BEIJING, Nov. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A report from People’s Daily:
The 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE) will convene in Shanghai from Nov. 5 to 10. This year’s event will bring together 155 countries, regions, and international organizations, featuring 4,108 overseas enterprises and covering an exhibition area of more than 430,000 square meters – a new record high for both scale and participation.
Amid profound global economic shifts, the CIIE underscores China’s commitment to stabilizing international trade.
Vice Minister of Commerce Sheng Qiuping noted that China has maintained its position as the world’s second-largest import market for 16 consecutive years. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), the country’s total imports of goods and services are expected to exceed $15 trillion.
The first seven editions of the CIIE have together generated intended deals worth more than $500 billion, helping enterprises from around the world navigate global market fluctuations and share in the vast opportunities of China’s super-sized market.
This year’s CIIE will feature four distinct highlights.
Commitment to opening-up
The Ministry of Commerce will launch a new initiative under the theme of “Shared Market, Export Opportunities in China,” accompanied by a ceremony inaugurating related events. The China Pavilion at the 8th CIIE will showcase the country’s latest achievements in deepening reform and advancing high-standard opening-up during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. The Hongqiao International Economic Forum will release The World Openness Report 2025 and the latest World Openness Index.
Showcasing Frontier Innovations
The expo will debut 461 new products, technologies, and services, highlighting frontier industries such as low-altitude economy and humanoid robotics. New themes including the silver economy, ice-and-snow economy, sports economy, and automotive tourism will be featured, along with new platforms for digital and health consumption, helping expand goods and services consumption and foster emerging consumption trends.
Strengthening Global Collaboration
A record 4,108 enterprises (up from 3,496 in 2024), including 290 Fortune 500 companies and industry leaders, will participate across an expanded exhibition area. Over 600 new exhibitors have joined, with 43 trade missions and over 700 sub-delegations attending for procurement negotiations. Registered professional visitors total 449,500.
Inclusive Global Participation
Enterprises from 123 Belt and Road partner countries will participate in the event, up 23.1 percent from last year. A total of 163 companies from the least developed countries will be present, marking a 23.5 percent increase. The African products section has been expanded, with the number of participating African enterprises up by 80 percent year on year. For the first time, the Hongqiao International Economic Forum will host discussions on enhancing economic resilience and sustainable agricultural development in the Global South.
Evergy Selects Kigen’s Secure eSIM OS and eIM to Maximize Grid Reliability with Automated Failover Across Private and Public Networks
KANSAS CITY, Mo. and CAMBRIDGE, England, Nov. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Evergy, one of the largest investor-owned utilities in the Midwest United States serving 1.7 million customers across Kansas and Missouri, has selected Kigen, the global leader in eSIM and iSIM technology, to strengthen grid resiliency. By adopting Kigen’s secure eSIM OS and eIM solution, Evergy is unifying private LTE and public networks into an automated connectivity layer — creating a foundation for more reliable operations in the face of severe weather, growing energy demand, and the complexity of distributed energy resources (DERs).
Kigen’s secure eSIM OS and SGP.32-compliant eIM solution give Evergy the flexibility to manage connectivity dynamically through eSIMs provisioned with multiple operator profiles. Kigen eSIM OS has configurable features such as its network rescue and recovery applet, which enables dynamic, automated failover between private LTE and preferred public networks based on business rules. Managed centrally via Kigen Pulse allows control at scale—by geography, asset type, or site—ensuring continuity.
Reliability is central to Evergy’s strategy, alongside affordability and sustainability. As utilities integrate distributed energy resources, advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), and dynamic billing, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity becomes critical. Severe thunderstorms, storm-related outages, and routine network upgrades can all disrupt real-time telemetry that forms the “heartbeat” of a modern grid. Without automation, managing tens of thousands of IoT devices at scale would create unacceptable risks to both service continuity and cost efficiency.
Evergy’s LTE network already spans 100 sites, supporting thousands of IoT sensors, AMI, and operational technology devices. With expansion expected to reach tens of thousands of devices, failover between private and public networks must be seamless. Manual approaches cannot keep pace at this scale.
“As we modernize our grids, uninterrupted device data means visibility and preparation against outages from both the fast-changing energy transition and unpredictable severe weather. Taking control of our infrastructure requires network availability and automation is the foundation on which dynamic billing and AI can build. Kigen eSIMs and the eIM, configured to Evergy’s needs, enable us to set a new benchmark in grid resiliency—what has long been the holy grail of resilient, intelligent grids,” said Bill Franzen, Evergy lead radio engineer.
