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Relativity Brings Powerful Legal Data Intelligence to Microsoft Copilot, Expanding AI Assistant Support for Legal Teams

News Summary

  • RelativityOne now integrates with Microsoft Copilot through the Model Context Protocol (MCP).
  • This integration enables legal teams to automate RelativityOne administrative workflows in Copilot through natural language.
  • The company’s continued efforts in expanding MCP integrations serve to extend Relativity solutions into the surfaces where legal professionals already do their work.

CHICAGO, Aug. 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Relativity, a legal data intelligence company, today announced that RelativityOne, its extensible AI platform for legal work, now integrates with Microsoft Copilot through the Model Context Protocol (MCP). With this integration, legal teams can now use natural language in Copilot to execute administrative reporting capabilities directly within the RelativityOne environment without switching contexts or platforms.

“Copilot is now one more place our users can take action in RelativityOne in plain language without leaving Microsoft 365,” said Chris Brown, President, Relativity. “This accelerates administration, while aiR continues to transform the high-stakes legal work that demands deep context, and tight governance stays in RelativityOne.”

According to the International Legal Technology Association’s 2025 Legal Technology Survey of global law firms, Microsoft Copilot is the most widely used generative AI tool in the industry. It reports that Copilot is used by 68% of firms and 84% of the largest firms. Integrating RelativityOne with Copilot serves to enable legal professionals to work more seamlessly across the two surfaces.

“As legal teams embrace AI to transform how work gets done, the ability to securely connect enterprise knowledge, workflows, and data systems becomes increasingly important,” said Mala Anand, Executive Vice President & Chief Customer Officer at Microsoft. “By bringing RelativityOne into Microsoft 365 Copilot through MCP, we are enabling legal professionals to use natural language to orchestrate complex workflows, accelerate time to insight, and unlock the value of their data within a trusted AI-powered experience.”

By streamlining the work required to understand data structures, and manage users, teams can move faster from trigger event to analysis, while decisions still drive impact. The integration also delivers insights into data and usage patterns to reinforce best practices, strengthen governance, and support more informed decisions across matters, clients, and practice groups.

RelativityOne has long been a platform designed to be extended through APIs and a partner ecosystem. This Copilot integration further empowers Relativity’s user community to manage and tailor their RelativityOne environments to meet their unique needs, simplify operational tasks and ultimately focus more time on the consequential work that drives successful outcomes.

Relativity’s integration with Microsoft Copilot currently enables orchestration and reporting capabilities in Copilot Cowork, including standing up workspaces, organizing case data and managing legal operations through natural language. Reporting capabilities—such as analyzing workspace access and generating administrative reports—are enabled in Copilot Chat. Support for orchestration capabilities is planned to be added to Copilot Chat later this year.

Following the company’s recent moves to launch Relativity claiR in advanced access, plans to integrate Gavel‘s Word capabilities into RelativityOne, recent MCP expansions, this Copilot integration is the latest advancement in Relativity’s strategy of expanding RelativityOne to meet legal teams where and how they work.

Learn more about enabling the Copilot connector in RelativityOne.

About Relativity
Relativity is a leading legal data intelligence company that builds technology to help users organize data, discover the truth, and act on it. Its extensible cloud platform, RelativityOne, transforms complex data into actionable insights at massive scale for litigation, investigations, regulatory inquiries, data breach responses, and other legal use cases. The world’s largest law firms and corporations, government agencies, and a robust network of channel partners rely on Relativity’s legal AI software to securely surface and manage the most relevant and impactful information in their matters. The company also expands access to technology by providing its platform at no cost to academic institutions through its Relativity Academic program and to organizations supporting pro bono legal work through its Justice for Change initiative.

Best Mart 360 Reports Interim Revenue Growth to HK$1.45 billion

Proposed an interim dividend of HK11.0 cents per share


Highlights:

  • Revenue increased to approximately HK$1,450.9 million.
  • Gross profit increased to approximately HK$518.8 million.
  • Profit attributable to owners of the Company amounted to approximately HK$116.2 million.
  • As at 30 June 2026, the Group operated a total of 190 chain retail stores
  • Basic earnings per share was approximately HK11.6 cents. The Board recommended the payment of interim dividend of HK11.0 cents per share.

Financial Highlights:

For the 6 months ended 30 Jun
HK$’000 2026 2025 Change
Revenue 1,450,897 1,436,576 +1.0%
Sales derived from private label products 277,194 251,203 +10.3%
Gross profit 518,758 518,177 +0.1%
Interim dividend per share (HK cents) 11.0 11.0 –

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 31 August 2026 – Best Mart 360 Holdings Limited (“Best Mart 360” or the “Company”, together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”; stock code: 2360.HK), a leading leisure food retailer in Hong Kong, announced its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2026 (“the Period under Review”). During the Period under Review, the revenue recorded by the Group amounted to approximately HK$1,450,897,000, representing an increase of approximately 1.0% as compared to approximately HK$1,436,576,000 for the six months ended 30 June 2025 (the “Corresponding Period Last Year”).

