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Coway Listed in the 2026 S&P Sustainability Yearbook and Dow Jones Best-in-Class Asia Pacific Index

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Advertorial Desk
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  • Coway has been ranked in the top 15% of the Household Durables industry for the second consecutive year by S&P’s comprehensive assessment
  • 2026 also marks the 13th consecutive year of Coway’s inclusion in the Dow Jones Best-in-Class Asia Pacific Index

SEOUL, South Korea, May 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Coway Co., Ltd., the “Best Life Solution Company,” has today announced that it has been selected as a member of the 2026 S&P Sustainability Yearbook and included in the Dow Jones Best-in-Class (DJ BIC) Asia Pacific Index.

The Sustainability Yearbook is published annually by S&P Global, one of the world’s leading providers of benchmarks for global capital, based on its Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA). Established in 1999, this in-depth evaluation comprehensively appraises how companies are performing financially and across their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices.

This year, more than 9,200 companies across 59 industries were assessed by S&P Global, with only 848 companies subsequently selected to be a part of the Sustainability Yearbook. Coway has been recognized in the Yearbook for the second year running, ranking in the top 15% of companies in the Household Durables industry.

Furthermore, for the thirteenth consecutive year, Coway was included in the DJ BIC Asia Pacific Index among a selection of the top 20% of around 600 companies in the region. Notably, the company received improved evaluations across several ESG categories this year, including energy and waste management, biodiversity conservation, occupational health and safety and data protection.

Since establishing its ESG Committee in 2021, Coway has continually been advancing its ESG management strategy and practices. This commitment has seen Coway implement a company-wide framework based on three key pillars: establishing a carbon-neutral management system, promoting sustainable growth and strengthening transparent and sustainable governance.

Examples of Coway’s ESG initiatives include:

  • Environmental: Advancing a circular economy through its “closed-loop” resource circulation system, all while supporting environmental protection through sustainability initiatives.
  • Social: Fostering mutual growth through partner support programs and collaborative initiatives.
  • Governance: Enhancing shareholder return policies while reinforcing the independence and transparency of the company’s corporate governance.

A Coway official said, “Through the ongoing, globally-benchmarked management strategies and initiatives of our ESG Committee, Coway remains committed to achieving both sustainable growth and responsible social change. We will continue to work to strengthen our global competitiveness across our environmental, social and governance practices.”

About Coway Co., Ltd.

Established in Korea in 1989, Coway, the “Best Life Solution Company,” is a leading home environment 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 home environment 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 http://www.coway.com/ or http://newsroom.coway.com.

Weixin Brand Protection Report Marks a Decade of Partnership, Trust, and Progress in IP Protection

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Advertorial Desk
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Defending 700+ global brands across 30+ industries & 20+ regions

Scalable, User‑driven and AI‑powered Enforcement
Transforms IP defense from Reactive Takedowns to Sustained Proactive Prevention.

LONDON, May 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Tencent today released its 2025 Weixin Brand Protection Report, marking a decade of progress in intellectual property (IP) protection on Weixin. The report shows how Weixin’s Brand Protection Platform (BPP), through close collaboration with brands, community participation, and AI-driven detection, has helped shift enforcement from reactive takedowns to sustained proactive prevention.

Key Highlights in 2025

Metric

Results

Livestream rooms proactively shut down

5.7× more

Enforcement value recovered

$430 million+

Brands on the BPP

700+ across 30+ industries & 20+ regions

New publishing partners on the BPP

14

Suspicious product listings blocked

232,000

Suspicious store applications removed

14,000

Infringing listings taken down

728,000+

Infringing stores penalized

9,000+

A Decade of Global Partnership, Trust, and Progress

For ten years, Weixin has supported brand integrity and advanced IP protection by embedding enforcement directly within its platform to rapidly detect and stop infringement, particularly in fast-growing areas like short-form video and livestream commerce.

“Weixin has built a truly collaborative IP‑protection ecosystem that unites authorities, brands, and users to deliver the next generation of enforcement,” said Danny Marti, Head of Global Public Policy at Tencent. “By leveraging AI, real‑time user reports, advanced analytics, and close partnership with brands and regulators, we’re creating a trusted environment that lets global brands confidently engage with consumers.”

