30 C
Vientiane
Saturday, May 10, 2025
spot_img
Home Blog Page 507

Bizcap launches Prime Loans product in New Zealand

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Bizcap, a leading provider of fast, flexible business loans, has announced Bizcap Prime Loans, a new financing solution designed to provide longer-term, lower-rate funding to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in New Zealand.

Following exceptional demand for its Business Line of Credit and a record-breaking month for Bizcap in New Zealand, Bizcap’s launch will address gaps in the New Zealand business lending market, offering more tailored funding options for established businesses as the end of the financial year approaches.

A Smarter Lending Solution for NZ Businesses

With Bizcap Prime, businesses can now access funding of up to 150% of their monthly sales, offering one of the most generous lending ratios in the market. Loan amounts range from $50,000 to $2,000,000, with flexible 9-12 month terms and more competitive rates than traditional short-term financing. Designed for established businesses, Bizcap Prime is available to those with at least 24 months of trading history and a minimum Equifax credit score of 600.

With settlements in as little as 3 hours, Bizcap Prime ensures that businesses can access capital quickly, without the lengthy approval processes often associated with traditional lenders.

Proven Market Demand for Flexible SME Financing in NZ

According to Zalman Blachman, Co-CEO of Bizcap, the launch is a direct response to the needs of New Zealand SMEs.

New Zealand businesses deserve more financing options that align with their needs. Our customers and advisers love the speed and flexibility we offer, and their feedback has been clear—they want even more options to support a wider range of business needs. We’re expanding our product suite to do just that, giving SMEs greater choice while still delivering the fast, accessible funding Bizcap is known for—in as little as three business hours.”

Bizcap Prime Key Features:

  • Higher Lending Ratios – Borrow up to 150% of monthly sales
  • Longer Terms9-12 month repayment periods
  • Lower Rates – More competitive than traditional short-term funding
  • Fast Approvals & Settlements – typically within 3 hours

Support for Advisers & Financial Partners

Bizcap has also seen strong engagement from advisers through recent Business Line of Credit webinars run in partnership with key aggregators.

“The response to our education sessions has been very positive,” said Camilla Tumai, Bizcap New Zealand General Manager. “Given the demand, we’re now offering these webinars to any adviser or financial partner looking to learn more about Bizcap’s products.”

Interested advisers can book a session here.

Register Your Interest

Bizcap is now accepting expressions of interest from advisers and partners seeking accreditation to offer Prime Loans. Email partners@bizcap.nz to apply.

About Bizcap

Bizcap is a leading alternative lender, providing fast, flexible funding to businesses in New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, and the UK. Since its inception in 2019, Bizcap has funded over 28,000 business loans, totaling more than $1 billion, with a 4.8/5 Trustpilot rating.

For more information, visit bizcap.nz

Media Contact

Chloe Barnes
Senior Marketing and Content Manager
cbarnes@bizcap.com.au 

Property for Industry (PFI) Extends Partnership with Yardi

Industrial specialist to centralise document management and automate processes

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Property for Industry (PFI), a specialist in the industrial sector, has extended its partnership with Yardi®. With 90+ quality properties worth over $2 billion, PFI’s well-diversified portfolio is focused on strategic locations that represent significant growth opportunities for the company and its tenants.

Property for Industry (PFI) Extends Partnership with Yardi
Property for Industry (PFI) Extends Partnership with Yardi

Since implementation, Yardi’s cloud-based real estate platform has helped PFI to manage its portfolio from a single, connected solution. The company has boosted productivity, centralised investment accounting, gained faster forecasting, and automated processes across leasing, maintenance, and procurement. With the addition of Yardi® Document Management for SharePoint, PFI can integrate Yardi® Voyager business data into Microsoft SharePoint, and vice versa, for centralised document management, time savings, and easier content sharing.

“We have been working with Yardi for a few years, and it’s been a valuable part of our digital transformation. The platform allows for a configurable interface to interact with our financial data and enables efficient single-source data capture due to its integrated nature,” said Craig Peirce, Chief Finance and Operating Officer for PFI. “Yardi’s solution will enable flexible and structured document management, while allowing us to leverage the industry-standard SharePoint platform with all the added functionality that it offers.”

“We’re excited to continue working with PFI, helping to streamline operations and make real estate processes more efficient,” said Bernie Devine, senior regional director for Yardi. “In addition to the benefits offered by the broader Yardi project, Document Manager will streamline PFI’s document management and provide teams with more flexibility and control.”