During the Period under Review, profit attributable to owners of the Company amounted to approximately HK$116,221,000.

For the six months ended 30 June 2026, gross profit of the Group was approximately HK$518,758,000, representing an increase of approximately 0.1%, as compared to gross profit of approximately HK$518,177,000. Gross profit margin during the period was approximately 35.8%. During the Period under Review, basic earnings per share of the Group was approximately HK11.6 cents. The Board recommended the payment of interim dividend of HK11.0 cents per share.

BUSINESS REVIEW

CHAIN RETAIL STORES

As at 30 June 2026, the Group operated a total of 190 chain retail stores, including 184 chain retail stores in Hong Kong and 6 chain retail stores in Macau, respectively. During the Period under Review, the Group continued to implement its store network optimization strategy to fully showcase its diverse product portfolio, further enhance its overall brand image and provide customers with a more comfortable shopping environment.

Since 2021, the Group has launched its brand of global wine and food stores “FoodVille”, which provides mid-to-high-end, premium food products from around the globe. These include fine wines, premium chocolates, health foods, cheese, Western sauces and ingredients from around the world, aming to cater to the market’s pursuit of a quality of life and expanding the Group’s customer base. As at 30 June 2026, the Group operated a total of 8 retail stores under the brand.

During the Period under Review, the rental expenses (on a cash basis) of the Group’s retail stores accounted for approximately 9.7% of its sales revenue.

THE PRODUCTS

During the Period under Review, the Group adhered to its global procurement strategy, sourcing high-quality products from around the world to provide customers with a diversified range of choices. During the Period under Review, the Group sold over 1,045 brands and more than 3,054 stock keeping units (“SKUs“) of products in total. The Group continuously optimised its product portfolio and actively introduced a variety of new products and flavours to meet customers’ ever-changing needs.

To enrich its product mix and maintain effective control over product quality, supply stability and profit margins, the Group continued to actively develop its private label products. During the Period under Review, sales derived from private label products amounted to approximately HK$277,194,000 (six months ended 30 June 2025: approximately HK$251,203,000), which accounted for approximately 19.1% of the Group’s total revenue for the Period under Review. The Group had a total of 12 private labels covering approximately 272 SKUs of products, including masks, canned Chinese delicacies, cereals, milk, honey, nuts and dried fruits as well as a wide range of leisure food products.

MEMBERSHIP SCHEME AND MARKETING & PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES

As at 30 June 2026, the Group had a cumulative total of approximately 2,469,754 registered fans and members (30 June 2025: approximately 2,243,198). As at 30 June 2026, the number of mobile app members reached approximately 1,374,462 (30 June 2025: approximately 1,238,775).

During the Period under Review, the Group continued to carry out a variety of marketing activities, including “Best Price”, “Instant Redemption upon Purchase” and other promotional campaigns, which provided customers with a series of special offers on selected quality products as a way to show its appreciation for their support and effectively enhance customer loyalty. The Group also launched a new brand promotion campaign, namely “Best Mart, Always a Friendly Buy”, in 2026. By integrating online and offline promotional channels, the Group further strengthened its brand image and enhanced its interaction and connection with customers.

The Group also utilised a variety of outdoor media, such as large-scale advertisements at MTR stations and truck wraps, together with marketing strategies on digital media and social platforms, to further increase its brand exposure and market penetration, thereby attracting more new customers to shop at its stores.

In addition, the Group actively fulfilled its corporate social responsibility by partnering with the charitable foundation under China Merchants Group to launch the “Care 360˚” Neighborhood Support Programme, which aids families in need, continuously promotes community care and inclusion and actively puts into practice the core principles of corporate sustainability.

EMPLOYEES

As at 30 June 2026, the Group employed a total of 1,257 full-time and part-time employees (31 December 2025: 1,227). The increase in the total number of employees was primarily due to the Group’s recruitment of additional staff for its newly opened stores. To retain talent and provide its employees with appropriate incentives to enhance their sense of belonging and loyalty, the Group regularly reviews and updates its employee remuneration packages and benefit plans, taking into account labour market supply and remuneration trends as well as individual employee performance. During the Period under Review, the staff costs of the Group (excluding emoluments of the Directors) accounted for approximately 9.6% of its total revenue (six months ended 30 June 2025: approximately 9.7%).

OUTLOOK

Global geopolitical tensions remain high, and uncertainty persists regarding the pace of the external economic recovery. Meanwhile, the active expansion of mainland Chinese e-commerce platforms into Hong Kong has driven the popularity of cross-border online shopping, further intensifying competition in the local retail market. Amid complex and increasingly competitive market conditions, the overall business environment for the retail sector is expected to remain under pressure in the second half of 2026. However, as Hong Kong hosts a series of major international events and exhibitions as well as cultural and sports activities, the number of visitors to Hong Kong and their willingness to spend are steadily recovering. At the same time, consumption of daily necessities has demonstrated strong resilience. Market demand for value-for-money globally sourced food products and healthy snacks continues to grow, presenting the Group with solid development opportunities. Looking ahead, the Group remains cautiously optimistic about its business prospects. To address intense market competition, we are committed to refining operational management, optimizing business processes, and maintaining strict cost controls.