Kigen’s secure eSIM OS and SGP.32-compliant eIM solution give Evergy the flexibility to manage connectivity dynamically through eSIMs provisioned with multiple operator profiles. Kigen eSIM OS for IoT and consumer devices includes configurable features such as its network rescue and recovery applet, which enables dynamic, automated failover between private LTE and preferred public networks based on business rules. These operations are centrally managed through Kigen Pulse, allowing control at fleet scale—by geography, asset type, or site—ensuring continuity of operations, reducing lifecycle costs, and supporting broader goals of capital efficiency, safety, and sustainability.
Cybersecurity is paramount in critical infrastructure, Evergy’s deployment relies on the Kigen eIM hosted at its Dublin site, which is fully certified under the GSMA Security Accreditation Scheme for Subscription Management (SAS-SM). This site operates the Kigen eIM solution to the latest GSMA SGP.32 IoT eSIM specification, providing both assurance of compliance and trusted foundation required for secure, grid-ready operations.
“Building in dynamic automation for scaled failover and recovery, we enable Evergy’s vision to design for improved reliability, resilience, and operational intelligence. As utilities navigate the energy transition, uninterrupted connectivity is the foundation for AI, dynamic billing, and DER integration. With Kigen’s configurable eSIM OS and SGP.32-compliant eIM, utilities can take control of their connectivity and create the intelligent grids the future demands,” said Vincent Korstanje, CEO at Kigen.
Kigen’s eIM solution has been named 2025 IoT Solution of the Year by the Mobile Breakthrough Awards. The company will showcase its solution at UBBA Plugfest and Enlit Europe, underscoring how utilities can confidently leverage eSIMs to build secure, future-ready networks.
About Evergy
Evergy, Inc. serves 1.7 million customers in Kansas and Missouri. Evergy’s mission is to empower a better future. Our focus remains on producing, transmitting and delivering reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy for the benefit of our stakeholders. Today, about half of Evergy’s power comes from carbon-free sources, creating more reliable energy with less impact to the environment. We value innovation and adaptability to give our customers better ways to manage their energy use, to create a safe and to add value for our investors. Headquartered in Kansas City, our employees are active members of the communities we serve. For more information about Evergy, visit http://investors.evergy.com.
About Kigen
Kigen is the forerunner in eSIM and iSIM security solutions, enabling manufacturers to adopt and scale cellular IoT with ease. Our technology delivers freedom to choose from 200+ terrestrial networks, with proven interoperability on leading chipsets and modules. Backed by Arm, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, and SBI Group, Kigen is recognized across the industry for innovation, and trusted by leading global brands in consumer electronics, energy, automotive, logistics, and industrial automation. Learn more at https://kigen.com or follow @kigen for #FutureofSIM matters on LinkedIn.
SYDNEY, Nov. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Safe & Together Institute (S&TI) has launched their first Asia Pacific Safe & Together Model Core Training, marking a major step forward in localised, domestic violence–informed, child-centred practice across Australia and the Asia Pacific region.
S&TI’s Core Training equips professionals to translate domestic violence awareness into practical action—keeping children safe and families together with survivors while holding perpetrators accountable as parents. Available for in-person or live remote training, the updated Asia Pacific Core program preserves the globally recognised foundations of the Safe & Together Model while also introducing:
Expanded implementation tools to help agencies embed the Model sustainably.
Updated case studies, videos, and examples reflecting Australian law, data, and practice contexts.
Enhanced diversity and inclusion content, featuring First Nations perspectives.
Practical supervisor resources to build consistency, confidence, and measurable change.
“The updated Asia Pacific Core Training is our most localised, practice-ready version yet,” said David Mandel, founder and CEO of the Safe & Together Institute. “It’s built from the ground up with feedback from practitioners across the region. The Asia Pacific Core helps professionals embed perpetrator accountability, survivor partnership, and child-centered approaches in their everyday decisions.”
S&TI’s Core Training is designed for professionals across child and family-serving systems seeking to strengthen domestic violence–informed practice. Participants typically include:
Child protection and family service workers aiming to keep children safe without blaming survivors.
Supervisors and managers seeking consistent, accountable practice across teams.
Family law and court professionals working to assess parenting and safety in the context of domestic violence.
Health, mental health, and substance use practitioners integrating domestic abuse dynamics into whole-of-family responses.
