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Opsera Raises $20M to Drive AI-Powered DevOps Platform Innovation, Accelerating AI Agent Adoption and Developer Efficiency

Opsera reports 200% revenue growth since raising Series A+ and expands Unified Insights with AI code assistant integrations to improve developer experience.

SAN FRANCISCO, April 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Opsera, the AI-Powered DevOps platform trusted by top Fortune 1000 companies, today announced it has raised $20M in Series B funding, led by Prosperity7 with participation from Hitachi Ventures. The funding culminates a breakout year with several product releases that position Opsera as one of the market’s most flexible and intelligent AI-powered DevOps platforms for all apps and teams. Significant accomplishments include signing key industry partnerships with GitHub, Microsoft, AWS, and Databricks, 200% revenue growth since raising Series A+, and adding several key Fortune 1000 customers.

Learn More About Opsera: https://www.opsera.io/

Empowering Developers with Agentic AI and Unified Insights

The DevOps industry is undergoing a seismic shift driven by AI-driven automation, security integration, and the need for rapid, reliable software delivery. Organizations now prioritize AI Agentic approaches — systems where autonomous AI agents optimize workflows, predict risks, and self-heal infrastructure — to stay competitive. Opsera is pioneering Agentic AI to reshape DevOps workflows, enabling software engineering teams to move beyond static automation toward adaptive, intelligent orchestration. Traditional DevOps automation focuses on predefined workflows, but Opsera’s AI-driven approach introduces autonomous AI agents that dynamically analyze, adapt and optimize software delivery in real-time.

These AI agents, embedded within Opsera’s AI-Powered DevOps platform, act as intelligent copilots that continuously monitor and enhance software delivery processes and the pipelines. By learning from developer interactions and activities, pipeline executions, release flows and operational bottlenecks, these agents proactively recommend optimizations, automate complex decision-making, and self-correct inefficiencies across the software delivery lifecycle.

“At Opsera, we are redefining what’s possible in DevOps with our AI-powered DevOps Platform for all teams, powered by Agentic AI, and the momentum we’re seeing is a direct reflection of the value we’re delivering to our customers,” said Kumar Chivukula, CEO of Opsera. “We are grateful to Prosperity7, Hitachi Ventures and existing investors (Clear Ventures, Felicis Ventures, Taiwania Capital, Alumni Ventures) for supporting our vision to empower organizations to achieve unprecedented agility, reliability, and automated security remediation in their DevSecOps pipelines. With Opsera Unified Insights, customers gain the deepest and most intuitive metrics across ‘Code to Cloud’ – Copilot, DevEx, DORA, Security, Quality, GitHub Advanced Security and more – to instrument the software development cycle and to improve developer productivity and experience significantly.”

“Opsera’s AI-powered DevOps platform has completely redefined how we approach DevOps,” said Brad Bell, CIO of Qualys. “Opsera has eliminated the friction of custom builds needed to support our complex SaaS platforms. What used to take weeks of manual effort now happens in hours, accelerating software delivery by 80% and unlocking new levels of productivity and agility. Simply put, Opsera empowers us to innovate faster and operate smarter.”

Opsera’s powerful AI-powered DevOps platform offers forward-leaning software development organizations a game-changing boost in developer productivity and global insights across the entire software lifecycle,” said Abhishek Shukla, Managing Director of Prosperity7. “Their partnerships with GitHub, Databricks and AWS are opening new use cases that will continue to drive accelerating growth, which was a very compelling story that gave us confidence to lead this Series B round.”

“Opsera has gone from strength to strength over the past four and a half years since our initial seed investment,” said Rajeev Madhavan, Managing Director of Clear Ventures. “Our original thesis that the DevOps category was ripe for modernization and consolidation has borne out. Opsera continues to innovate and add exciting functionality to its AI-powered DevOps Platform for All – including AI Agentic capabilities, global insights for Generative AI tools like GitHub Copilot, Amazon Q, and Cursor, as well as CI/CD orchestration for all apps and teams.”

“As demand for data intelligence grows, Opsera’s partnership with Databricks is helping bring simplicity and accelerated deployment cycles for clients embarking on AI and LLM deployments. The Built on Databricks partnership brings DevOps for DataOps and modernizes data manipulation and orchestration,” said Heather Akuiyibo, VP of GTM Integration at Databricks.