To further strengthen its connection with consumers, the Group officially launched a rebranding campaign in June 2026, adopting “Best Mart, Always a Friendly Buy” as its new core brand value and striving to build a more welcoming, youthful, vibrant and creative brand image. Regarding its store network management, the Group will balance strategic expansion with operational optimization. On one hand, the Group will capitalise on appropriate market opportunities and continue to expand its footprint through a “dual-brand” strategy featuring “Best Mart 360˚” and “FoodVille”, aiming to precisely meet the demand for high-quality food across different customer segments. On the other hand, the Group will adhere to strict capital-return discipline by actively negotiating with landlords for more flexible and reasonable lease terms, while regularly reviewing the operational efficiency of existing stores. Through these efforts, the Group aims to comprehensively enhance the overall profitability of its network and deepen its presence in the mass retail market.

Faced with a complex, ever-changing and highly competitive market environment, the Group is comprehensively exploring and researching the application of artificial intelligence in its business processes, aiming to enhance operational efficiency through innovative technology. The Group will further deepen its online-offline integration strategy, fully leverage the advantages provided by the extensive member database of its mobile app and implement targeted marketing through big data analysis to effectively increase member engagement and overall repeat purchase rates.

In terms of online channels, the Group will strengthen its collaboration with the foodpanda mall platform to ensure a seamless shopping experience. The Group will also remain agile in our operational strategies to optimize overall sales performance.

Guided by its core brand philosophy of “Best Quality” and “Best Price”, the Group will make every effort to expand its upstream supplier network while ramping up the development of its private label products. These initiatives will solidify our competitive pricing advantage while effectively meeting the market demand for daily necessities. The Board is confident that, through prudent yet flexible strategic planning, strong brand appeal and an optimised product portfolio, the Group will successfully enhance customer loyalty. This will steadily drive the business toward sustainable growth, thus creating long-term and robust returns for shareholders.

Hashtag: #BestMart360

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Best Mart 360 Holdings Limited

Best Mart 360 Holdings Limited, mainly operates chain retail stores under the brand “Best Mart 360˚”. It offers a wide collection of imported prepackaged leisure foods and other grocery products, principally from overseas. The Group’s business objective is to offer “Best Quality” and “Best Price” products to customers through continuous efforts on global procurement with a mission to provide comfortable shopping environment and pleasurable shopping experience to customers. As at 30 June 2026, the Group operates 190 retail stores that are strategically located across 18 districts in Hong Kong and Macau. In addition, the Group’s new global gourmet store, “FoodVille”, was officially opened in September 2021, which mainly provides globally sourced medium-to-high-end quality food products.

Ingdan, Inc. (400.HK) Announces 2026 Interim Results

Highlights of the Interim Results for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2026:

  • Benefiting from sustained strong chip demand across the AI data center (“AIDC”), storage and robotics sectors, the Group’s revenue increased by approximately 98.4% year-on-year to approximately RMB13,249.2 million;
  • The Group recorded gross profit of approximately RMB799.7 million and net profit of approximately RMB373.0 million. Profit attributable to equity shareholders of the Company amounted to approximately RMB278.9 million, representing a year-on-year increase of approximately 111.1%;
  • The Group has strategically upgraded from an “AI hardware distributor” into a “Token computing power operator”, opening up a second growth curve; and
  • The Group has formally entered into Token computing power services contracts worth more than US$1 billion, with delivery expected to commence in the fourth quarter of 2026.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 31 August 2026 – Ingdan, Inc. (“Ingdan” or the “Company”; Stock Code: 400.HK, together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”), an ecosystem services platform anchored in artificial intelligence (“AI”) chips and principally engaged in the businesses of “Comtech” and “Ingdan” today announced its unaudited interim results for the six months ended June 30, 2026 (the “First Half of 2026” or the “Period”).

Financial Highlights for the First Half of 2026

During the Period, benefiting from sustained strong chip demand across the AIDC, storage and robotics sectors, the Group recorded revenue of approximately RMB13,249.2 million, representing an increase of approximately 98.4% from approximately RMB6,676.5 million for the corresponding period in 2025.

The Group’s gross profit amounted to approximately RMB799.7 million, representing a year-on-year increase of approximately 36.5%. Operating profit was approximately RMB517.2 million, representing a year-on-year increase of approximately 87.7%. Net profit after tax amounted to approximately RMB373.0 million, representing a year-on-year increase of approximately 96.3%.

Business Review

Strategic Upgrade Milestone: Token Factory Order Formally Secured, Opening Up a Second Growth Curve

During the First Half of 2026, the Group achieved a landmark breakthrough in its AI-driven strategic upgrade. The previously disclosed intent service orders exceeding US$1 billion have now been formalized into services contracts. Delivery is expected to commence in the fourth quarter of 2026, with the contracts expected to generate aggregate service revenue of more than US$1 billion over the next five years. This milestone signifies a fundamental evolution in the Group’s growth model—from “selling chips” to “selling computing power”—and its formal upgrade into an “Token computing power operator”, presenting a compelling new value proposition to the capital markets.

