HONG KONG, Sept. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) has expressed its full support for the Chief Executive’s Policy Address. Key measures include accelerating the development of Northern Metropolis and the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone (the Loop), alongside increased investment in technology adoption and emerging industries, reinforcing Hong Kong’s status as a leading international innovation and technology (I&T) hub.

The Policy Address outlines an ambitious vision to attract global businesses to Hong Kong by “removing barriers and easing restrictions”, and prioritising high-tech industries and advanced manufacturing. It highlights a strong focus on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and low-altitude economy, advancing their developments and applications.

Strengthening Academia-Industry-Research Collaboration
Ir Sunny Lee, Chairman of ASTRI, welcomed the HKSAR Government’s forward-thinking approach, describing it as a significant boost to Hong Kong’s I&T ecosystem. He emphasised that these measures enable industries to enhance their competitiveness through innovative technology, create employment opportunities, and deliver tangible economic benefits to society.

“ASTRI remains committed to developing ‘people-oriented’ technologies, leveraging vast opportunities presented by the Greater Bay Area and Belt and Road initiatives. We aim to drive global adoption of Hong Kong’s research and development (R&D) achievements, contributing to our country’s development of New Quality Productive Forces and supporting the city’s economic transformation,” said Ir Lee.

He also applauded the introduction of the Innovation and Technology Talents Exchange Scheme for Industry and Academic Sectors, which encourages university professors to engage in corporate R&D activities, enabling a deeper understanding of industry needs. In addition, senior executives from technology enterprises and technical experts will contribute to curriculum development and teaching, strengthening collaboration among industry, academic and research sectors.

“This initiative is a pivotal step in bridging the academia-industry gap,” he added.  “Through bidirectional exchange, we can accelerate the transition of R&D innovations from lab to market while nurturing tech talent equipped for future challenges.”

Driving AI Application Across Industries
Ir Dr Ted Suen, Chief Executive Officer of ASTRI, welcomed the establishment of the AI Efficacy Enhancement Team and the measures aimed at promoting large-scale AI adoption across industries to improve overall efficiency and productivity.

“ASTRI has developed a wide range of AI technologies, integrating them with other patented technologies such as application specific integrated circuits, Internet of Things (IoT), sensing and communication technologies, to create innovative solutions. This aligns perfectly with the Government’s vision of fostering ‘industries for AI’ and ‘AI for industries’,” he said.

Ir Dr Suen stressed the critical importance of I&T in maintaining Hong Kong’s competitive edge, and that accelerating the development of Northern Metropolis and the Loop will enhance the city’s I&T capabilities. “ASTRI is fully aligned with the priorities outlined in the Policy Address and will continue to collaborate with stakeholders across the I&T ecosystem. Our goal is to drive commercialisation of R&D outcomes through enabling wide technology adoption across industries, improving their operational challenges and enhancing efficiency,” he added.

Photo Download: http://bit.ly/3HWYHkE 

About ASTRI
Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) was founded by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 2000 with the mission of enhancing Hong Kong’s competitiveness through applied research. ASTRI’s core R&D competence in various areas is grouped under five Technology Divisions: Advanced Electronic Components and Systems; Artificial Intelligence and Trust Technologies; Communications Technologies; Intelligent Perception and Control Technologies, and IoT Sensing and AI Technologies. It is applied across six core areas which are Smart City, Financial Technologies, New Industrialisation and Intelligent Manufacturing, Digital Health, Application Specific Integrated Circuits and Metaverse.

Over the years, ASTRI has nurtured a pool of research, I&T talents and received numerous international awards for its pioneering innovations as well as outstanding business and community contributions. ASTRI has transferred close to 1,600 technologies to the industry and has been granted about 1,200 patents in the Mainland, the United States, and other countries. For further information, please visit https://www.astri.org.

SANTA ANA, Calif., Sept. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Stanford Advanced Materials (SAM) is pleased to announce the launch of a new series of optical and nonlinear crystals. The new series will target meeting the growing and diverse demands of photonics, laser research, and high-precision optical applications. SAM continues to demonstrate its commitment to innovation, quality, and tailored solutions for global customers.

SAM introduces five exclusive additions to the catalogue range: PPLN, MGLN, BIBO, CaF₂, and PPKTP.

PPLN (Periodically Poled Lithium Niobate)

PPLN delivers high-efficiency nonlinear wavelength conversion, with a broad transparency range from 350–5200 nm and versatile quasi-phase-matching structures. Its high nonlinear coefficient and stable performance under controlled temperatures make it ideal for compact, cost-effective laser systems and precision photonics setups. Typical applications include SHG, OPO, DFG, SFG, and quantum optics experiments.