IDC research finds that on average, developers estimate a 35% increase in their productivity with the use of an AI coding assistant. However, it is challenging to have visibility into adoption and measure these gains across the organization,” said Katie Norton, Research Manager, DevSecOps at IDC. “The metrics available in Opsera’s Unified Insights should enable organizations to demonstrate the ROI of GitHub Copilot adoption, enhancing their ability to track and quantify productivity improvements.”

Recent Key Milestones Include:

  • Opsera AI Agents: Opsera’s Hummingbird AI transforms fragmented DevOps processes into a unified, AI-driven engine. By connecting insights from GitHub Copilot, Jira, VS code, cloud deployments, and security tools, the Opsera AI-powered DevOps Platform delivers proactive risk mitigation (e.g., blocking insecure code), end-to-end visibility (e.g., vulnerability-to-Jira mapping) and self-healing workflows (e.g., auto-patching OS images)
  • New Unified Insights Capabilities: Opsera’s AI Code Assistant Insights provides actionable intelligence on developer productivity, adoption trends, and the effectiveness of AI-driven code suggestions. Enterprises can proactively measure and optimize the ROI of their AI Code Assistant investments while improving developer experience and productivity across software delivery tools, teams, and environments.
  • Leadership Dashboard: As part of Opsera’s Unified Insights, the Leadership Dashboard offers granular, real-time visibility into inner-loop (software development) and outer-loop (software delivery) activities, AI adoption, and the impact of AI-powered tools like GitHub Copilot. Additionally, it delivers Developer Experience (DevEx) insights, DORA metrics, and application security posture insights—empowering leaders to enhance efficiency, innovation, velocity, security, and quality at scale. With these insights, organizations can streamline DevOps and DevSecOps processes, maximize AI-driven development efficiency, and drive continuous improvement across the SDLC.
  • Expanded Strategic Partnerships:
    • GitHub: Opsera deepened its relationship with GitHub, delivering SCM migration services and the most advanced insights and metrics for GitHub Copilot deployments as an ISV partner.
    • Databricks: Opsera joined Databricks’ Built on Partner Program and Technology Partner Program. Opsera and Databricks enable AI/ML model deployments with security and compliance guardrails and schema deployments with rollback capabilities.
    • AWS: Opsera was also accepted into the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Independent Software Vendor (ISV) Accelerate Program. By combining Opsera’s orchestration capabilities with the power of Amazon Q, users can unlock a new level of efficiency and innovation in their AWS deployments.

Opsera empowers leaders to make data-driven decisions that enhance productivity and drive innovation across their teams by providing detailed insights into how developers interact with tools like Copilot. Learn More https://www.opsera.io/solutions/leadership-dashboard

About Opsera
Opsera is an AI-powered DevOps platform for all apps and teams. From comprehensive pipeline creation and management to a robust marketplace of pre-built integrations and complete analytic and reporting capabilities, organizations achieve faster release cycles, maintain and improve quality, and increase efficiency within their software development processes. Top Fortune 1000 companies are speeding up their time to market by building, testing, deploying, reporting, and monitoring their applications with Opsera’s leading DevOps platform.

Contact:
Olivia Heel
Catapult PR
oheel@catapultpr-ir.com

APX Lending Announces Landmark Decision of Canadian Securities Regulators

TORONTO, April 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — APX Lending is pleased to announce the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) have issued a first-of-its kind decision, granting the company exemptive relief from certain registration and prospectus requirements, dated April 1, 2025 (https://www.osc.ca/en/securities-law/orders-rulings-decisions/apx-inc). This positions APX Lending to be the first crypto-backed lender in Canada to provide borrowers with a secure and compliance-focused solution to access liquidity using their digital assets as collateral.

The global crypto-backed lending market is projected to exceed $45 billion by 2030, underscoring the growing demand for trusted solutions that integrate digital assets into the traditional economy. APX Lending is addressing this demand with an institutional-grade lending platform where users can deposit Bitcoin or Ethereum as collateral and access liquidity through flexible, competitive loan terms.

With industry-leading security, strict adherence to Canadian regulatory directives, and insured cold storage custody, APX Lending offers a level of protection that sets it apart from other lenders. A robust risk management framework facilitates transparency, safety, and security for both retail and institutional borrowers.

