— Integrating MiniMax TTS into Agora’s Conversational AI Engine to deliver production-ready, human-like interaction for Call Centers, AGI, and Robotics —

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Agora (NASDAQ: API), a global leader in real-time engagement infrastructure and conversational AI, today announced the deepening of its strategic collaboration with MiniMax following MiniMax’s recent IPO. The partnership brings together MiniMax’s cutting-edge text-to-speech (TTS) and multimodal foundation models with Agora’s Conversational AI Engine and global, ultra-low-latency real-time delivery network—enabling developers and enterprises worldwide to deploy conversational AI that feels truly alive, responsive, and human.

From Model Capability to Real-World Interaction

As generative AI rapidly evolves, the industry is facing a new inflection point: model intelligence alone is no longer enough. The true challenge lies in transforming high-quality AI outputs into natural, real-time interactions across diverse devices and unpredictable networks.

MiniMax’s TTS models are designed for expressive, controllable, and emotionally rich voice generation—capable of supporting diverse languages, tones, and speaking styles. Agora complements this with a fundamentally different strength: turning AI output into real-time experience.

By integrating MiniMax TTS models with Agora’s Conversational AI Engine and real-time audio pipeline, AI voices can be streamed, interrupted, resumed, and adapted dynamically—matching human conversation patterns rather than static playback.

A Unique Global Angle: “Born Global” AI Meets “Delivered Global” Infrastructure

What distinguishes this collaboration is not just technical integration, but global readiness by design:

• MiniMax brings frontier AI models with global ambition—trained and optimized to serve multilingual, multicultural, and content-rich scenarios from day one.
• Agora provides a battle-tested, global, real-time network spanning 200+ countries and regions, engineered to deliver sub-second latency, jitter control, and carrier-grade reliability at massive scale.

Together, the two companies address a critical gap in the AI ecosystem:

How to deliver expressive AI voices consistently and naturally, regardless of where users are or what device they use.

Enabling the Next Generation of Voice-First Products

The joint solution is already enabling production use cases across:

• AI companions and smart devices requiring instant voice feedback
• Real-time conversational agents for customer service and enterprise workflows
• Interactive education and content platforms demanding natural speech and global reach
• Multimodal AI applications where voice must synchronize with vision, emotion, and action

Rather than forcing developers to stitch together models, playback engines, and networking layers, Agora and MiniMax offer a cohesive, end-to-end conversational AI foundation—from text generation to real-time speech delivery.

Executive Perspectives

“Conversational AI becomes truly powerful only when intelligence meets immediacy,” said Tony Wang, CRO & Co-founder of Agora. “MiniMax brings world-class voice generation. Agora ensures that voice arrives instantly, naturally, and reliably—anywhere in the world. Together, we’re helping developers move from demos to real, scalable products.”

“MiniMax has always focused on building AI that people want to interact with,” said Linda Sheng, Global Business VP at MiniMax.”Partnering with Agora allows our models to perform at their best in real-time environments, unlocking global use cases that demand both expressive AI and uncompromising delivery.”

Looking Ahead

Following MiniMax’s IPO, the two companies plan to further expand their collaboration across real-time voice agents, AI-native devices, and multimodal conversational experiences, supporting developers and enterprises as AI moves from the cloud into everyday, interactive moments.

About Agora
Agora is the global leader in real-time engagement, providing developers with simple, flexible, and powerful APIs to embed real-time conversational AI, voice, video, interactive live streaming, and chat into their applications and IoT devices. Headquartered in Santa Clara, CA, Agora is trusted by over 1,800 leading organizations across the globe to power best-in-class real-time experiences from social media and live shopping to education and telehealth. Learn more: https://agora.io/

About MiniMax
MiniMax (00100.HK) is a global AI foundation model company. Founded in early 2022, we are committed to advancing the frontiers of AI towards AGI via our mission Intelligence with Everyone.

Our proprietary multimodal models, led by MiniMax M2, Hailuo 2.3, Speech 2.6 and Music 2.0, have advanced coding capability and high agentic performance, as well as ultra-long context processing capability, and can understand, generate, and integrate a wide range of modalities, including text, audio, images, video, and music. These models power our major AI-native products — including MiniMax Agent, Hailuo AI, MiniMax Audio, Talkie, and our enterprise and developer-facing Open API Platform, which collectively deliver intelligent, dynamic experiences to enhance productivity and quality of life for users worldwide.

To date, our proprietary models and AI-native products have cumulatively served over 212 million individual users across over 200 countries and regions, and more than 100,000 enterprises and developers across over 100 countries and regions.

