• Audi CTO Geoffrey Bouquot: “UST ideal partner to strengthen Italdesign’s solid foundation while opening new market opportunities”
• Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. to retain a stake in Italdesign Giugiaro S.p.A.
• UST and Italdesign will work together to combine their complementary expertise for long-term, sustainable growth

BERLIN, INGOLSTADT, Germany, and MONCALIERI, Italy, Dec. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Audi Group is entering into a strategic partnership with UST, a global transformation company specializing in AI-powered technology, design, and engineering. UST, headquartered in Aliso Viejo, California (USA), has signed an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Italdesign. Italdesign’s current parent company Lamborghini is part of the Audi Group and will retain a significant stake. As a result, Audi will remain a strategic partner of Italdesign in the long term, as well as an important client of the company.

The majority takeover of Italdesign by UST creates a strong partnership that combines UST’s expertise in automotive engineering, artificial intelligence, software-defined vehicle development, and digital ecosystem design with Italdesign’s deep knowledge in vehicle and product design, engineering, prototyping, small series production, and automotive electronics. Together, the companies will be able to offer a comprehensive and integrated range of services – from early concept and design to hardware and software development through to production systems. This combined capability is designed to support the development of fully modern, digitally enabled vehicles.

In addition, UST and Italdesign intend to extend this integrated approach to a global scale. UST will enable Italdesign to expand their international presence across UST’s global footprint in over 30 countries. As the new majority owner, UST will assume operational responsibility while honoring and building on Italdesign’s Italian heritage, design culture, and the talent of its employees.

Audi remains an important long-term partner of Italdesign, ensuring continuity and ongoing collaboration in the areas that have shaped Italdesign’s reputation for more than five decades. Italdesign has been part of the Volkswagen Group since 2010. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals. UST and Audi Group have not disclosed the investment value or other contract details.

Geoffrey Bouquot, Member of the Board of Management for Technical Development at AUDI AG: “For many years Italdesign has been a valued partner in our development network, contributing expertise from design to prototype and series development. We are confident our collaboration will continue to drive success and deliver strong results under the new ownership structure. UST is the ideal partner to strengthen Italdesign’s solid foundation while opening new market opportunities. Together, we aim to ensure that Italdesign remains an innovator in automotive design and engineering.”

Krishna Sudheendra, Chief Executive Officer, UST: “Italdesign has shaped the way the world experiences mobility, and its legacy of design excellence is respected globally. We are grateful for the trust placed in us as we begin this next chapter together. Our role is to support Italdesign’s vision, honor its heritage, and bring new capabilities that help the team continue to grow. We look forward to working side by side with Italdesign and our partners across the Audi Group to help build what comes next.”

Antonio Casu, Chief Executive Officer at Italdesign Giugiaro S.p.A.: “This partnership will bring benefits to all parties involved. It will allow Italdesign to accelerate the expansion of its service portfolio in new markets and achieve deeper penetration in various international markets. Italdesign is aiming to become the first full integrator of hardware and software worldwide, both in the automotive sector and across other high–technology industrial sectors.”

Gilroy Mathew, Chief Operating Officer, UST: “This acquisition reflects our bold vision to transform the mobility sector by combining Italdesign’s renowned heritage in vehicle design and manufacturing with UST’s expertise in vehicle electronics, embedded systems, and AI. This fusion of iconic design excellence and advanced digital engineering positions us at the forefront of automotive innovation – panning next-generation product design, simulations, vehicle electronics, connectivity, ADAS and hyper-personalization. We’re positioned to drive the future of automotive innovation. Together, we’ll collaborate with global OEMs to accelerate their evolution in the Software-Defined Vehicle era.”

About Audi Group

The Audi Group is one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the premium and luxury segment. The brands Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini, and Ducati produce at 22 locations in 13 countries. Audi and its partners are present in more than 100 markets worldwide. As of December 31, 2024, more than 88,000 people worked for the Audi Group, more than 55,000 of them at AUDI AG in Germany. With its attractive brands and numerous new models, the group is systematically pursuing its path toward becoming a provider of sustainable, fully networked premium mobility. For more information, visit www.audi.com/en.

