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Kangpu Biopharmaceuticals Received IND Approval from NMPA for KPG-818 to Treat Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma

HEFEI, China, Feb. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Kangpu Biopharmaceuticals, Ltd. (“Kangpu”) today announced that the Company has received IND approval from the CDE (Center for Drug Evaluation) of China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for KPG-818 for the treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM).

IND approval record on CDE official website
IND approval record on CDE official website

KPG-818 is a novel oral molecular glue modulator of the E3 ubiquitin ligase complex CRL4-CRBN. It demonstrated high cereblon (CRBN) binding affinity and potent degradation of Aiolos (IKZF3) and Ikaros (IKZF1), two members of the Ikaros family of zinc-finger transcription factors associated with B-cell development. KPG-818 possesses immunomodulatory, anti-angiogenic, and anti-tumor effects.

The Phase I clinical trial of KPG-818 in the United States for the treatment of various hematological tumors has been completed. Preliminary results indicate that in RRMM patients who have previously received two immunomodulatory drugs (lenalidomide and pomalidomide), at least one proteasome inhibitor (bortezomib, ixazomib, or carfilzomib), and a CD38 monoclonal antibody (daratumumab or isatuximab), KPG-818 demonstrated good safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic characteristics, and encouraging therapeutic effects.

About Kangpu Biopharmaceuticals

Kangpu Biopharmaceuticals, Ltd. is a clinical-stage company focused on the discovery and development of innovative therapeutics for the treatment of solid tumors, hematologic malignancies, autoimmune diseases, and inflammatory disorders through novel solutions, including targeted protein degradation. Kangpu has developed a robust pipeline of potential first-in-class and best-in-class drug candidates based on proprietary technology platforms, including NeoMIDES®, gDACs®, and X-SYNERGY®.

For more information, please visit www.KangpuGroup.com.

 

Ascenda and Galileo Financial Technologies Collaborate to Elevate Card Loyalty Programs

Partnership combines Galileo’s technology platform and Ascenda’s loyalty expertise to simplify and power card loyalty programs

NEW YORK, Feb. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Ascenda, the industry leader in loyalty-as-a-service, has partnered with Galileo Financial Technologies, SoFi Technologies, Inc.’s Tech Platform (NASDAQ: SOFI), to deliver seamless and engaging loyalty experiences through card loyalty programs to banks, fintechs and other brands.

This collaboration integrates Ascenda’s loyalty and customer engagement solutions with Galileo’s robust financial technology platform, offering clients an end-to-end path to launch loyalty card programs. Galileo’s advanced financial services infrastructure, combined with Ascenda’s expertise in rewards fulfillment, creates an unparalleled solution for enhancing customer acquisition, engagement, and retention.

“By aligning our expertise in crafting growth-oriented loyalty propositions with Galileo’s technology platform, we’re delivering a compelling solution for brands,” said Josh Berwitz, Chief Commercial Officer of Ascenda. “With this collaboration, our clients can launch compelling programs that seamlessly integrate with top-tier loyalty programs in travel, hospitality, and beyond.”

Together, Ascenda and Galileo are tackling key loyalty challenges for financial institutions, fintechs and other brands by delivering a comprehensive, end-to-end solution. Galileo simplifies card issuing, while Ascenda ensures seamless loyalty integration, creating frictionless reward experiences that boost customer satisfaction and ROI.

“Our collaboration with Ascenda represents an exciting offering for our clients,” said David Feuer, Chief Product Officer, Galileo. “Together, we’re empowering organizations to launch loyalty-driven card programs that engage customers on a deeper level, enable faster time-to-market, and drive meaningful results.”

This partnership continues to accelerate Ascenda’s global loyalty ecosystem, enhancing its ability to drive growth for financial brands worldwide.