Adopted by over 10 million field professionals, Timemark Camera helps teams cut photo admin time by 80% while capturing organized, trustworthy visual records.

DOVER, Del., Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — For years, field teams have relied on the default camera app, text messages and email threads to document and share their work. But these tools were never built for documentation. Photos get scattered, timestamps are unreliable, and building reports becomes a manual chore.

Timemark changes that. Launched in 2023, it quickly gained traction among field teams worldwide with its end-to-end photo documentation workflow and ease of use. It now holds a 4.9-star rating on app stores globally, making it the best timestamp camera in its category.

Timemark combines the accuracy of a professional timestamp camera with the structure of a shared cloud workspace, like Google Drive, but purpose-built for field documentation. What sets it apart is the seamless workflow from capture to report. Field workers can capture trustworthy photos with full context, automatically organize them by project, and generate client-ready reports in just a few taps. Everything stays connected, verifiable, and organized.

“Field teams used to spend hours every week organizing images, explaining context, and defending work that already happened. Timemark exists to remove that friction,” said Elvis, Product Team Lead at Timemark. “Our goal is to make photos inherently trustworthy and easy to organize, so teams spend less time proving work and more time doing it.”

Reliable Job Photo Capture

Timemark started as a tamper-proof timestamp camera that solves a common problem: the metadata of photos taken by phone camera or other timestamp camera apps rely on the device clock, which a user can easily change. Timemark gives field teams the clarity and confidence to stand behind every image through the following features:

• Timestamped Photos: Timemark stamps each photo with network-verified time and GPS, keeping the data accurate and trustworthy, even if system settings are altered.
• Full Jobsite Context: Users can add notes, project name, weather, elevation, and even a company logo, so each photo includes full context, not just time and location.
• Timemark Photo Verification: Each photo includes a unique photo code that links back to its original metadata. That adds another layer of trust and goes beyond what’s visible on the image.

Organized from Capture to Report

As the user base expanded, the product quickly evolved. The Timemark team has worked closely with hundreds of field users to build a system that not only captures reliable photos, but keeps them organized and ready to use. New features include:

• Team Workspace: All photos from team members are instantly synced into shared project folders, where they can be sorted by project, member, or date.
• Photo Sheet View: A spreadsheet-style layout that combines visuals with structured data. Easily filter by project, date, or user, and pull the details you need at a glance.
• Photo Map View: Photos appear on an interactive map based on their GPS location. This helps teams monitor site coverage, track progress, and verify where work happened.
• Share and Report: Teams can share photos as a secure link or export comprehensive photo reports in multiple formats. Supported export options include PDF, Excel (XLSX), ZIP, and KMZ files for GIS systems.

“Timemark cut my weekly photo admin from 3 hours to just 30 minutes,” said Jason, the Operations Manager at a fiber optic contractor. “It freed me to focus on actual work instead of sorting and labeling pictures.”

In less than two years, Timemark’s user base has grown to millions worldwide. Professionals across construction, field services, security, logistics, and even retail are integrating Timemark into their daily workflows. As its adoption accelerates, Timemark is setting a new standard for field photo documentation. It helps companies prevent disputes, save time, connect the field and the office, and build trust through reliable visual records.

About Timemark

Timemark is a photo documentation platform built for the field. It gives field crews a simple way to capture trusted photos, organize them automatically, and share them in clear reports. Designed for busy teams on real jobsites, Timemark is redefining how field work gets documented. For more information, visit timemark.com.

HONG KONG, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — HOZO has announced the upcoming Kickstarter launch of NeoSander, a next-generation palm-sized detail sanding tool engineered for evolved makers who demand precision, control, and versatility in fine-detail work. The NeoSander Kickstarter campaign is scheduled to go live on January 20, marking the official debut of a new category of compact sanding tools designed specifically for intricate, hands-on creative projects.

NeoSander is introduced as the world’s first palm-sized detail sander powered by a high-speed reciprocating linear motor, delivering straight-line sanding motion at up to 13,000 strokes per minute (SPM). Unlike traditional rotary tools, NeoSander is engineered for controlled micro sanding, offering makers a more precise, stable, and surface-friendly approach to detail work.

Designed for Fine Detail Sanding

At the core of NeoSander’s design is its ability to perform micro-precision sanding using stroke lengths ranging from 0.6 to 1.8 mm. This controlled motion allows users to sand delicate surfaces, edges, and tight spaces without gouging or over-removal of material.

With good concentricity below 0.05 mm, NeoSander is engineered to deliver significantly more accurate sanding passes compared to typical reciprocating sanders, which often exceed 0.30 mm in concentricity. The result is tighter control and more consistent results across fine-detail applications.