“Crypto-backed lending should be safe, secure, and simple to access,” said Andrei Poliakov, founder and CEO of APX Lending. “By engaging with Canadian regulators and leading the way in Canada, we are setting a new benchmark for compliance and security in crypto-backed lending, helping retail and institutional borrowers unlock liquidity while maintaining ownership of their digital assets. This marks a major step toward integrating crypto into mainstream finance and building a truly global, compliance-focused crypto-backed lending ecosystem.”

Beyond its core lending platform, APX Lending is seeing increased interest in its white-label lending solution, which allows banks, financial institutions and other lenders to seamlessly integrate crypto-backed lending into their offerings. With this regulatory milestone, APX Lending is set to begin servicing Canadian clients while further expanding into the US, Australia, New Zealand, and other global markets.

About APX Lending

APX Lending is a crypto-backed lending platform, providing instant liquidity to borrowers while maintaining compliance and security. The company enables retail and institutional borrowers to leverage their digital assets without selling them, offering a secure and compliance-focused borrowing experience. Founded by Andrei Poliakov, co-founder of Coinberry, one of Canada’s oldest and largest regulated crypto exchanges, APX Lending is pioneering the future of regulated crypto-backed lending worldwide.

For more information, please visit https://www.apxlending.com/

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “expect”, “intend”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “predict”, “potential”, “continue”, and by discussions of strategies that involve risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond APX Lending’s control. In this press release, forward-looking information includes, among other things, statements relating to expectations of the size and success of APX Lending’s lending and other business activities. The forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by APX Lending, including with respect to the ultimate market size and demand for crypto-backed lending in Canada and internationally and all other statements that are not historical facts.

By its nature, such forward-looking information necessarily involves known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities in future periods of APX Lending to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Furthermore, the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release and neither APX Lending nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any forward-looking information, and no one has any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or such other factors which affect this information, except as required by law.

Additional Information, For additional information, please contact, Media Relations: media@apxlending.com

SHEIN RETURNS AS OFFICIAL FASHION SPONSOR AT STAGECOACH

Giddy up in Style—Your Festival Look Is Ready to Ride!

LOS ANGELES, April 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — SHEIN, the popular global fashion and lifestyle online retailer, is thrilled to announce its return as fashion sponsor for the fourth consecutive year at Stagecoach: California’s Country Music Festival. The festival will take place from Friday, April 25, to Sunday, April 27, at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California.  

In collaboration with Stagecoach, SHEIN has crafted a Stagecoach-inspired clothing collection full of denim, boho prints, and earthy tones, all with a country twist. This year, SHEIN is spotlighting its festival-ready trend stores, including SHEIN BAE and SHEIN ICON —each store caters to a different aesthetic, from ‘Cowgirl Charm’ to ‘Desert Darling’ to ‘Runway Rodeo.’ Shoppers can search each store name on SHEIN.com to find a variety of pieces to create the ultimate Stagecoach, including flowy maxi skirts, matching denim sets, embroidered cowboy boots, statement accessories, and much more.

SHEIN is also bringing back the fan-favorite SHEIN Saloon to Stagecoach. The SHEIN Saloon will offer fans an array of fun experiences like karaoke and line dancing sessions, a photo booth, and a bar. Plus, attendees will be able to personalize a SHEIN cowboy hat with their favorite accessories.

SHEIN is calling on fans to share their festival fashion on social media by tagging @shein_us and using the hashtag #SHEINFestivalFits. Shop the SHEIN x Stagecoach collection now at us.SHEIN.com.

About SHEIN   

SHEIN is a global online fashion and lifestyle retailer offering SHEIN-branded apparel and products from a global network of vendors, all at affordable prices. Headquartered in Singapore, SHEIN is committed to making the beauty of fashion accessible to all, promoting its industry-leading, on-demand production methodology for a smarter, future-ready industry. To learn more about SHEIN, visit www.sheingroup.com.

 

DXC Names Sandeep Bhanote as Financial Services Industry Leader for Consulting & Engineering Services

ASHBURN, Va., April 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — DXC Technology (NYSE: DXC), a leading Fortune 500 global technology services provider, today announced the appointment of Sandeep Bhanote as the Financial Services Industry Leader for DXC’s Consulting & Engineering Services – Powered by AI (CES), effective immediately. Bhanote will report directly to Howard Boville, DXC President of CES.