About Ascenda: Ascenda delivers loyalty-as-a-service for financial institutions and merchants globally, unlocking superior ROI across customer acquisition, engagement, and retention. With over a decade of proven results, an unrivaled roster of top-tier global clients, and enterprise- grade technology, Ascenda is trusted by leading brands to deliver growth outcomes, eliminate complexity, and create extraordinary customer experiences. For more information, please visit ascenda.com

About Galileo: Galileo Financial Technologies, LLC and certain of its affiliates collectively comprise a financial technology company owned and operated independently by SoFi Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SOFI) that enables fintechs, financial institutions, and emerging and established brands to build differentiated financial solutions that deliver exceptional, customer-centric experiences. Through modern, open APIs, Galileo’s flexible, secure, scalable and fully integrated platform drives innovation across payments and financial services. Trusted by digital banking heavyweights, early-stage innovators and enterprise clients alike, Galileo supports issuing physical and virtual payment cards, mobile push provisioning, tailored and differentiated financial products and more, across industries and geographies. For more information please visit galileo-ft.com

©2025 Galileo Financial Technologies, LLC. All rights reserved.

Galileo Financial Technologies, LLC is a technology company, not a bank. Galileo partners with many issuing banks to provide banking services in North and Latin America.

CARsgen Therapeutics Introduced Zhuhai SB Xinchuang to Accelerate Allogeneic CAR-T Cell Products Development in Mainland China

SHANGHAI, Feb. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — CARsgen Therapeutics Holdings Limited (Stock Code: 2171.HK, “CARsgen Therapeutics“), a company focused on innovative CAR T-cell therapies for the treatment of hematologic malignancies and solid tumors, announces reaching agreements with an investment fund managed by Zhuhai Hengqin SB Xinchuang Equity Investment Management Enterprise (Limited Partnership)  (“Zhuhai SB Xinchuang“) to jointly invest in UCARsgen Biotech Limited (“UCARsgen“), a China-based new drug discovery biotechnology company focused on allogeneic CAR-T cell therapies for the treatment of hematologic malignancies.

Under the agreements, UCARsgen has secured the exclusive rights in mainland China for the research, development, manufacture, and commercialization of the following allogeneic CAR-T products from CARsgen Therapeutics: the BCMA-targeted allogeneic CAR-T cell therapy for the treatment of multiple myeloma and plasma cell leukemia and the CD19/CD20 dual-targeted allogeneic CAR-T cell therapy for the treatment of B-cell malignancies. An investment fund managed by Zhuhai SB Xinchuang (currently undergoing registration and filing procedures) subscribed to the newly increased registered capital of UCARsgen for a consideration of RMB 80,000,000, thus retaining an 8% equity stake in the registered capital of UCARsgen upon completion of the transaction, equity stake of CARsgen Therapeutics in UCARsgen will be diluted from 100% to 92%.

About CARsgen Therapeutics Holdings Limited

CARsgen is a biopharmaceutical company with operations in China and the U.S., focusing on innovative CAR T-cell therapies for the treatment of hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. CARsgen has established a comprehensive CAR T-cell research and development platform that covers target discovery, innovative CAR T-cell development, clinical trials, and commercial-scale production. Internally, CARsgen has developed novel technologies and a product pipeline with global rights to address significant challenges faced by existing CAR T-cell therapies. Efforts include improving safety profile, enhancing the efficacy in treating solid tumors, and reducing treatment costs. CARsgen’s mission is to become a global biopharmaceutical leader that provides innovative and differentiated cell therapies for cancer patients worldwide and makes cancer curable.

Forward-looking Statements

All statements in this press release that are not historical fact or that do not relate to present facts or current conditions are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements express the Group’s current views, projections, beliefs and expectations with respect to future events as of the date of this press release. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and factors beyond the Group’s control. As a result, they are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, and actual events or results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements and the forward-looking events discussed in this press release might not occur. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those detailed under the heading “Principal Risks and Uncertainties” in our most recent annual report and interim report and other announcements and reports made available on our corporate website, https://www.carsgen.com. No representation or warranty is given as to the achievement or reasonableness of, and no reliance should be placed on, any projections, targets, estimates or forecasts contained in this press release.