See how Yardi’s end-to-end technology can help streamline your asset management.

About Property for Industry (PFI)

As a professional landlord to the industrial sector, with a track record extending over many years, PFI looks to generate strong, stable returns for our investors by focusing on this growing sector. Our participation in the industrial economy in turn generates prosperity for New Zealand. For more information, please visit propertyforindustry.co.nz.

About Yardi

Yardi® develops industry-leading software for all types and sizes of real estate companies across the world. With over 9,500 employees, Yardi is working with our clients to drive significant innovation in the real estate industry. For more information on how Yardi is Energised for Tomorrow, visit yardi.com.au.

 

Huawei Li Peng: Maximizing 5G Network Value in the Age of AI

BARCELONA, Spain, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — At MWC Barcelona 2025, Li Peng, Huawei’s Corporate Senior Vice President and President of ICT Sales & Service, delivered a keynote on how carriers can make the most of AI to fully unleash the value of their networks. Li predicts that symbiosis between 5G-A and AI technologies will stimulate double-digit growth in both DOU (data of usage) and ARPU (average revenue per user) from mobile subscribers.

“We’re rapidly entering a fully intelligent world. Intelligent applications are spreading everywhere, placing new demands on networks,” said Li. “By embracing and evolving 5G, we can unlock the infinite potential of mobile networks. Huawei is willing and ready to work with carriers and industry partners around the world to promote digital enablement, reinforce network foundations, and bring AI to all. Together, we can shape the D.N.A. for an intelligent world.”

Li Peng, Huawei's Corporate Senior Vice President and President of ICT Sales & Service, speaking at MWC Barcelona 2025
Li Peng, Huawei’s Corporate Senior Vice President and President of ICT Sales & Service, speaking at MWC Barcelona 2025

AI is changing human-machine interaction, driving different requirements for latency

With advancements in AI, HMI (human-machine interaction) is evolving from simple text-based communications to voice, gestures, and more multi-modal interactions. As a result, HMI is more real-time and convenient than ever, giving rise to a new wave of innovative applications. For example, people can interact more naturally with their devices using AI-powered voice assistants. On cloud phones, AI-powered avatars can provide visual feedback as well, creating a more personal experience for services like health monitoring, making the mobile experience far more accessible and productive for different groups of users.

To support applications like these, however, networks need to be able to provide guaranteed latency, which will require ongoing evolution from 5G NSA, to 5G SA, and eventually 5G-A. Carriers can also adopt innovative technologies like CUPS (Control and User Plane Separation) and GBR (Guaranteed Bit Rate) to reduce basic latency and ensure differentiated, deterministic latency for specific scenarios.

AI-enabled content production and distribution is raising the bar for upload & download speeds

Li went on to note that AI will transform how content is produced and distributed. For example, AIGC technology makes it possible to generate hour-long 2D and 3D videos with a single click. Meanwhile, AI recommendations are more targeted than ever, allowing the distribution of more personalized content to broader audiences across the Internet. Both of these trends will cause network traffic to surge over the next five years, placing unprecedented demands on networks. To keep up, carriers will need more spectrum, greater network capacity, and much larger uplink and downlink bandwidth.

Diverse AI services will need experience-centric network coverage

Both AI-powered cloud and mobile devices are making intelligent services more accessible, and the industry will see growing demand for experience-centric network coverage. According to third-party data, cloud phones and cloud drives will be used by over one billion people by 2030, each of whom will need fast access to cloud computing power. In addition, intelligent in-vehicle applications will require full coverage across cities, highways, and the countryside to provide a continuous and reliable mobility experience.

Moving forward, meeting these demands will require ongoing progress in network deployment, from rapid expansion of 5G NSA networks to 5G SA networks for a more seamless indoor/outdoor experience, and eventually to experience-centric 5G-A networks. This will help carriers expand network coverage and ensure a smooth experience for tens of billions of new connections for people, and hundreds of billions of new IoT connections between things.

Growing network complexity will drive evolution towards application-oriented O&M

AI will bring more complex application scenarios and a more diverse range of experience requirements. From a networking perspective, this will drive a shift from traditional, resource-oriented O&M to a more application-oriented approach.

Some carriers are already developing O&M systems based on AI agents. For operations enablement, these AI agents can use digital twins to predict personalized needs for individual users, helping shorten service time-to-market from days to minutes. For network maintenance, AI agents with self-learning capabilities can predict and locate faults in seconds, increasing troubleshooting efficiency by 30%. And for network optimization, digital sandboxes can simulate the traffic of real-world applications, allowing AI agents to analyze traffic patterns and optimize networks 24/7 based on application needs.

