• Small businesses show strong growth momentum and optimism for 2026.
• Technology investments are paying off.
• Access to external funding remains a challenge.

SINGAPORE, April 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Small businesses in the Philippines are entering 2026 with strong momentum and optimism, according to the latest annual Asia-Pacific Small Business Survey by global professional accounting body CPA Australia.

The survey found that 79 per cent of Philippines’ small businesses reported growth in 2025, the strongest result since 2019 and the fourth-highest among the 11 markets surveyed.

Looking ahead, confidence among small businesses in their own prospects remains exceptionally strong. 89 per cent expect their businesses to grow in 2026, the highest growth expectation across all surveyed markets.

This positive outlook reflects underlying strengths within Philippines’ small business sector. This includes a strong focus on customers, innovation, export opportunities and the positive impact of younger entrepreneurs.

Nearly 47 per cent of small business owners are under the age of 40, above the survey average of 38 per cent. Survey data consistently shows that younger business owners are more likely to pursue high-growth strategies such as adopting digital tools, investing in innovation, engaging with overseas markets and improving customer satisfaction.

Rufus Pinto, CPA member and Group Head of Enterprise Services at BDO UniBank said: “Small business owners in the Philippines continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience and optimism. Their willingness to innovate, embrace new technologies and focus on customer experiences is helping drive business growth despite a challenging global environment.”

Although small businesses in the Philippines lag some developing economies in overall technology adoption, those that invested are seeing clear benefits.

The survey found that 68 per cent of small businesses reported that technology investments improved profitability in 2025, surpassing the survey average of 56 per cent.

Digital payment adoption remains lower than most developing economies, with 73 per cent of small businesses receiving at least 10 per cent of sales through digital payment platforms. Cash transactions continue to play a significant role, with 77 per cent of businesses receiving at least half of their sales in cash, the highest percentage among the surveyed markets.

Despite these gaps in digital adoption, the strong profitability outcomes suggest that technology investments remain an important driver for enhanced efficiency and competitiveness among small businesses.

Access to finance continues to be a key challenge for small businesses in the Philippines.

About 64 per cent of small businesses required external funding in 2025, broadly in line with the survey average of 61 per cent. However, the Philippines was ranked as the least easy market for small businesses to access finance among those surveyed, a challenge that is expected to persist in 2026.

This may limit the ability of some small businesses to invest in technology or upskill their workforce. The findings also highlighted that business owners are more likely to seek advice from trusted personal networks rather than professional advisers. This may partly reflect the challenges associated with accessing external financial support.  

Erwin Vincent G. Alcala, CPA member and Trustee of Saint Paul School of Professional Studies – Leyte and St. Peter’s College – Ormoc City emphasized: “Small businesses remain the lifeblood of the Philippine economy – driving innovation, creating jobs, and sustaining communities. By ensuring access to adequate capital and professional advisory support, we empower these enterprises not only to grow, but to transform – embracing technology and expanding their reach to compete more effectively in both local and global markets.”

Overall, the survey findings suggest that while small businesses in Philippines are navigating global headwinds, their strong growth outlook, optimism, entrepreneurial mindset and willingness to innovate position them well for the year ahead.

About the survey

CPA Australia’s 17th annual Asia-Pacific Small Business Survey was conducted among small business owners/senior managers during November and December 2025 to identify the characteristics of successful small businesses across the region. The findings for the survey come from 4,166 small businesses in 11 markets. From the commencement of the survey in 2009, we have surveyed over 50,000 small businesses across the region. These include Australia, Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan region and Vietnam.

About CPA Australia

CPA Australia is Australia’s leading professional accounting body and one of the largest in the world. We have more than 176,000 members in over 100 countries and regions. Our core services include education, training, technical support and advocacy. CPA Australia provides thought leadership on local, national and international issues affecting the accounting profession and public interest. We engage with governments, regulators and industries to advocate policies that stimulate sustainable economic growth and have positive business and public outcomes. A CPA is a Certified Practising Accountant. More at cpaaustralia.com.au

SINGAPORE, April 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Analytic Edge (a C5i company), a provider of AI-powered marketing analytics solutions, announced that it has been badged as an official TikTok Marketing Partner in the measurement category, with a specialty in Media Mix Modeling (MMM). This badge highlights Analytic Edge’s advanced measurement capabilities and reinforces its position as an analytics partner for brands seeking accurate, real-time insights into TikTok’s contribution within the broader marketing ecosystem.