Policy and government leaders driving system reform on coercive control and family safety.
“Every update reflects our commitment to practice change—not just training,” said Ruth Reymundo Mandel, Chief Business Development Officer. “The updated Core Training connects local realities with the global movement for domestic violence–informed systems. It’s about helping practitioners and leaders work smarter, faster, and safer to keep children with their protective parent.”
Implemented in more than a dozen countries, the Safe & Together Model has been proven to improve family safety, reduce victim-blaming, and align systems around a shared framework for addressing domestic violence as a parenting issue.
About the Safe & Together Institute The Safe & Together Institute is a global leader in domestic abuse–informed training, consulting, and implementation support. Founded by David Mandel in 2006, the Institute’s mission is to create, nurture, and sustain a global network of professionals and organizations working to improve systems’ responses to domestic violence when children are involved. The Safe & Together™ Model provides a framework for partnering with domestic abuse survivors and intervening with domestic abuse perpetrators to enhance the safety and well-being of children. The Institute has trained thousands of professionals across the United States, Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, and other countries, working with child welfare systems, family courts, domestic abuse advocates, and other stakeholders to develop domestic abuse–informed practices and policies. For more information, visit https://safeandtogetherinstitute.com.
Production of 600 tonnes of low carbon PureGRAPH® enhanced cement to go ahead in December targeting several client applications
Concrete roof tiles containing PureGRAPH® enhanced cement to be trialed by specialist precast concrete manufacturer and supplier FP McCann
Morgan Sindall to use graphene enhanced cement for ground slabs in London railway infrastructure project
Breedon to construct concrete demonstration site at Hope Cement Works for EV charging infrastructure
SYDNEY, Nov. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — First Graphene Limited (ASX:FGR; “First Graphene” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce a raft of new trial projects to roll out in the UK containing PureGRAPH® enhanced cement produced by commercial partner Breedon Group PLC (“Breedon”).
Breedon will produce approximately 600 tonnes of cement incorporating circa three tonnes of PureGRAPH® CEM at its Hope Cement Works in Derbyshire, UK.
This will in turn be distributed to numerous material, construction and academic partners in the UK looking to benefit from material performance improvements and carbon reduction associated with graphene enhanced cement (GEC) and concrete products.
It is anticipated CO2 emissions associated with cement production will reduce by approximately 16% thanks to the partial replacement of carbon intensive clinker.
Several other organisations have requested material to be tested in their respective applications.
FP McCann to test graphene in concrete roof tiles
FP McCann is utilising between 40 and 60 tonnes of graphene enhanced cement in the production of thousands of roof tiles at its Cadeby manufacturing plant in Leicestershire, which will then be tested at the company’s R&D facility at Knockloughrim.
This aspect of the trial forms part of a successful application for a Contracts for Innovation with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and Defra: Resource Efficient Construction Impacts project funded by UK Government[1], of which A$30,000 is for the supply of graphene enhanced cement and other raw materials.
Cadeby has traditionally used large quantities of CEM I and fine aggregate in the production of millions of concrete roof tiles annually. Manufacturing at this scale relies on strict process control, where even small variations can have a negative impact in production efficiency.
The trial project will replace CEM I with GEC, which incorporates graphene nanoplatelets to reduce carbon without compromising product strength.
Example of FP McCann’s concrete tiles
Testing and tile quality assessment will be carried out for approximately five months following their manufacture looking at realising material use efficiencies and reducing waste.
FP McCann’s trial has partially been designed in response to the UK housing shortage crisis and Government’s plan to deliver 1.5 million affordable, sustainable new homes.
This involves combatting rising material cost constraints by making cost effective, low carbon construction solutions available to the construction market.
Morgan Sindall gears up to lay graphene ground slabs
Meanwhile the high-end infrastructure division of Morgan Sindall Group PLC plans to use concrete batched by Capital Concrete in railway infrastructure ground slabs in London.
Morgan Sindall has previously successfully tested graphene enhanced concrete containing PureGRAPH® to build a high use truck wash bay on a motorway in the UK.
This new collaboration will involve two tonnes of cement for a concrete batch, which will be used primarily in ground slabs while a smaller test slab will be poured for durability testing, monitoring and measuring. Remaining concrete will be used to produce samples for a suite of standard strength tests.
Breedon trial reflects decarbonisation targets
As the manufacturer of graphene enhanced cement, Breedon plans to conduct pre-trial equipment inspections at Hope Cement Works this month with production to commence December 2025.
