Holistic system-technology co-optimization (STCO) approach key in reducing peak GPU and HBM temperatures under AI workloads while enhancing performance density of future GPU-based architectures

LEUVEN, Belgium, Dec. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ —

• Imec presents the first comprehensive thermal study of 3D HBM-on-GPU integration using a system-technology co-optimization (STCO) approach.
• The study allows to identify and mitigate thermal bottlenecks in a promising next-gen compute system architecture for AI applications.
• Peak GPU temperatures could be reduced from 140.7°C to 70.8°C under realistic AI training workloads.
• “This is also the first time that we demonstrate the capabilities of imec’s new cross-technology co-optimization (XTCO) program in developing more thermally robust advanced compute systems.” – Julien Ryckaert, imec.
• About imec
  Imec is a world-leading research and innovation hub in advanced semiconductor technologies. Leveraging its state-of-the-art R&D infrastructure and the expertise of over 6,500 employees, imec drives innovation in semiconductor and system scaling, artificial intelligence, silicon photonics, connectivity, and sensing.

  Imec’s advanced research powers breakthroughs across a wide range of industries, including computing, health, automotive, energy, infotainment, industry, agrifood, and security. Through IC-Link, imec guides companies through every step of the chip journey – from initial concept to full-scale manufacturing – delivering customized solutions tailored to meet the most advanced design and production needs.

  Imec collaborates with global leaders across the semiconductor value chain, as well as with technology companies, start-ups, academia, and research institutions in Flanders and worldwide. Headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, imec has research facilities in Belgium, across Europe and the USA, and with representation on three continents. In 2024, imec reported revenues of €1.034 billion. For more information, visit www.imec-int.com

Full press release: https://www.imec-int.com/en/press/imec-mitigates-thermal-bottleneck-3d-hbm-gpu-architectures-using-system-technology-co

Headteacher Joselyn works tirelessly to empower teachers and learners in Uganda’s refugee response through an Education Cannot Wait-funded program with support from Save the Children, UNHCR and partners

BWEYALE, Uganda, Dec. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Joselyn Atyang has always believed in the transformative power of education. As headteacher of Bidong Primary School in Uganda’s Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement, she leads a community of more than 2,550 learners – including more than 1,500 refugee children seeking stability and opportunity through inclusive, quality education.

Teacher Joselyn at her desk in Bidong Primary School in Uganda’s Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement. © ECW

“Seeing children happy and learning from lower primary to upper primary, and becoming successful in life – that’s what I cherish the most,” says Joselyn.

Joselyn is one of thousands of educators across Uganda receiving support through an Education Cannot Wait-funded (ECW) multi-year programme. The programme is implemented in collaboration with the Government of Uganda, with Save the Children and UNHCR serving as co-grantees. Save the Children delivers its activities through partners under the umbrella of the Uganda Education Consortium (UEC) – while UNHCR implements its activities through its partners.

Over the past year and a half, UEC efforts has piloted a new model focused on professional development, teacher well-being and safe school environments to strengthen education for both refugee and host communities.

“The ECW-supported initiative has trained teachers in handling learners and provided psychosocial support, empowering us to give more to our students.” Joselyn has seen the real impact of such initiatives on both students and educators. “The training we received in crisis contexts has helped us manage our classrooms effectively,” she says.

Before this support, Joselyn says, many teachers left the school due to the difficulty of teaching in crisis settings. Now, thanks to ECW investments, teachers have access to the tools and training they need to stay, grow and thrive in the classroom.

A Lifelong Calling

Joselyn’s own journey into the education field began over two decades ago, inspired by her father’s encouragement – and highlighting the critical role of fathers and male allies in girl-child education.

“He told me, ‘When you are a teacher and grow old, you remain with the knowledge acquired through the years you are learning,'” she recalls. Though she initially aspired to become a nurse, her father’s words and the example of a successful teacher in their community led her to discover a deep love for teaching.

Today, she works to be that positive role model for others. She says, “I love to train children to be like me. I love working with kids.” Joselyn began teaching in 2003, starting with lower primary learners. For the past seven years, she has served as headteacher at Bidong Primary School.

Leading Through Crisis

Her leadership extends beyond the classroom. Joselyn is committed to building the capacity of her teaching staff through ongoing professional development.

“Teaching is not a one-person job,” says Joselyn. “Working together to improve our students’ education is essential.”