Three Growth Drivers for Rapid Expansion

The Group’s performance growth is supported by three core drivers:

  • AI computing power: The accelerating development of global data centers continues to drive strong demand for GPUs and CPUs. The Group provides full-stack computing power support, from chips to application solutions, and is deeply involved in the development of cloud-based intelligent computing centers;
  • Storage cycle: Surging demand for AI foundation model training and inference is driving expansion in the memory chip market. Leveraging the resources of leading global suppliers, the Group ensures a reliable supply of memory chips and complementary solutions; and
  • Embodied intelligence and robotics: As humanoid robots enter the mass-production stage, the Group is strengthening its full-stack deployment, from edge AI computing solutions built around platforms such as NVIDIA Jetson to enterprise-level computing clusters.

Full-Chain Technology Services Platform

As a technology services platform based on AI chips, the Group connects upstream AI chip technologies with the needs of downstream innovative enterprises. Leveraging the resources of leading global chip manufacturers, including NVIDIA, Intel, AMD and SanDisk, the Group has established a comprehensive product portfolio covering GPUs, CPUs, FPGAs, ASICs, memory chips and software ecosystems. With chip distribution serving as its entry point, the Group provides customers with integrated, full-chain services encompassing technology solutions, supply chain management, technical training, and after-sales operation and maintenance. Its services cover a broad range of application scenarios, including cloud-based intelligent computing centers, edge AI, robotics, drones and enterprise-level computing power services.

Global Computing Power Network Deployment

To support the large-scale delivery of its Token factory business, the Group is accelerating the development of a global computing power network. In the near term, it plans to expand its computing centers footprint into multiple Asian countries, with total planned computing capacity exceeding 100 megawatts. Through its proprietary Token computing power scheduling platform, the Group provides one-stop services encompassing computing power scheduling, cluster operation and maintenance, and Token computing power services. Its customers include leading internet cloud service providers and market-leading enterprises in vertical robotics segments, demonstrating the commercial viability of the Group’s business model.

Outlook

Mr. Jeffrey Kang, Chairmanand CEO of Ingdan, Inc., commented: “As demand across AIDC, storage, robotics and AI Token services continue to grow, the Group’s strategic positioning as a ‘Token computing power operator’ has been further strengthened. We expect robust customer demand in the second half of the year, while the AI Token factory business is expected to become the Group’s second growth curve. This will further enhance the capital market’s recognition of the visibility of the Company’s growth and its long-term development potential.”

Cautionary Statement

The information contained in this document has not been independently verified. Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates, advisers or representatives makes any express or implied representation, undertaking or warranty as to the fairness, accuracy, completeness or correctness of the information or opinions presented or contained herein. No person should rely on this document as a basis for any decision.

The information contained in this document should be considered in the context of the circumstances prevailing at the relevant time and is subject to change without notice. The Company undertakes no obligation to update the information contained herein to reflect any developments occurring after the date of this document. This document is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon as providing, a complete or comprehensive analysis of the Company or its financial or operating condition or prospects. Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates, advisers or representatives shall have any obligation or accept any liability, whether in negligence or otherwise, for any loss arising from any use of this document or its contents or otherwise arising in connection with this document.

This document may contain statements reflecting the Company’s current intentions, beliefs and expectations regarding the future as of the relevant dates indicated herein. Such forward-looking statements do not constitute guarantees of future performance. They are based on certain assumptions concerning the Company’s operations and on factors beyond the Company’s control, and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, actual results may differ materially from those described in such forward-looking statements. Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates, advisers or representatives has any obligation or undertakes to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or unforeseen circumstances arising after the relevant date.

Hashtag: #Comtech #Ingdan #AI #AIDC #TokenFactory #IC #Chips #humanoid #Intel #AMD #Sandisk #NVIDIA #Tech #RevenueGrowth #TechGrowth #AIInvestment #ProprietaryProducts #KeplerLab #Comtech #IngdanTechnology #IngdanAcademy #AIAcceleration #TechTransformation

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Ingdan, Inc.

Ingdan, Inc. (Stock Code: 400.HK) is an ecosystem services platform anchored in artificial intelligence (“AI”) chips. The Group captures the rapidly growing demand across numerous industries, from AI computing centers to AI-powered intelligent terminals, by converting AI chip resources into a broad range of rapidly deployable application solutions that provide the core driving force for customers’ intelligent upgrade. Through its proprietary AI technologies, large models and specialized industry knowledge bases, the Group provides customers with advanced chip application technology solutions and efficient supply chain management services.

Headquartered in Shenzhen, the Group operates offices and branches across major cities in China, including Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou , Suzhou, Wuhan and Chengdu, as well as operations in Singapore and Japan. The Group’s core businesses are Comtech — a technology services platform for the chip industry; and Ingdan — a platform providing Artificial Intelligence of Things (“AIoT”) technology and services.