Axiad Applauded by Frost & Sullivan for Providing Phishing-resistant Authentication with PKI-based Authentication

Axiad’s PKI-based authentication enables scalability and flexibility in large-scale enterprise environments, elevates user experience and streamlines user access control

SAN ANTONIO, Feb. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Frost & Sullivan recently analyzed the public key infrastructure (PKI)-based authentication industry and, based on its research, recognizes Axiad with the 2025 Global Customer Value Leadership Award. The company, originally founded as an integrator of Identity and Access Management (IAM) technologies, began by developing and deploying Personal Identity Verification (PIV) and Common Access Cards (CAC) for the United States government. It has continued to innovate with the changing landscape of cybersecurity, offering flexible, scalable solutions to meet the needs of modern organizations. Now focused on managing credentials at scale across diverse hardware types and network platforms, Axiad’s offerings have evolved into a comprehensive credential management toolset providing multiple cloud-based and on-premises options. The company also supports the growing demand for machine identities and the need to manage temporary identities, allowing organizations the flexibility needed to cover all its credential use cases.

Axiad’s PKI-based authentication supports automated certificate issuance and validation, makes it easier for organizations to implement and enforce security policies, complies with various regulatory standards and industry best practices and offers unique experiences across heterogeneous environments. PKI supports digital signatures, which help verify that the information has not been tampered with during transmission, providing confidentiality and integrity to data exchanges. As the frequency and complexity of cyber threats evolve, PKI-based authentication offers a robust, future-proof solution for securing digital interactions seamlessly and efficiently. Axiad Conductor helps organizations manage credentials through a cloud-based enterprise PKI system, supporting various authentication methods like passkeys, hardware tokens or embedded device-bound certificates. The platform supports integrations with hardware devices from vendors such as Yubico, Thales, and Feitian for provisioning and credential management, as well as with PKI solutions and identity providers (IDPs) like Okta, Ping and One Identity.

Ozgun Pelit, senior industry analyst for Frost & Sullivan, observed, “Axiad serves organizations that face challenges with managing both on-premises and cloud infrastructures, which often operate in silos. Many Axiad customers are typically in the process of moving to the cloud and modernizing their infrastructure but find themselves stuck between two worlds, with some resources on the cloud and others still on-premises. Axiad’s solution helps properly bridge this gap, unifying both environments.”

Axiad’s offering focuses on integrating machine identities alongside user authentication and workflows. This means machine identities, whether used by individual users or deployed within an organization’s environment, are seamlessly managed in conjunction with user credentials. Axiad provides organizations with a consistent authentication experience across different platforms, including operating systems, on-prem and cloud applications. Axiad Conductor simplifies this process by offering a unified authentication approach for applications, users and hardware, ensuring a seamless and consistent experience regardless of the credentials. Axiad simplifies the authentication process by templatizing options and streamlining credential management to assist organizations and users with no PKI expertise. Additionally, Axiad offers self-issuance capabilities through its portal, allowing users to view, manage and issue new identities when required. While Axiad serves a variety of verticals, its core customer type includes regulated industries such as financial services, health insurance, critical infrastructure and federal agencies.  

“Axiad helps customers manage their authentication needs independently, offering professional services or assistance for new configurations or specific requirements,” added Ozgun. “Its PKI-based authentication offers truly phishing-resistant security, flexibility and scalability by providing a centralized, unified approach. Through an evaluation of Axiad’s security and authentication offerings, Axiad proves itself a reliable partner for organizations in their journey to infrastructure modernization.”

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has demonstrated excellence in implementing strategies that proactively create value for its customers with a focus on improving the return on the investment that customers make in its services or products. The award recognizes the company’s unique focus on augmenting the value that its customers receive, beyond simply good customer service, leading to improved customer retention and customer base expansion.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in various regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in leadership, technological innovation, customer service and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analyses and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

About Frost & Sullivan
For six decades, Frost & Sullivan has been world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders, and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, megatrends, new business models and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion. Contact us: Start the discussion.