Early-movers are scaling up 5G-A deployment to boost monetization in the age of AI

“New network capabilities will give rise to new business models,” continued Li. “Carriers can go beyond monetizing traffic and start monetizing experience itself.”

Right now, carriers around the world are actively exploring new ways to monetize experience based on multiple factors like speed, latency, and VIP benefits. They have launched custom services for business travelers, live streamers, and AI cloud phone users. And some are already expanding into the B2B2C market by exposing network capabilities through Open APIs.

For example, Chinese carriers are working with over 100 industries, including insurance and catering companies, to provide AI New Calling services through Open APIs. This has helped them increase income from industry customers by a factor of 10.

“The opportunities are huge,” concluded Li. “And the time to act is now. Pioneers are already scaling up fast in over 200 cities around the world. They’re taking solid steps forward, unlocking incredible new value.”

MWC Barcelona 2025 is held from March 3 to March 6 in Barcelona, Spain. During the event, Huawei will showcase its latest products and solutions at stand 1H50 in Fira Gran Via Hall 1.

In 2025, commercial 5G-Advanced deployment will accelerate, and AI will help carriers reshape business, infrastructure, and O&M. Huawei is actively working with carriers and partners around the world to accelerate the transition towards an intelligent world.

For more information, please visit: https://carrier.huawei.com/en/events/mwc2025

Create the AI Future: TECNO Unveils Next-Gen AI Ecosystem at MWC Barcelona 2025

  • TECNO will showcase its cutting-edge AI ecosystem, delivering practical AI solutions tailored for emerging markets. Highlights include the debut of the CAMON 40 imaging flagship smartphone, next-generation AI laptops, groundbreaking AI glasses, AI-powered earphones, innovative AI smartwatches and conceptual futuristic technologies.
  • TECNO will unveil its latest advancements at the TECNO AI Ecosystem Product Launch event on Day 2 of MWC 2025.
  • Visit TECNO at Booth 6B11, Hall 6, Fira Gran Via, to experience the future of AI-driven innovation.

BARCELONA, Spain, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Innovative AI-driven technology brand TECNO is excited to announce its participation at MWC Barcelona 2025, March 3-6, showcasing how it is unlocking the potential of AI technologies. TECNO’s show theme of “Create the AI Future” highlights how the brand is empowering users through AI innovation, realizing practical applications of AI, and creating AI-enhanced futures for users in emerging markets.

For the first time, TECNO is demonstrating how its practical TECNO AI is now applied throughout its interconnected AI ecosystem, connecting not just smartphones, but also AI glasses, tablets, laptops, smartwatches and earphones. This ecosystem is freshly upgraded at MWC 2025 with the launch of its latest CAMON 40 Series flagship imaging smartphone, debut AI Glasses, MEGABOOK S14 laptop, AI smartwatch and earphones. TECNO will also showcase groundbreaking technologies and concepts, including materials, concept smartphones, imaging technologies and software innovations, plus the updated Universal Tone, as well as many of its popular products. Attendees will be able to witness TECNO’s “Create the AI Future” at booth 6B11, Hall 6, Fira Gran Via.

“Create the AI Future”: TECNO’s show booth at MWC Barcelona 2025 & overall product showcase
“Create the AI Future”: TECNO’s show booth at MWC Barcelona 2025 & overall product showcase

“We’re delighted to showcase how TECNO is enriching experiences for users in emerging markets through practical AI this year,” said Jack Guo, General Manager of TECNO. “By focusing on AI, TECNO is placing itself at the forefront of a new dawn of possibilities, stopping at nothing to create an ecosystem that elevates the daily lives of consumers and pushes the boundaries to create a more equitable future for users across the globe.”

Futuristic AI Ecosystem Experiences Powered by TECNO AI

TECNO’s AI Ecosystem, including the CAMON 40 Series smartphone, MEGABOOK S14 laptop, TECNO AI Glasses Series, and many more, will be on display in the AI Room experience zone at TECNO’s booth. Here, attendees can experience how the interconnected ecosystem empowered by TECNO AI delivers comprehensive, customized AI experiences that cover all user scenarios. Visitors can also enjoy the TECNO AI One-Click Old Photo Restoration on the interactive AI screen at the booth, bringing old photos back to life, restoring low-res scenery shots and transforming static portraits into vibrant, interactive animations.