“Sandeep brings a rare blend of entrepreneurial spirit, commercial acumen, and the ability to connect strategy, product, and go-to-market execution,” said Raul Fernandez, President and CEO of DXC. “From leading Radius8 as CEO to driving business growth at Clover by Fiserv, he has consistently demonstrated how to scale, transform, and deliver. His experience working with global C-level executives, combined with his client-centric mindset, makes him a tremendous asset as we accelerate our Financial Services business and deliver AI-powered solutions that create real value for our customers.”

In his new role, Bhanote will lead DXC’s Financial Services vertical within CES, driving growth through AI-powered solutions designed to help clients innovate. He will focus on shaping future offerings, enhancing client value, and delivering competitive differentiation for DXC.

Bhanote joins DXC with extensive leadership experience across financial services, SaaS, and digital innovation. Most recently, he served as Vice President and General Manager at Clover by Fiserv, where he led go-to-market strategy and drove revenue growth across the Mid-Market and Enterprise segments.

Previously, Bhanote was a serial entrepreneur. He co-founded and served as CEO of Radius8, a company that revolutionized how retailers connect online and offline experiences using real-time, location-based intelligence—leading to its acquisition by Fiserv in 2021. He also co-founded Global Bay Mobile Technologies, a pioneer in mobile point-of-sale solutions, which was acquired by VeriFone in 2011.

For more information on DXC’s leadership team, visit https://dxc.com/us/en/about-us/leadership-and-governance.

Forward Looking Statements

All statements in this press release that do not directly and exclusively relate to historical facts constitute “forward-looking statements.” These statements represent current expectations and beliefs, and no assurance can be given that any result, goal or plan set forth in any forward-looking statement can or will be achieved. Such statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in such statements, many of which are outside of our control. For a written description of these factors, see the section titled “Risk Factors” in DXC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, and any updating information in subsequent SEC filings. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements which speak only as of the date they are made. We do not undertake any obligation to update or release any revisions to any forward-looking statement or to report any events or circumstances after the date of this document or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.

About DXC Technology

DXC Technology (NYSE: DXC) helps global companies run their mission-critical systems and operations while modernizing IT, optimizing data architectures, and ensuring security and scalability across public, private and hybrid clouds. The world’s largest companies and public sector organizations trust DXC to deploy services to drive new levels of performance, competitiveness, and customer experience across their IT estates. Learn more about how we deliver excellence for our customers and colleagues at DXC.com.

“miraDry Releases the First Ever Sweat Scope Report, Shedding Light on Underarm Sweat and Odor in Menopause”

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., April 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Today, miraDry, Inc., in partnership with the International Hyperhidrosis Society (IHhS), announced the results of a landmark study focusing on a rarely discussed aspect of menopause: underarm sweat and odor. The study, titled “Sweat Scope: The Prevalence of Underarm Issues During Menopause,” offers unique insights into the everyday struggles faced by women during this natural stage of life.

miraDry, Inc. and the International Hyperhidrosis Society (IHhS) revealed the "Sweat Scope" study results, focusing on underarm sweat and odor issues during menopause.  The study underscores a significant gap in menopause care, highlighting the need for greater attention to menopause issues which are often overlooked.  Research shows 70% of women experience an increase in underarm sweat and odor as they approach menopause.  Millennials among the most proactive in pursuing menopause care.
miraDry, Inc. and the International Hyperhidrosis Society (IHhS) revealed the “Sweat Scope” study results, focusing on underarm sweat and odor issues during menopause. The study underscores a significant gap in menopause care, highlighting the need for greater attention to menopause issues which are often overlooked. Research shows 70% of women experience an increase in underarm sweat and odor as they approach menopause. Millennials among the most proactive in pursuing menopause care.

Jill Wassil, Chief Marketing Officer of miraDry, Inc., shares her enthusiasm about the study’s implications: “This research underscores a significant gap in our understanding and handling of menopausal symptoms. For too long, underarm issues have been silently borne by women, not discussed enough in public forums or even with healthcare providers. With this study, we’re spotlighting the real impact on women’s daily lives and opening up conversations about solutions that respect and address their needs.”