Contact:
Camila Tinajero
P: +54911 6713 2748
E: Camila.Tinajero@frost.com

About Axiad
Axiad is an identity security company tackling the critical threats posed by compromised credentials, which account for more than 70% of enterprise breaches. As human and non-human identities multiply across disparate systems, traditional IAM tools fall short, leaving organizations with fragmented visibility and significant security gaps. Axiad bridges this divide by uncovering hidden identity risks and credential vulnerabilities, providing actionable insights to strengthen security—without requiring a complete system overhaul. Our solutions integrate seamlessly with existing IAM infrastructures, enabling organizations to shrink their attack surface and adopt phishing-resistant, strong authentication methods. At Axiad, we make identity security simple, effective and real for a passwordless, more secure world. Discover more at axiad.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Media Contact:
Meghan Locke
Three Rings Inc.
413-627-5335
axiad@threeringsinc.com 

RoboSense Achieves Milestone with Production and Delivery of Its 1 Millionth LiDAR

SHENZHEN, China, Feb. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — On February 21, RoboSense (2498.HK), an AI-driven robotics technology company that supplies industry-leading incremental components and solutions for the robotics market, held a ceremony in Shenzhen to celebrate the production of its 1 millionth LiDAR unit. On February 24, the LiDAR was officially delivered to Humanoid Robot (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. This milestone marks RoboSense as the first company in the world to achieve the production of 1 million high-beam LiDAR units.

The E1R LiDAR, affixed with a custom "1,000,000ᵗʰ" commemorative plaque.
The E1R LiDAR, affixed with a custom “1,000,000ᵗʰ” commemorative plaque.

On the same day, the off-line ceremony took place at RoboSense’s Beta Manufacturing Base in Nanshan, Shenzhen. Workers affixed a custom commemorative plaque reading “1,000,000ᵗʰ” to a newly produced fully solid-state digital LiDAR E1R that had just rolled off the production line, and gathered the relevant production line staff for a group photo. After the ceremony, the E1R and commemorative plaque were immediately shipped to their next destination—Pudong, Shanghai.

The Off-line Ceremony for RoboSense's 1 Millionth LiDAR Took Place at the Beta Factory.
The Off-line Ceremony for RoboSense’s 1 Millionth LiDAR Took Place at the Beta Factory.

On February 24, RoboSense officially delivered its 1 millionth LiDAR E1R to Humanoid Robot (Shanghai) Co., Ltd for integration into the full-size general-purpose humanoid robot “Qinglong”.

The
The “Qinglong” humanoid robot is equipped with RoboSense’s 1 millionth LiDAR E1R.

At the delivery site, Xing Boyang, the R&D Director of the Humanoid Robot (Shanghai) Co., Ltd, stated, “Congratulations to RoboSense on the production of its 1 millionth LiDAR. The National and Local Co-built Humanoid Robotics Innovation Center has already adopted RoboSense’s E1R for collaborative product development on the ‘Qinglong’ humanoid robot’s public version.”

“Qinglong” is the world’s first full-size open-source humanoid robot, independently developed by Humanoid Robot (Shanghai) Co., Ltd (National and Local Co-built Humanoid Robotics Innovation Center). It features a highly biomimetic torso structure and humanoid motion control, supporting multimodal mobility, perception, interaction, and manipulation. The robot boasts up to 43 active degrees of freedom, with a peak joint torque of 400 N•m and computing power of 400 TOPs. It can walk at a speed of 1 m/s while carrying a 40 kg load.

Humanoid Robot (Shanghai) Co., Ltd is one of RoboSense’s solid partners in the humanoid robotics industry. Through the E1R and a series of technical supports, RoboSense will assist in accelerating the development and deployment of the “Qinglong” for various multi-scenario tasks.

Since the beginning of this year, the AI robotics industry, represented by humanoid robots, has experienced rapid growth and is expected to usher in large-scale commercial applications. Based on its hardware technology and AI algorithm capabilities accumulated over the past decade in the wave of automotive intelligence, RoboSense officially launched its robotics platform strategy at the beginning of this year, positioning itself as a “robotics technology platform company” to provide incremental components and solutions for the AI robotics industry. At the same time, RoboSense unveiled its first batch of innovative products, including LiDAR products such as the E1R and Airy for robotics, as well as new robot vision products like the Active Camera and the dexterous hand Papert 2.0, which will safeguard the AI robotics industry’s growth and commercial deployment.