For further information, please refer to the Company’s website at

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation Kicks Off 25th Anniversary Prelude “Innovation. Next by Nature.”

Partnered with CB Insights to unveil Hong Kong leads Asia and ranks fifth globally for high-potential start-ups, orchestrating the next era of global tech innovation


Key Takeaways:

  • HKSTP’s 25th Anniversary Prelude theme, “Innovation. Next by Nature.”, brings together great minds and bold ideas to inspire what comes next for Hong Kong’s innovation ecosystem.
  • The CB Insights-HKSTP white paper ranks Hong Kong first in Asia and fifth globally, with a Mosaic score of 370 — a key indicator of high-potential ventures and future unicorns.
  • The research highlights Chinese Mainland’s lead in Asia’s physical AI wave, as the region powers global growth in robotics and AI funding.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 31 August 2026 – The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) today officially kicked off its year-long 25th anniversary celebration with a landmark event “Together to NEXT”, bringing together Innovation and Technology Partners, Park Companies, industry leaders, academia and startups to mark a quarter-century of transforming bold ideas into global impact.

HKSTP's 25th Anniversary Prelude theme,
HKSTP’s 25th Anniversary Prelude theme, “Innovation. Next by Nature.”, brings together great minds and bold ideas to inspire what comes next for Hong Kong’s innovation ecosystem. Ms Cordelia Chung, Chairman of HKSTP (6th from left), Mr Terry Wong, CEO at HKSTP (6th from right), Mr Aldous Mak, Chief Financial Officer of HKSTP (5th from left), Ms Hilda Chan, Chief Marketing Officer, HKSTP (5th from right), Ms Filla Mak, Chief Property and Asset Officer, HKSTP (4th from left), Mr Eric Or, Chief Ecosystem Development Officer, HKSTP (4th from right), Ms Fanny Wong, Chief Talent Officer, HKSTP (3rd from right), Mr Oscar Wong, Acting Chief Business Development Officer, HKSTP (2nd from right) and members from the management team officiate the event.

To commemorate this milestone, HKSTP unveiled its anniversary theme, “Innovation. Next by Nature.”, a vision that signals its evolution from ecosystem enabler to orchestrator of the next era of global innovation. HKSTP also announced the findings of a landmark study, “Inside Asia’s Fast-Track to Global Tech Scale,” conducted in partnership with the leading technology market intelligence firm CB Insights, revealing Hong Kong ranks first in Asia and fifth globally, with a Mosaic score of 370. Mosaic score is CB Insight’s proprietary and industry-recognised indicator of high-potential ventures and future unicorns, evaluating momentum, financing, market opportunity and leadership quality. Hong Kong’s top ranking among Asian markets reflects a concentrated pool of scale-ready ventures and highly-investable innovation.

Ms Cordelia Chung, Chairman of HKSTP, said: “For 25 years, HKSTP has driven I&T as Hong Kong’s economic engine. Across our 240-hectare infrastructure and service ecosystem—comprising Science Park, InnoCentre, three InnoParks, and our Shenzhen Park—we turn research into real-world impact. Looking ahead, our ‘What’s Next’ vision is built on four dimensions, ‘Broad and Deep, Far Yet Near’: Broad means building a diverse talent ecosystem where human minds leverage technology; Deep involves advancing tech-industry convergence; Far entails expanding our global footprint; and Near focuses on drawing the future nearer with immediate action. Our community is our heartbeat. Together, we must strengthen, enhance, and collaborate, harnessing Hong Kong’s unique advantages to shape a better future for all.”

To kick off this next era, HKSTP has partnered with CB Insights to launch a white paper titled “Inside Asia‘s Fast-Track to Global Tech Scale.“ The report shows how Asia is reshaping the global innovation playbook with a network of specialist clusters, each optimised for a different stage of the innovation journey and built for today’s multipolar market landscape. CB Insights is a global tech intelligence leader and predictive data platform trusted by Fortune 500 companies.

Mr Terry Wong, CEO at HKSTP, said: “Asia’s rising innovation power is rewriting the global innovation map. While Silicon Valley grew as a single, all-in-one hub, Asia, with the Chinese Mainland as a key technology engine, is evolving an accelerated and more specialised network for global innovation. Hong Kong’s role as a super connector and value-adder has never been more important as Asia sets a new benchmark for start-up ecosystems. As HKSTP steps up as an ecosystem orchestrator, we are connecting innovators with capital, talent, deep Mainland China links and trusted pathways to global markets.”

Other Key Report Findings:

  • Chinese Mainland drives physical AI takeover
    Asia’s AI investment exploding as physical AI leads the way with robotics raising US$26.1B and AI infrastructure hit US$21.4 billion in 2025, outpacing generative AI and fintech. China dominates region with close to 100% of deals in emerging segments: robot/industrial humanoid robot foundation models, vision language and autonomous driving models.
  • Asia‘s specialist hubs as accelerators of growth across innovation lifecycle
  • Asia vies for global R&D lead to complement established manufacturing and consumer power
    The region’s global R&D expenditure surge from 24% in 2007 to 45% in 2024, according to WIPO, while already the dominant region for global manufacturing as well as driving global consumption with growing purchasing power with Asia’s GDP reaching 48.6 percent in 2025, according to Boao Forum for Asia (BFA).


