Why Is a Sauna Company Sponsoring an Aston Martin GT Racing Team?

SYDNEY, Sept. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — SDS Australia has officially joined forces with Volante Rosso Motorsport — Aston Martin Racing’s GT World Challenge Australia team — in a bold new partnership that unites one of the country’s fastest growing sauna and ice bath brands with elite motorsport.

While the announcement may surprise some, it’s a move that underscores how wellness is increasingly intersecting with high-performance sport.

From Saunas to Supercars

The unlikely origin story behind SDS Australia’s high-speed partnership with Volante Rosso began three years ago when Michael Doubinski – serial tech entrepreneur, co-founder of Hotels Combined, one of the first investors and board members for Menulog, and chairman of ProductReview.com.au – was asked by his wife to “go talk to our sauna builder,” he laughed.

“You’ve got to be crazy,” Michael said. “What am I going to do with a sauna construction business?”

Fast-forward just 36 months later and that one conversation has transformed SDS Australia into the country’s leading luxury sauna, ice bath and wellness company, now sponsoring one of the nation’s top GT racing teams — Volante Rosso Motorsport, in partnership with Aston Martin Racing.

The Handshake Deal Behind SDS’s Rise

It all started during the build of a custom sauna at Michael’s Middle Dural home. The sauna builder, Alexander — a retiring craftsman who had founded SDS Australia over two decades earlier — was looking to sell. A quick chat turned into a deal sealed with a handshake.

But what initially seemed like a hobby business for a wellness-loving tech founder, turned out to be a hidden gem.

“Once I realised who SDS had built saunas for — from Nicole Kidman to elite athletes, 5-star hotels, the Star Casino, and a multitude of other celebs — I saw the opportunity,” says Michael. “This was a brand with roots in prestige and performance… it just needed a new engine.”

Turbocharging the Sauna Industry

Leveraging his background in tech, marketing, and growing multiple businesses, Michael and his team rapidly scaled SDS Australia — partnering with Europe’s most exclusive sauna and wellness manufacturers to bring custom-built luxury wellness solutions to Australian homes, hotels, clinics, and gyms.

From bespoke European-built saunas to cutting-edge ice bath therapy systems, SDS Australia is at the forefront of a global wellness movement — one that’s now backed by real science, with studies showing regular sauna users experience significantly reduced rates of cardiovascular disease, improved recovery, and even extended lifespans.

“Wellness isn’t a trend anymore,” says Michael. “It’s a lifestyle shift. And we’re building the tools people need to take back control of their health — in style.”

With operations now expanded across NSW, Victoria, and soon Queensland, WA, and New Zealand, SDS Australia has grown 20X in just three years, with the main website at https://sdsaustralia.com being brought to a world class standard by a talented team that otherwise would be working for Silicon Valley type of ventures.

So… Why Car Racing?

It’s a fair question.

What does a luxury sauna brand have to do with GT racing, carbon fibre, and trackside adrenaline?

“To us, high-performance is universal,” says Michael. “Just like a finely-tuned race car, our products are designed for those who expect excellence. They’re engineered for results. Volante Rosso represents that same mindset — relentless, precise, elite.”

The partnership between SDS Australia and Volante Rosso is more than a logo on a car — it’s a statement of ambition. A new generation of wellness meets a new era of motorsport. Both built for performance. Both built to win.

“When we founded HotelsCombined, we were told we couldn’t compete with the big names. Then Booking.com acquired us. This is no different. We’re building something massive — and we’re just getting started.”

About SDS Australia

SDS Australia is a leading provider of luxury saunas, ice baths, and wellness solutions, servicing both residential and commercial clients nationwide. With exclusive partnerships across Europe and a commitment to performance-grade wellness experiences, SDS Australia is redefining what it means to relax, recover, and recharge. Web: https://www.sdsaustralia.com

About Volante Rosso Motorsport

Volante Rosso is an elite Australian motorsport team competing in GT World Challenge Australia and Radical Cup Australia. Partnered with Aston Martin Racing, they represent the pinnacle of racing performance, engineering, and speed.  https://www.volanterosso.com.au/

For media enquiries and further comments from SDS Australia’s CEO, contact:
Paul Hayden
Marketing Director & PR Manager
press@sdsaustralia.com 

• Overall demand for used cars is expected to grow; Carro to capture and accelerate growth of Japanese used cars
• Capital injection to help showcase Japan’s advanced automotive technologies across region

SINGAPORE, Sept. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Carro, Asia Pacific’s leading online car marketplace, has raised US$60 million in a round led by Cool Japan Fund (Japan’s sovereign wealth fund), with participation from several new investors. This investment will go towards bolstering the demand of Japanese cars across Asia Pacific where Carro has a presence in.