Like many women in leadership roles, Joselyn has faced challenges – but she leads with collaboration and purpose. “My style motivates people to work as a team,” she says. “As a woman, I fear failure, so I work hard to avoid letting my students down.”

To girls and young women aspiring to leadership in education, she offers this message: “Be assertive and know what you want. If men can do it, so can we. Don’t fold your hands; step by step, you will achieve.” She also encourages women to seek additional sources of income – such as small agricultural projects – to support their families.

Uganda’s Education Crisis

The refugee crisis in Uganda presents ongoing challenges for educators like Joselyn. 

Uganda currently hosts an estimated 1.8 million refugees and asylum seekers, according to UNHCR – making it the largest refugee-hosting country in Africa. The majority of refugees come from South Sudan and DRC, with smaller populations coming from Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan and other countries. Women and children make up 80% of the refugee population in the country.

“We keep enrolling refugees at any time of the term, and the numbers keep increasing daily.” Joselyn adds, “These high numbers lead to crowded classrooms, with some students even studying under trees. And when it rains, this affects us.”

In addition to overcrowding, Joselyn’s school faces shortages of critical resources, including desks and toilets – especially for girls. Language barriers further complicate classroom instruction and inclusion.

ECW in Uganda

Responding to these challenges, ECW investments in Uganda are helping to create more inclusive and engaging learning environments. Clubs such as debate clubs, peace clubs and nutrition initiatives – supported by ECW’s Multi-Year Resilience Programme – are enriching the student experience at Bidong Primary School.

Support and development opportunities for teachers have also been a key focus of ECW investments. In 2023, the UEC introduced a new, evidence-based model to improve the quality of teaching and support teacher well-being. The approach uses an adapted version of Uganda’s Teacher Competency Framework to help educators identify key areas for growth and receive targeted, longer-term professional development.

The model combines expert-led workshops with collaborative Teacher Learning Circles, allowing teachers like Joselyn to reflect on and strengthen specific competencies such as inclusive education and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). Initial results from the pilot phase showed strong self-reported improvements in teaching practices across these focus areas.

In 2023, ECW renewed its multi-year programme in the country. The expanded programme focuses on access, quality of delivery and the strengthening of systems in support of inclusion across Uganda’s education system. The investment is addressing barriers to quality formal and non-formal education by building and rehabilitating schools and providing children with MHPSS. To improve the quality of education, the programme strives to recruit, train and deploy teachers in the least serviced areas of the country. 

Moreover, the ECW-supported programme in Uganda is supporting gender-transformative approaches through Girls’ Education Movement Clubs, and social and behavioural change through shifting perceptions, attitudes and behaviours with regards to gender equality and girls’ education amongst learners, teachers and caregivers.

Since 2017, ECW has invested US$82.8 million in Uganda, reaching over more than half a million refugee and host community children and adolescents with quality, inclusive education. Through holistic interventions, ECW and its partners are helping to strengthen resilience in one of the world’s most complex education emergencies.

Looking to the Future

Joselyn’s aspirations for the future of her school reflect her belief in the power of collective effort. “We need security for the children, like fencing the school, and facilities such as a kitchen to feed them,” she says.

Her resolve, however, remains unshaken. With support from ECW, Save the Children, UNHCR and other partners, Joselyn is not only shaping the lives of thousands of learners but also empowering fellow educators to build a better future – one classroom at a time.

In times of crisis, educators like Joselyn are not just teachers – they are frontline responders, holding the line for children’s futures. What they need now is continued support, investment and resources to carry this vital work forward.

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — From December 7 to 8, Kweichow Moutai celebrated a dual milestone – the 110th anniversary of its award-winning debut at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition and the 10th anniversary of San Francisco Moutai Day – through a dynamic series of events that captivated local attendees. By blending an immersive cultural exhibition with the elegant “Moutai Night” gala dinner, the celebration offered guests a multifaceted experience rich in history, culture, and curated tastings.

The events drew leaders from political, business, and cultural communities across Los Angeles and San Francisco, underscoring Moutai’s role as a cultural bridge fostering people-to-people ties between China and the United States.