HKSTP: Global
I&T Ecosystem Orchestrator and Innovation Accelerator

HKSTP’s 25th anniversary signals a renewed mission to make Hong Kong the global heartbeat of what’s next in innovation and technology (I&T). As HKSTP approaches its 25th anniversary, the new brand theme, “Innovation. Next by Nature.”, positions HKSTP as inherently built to lead the change. The year-long celebrative campaign “25 to NEXT” starts from August 2026 to July 2027 with 25 high-impact activations and cultural moments.

Anchored by three core goals — The Next Habitat (cultivating an innovation culture by connecting ecosystem stakeholders with signature events), The Next Horizon (broadening perspectives through industry-guiding insights, including the landmark study in partnership with CB Insights and 25 KOL collaborations), and The Next Pinnacle (developing overseas delegations and platforms across international markets). The campaign positions HKSTP as a more connected engine and forward-oriented convener of talent, capital, infrastructure and partnerships across sectors and borders.

Since its establishment, HKSTP has grown into Hong Kong’s largest I&T ecosystem, driving breakthroughs across Life and Health Technology, AI and Data Science, Microelectronics and Advanced Manufacturing, and GreenTech and New Energy. As the ecosystem orchestrator, HKSTP is committed to powering Hong Kong’s rise as the international I&T hub, underpinned by leading critical partnerships across Hong Kong and beyond, attracting talent, engaging stakeholders, and building a connected, forward-looking I&T community for the next era of global innovation.
Hashtag: #HongKongScienceandTechnologyParksCorporation #HKSTP

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) was established in 2001 and has built a proven foundation as Hong Kong’s leading innovation and technology (I&T) ecosystem. Established for 25 years, HKSTP is supporting 14 unicorns, has nurtured more than 17,000 research professionals and built a community of over 2,600 technology companies from 26 countries and regions across four strategic technology clusters: Life and Health Technology, AI and Data Science, Micro-electronics, and New Energy and Green Technology.

As an ecosystem orchestrator, HKSTP provides end-to-end support to attract and nurture talent, accelerate commercialisation and help technology ventures scale. Its innovation infrastructure spans over 240 hectares covering Hong Kong Science Park in Pak Shek Kok, InnoCentre in Kowloon Tong, and three modern InnoParks in Tai Po, Tseung Kwan O and Yuen Long, advancing Hong Kong’s vision for new industrialisation and smart manufacturing.

Hong Kong Science Park Shenzhen Branch in Futian, Shenzhen, strengthens cross-border collaboration by connecting Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and global innovation networks and propels Chinese innovators onto the world stage, while also delivering comprehensive GBA landing support to accelerate cross-border success for local and international ventures.

As HKSTP enters its next chapter with strong foundations, it continues to deepen impact, elevate quality and create value for innovators. As an ecosystem built to lead change, HKSTP is empowering Hong Kong to define what comes next in innovation, growth and opportunity.

More information about HKSTP is available at .

Five Years After Expansion, Qianhai Opens a New Chapter in Institutional Opening-Up


SHENZHEN, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 31 August 2026 – September 6 marks the fifth anniversary of the promulgation of the Plan for Comprehensive Deepening Reform and Opening Up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone (“Qianhai Plan”). Just days earlier, on August 26, Qianhai celebrated its 16th anniversary. Coming one after another, the two milestones provide a window through which to view the development of this 120.56-square-kilometer area. On August 20, the Authority of Qianhai announced that since its expansion in 2021, Qianhai’s regional GDP had risen from 175.57 billion yuan to 331.81 billion yuan, while total imports and exports had grown from 378.05 billion yuan to 757.43 billion yuan — both figures nearly doubling or more than doubling.

Landscape of Qianhai, Shenzhen
Landscape of Qianhai, Shenzhen

Behind these numbers is the sheer scale of institutional innovation. As a frontline of China’s opening-up, Qianhai has continued to introduce and refine policies, with 111 institutional innovation outcomes now replicated and promoted nationwide. The General Administration of Customs has introduced two rounds of dedicated support policies to address the challenges facing Qianhai’s development. Qianhai was the first in China to pilot a customs model featuring “direct access at the first line and smart connected supervision”, allowing goods to be directly released at the port, with declaration and inspection carried out after they arrive at the comprehensive bonded zone. The number of items required in customs declarations has also been reduced from dozens to just over ten.

The progress in Shenzhen-Hong Kong cooperation is even more visible. The number of Hong Kong-funded enterprises has grown from more than 8,000 in 2021 to over 11,000 today. Technology commercialization platforms established by five Hong Kong universities have successively begun operations in Qianhai, incubating 193 projects in total.