Weixin’s approach connects online detection with offline enforcement, translating digital intelligence into real-world action against counterfeiters. In 2025, the BPP helped authorities pursue 37 cases involving more than 300 suspects and totaling over $430 million in value.

Since 2021 the BPP has grown by more than 50 %. Today it hosts more than 700 brands across 30+ industries and 20+ countries and regions. In the past year, the BPP welcomed 62 new members including several from newly added categories, most notably publishing, which saw the addition of 14 publishers since October 2025.

Additionally, the Weixin IP Protection Alliance was launched in 2025 to co‑develop tools, share intelligence, and deepen brand partnerships. This ecosystem approach, combining technology, users, and brand collaboration, positions Weixin as a model for protecting IP while enabling growth in global and digital markets.

“At PUMA, protecting intellectual property is an important component of maintaining brand integrity and supporting sustainable growth,” said Wei Zhang, Senior Counsel, Brand Protection at PUMA. “Tools such as the BPP contribute to enforcement efforts across digital channels and, in practice, support broader brand protection strategies spanning both online and offline environments.”

User Mobilization at Scale

A key driver of this system is the role users continue to play in helping identify suspected infringement. More than 95% of takedown notices and reports against suspicious personal accounts came from users. Over 99% of reports on suspicious group-chat activity were submitted by users, and more than 96% of infringing accounts were discovered by users.

AI Powers Proactive Prevention

In December 2025, Weixin introduced “Mini-WA,” an AI-powered assistant that delivers real-time support and actionable insights to help brands navigate the platform and improve IP governance. As digital ecosystems grow more complex, Mini-WA empowers brands with intuitive, consistent and proactive guidance, enhancing usability and early detection of potential risks.

With the rise of digital commerce and short‑form content, the BPP demonstrates a proven model for integrated IP protection and significant progress to empower brands, safeguard consumers, and foster trust online and offline.

To view the full Weixin Brand Protection Platform Report, please visit: https://static.www.tencent.com/attachments/reports/Tencent-BPP-Report-2025.pdf

For media inquiries, contact:

gc@tencent.com

Antimatter Launches as the World’s First Vertically Integrated Neocloud for AI Inference, Plans to Establish Global Headquarters in Hong Kong

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Advertorial Desk
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Combining over 1GW of secured power capacity across distributed micro-power sites in the US, Europe and GCC, Antimatter will deploy a global network of 1,000 distributed micro data centers to serve the growing AI inference market  — 5 times faster and 50% cheaper than hyperscalers

HONG KONG, May 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Antimatter, a new category of neocloud purpose-built for the distributed AI economy, today announced its launch through the strategic combination of three companies: Datafactory (US-based energy and power infrastructure), Policloud (modular micro data center network), and Hivenet (distributed cloud provider).

The combined entity creates the industry’s first fully integrated AI infrastructure platform spanning energy sourcing, physical hardware, and cloud software — designed to serve the explosive global demand for AI inference at a fraction of hyperscale cost and dramatically faster time to market.

Antimatter plans to establish its global headquarters in Hong Kong, and is deploying capital at an unprecedented pace to build out the first global neocloud network optimized for AI inference. The company is securing €300 million to fund the deployment of its first 100 Policloud units in 2026, representing 40,000 GPUs and over 3.6 exaFLOPS of active compute capacity.

By the end of 2030, the planned network of 1,000 Policlouds will provide more than 400,000 GPUs and over 36 exaFLOPS of distributed AI inference capacity — the equivalent of five traditional hyperscale data centers, deployed across dozens of countries with 50% lower capital spending and significantly faster time to market.

Antimatter is led by David Gurlé, the serial high-tech entrepreneur who founded Microsoft’s Real-Time Communications business (today’s Microsoft Teams), led Skype’s enterprise division and its sale to Microsoft, and founded Symphony Communication Services.

“In the age of AI, intelligence is not the bottleneck — energy is,” said David Gurlé, Cofounder, Executive Chairman, and CEO of Antimatter. “The infrastructure built for the first era of cloud and AI was designed around centralized scale. But the inference era requires a different model: more distributed, faster to deploy, and sovereign by design. That is the infrastructure Antimatter is building.”

Why AI Inference is Breaking the Cloud Model

The first wave of AI was about training massive models in centralized data centers. But the next phase — inference — is about running those models billions of times per day, across applications like copilots, agents, and real-time decision systems.