Futuristic AI Ecosystem Experiences Empowered by TECNO AI
Futuristic AI Ecosystem Experiences Empowered by TECNO AI

CAMON 40 Series Smartphone: An AI-enhanced Evolution of Snap Photography

Set to be officially unveiled at the TECNO AI Ecosystem Product Launch event on day 2 of MWC Barcelona 2025, the CAMON 40 Series is TECNO’s latest flagship imaging device. The series offers innovative imaging features such as One-Tap FlashSnap, a dynamic image capture function to help users shoot fast-moving moments with greater speed and clarity, plus TECNO AI functions offering improved efficiency and convenience in daily life.

TECNO is also showcasing its other outstanding smartphones at MWC 2025, including the iconic SPARK 30 Series TRANSFORMERS Edition, as well as the PHANTOM V2 Flip 5G and PHANTOM V2 Fold 5G. Launched in 2024, these two advanced foldables deliver exceptional usability and style together with powerful AI enhancements.

TECNO AI Glasses Series and MEGABOOK S14: Elevating Creativity, Productivity and Efficiency with Practical AI

As well as the CAMON 40 Series, TECNO will unveil two more innovations – its debut TECNO AI Glasses and an outstanding new MEGABOOK S14 laptop – which will all be launched at TECNO AI Ecosystem Product Launch on day 2 of MWC Barcelona 2025. TECNO is taking its TECNO AI integration beyond smartphones, pioneering the application of genuinely useful and user-friendly AI, creating a better AI future for users in emerging markets across the world.

The debut of the TECNO AI Glasses Series underscores TECNO’s commitment to continuous innovation, bringing the most futuristic technologies to global consumers. More than just stylish eyewear, the series is set to bring smartphone-grade imaging to AI Glasses with the industry’s most advanced AI Glasses image capture, while the TECNO AI Glasses Pro features an innovative AR display.

TECNO’s latest flagship laptop, the MEGABOOK S14, is the world’s lightest 14-inch laptop with a 2.8K OLED display. Despite its incredibly compact design, it is packed full of powerful and useful TECNO AI-enhanced functions, including the Ella AI Voice Assistant, combining exceptional portability with advanced AI technologies to elevate on-the-go productivity, creativity and efficiency.

Besides these launch event products, TECNO is also showcasing two brand-new laptops – the MEGABOOK K15S and MEGABOOK T14 Air – plus the new True 2 earbuds and TECNO Watch GT 1, all featuring powerful TECNO AI functions.

Futuristic Concepts and Groundbreaking Innovations

TECNO is also showcasing a range of boundary-pushing concept devices, advanced technologies and revolutionary materials. This includes the SPARK Slim ultra-thin concept smartphone, a breakthrough concept creating the industry’s slimmest device with a 5000mAh+ battery. This technology ensures sleekness without compromising on powerful performance and is set to lead the way in the next wave of ultra-thin smartphone design.

The TECNO PHANTOM Ultimate 2, an ultra-thin tri-fold concept smartphone that reimagines the large-screen experience in a pocket-sized device, is also on show. First unveiled in August 2024, the physical prototype is now on display for the first time ever at MWC Barcelona 2025.

As for innovative design development, TECNO is showcasing Starry Optical Fiber for the first time. Unveiled in January, the industry-first breakthrough technology combines ultra-fine optical fibers with mini-LED lights which are integrated into a smartphone battery cover to produce a sparkling starry effect. This technology will be showcased on the new PHANTOM V Fold2 5G Space Expedition Version concept – the industry’s first foldable smartphone with satellite communication and made with a Moondust Fiber material. 

Attendees will also be able to delve into TECNO’s latest imaging innovations at the show, including the updated Universal Tone Technology. The pioneering inclusive imaging technology’s update includes an upgraded color card now featuring 372 patches and enhancements to the Multi-Skin Tone Color Restoration Engine, allowing even more accurate representations of humanity’s diverse skin tones.

TECNO’s EVS Dynamic Snapshot and Tap Any Zoom Dual Prism Telephoto, two innovative imaging technologies, are also showcased. These technologies were first unveiled in December at Future Lens, TECNO’s annual flagship imaging event for media and industry experts.

Besides all of these, attendees can discover even more innovations at TECNO’s booth – including UltraLink ultra-long wireless communication distance, the world’s only Display Electronic Slurry Technology capable of video playback, industry-first Multi-colored Glass Fiber, Photochromic Cellulose Acetate Color, a Coconut Coir back cover and more.