The study reveals that up to an astonishing 70% of women experience an increase in underarm sweat and odor as they approach menopause, with many using three or more coping strategies daily. The data also highlights the substantial impact on women’s social lives and self-esteem, with a majority expressing heightened self-consciousness in social and professional settings.

Dr. Wesley Anne Brady, M.D, Board Certified Gynecologist and founder of the Women’s Wellness Institute of Dallas, comments on the study: “The findings from the ‘Sweat Scope’ study reveal an opportunity for how we approach menopause care. This research provides the evidence we’ve needed to address underarm issues, which are often overlooked yet significantly affect women’s quality of life in their transition to menopause. It’s time we broaden our perspective and integrate these insights into our treatment protocols to offer holistic, effective care for all symptoms of menopause to help women thrive.”

Lisa J. Pieretti, Co-Founder of the International Hyperhidrosis Society, adds, “Hyperhidrosis and menopause share significant challenges, including the limited discussion and awareness of available treatments. Our collaboration with miraDry on this study is a vital step towards enhancing the visibility and support for women dealing with these intertwined issues.”

The “Sweat Scope” study is a call to action for healthcare providers and the broader medical community to proactively discuss and explore treatment options that can alleviate these symptoms. miraDry, Inc. remains committed to advancing the conversation around menopause, advocating for comprehensive care and support that empower patients to feel their best selves. Read more at miraDry.com/sweatscope2025.

About the International Hyperhidrosis Society

The International Hyperhidrosis Society (IHhS) is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals affected by excessive sweating. The IHhS strives to raise awareness, enhance research, and provide educational resources to patients, healthcare professionals, and the public. By fostering a community of support and knowledge exchange, the IHhS empowers individuals to navigate their hyperhidrosis journey and access effective treatment options. Learn more about the International Hyperhidrosis Society at SweatHelp.org.

About miraDry, Inc.

miraDry is a leading innovator in non-invasive hyperhidrosis treatment. The miraDry system provides a long-lasting, non-surgical solution for excessive sweating and odor by utilizing microwave energy to selectively target and permanently eliminate sweat and odor glands in the underarm area. With a focus on patient satisfaction and well-being, miraDry is committed to delivering superior results while enhancing individuals’ confidence and quality of life. For more information, please visit miraDry.com.

 

Quantinuum’s ‘Quantum Origin’ Becomes First Software Quantum Random Number Generator to Achieve NIST Validation

Quantum Origin’s NIST SP 800-90B approval for the Validated Entropy Source strengthens federal cybersecurity readiness and supports PQC adoption

BROOMFIELD, Colo., April 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Quantinuum, the industry leader in quantum computing with the world’s highest performing quantum computer, today announced that Quantum Origin, the company’s software Quantum Random Number Generator (QRNG), has received National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) validation. Quantum Origin is the first software QRNG to achieve this validation, establishing it as a crucial tool for federal agencies and agency partners in their mandated migration to post-quantum cryptography (PQC) under National Security Memorandum 10. This achievement will help strengthen cybersecurity in the age of PQC.

Quantum Origin generates mathematically proven randomness — a capability unmatched by hardware-based QRNGs or traditional pseudo-random number generators. Unlike hardware solutions that require specialized equipment and can be affected by environmental factors, Quantum Origin delivers consistent, proven randomness through flexible software deployment. Proven quantum randomness is an essential foundation for comprehensive quantum security strategy alongside PQC.

“The evolving threat landscape demands a new era of cybersecurity solutions for governments, enterprises, and critical infrastructure,” said Dr. Rajeeb Hazra, President and CEO of Quantinuum. “Quantinuum is at the forefront of this transformation, driving innovation in quantum cybersecurity. Our recent certified randomness demonstration with JPMorganChase, and our NIST-validated Quantum Origin platform are just two examples of how we are deepening our portfolio to meet this critical need.”

Quantum Origin is delivered entirely as self-contained software, making it adaptable to diverse environments from cloud solutions to highly sensitive systems. It can be deployed with zero network connectivity, enabling protection for air-gapped networks and confidential environments where traditional hardware-based QRNGs cannot operate effectively. It provides quantum-enhanced security without impacting the size, weight, and power (SWaP) requirements of existing systems, a critical consideration for resource-constrained deployments.