That shift changes everything. Inference requires infrastructure that is closer to users, faster to deploy, more energy-efficient, and geographically distributed. Traditional hyperscalers were not built for this. Their model relies on massive, centralized campuses that can take years to build and require enormous upfront capital.

Antimatter’s answer: bring the data center to the energy, not the energy to the data center.

The global data center capacity market is projected to grow from 55GW in 2023 to 220GW by 2030 — a 22% CAGR — yet grid connection queues and infrastructure delays are emerging as the primary bottleneck. In Europe alone, more than 12 TWh of renewable electricity were curtailed in 2023, representing over €4.2 billion in lost value. At the same time, more than 1,000GW of additional renewable capacity remains stuck in permitting and grid-connection queues across Europe and the GCC.

A Full-Stack Neocloud Built for the AI Inference Era

Antimatter is uniquely positioned as the only neocloud that controls the complete value chain:

Energy-first model
More than 1GW of secured power capacity, including over 160MW already operational across Texas and Oregon, USA. Antimatter deploys Policloud units directly at or near existing power assets — including wind, solar, hydro, or biogas sites — converting stranded generation into productive AI infrastructure in a matter of months, rather than waiting years for new transmission capacity.

Decentralized infrastructure layer
A fleet of modular, containerized micro data centers, each housing up to 400 GPUs and deployable in as little as five months, compared with 24+ months for traditional hyperscale builds. Antimatter currently operates 17 units across 8 sites and has a commercial pipeline of more than 500 additional units.

Distributed software layer
A proprietary distributed computing and storage platform providing the orchestration intelligence that connects distributed hardware into a single, sovereign cloud fabric with global default Tier 3 capability — supporting billions of inference requests each day, with sub-10ms latency for edge workloads and full data sovereignty for regulated industries.

Key Competitive Advantages

Metric

Antimatter

Traditional Hyperscale

Capex per fully loaded MW

~US$7M

~US$35M

Deployment timeline

5 months

24+ months

Customer pricing

~50% below hyperscalers

Market rate

Edge latency

Sub-10ms

Variable

Carbon reduction

~70% lower;

zero water cooling

Standard

Data sovereignty

Sovereign-by-design;

local jurisdiction

Bolt-on solutions

Strong Commercial Traction

Antimatter enters the market as a cash-flow positive entity with demonstrated commercial momentum:

  • US$20 million in current annual revenue
  • US$4 million in EBIT
  • 4,500 GPUs deployed with demand for 10,000+
  • 100 Policlouds being deployed in 2026, representing 40,000+ GPUs
  • 1,000 Policlouds planned by end of 2030, representing 400,000+ GPUs
  • Diversified customer base: Energy sector (35%), Public sector (30%), Agriculture (15%), Corporates (20%)

The company is targeting $250M+ in revenue within the next 18 months and $2.5B+ by the end of 2030.

Investor Perspectives

“AI infrastructure is now a strategic asset class, and the winners will be those who can combine hard assets with software at scale. Antimatter’s vertically integrated model — from megawatts to APIs — is exactly the kind of infrastructure we believe can define the next decade of digital growth.”

— Alex Manson, CEO of SC Ventures, Standard Chartered Bank

“France and Europe need sovereign, energy-efficient infrastructure to compete in AI. What convinced us about Antimatter is not just the technology, but the ability to deploy micro data centers in months, on existing power assets, while meeting the most demanding regulatory constraints.”

— Stéphanie Hospital, Founder and CEO of OneRagtime

“From Dubai, we see first-hand how emerging markets are skipping legacy infrastructure and going straight to AI-native architectures. Antimatter’s model — distributed, capital-efficient and deeply integrated with energy — is built for exactly these markets, and for the next generation of AI companies we back.”

— Noor Sweid, Founder and Managing Partner, Global Ventures

“At Inria, we work every day at the frontier of AI and high-performance computing. Antimatter’s approach is compelling because it reconciles cutting-edge AI workloads with more frugal, sustainable infrastructure — distributed, software-defined, and close to available energy. It is a strong illustration of the deeptech industrial story we want to see emerge in Europe.”