As a TikTok Badged Measurement Partner, Analytic Edge can now offer its clients the benefit of more accurate and granular TikTok ads campaign data, enabling sharper measurement of the impact of TikTok in their marketing mix. With TikTok becoming an important media investment platform across verticals, there is a growing need for improved measurement of TikTok ads campaign performance in order to optimize investments for maximum impact. Analytic Edge will integrate TikTok’s campaign performance data directly into its proprietary Marketing Mix Modeling platform, Demand Drivers™, to deliver these benefits to its clients worldwide.

Commenting on the development, Dr. Santosh Nair, SVP and BU Head at Analytic Edge, a C5i company, said, “We are proud to be badged as a TikTok measurement partner, with a focus on Media Mix Modeling (MMM). This is a testament to Analytic Edge’s expertise and reputation in delivering data-driven marketing insights. The partner badge will now enable us to bring TikTok’s rich campaign data directly into our MMM solutions, helping brands measure the full impact of their marketing investments, optimize media spend, and make smarter, more confident decisions. We are excited to continue supporting our clients in navigating an increasingly complex media landscape and unlocking growth through better measurement.”

The MMM Badge provides Analytic Edge’s clients with several key advantages:

• Full-funnel measurement – Gain visibility into TikTok’s role from brand awareness to conversion uplift and accurately capture the impact of TikTok investments across various formats.
• Automated data integration – Benefit from seamless, scalable data ingestion powered by TikTok’s MMM API.
• Advanced forecasting & insights – Leverage predictive modelling to simulate future performance and guide strategic planning.

This recognition further establishes the position of Analytic Edge in marketing measurement, enabling brands to navigate evolving consumer behavior, platform dynamics, and signal challenges while maximizing the impact of their TikTok investments.

About Analytic Edge

Analytic Edge, a C5i group company, is a global provider of AI-powered marketing analytics and insights. The company delivers advanced, real-time analytics solutions that help brands make faster, smarter, and more cost-effective marketing and sales decisions.

Through proprietary technology available as SaaS or in-house deployments, Analytic Edge offers always-on analytics capabilities, such as marketing mix modeling, revenue growth management, campaign incrementality, and new product launch evaluation. Its intuitive, point-and-click software makes advanced analytics accessible and scalable across teams and markets.

With a client base spanning sectors including e-commerce, mobile apps, gaming, consumer goods, retail, and automotive, Analytic Edge supports global organizations.

For more information, visit www.analytic-edge.com 

Media Contact

Megha Chaudhry
Senior Vice President – Global Head of Marketing & Alliance Management, C5i
O: +1 (425) 615 7474 | E:  megha.chaudhry@c5i.ai

• Japanese manufacturing executives visit SK Chemicals’ Ulsan plant
• Strong interest in chemical recycling technology that delivers material properties comparable to petroleum-based materials, as well as expanding applications

ULSAN, South Korea, April 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A Japanese business delegation visited SK Chemicals to gain a firsthand look at the company’s recycled-plastics technologies and solutions.

SK Chemicals (CEO: Ahn Jae-hyun) announced on the 13th that the Kansai Association of Corporate Executives, a business organization from Japan’s Kansai region, visited SK Chemicals’ Ulsan plant in Nam-gu, Ulsan, for a briefing on the company’s circular recycling technologies and a tour of its production facilities.

The Kansai Association of Corporate Executives is a leading business organization in the Kansai region, comprising about 600 major companies, including Panasonic Holdings and Sony Group, and around 1,500 corporate executives. It is regarded as one of the three major economic organizations in Kansai, alongside the Kansai Economic Federation and the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The event, organized to exchange technologies and trends in the recycled-plastics sector, was attended by 37 executives and representatives from companies affiliated with the Association’s Circular Economy Committee, including hygiene and household products company Saraya, automotive parts company Toyota Mobility, and airline All Nippon Airways (ANA).