Titled “San Francisco: In Search of Our Shared Memory – 1915 Through the Eyes of a Chinese Brand,”  the Moutai cultural exhibition blended historical photos, rare archives, and contemporary installations into a multisensory narrative. The experience transported visitors from the “Jinshan” projection, which revived the grandeur of the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, to the illuminating “Data Wall” showcasing the era’s groundbreaking innovations. At the heart of the story stood Moutai’s own gold-medal milestone, seamlessly connecting brand heritage with civic memory and global progress. More than a passive display, the exhibition invited guests on an immersive, interactive journey through time — one meant not only to be witnessed, but to be lived and carried forward.

The exhibition attracted a steady stream of visitors throughout its run. As guests received replicated postcards from the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, they stepped into the exhibition space – entering into a visual dialogue with a century of history. Attendees were also invited to sample Moutai-based cocktails at the lobby bar, where smooth jazz accompanied each sip, offering a taste of Chinese distilling artistry.

The exhibition resonated strongly with American attendees, many of whom were already acquainted with the Moutai brand. An enthusiast from San Francisco noted that the display held particular significance – it was not merely a corporate narrative, but a thoughtful revival of the city’s own historical memory. He emphasized that Moutai has earned widespread respect as a brand deeply rooted in cultural preservation, both in China and abroad.

The highlight of the celebration came on the evening of December 7 with the “Moutai Night” gala dinner, held at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. Under the theme “110 Years of Moutai on the Global Stage,” the evening featured cross-cultural artistic performances, short films on Moutai’s heritage, and guided tasting sessions – all highlighting the brand’s legacy while fostering warm dialogue between Chinese and American guests.

Chen Hua, Chairman of Moutai Group, and Zhang Guichao, Vice General Manager, delivered opening remarks. In a video address, Chairman Chen reflected on Moutai’s deep-rooted connection with San Francisco: “It was here that Moutai first stepped onto the world stage, growing into a global spirits leader and a recognized symbol of Chinese craftsmanship.” He emphasized Moutai’s ongoing commitment to its international strategy, aiming to introduce more American and global consumers to Chinese culture through its products.

A decade ago, then–Mayor of San Francisco Edwin M. Lee officially established “San Francisco Moutai Day,” making Moutai the first Chinese brand to receive such an honor. To mark the occasion, Moutai commissioned Chinese sculptor Li Gang to create a sculpture in Lee’s likeness, which was presented to his family during the gala.

The evening also saw the unveiling of a special commemorative edition liquor marking the 110th anniversary of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition – a tribute to Moutai’s global origins and its dedication to craftsmanship and international vision.

During its U.S. tour, Moutai’s senior delegation engaged in wide-ranging exchanges with chambers of commerce and key partners on both coasts. The team conducted grassroots market research and direct consumer dialogues to gain deeper insights into local trends – part of a strategy to refine channel management, strengthen market presence, and enhance customer engagement in the United States.

As one of the world’s most significant spirits markets, especially for premium brands, North America remains a priority for global growth. This visit not only celebrated a century-old friendship but also demonstrated Moutai’s sustained commitment to the North American market, laying a robust foundation for its next phase of expansion in the United States.

–      Head of Data Innovation Center presents STRADVISION’s next roadmap at AWS re:Invent

SEOUL, South Korea, Dec. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — STRADVISION, a global leader in AI-based vision perception technology for vehicles, today announced its forward-looking technology roadmap during a session at AWS re:Invent 2025, held December 1–5 in Las Vegas, Nevada, led by Insu Kim, Head of the company’s Data Innovation Center. The announcement highlights STRADVISION’s expanded collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to address the growing complexity of data processing, curation, and AI-driven perception development through a hybrid data architecture that integrates STRADVISION’s on-premise system with AWS cloud service.

During the session, Kim outlined several pain points faced by STRADVISION and the broader autonomous driving industry, including the exponential growth of multimodal sensor data, increasing model sizes, and the operational challenges of scaling training workloads across globally distributed R&D teams. He emphasized that on-premise environments had begun to limit iteration speed, resource elasticity, and the ability to run large-scale experiments required for next-generation perception models.

Kim explained how STRADVISION is modernizing its end-to-end data ecosystem by adopting a hybrid cloud pipeline that connects its on-premise infrastructure with AWS. This approach allows STRADVISION to maintain critical in-house systems while leveraging AWS for scalable data ingestion, processing, curation, and orchestration. By redesigning its data workflows rather than fully relocating them, the company has reduced operational bottlenecks and enabled more efficient, reliable, and elastic data operations.