Award-winning AIoT Favorites

The TIME Best Inventions of 2024-listed TECNO Pocket Go, the industry’s first combined AR glasses and Windows gaming handheld set, as well as the award-winning MEGA Mini Gaming G1 PC and the Dynamic 1 robotic dog are also on show for attendees to experience firsthand.

Since its first MWC appearance in 2023, TECNO has continually transformed mobile experiences, helping users in emerging markets reach new levels of creativity, productivity and efficiency. At MWC Barcelona 2025, TECNO is demonstrating how it is creating an AI future for all, ensuring AI technologies are practical, useful and accessible, so that everyone can be empowered in the era of AI.

Look Out McDonald’s And KFC: Here Comes China’s Alan Song

HONG KONG, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — China’s largest restaurant chains aren’t as well-known globally as McDonald’s and KFC. Yet one of the country’s most successful venture capitalists thinks their international heft will increase over time, pointing to an important trend for investors looking for growth at a time of widespread economic uncertainty.

“The companies we have invested in — like Lao Xiang Ji (“LXJ International”), Xiaocaiyuan and Babi Food — can all become the McDonald’s and Starbucks of the East,” Harvest Capital’s founding partner Alan Song said in a recent interview with Forbes China. “Chinese people can create their own brands and deserve a better life. Chinese entrepreneurs will also become owners of outstanding brands like those in the West.”

“The world is facing the possibility of consumption downgrade, and China is no exception. We will closely align with the development trends of the Chinese and global economies, placing greater emphasis on developing high-quality consumer industries” that have found loyalty and growth worldwide, he added.

Song, who holds a doctorate in business from the University of Minnesota, founded Harvest Capital in 2007 with a focus on consumer retail business. An industry mentor at China’s elite School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University, he is also a member of the Global Council at New York University. Song joined the financial industry in 1995, working at Everbright Securities and Huatai Securities early in his career.


Harvest Capital founder Alan Song made the cover of the December issue of Forbes China. Forbes China

Harvest has focused on value investing since its founding. Song said other key success factors include being the sole outside shareholder and bringing in enough capital to have an impact on a company’s operations.

Underlying his strategy is a belief that China’s evolving “consumer society” will be a crucial driver for spending that improves the overall quality of life in the country. By focusing on essentials such as clothing, food, housing, transportation, healthcare, education and entertainment, Song said he wants to address the core and frequent needs of 80% of Chinese consumers.

As income rises, consumption is “no longer just about higher prices but about quality improvement,” Song wrote in an article last year. “Since the last century, companies like Coca-Cola from the United States and Unilever from the United Kingdom have grown globally by offering high-quality, affordable products. Similarly, more such companies will emerge in China.”

It’s been a winning approach for Song so far. Harvest now has over $4 billion in assets under management. Among his most successful investments is a return of more than $1 billion from an investment of 350 million yuan (approximately $50 million) in the energy beverage company Eastroc. Harvest-invested restaurant chain Xiaocaiyuan has gained 25% since it went public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in December. In month, LXJ International, which has 1,400 stores in China and is the largest Chinese fast-food chain in Harvest’s portfolio, submitted its application to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Harvest purchased 5% of LXJ International as a first-round investor in 2018 and is the sole outside shareholder, Song noted.

Looking ahead, Song believes that as China transitions from a production-oriented society to a consumption-oriented one, the share of consumer spending in China’s GDP has nearly 20% room to increase from 50% (including public and private consumption) last year. In the process, he believes, China will spawn more global companies—hopefully including many of those in Harvest’s portfolio.

Song said he’s learned about success from the restaurant industry in the United States and Japan. Japan’s three major beef bowl chains —Yoshinoya Holdings, Sukiya, and Matsuya—underwent a fierce price war in the 1990s, establishing Japanese fast-food chains’ core values and cost structures.

Lessons from their experience has impacted the business communities in both China and the United States, Song said. Though domestic leaders at home in Japan, the group has not achieved success on par with KFC and McDonald’s because of their inability to synchronize supply chain management efficiency with business expansion; Chinese companies now have the potential to do better, Song believes.

Edited excerpts from a recent cover interview with Song by Forbes China follow:

Forbes China: You’re among the biggest gainers on the new Forbes China Midas List. How did you do it?

Song: In the financial industry, most people adhere to the philosophy that investing is based on portfolio theory. After introducing mathematics into finance, it became a game for smart people attempting to profit from market fluctuations. The history of Wall Street over the past 100 years has proven that most narrow stories do not end well. In contrast, those who persist with an entrepreneurial spirit often reap substantial rewards.

