• The Icon Pro Water Purifier’s innovative full-screen LCD display delivers enhanced convenience and intuitive control
• This year marks Coway’s 16^th consecutive IDEA recognition, underscoring its global design leadership

SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Coway Co., Ltd., the “Best Life Solution Company,” announced that its Icon Pro Water Purifier has been honored at the 2025 International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA), marking the company’s 16^th consecutive year of recognition.

Hosted by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), IDEA is one of the world’s most prestigious design awards alongside Germany’s iF Design Award and Red Dot Design Awards.

The award-winning Icon Pro Water Purifier features a full-screen touch LCD display that delivers intuitive and interactive user experiences. This advanced display provides real-time information and allows users to easily control detailed purifier functions – previously difficult to achieve with traditional button-based models.

The Icon Pro Water Purifier’s Recipe Mode automatically sets optimal water temperature, volume, and dispensing methods based on usage needs, while its display also shows any system updates and maintenance alerts. When an issue is detected, the purifier provides step-by-step troubleshooting guidance. For filter and cartridge replacements, built-in sensors detect the user’s movements and offer video and audio instructions, significantly improving ease of maintenance.

Designed with both style and functionality, Coway’s Icon Pro Water Purifier has been praised for its sleek, modern aesthetic that complements any kitchen interior. It is available in five colors – Pebble Black, Porcelain White, Bronze Beige, Icy Blue, and Iron Silver – giving consumers a variety of choices to match their preferences and home décor styling.

Jin Sang Hwang, Head of Coway’s Design Lab, stated, “The Icon Pro Water Purifier is an innovative product that combines smart functionality with refined design via its intuitive touch-screen display. Moving forward, we will continue to push the boundaries of design and innovation to deliver even more exceptional experiences to our customers.”

About Coway Co., Ltd.

Established in Korea in 1989, Coway, the “Best Life Solution Company,” is a leading environmental home appliances company making people’s lives healthy and comfortable with innovative home appliances such as water purifiers, air purifiers, bidets, and mattresses. BEREX, the company’s sleep & wellness brand, aims to improve the quality of life through cutting-edge mattresses and massage chairs. Since being founded, Coway has become a leader in the environmental home appliances industry, with intensive research, engineering, development, and customer service. The company has proven dedication to innovation with award-winning products, home health expertise, unrivaled market share, customer satisfaction, and brand recognition. Coway continues to innovate by diversifying product lines and accelerating overseas business in Malaysia, the USA, Thailand, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Europe, based on the business success in Korea. In 2025, the company launched Coway Life Solution, a premium elder care platform offering personalized care solutions tailored to different life stages. For more information, please visit https://coway.com/ or http://newsroom.coway.com.

SHANGHAI, Sept. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Smartee Denti-Technology hosted a delegation of orthodontic specialists from Europe and Asia at its Shanghai headquarters and digital production facilities. The visit combined advanced mandibular repositioning lectures, clinical visits, and cultural exchange, highlighting how Smartee’s innovations — from mandibular repositioning solutions to pediatric orthodontic systems — are shaping next-generation orthodontic care.

Advancing Clinical Practice with Invisible Mandibular Repositioning

During an academic session at Smartee HQ, visiting doctors explored the GS mandibular repositioning protocol — a clear-aligner–based approach used in the management of skeletal Class II cases.

Dr. Camilla Molinari from Italy,described her experience of applying Smartee solutions and the clinical impact:
“I started using Smartee GS clear aligner products almost one and a half years ago, especially the S8-SGTB and S8-SGHB. GS changed my way of treating deep bite cases, and especially Class II malocclusions. It has transformed not only the way we diagnose and plan cases, but also how we think about orthodontics from both a technological and biomechanical perspective.”

Pediatric & Teen Solutions: Growth-Oriented Care with Engaging Design

Treating growing patients was another focus of the visit. Dr. Erica Barina from Italy highlighted both the clinical and emotional value of Smartee Teen:
“As an orthodontic expert, I’ve tried different brands, but Smartee Teen is unique. The connection with Disney motivates children and supports their cooperation. Clinically, Smartee Teen goes beyond dental-alveolar issues to assist skeletal therapy — for example, we can combine the aligner with a facial mask, enabling treatment to start earlier.”

From Thailand, Dr. Kurupin shared similar enthusiasm:
“Two of my patients chose the Elsa version and loved it immediately. Kids and parents are excited as soon as they see the package. Because they enjoy it, I get much better cooperation. The playful packaging really makes a difference.”

Building Bridges Through Innovation and Culture

Alongside technical sessions, the delegation visited Smartee’s manufacturing center and experienced aspects of Shanghai’s culture, underscoring how international dialogue supports the evolution of orthodontic care.

Smartee will continue to collaborate with clinicians worldwide, developing digital, patient-focused orthodontic solutions that enhance treatment efficiency, predictability, and comfort across all age groups.

Learn more about Smartee’s orthodontic solutions at www.smarteealigners.com

DUISBURG, Germany, Sept. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Factor2 Energy, a German (Duisburg) company with a novel approach to geothermal energy, today announced the successful completion of its seed funding round, raising US$9.1 million in venture capital.

The round was led by At One Ventures, with additional investments from High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), Gründerfonds Ruhr, Verve Ventures and Siemens Energy Ventures.

Factor2 Energy will use the seed funding to advance the technological development of its CO₂-based geothermal power generation system and to develop a pilot power plant to demonstrate scalability.

Factor2 Energy is led by Michael Wechsung, Joerg Strohschein and Felix Boehmer who all worked together at Siemens Energy. There they invented a new, economically superior method to harness geothermal energy by utilizing CO₂ as the primary working fluid in the geothermal cycle, replacing water or brine.