Why Reciprocating Motion Is Better Than Rotary for Detail Work

NeoSander was developed around the advantages of reciprocating motion over traditional rotary sanding. Rotary tools spin in circles, which can eat into surfaces, struggle in corners, slip easily, and generate excessive vibration and dust.

NeoSander’s straight-line, back-and-forth motion avoids surface gouging, reaches narrow gaps and corners with ease, and operates with lower vibration. This design improves handling and control while helping maintain a cleaner workspace with less airborne dust.

A Patented Linear Motor: First of Its Kind in Sanding Tools

What sets NeoSander apart is its patented reciprocating linear motor, a first-ever innovation in sanding tools. While most reciprocating sanders rely on gears and rods, NeoSander’s motor sends power directly to the sanding head. This direct-drive approach reduces wasted energy and delivers faster, more responsive strokes.

The tool also features stepless speed control, allowing users to fine-tune sanding power for different materials and levels of detail. Its straight-line motion improves sanding coverage while supporting efficient dust management.

Eight Interchangeable Sanding Heads for Tricky Details

NeoSander includes a complete set of eight interchangeable sanding heads, each designed to address different shapes and angles commonly encountered in detailed work. The included head shapes are:

• Pointed Tip
• Flat (Slim)
• Flat (Medium)
• Flat (Large)
• Half-Cylinder
• Arc
• Acute Angle
• Right Angle

This variety allows makers to sand edges, curves, recesses, and corners accurately without switching tools.

Streamlined Grit System for Continuous Workflow

NeoSander supports an eight-head, eight-grit system that keeps sanding organized and efficient. Each sanding head remains paired with its grit, allowing users to move seamlessly from coarse to fine sanding by simply swapping heads.

This approach reduces sandpaper waste, eliminates grit confusion, and avoids repeated peel-and-stick changes mid-project. For irregular surfaces, NeoSander also supports foam-layer sandpapers that flex to follow contours precisely.

Beyond Sanding: A Palm-Sized Mini Reciprocating Saw

NeoSander extends beyond sanding with its transformation into a palm-sized mini reciprocating saw. Equipped with curved and jigsaw-style blades, the tool features a patented anti-binding design that supports smoother, jam-free cutting.

A thicker, wave-shaped double-tooth pattern enables faster, more controlled cutting, making NeoSander suitable for detailed sawing tasks where larger tools lack precision.

Lightweight, Steady, and Comfortable

Weighing just 3.13 oz (89 g), NeoSander is lightweight, cordless, and designed for comfortable palm-held use. Stability is enhanced by an internal counterweight system that moves opposite the sanding head, helping reduce handle vibration by up to 85 percent.

The tool’s compact form factor, combined with its ergonomic grip, supports steady control during extended sessions.

Built for Real-World Making

NeoSander features an aluminum alloy shell, fast charging capability, and a compact storage-friendly design. It is splashproof, allowing for wet sanding applications, and fully cordless for portability across workshops, studios, and project sites.

Designed for Detail-Focused Creators

NeoSander is designed for makers who value precision and hands-on creativity, including:

• 3D printing enthusiasts
• DIY hobbyists
• Woodworkers
• Gundam and scale model builders
• Car modification enthusiasts
• Jewelry designers
• Nail artists

It is an ideal tool for anyone passionate about model making and detailed craftsmanship.

Backed by HOZO‘s Proven Kickstarter Track Record

NeoSander builds on HOZO’s established history of successful maker tools. Across previous Kickstarter campaigns, HOZO products have collectively raised over $2.8 million and earned the support of more than 16,000 backers worldwide.

HOZO’s product lineup includes NeoBlade, NeoRuler, NeoRulerGO, M-Cube, M-Cube 02, MEAZOR, MEAZOR 3D, and ROLLOVA, each designed to empower evolved makers with precision-focused tools.

Launch Information and Media Resources

The NeoSander Kickstarter campaign launches on January 20. Additional campaign details can be found at:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hozodesign/neosander-mini-electric-reciprocating-detail-sander

GARLAND, Texas, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Massimo Group (NASDAQ: MAMO), a manufacturer and distributor of powersports vehicles and electric utility solutions, today reported robust pre-order activity for its 2026 Sentinel Series fully enclosed HVAC utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) following its successful participation in AIMExpo 2026, held January 7–9 in Anaheim, California.