“Japanese automakers have always had a strong presence and historical dominance in Asia Pacific,” says Carro Co-founder and CEO Aaron Tan. “Japanese cars continue to be reliable and trustworthy with their advanced automotive technologies, including fuel cell innovations, and superior safety features. We are confident we can increase the market share of Japanese Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) in time to come.”

The overall demand for used cars and new PHEVs, especially in the Southeast Asian region, is expected to grow, driven by anticipated economic expansion, the rise of the middle income population as well as government subsidies for EVs in countries like Indonesia and Thailand. 

“Japanese cars hold a significant share of the used car market across Asia Pacific, and we’re keen to cement our dominance” says Cool Japan Fund President, CEO and COO, Kenichi Kawasaki. “Through this investment in Carro, Cool Japan Fund aims to boost demand for Japanese cars in the region and reinforce their value by showcasing Japan’s advanced automotive technologies.”

Founded in 2013, Cool Japan Fund is a government-backed private fund with the aim of  contributing to the sustainable growth of Japan’s economy through the expansion of overseas demand and supply of Japanese products and services. Their diverse portfolio includes companies in F&B, media and content, lifestyle and travel.  

Carro is Asia Pacific’s leading online automotive ecosystem platform. The unicorn startup transacts over 100,000 units of new and used vehicles per year across 7 markets and is a leading auto fintech, auto digital insurance broker and aftersales service provider in the region. 

About Cool Japan Fund

Cool Japan Fund was founded in November 2013 as a public-private fund with the aim of contributing to the sustainable growth of Japan’s economy through the expansion of overseas demand and supply of attractive products and services unique to Japanese lifestyle & culture*.

Cool Japan Fund aims to commercialize the “attractiveness unique to Japanese lifestyle & culture” and increase overseas demand by providing risk capital for businesses across a variety of areas.

*e.g. Content, food & clothing & housing related products, services, advanced technology, leisure, local products, traditional products, education, tourism, etc.

About Carro

Founded in 2015, Carro is Asia Pacific’s largest online used car marketplace. By offering a trustworthy and transparent experience, Carro transforms the traditional way of buying and selling cars through proprietary pricing algorithms, AI-enabled capabilities, and innovative technological solutions. Carro most recently expanded its product line to include Brand New cars in Singapore and Malaysia, offering customers even more options.

Headquartered in Singapore, the unicorn startup has raised over S$700 million from Softbank Vision Fund and several sovereign funds. It is currently doing over S$70M in run-rate EBITDA. Together with its subsidiaries and business lines, Carro is supported by more than 4,500 employees across Asia Pacific:

• Carro, Asia Pacific’s largest online used marketplace with a strong key presence in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Taiwan region, and Hong Kong SAR
• Carro Care Powered by Jardine Cycle & Carriage, Carro’s in-house refurbishment and after-sales servicing capabilities
• Genie Financial Services, a next-generation fintech automotive financing provider in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand
• MPM Rent, leading mobility solutions company in Indonesia specialising in leasing / fleet financing transportation services
• Innorithm, a next-generation fleet management solutions company leveraging state-of-the art IoT and machine learning
• Kaidee, Thailand’s largest online shopping and classifieds platform

For more information, please visit: www.carro.co or email marketing@carro.co.

HONG KONG, Sept. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — INCUBASE Studio is thrilled to celebrate the resounding success of INCUBASE Arena, which attracted over 100,000 visitors across July and August in Hong Kong. Alongside this summer’s first-ever “INCUBASE Arena Anime Festival”, the venue, packed with exciting exhibitions, pop-up stores and interactive fan experiences, became the city’s ultimate summer destination for anime fans.