Having already proven up carbon emissions reduction and performance improvements of cement produced with PureGRAPH®, Breedon is a valued commercial partner of First Graphene and has strong commitments to manufacturing more sustainable construction materials.
Some of the trial material will be used in the construction of a concrete slab at Hope Cement Works integrating EV charging infrastructure for staff and visitors.
First Graphene Managing Director and CEO Michael Bell said:
“This is a dynamic approach to trialling graphene enhanced construction material formulated by First Graphene and produced in collaboration with our strategic commercial partner Breedon.
We know the cement and concrete sector has one of the highest volume potentials for graphene integration into product, and we’re proud to supply three tonnes of our Aqua Dispersed PureGRAPH® to build the foundation of this 600-tonne cement trial.
While there has been some delay to trial production at this scale, it has allowed our partners to secure appropriate infrastructure projects and construction schedules to put Breedon’s GEC to use.
Naturally, we’re very excited to be working alongside some of the UK’s premier construction and materials organisations – Morgan Sindall and FP McCann – with ongoing support from the University of Manchester to bring this trial to fruition.”
About First Graphene Ltd (ASX: FGR)
First Graphene Limited is focused on the development of advanced materials to help industry improve. The Company is a leading supplier of graphitic materials and product formulations with a specific commercial focus on large, high-growth global markets including cement and concrete; composites and plastics; coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers (CASE); and energy storage applications.
One of the key outcomes these advanced materials offer is the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, whether directly through a reduction in output of these harmful greenhouse gases or lower energy usage requirements in manufacturing, or indirectly due to enhanced performance characteristics and extending the usable life of products.
First Graphene has a robust manufacturing platform based on captive and abundant supply of high-purity raw materials, and readily scalable technologies to meet growing market demand. As well as being the world’s leading supplier of its own high performance PureGRAPH® graphene product range, the Company works with multiple industry partners around the world as a supplier of graphitic materials and partner to research, develop, test and facilitate the commercial marketing of a wide range of sector-specific chemical solutions.
First Graphene Ltd is publicly listed in Australia (ASX:FGR) and has a primary manufacturing base in Henderson, near Perth, WA. The Company is incorporated in the UK as First Graphene (UK) Ltd where it has a strong R&D capability.
National Roadshow Brings High-Performance AI Solutions and Hands-On Innovation Across Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, and Adelaide
SYDNEY, Nov. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Avnet, a leading global technology distributor, is teaming up with AMD, a world leader in high-performance computing and adaptive technologies, together with element14, to launch the inaugural “AMD on Wheels” national roadshow—bringing cutting-edge AI and sustainable innovation directly to Australia’s tech ecosystem.
Building on the momentum of Avnet’s AI Tech Day events in key APAC markets, this collaborative initiative brings Avnet’s end-to-end product lifecycle expertise together with AMD’s cutting-edge technology, delivering AI-powered, sustainable solutions directly to Australian innovators. The roadshow strengthens industry collaboration and accelerates Australia’s push toward a future powered by intelligent, energy-efficient systems.
Artificial Intelligence is projected to contribute as much as AUD 115 billion annually to Australia’s economy by 2030, according to research by the Tech Council of Australia in partnership with Microsoft. This rapid growth, driven by productivity gains and AI-powered innovation across sectors like healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and professional services, underscores the national imperative to invest in AI capabilities and sustainable technology. The “AMD on Wheels” roadshow will connect engineers, researchers, and partners, providing hands-on AI demos, technical training, and real-world applications that move beyond components to fully integrated solutions.
The “AMD on Wheels” tour will officially kick off with an Opening Ceremony on November 7 at the University of Sydney, before continuing on to Canberra, Melbourne, and Adelaide. The event will feature keynote presentations from industry and academic leaders, in-depth technical sessions, hands-on live product demonstrations, and an engaging expert panel discussion.
The program is set to inspire innovation by focusing on AI applications that are directly relevant to Australia’s economic future. Attendees will discover how Avnet and AMD are deploying high-performance computing to create solutions in Smart Healthcare, optimising diagnostics, and in Smart Agricultural systems to boost efficiency. The tour will also explore the development of Smart Cities, showcasing how technology is being used to build more intelligent and efficient urban environments.