At the North American powersports industry’s premier trade event, Massimo showcased the Sentinel Series, featuring a fully enclosed cab with factory-integrated heating and air conditioning (HVAC), designed to deliver year-round comfort and productivity in extreme weather conditions. During and immediately following the show, the Company secured pre-orders for approximately 70–80 units, building on 50–60 units of pre-sales commitments received ahead of the event. Based on current pricing, these confirmed orders and commitments represent multi-million-dollar revenue potential tied to the Sentinel Series’ initial production allocation.

This level of demand reflects strong market validation for the Sentinel Series, which addresses a key gap in the small-displacement UTV segment by offering climate-controlled performance at an accessible price point. The Sentinel Series is typically priced at approximately one-third the cost of comparable fully enclosed, HVAC-equipped offerings from major brands, which often range from $40,000 to $50,000. Dealers and end-users—including commercial fleets, ranching operations, and outdoor service providers—expressed strong interest in the Company’s proprietary, patented and patent-pending technology, which enables reliable all-weather operation while improving operator comfort, productivity, and safety, and reducing downtime caused by extreme environmental conditions.

“The response we saw at AIMExpo confirms that the market has been waiting for an affordable, fully enclosed HVAC UTV,” said David Shan, Chief Executive Officer of Massimo Group. “Our proprietary technology directly addresses real-world challenges such as extreme heat, cold, rain, and dust that limit the usability of traditional open-cab vehicles. By delivering premium comfort and all-weather capability at a fraction of the cost of larger platforms, we believe the Sentinel Series is well positioned to drive revenue growth in 2026 while supporting continued expansion of our dealer network.”

The Sentinel Series is currently on track for an initial rollout in the first quarter of 2026, with additional variants expected to be introduced in phases throughout the year. Massimo continues to focus on innovation across higher-value vehicle platforms, including the integration of artificial intelligence-enabled features and electric powertrain options, to support consumer, commercial, and fleet applications.

About Massimo Group (NASDAQ: MAMO)

Massimo Group is a manufacturer and distributor of powersports and electric vehicles headquartered in Garland, Texas. The company’s portfolio includes UTVs, ATVs, e-bikes, and electric utility vehicles known for performance, reliability and value.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws with respect to Massimo Group. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release, including statements regarding Massimo Group’s future results of operations and financial position, Massimo Group’s business strategy, prospective costs, timing and likelihood of success, plans and objectives of management for future operations, future results of current and anticipated operations of Massimo Group are forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified because they contain words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “potential,” “seek,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “continue,” “contemplate,” “plan,” and other words and terms of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, but not limited to, risks relating to Massimo Group which may be affected by, among other things, competition, the ability of the combined company to grow and manage growth economically and hire and retain key employees; costs; changes in applicable laws or regulations; the possibility that Massimo Group may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; and other risks and uncertainties, including those listed under “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Moreover, Massimo Group operates in very competitive and rapidly changing environments. Because forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified and some of which are beyond Massimo Group’s control, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. No assurance can be given regarding the forward-looking statements, and actual results may differ materially from those as indicated. Massimo Group undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

Company Contact

Quenton Petersen
Vice President
Massimo Group
Email: ir@massimomotor.com 

New findings show natural hazards such as SCS and wildfire are reshaping global loss patterns and intensifying need for both physical and financial resilience

DUBLIN, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, today launched its annual Climate and Catastrophe Insight report, revealing that severe convective storms (SCS) have surpassed tropical cyclones to become the costliest insured peril of the 21st century.

The report shows how increasingly common, high–volume events are reshaping global loss patterns and highlights the critical importance of both physical and financial resilience to help organizations manage volatility and unlock insurability.

Global economic losses from natural disasters reached $260 billion in 2025 — the lowest since 2015 — yet insured losses remained elevated at $127 billion, marking the sixth consecutive year that insurance payouts exceeded the $100 billion threshold. This divergence reflects how concentrated, high–severity frequency peril events — particularly in the United States — continue to drive substantial insured loss even in below–average hazard years. In many regions, especially emerging markets, more than half of economic losses remained uninsured, leaving millions exposed to financial risk.

By quantifying the return on investment of mitigation measures and demonstrating credible loss reduction to insurers and capital providers, organizations can reshape how risk is financed and unlock more affordable, sustainable insurance coverage. This creates opportunities for the industry to deploy capital more effectively and close longstanding protection gaps.

“This year’s report highlights the growing need for collaboration among organizations, insurers, governments and communities,” said Greg Case, president and CEO of Aon. “The insurance industry is well-positioned to act as a strategic partner to help navigate these challenges, bringing record levels of capital to help clients respond to weather risks and build increasingly diverse alternative risk transfer solutions to strengthen resilience in the face of a changing climate.”