“AWS allows us to modernize the data foundation of autonomous driving development,” said Insu Kim, Head of STRADVISION’s Data Innovation Center. “By integrating AWS into our hybrid architecture, we can orchestrate data ingestion, curation, preprocessing, and delivery at scale. These capabilities were increasingly difficult to support with on-premise resources alone. This hybrid approach strengthens the platform, infrastructure, and processes that power our AI development.”

Under its next roadmap, STRADVISION plans to further evolve its hybrid data platform by enabling unified global data access, automated workflows from ingestion to validation, and scalable synthetic data generation. STRADVISION will continue advancing a cloud-integrated data ecosystem that supports rapid iteration, consistent data quality, and efficient collaboration across global engineering teams.

For more information on STRADVISION and its industry-leading technologies, please visit STRADVISION.

About STRADVISION 

Founded in 2014, STRADVISION is an automotive industry pioneer in artificial intelligence-based vision perception technology for vehicles. The company is accelerating the advent of fully autonomous vehicles by making Autonomous Driving and ADAS features available at a fraction of the market cost compared with competitors. STRADVISION’s SVNet is being deployed on various vehicle models in partnership with OEMs; can power ADAS and autonomous vehicles worldwide; and is serviced by over 300 employees in Seoul, San Jose, Detroit, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Dusseldorf. STRADVISION has been honored with Frost & Sullivan’s 2022 Global Technology Innovation Leadership Award, the Gold Award at the 2022 and 2021 AutoSens Awards for Best-in-Class Software for Perception Systems, the 2020 Autonomous Vehicle Technology ACES Award in Autonomy (software category), and 2025 Top SME Innovator by CLEPA for Breakthrough AI 3D Perception Network Technology. In addition, STRADVISION and its software have achieved TISAX’s AL3 standard for information security management, as well as being certified to the ISO 9001:2015 for Quality Management Systems and ISO 26262 for Automotive Functional Safety. 

SUZHOU, China, Dec. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Convergen, a biotech company pioneering targeted protein degradation (TPD) therapies for diseases driven by pathological protein aggregates, today announced the closing of a $10 million Seed financing round. The round was invested by Qiming Venture Partners, a leading global venture capital firm focused on life sciences and healthcare innovation.

Funds from the financing will accelerate the development of Convergen’s proprietary TrimTAC platform—next-generation bifunctional degraders leveraging the E3 ubiquitin ligase TRIM21—and advance its early pipeline of therapies for neurodegenerative disorders and  diseases with massive unmet medical needs. 

TrimTAC: Addressing a Critical Gap in Targeted Protein Degradation 

Despite their transformative potential, traditional bifunctional degraders face two major hurdles: overreliance on a limited set of E3 ligases and, crucially, inability to selectively eliminate pathogenic multimeric protein aggregates—the root cause of many neurodegenerative diseases.

World-Class Scientific Foundation

Dr. Ting Han (Scientific Co-Founder of Convergen and Associate Investigator of NIBS, Beijing) is a globally recognized protein degradation expert whose pivotal work in the field includes elucidation of the mechanism of action of RBM39 degraders (Science 2017) and the recent discovery of TRIM21-based molecular glue degraders (Cell 2024, ACS Chemical Biology 2025).

Dr. Jinquan Sun, co-Founder of Convergen, said: “The seed financing—led by Qiming Venture Partners—validates TrimTAC’s potential to redefine treatment for diseases caused by pathogenic multimeric proteins. Together with Qiming, we will expand our expertise in TPD and CNS drug development, accelerate our pipeline toward clinical proof-of-concept, and deliver on our mission to help patients with limited treatment options.” 

Dr. Kan Chen，Partner and Co-lead of Healthcare at Qiming Venture Partners, said: “Convergen’s TrimTAC platform addresses a critical gap in TPD—selective degradation of multimeric aggregates—that has held back progress in neurodegenerative diseases. The company’s world-class scientific foundation combined with its veteran leadership team, positions it to become a leader in advancing the next-generation protein degradation. We are proud to partner with Convergen and support its journey to bring transformative therapies to patients.” 

About Convergen 

Convergen is a biotech company pioneering TrimTAC—next-generation bifunctional degraders that leverage TRIM21 to selectively clear pathological multimeric proteins. Founded to address unmet medical needs in neurodegenerative disease and beyond, the company combines cutting-edge academic research with industry-proven drug development expertise to advance therapies for significantly unmet medical needs. 