“The convergence of AI and sustainable technology is reshaping industries worldwide — and it represents one of the greatest opportunities for Australia’s future growth,” said Tan Aik Hoon, Avnet’s Regional President for South Asia, Korea and Avnet United. “For more than a century, Avnet has helped innovators turn challenges into breakthroughs. With ‘AMD on Wheels,’ we are bringing the full strength of our global ecosystem directly to Australia, empowering local engineers, researchers, and startups with the advanced tools and expertise they need to transform bold AI ideas into real, sustainable impact.”
“At AMD, our mission is to deliver the high-performance, energy-efficient computing power that fuels the next wave of AI innovation,” said Steven Fong, Corporate Vice President, Asia Pacific & Japan Embedded Sales. “Through this partnership with Avnet, we are putting our most advanced processors, FPGAs, and expertise directly into the hands of Australia’s engineers, researchers, and students. Together, we’re enabling them to pioneer breakthrough solutions in healthcare, agriculture, mobility, and beyond — shaping a smarter and more sustainable future for the nation.”
Engineers, developers, and researchers are invited to register now to experience deep technical sessions, live AMD hardware demos, and a showcase of solutions that scale and accelerate product design. http://avnet.me/517471
About Avnet As a leading global technology distributor and solutions provider, Avnet has served customers’ evolving needs for more than a century. Through regional and specialised businesses around the world, we support customers and suppliers at every stage of the product lifecycle. We help companies adapt to change and accelerate the design and supply stages of product development. With a unique viewpoint from the center of the technology value chain, Avnet is a trusted partner that solves complex design and supply chain issues so customers can realise revenue faster. Learn more about Avnet at www.avnet.com.
Additional notes
Featured Demonstrations: AMD-Powered Innovations The roadshow will showcase a broad array of AMD-powered innovations, demonstrating how AI and high-performance computing are being applied to create a smarter, more efficient, and sustainable world.
Biological and Computational Frontiers
Biological Computing: Biological Intelligence This is a pioneering demonstration that pushes the boundaries of innovation by showing how synthetic biology and computational intelligence can merge. It’s all brought to life on an FPGA K26 SOM platform, showcasing a new frontier for thinking and processing.
3D Gaussian Splatting: Neural Rendering / 3D Vision Experience a cutting-edge 3D vision demo that leverages Gaussian splatting techniques for fast, realistic scene reconstruction. This demanding workload is powered by ROCm on EPYC + MI210 hardware.
Next-Generation Signal Processing and Radar
Radar – Space Time Adaptive Processing: DSP See how AMD’s technology is making radar smarter and faster. Utilising VCK190 hardware with Vitis AI – AIE, this demo processes signals in real time, making it an essential tool for high-performance applications like advanced military and weather systems.
ADRS1000 RFSOC SOM Demo & ADEFTI0500 RFSOC SOM Demo: Software Defined Radio These demonstrations highlight high-performance Software-Defined Radio (SDR) capabilities on the ADRS1000 and ADEFTI0500 RFSOC SOMs. They enable real-time signal processing and showcase flexible, reconfigurable RF system implementations for wireless and communications applications.
Moku X Apple Vision Pro: Reconfigurable Instrument This demo combines Moku’s reconfigurable instrument platform with Apple Vision Pro. It utilises an MPSOC for the FPGA and provides immersive visualisation and flexible instrumentation control for engineers and researchers.
Industrial and Machine Vision
Stereo Camera DepthVision: Computer Vision Step into a new dimension with real-time 3D perception. This demo uses ZU1CG hardware and Vitis AI – DPU acceleration to compute real-time depth maps, giving machines the ability to perceive and understand the world in 3D.
Embedded+ Machine Vision Demo: Machine Vision Experience a high-performance embedded machine vision solution that uses Vitis AI – AIE for AI acceleration. This technology is optimised for industrial automation and quality inspection, ensuring precision and speed in the most demanding environments.
AI for Automotive, Healthcare, and Retail
Smart Cockpit: Smart Automotive The car of the future is here. This intelligent in-vehicle cockpit system integrates Ryzen AI for driver assistance, infotainment, and real-time analytics, all powered by the Ryzen Embedded V4000.
Medical AI Scribe: Smart Healthcare / GenAI See how AI is changing healthcare. This demo, running on the Ryzen Embedded 8000, is an AI-powered medical transcription and documentation solution that helps healthcare providers with accurate, real-time records generation.
AI TalkShow Live – Human x two Avatar Roundtable: GenAI The demo uses generative AI on the Ryzen Embedded 8000 and Ryzen AI to allow human participants to interact with two AI-driven avatars in a live roundtable setting, making for an immersive, real-time discussion.