Key findings from the report include:

• Severe convective storms (SCS) have overtaken tropical cyclones as the costliest insured peril of the 21st century, driven by high–frequency, high–severity outbreaks in the U.S. In 2025 alone, SCS generated $61 billion in insured losses globally, the third–highest SCS total on record.
• Insurers covered nearly half of global economic losses in 2025, leaving a protection gap of 51%, the lowest on record. This was a result of concentrated high-impact events in the U.S.
• 49 billion–dollar economic–loss events occurred in 2025 (above the long–term average of 46), while 30 billion–dollar insured–loss events far exceeded the historical average of 17 — underscoring the accumulation effect of increasingly frequent, medium–sized catastrophes.
• Wildfires in California (Palisades and Eaton Fires) were the costliest events of the year, causing $58 billion in economic losses and $41 billion in insured losses, making them the most expensive wildfires ever recorded globally.
• Global fatalities totaled 42,000 driven primarily by earthquakes and heatwaves — 45 percent below the 21st–century average. The Myanmar earthquake was the deadliest event apart from heatwaves, claiming 5,456 lives.
• Extreme heat caused more than 25,000 deaths globally and remained a major driver of natural–disaster–related mortality, as 2025 ranked as the third–hottest year on record.

The report also provides insights into regional trends, where key findings include:

• U.S.: More than 54 percent of global economic losses occurred in the U.S., with above-average losses driven by wildfires and SCS. Insured losses reached $103 billion, representing 81 percent of global industry losses.
• Americas: Hurricane Melissa was the region’s costliest event, with $11 billion in economic damages and $2.5 billion insured losses in Jamaica, Cuba and elsewhere. South America experienced significant drought impacts, led by Brazil’s prolonged drought with approximately $5 billion in agricultural losses. Severe flooding events hit Mexico, Ecuador and Bolivia.
• EMEA: Economic losses were well below long–term averages, with SCS as the costliest peril and additional losses driven by drought, heatwaves and wildfires across southern Europe.
• APAC: The Myanmar earthquake was the deadliest global event except for heatwaves, with $15.7 billion in economic losses. Flooding in China and cyclones in South and Southeast Asia also drove significant losses. Australia experienced two billion-dollar insured loss events.

The 2026 Climate and Catastrophe Insight report reveals that alternative risk transfer is increasingly critical for providing the capital needed to help organizations mitigate risk and strengthen resilience. Parametric insurance products — which release funds automatically when specified trigger conditions are met — proved critical during events such as Hurricane Melissa, enabling rapid recovery for affected communities. Jamaica, for instance, secured more than $650 million in liquidity within two months of landfall as a result of catastrophe bond protection with a parametric trigger.

As well as encouraging alternative risk management solutions, the report calls for increased resilience via smarter technology and stronger infrastructure; better forecasting, resilient building standards and modernized infrastructure to reduce long-term damage and assist communities and businesses to recover faster.

“Resilience today must be both physical and financial,” said Michal Lorinc, head of Aon’s catastrophe insight and author of the report. “Organizations are urged to embed adaptation into their workforce and location strategies, invest in predictive analytics and encourage cross-functional approaches to weather risk. As climate events continue to affect people and property, the opportunity lies in using data to strengthen preparedness, rethink risk management strategies and build partnerships that support faster recovery and long-term resilience.”

For further details, see the full 2026 Climate and Catastrophe Insight report: https://aon.io/3LUFi5A

For information about Aon’s Reinsurance Solutions: https://www.aon.com/en/capabilities/reinsurance 

About Aon
Aon plc (NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the better — to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Through actionable analytic insight, globally integrated Risk Capital and Human Capital expertise, and locally relevant solutions, our colleagues provide clients in over 120 countries with the clarity and confidence to make better risk and people decisions that protect and grow their businesses.

Follow Aon on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram. Stay up-to-date by visiting Aon’s newsroom and sign up for news alerts here.

Aon UK Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for the provision of regulated products and services in the UK. Registered in England and Wales. Registered number: 00210725. Registered Office: The Aon Centre, The Leadenhall Building, 122 Leadenhall Street, London EC3V 4AN. Tel: 020 7623 5500.

Media Contact
Andrew Wragg
+44 (0) 7595 217168
andrew.wragg@aon.com 

Aon plc (NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the better — to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Through actionable analytic insight, globally integrated Risk Capital and Human Capital expertise, and locally relevant solutions, our colleagues in over 120 countries provide our clients with the clarity and confidence to make better risk and people decisions that protect and grow their businesses. Follow Aon on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram. Stay up-to-date by visiting Aon’s newsroom and sign up for news alerts here.