MGLN (Magnesium-Doped Lithium Niobate)

MGLN features a high optical damage threshold, low absorption loss, stable refractive index, and broad transparency, making it ideal for room-temperature phase matching. It is well suited for optical modulation, wavelength conversion, high-power lasers, telecommunications, and nonlinear optical devices.

BIBO (Bismuth Borate)

BIBO offers a large effective nonlinear coefficient (3.5–4× LBO, 1.5–2× BBO, ~8× KDP) and high damage threshold, supporting efficient frequency conversion in the visible and blue ranges. It performs well in second-harmonic generation, optical parametric oscillators, and amplifiers.

CaF₂ (Calcium Fluoride)

CaF₂ provides broad transmission from ultraviolet to infrared wavelengths, with low dispersion and high optical clarity. It is commonly used in lenses, windows, prisms, and high-resolution imaging or spectroscopic systems.

PPKTP (Periodically Poled Potassium Titanyl Phosphate)

PPKTP is a nonlinear crystal with a periodically poled structure that provides efficient quasi-phase matching and a nonlinear coefficient three times higher than standard KTP. It is used for SHG, quantum optics experiments, and generating entangled photons across KTP’s transparency range.

With this expansion, SAM reinforces its role as a trusted supplier of advanced crystal materials. The portfolio offers both technical excellence and flexible customization, supporting diverse research and industrial requirements. These crystals provide the foundation for next-generation photonics and laser technologies.

About Stanford Advanced Materials

Founded in 1994, Stanford Advanced Materials (SAM) is a U.S.-based provider of over 7,000 advanced materials to aerospace, technology, medical, and other high-performance markets. Headquartered in Santa Ana, California, SAM utilizes technical proficiency and a worldwide supply chain to deliver reliable, scalable solutions globally.

HONG KONG, Sept. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — On September 11, Blue Planet Environmental Solutions, a leading force in sustainable waste management, took centre stage at the AVPN Global Conference 2025 in Hong Kong, showcasing how bold bets on circular economy innovation are reshaping Asia’s environmental future.

Delivering a powerful message under the Social Innovation Track, Prashant Singh, Co-Founder & CEO of Blue Planet, shared the company’s journey from an unconventional idea to a tech-powered platform integrating municipal solid waste, e-waste, plastics, hazardous waste, and biofuels—a first in the industry.

“When we started, no one imagined waste could be reimagined as a single integrated platform. Everyone worked in silos. We bet on circularity, traceability, and zero waste to landfill before it was mainstream. Today, that bet is reality,” Singh said.

He spotlighted Blue Planet’s landfill mining projects, at scale in India, once deemed impossible, now reclaiming hundreds of acres of toxic dumps through technology and public-private partnerships.

“Leadership is not about avoiding risk—it’s about making risk investible, bankable, and scalable,” Singh noted.

Singh also underlined the need for patient, risk-aligned capital and progressive policies to scale circular models, while reaffirming Blue Planet’s commitment to radical transparency, last-mile traceability, and on-ground empowerment as the company’s cultural backbone.

“We don’t sell disruption. We build trust with data, transparency, and impact. Every ton processed, every acre reclaimed, is tracked and verified,” he added.

The AVPN Global Conference 2025, hosted with The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, convened over 250 speakers and 100 sessions on climate action, sustainable finance, and inclusive development.

Blue Planet’s participation reinforced its mission: transforming waste into value and pioneering scalable circular economy solutions across Asia.

About Blue Planet

Founded in 2017, Blue Planet is a Singapore headquartered company pioneering regional sustainability through technology-driven and IP-based end-to-end solutions for waste management and upcycling. The company has successfully created an innovative technology driven end-to-end waste management platform. The mission is to apply these technologies across various stages of the waste life cycle. Blue Planet is committed to provide circular economy solutions and achieve its vision of zero waste to landfill.

To learn more about Blue Planet, visit: www.blueplanet.asia

About AVPN

AVPN is the largest network of social investors in Asia, comprising over 600 funders and resource providers across 33 markets. Our mission is to increase the flow and effectiveness of financial, human, and intellectual capital in Asia by enabling members to channel resources towards impact. As an ecosystem builder, AVPN enables its members to connect, learn, act, and lead social impact efforts across key pillars while improving the effectiveness of deployed capital, bringing local field needs, regional expertise, and policy insights to the forefront.