Smart Self-Service Kiosk: Smart Retail This demo revolutionises retail with an AI-enabled self-service kiosk. Running on the Ryzen Embedded 8000 and Ryzen AI, it offers touchless interaction, product recognition, and valuable customer analytics for a smarter retail experience.
Enterprise AI and Optimization
ZenDNN Demo: EPYC ML This demo showcases the power of AMD’s ZenDNN acceleration on EPYC CPUs. It proves that machine learning workloads can run with incredible speed and efficiency, making it easier to deploy AI at scale across the enterprise.
CONTACT:
Seraphina Wee Corporate Communications and PR lead Avnet Asia Pte Ltd Seraphina.Wee@AVNET.COM
Beyond automation, beyond chatbots: welcome to the era of trusted Agentic Tax and Compliance™
DURHAM, N.C., Nov. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Avalara, Inc., the agentic tax and compliance leader, today announced Avi and a new network of intelligent AI agents – the world’s first AI-powered workforce for tax and compliance automation. These connected AI agents work with and for you, executing essential processes under your supervision. By combining AI precision with human judgment, Avi and its network of AI agents give enterprises the confidence to let tax and compliance work run automatically, while maintaining complete control and transparency.
“Avalara’s increasing agentic capabilities bring intelligence and autonomy to the next level, without compromising control or security,” said Scott McFarlane, CEO and Co-Founder of Avalara. “Our customers have trusted us to protect their data and compliance processes for decades, and Avalara’s new AI agents operate within that same secure and auditable framework.”
Human Control by Design
Avalara’s Agentic Tax and Compliance™ platform is built around a simple principle: automation should never mean loss of control. Every Avalara AI agent operates with built-in checkpoints for human review and approval, ensuring enterprises maintain full command of every compliance action, from tax filings to registrations, with audit-ready visibility at every step.
Enterprise Grade Security
Every AI agent operates inside Avalara’s established security perimeter, leveraging the same authentication, encryption, and data governance frameworks used across Avalara’s Agentic Tax and Compliance™ platform.
Meet Avi and our Network of AI Compliance Agents
Avi is Avalara’s lead AI agent. It is the orchestrator of Avalara’s network of AI compliance agents that handle every core compliance function, from tax determination and filing to exemption certificate validation, registration, property tax, reporting, and research, each with built-in checkpoints for human review.
Global Tax Determination, Tax Return Filing, and Reconciliation Avi can securely ingest your transaction data, identify tax jurisdictions, calculate rates, apply rules, validate exemptions, and generate tax returns – then, upon your approval, log into the appropriate portals, file tax returns, verify confirmations, and reconcile accounting records.
Exemption Certificate Validation Exemption AI agents scan new customer uploaded exemption certificates, cross-verify data with authoritative registries, and update records, ensuring greater compliance with minimal human intervention.
Cross-Border Classification, Tariffs, and Trade Restrictions Cross-border AI agents classify products to Harmonized System (HS) or tariff codes, determine duties, and check against trade restriction lists.
Business and License Registration Registration AI agents prepare registration documents, file with local authorities, and receive and store business and license registrations.
Property Tax Property AI agents acquire fixed asset data, classify it for location and tax depreciation, and prepare and file personal property tax returns.
Audit-Ready Reporting and Transaction-Level Insights Reporting AI agents continuously generate reconciled, easy to understand, auditor-ready reports, and provide AI-powered deep insights, linking every number to its source transaction, increasing audit readiness and confidence, while lowering the audit cost.
Tax Content Research with Authoritative Citations Research AI agents scan and summarize primary tax sources – laws, rates, rules, and regulatory updates – surfacing Avalara’s best-in-class tax and compliance content in an AI-powered, easy-to-find and easy-to-read way, with verifiable citations.
E-invoicing and Live Reporting (ELR) ELR AI agents help businesses meet real-time tax mandates worldwide. By connecting directly to government-certified endpoints, Avalara’s network of AI agents help ensure every invoice is validated, compliant, and audit-ready before it’s sent.
Notice Management Notice management AI agents automate how companies handle tax authority notices, and use AI to classify, route, and track notices to resolution. The result: faster responses, fewer penalties, and complete visibility across every jurisdiction.
Powered by Avalara’s deep global expertise and advanced AI infrastructure, Avi and its network of AI agents scale seamlessly, from individual tasks to enterprise-wide operations. Avi delegates, supervises, and coordinates AI agents while giving finance teams full visibility, auditability, and control.
