BANGKOK, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Ecolab, a global leader in water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions, today announced the Southeast Asia launch of two breakthrough innovations — Ecolab DishIQ™ and the Ecolab AquaIQ™ Program at THAIFEX HOREC Asia, the region’s defining event for the hospitality and foodservice sector. This year, THAIFEX HORECA Asia brings together hotels, restaurants, cafés and catering (HORECA) decision‑makers.

DishIQ™ wins Innovation Award, Kitchen Category at THAIFEX – HOREC Xperiential Zone

Ecolab’s DishIQ™, an intelligent dishmachine program powered by advanced sensors, smart software, and real‑time remote monitoring, has been awarded the Innovation Award at the show’s immersive Xperiential Zone. The recipients of the Innovation award are evaluated based on effectiveness and efficiency, together with its technology and measurable benefits for the end users.

Some of Ecolab customers using Ecolab Dish IQ™ in Thailand are:

• Mai Samui Beach Resort & Spa – A premium island resort known for its serene beachfront setting and commitment to delivering elevated guest experiences through modern, efficient operations.
• Six Senses Samui – A leading luxury wellness resort recognized for its sustainability‑driven hospitality and high operational standards across every touchpoint.
• Gyu‑Kaku, King Square Mall – A popular Japanese BBQ dining destination celebrated for its high‑volume service model and focus on consistency, guest‑ready dining experiences.

DishIQ™ uses built‑in sensors to capture real-time performance data — including wash temperature, rinse levels and chemical dosing — enabling consistent results, reduced downtime and proactive issue prevention. This elevates operations’ food safety, cost saving, and brand standard. With 24/7 oversight from Ecolab’s Global Intelligence Centre and an intuitive mobile dashboard, operators gain unmatched visibility into fleet performance and compliance across multiple locations.

Ecolab AquaIQ™: Intelligent, automated pool and spa water management

Ecolab also unveiled the AquaIQ™ Program, its newest integrated solution for pools and spas. Built on advanced automation and continuous monitoring technology. With AquaIQ™, hotel operators gain real-time visibility into pool performance and actionable insights — supported by Ecolab’s extensive expertise in water management across globally and in Southeast Asia.

Gregory Lukasik, Senior Vice President & Market Head, Ecolab Southeast Asia, said: “Southeast Asia’s hospitality and foodservice sector continues to evolve at remarkable speed. By combining data science, automation and intelligent service, DishIQ™ and AquaIQ™ empower operators to run safer, more efficient and more sustainable operations — while freeing teams to focus on what matters most: exceptional guest experiences.”

To learn more: https://www.ecolab.com/offerings/dishiq-program; https://www.ecolab.com/offerings/aquaiq-program

About Ecolab

A trusted partner for millions of customers, Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) is a global sustainability leader offering water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services that protect people and the resources vital to life. Building on more than a century of innovation, Ecolab has annual sales of $16 billion, employs approximately 48,000 associates and operates in more than 170 countries around the world. The company delivers comprehensive science-based solutions, data-driven insights and world-class service to advance food safety, maintain clean and safe environments, and optimize water and energy use. Ecolab’s innovative solutions improve operational efficiencies and sustainability for customers in the food, healthcare, high-tech, life sciences, hospitality and industrial markets. www.ecolab.com

Follow us on LinkedIn @Ecolab, Instagram @Ecolab_Inc and Facebook @Ecolab

SHENZHEN, China, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — RoboSense (HKEX: 2498), an AI-driven robotics technology company, today announced it has secured an exclusive design win to provide the factory-installed digital LiDAR suite for the next-generation Robotaxi fleet from Apollo Go, Baidu’s autonomous ride-hailing subsidiary.

The integrated solution features the EM4, currently the world’s only mass-produced thousand-beam-level digital LiDAR, and the E1, a fully solid-state digital LiDAR. This combination provides 360-degree, zero-blind-spot coverage essential for safe and efficient Level 4 (L4) autonomous mobility.