About ITALDESIGN

Italdesign is a global player in design, engineering, and production, renowned for its customer-centric and method-driven approach to innovation in the automotive sector. It acts as a true system integrator and is one of the few one-stop shops in the automotive world. Headquartered in Moncalieri, Turin, Italy, in the heart of Vehicle Valley Piemonte, and with over 1,300 professionals across 10 international sites, Italdesign has been shaping the future of mobility, product, and transportation design for more than 57 years. The company offers end-to-end, vertical, and integrated solutions spanning from concept to series production. Focused in automotive, Italdesign’s multidisciplinary teams deliver projects for established brands and emerging players, supporting the industrialization of new products with state-of-the-art methods and tools.

Alongside its automotive legacy, with over 100 show cars and research prototypes and more than 300 production models realized over the years, the company’s industrial design division has developed over 1,000 industrial and transportation design products, ranging from consumer goods to professional equipment and public transport solutions. For more information, visit www.italdesign.it.

Media contact: 
Franco Bay
+393337897749
franco.bay@italdesign.it
pr@italdesign.it

About UST

Since 1999, UST has worked side by side with the world’s best companies and leading OEMs in the automotive industry to make a powerful impact through transformation. Powered by technology, driven by AI, inspired by people, and led by our purpose, we partner with our clients from design to operation. Our AI-driven digital solutions, proprietary platforms, engineering, R&D, products, and innovation ecosystem turn core challenges into impactful, disruptive solutions. With deep industry knowledge and a future-ready mindset, we infuse expertise, innovation, and agility into our clients’ organizations—delivering measurable value and positive lasting change for them, their customers, and communities around the world. Together, with 30,000+ employees in 30+ countries, we build for boundless impact—touching billions of lives in the process. Visit us at www.UST.com.

Media Contacts, UST:

Tinu Cherian Abraham
+1 (949) 415-9857

Merrick Laravea
+1 (949) 416-6212

Neha Misri
+44-7341787926

Roshni Das K
+91 7736795557
media.relations@ust.com

Media Contacts, U.S.
S&C PR
+1-646.941.9139
media@scprgroup.com

Makovsky
ust@makovsky.com

Media Contacts, India:
ust@adfactorspr.com 

Media Contacts, U.K.:
FTI Consulting
UST@fticonsulting.com

Media Contacts, Spain:
Noizze Media
Carmen Tapia / Ricardo Schell
ctapia@noizzemedia.com / ricardo.schell@noizzemedia.com

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The upgraded platform delivers a smarter AI Matchmaking system that reduces swipe fatigue and improves meaningful connections worldwide.

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, Dec. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Hullo Dating Co., Ltd today announced a major upgrade to its AI-powered matchmaking system. Originally launched in 2024, Hullo now introduces a smarter and more precise AI Matchmaking engine designed to help users find more compatible partners with less effort. Through its participation in Nvidia Inception, AWS Activate, and Google for Startups, Hullo continues to enhance the modern dating experience through predictive intelligence, behavioral insights, and voice-first interactions.

Online dating continues to evolve, yet many users remain overwhelmed by endless choices and discouraged by low-quality matches. Hullo was built to address these challenges by offering an experience that is more intentional, more efficient, and psychologically informed. By leveraging advanced AI models that analyze communication patterns, lifestyle indicators, personal preferences, and engagement signals, Hullo delivers curated match suggestions rooted in deeper compatibility rather than surface-level traits.

“Today’s dating apps provide access but not necessarily alignment,” said Sam Tran, Founder of Hullo. “Many people spend hours browsing profiles only to receive outcomes that feel random or inconsistent. With Hullo, we wanted to build a system that understands real human compatibility — not just shared hobbies or attractive photos. Our AI engine continuously learns from user behavior to deliver match suggestions that improve over time, making online dating feel more natural and less exhausting.”

A New Approach to Modern Dating 

Hullo’s platform is built around an AI-driven compatibility system that evaluates far more than basic profile attributes. The app analyzes micro-interactions, communication styles, voice prompts, and behavioral patterns to identify which users are more likely to form meaningful connections. By focusing on emotional resonance and communication compatibility, Hullo moves beyond traditional filters that rely on swipe behavior or simple questionnaires.

The company believes this method more accurately reflects how people connect in real life. Instead of asking users to sort through hundreds of profiles, Hullo presents a smaller, highly curated set of matches that improve over time. This approach is especially valuable for people seeking serious or intentional dating, where compatibility matters more than volume.

Key Features and Innovations

Hullo introduces several features aimed at improving authenticity, reducing friction, and prioritizing user comfort:

AI Matchmaking Engine
The core of the platform is an intelligent compatibility model that interprets patterns across user behavior, interests, and communication style. It updates and adapts with each interaction, generating increasingly accurate match recommendations.