Over the past two decades, we have been fully committed to becoming a primary enabler of corporate growth. We’re not limited to making suggestions in the boardroom; our (ideas) extend deeply into an enterprise’s daily operations, encompassing brand building, channel expansion, marketing, insights into consumer trends, digital transformation and the establishment of business intelligence systems. We are not speculators seeking short-term arbitrage. In life’s journey, flow (being fully immersed in a task) is crucial, and the essence of success is far more than just money.

I use the following as a metaphor for my work: I’m bringing a group of athletes to the corporate Olympics. I will feel very proud if I can help more Chinese companies become champions.

I believe in Peter Drucker’s management science. For example, I’ve invested in many restaurants, fast-moving consumer good companies, food and beverage businesses, cosmetics and especially fast food. Many often ask why Chinese cuisine hasn’t been able to go global and create world-class brands. I believe the reason is non-standardization. The diversity and complexity of Chinese cuisine make it difficult to standardize; it requires extensive training for chefs and personalized presentations.

With such a diverse range of global cuisines, why is it that only the United States has been able to cultivate the most publicly listed companies and brands? The U.S. has 61 publicly listed restaurant companies, and the world’s largest industrialized restaurant brands are all in the U.S. — McDonald’s, KFC, Starbucks, and Chipotle. If you study this phenomenon seriously, you will find that Americans believe in supply chain and management science. Globalization, industrialization, standardization, and modernization of their products are the secret weapon of the American fast-food industry’s success.

The companies we have invested in — like LXJ International, Xiaocaiyuan and Babi Food — can all become the McDonald’s and Starbucks of the East. Chinese people can create their own brands and deserve a better life. Chinese entrepreneurs will also become owners of outstanding brands like those in the West.

Charlie Munger once said life presents many opportunities, but few are genuinely structural. If you seize them, you will be a big winner. People who trade continuously cannot have a perfect life.

Forbes China: Is Harvest itself expanding beyond China?

Song: When an economy develops to a certain level, it has a certain degree of economic spillover. Capital, brands and entrepreneurs face the challenge of going abroad and participating in global competition. I think it is a good phenomenon. Harvest Capital is no exception. We are currently at a critical stage of international expansion. We are an institution deeply involved in consumption that has achieved significant results, and will participate in the global competition for consumer goods business. So far, we have established companies in the U.S., Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Consumer investment, however, differs from other types of investment. According to Maslow’s theory of the hierarchy of needs, national cultures and ethnic backgrounds vary yet the underlying logic of consumption is fundamentally similar; people’s basic consumption needs are consistent.

Therefore, there’s a commonality in consumption culture, consumer civilization and consumption demand across different markets, cultures, and ethnic groups. In the future, we will focus on the mass consumer goods market — primarily essential and high-frequency products and services.

At the same time, we will also cater to the everyday needs of ordinary people, focusing on products with exceptional cost-effectiveness. I don’t reject elite consumption, but mass consumption has always been the mainstream demand in the development of consumer goods. We will do what we are good at within our understanding to create value for society.

In the past, reform and opening up in China meant foreign investment coming to the country. In the future, reform and opening up will mean that Chinese entrepreneurs will go abroad, becoming a significant force in global competition. Harvest Capital will undoubtedly move towards globalization as well, applying the experience we have gained in the Chinese market worldwide.

Forbes China: What are your plans for the coming year and beyond?

Song: In the future, China’s economy will face challenges. The world faces the possibility of a consumption downgrade, and China is no exception. We will closely align with the development trends of the Chinese and global economies, emphasizing the development of high-quality consumer industries.

Harvest Capital’s core investment principles currently rely on cash flow discount models. In the next one to two years, we will focus on building new channels in essential consumer goods sectors such as convenience stores, beverages and cosmetics. These areas are highly resilient to market risks and boast robust cash flow conditions.

As a financial practitioner, my goal is to transform Harvest Capital into Harvest Industrial — and not just in China but globally. We are now looking at markets in New York, London, Paris, and Japan. Industry is what truly creates value, has social value, generates a wealth spillover effect, and truly drives social progress. This is the principle to which we adhere and is the true core spirit and pursuit of Harvest Capital. So, from this perspective, we are different from most PE and VC firms.

Forbes China: What, in a nutshell, does that approach boil down to?

Song: Moving upstream. Charles Dickens once said, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” However, all we need to do is become one of this era’s strong ones.