U.S. made using Quantinuum’s quantum computers based in Colorado, Quantum Origin helps mitigate supply chain risks associated with foreign-sourced hardware components. It is designed to integrate seamlessly with existing NIST-approved cryptographic systems without requiring recertification. With this NIST validation, organizations can now accelerate their adoption of quantum-enhanced security within existing compliance frameworks.

Visit https://www.quantinuum.com/products-solutions/quantum-origin to learn how Quantum Origin can strengthen federal and enterprise cryptographic systems today.

About Quantinuum

Quantinuum is the world leader in quantum computing. The company’s quantum systems deliver the highest performance across all industry benchmarks. Quantinuum’s over 550 employees, including 370+ scientists and engineers, across the US, UK, Germany, and Japan, are driving the quantum computing revolution.

DXC Names Anders Lange as Chief Procurement Officer

ASHBURN, Va., April 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — DXC Technology (NYSE: DXC), a leading Fortune 500 global technology services provider, has appointed Anders Lange as Chief Procurement Officer, effective immediately. Lange will report to DXC’s Chief Administrative Officer, James Walker.

“Anders brings extensive experience in global organizations and a proven track record of delivering results,” said Walker. “His expertise in transformation leadership, operational efficiency, risk management, supplier performance improvement, and cost savings will be invaluable as we continue to evolve our procurement organization.”

With over 15 years of leadership experience in procurement and supply chain management, Lange will lead DXC’s global procurement function, spearheading transformation initiatives, including expanding AI adoption to streamline processes and drive growth.

Lange most recently served as Global Head of Procurement at Bloomberg, overseeing procurement and supplier management. Previously, he held procurement leadership roles at LEO Pharma, Diageo, and Carlsberg Breweries. He has also served as a guest lecturer at Copenhagen Business School.

For more information on DXC’s leadership team, visit https://dxc.com/us/en/about-us/leadership-and-governance.

Forward Looking Statements

All statements in this press release that do not directly and exclusively relate to historical facts constitute “forward-looking statements.” These statements represent current expectations and beliefs, and no assurance can be given that any result, goal or plan set forth in any forward-looking statement can or will be achieved. Such statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in such statements, many of which are outside of our control. For a written description of these factors, see the section titled “Risk Factors” in DXC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, and any updating information in subsequent SEC filings. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements which speak only as of the date they are made. We do not undertake any obligation to update or release any revisions to any forward-looking statement or to report any events or circumstances after the date of this document or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.

About DXC Technology

DXC Technology (NYSE: DXC) helps global companies run their mission-critical systems and operations while modernizing IT, optimizing data architectures, and ensuring security and scalability across public, private and hybrid clouds. The world’s largest companies and public sector organizations trust DXC to deploy services to drive new levels of performance, competitiveness, and customer experience across their IT estates. Learn more about how we deliver excellence for our customers and colleagues at DXC.com.

PolyU establishes Otto Poon Research Institute for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure with support from Otto Poon Charitable Foundation

Driving innovative solutions to tackle climate change and extreme weather challenges


HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 April 2025 – The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has established the Otto Poon Research Institute for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure (RICRI), a pioneering strategic research institute focused on global climate change, with the staunch support of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation. The Research Institute aims to be a global leader in the research and development of resilient and sustainable solutions for urban areas and rural communities to mitigate the challenges brought about by global climate change. PolyU held an Opening Ceremony and Forum today at Hotel ICON that drew nearly 300 participants, including faculty members, students and industry experts.