Attendees were briefed on the overall process, from the collection and sorting of waste plastics to depolymerization, repolymerization, material production, and application in finished goods, as well as on depolymerization itself, the core technology that converts waste plastics back into feedstock. Participants also toured the production site to review manufacturing processes for materials, including copolyesters, as well as quality-control procedures.

The Association’s visit is understood to have been driven by growing interest in the recyclability and sustainability of materials in Japan, particularly across the manufacturing sector, as companies seek alternatives to conventional materials. In Japan as well, active policy discussions are underway, much like in the EU and Korea, on mandating the use of recycled plastics in areas such as packaging and home appliances for companies that use plastics on a scale above a certain threshold.

Yusuke Saraya, President and CEO of Saraya Co., Ltd., who joined the visit, said, “At a time when most companies are still presenting recycled-plastics technologies as goals to be realized sometime in the future, I was impressed that SK Chemicals already has technologies and solutions ready for commercialization and immediate application. Depolymerization-based recycled materials that offer material properties, quality, and hygiene on par with petroleum-based plastics will be a compelling alternative to conventional materials in food and beverage packaging.”

SK Chemicals plans to step up marketing efforts in the growing Japanese market, aiming to increase both brand recognition and market share in the recycled-plastics segment.

Kim Hyun-seok, Head of the Recycling Business Division at SK Chemicals, said, “Japan is seeing rapid growth, with demand for CR PET last year increasing more than fivefold year on year. We will further strengthen our position in the Japanese market by providing solutions tailored to customers’ needs in applications such as food and beverage containers and automotive interior materials.”

Meanwhile, SK Chemicals has been gradually expanding its recycling infrastructure, spanning everything from global production hubs and technology demonstration to the conversion of waste plastics into feedstock. In 2023, the company established a chemical recycling production subsidiary in Shantou, Guangdong Province, China, where it is commercially producing r-BHET and SKYPET CR. In Korea, it established the Recycle Innovation Center (RIC), a depolymerization-based plastic recycling demonstration facility, creating a research and production system capable of recycling a wide range of waste plastics. Late last year, it also established a joint venture with Kelinle, a plastics recycling specialist in Shaanxi Province, China, to build the Feedstock Innovation Center (FIC), outlining plans to directly convert waste plastics into feedstock and to build procurement capabilities.

• Schaeffler’s participation in Asia Road Racing Championship to reinforce its position as a technology leader focused on performance and reliability
• Showcasing full system expertise with precision-engineered products designed for two-wheelers

SEPANG, Malaysia, April 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Schaeffler, a global leader in motion technology, is proud to announce its role as official technology sponsor for the 2026 Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC). The ARRC is Asia’s premier regional motorcycle racing series, featuring six rounds in prominent locations across the region. The 2026 season commences on April 10, 2026, at Sepang, Malaysia. This sponsorship marks Schaeffler’s strategic entry into the dynamic two-wheeler racing scene in Asia.

Advancing Motion, with Motorsport

At Schaeffler, motorsport represents far more than competition. As outlined in our Why We Race philosophy, the racetrack serves as an extremely demanding and proving ground for technology. As Schaeffler elevates engagement in the dynamic two-wheeler landscape in Asia, the platform offers a conducive opportunity to highlight Schaeffler’s broad technology portfolio that enable reliability and efficiency in high performance environments. This aligns with the company’s goal to drive innovation globally in the field of motion technology.

Maximilian Fiedler, Regional CEO Asia/Pacific of Schaeffler, said: “Motorsports is a powerful driver for innovation, constantly challenging us to refine and elevate the standards of our technologies. We have been pursuing this in Europe for our four-wheeler segment and now with the partnership in the Asia Road Racing Championship, we foray into the two-wheeler racing segment in the region. Two-wheeler business is a strong area for us in Asia Pacific and this initiative demonstrates our passion for advancing motion and delivering solutions that perform at the highest level, on the racetrack and on the road. We are thrilled to support this exciting championship with Two Wheels Motor Racing and to leverage our cutting-edge technologies together with our partners and customers.”  