A Summer of Unmissable Anime Moments

Anime lovers poured into INCUBASE Arena, the anime experience hub, to immerse themselves in a dynamic lineup of beloved titles. “The Cardcaptor Sakura Exhibition: The Enchanted Museum” concluded its international tour with a spectacular Hong Kong finale, featuring the HK-exclusive Kero-chan photo spot, a must-snap highlight for attendees. Nostalgia ran high at the “Digimon 25^th Anniversary Exhibition”, where classic scenes, Digivice displays, Digimon statues and a giant Omegamon photo zone brought cherished childhood memories vividly to life. The exhibition runs until September 21, giving fans a little extra time to join the adventure.

Visitors also explored the DanDaDan Pop-up Store, which recreated iconic scenes from the supernatural hit anime and offered a treasure trove of official merchandise. The “Kamen Rider Pop-up Store”, the franchise’s first-ever overseas official store, drew crowds with a life-size Kamen Rider Kuuga Pegasus Form statue and an extensive selection of collectibles. Adding to the excitement, the City Hunter Pop-up Store offered stylish merchandise inspired by the timeless classic, delighting longtime fans.

“Bringing exhibitions and pop-up stores from Japan to Hong Kong is never easy. It takes tremendous effort, trust and passion from our team at INCUBASE Studio,” said Sion Yip, Founder and CEO of INCUBASE Studio. “We’re incredibly proud to have gained the confidence of our Japanese partners to deliver these overseas exhibitions and pop-ups — and many more to come — to anime fans in Hong Kong, across Asia and around the world.”

Engaging Fans with Interactive Experiences

INCUBASE Arena also delivered experiences that brought characters even closer to fans. Meet & Greet sessions with Kamen Rider and Kero-chan delighted audiences, while limited-edition photo cards and interactive photo booths with different themed frames gave visitors exclusive mementos. Extending the excitement beyond the venue, INCUBASE Arena hosted online and offline giveaways, ensuring fans across the city could join in the fun.

To encourage participation across multiple activities during the “INCUBASE Arena Anime Festival”, a stamp collection campaign allowed visitors to earn points by attending exhibitions and purchasing merchandise, which could be redeemed for tickets to upcoming showcases. Meanwhile, INCUShop ran a mega sale on selected items, making the summer especially rewarding for both dedicated collectors and casual visitors.

Building Momentum as Hong Kong’s Anime Hub

With its diverse anime experiences and strong visitor turnout, INCUBASE Arena has become an essential landmark in Hong Kong’s anime culture. It is not only well-loved by local and overseas fans but also a must-visit destination for tourists. More than just a summer festival, INCUBASE Arena is an important cultural hub, continuously delivering diverse and immersive exhibitions and events for anime enthusiasts.

Riding the wave of summer’s success, INCUBASE Arena is preparing for an equally thrilling lineup in the months ahead. Fans can look forward to the spine-chilling “Junji Ito Horror House 2”, the playful TAMAGOTCHI Pop-up Store, the emotionally resonant “GIVEN Exhibition”, and more. These experiences will bring fans year-round surprises and further strengthen INCUBASE Arena‘s role as a vital hub of anime culture in Hong Kong and across the region.

About INCUBASE Studio

INCUBASE Studio curates diverse IP-themed exhibition experiences that celebrate and connect fandoms worldwide. The Studio brings stories to life by blending captivating content with engaging installations and interactive devices. Since its establishment in Hong Kong in 2021, INCUBASE Studio has been committed to realising and promoting Touring Experiences across Asia, pushing the boundaries of physical venues and experiences.

In 2024, INCUBASE Studio established INCUBASE Arena in Hong Kong and Malaysia as hubs for Japanese anime culture and entertainment experiences, continuously hosting a variety of popular anime IP exhibitions and related events to build a vibrant community for anime fans in both regions and the surrounding areas.

www.incubasestudio.com 

SHANGHAI, Sept. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The first stop of SEPHORiA 2025’s global tour has concluded successfully at Shanghai West Bund on September 14^th, where close to 50 prestige beauty brands came together to delight consumers from across China.