Guided by its mission to create a “Safer world, Smarter life,” RoboSense remains committed to advancing the AI robotics industry alongside its partners.

 

Cedro Participações signs concession contract for the Port of Itaguaí at an event with President Lula and Minister Silvio Costa Filho

The company will be the first 100% Brazilian mining company to verticalize its operations and intends to invest R$3.6 billion in the project

MINAS GERAIS, Brazil, Feb. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Last Friday (21), Cedro Participações signed the concession contract for the Port of Itaguaí, in Rio de Janeiro. The event was attended by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho.


During the ceremony, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Cedro Participações, Lucas Kallas, highlighted the importance of the port in increasing the competitiveness of Brazilian mining activity.

“This new route will increase the competitiveness of Brazilian mining on the global stage and, at the same time, bring significant benefits to the environment and the country’s infrastructure. Thanks to this move, we will remove five thousand trucks per day from the roads and reduce CO2 emissions by more than 40 thousand tons”, he stated.

The company plans to invest R$3.6 billion in the area that will be used to build a storage and handling terminal for mineral bulk solids. The site known as “Porto do Meio” will have the capacity to move 20 million tons per year in an area of approximately 350 thousand square meters.

“We will invest R$3.6 billion in the new port terminal alone, which will generate 2,800 direct and indirect jobs during its construction. And another 2.8 thousand when it will start operating, generating income and boosting the social development of the surrounding communities. The railway branch and terminal will require more than 1.5 billion reais in private investments”, Lucas Kallas affirmed.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva praised Cedro and Lucas Kallas’ courage in investing in the country.

“I would like to thank the entrepreneur Lucas who decided to invest here. I learned from my mother that when we want to know if someone is honest and hard-working, we don’t have to pay attention to their mouth, we have to pay attention to their eyes. And regarding my friend Lucas, since he was brought to my office saying he wanted to invest in the country’s mining industry, I discovered right away that I was talking to a serious businessman, who loves Brazil and supports its growth”, he said.

Cedro will also use the terminal to export pellet feed, a high-quality iron ore capable of reducing carbon emissions in the steel industry by up to 50%.

For Fabiano Carvalho, Commercial Vice President, Strategy and Projects at Cedro Participações, the terminal operation suits the company’s commitments to sustainable mining.

“This port is all about sustainability, it will respect all the best environmental practices in its construction and operation and, in addition, it will allow high-quality ore to be exported and shipped from Brazil to the Middle East and Asia“, he remarked.

Construction work will begin in 2027 and operations are expected to begin in 2029. The investment makes Cedro Participações the first 100% Brazilian, privately held iron mining company to verticalize its operations and have an outlet to the sea.

The Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho, emphasized the development that the construction works of the terminal will bring to the Itaguaí region.

“This is the largest auction in the history of Brazilian ports, with initial investments of R$3.6 billion, which over the years will reach almost R$10 billion in investments. This means that now during the construction phase, 2,800 direct and indirect jobs will be created, bringing opportunities to the people of the region”, he stated.

The Minister of Labor, Luiz Marinho (PT), underscored the recovery of jobs in the port area during Lula’s governments. “In the last two years (2023 and 2024), we have generated more than 2 million and 100 thousand jobs with signed contracts in the country”, he declared. The Minister highlighted the country’s solidity and its growth in income and employment, and criticized the pessimism about the Brazilian economy. “We will grow once again and have a positive employment balance”, he said.

Brazil has been in a growing process of generating employment. In Brazil, presided over by President Lula, all workers will have opportunities in our country, in formal or informal economic activities. Anyone who wants to endeavour, will have the government’s support. Anyone who wants to work formally, will definitely and preferably also have the government’s support”, he stated.