Ron Hogg, Director, Two Wheels Motor Racing Sdn Bhd, said: “Schaeffler’s advanced motion technologies and proven expertise in the two-wheeler segment make them an ideal partner for the Asia Road Racing Championship. We are excited about this new partnership and together, we are focused on elevating the racing standards and delivering a world-class experience for riders and fans across the region, as a premier, innovation-driven racing championship.”

Showcasing Our Full System Expertise

With decades of precision engineering experience and a passion for advancing motion, Schaeffler proudly sponsors the ARRC to support the evolving two-wheeler market. Schaeffler will showcase its full system expertise at the event, from precision-engineered systems, reliable batteries, to engine components. Visitors and racing enthusiasts will gain exclusive insight into how Schaeffler’s products can enhance performance, durability, and efficiency across the entire lifecycle of two-wheelers.

Schaeffler Group – We pioneer motion

The Schaeffler Group has been driving forward groundbreaking inventions and developments in the field of motion technology for 80 years. With innovative technologies, products, and services for electric mobility, CO₂-efficient drives, chassis solutions and renewable energies, the company is a reliable partner for making motion more efficient, intelligent, and sustainable – over the entire life cycle. Schaeffler describes its comprehensive range of products and services by means of eight product families: From bearing solutions and all types of linear guidance systems through to repair and monitoring services. Schaeffler is with around 110,000 employees and more than 250 locations in 55 countries, one of the world’s largest family-owned companies and one of Germany’s most innovative companies.

• Connecting global investors with Abu Dhabi’s thriving capital market and opportunities

ABU DHABI, UAE, April 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) Group and its listed companies are heading to Hong Kong for its annual Global Investor Outreach on 14 to 16 April, presenting Abu Dhabi’s resilient growth story and the breadth of investment opportunities available through the ADX. This roadshow will be held on the sidelines of the HSBC Global Investment Summit 2026.

The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange Group’s headquarters in the capital of the UAE

Hong Kong will be the ADX’s first international stop for 2026, connecting international capital with the high-growth opportunities emerging from the UAE’s capital. This mission reinforces the long-standing, mutually respectful relationship between Abu Dhabi and Hong Kong—two of the world’s most sophisticated financial hubs. Both markets have shared a commitment to foster closer cross-border business and investment collaboration.

In direct response to international asset managers and institutional investors, this outreach focuses on the specific growth trajectories of ADX-listed entities and highlights the ADX’s market infrastructure offering as one of the top 20 global exchanges and the second-largest in the region by market capitalization (over USD 850 billion). The visit to Hong Kong reflects the positive synergy between Middle Eastern capital and Asian institutional expertise. The roadshow allows the ADX to present its diversified investment offerings across dividend-yielding sectors and high-growth industries.

Abdulla Salem Alnuaimi, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) Group, said: “Hong Kong is an important gateway for global capital, and our annual roadshow reflects the strong, ongoing relationship we have built with the investor community there. Investors are increasingly looking toward Abu Dhabi not just as a safe haven, but also as a primary engine of alpha in sectors ranging from renewable energy, AI, utilities, healthcare, and fintech. Our presence in Hong Kong is a proactive response to the global investment community’s appetite for diversified, high-yield opportunities.

We are here to provide a direct gateway to Abu Dhabi’s economic transformation, offering a transparent platform for investors to engage with our blue-chip companies and understand the compelling investment opportunities available across our market.”

Amid global market volatility, the ADX continues to be a resilient yet vibrant investment gateway, supported by Abu Dhabi’s AA/Aa2 credit ratings and a stable regulatory environment. Investors’ confidence in the ADX is validated by the heightened trading activity and volume.

The ADX Group achieved significant growth in 2025, with market capitalization surpassing AED 3.13 trillion (a 4.6% increase from 2024) and total trading value rising 12.6% to exceed AED 385 billion. The average trading value in 2025 increased by 12.1% to AED 1.52 billion. Foreign investors’ trading value rose by 13.8%, and institutional investors accounted for 78% of the total trading value.

The ADX’s attractive dividend culture continues to underpin long-term wealth creation. All in all, ADX-listed companies distributed close to AED 74 billion in dividend payouts in 2025. Investors and issuers benefit from Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s stable macroeconomic environment, rising foreign direct investment, and expanding non-oil economy.

About Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX)

The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) was established on 15 November 2000 pursuant to Local Law No. (3) of 2000, which granted the exchange legal rights with independent financial and administrative status, as well as the necessary supervisory and executive powers necessary to carry out its functions. On 17 March 2020, the ADX was converted from a public entity into a Public Joint Stock Company (PJSC) in accordance with Law No. (8) of 2020.

The ADX Group, a market infrastructure group comprising the exchange (ADX) and its post-trade ecosystem, including its wholly owned subsidiaries AD Depository and AD Clear, was established. Through its integrated and globally aligned business structure, the ADX Group supports efficient, transparent, and resilient capital markets across trading, clearing, settlement, and custody.

The Group provides an efficient and regulated marketplace for the trading of securities, including equities issued by public joint-stock companies, bonds issued by governments and corporations, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and other financial instruments approved by the UAE Capital Market Authority.

The ADX is the second-largest exchange in the Arab region by market capitalization. Its strategy of delivering stable financial performance through diversified revenue streams is aligned with the UAE’s national development agenda, “Towards the Next 50”, which aims to build a sustainable, diversified, and high-value-added economy.

TOKYO, April 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — DEEPX, a leading physical AI semiconductor company led by CEO Lokwon Kim, successfully participated in Japan IT Week 2026 at Tokyo Big Sight. Collaborating with key local partners, DEEPX showcased its mass-produced DX-M1 chip, accelerating its strategic expansion into the Japanese market.

Japan is currently experiencing a rapid surge in demand for embedded IoT and Physical AI for autonomous robotics, driving the need for high-performance, ultra-low-power edge AI solutions. To meet this demand, DEEPX is supporting local innovation with its differentiated DX-M1 product line. Furthermore, the company plans to introduce its next-generation 2nm-based physical AI chip, the DX-M2, in the second half of 2026, further widening its global technological lead.

During the exhibition, DEEPX’s technology drew significant attention from major Japanese distributors and industry stakeholders, who praised the exceptional power efficiency and market potential of the DX-M1 module. Local trading companies expressed strong intentions to actively promote and sell DEEPX products through their established networks.

Partner Booth Highlights
DEEPX’s physical AI ecosystem was prominently displayed across partner booths:

• Koshida: Reported massive interest from major Japanese telecommunications operators, scheduling follow-up meetings with approximately 30 companies regarding DX-M1 adoption on the first day alone.
• MSI: Showcased an AI Box for parking management systems, powered by the DX-M1 M.2 module, which previously generated significant buzz at Computex Taiwan.
• Sanshin: Demonstrated Edge AI and IoT cameras utilizing DEEPX’s technology at the SORACOM booth.

Strategic Market Expansion
Beyond the exhibition, DEEPX is actively visiting the headquarters of leading global manufacturers in Japan to pitch its solutions directly. This strong market response is closely tied to CEO Lokwon Kim’s dedication to building a global network. Serving as a member of the KITA (Korea International Trade Association) Korea-Japan Exchange Special Committee since 2024, he has been actively fostering bilateral industrial cooperation for the upcoming AI era.

“Our participation in Japan IT Week and the proactive efforts of our partners have proven DEEPX’s strong competitiveness in Japan’s telecommunications and manufacturing sectors. We will actively expand the adoption of our edge AI solutions across Japan through close collaboration with key local trading partners and KITA initiatives.”

— DEEPX Official Spokesperson

About DEEPX
DEEPX is a global AI semiconductor company specializing in ultra-low-power, high-performance on-device AI solutions. The company develops AI accelerators and computing platforms that deliver real-time intelligence with exceptional energy efficiency. For more information, visit www.deepx.ai.

New State of AI Development 2026 report shows how enterprises are exploring agentic AI, while navigating governance and security concerns

SINGAPORE, April 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — OutSystems, a leading AI development platform, today released its global 2026 State of AI Development report, revealing that enterprises have moved decisively from AI experimentation to execution. Nearly every organization surveyed, 96%, is already using AI agents in some capacity, and 97% are exploring system-wide agentic AI strategies. The findings signal a clear shift from pilots to production as businesses embed AI into mission-critical operations.