Approximately 5,000 young beauty enthusiasts actively participated in the immersive and fun-filled beauty paradise over three days, where close to 50 internationally renowned as well as up-and-coming beauty brands presented new beauty trends and shared their stories through their SEPHORiA booths.

Sephora hosted three celebrities at SEPHORiA – Jin Helong, Li Xueqin and Yi Mengling – who each showcased their skills and connected with the audience through their perspectives on the diversity of beauty and how “Beauty Knows No Limits”. Together with Sephora’s beauty masters, the three celebrities created 21 wonderful and highly interactive masterclasses full of practical insights.

After launching its first Sephora Squad casting contest, 10 Sephora Squad members were selected to represent the brand and won tickets to attend SEPHORiA. Another first is the establishment of a SEPHORiA pop-up store, where attendees can buy the latest products launched at the beauty extravaganza.

Xia Ding, Managing Director of Sephora Greater China, shared, “It’s truly inspiring to see so many young beauty enthusiasts at SEPHORiA. As the leading global prestige beauty retailer, Sephora is dedicated to crafting a highly personalized and endlessly creative beauty experience through our unparalleled brand portfolio, diverse inspirations, and seamless omnichannel services.”

“Now in its third year, this global beauty extravaganza has seen a remarkable surge in Gen Z consumers joining our membership program. This year’s SEPHORiA has innovatively created a complete 360 consumer experience, marking a first for Sephora by deeply integrating our membership rewards system with offline events. By leveraging our robust membership platform to introduce an engaging, points-based experience on-site, we’re strengthening the interactive connection between our brand and its members. This deepened engagement is the ultimate achievement of this year’s SEPHORiA,” she added.

SEPHORiA’s Immersive and Interactive Experiences – Elevated! 

SEPHORiA was conceptualized with five themed spaces to offer consumers a photo-worthy immersive makeup playground where multi-dimensional stories come to life. The spatial design blends vibrant colors with diverse brand styles, ensuring each booth features a distinct and personalized design. Upon arrival, visitors received swag bags, had the opportunity to exchange membership points for exclusive benefits and participate in interactive games with exciting prizes. Each brand booth simultaneously offered new product trials, lucky draws, skin tests, and other interactive activities with generous gifts. Additionally, six whimsically-designed photo spots provided social media-worthy moments for every participant to capture key moments and document their wonderful experiences. The rich and diverse interactive design ensured that every beauty enthusiast left with unforgettable memories and a truly fulfilling experience.

Sephora captured the latest beauty trends at this event, showcasing a selection of premium products across diverse categories—from skincare and makeup to haircare and fragrances. Newly launched brands including Herbeast, KOMFYMED, The Ordinary, and DOCUMENTS made their collective debut, featuring interactive activities where consumers receive gifts while learning more about the brands, products and ingredients.

21 masterclasses supported by leading brands were held in succession featuring a lineup of industry experts who delivered rich and practical beauty insights to the audience. The sessions covered topics including skincare, makeup techniques, and trending styles. Professional makeup artists from the brands demonstrated makeup skills, while brand founders made special appearances to share their exclusive beauty philosophies. Natasha Denona, founder of NATASHA DENONA, shared autumn-winter makeup tips with live demonstrations. Whilst Mathilde Thomas, co-founder of CAUDALIE, shared the brand’s star products derived from the power of wine grapes.

Celebrities Made their Appearances

As a celebrity makeup artist, Jin Helong has long worked behind the scenes, creating countless key moments for numerous stars. At SEPHORiA, Jin Helong stepped into the spotlight to share professional makeup techniques and provided key makeup principles. He also brought his unique perspective on makeup – that it is not about rigid replication but an amplification of everyone’s unique beauty through personalized enhancement. It is about using colors to express inspiration and unleash boundless creativity.

Li Xueqin continually challenges audiences’ preconceived notions of her as she took to the stage with confidence and shared her perspective on breaking boundaries in makeup — “Don’t overthink, just play”. Makeup, like breaking boundaries, holds infinite possibilities if one dares to try. On stage, she joined Jin Helong in accepting a makeup challenge, delivering the spirit of “makeup has no limits.”