Gary Wong Chi-him, a Hong Kong resident working at the Qianhai Authority, has experienced these changes firsthand. He said that more and more people from Hong Kong have been coming to Qianhai over the past five years. “There’s a saying in Shenzhen: once you come, you’re a Shenzhener. I felt that sense of belonging from my very first day,” he said. “Qianhai has created an environment where Hong Kong and Shenzhen are deeply intertwined. Even while living and working in Qianhai, you can still feel the atmosphere of Hong Kong, so I had no difficulty settling in.”

Jacqueline Ho, CEO of Hong Kong-funded sci-tech innovation company Synovate Technologies, said the company set up at the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneur Hub in 2019 and has benefited from its ongoing talent recruitment services. “Qianhai has helped us connect with upstream and downstream partners such as Siemens, allowing us to establish a foothold in the hard-tech sector in a short time,” she said. The company has obtained around 50 independent intellectual property rights to date and was named to the Forbes China Emerging Tech T30&30 Selection this year. Qianhai is now home to 532 key AI enterprises, including SmartMore Information Technology, Pony.ai and Fengyi Technology, among a growing group of companies that have established and expanded their businesses here.

For Lin Zhifeng, General Manager of China (Qianhai) Internet Exchange, the most notable sign of Qianhai’s growing international reach was the establishment of the China Center for Promoting APEC Data Cross-Border Flow Cooperation at the end of July. The center he works is the only national-level Internet exchange center in South China. In the five years since its establishment, it has served more than 270 enterprises. Its Shenzhen-Hong Kong Cross-Boundary Data Validation Platform has helped mainland SMEs secure more than HK$260 million in financing in Hong Kong. Its secure and convenient cross-border data channel has benefited more than 300,000 Hong Kong residents, making it easier for them to transfer medical records across the border after receiving treatment in Shenzhen.

Five years into its expansion, Qianhai has gradually established a clearer path toward institutional opening-up. Every breakthrough reflects the same underlying approach: turning institutional differences into new opportunities created by opening-up, and translating the alignment of rules from paper into practice. “Qianhai, Pulse with the World” is more than a city slogan; it is a vivid testament to the five years of reform and opening-up in this dynamic part of Shenzhen.

Hashtag: #Qianhai

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Over 20,000 Young Players Chase Their Dreams on the Pitch – Beijing’s Very Own “World Cup” Concludes


BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 31 August 2026 – The 43rd “Baidui Cup” Football Tournament recently came to a close in Beijing. First established in 1984, this youth football tournament introduced a “two‑track” system for the first time this year, with separate Popularization and Competitive Groups. The event attracted a total of 1,481 teams and more than 20,000 young participants, reaching a new high in overall scale in recent years.

The 43rd "Baidui Cup" Football Tournament in progress.
The 43rd “Baidui Cup” Football Tournament in progress.

The “Baidui Cup” is one of the longest‑standing youth amateur football tournaments in China, and the only national youth football event that has run continuously without interruption since its inception. This year, the tournament broke new ground by moving beyond the previous format in which teams of different levels competed together, establishing two separate tracks: Popularization and Competitive.

The Popularization Group is open to all young football enthusiasts, championing the principles of “joyful participation and free team formation.” It covers 14 age‑based competition categories, ranging from 6‑year‑olds to high school students. In the 6‑year‑old category, no rankings are recorded and all participants receive awards, with the aim of fostering interest and expanding the grassroots football base. Designed specifically for professional club youth academy teams, sports schools, and school representative teams, the Competitive Group covers 10 age categories from 8 to 17. Through high‑level competition, it serves as a testing ground to improve the selection mechanism for reserve talent.

A representative from the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau noted that the “two‑track” system marks the Baidui Cup’s transformation from a standalone amateur event into a comprehensive youth tournament system that equally emphasizes participation and excellence, offering a valuable model for refining the youth football competition framework.

During the tournament, Fu Ming, an international referee who officiated at the FIFA World Cup 2026™, took charge of Competitive Group matches and offered this encouragement to the young players: “Win on the condition that you enjoy the game.” Shao Jiayi, the tournament’s image ambassador and head coach of the Chinese men’s national football team, presented awards to the winning teams and encouraged the children to compete with courage.

“The Baidui Cup is Beijing’s very own ‘World Cup’ for its children,” said a post‑80s football enthusiast who had participated in the tournament as a child and now coaches a team. The event has become more than just a competitive stage—it is a summer memory for generations of Beijing residents and a cultural touchstone of the city’s sports identity.

Hashtag: #Beijing #BaiduiCup

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Rockwell Automation Integrates Plex QMS with FactoryTalk Analytics VisionAI to Advance AI-Driven Quality, Continues AI Expansion

Integration brings AI-powered visual inspection into QMS workflows to help improve quality, traceability and defect detection

MILWAUKEE, Aug. 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE:ROK), the world’s largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, on Aug. 11, 2026 announced an API-enabled integration between Plex Quality Management System (QMS) and FactoryTalk® Analytics™ VisionAI™. The integration, available from Aug. 11, expands AI-driven quality management and reflects Rockwell’s continued investment in artificial intelligence and elastic MES solutions.  