Voice-First Profiles
Users can add short voice introductions to showcase personality in a more expressive format. This feature supports the growing trend toward audio-based interactions and allows users to connect beyond text and images.

AI-Assisted Profile Creation
For those who struggle with writing bios, Hullo includes an integrated AI Bio generator that helps users describe themselves clearly and naturally, leading to more genuine engagement.

Safety and Verification Tools
Supported by secure infrastructure from AWS and Google Cloud, Hullo offers layers of verification and privacy safeguards to help users feel more confident while connecting online.

Industry Support and Technological Advantage

Participation in Nvidia Inception provides Hullo with access to GPU resources, technical guidance, and a community of AI-focused startups. These capabilities allow the team to train more complex models that interpret compatibility with greater nuance.

Through AWS Activate and Google for Startups, the company receives cloud infrastructure credits, technical guidance, and scaling support. This ensures the platform operates with high stability and can adapt smoothly to rapid growth in user activity.

“Our goal is long-term global scalability,” Sam Tran added. “With support from leading technology programs, we can continue to push the boundaries of AI-driven dating while maintaining reliability and performance at every step.”

Market Outlook and Future Expansion

The rise of AI-driven products signals a broader shift in how digital platforms personalize user experiences. Hullo Dating Co., Ltd believes matchmaking is one of the most meaningful applications of AI, as the technology can help reduce decision fatigue and improve relationship outcomes by guiding people toward more aligned partners.

Looking ahead, the company plans to introduce additional features such as context-aware conversation tools, personalized date suggestions, and deeper emotional compatibility mapping. These enhancements are designed to support users from the very first interaction to the beginning of a potential relationship.

The app is currently expanding to English-speaking and Southeast Asian markets, with plans for U.S. growth in 2025. Users can learn more or access the platform at https://hullo.dating Or Download the app at https://hullo.dating/download

About Hullo Dating Co., Ltd

Hullo Dating Co., Ltd is a technology company focused on creating AI-powered products for modern relationship building. The company is the developer of Hullo, an AI matchmaking dating app designed to help people form meaningful connections through advanced compatibility modeling and human-centered design. For more information, visit https://hullo.dating/about.

BEIJING, Dec. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A report from China Daily

In the 17th and 18th centuries, navigators exploring the Pacific and Indian oceans discovered that the languages spoken on many islands, spanning from Madagascar in the west to Polynesia in the east, were remarkably similar. This discovery launched studies of Austronesians, those who speak Austronesian languages and had sailed across the Pacific several thousand years ago.

Long before the Age of Exploration, these people had embarked on heroic voyages across the sea. The details of their encounters remain largely unknown. Over time, their descendants gradually forgot where they originated from. Migration began 6,000 years ago and lasted until around 1,000 years ago. Today, more than 400 million people speak Austronesian languages, spanning a wide area that covers more than one-third of the Pacific and Indian oceans.

For more than a century, the origins and migrations of Austronesian peoples have been a significant subject of international academic study. Linguists, anthropologists and archaeologists have gradually revealed their voyages across oceans over the past millennia.

Their journeys are featured in the ongoing exhibition Origin and Expansions: The Austronesians and Maritime Civilization at the Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum. This exhibition is a cooperation between the Chongqing museum and the Fujian Museum, which displays cultural relics related to the Austronesian peoples.

Ding Qinghua, one of the exhibition’s curators at the Fujian Museum, says the exhibition draws on prehistoric archaeological discoveries from southeastern China and traces the historical links between Chinese maritime civilization and Austronesian culture through more than 200 artifacts.

Initially, linguists were the first to research the Austronesian peoples, but archaeologists soon joined the studies, focusing on stone stepped adzes.

One of the stone stepped adzes unearthed from the Huangguashan site in Xiapu county, Fujian province, is on display, indicating the migration of the Austronesian peoples.

Qin Zonglin, a curator at the Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum, says that although stone adzes have been widely found to be an important tool to obtain food and process wooden tools used by Neolithic people, stone stepped adzes were mostly discovered in coastal areas. Based on multidisciplinary studies, Austronesian peoples were a major group that used the stone stepped adzes.

“By checking its development and expansion, experts can gain clues to the origins and migrations of the peoples,” says Ding, adding that such tools were especially helpful in cutting trees and making boats, which were important for people living in coastal areas who attempted to migrate.