From beauty influencer to actress, Yi Mengling has consistently pursued her own expression of beauty, refusing to be confined by traditional standards. Despite external opinions, she has remained true to herself, using bold creativity to break boundaries and spark trends. Appearing at 2025 Sephora Collection’s Fall New Product Launch, she shared her beauty insights and the stories behind her viral looks, turning the attitude of makeup into a radiant declaration of self-expression.

From the grand announcement of the three celebrities to their appearances at the event, their deep involvement not only kept the atmosphere lively, but also vividly conveyed the inclusive and diverse beauty advocated by Sephora.

Sephora Collection Collaborated with Yi Mengling to Launch New Products, Creating an Immersive Beauty Experience

Sephora’s owned brand, Sephora Collection, unveiled its new products comprising a new lip tint, a hybrid skincare and makeup foundation, and a roll-on blush.

JELLY TINT is a hydrating and long-lasting color lip product that was created in direct response to address consumers’ feedback to achieve a long-lasting “jelly lip” look. BLUSH & GO is compact and portable, effortlessly creating a natural and healthy glow with a simple shake. The B.E.S.T. SKIN EVER Foundation combines makeup and skincare benefits, creating a flawless, long-lasting finish. At the launch event, Yi Mengling collaborated with Sephora University’s beauty expert to apply the new makeup collection.

Celebrity makeup artist Shi Hui curated Sephora’s fall new arrivals and star products, leading a masterclass with live, step-by-step demonstrations of professional makeup techniques. At the same time, she provided personalized makeovers using the latest Sephora Collection products, showcasing the brand’s diverse product applications and inspiring endless possibilities for creative makeup looks. Throughout the three-day SEPHORiA event, the Sephora Collection booth featured professional makeup artists who provided one-on-one product trials, shared expert tips, and offered a range of exclusive benefits to attendees.

As the first stop of the global world tour and its exclusive destination in Asia, Shanghai was chosen to host the 2025 SEPHORiA for its sophisticated beauty market, high concentration of internationally-renowned and emerging beauty brands, and its diverse and inclusive fashion, lifestyle and beauty culture. Starting from Shanghai, SEPHORiA will continue its journey to Paris, Dubai, and other cosmopolitan cities in the world.

About Sephora

Sephora is the world’s leading global prestige beauty retail brand. With 56,000 passionate employees operating in 35 markets, Sephora connects customers and beauty brands within the world’s most trusted and dynamic beauty community. We serve a highly engaged community of hundreds of millions of beauty followers across our global omnichannel network of more than 3,200 stores and iconic flagships, and our e-commerce and digital platforms, offering personalized and immersive seamless experiences across every touchpoint. With our curation of more than 500 brands and our own label, Sephora Collection, we offer the most unique and diverse range of prestige beauty products, tailored to our customers’ needs from fragrance to make-up, haircare, skincare and beyond, as we constantly reimagine the world of prestige beauty.

Since our inception in 1969 in Limoges, France, and as part of the LVMH Group since 1997, we have been disrupting the prestige beauty retail industry. Today, we continue to break with convention to drive our mission: champion a world of inspiration and inclusion where everyone can celebrate their beauty.

Sephora now operates in 104 cities in Greater China, offering a full range of prestige beauty services across a network of approximately 330 stores and online channels, including Sephora APP, Mini Program, Douyin Shop, TMall, JD, Meituan and JD to Home.

The NelsonHall 2025 Global EOR Services NEAT Evaluation highlights G-P as an industry leader in technology innovation and its commitment to offering comprehensive, AI-powered global employment solutions

BOSTON, Sept. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — G-P (Globalization Partners), recognized as the undisputed leader in global employment by industry analysts, today announced its recognition as an EOR industry leader in NelsonHall’s 2025 Global EOR Services NEAT evaluation report. G-P was positioned highest for EOR Product Innovation as well as Overall EOR Services, underscoring its commitment to delivering comprehensive, AI-powered global employment solutions.

G_P named an EOR industry leader in NelsonHall’s 2025 Global EOR Services NEAT evaluation report for EOR Product Innovation as well as Overall EOR Services.

With this recognition, G-P maintains top leadership placement in all major EOR analyst reports since their inception.