Huawei’s Yang Chaobin: AI-Centric Network Solution Helps Carriers Seize AI Opportunities

BARCELONA, Spain, March 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — At the Huawei Product & Solution Launch during MWC Barcelona 2025, Yang Chaobin, Huawei’s Director of the Board and CEO of the ICT Business Group, launched the company’s AI-Centric Network solution.

According to Yang, the emergence of high-quality, low-cost, and open-source AI models will give rise to a wide range of new innovation in applications and accelerate the advent of an intelligent world.

Advancements in AI will transform society at three levels. It will enable a truly individualized experience for consumers, drive intelligent collaboration in organizations, and lay the groundwork for more inclusive intelligence for everyone.

Yang Chaobin, Huawei's Director of the Board and CEO of the ICT Business Group, speaking at the Huawei Product & Solution Launch
Yang Chaobin, Huawei’s Director of the Board and CEO of the ICT Business Group, speaking at the Huawei Product & Solution Launch

As for the ICT industry, while evolving technology and a more diverse range of application scenarios will create unprecedented growth opportunities, they will also raise the bar for network infrastructure. To make the most of these opportunities, carriers need to make sweeping breakthroughs in network bandwidth, latency, coverage, and O&M.

“Huawei’s AI-Centric Network solution is designed to address these needs,” said Yang. “It revolutionizes network capabilities to enable all-domain connectivity. It will power a shift towards application-oriented O&M, and will reshape telecom service and business models to take full advantage of new opportunities presented by AI.”

AI-centric networks – A four-layered approach

Yang expanded on the challenges carriers face moving forward, explaining how Huawei’s solution can help them better prepare for a surge of new AI-powered applications.

  1. All-domain connectivity. With more in-depth collaboration between AI and networks, carriers will be able to optimize resource orchestration for routing, bandwidth, and so on. This will provide intelligent applications with universal network access, ultra-high uplink and downlink, and SLA assurance.
  2. Application-oriented O&M. Advances in AI applications will give rise to more complex service scenarios and massively diverse experience requirements. This will necessitate a shift from traditional, resource-oriented network O&M to a more application-oriented approach. Huawei’s Telecom Foundation Model supports predictive and proactive O&M, experience optimization based on application-level awareness, and tailored, more fine-grained operations. Carriers will be able to significantly enhance the efficiency of network O&M while taking user experience to entirely new levels.
  3. Enhanced AI-to-X services. At the individual user level, AI-centric networks can deliver the right experience for different AI scenarios by assigning the exact levels of bandwidth, latency, and reliability needed. At the organizational level, they can break through bottlenecks in capacity and response times configured for person-to-person interactions, evolving networks to support person-to-agent and even agent-to-agent interactivity. And at the societal level, AI-centric networks will enable ubiquitous connectivity to speed up AI adoption in public services like education and healthcare, providing more inclusive value for communities around the world.
  4. Innovative business models. Finally, different experience requirements will give carriers the opportunity to explore new business models that monetize a broader range of metrics. Essentially, AI-centric networks will allow carriers to go beyond traditional traffic-based monetization and start monetizing experience itself. This will unleash the full potential of connectivity and open up new revenue streams.

“We need to join hands and work together across the telecom industry,” Yang Chaobin concluded. “By exposing network capabilities, collaborating with different industries, and engaging in scenario-specific innovation, we can make the most of new growth opportunities in the age of AI, and bring the world one step closer to a brighter, more intelligent future.”

MWC Barcelona 2025 is held from March 3 to March 6 in Barcelona, Spain. During the event, Huawei will showcase its latest products and solutions at stand 1H50 in Fira Gran Via Hall 1.

In 2025, commercial 5G-Advanced deployment will accelerate, and AI will help carriers reshape business, infrastructure, and O&M. Huawei is actively working with carriers and partners around the world to accelerate the transition towards an intelligent world.

For more information, please visit: https://carrier.huawei.com/en/events/mwc2025

Apply Now for The Sigourney Award-2025 Honoring Outstanding Psychoanalytic Work Around The World

SAN FRANCISCO, March 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Sigourney Award Trust is accepting applications and nominations for The Sigourney Award-2025 now through July 31st. The prestigious, wholly independent prize celebrates 35 years of recognizing work by individuals, teams, and organizations from around the world who have advanced psychoanalytic thought, principles and practice.