Following the successful deployment with the WeRide GXR Robotaxi announced earlier this week, this exclusive design win with Baidu Apollo Go serves as further market validation of RoboSense’s technological dominance. The “EM4 (Main LiDAR) + E1 (Blind-spot LiDAR)” suite has emerged as the most advanced LiDAR solution for the global autonomous driving industry.

This strategic partnership reinforces RoboSense’s critical position in empowering L4 autonomous mobility. The selection by Baidu Apollo Go — one of the world’s largest autonomous ride-hailing services platform — validates the technical superiority and automotive-grade reliability of RoboSense’s digital LiDAR solutions.

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GENEVA, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Global philanthropy and education leader Maysa Jalbout has been appointed Director of Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the global fund for education in crises in the United Nations.

Her Excellency Sigrid Kaag, Chair of the ECW High-Level Steering Group, made the announcement following a competitive international search led by a selection committee comprising representatives from UNICEF, donor governments and civil society.

“Maysa’s impressive track record, long-standing commitment to the world’s most vulnerable children and clear vision for the future of education in crises make her the ideal leader to guide Education Cannot Wait into its next phase,” Ms. Kaag said.

Reflecting on her appointment, Ms. Jalbout said, “It’s my privilege to lead ECW – the global fund for public, private and civil society partners working with unwavering urgency to deliver safe classrooms to millions of uprooted children. Together, we will not allow a generation of children to be defined by crisis. As a former refugee, I know education is not only about learning; it is a lifeline in emergencies. Ultimately, it is the foundation for peace and economic opportunity that the world needs now more than ever.” 

Ms. Jalbout will assume her role on 1 April 2026, at a critical moment for the humanitarian sector. Armed conflicts and climate-related disasters are intensifying, including in the Middle East, leaving millions of children displaced and out of school. At the same time, humanitarian funding for education remains critically under-resourced.

In 2026, ECW will mark its tenth anniversary with the launch of a new strategic framework and a US$600 million replenishment campaign. The Fund has committed to delivering at least half of its financing through local and community-led organizations, reinforcing its focus on locally driven-solutions.

Ms. Jalbout brings three decades of experience spanning education policy, philanthropy and institutional leadership. She has founded and led several education foundations, including the Queen Rania Foundation for Education, the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation and the Zayed Education Foundation. At Global Affairs Canada, she has overseen education policy in developing and conflict-affected countries.

As an education expert, she has published research reports at the Brookings Institution’s Center for Universal Education and with Theirworld. She has also advised Arizona State University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Open Learning Initiative. Most recently, Ms. Jalbout served on the boards of Generation, Alfanar Venture Philanthropy and the International Baccalaureate. 

Note to Editors

Access Maysa Jalbout’s full biography here.
Download Maysa Jalbout’s official headshot here.

About Education Cannot Wait

Education Cannot Wait (ECW) is the global fund for education in crises, providing fast, catalytic funding to help partners restore and sustain learning through multi-year investments. ECW prioritizes locally led action, working with governments, youth, civil society, UN agencies and community partners to reach children left furthest behind in the hardest-hit contexts.

As global crises intensify and the education financing gap widens, ECW calls on public and private sector partners to scale up investments so millions more crisis-affected girls and boys can learn and rebuild their futures.

On X/Twitter, please follow: @EduCannotWait  
Additional information available at: www.educationcannotwait.org 

HONG KONG, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Battery Show Asia celebrated the inaugural Women Leaders in Energy Awards on March 10, recognizing 16 exceptional women shaping the future of energy across Asia-Pacific.

Presented on Asia’s most international platform for battery, energy storage, and electric vehicle innovation, the awards spotlight the leaders driving breakthroughs in technology, sustainability, and industry transformation.

Eight recipients were honored with the Energy Changemaker Award, recognizing established leaders whose work is advancing the energy transition. Another eight rising talents received the Energy Rising Star Award, celebrating the next generation of innovators and industry leaders.