— Bruno Sportisse, Chairman and CEO of Inria

 

About Antimatter
Antimatter is the distributed neocloud for AI inference. By vertically integrating energy, modular infrastructure, and orchestration software, Antimatter deploys enterprise-grade AI compute infrastructure faster, cheaper, and more sustainably than traditional hyperscale providers. Headquartered in Cannes, France, with major operations in the United States, Antimatter serves enterprises, governments, and AI companies worldwide.

www.antimatter.com

About the Founder
David Gurlé is a French entrepreneur, engineer, and Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur. He has founded seven companies, including Symphony Communication Services ($1.4B valuation), and held senior leadership roles at Microsoft (where he founded the Real-Time Communications business), Thomson Reuters, and Skype (VP & General Manager, Enterprise). He holds an MSc in Computer Science and Telecommunications from EFREI Paris.

Media Enquiries:
Strategic Financial Relations Limited

Angelus Lau

Tel: (852) 2864 4805

Email: angelus.lau@sprg.com.hk

Corinne Ho

Tel: (852) 2114 4911

Email: corinne.ho@sprg.com.hk

Angela Shen

Tel: (852) 2864 4870

Email: angela.shen@sprg.com.hk

Ariane Forgues

Email: aforgues@mantu.com

 

Olympus Signs Global Distribution Agreement with EndoRobotics, Adds Robot-Assisted Technologies to EndoTherapy Portfolio

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Advertorial Desk
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Partnership Aimed at Expanding Patient Access to Advanced EndoTherapeutic Procedures

TOKYO, May 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Olympus Corporation (Olympus), a global MedTech company committed to advancing endoscopy-enabled care, today announced it has signed an exclusive global distribution agreement with EndoRobotics Co., Ltd. Under this agreement, robot-assisted technologies manufactured by EndoRobotics will be distributed globally by Olympus exclusively as part of its EndoTherapy portfolio. 

This collaboration will help drive broader adoption of advanced endoscopic procedures —such as endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) — helping clinicians deliver organ-sparing, minimally invasive care with precision and confidence.

Olympus aims to expand patient access to endoscopic procedures for treatment of early-stage cancers and precancerous lesions of the GI tract. By removing diseased tissue without resecting the organ, physicians performing ESD may allow for less procedural risk, fewer post-treatment complications and shorter patient recovery.1,2 EndoRobotics technologies can enhance precision, control and efficiency in complex procedures such as ESD. These technologies play an increasingly important role in supporting consistent outcomes, particularly as the global incidence of GI cancers continues to rise.3 

The agreement reflects Olympus’ approach to advancing endoluminal robotics, bringing new technologies that support complex endoscopic therapy to global markets today, while continuing to invest in longer-term platform innovations designed to further transform endoscopy-enabled care.

“We are pleased to have the opportunity to work with EndoRobotics to advance therapeutic capabilities in GI patient care,” said Mike Callaghan, General Manager, EndoTherapy at Olympus. “This collaboration supports our strategy to broaden adoption of advanced treatment options such as ESD. By offering robot-assisted technologies, we aim to help clinicians perform these complex therapeutic procedures with greater confidence and efficiency, while maintaining a strong focus on patient safety and optimizing outcomes.”

“For years, EndoRobotics has focused on developing next-generation robotic solutions for therapeutic endoscopy. Today, we are stepping into a much bigger mission,” said Byung Gon Kim, co-CEO, and Daehie Hong, co-CEO of EndoRobotics, Co., LTD. “Our goal is to help more patients around the world receive treatment faster, recover sooner, and return to their families in better health. To achieve this, we are proud to partner with Olympus Corporation, a leading endoscopy company. Together, we aim to transform the global therapeutic endoscopy market.”

Leveraging Olympus’ global commercial infrastructure and EndoRobotics’ development capabilities, the companies will bring these new endotherapeutic solutions to global markets, beginning with the U.S., in an effort to help advance the safe and effective practice of third-space endoscopy using robot-assisted technologies.

Additional details regarding availability and regional product launches will be shared in accordance with regulatory requirements and local market considerations.

About Olympus
At Olympus, we are committed to Our Purpose of making people’s lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling. As a global medical technology company, we partner with healthcare professionals to provide innovative solutions and services for early detection, diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment, aiming to improve patient outcomes by elevating the standard of care in targeted disease states.