This shift is increasingly visible in APAC, where markets such as India are already reporting advanced levels of agentic AI capability, and countries like Australia and Japan are steadily moving initiatives from pilot to production.

However, as adoption accelerates, governance is struggling to keep pace. According to the report, 94% of organizations report concern that AI sprawl is increasing complexity, technical debt, and security risk. Still, only a small fraction of enterprises have established a centralized approach to agentic AI governance, meaning most are using agents across fragmented environments.

“Our approach to working with OutSystems for an agentic solution was to start with a small, well-defined project that we felt like we could get into production, and that would actually have an impact on the business,” said Scott Finkle, VP of Technology, McConkey Auction Group. “Our main goal of the project was to build some muscle for building AI projects moving forward. OutSystems and Agent Workbench will pay great dividends to us as we iterate on our AI implementation.”

Agentic AI represents a significant evolution from earlier applications of AI, capable of autonomously executing workflows, making decisions, and adapting in real time.  Gartner predicts that 40% of enterprise applications will include task-specific AI agents by the end of 2026, highlighting the speed at which autonomous systems are becoming embedded in enterprise software. According to the OutSystems report, which surveyed 1,900 global IT leaders, 49% describe their agentic AI capabilities as advanced or expert.

Adoption maturity varies by region. In APAC, India stands out with some of the highest levels of advanced and expert agentic AI capability, while Australia and Japan reflect a growing base of organizations at an intermediate stage of maturity. Organizations in Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US are also reporting intermediate progress. Financial services and technology organizations report the highest levels of production deployment.

The impact of agentic AI is most apparent within IT and software development, where time-to-value is easily measurable. Thirty-one percent of respondents say AI is already integral to their development practices, and another 42% have embedded AI into specific phases of the software development lifecycle. Generative AI-assisted development emerged as the leading method in markets such as India and Australia.

As agents prove value in development environments, 52% of organizations now rely on a human-on-the-loop model, allowing systems to operate with reduced direct oversight while maintaining supervisory control.

“The transition from AI experimentation to measurable business outcomes is no longer a future state—it is our current reality. The findings in the State of AI Development Report reveal a fundamental shift where building software and building AI systems have become one and the same,” said Woodson Martin, CEO at OutSystems. “As organizations move toward a ‘system of agents’ model, the challenge is no longer just about adoption, but about creating a stable architectural foundation that can coordinate these complex intelligent systems to drive real-world productivity.”

Despite momentum, architectural fragmentation remains a challenge. Thirty-eight percent of organizations globally report mixing custom-built and pre-built agents, creating AI stacks that are difficult to standardize and secure. While 12% have implemented a centralized platform to manage sprawl, most enterprises are still experimenting with governance approaches that vary by team and region.

To help enterprises close the control gap, OutSystems recently introduced OutSystems Agentic Systems Engineering, a new open approach to AI development designed to help organizations build, manage, and evolve governed agentic systems for the enterprise.

To learn more, download the full 2026 State of AI Development report and explore how organizations are accelerating from AI experimentation to execution.

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Survey Methodology

To compile this report, OutSystems commissioned a third party to survey nearly 1,900 global IT leaders across regions, including 527 respondents from APAC spanning India, Australia, and Japan.

The survey examined agentic AI adoption levels, use cases, development approaches, and governance practices, along with the barriers organizations encounter as they move from pilot to production. Survey responses were collected in December 2025 through January 2026.

About OutSystems

OutSystems is a leading AI Development Platform built for the enterprise. Global organizations trust OutSystems to rapidly build mission-critical apps and agents, modernize legacy processes with agentic systems, and govern their entire AI portfolio across complex regulatory environments, all on a unified platform.

OutSystems is consistently recognized as a leader in enterprise software development by Gartner, IDC, and Forrester, and ranked #1 in Customer Satisfaction by users on G2. Business leaders, IT executives and developers choose OutSystems to accelerate internal innovation without compromising reliability and security.

Founded in 2001, the OutSystems ecosystem includes more than 85 million end users, over 600 partners, and thousands of active customers in 75+ countries across 20+ industries. Learn more at www.outsystems.com.