Together, the awardees represent a powerful cross-section of the region’s energy ecosystem—from battery technology and EV manufacturing to energy storage, materials innovation, and clean energy infrastructure.

Award Recipients:

Energy Changemaker Award

• Lu Jiahong, Founder and Vice Chairman, Guangdong Lyric Robot Automation Co., Ltd.
• Pimpa Limthongkul, Director of the Energy Innovation Research Group, National Energy Technology Center (ENTEC)/President of Thailand Energy Storage Technology Association (TESTA)
• Chenyu Gong, Senior Vice President, CFO & CHRO, Wuxi Lead Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd.
• Susan Stone, CEO, Blue Current
• Shuli Li, President of R&D Center, Guangzhou Great Power Energy & Technology Co., Ltd.
• Kitty Bu, Vice President, Southeast Asia, Global Energy Alliance for People & Planet (The Alliance)
• Na Huang, Deputy General Manager, Guangzhou Tinci Materials Technology Co., Ltd.
• Bindu Madhavi Polumahanti, Director – Policy and Regulatory, India Energy Storage Alliance

Energy Rising Star Award

• Min Hou, Vice President, REPT BATTERO
• Yang Hui Ying, Professor, National University of Singapore
• Jiayuan Xiang, Vice President & Chief Engineer, Narada Power
• Kriti Yadav, Co-founder/CEO, Zenfinity Energy
• Jing Lu, COO, Energy Depot Swiss GmbH
• Catherine Sung, Head of Global Strategy & France Operations, ProLogium
• Xiaoxi He, Principle Research Associate, IDTechEx
• Yisha He, Founder/Chairman, Unisun Energy Group

Spotlighting Women Driving the Energy Transition
While women are playing increasingly critical roles across the global energy ecosystem, many of their contributions remain behind the scenes. The Women Leaders in Energy Awards were created to bring these achievements to the forefront—highlighting role models who are accelerating innovation and industry progress.

By recognizing these leaders, The Battery Show Asia aims to inspire more women to pursue careers in energy and reinforce the importance of diverse perspectives in building a sustainable energy future.

A Platform for Leadership and Collaboration
Hosted as part of The Battery Show Asia, the awards provide a platform for female leaders to connect with global industry decision-makers, share insights, and strengthen collaboration across the Asia-Pacific energy ecosystem.

As the energy transition accelerates, empowering diverse leadership will be essential to unlocking innovation and building resilient energy systems.

About The Battery Show Asia
The Battery Show Asia is a premier international event dedicated to battery technology, energy storage solutions, and electric vehicle innovation. Bringing together global manufacturers, engineers, policymakers, and innovators, the event serves as a key platform for advancing collaboration and accelerating the transition to sustainable energy.

The Women Leaders in Energy Awards will be held annually as part of The Battery Show Asia, continuing to recognize and elevate women shaping the future of the global energy industry.

HONG KONG, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Battery Show Asia celebrated the inaugural Women Leaders in Energy Awards on March 10, recognizing 16 exceptional women shaping the future of energy across Asia-Pacific.

Presented on Asia’s most international platform for battery, energy storage, and electric vehicle innovation, the awards spotlight the leaders driving breakthroughs in technology, sustainability, and industry transformation.

Eight recipients were honored with the Energy Changemaker Award, recognizing established leaders whose work is advancing the energy transition. Another eight rising talents received the Energy Rising Star Award, celebrating the next generation of innovators and industry leaders.

Together, the awardees represent a powerful cross-section of the region’s energy ecosystem—from battery technology and EV manufacturing to energy storage, materials innovation, and clean energy infrastructure.