“G-P was identified as a Leader in the 2025 Global EOR NEAT based on its innovative GenAI solutions, continuously evolving product lineup, and strong strategic partner network,” said Jeanine Crane-Thompson, principal HR analyst, NelsonHall. “This demonstrates G-P’s commitment to compliant global employment solutions and helping shape the industry’s future through a balanced portfolio of integrated products and a solid technology roadmap.”

G-P’s consistent recognition as a leader for EOR Product Innovation highlights its dedication to advancing the global employment industry. Through a robust technology roadmap and a focus on agentic AI solutions, G-P continuously enhances its products and platform to provide the most comprehensive and intelligent global employment solutions on the market.

“G-P is not just building global employment solutions for today, we’re pioneering technology that anticipates the needs of tomorrow’s HR and business leaders,” said Nat Natarajan, chief operating officer, G-P. “Our continued recognition from NelsonHall, and all other industry analysts, is a testament to our commitment to innovation. By integrating agentic AI at the core of our platform, we’re enabling organizations to scale globally with confidence, while helping shape a more connected and opportunity-rich world of work.”

For more information about G-P and its industry leadership, please visit us here.

About G-P

G-P (Globalization Partners) is the recognized leader in global employment, ranked No. 1 in every industry analyst report. G-P’s global employment platform delivers everything companies of all sizes need to manage the full employee lifecycle with its trusted Global HR Agent, G-P Gia™, and AI-powered Employer of Record (EOR) and Contractor products. G-P supports teams in 180+ countries with more than a decade of global employment experience, the largest team of in-country HR, legal, and compliance experts, and its unmatched proprietary knowledge base.

G-P: Global Made Possible™

To learn more, please visit: g-p.com or connect with us via LinkedIn, X, Facebook or check out our Blog.

About NelsonHall

NelsonHall is the leading global analyst firm dedicated to helping organizations understand the ‘art of the possible’ in digital operations transformation. With analysts in the U.S., Europe, and Asia Pacific, NelsonHall provides buy-side organizations with detailed, critical information on markets and vendors that helps them make fast and highly informed sourcing decisions. And for vendors, NelsonHall provides deep knowledge of market dynamics and user requirements to help them hone their go-to-market strategies. NelsonHall’s analysis is based on rigorous, primary research, and is widely respected for the quality and depth of its insight.

Media Contact:
comms@g-p.com 

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Sept. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Dazzly, a website builder software, has seen over 100% growth in rural service-based customers in 2025. Auckland founders Lewis Anderson and Marcus Feeney launched Dazzly during COVID and have dedicated themselves to the task of making everything to do with websites easy using Dazzly.

Using Dazzly, the average rural trade service business sees more enquiries and new customers faster because their website easily outranks the competition running on older technology. Dazzly gets their brand out there faster and in-front of more local people who need their service but previously didn’t know their name. This means more new customers and jobs to quote.

People initially questioned whether they would be able to create a website without assistance. In Dazzly, there are specific website layouts pre-made for many common industries, you just select some of your photos, type in some words, and you have a website design that is representing your business in a few minutes.

“I didn’t have to do anything. I typed in a few things here and uploaded a few photos there.”

–       Jenna, DN Mechanical, Gisborne

“The website? It’s a firecracker!”

–       John, AB Asbestos, Whangarei

Kiwis often find it hard to talk about their own business. Dazzly has made this process substantially easier with helpful human-written text suggestions and a small amount of AI input at timely moments.

“When rural businesses create a website design themselves, that otherwise would have cost thousands of dollars, it feels rewarding. That digital expertise isn’t available, let alone affordable in their communities, and Dazzly empowers them with a genuine DIY option that sacrifices none of the technical quality or frills – all for a low monthly fee.”

–       Lewis Anderson

Dazzly is dedicated to continuing making website building simpler and faster. The idea is to start simple and build a powerful website to grow your business in no time at all.

Dazzly is operated from 1250 Dominion Road, Mount Roskill, Auckland and has helped hundreds of businesses to launch their websites and succeed online with customers spanning New Zealand, Australia and USA. Dazzly welcomes any enquiries – media@dazzly.co – www.dazzly.co – 0800 112 942