By comparing the development of stone stepped adzes found in different regions, including China’s southeast coast, Southeast Asian islands, and Pacific islands, scholars generally believe China’s southeast coast was the birthplace of such tools, a conclusion reached as early as the 1930s, Ding says.

Some may doubt this conclusion — from China to the South Pacific islands takes more than a dozen hours to fly in modern times. Could Austronesian people sail so far so long ago?

The display shows an experiment conducted by Hiria Ottino, president of the Pacific China Friendship Association, who navigated from French Polynesia across the South Pacific with five other descendants of the Austronesian people in 2010.They made this journey in a self-built canoe, without using any modern devices or materials.

After 116 days out at sea and the numerous challenges of a typhoon and a shark attack alike, they reached a harbor in Fujian, proving a long-distance sea journey was possible without modern tools.

According to Ding, “Ancient people had superb abilities in navigating nature. With an understanding of currents, wind, stars, and bird migration, they could navigate the Pacific. Using these methods, they arrived at more and more islands, and gradually created the Austronesian cultural circle.”

The exhibition also displays a replica of a human skull unearthed from the Qihedong site in Xianghu town, Fujian, estimated to be from 10,000 to 8,400 years ago. It is very precious because it is one of the earliest and most complete ancient human skulls ever discovered in the Fujian area. More importantly, by extracting its DNA, scholars have provided scientific evidence for the origins of the Austronesian peoples.

In 2020, an essay in the journal Science, titled Ancient DNA indicates human population shifts and admixture in northern and southern China, was written by researchers from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Through the genome-wide data of 26 ancient human remains from northern and southern East Asia, spanning 9,500 to 300 years ago, including some extracted from the Qihedong skull, they carried out a series of scientific analyses that “supported a southern China origin for proto-Austronesians”.

The research shows the Austronesian peoples, now widely distributed across the Taiwan Strait, Southeast Asia, and the southwestern Pacific islands, have very close genetic ties to the Neolithic coastal populations of southern China. This suggests that the earliest Austronesian peoples originated in Fujian and its neighboring areas in southern China, with their origins traced back 8,400 years.

Moreover, analyses of pottery vessel morphology and cultural traditions shown in the display also support the view that China’s southeast coast was one of the major origins of Austronesian peoples.

An important section of the exhibition is the Neolithic cultural relics discovered in Fujian, which may have been left by the ancestors of the Austronesian peoples. Many of them are newly unearthed and being presented to the public for the first time.

Qin says the archaeological discoveries in Fujian seem to show a trend that people developed from mountainous areas to coastal areas, as Paleolithic findings are located in the mountainous regions, while Neolithic discoveries extend to coastal areas.

One highlight is an oyster shell tool from the Xiying site on Pingtan Island in Fujian, which was likely used to extract oyster meat. “This is a stone tool from about 7,000 years ago. We judged its function based on its format, the unearthing environment, and the ethnological materials. This shows ancient people adapted to their environment and made the most of local resources,” says Qin.

Communication between present-day Fujian and China’s Central Plains can also be traced. For example, a drum-shaped pottery vessel on display, unearthed from the Huangtulun site in Fuzhou from about 3,500 to 3,000 years ago, has a similar style to the bronze drum-shaped vessels found in the Central Plains, indicating possible cultural interactions at that time.

The origins and migrations of Austronesian peoples have been a significant subject in “Archaeology China”, a major program that studies early Chinese history through well-planned excavations. In the past few years, archaeologists have excavated the Keqiutou group sites on Pingtan Island and gained a better understanding of the Austronesian peoples’ ancestors.

Although scholars have made vital progress in studying the group’s origins and how they migrated, the reasons why they migrated are yet to be revealed.

The exhibition is a side event of the second general assembly of the Alliance for Cultural Heritage in Asia, which was held in Chongqing in November.

To gain a better understanding of the Austronesian peoples, the ACHA Austronesian and Maritime Civilization Committee announced its establishment during the event. The committee’s first general conference was then held in Pingtan county, Fujian.

“The Austronesian language family extended from China’s southeast coast, across Southeast Asia, and deep into the Pacific. Our shared heritage is both tangible, as seen in archaeological sites and artifacts, and intangible, reflected in our stories, navigational knowledge, agricultural and fishing traditions, and folk customs that still exist today,” said Ottino, during the conference.