About Qiming Venture Partners

Qiming Venture Partners was founded in 2006. Currently, Qiming Venture Partners manages eleven US Dollar funds and seven RMB funds with $9.5 billion in capital raised. It invests in outstanding companies in the Technology and Healthcare industries at the early and growth stages. To date, it has backed over 580 fast-growing and innovative companies. Over 210 of portfolio companies have achieved exits through IPOs at the NYSE, NASDAQ, HKEX, Shanghai Stock Exchange, or Shenzhen Stock Exchange, or through M&A or other means. There are also over 80 portfolio companies that have achieved unicorn or super unicorn status. For more, please visit www.qimingvc.com

– New findings demonstrate a 72% HI-E response rate at Week 16 with meaningful hemoglobin improvement –
– Strong activity observed across ESA-refractory and ESA-intolerant patients, and across mutation and morphology subtypes –
– Favorable safety profile with no treatment-related serious adverse events –

LEHI, Utah, Dec. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Halia Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, today presented new clinical data from its Phase 2a study of ofirnoflast (HT-6184) at the 67th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting. The data show that ofirnoflast, a first-in-class oral allosteric NEK7 inhibitor, induces clinically meaningful and sustained hematologic responses in patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and symptomatic anemia.

In the Stage 1 efficacy population (N=18), ofirnoflast achieved a 72% hematologic improvement-erythroid (HI-E) response rate following ≥16 weeks of therapy. Consistent improvements were observed across WHO morphologic subtypes and somatic mutation categories, supporting a broad and biology-driven mechanism of action.

Key Stage 1 Findings:

• 72% of patients (13/18) achieved HI-E at Week 16, with responders showing a median hemoglobin increase of 3.5 g/dL.
• Strong activity in difficult-to-treat patients, including 91% HI-E in ESA-refractory and 75% HI-E in ESA-intolerant subjects.
• Consistent responses across disease biology, with HI-E observed across transfusion burden categories, WHO morphologic subtypes, and major mutation groups (SF3B1, TET2, DNMT3A, ASXL1, TP53).
• Favorable safety profile, with no treatment-related SAEs, no Grade ≥3 related AEs, and no evidence of treatment-emergent myelosuppression.

These findings reinforce NEK7 inhibition as a promising strategy to address the underlying inflammatory dysregulation central to ineffective hematopoiesis in MDS.

“These data highlight the potential of ofirnoflast to meaningfully improve outcomes for patients with lower-risk MDS,” said David Bearss, Ph.D., CEO of Halia Therapeutics. “Achieving a 72% HI-E response rate, including strong performance in refractory and intolerant patients alongside a clean safety profile, underscores the therapeutic promise of NEK7 inhibition. We look forward to building on these results as we advance the program toward later-stage development.”

Next Steps

Following the FDA Orphan Drug Designation granted in October 2025, Halia is currently communicating next steps with the FDA. Halia is finalizing the dataset and preparing to initiate a global Phase 3 pivotal trial in early 2026.

American Society of Hematology (ASH) Poster Details:

Title: “The Novel Allosteric NEK7 Inhibitor Ofirnoflast (HT-6184) Demonstrates Robust and Sustained Hematologic Response in Subjects with IPSS-R Very Low, Low or Intermediate Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) and Symptomatic Anemia”

Time: Monday, December 8, 2025; 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. EST

About Halia’s Phase 2 Trial of Ofirnoflast in Lower-Risk MDS

HT-6184-MDS-001 is a Simon’s two-stage, multicenter study evaluating hematologic improvement after 16 weeks of treatment, with an extension phase for responders and molecularly improving non-responders. Key study objectives include evaluating efficacy through hematological improvement, clonal suppression, and VAF reduction, assessing safety and patient tolerance, monitoring changes in inflammasome-related biomarkers, and measuring quality of life using patient-reported outcome tools.

About Halia Therapeutics

Halia Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing first-in-class inflammasome inhibitors. We target the root causes of inflammation-driven diseases to create transformative therapies. For more information, visit www.haliatx.com.

Media Contact

Taylor Avei 
Director of Business Development
Halia Therapeutics
+1 (385) 355-4315
info@haliatx.com

Investor Contact

Leigh Salvo 
New Street Investor Relations
leigh@newstreetir.com