Award Recipients:

Energy Changemaker Award

• Lu Jiahong, Founder and Vice Chairman, Guangdong Lyric Robot Automation Co., Ltd.
• Pimpa Limthongkul, Director of the Energy Innovation Research Group, National Energy Technology Center (ENTEC)/President of Thailand Energy Storage Technology Association (TESTA)
• Chenyu Gong, Senior Vice President, CFO & CHRO, Wuxi Lead Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd.
• Susan Stone, CEO, Blue Current
• Shuli Li, President of R&D Center, Guangzhou Great Power Energy & Technology Co., Ltd.
• Kitty Bu, Vice President, Southeast Asia, Global Energy Alliance for People & Planet (The Alliance)
• Na Huang, Deputy General Manager, Guangzhou Tinci Materials Technology Co., Ltd.
• Bindu Madhavi Polumahanti, Director – Policy and Regulatory, India Energy Storage Alliance

Energy Rising Star Award

• Min Hou, Vice President, REPT BATTERO
• Yang Hui Ying, Professor, National University of Singapore
• Jiayuan Xiang, Vice President & Chief Engineer, Narada Power
• Kriti Yadav, Co-founder/CEO, Zenfinity Energy
• Jing Lu, COO, Energy Depot Swiss GmbH
• Catherine Sung, Head of Global Strategy & France Operations, ProLogium
• Xiaoxi He, Principle Research Associate, IDTechEx
• Yisha He, Founder/Chairman, Unisun Energy Group

Spotlighting Women Driving the Energy Transition

While women are playing increasingly critical roles across the global energy ecosystem, many of their contributions remain behind the scenes. The Women Leaders in Energy Awards were created to bring these achievements to the forefront—highlighting role models who are accelerating innovation and industry progress.

By recognizing these leaders, The Battery Show Asia aims to inspire more women to pursue careers in energy and reinforce the importance of diverse perspectives in building a sustainable energy future.

A Platform for Leadership and Collaboration

Hosted as part of The Battery Show Asia, the awards provide a platform for female leaders to connect with global industry decision-makers, share insights, and strengthen collaboration across the Asia-Pacific energy ecosystem.

As the energy transition accelerates, empowering diverse leadership will be essential to unlocking innovation and building resilient energy systems.

About The Battery Show Asia

The Battery Show Asia is a premier international event dedicated to battery technology, energy storage solutions, and electric vehicle innovation. Bringing together global manufacturers, engineers, policymakers, and innovators, the event serves as a key platform for advancing collaboration and accelerating the transition to sustainable energy.

The Women Leaders in Energy Awards will be held annually as part of The Battery Show Asia, continuing to recognize and elevate women shaping the future of the global energy industry.

Recognising Her Half-Century of Cross-Regional Leadership in Early Childhood Education

HONG KONG, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Pacific Early Childhood Education Research Association (Hong Kong, PECERA-HK) recently held its 20th Anniversary Celebration cum 2025–26 Annual Meeting at YCIS Hong Kong, where it presented the inaugural Distinguished Educator Award, to honour educators for their outstanding lifetime contributions to early childhood education. Dr Betty Chan Po-king, CEO and School Supervisor of YCYW Education Network, became the first recipient of this prestigious award, marking widespread recognition of her exceptional achievements in advancing early childhood education across Hong Kong SAR, the Chinese mainland, and overseas.

The Distinguished Educator Award was adjudicated by three influential leaders from the fields of education and public administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government: Dr Elsie Leung Oi-sie, Former Secretary for Justice; Mrs Helen Yu Lai Ching-ping, Former Director of Education; and Mrs Patricia Chu Yeung Pak-yu, Former Deputy Director of Social Welfare. In line with PECERA-HK’s mission, the selection committee carefully evaluated the candidates’ lifetime contributions in three aspects: impact on educational policy and systemic reform; innovation and professional practice; and forward-looking academic research.

At the award ceremony, Mrs Helen Yu delivered the citation, “Since the 1970s, Dr Betty Chan has been a pioneer in early childhood education. She was among the first to introduce the concepts of ‘Open Classroom’ and ‘Play-based Learning’, and has promoted systemic changes through her research, advocacy, and professional practice. Her influence extends across the Chinese mainland and overseas, making her a true leader in cross-cultural early childhood education.”

