and services they love long into the future,” said Yann Brandt, President and CEO of FTC Solar. “Shoring up backlog and adding liquidity were priority areas for me when joining FTC. The investment announced today, along with funds raised in the fourth quarter, provide more than sufficient liquidity. And driven by the recent expansion of one of the most innovative new tracker lines to hit the market, we have recently added more than 6.5 gigawatts of new business with Tier 1 customers. I have been quite bullish on the long-term potential and prospects for FTC Solar and this agreement only increases our potential for accelerating business momentum. I want to thank Cleanhill and AV Securities for their support and for sharing our vision.”

    The Company will use the proceeds of the Financing Facility for balance sheet support, growth acceleration, and general corporate purposes. The Company currently expects to hold a special meeting of stockholders in early September 2025 to approve the full exercise of the warrants issued in connection with the Financing Facility.

    Additional details of the Financing Facility and the associated warrant issuance will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on a Current Report on Form 8-K.

    About Cleanhill Partners
    Cleanhill Partners is a private equity firm pursuing investments in the energy transition sector that contribute to decarbonization. The firm invests in scalable businesses with visibility into revenues, earnings and cash flow growth, leveraging its thesis-driven approach and operational expertise to enhance value in each of our investments. For more information, visit www.cleanhillpartners.com.

    About FTC Solar Inc.
    Founded in 2017 by a group of renewable energy industry veterans, FTC Solar is a global provider of solar tracker systems, technology, software, and engineering services. Solar trackers significantly increase energy production at solar power installations by dynamically optimizing solar panel orientation to the sun. FTC Solar’s innovative tracker designs provide compelling performance and reliability, with an industry-leading installation cost-per-watt advantage.

    FTC Solar Investor Contact:
    Bill Michalek 
    Vice President, Investor Relations 
    FTC Solar
    T: (737) 241-8618 
    E: IR@FTCSolar.com

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This press release contains forward looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but rather are based on our current expectations and projections regarding our business, operations and other factors relating thereto. Words such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “anticipate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are only predictions and as such are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. New risks and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible to predict all risks and uncertainties. No representations or warranties (expressed or implied) are made about the accuracy of any such forward-looking statements. You should not rely on our forward-looking statements as predictions of future events, as actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements because of several factors, including, but not limited to, the satisfaction of conditions under the Credit Facility relating to the advance of additional term loan financing, risks relating to shareholder approval of the maximum number of shares for which the warrants issued in connection with the Financing Facility may be exercised, risks relating to our expected use of proceeds and the anticipated benefits of the Financing Facility, and the other risks and uncertainties described in FTC Solar’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in the “Risk Factors” section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and in subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. FTC Solar undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations, except as required by law.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Signe Krogstrup: Climate risks and financial stability – staying the course amid uncertainty

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    Check against delivery

    Good morning, and welcome to Danmarks Nationalbank.

    It is a great pleasure to host this conference and to welcome so many of you here today, colleagues, partners, and stakeholders, to share perspectives on the evolving risks that climate change poses to the financial sector.

    Climate agenda competing for attention in a complex global risk environment

    Let me begin by acknowledging the broader context in which we meet. The global economy and financial system face multiple challenges and high uncertainty, stemming from geopolitical tensions and trade fragmentation to cyber risks and structural shifts.

    These pressing concerns rightly command our full attention. But for that reason, they also risk overshadowing challenges such as climate change which are perceived as longer-term. This happens at a time when climate policies face stronger headwinds in some parts of the world. This may slow the global energy transition and speed up climate change and the associated risks.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Signe Krogstrup: Climate risks and financial stability – staying the course amid uncertainty

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    Check against delivery

    Good morning, and welcome to Danmarks Nationalbank.

    It is a great pleasure to host this conference and to welcome so many of you here today, colleagues, partners, and stakeholders, to share perspectives on the evolving risks that climate change poses to the financial sector.

    Climate agenda competing for attention in a complex global risk environment

    Let me begin by acknowledging the broader context in which we meet. The global economy and financial system face multiple challenges and high uncertainty, stemming from geopolitical tensions and trade fragmentation to cyber risks and structural shifts.

    These pressing concerns rightly command our full attention. But for that reason, they also risk overshadowing challenges such as climate change which are perceived as longer-term. This happens at a time when climate policies face stronger headwinds in some parts of the world. This may slow the global energy transition and speed up climate change and the associated risks.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Signe Krogstrup: Climate risks and financial stability – staying the course amid uncertainty

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    Check against delivery

    Good morning, and welcome to Danmarks Nationalbank.

    It is a great pleasure to host this conference and to welcome so many of you here today, colleagues, partners, and stakeholders, to share perspectives on the evolving risks that climate change poses to the financial sector.

    Climate agenda competing for attention in a complex global risk environment

    Let me begin by acknowledging the broader context in which we meet. The global economy and financial system face multiple challenges and high uncertainty, stemming from geopolitical tensions and trade fragmentation to cyber risks and structural shifts.

    These pressing concerns rightly command our full attention. But for that reason, they also risk overshadowing challenges such as climate change which are perceived as longer-term. This happens at a time when climate policies face stronger headwinds in some parts of the world. This may slow the global energy transition and speed up climate change and the associated risks.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Signe Krogstrup: Climate risks and financial stability – staying the course amid uncertainty

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    Check against delivery

    Good morning, and welcome to Danmarks Nationalbank.

    It is a great pleasure to host this conference and to welcome so many of you here today, colleagues, partners, and stakeholders, to share perspectives on the evolving risks that climate change poses to the financial sector.

    Climate agenda competing for attention in a complex global risk environment

    Let me begin by acknowledging the broader context in which we meet. The global economy and financial system face multiple challenges and high uncertainty, stemming from geopolitical tensions and trade fragmentation to cyber risks and structural shifts.

    These pressing concerns rightly command our full attention. But for that reason, they also risk overshadowing challenges such as climate change which are perceived as longer-term. This happens at a time when climate policies face stronger headwinds in some parts of the world. This may slow the global energy transition and speed up climate change and the associated risks.

    MIL OSI Economics –