How It Works: Agentic Execution, Human Oversight
Avi and its network of AI compliance agents bring together autonomous execution and enterprise-grade governance. When you assign a task, Avi breaks it into steps, delegates to specialized AI agents, and coordinates the actions of agents, providing complete visibility throughout the process.
For example, when you ask Avi to prepare your tax return filing, Avi retrieves and validates data, applies local rules, generates the returns, and submits it for your approval, filing only when you say “go.”
Analysis – Avi’s AI agents ingest and validate transaction data, apply country-specific rules, and calculate liabilities
Preparation – The AI agents generate the tax return
Human Review – You or your team can inspect, edit, and approve the tax return
Filing & Confirmation – Once approved, Avi files the tax return, confirms acceptance, reconciles the amounts, and stores an audit-ready trail
This collaboration ensures that nothing is filed without your approval, but once authorized, every step behind the scenes, from validation to portal submission, is handled autonomously.
Built for the Agent Economy: Have Your Agent Call Our Agent™
Avi works seamlessly with humans and other AI systems. Any third-party AI agent that supports the Google A2A protocol can securely collaborate with Avalara’s AI agents — “Have Your Agent Call Our Agent™.”
Avi is available wherever tax professionals work, including:
Avi Browser Agent – Automates ERP configuration and setup with Avalara, and assigns tasks to Avi
Avi for Microsoft Outlook – Digitizes inbound invoices and applies tax rules in real time
Avi for NetSuite – Avalara is one of the first recipients of NetSuite’s AI Elite Badge, enabling one-click configuration and setup, and assignment of tasks to Avi
Avi for Gemini Enterprise – Find Avi in 3rd party marketplaces like Google’s Gemini Enterprise and leverage the A2A technology to interact with Avalara’s network of agents
Developers can also integrate directly via Avalara’s MCP servers, available at developer.avalara.com.
Partners and integrators can easily integrate Avi and our MCP servers into agentic solutions they are building to solve complex compliance problems.
Powered by ALFA: The Brain Behind Secure, Agentic Compliance
At the core of this platform is ALFA, the Avalara LLM Framework for Agentic Applications. ALFA powers every AI agent with security-first architecture and includes:
Enterprise LLMs with data isolation from Amazon, Anthropic, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI
Proprietary SLMs tuned on billions of compliance data points
Avalara’s Agentic Tax and Compliance™ platform brings together autonomy, transparency, and trust, purpose-built for compliance at scale. Key highlights include:
Built on Avalara’s proven security framework – SOC 2, ISO 27001, and more
Autonomous execution with governance – Avi and our network of AI agents act within secure, auditable boundaries
Seamless integration – Works natively across ERPs, marketplaces, and e-invoicing systems
Global, trusted content – AI-curated, human-verified tax rules and rates for 195 countries
Audit-ready trails – Every action traceable and verifiable
Early access programs are live with select enterprise partners
About Avalara
Avalara is the agentic tax and compliance leader. For more than two decades, Avalara has developed one of the most expansive libraries of tax content and integrations in the industry, supporting over 43,000 businesses and government entities across more than 75 countries. The company’s purpose-built AI agents automate end-to-end compliance processes with greater precision, from tax calculations and return filings to exemption certificate management and beyond. For more information, visit Avalara.com.
MANAMA, Bahrain, Nov. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club (REHC) has unveiled its Masterplan, a transformative project set to redefine the Kingdom’s sports and leisure landscape and establish the Kingdom of Bahrain as a leading regional destination for equestrian excellence, luxury living, and premium recreation. The unveiling of REHC was made at Gateway Gulf 2025, the region’s premier investment forum, held at the Four Seasons Hotel from November 2nd to 3rd, 2025.
Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club Unveils Masterplan to Develop World-Class Sports and Lifestyle Destination
Developed in consultation with Bareeq Al Retaj Real Estate Services, the REHC Masterplan will be delivered over a plot of over three million square meters in multiple phases, encompassing a diverse range of developments that combine sport, hospitality, retail, and sustainability in one integrated destination.
The Masterplan represents a major step in advancing the Kingdom of Bahrain’s long-term vision for economic diversification through tourism, sport, and real estate investment. Strategically located within the Kingdom’s established equestrian and horse racing district, the project leverages the Kingdom’s heritage in the sport while aligning with the broader goals for sustainable urban development and private sector partnership.