For more information about AVPN and our work, please visit: avpn.asia/

NEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) provides a daily pre-market update directly from the NYSE Trading Floor. Access today’s NYSE Pre-market update for market insights before trading begins. 

Ashley Mastronardi delivers the pre-market update on September 17th

• Stocks are mixed this morning ahead of the Federal Reserve’s highly anticipated decision on interest rates this afternoon at 2 PM ET. Shortly thereafter, Chair Jerome Powell will deliver remarks
• According to the latest data, traders are pricing in a more than 95% chance that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates by 25-basis points to a range of 4.25%. This would mark the Fed’s first interest rate cut since last December.
• Global online ticket marketplace StubHub celebrates its IPO today. On Tuesday, StubHub priced its IPO at $23.50 per share, valuing the company at $8.6 billion. It will begin trading under the ticker symbol STUB.

Opening Bell
StubHub (NYSE: STUB) celebrates its initial public offering

Closing Bell
Garmin (NYSE: GRMN) celebrates the 2025 Garmin Health Summit

Click here to download the NYSE TV App

Video – https://mma.prnasia.com/media2/2775400/NYSE_Market_Update_Sept_17.mp4

NEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Bullish (NYSE: BLSH), an institutionally focused global digital asset platform that provides market infrastructure and information services, today announced that its U.S. digital asset trading and custody business, Bullish US Operations LLC, has been granted a BitLicense and Money Transmission License by the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS). The license, officially defined as a ‘Virtual Currency Business Activity License’ by the NYDFS, allows Bullish to provide institutions and advanced traders in New York State digital asset spot trading and custody services. This is another key step in the expansion of Bullish’s global regulatory footprint.

“New York is widely recognized as being at the forefront of virtual currency regulation. Receiving our BitLicense and Money Transmission License from the New York Department of Financial Services is a testament to Bullish’s commitment to regulatory compliance and our dedication to building trusted, institutional-grade digital asset infrastructure in key global markets,” said Tom Farley, CEO of Bullish. “As a former President of the New York Stock Exchange and a proud New Yorker, I look forward to Bullish’s contribution to the city’s thriving financial ecosystem.”

“Securing the New York BitLicense is a significant regulatory milestone for our growth in the U.S. and also signals our credibility to operate within the financial capital of the world,” said Chris Tyrer, President of Bullish Exchange. “We believe that clear regulation drives responsible market evolution and institutional engagement. We look forward to offering New York’s institutions and advanced traders Bullish’s regulated, high-performance digital asset services.”

Prospective institutional customers and advanced traders in New York State and elsewhere in the U.S. who are eager to onboard are encouraged to get in touch with a Bullish relationship manager.

Media: media@bullish.com

About Bullish

Bullish is an institutionally focused global digital asset platform that provides market infrastructure and information services. These include: Bullish Exchange – a regulated and institutionally focused digital assets spot and derivatives exchange, integrating a high-performance central limit order book matching engine with automated market making to provide deep and predictable liquidity. Bullish Exchange is regulated in the United States, European Union, Hong Kong, and Gibraltar. CoinDesk Indices – a collection of tradable proprietary and single-asset benchmarks and indices that track the performance of digital assets for global institutions in the digital assets and traditional finance industries. CoinDesk Data – a broad suite of digital assets market data and analytics, providing real-time insights into prices, trends, and market dynamics. CoinDesk Insights – a digital asset media and events provider and operator of Coindesk.com, a digital media platform that covers news and insights about digital assets, the underlying markets, policy, and blockchain technology. For more information, please visit bullish.com and follow LinkedIn and X.

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We use the Bullish Investor Relations website (investors.bullish.com) and our X account (x.com/bullish) to publicize information relevant to investors, including information that may be deemed material, in addition to filings we make with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and press releases. We encourage investors to regularly review the information posted on our website and X account in addition to our SEC filings and press releases to be informed of the latest developments.

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This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Sentences containing words such as “believe,” “intend,” “plan,” “may,” “expect,” “should,” “could,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “predict,” “project,” or their negatives, or other similar expressions of a future or forward-looking nature generally should be considered forward-looking statements and include, without limitation, statements relating to future events or Bullish’s future financial or operating performance, business strategy, and potential market opportunity, including in the United States. Such forward-looking statements are based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Bullish, are inherently uncertain and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause results to differ from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited, to our ability to grow our business and operations, including in new geographic locations, the costs or expenditures associated therewith, competition in our industry, and the evolving rules and regulations applicable to digital assets and our industry. You should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made, and Bullish undertakes no duty to update these forward-looking statements.