Kendra Rauschenberger, General Partner at Siemens Energy Ventures, stated, “I am pleased to see this technology progressing toward commercialization, following its development within Siemens Energy Ventures. Geothermal energy is a reliable and renewable power source, and we will work with Factor2 Energy to tailor our turbines to meet the specific needs of this emerging market.”

How it Works: Clean Energy from Stored CO₂ – Safe, Scalable, and Sustainable

The technology can be deployed at either natural CO2 Reservoirs or at reservoirs designated for Carbon Capture and Storage. The (naturally occurring or captured) CO₂ is injected into deep, porous geological formations, where it is securely stored. As it absorbs geothermal heat from the surrounding rock, its density decreases, initiating a buoyancy-driven circulation known as the thermosiphon effect. As a result, the CO₂ rises naturally to the surface via production wells, eliminating the need for subsurface pumps and significantly reducing parasitic energy consumption and mechanical complexity.

At the surface, the heat is converted into electricity using a direct driven CO₂ turbine system. After expansion, the CO₂ is cooled, reinjected into the reservoir, creating a closed cycle that enables continuous power generation while maintaining long-term CO₂ storage.

Compared to conventional water-based geothermal systems, this approach can achieve up to twice the power output under similar geological conditions, while requiring lower capital expenditures (CAPEX).

“Our approach enables emission-free, efficient, and baseload-capable electricity production, which is ideal for traditional oil and gas companies looking to diversify their operating assets,” said CEO and co-founder Felix Boehmer. “And in fact, the entire system leverages proven technologies from the oil and gas sector, with its long history of drilling and geologic expertise.”

Siting Simplicity: More Location Options and Operational Ease

Besides delivering reliable, 24/7 green power, the use of CO₂ enables access to a broader range of geological sites, unlocking heat from locations unsuitable for conventional geothermal systems.

Using CO₂ allows Factor2 Energy to tap into shallower and cooler geothermal sites, reducing drilling costs and expanding the range of viable power plant locations. The system operates efficiently where conventional geothermal fails, offering competitive Levelized Cost of Electricity. It also eliminates the need for secondary fluids or complex binary systems, simplifying operations. And, by leveraging both geological formations designated for CO₂ storage (CCS) and natural CO₂ reservoirs, Factor2 Energy can transform these into active energy assets.

Helen Lin, Partner at At One Ventures comments: “As a cornerstone for enabling broader electrification, the need for cost-effective baseload power has never been more urgent. The fluid physics of CO₂ as a geothermal working fluid enables a 2x increase in power output while operating at the same depths/temperatures as conventional geothermal, translating to efficiencies in both capex and opex. These technoeconomics combine to form a favorable LCOE at sites that would previously have been economically unviable. We are excited to support Factor2 to bring this crucial technology to market to unlock the potential of geothermal as a more prevalent source of green baseload”

Timo Bertsch, Investment Manager at HTGF comments: “We invested in Factor2 Energy because their innovative technology dramatically expands global geothermal potential and uniquely enables the transformation of CCS sites into energy-generating power plants. Their successful proof of concept in a geologically complex environment demonstrates the robustness and scalability of their approach. We believe Factor2 Energy is well positioned to play a pivotal role in the global energy transition.”

About Factor2 Energy

Factor2 Energy is a German climate-tech company developing CO₂-based geothermal power systems. By using carbon dioxide as the working fluid, the technology accesses moderate-temperature geothermal resources. Compared to conventional systems, the technology can deliver up to twice the power output, without fracking, ultra-deep drilling, or water-intensive processes. Founded by a former Siemens Energy team after a successful proof of concept, the company is backed by leading climate investors, with its latest round led by At One Ventures. Factor2 Energy’s mission is to unlock scalable, clean, baseload geothermal power while supporting permanent carbon storage.

NANNING, China, Sept. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — This is a report from china-asean-media.com.

From September 17 to 21, 2025, the Green and Low-Carbon Exhibition of the China-ASEAN Expo was spectacularly held in Nanning, China. Under the theme of “Empowering Green Development with Digital Intelligence, Building a Low-Carbon Future for China and ASEAN,” this exhibition formed a cornerstone of the 22nd China-ASEAN Expo. The event drew 28 leading domestic and international participants—including government agencies, renowned enterprises, and prestigious academic institutions such as Guangxi Environmental Protection Group, Germany’s PST Company, Thailand’s Royal Water Company, and Malaysia’s Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman—who not only reached cooperation intentions but also formalized agreements on-site.

As the sixth consecutive year that Guangxi Environmental Protection Group has hosted this international environmental showcase, the 2025 edition unveiled pioneering models of “Business Synergy” and “Integrated Exhibition,” featuring a one-stop “Water, Soil, Solid Waste, Air, and Energy” solution platform. Infused with cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), the exhibition presented over a hundred products and more than 70 breakthrough technologies. Highlights included the AI-powered Smart Safe Electricity Platform, the China-ASEAN Building Energy Consumption and Carbon Emission Smart Monitoring Platform, the Guangxi Hazardous Waste Management Platform, and the AI-driven Wind Turbine Inspection Robot—heralding an unprecedented leap in AI-enabled green and low-carbon innovation.

During the exhibition, the “Green Pact” China-ASEAN Environmental Protection Volunteer Service Project mobilized nearly 200 volunteers to participate in environmental advocacy, logistics support, and visitor guidance, serving nearly one million online and on-site attendees. This initiative not only exemplified a deep commitment to ecological civilization but also showcased the collaborative spirit between China and ASEAN nations in advancing a sustainable, low-carbon future.