Yusuf Osama Buheji, Chief Executive Officer of REHC said: “This landmark project represents a new era for the Club and Bahrain’s equestrian community. Guided by the directives of the REHC High Committee chaired by His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Minister of the Prime Minister’s Court, the REHC Masterplan reflects our ambition to create a world-class destination that integrates sport, nature, and lifestyle, while opening new opportunities for investment, job creation, and tourism. It builds on Bahrain’s proud history in horseracing and reimagines it for future generations.”
The master development spans multiple key zones, featuring:
A new 18-hole championship golf course, offering a world-class experience for professionals and enthusiasts alike
A Golf Clubhouse and Equestrian Centre, offering state-of-the-art training and event facilities
A Luxury Golf Hotel and Golf Villas integrated with the course
Luxury Equestrian Villas surrounded by green open spaces and leisure amenities
A Commercial and Retail Centre with shops, services, and hospitality spaces
A modern Sports Complex and Members Clubhouse designed to promote active living and community engagement
F&B outlets overlooking the racecourse, providing premium dining experiences
The Masterplan also places strong emphasis on environmental stewardship and smart infrastructure. The North-Eastern Investment Site will feature a solar farm designed to supply clean energy to the complex, supporting Bahrain’s national goals for renewable energy and carbon reduction.
With several plots identified for private sector participation, the REHC Masterplan offers diverse investment opportunities across residential, hospitality, commercial, and leisure components. The development aims to attract both local and international investors seeking long-term, high-quality projects in Bahrain’s growing sports and lifestyle economy.
Through its world-class facilities and international-standard design, the REHC Masterplan will strengthen the Kingdom of Bahrain’s position as a regional hub for sports tourism, equestrian events, and luxury hospitality, contributing to national development priorities.
AVONDALE, Pa., Nov. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — CQ Medical is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Galbus as Chief Executive Officer. Michael previously served as Chief Operating Officer, where he played a key role in enhancing operational performance, advancing the company’s growth strategy, and building trust across the executive team while championing the growth and development of his team members.
Michael Galbus, Chief Executive Officer of CQ Medical
A cancer survivor, Michael has a deeply personal connection to CQ Medical’s mission of improving care and outcomes for patients and clinicians. He is recognized for his collaborative leadership style, sharp strategic mindset, and ability to turn ambitious goals into measurable results. Over the past several years, he has consistently fostered innovation, execution, and team development across the organization.
Michael brings more than 30 years of leadership experience across highly regulated industries, including aerospace, building products, chemicals, and medical devices. He has learned to quickly identify what makes organizations in different sectors succeed and has applied those insights to deliver performance and growth. His leadership journey has included senior roles at global companies such as Dow Inc., Saint-Gobain, Zodiac Aerospace, and ACTEGA, culminating in his appointment as CEO of CQ Medical. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Delaware and an MBA from Purdue University.
As CEO, Michael will focus on developing strategy and supporting teams in creating actionable operating plans, advancing the company’s acquisition and integration efforts, and reinforcing a culture of trust, accountability, and innovation.
“CQ Medical has a unique opportunity to innovate in ways that directly impact patients and those who care for them,” said Michael. “I look forward to building on the strong foundation we have created, partnering with our teams and customers worldwide, and continuing to deliver on our mission.”
Michael and his wife Crystal live in the greater Philadelphia area, where they have raised their three children: Connor, Carter, and Madelyn. Outside of work, he enjoys running, restoring classic cars, and following collegiate and professional sports. He values the same qualities in these pursuits and in family life as he does at work: commitment, resilience, and celebrating milestones together.
Mike Sutter, CQ Medical’s outgoing CEO, has been named Chairman of CQ Medical’s Board of Directors, allowing him to continue his strategic contributions to the company in a new capacity. “I’m excited to transition into a new role at CQ Medical so we can continue the progress we’ve made as a team over the past several years. Under Michael’s leadership, I believe the company is poised to accelerate growth and realize our full potential to innovate and deliver the best outcomes for patients.”
About CQ Medical As the global leader in patient radiotherapy positioning and healthcare innovation, CQ Medical unites intelligence (IQ) and empathy (EQ) to define its unique Care Quotient (CQ). Guided by this philosophy, the company transforms ideas into innovations that advance precision, elevate technology, and empower medical excellence for improved patient outcomes.
For additional information, please visit CQmedical.com or connect with CQ Medical on LinkedIn and Facebook.