Rockwell continues to advance AI/ML across its offerings, including cloud-based MES platforms, edge AI and digital twins. According to Rockwell’s “Scaling MES Across the Enterprise” report, 42% of manufacturing processes are expected to become AI-supported within the next year. The Plex QMS and FactoryTalk Analytics VisionAI integration offers manufacturers opportunities for strategic, automated quality intelligence. 

“AI plays a critical role in Rockwell’s industrial autonomy strategy,” states Devin Burke, group product manager, Rockwell Automation. “With predictive intelligence, manufacturers can shift from scripted automation to adaptable autonomy as systems learn, adjust and collaborate across software, hardware and workers.” 

The integration builds on the API-first architecture of Plex QMS, enabling interoperability. When connected to FactoryTalk Analytics VisionAI, Plex QMS delivers AI-driven workflows to new and existing camera systems. These workflows help detect anomalies and reduce defects. Traditional visual inspection is only 80% effective and often fails to store inspection history. The Plex QMS and FactoryTalk Analytics VisionAI integration delivers exceptional visual inspection, as results recorded in the Plex system provide traceability, product serialization and an accurate record of inspection history. 

In addition to the new integration, Plex Connected Worker recently introduced AI-powered authoring agent within the Digital Work Instructions suite, which transforms CAD files and technical assets into structured, step-by-step instructions for frontline employees. Similarly, Plex includes an AI agent embedded within its Reporting and Analytics capabilities, delivering out‑of‑the‑box dashboards that turn operational data into real-time, actionable insights. Users can engage these agents in natural language to proactively surface risks, predict issues, and drive faster, smarter decisions—moving from operational foresight to action with a single click.  

“At Rockwell Automation, we’ve built a context-rich industrial data foundation shaped by years of manufacturing expertise,” shares Manu Ravichandran, senior product manager, Rockwell Automation. “This foundation gives manufacturers the structure, context, and scalability needed to operationalize advanced analytics and AI across complex operations.” 

You can learn more about Plex QMS here and FactoryTalk Analytics VisionAI here

About Rockwell Automation

Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), is a global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation. We connect the imaginations of people with the potential of technology to expand what is humanly possible, making the world more productive and more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rockwell Automation employs approximately 26,000 problem solvers dedicated to our customers in more than 100 countries as of fiscal year end 2025. To learn more about how we are bringing Connected Enterprise to life across industrial enterprises, visit www.rockwellautomation.com

PolyU develops quantum-tunnelling field-effect transistor to overcome barriers to integrated-circuit chip development


HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 31 August 2026 – The next generation of microelectronics relies on improvements in transistor switching performance to advance computing power. However, conventional semiconductor technology has hit the physical “Boltzmann limit”, which restricts the energy efficiency of traditional transistors. A research team at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has engineered a novel tunnelling field-effect transistor (TFET) utilising 2D nanomaterials. The breakthrough can offer the fundamentals for energy-efficient computing and next-generation AI chips.

Prof. Jianhua Hao (right), Dr. Zehan Wu, Research Assistant Professor of Department of Physics and Materials at PolyU and the first author of the Research Article in Science (left), and the research team, fabricated ultra-thin heterostructure of 2D bismuth and indium selenide layers using pulsed laser deposition.
Prof. Jianhua Hao (right), Dr. Zehan Wu, Research Assistant Professor of Department of Physics and Materials at PolyU and the first author of the Research Article in Science (left), and the research team, fabricated ultra-thin heterostructure of 2D bismuth and indium selenide layers using pulsed laser deposition.

The research was led by Prof. Jianhua HAO, Head of the Department of Physics and Materials and Chair Professor of Materials Physics and Devices at PolyU, in collaboration with the National University of Singapore, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Peking University, and the Singapore University of Technology and Design. The findings have been published in the prestigious scientific journal Science.

Conventional transistors rely on thermionic emission of electrical charges, which requires a minimum gating voltage of 60 millivolts (mV). However, the “Boltzmann limit” makes subthreshold swing values below 60 mV decade⁻¹ at room temperature physically impossible, limiting progress in high-performance electronics.

Prof. Hao said, “By adopting quantum tunnelling, our TFET breaks through this boundary, paving the way for ultra-low-power, high-performance integrated circuits essential for emerging AI chips and advanced semiconductor applications.”

Prof. Hao’s team created ultra-thin heterostructure of 2D bismuth and indium selenide alternating layers using pulsed laser deposition. By exercising precise control over the layer structure, the normally semi-metallic bismuth transforms into a semiconductor in 2D form, allowing charge carriers to tunnel efficiently into indium selenide through quantum tunnelling mechanism.

The resulting TFET achieved SS values well below the 60 mV decade⁻¹ limit. Operating at room temperature on silicon substrates, the device required a gate-voltage range of only 160 mV—far lower than the 800 mV originally required.

The device resolved a challenge in experimental TFETs by delivering a high output current alongside an exceptionally high ON/OFF current ratio, which helps drive multiple downstream logic gates and diminish circuit-delay.

Hashtag: #PolyU #PolyUResearch #Semiconductors #TFET #AIChips

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