With the generous support of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation, PolyU has established the Otto Poon Research Institute for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure. The opening ceremony was officiated by Ir Dr Otto Poon, Founder of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation and PolyU University Fellow (5th from right); Mr Tse Chin-wan, Secretary for Environment and Ecology of the HKSAR Government (5th from left), Prof. Jin-Guang Teng, President of PolyU, (4th from left); Prof. Wing-tak WONG, Deputy President and Provost of PolyU (4th from right); Prof. Miranda LOU, Executive Vice President (3rd from left); Mr CHEN Yulin, Director of Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR (3rd from right); Ir Prof. Frank CHAN (2nd from right) and Dr Andrew CHAN (2nd from left), both Steering Committee Members of RICRI; Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU (1st from left); and Prof. Xiang-dong Li, Director of RICRI (1st from right).
With the generous support of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation, PolyU has established the Otto Poon Research Institute for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure. The opening ceremony was officiated by Ir Dr Otto Poon, Founder of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation and PolyU University Fellow (5th from right); Mr Tse Chin-wan, Secretary for Environment and Ecology of the HKSAR Government (5th from left), Prof. Jin-Guang Teng, President of PolyU, (4th from left); Prof. Wing-tak WONG, Deputy President and Provost of PolyU (4th from right); Prof. Miranda LOU, Executive Vice President (3rd from left); Mr CHEN Yulin, Director of Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR (3rd from right); Ir Prof. Frank CHAN (2nd from right) and Dr Andrew CHAN (2nd from left), both Steering Committee Members of RICRI; Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU (1st from left); and Prof. Xiang-dong Li, Director of RICRI (1st from right).

RICRI brings together a distinguished collaborative network of renowned experts from Mainland institutions including Tsinghua University, Nanjing University and Beijing Normal University, alongside Hong Kong government departments and industry partners. The Research Institute will serve as an interdisciplinary research platform to build an effective and integrated scientific think-tank, aiming to foster deep integration across government, industry, academia and research for the advancement and application of sustainable development in Hong Kong, the Nation and the world.

In his welcoming remarks, Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU, said, “The establishment of RICRI represents a landmark milestone in PolyU’s endeavour to address the urgent realities of climate change. This visionary initiative has been made possible through the generous support of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation, and we are deeply grateful to Dr Otto Poon for his strong support and commitment to advancing research and innovation in climate resilience. Dr Poon is an outstanding alumnus of PolyU, a University Fellow, and has been a long-standing supporter of PolyU’s development, empowering our University to make significant contributions for the betterment of society.”

Ir Dr Otto POON, Founder of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation and PolyU University Fellow, said during the ceremony, “Climate change is becoming an increasingly severe global challenge. All sectors of society must work together to enhance infrastructure resilience through scientific research and innovative technologies. I am pleased to support the establishment of RICRI and hope it will become a world-leading research centre for climate-adaptive resilient infrastructure in both urban and suburban areas, the promotion of innovation, exchange of policy development, and establishment of guidelines, standards and good practices of infrastructures for Hong Kong, the Nation and the global community.”

Speaking at the event, Mr TSE Chin-wan, the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, outlined the Government’s strategies and measures to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, along with efforts to enhance climate adaptation and resilience. He also highlighted advancements in green technology and finance. He said, “Building a climate-resilient city is important—not only for protecting our properties but also our lives. As we celebrate the establishment of RICRI, let us work together to build a climate-resilient Hong Kong and a new ecological civilisation for us and our children.”

RICRI is led by Prof. Xiang-dong LI, PolyU Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment, Chair Professor of Environmental Science and Technology, and Ko Jan Ming Professor in Sustainable Urban Development. The Institute focuses on four key research areas: climate change and extreme weather; urban infrastructure and resilience; rural community and disaster mitigation; climate-resilient policy and implementation.

The forum held alongside the inauguration explored a wide range of topics, including: monitoring and prediction of extreme climate events in Hong Kong and surrounding regions; monitoring and adaptation of civil infrastructure towards resilience; urban resilience enhancement for energy-building-transport-water sector synergization toolbox; nature-based solutions for urban infrastructure resilience and water disaster management; resilience of rural infrastructure and communities to climate change; and intelligent platform and toolbox for urban infrastructure resilience.

In support of the University’s research endeavours in the areas of smart city and sustainable energy, the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation has in recent years contributed to the establishment of two research institutes at the University — the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI) and the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE) — as well as two endowed professorships for related disciplines. The establishment of RICRI further strengthens PolyU’s research capabilities in climate adaptation and infrastructure resilience, advancing the pursuit of sustainable development.

RICRI will offer research schemes and funding support in the field of climate-resilient infrastructure, including the Climate-Resilient Infrastructure Distinguished Lecture Series (CRIDLS), the Climate-Resilient Infrastructure Fellowship (CRIF) and the Climate-Resilient Infrastructure Research Scheme (CRIRS).
Hashtag: #PolyU #Climate-ResilientInfrastructure #GlobalWarming #ClimateChange #research #sustainablility

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