 

Riyadh Air and IBM to build AI-driven enterprise, to elevate guest and employee experiences

  • Agreement will see Riyadh Air leverage IBM watsonx and IBM Consulting solutions to drive Riyadh Air’s vision as the world’s first digital native airline
  • The collaboration aims to help power the Saudi Arabian airline’s mission to launch flights in 2025 while offering an elevated guest experience

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Today, IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced a new agreement with Riyadh Air, which will integrate watsonx, IBM’s portfolio of AI products, and IBM Consulting AI solutions to establish an enterprise-wide AI capability to elevate Riyadh Air guest and employee experiences.  As Riyadh Air prepares for its inaugural flights in late 2025, the new Saudi Arabian airline sets another key building block of its journey in redefining air travel as the world’s first digital native carrier.

Adam Boukadida, Riyadh Air Chief Financial Officer, and Mohamad Ali, SVP and Head of IBM Consulting, at FII PRIORITY MIAMI 2025 Summit
Adam Boukadida, Riyadh Air Chief Financial Officer, and Mohamad Ali, SVP and Head of IBM Consulting, at FII PRIORITY MIAMI 2025 Summit

The announcement took place at the third edition of The FII PRIORITY Miami 2025 Summit, where senior executives from both IBM and Riyadh Air, including Adam Boukadida, Riyadh Air Chief Financial Officer, and Mohamad Ali, SVP and Head of IBM Consulting, reaffirmed their commitment to driving innovation in the aviation sector. 

Building a world-class airline requires more than just aircraft and infrastructure; it demands an intelligent digital foundation that anticipates passenger needs, streamlines operations, and empowers employees. Riyadh Air is embracing this challenge by making AI the driving force behind its transformation.

“Riyadh Air is more than just an airline; it is a gateway to new opportunities for travelers from the Kingdom and beyond,” said Adam Boukadida, Riyadh Air Chief Financial Officer. “As we move closer to our first flight later in 2025, our vision is to deliver a seamless, world-class travel experience by expanding our reach, pioneering innovations, and redefining industry standards. By deepening our collaboration with IBM, we are harnessing the power of AI, from intelligent customer interactions to optimized flight operations, to set a new benchmark for the future of aviation.”

This agreement aims to strengthen Riyadh Air’s position as a truly digital-native airline, building on IBM’s AI-driven products and solutions together with IBM Consulting as its lead systems integrator. watsonx, IBM’s portfolio of AI products, will serve as the foundation for Riyadh Air’s AI platform, driving mission-critical functions and fostering open innovation with multi-model AI. The new platform will be built with a focus on  data security, privacy, regulatory compliance, and responsible AI adoption. Riyadh Air will also leverage Agentic AI to deploy autonomous bots to enable seamless and personalized system interactions.

IBM will oversee the installation and deployment of watsonx, as well as develop AI use cases utilizing IBM Garage methodology to drive automation and digital transformation.

With IBM Consulting Advantage, an AI-powered delivery platform, Riyadh Air will deploy AI solutions to boost efficiency and service, including AI-powered Virtual Assistants for customer and employee self-service.

“By embedding watsonx at the core of its operations, Riyadh Air is taking an AI-first approach to redefine air travel and set new industry standards as the world’s first digital-native airline,” said Mohamad Ali, Senior Vice President and Head of IBM Consulting. “Together we are supercharging our teams with AI to enhance traveler experiences, optimize operations, and shape the future of aviation in Saudi Arabia and beyond.”

The airline’s decision to partner with IBM Consulting and watsonx was driven by IBM’s strong track record in AI transformation, backed by successful past engagements with Riyadh Air that established trust and credibility. IBM’s immersive engagement model played a key role in the expanded relationship. Hands-on AI workshops  showcased real-world benefits for guests and employees, and IBM offered AI technology and enterprise services into an integrated solution tailored to Riyadh Air’s digital goals. Additionally, IBM Consulting Advantage allows Riyadh Air employees and IBM consultants to work side by side to deliver rapid innovation, scalable solutions, and accelerated value helping Riyadh Air shape next-generation travel experiences.

Riyadh Air’s AI-driven strategy aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to serve 330 million passengers annually by 2030, positioning the Kingdom as a global aviation hub. By embedding AI across its ecosystem, Riyadh Air sets a new industry benchmark as a truly digital-native airline. This collaboration with IBM marks a transformative leap forward, enabling a comprehensive, intelligent, and highly personalized travel experience designed to anticipate and adapt to the evolving needs of travelers worldwide.