“We continue to spotlight Mary Sigourney’s forward thinking. Her expansive vision included the application of psychoanalytic principles well beyond psychoanalytic research, clinical, or academic work,” says Robin A. Deutsch, PhD, the Trust’s Analyst Trustee. “She also sought to recognize artistic work that has influenced or raised visibility of psychoanalysis beyond what are considered conventional psychoanalytic practices,” she adds.

This year, the Trust encourages applicants and nominators to broaden their views on what constitutes outstanding psychoanalytic work, including contemporary psychoanalytic theory or practice expressed through artistic endeavors such as film, literature, and other representational or abstract works of art. Since 1990, the Trust has honored 149 Award recipients from 22 countries representing Ms. Sigourney’s vision. Each winner receives international distinction, professional recognition and a substantial cash prize. An anonymous panel of distinguished judges impartially evaluate each submission to select the most outstanding work announced in November.

Whether nominated or self-nominated, applicants must submit a comprehensive online application by July 31, 2025. Applications and nominations are accepted from any geographic location for work accomplished between 2015-2024.

“We purposefully maintain Mary’s founding vision for this independent award and look forward to celebrating the exceptional work achievements by individuals, teams, or organizations which promote the understanding or evolution of psychoanalysis, psychoanalytic principles and practice,” says Michael J. Harrington, JD, Attorney Trustee.

Visit www.sigourneyaward.org for application and nomination instruction, and to review previously honored work. Applicants who do not win may apply again. Find updates via social platforms on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn @SigourneyAward, and Twitter @sigourney_the.

About The Sigourney Award
The Sigourney Award Trust, a wholly independent nonprofit organization established by Mary Sigourney in 1989, annually bestows The Sigourney Award as international recognition and reward for outstanding work that has advanced psychoanalytic principles. Ms. Sigourney was a psychotherapist, publisher, and community activist who had a passionate interest in psychoanalysis and understood its ability to benefit and extend human conversation across various disciplines. Since 1990, The Sigourney Award has rewarded and promoted outstanding work. To date, 149 Award recipients from 22 countries represent her global vision. Judges of The Sigourney Award remain anonymous to ensure an unbiased and thorough evaluation practice. Work honored by The Sigourney Award has significantly contributed to human affairs on topics ranging from clinical psychoanalysis, neuroscience, feminism, and political oppression.

Media Contact:
Kelly Wisecarver, Wisecarver Public Relations
kelly@wisecarverpr.com

 

HONOR Introduced Four AI Technologies at MWC 2025

BARCELONA, Spain, March 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Global technology brand HONOR today announced the HONOR ALPHA PLAN, a new corporate strategy to transform HONOR from a smartphone maker to a global leading AI device ecosystem company. The visionary three-step plan details the bold steps HONOR will take to usher in the new intelligent world, and calls on the industry to co-create an open, value-sharing ecosystem that maximizes human potential, ultimately benefiting all mankind. At the same time, HONOR also introduced the latest AI technologies at MWC 2025.

Leading AI Technology for the Agentic AI Era 

The world’s first GUI-based personal mobile AI agent developed by HONOR redefines daily convenience with intelligent technology.

In a technology showcase in collaboration with Google Cloud and Qualcomm Technologies, HONOR demonstrated how an AI agent can help make a table reservation through a third-party service while taking into consideration appointments saved in the HONOR Calendar and traffic information. HONOR plans to bring agentic experiences to its devices in international markets in the near future.

HONOR is transforming mobile photography with AiMAGE, the new brand for HONOR’s imaging technology. AiMAGE is powered by the AI Kernel, the industry’s first solution to support device-cloud AI models. Locally, the on-device model supports a 1.3 billion parameter model to generate a 50% uplift in image clarity. The cloud counterpart benefits from a larger scale of computing resources, running a 12.4 billion parameter model to massively enhance the quality of telephoto images.

Equally important in AiMAGE is the AI ecosystem component. Through collaborating with partners, including Google Cloud, HONOR will continue improving the versatility of its imaging offerings by integrating more intuitive AI features into its smartphones. The brand-new AI Upscale feature for restoring old portraits will be rolled out gradually to the HONOR Magic7 series[1], powered by the Snapdragon® 8 Elite Mobile Platform, starting this March.

HONOR introduced the world’s first all-ecosystem file-sharing technology. With it, users can enjoy ultra-fast speeds, whether transferring files to one or many iOS and Android devices. Additionally, the brand also announced that AI Deepfake detection will soon arrive in its latest flagship bar phones and foldable phones in international markets.

[1] The HONOR Magic7 Series does not include the HONOR Magic7 Lite. The exact availability time for experiencing this feature may vary by region and channel.