The event welcomed Dr Jeff Sze Chun-fai, Under Secretary for Education of the Hong Kong SAR Government, as the Officiating Guest. In his speech, Dr Sze expressed gratitude to Dr Betty Chan for her contributions to early childhood education, and remarked, “Enabling children to learn joyfully through play, by encouraging exploration and nurturing curiosity, provides a solid foundation for lifelong learning. Equally important, are moral education and the cultivation of positive values and attitudes, which serve as essential pillars in helping children grow into confident, optimistic, and resilient individuals.”

Dr Betty Chan said in her acceptance speech, “This honour is not only a recognition of my six decades of work in early childhood education, but also a tribute to all educators who steadfastly uphold professional standards and wholeheartedly devote themselves to nurturing young children. I am deeply honoured, and fully aware of the weight of this responsibility.”

Since the 1970s, Dr Chan has been a pioneer in the field of early childhood education. She has actively promoted the concepts of “Open Classroom” and “Play-based Learning”, continuously refining the theoretical foundations and putting them into practice. She thereby extended her influence to the Chinese mainland and the United States, becoming an internationally respected education leader.

From 1979, the early childhood care and education system in Hong Kong, China has undergone a significant transformation, and Dr Chan has always been at the forefront of the reforms. She challenged the prevailing, mechanistic teaching approaches of the time. Through parent and community education initiatives, she raised public awareness of the importance of early childhood education, and paved the way for a new era in this sector of Hong Kong education.

Through sustained commitment to research, advocacy, and professional practice, Dr Chan played a pivotal role in establishing the Yew Chung College of Early Childhood Education (YCCECE), a crucial milestone in the development of the early childhood education profession in Hong Kong SAR. As the first private institution of higher education in Hong Kong SAR to offer postgraduate programmes in education, YCCECE continues to nurture outstanding practitioners of early childhood education and make profound and lasting contributions to the sector’s long-term development. Dr Chan has also been a steadfast advocate for intercultural and bilingual education, creating greater access to learning and professional development opportunities for ethnic minority students and educators. Her foresight and hands-on commitment have driven the alignment of Hong Kong’s early childhood education with international standards, significantly raising the sector’s professional calibre.

As Dr Chan said, “Early childhood education is a vocation dedicated to nurturing human potential.” YCYW Education Network will continue to work with colleague educators through intercultural collaboration, research advancement, the professional development of teachers, and active engagement regarding policies for early childhood education. Together, we will uphold our shared mission, stay true to our founding values, and steadfastly champion professional excellence.

In addition to the award presentation, the celebration featured two keynote addresses. Professor Kathy Sylva, Honorary Research Fellow and Professor of Educational Psychology, Department of Education, the University of Oxford, spoke on “Supporting Self-regulation at Preschool and at Home: Evidence from Longitudinal and Intervention Research”. Professor John Lee Chi-kin, President and Chair Professor of Curriculum and Instruction of The Education University of Hong Kong, delivered a talk titled “The Future of Early Childhood Education in a Digital World: What Shall We Do?”

The event also welcomed: Ms Nicole Li, Deputy Executive Manager of Charities of the Hong Kong Jockey Club; Ms Cecilia Ho, President of Lee Hysan Foundation; Ms Miranda Chan, Secretary General of Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation; and Ms Irene Yu, Program Director of Simon KY Lee Foundation, together joined a panel discussion titled “Charting New Horizons for Early Childhood”, exploring future directions in early childhood education.

In addition, the day of the event featured the Quality Accreditation and Professional Coaching (QAPC) Scheme Certificate Presentation and a curated exhibition of “Highlights of Posters Showcased by Hong Kong Participants at the PECERA Annual Conference – Shanghai 2025”. Together, these elements made the event an important platform connecting academic research, educational practice, and policy development.