About Riyadh Air
Riyadh Air is a world-class airline owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF). Launched in March 2023, the airline will be a digitally-led, full service airline that adopts the best global sustainability and safety practices across its advanced fleet of aircraft. Riyadh Air will equip its aircrafts with the most advanced, state-of-the-art features with innovative, best-in-class cabin interiors and experiences, including next generation digital in-flight entertainment systems and connectivity solutions. Riyadh Air will connect guests to over 100 destinations around the world by 2030 through offering an exceptional guest experience with an authentic, warm Saudi hospitality at its heart. 

For more information please visit our website: www.riyadhair.com – and for any media inquiries please contact us at: media@riyadhair.com

About IBM
IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. More than 4,000 government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service. Visit www.ibm.com for more information.

Visit www.ibm.com for more information.

IBM media contact:
Aymen Alfaraj
IBM Communciations
Aymen.Alfaraj@ibm.com 

IBM Corporation logo.
IBM Corporation logo.

 

Plume’s New 5G.11 Offload Helps Communications Service Providers Boost Cellular Coverage and Reduce Costs

PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Plume, the pioneer in cloud-based platform services focused on enriching subscriber experiences for Communications Service Providers (CSPs), today announced the expansion of its 5G.11 cellular and WiFi convergence services.

Plume’s 5G.11 Offload combines two data connection types (5G/cellular and 802.11/WiFi).  5G.11 Offload is a service for mobile network operators to easily offload their subscribers’ mobile traffic onto existing WiFi networks. They can do this by implementing their service across their own subscriber WiFi networks, deploying gateways across public spaces where they operate, or by signing agreements with other WiFi operators.

“The enhanced 5G.11 Offload transforms how CSPs can leverage their existing WiFi infrastructure,” said Robert Gary, Head of Consumer Products at Plume. “By intelligently managing the handoff between cellular and WiFi networks, we’re helping providers deliver better coverage while significantly reducing their operational costs.”

The service’s key benefits include:

  • Reducing CSP Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) data usage costs through efficient WiFi offload
  • Expanding indoor mobile coverage without additional cellular infrastructure
  • Optimizing subscriber quality-of-experience with dynamic handoff algorithms
  • Monitoring network performance in real-time with automated alerts
  • Protecting subscriber internet bandwidth through smart-resource allocation

The solution is delivered through Plume’s Consumer Experience Management (CEM) platform and OpenSync-enabled WiFi routers, autonomously switching mobile devices between cellular and WiFi connections based on performance, availability, and reliability metrics.

For CSPs operating as Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), the platform offers immediate cost savings by reducing cellular data usage fees. Network operators benefit from lower capital and operating expenses by optimizing their licensed spectrum usage. Observability of mass scale deployment efficacy is monitored through key performance indicators (KPIs) to prioritize CSP network build outs and preemptively improve quality of experience (QoE) for their subscribers.

Plume’s 5G.11 Offload is available for immediate deployment. To learn more or arrange for a demo contact: sales@plume.com.

Read more here.

Media queries: corporatecomms@plume.com

About Plume
Plume is the creator of the world’s first SaaS experience platform for communications service providers (CSPs) and their subscribers, deployed in more than 60 million locations globally. As the only open and hardware-independent, cloud-controlled solution, Plume enables the rapid delivery of new services for smart homes, small businesses and beyond, at massive scale. On the front end, Plume delivers self-optimizing, adaptive WiFi, cybersecurity, access, parental controls and more. CSPs get robust data- and AI-driven back-end applications for unprecedented visibility, insights, support, operations and marketing. Plume leverages OpenSync®, an open-source framework that comes pre-integrated and supported on the leading silicon, CPE and platform SDKs.

Plume, OpenSync, WorkPass, HomePass, Uprise and Haystack are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Plume Design, Inc. Other company and product names are used for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Visit us: plume.com.
Follow us: LinkedIn and Instagram.