For more than 100 years, Olympus has pursued a goal of contributing to society by producing products designed with the purpose of delivering optimal outcomes for its customers around the world. For more information, visit the Olympus website and follow the Olympus LinkedIn account.

About EndoRobotics
ENDOROBOTICS is a technology-driven company dedicated to advancing minimally invasive treatments for gastrointestinal diseases through the development of next-generation endoscopic intervention robotics. Navigating the complex and flexible structure of the human digestive system presents significant technical challenges; ENDOROBOTICS addresses these challenges through expertise built on years of research. By leveraging  these robotic technologies, ENDOROBOTICS aims to improve procedural precision, minimize patient burden, and pioneer the future of minimally invasive gastrointestinal care.

All trademarks, logos and brand names are the property of their respective owners.

1 Safi, M.H., Hui, Z., Xiaoyong, W. et al. Endoscopic submucosal dissection: a safe alternative to surgical intervention for young patients under 45 years of age with early gastric cancer. ESD vs. surgery in young EGC patients. BMC Cancer 25, 1895 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-025-15293-4
2 Qian M, Sheng Y, Wu M, Wang S, Zhang K. Comparison between Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection and Surgery in Patients with Early Gastric Cancer. Cancers. 2022; 14(15):3603. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14153603
3 Singh A. Global burden of five major types of gastrointestinal cancer. Prz Gastroenterol. 2024;19(3):236-254. doi: 10.5114/pg.2024.141834.

Logo – https://laotiantimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/olympus_logo.jpg

See What 20 Years of Digital Signage Expertise Looks Like, Live at COMPUTEX 2026

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Advertorial Desk
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CAYIN Technology Brings Its Full Enterprise Signage Portfolio to Booth P1202b, Where Real Deployments Begin

TAIPEI, May 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — What does enterprise-grade digital signage look like in practice, across retail floors, hospital lobbies, corporate campuses, and transit hubs? At COMPUTEX 2026, CAYIN Technology invites you to find out firsthand. Visit Booth P1202b, Hall 2, 1F, Nangang Exhibition Center, June 2-5, and experience content management platforms and industrial-grade hardware that have been deployed across more than 100 countries worldwide.

CAYIN Technology showcases its digital signage expertise at COMPUTEX 2026, Booth P1202b, highlighting its enterprise-grade solutions for retail, healthcare, corporate, and transportation environments.
CAYIN Technology showcases its digital signage expertise at COMPUTEX 2026, Booth P1202b, highlighting its enterprise-grade solutions for retail, healthcare, corporate, and transportation environments.

Digital Signage Is No Longer Optional. It Is a Business Driver

The most forward-thinking organizations are not just displaying content. They are using digital signage as an active tool for revenue growth, operational efficiency, and brand consistency. The results are measurable:

  • Retail & F&B: Capture attention at the point of decision with real-time promotions and dynamic menus. Reduce campaign turnaround from days to minutes, and cut recurring print costs entirely.
  • Corporate & Office: Replace outdated bulletin boards with live announcements, meeting room displays, and wayfinding that adapt to your organization in real time.
  • Hospitality: Create arrival moments that guests remember, with lobby displays, event schedules, and personalized welcome messages that set your property apart.
  • Healthcare: Ease patient anxiety with clear queue displays, directional guidance, and timely health information. Fewer questions at reception. Smoother patient flow.
  • Transportation & Public Spaces: Keep passengers informed with live schedules, platform changes, and emergency alerts, reducing confusion and improving service perception.
     
  • Education: Connect students, faculty, and visitors to what matters, from campus news and event boards to lecture hall displays and emergency notifications.

Three Solutions, One Trusted Platform, Built for Your Business

CAYIN’s COMPUTEX 2026 lineup addresses the full spectrum of enterprise deployment needs, from high-demand industrial environments to sustainability-driven organizations:

  • Robustie Solution: Built Tough. Built to Last.
    When downtime is not an option, Robustie Solution delivers. Combining industrial-grade CAYIN hardware with CMS-SE, our enterprise content management server, Robustie is engineered for continuous, high-reliability operation across large, multi-site deployments. Centralized management. Consistent performance. No compromises.
     
  • Flexie Solution: Your Infrastructure. Your Control.
    Organizations that demand full data sovereignty choose Flexie. Powered by CMS-WS, this self-hosted platform streams content directly from your own hardware to any connected device, browser-based, flexible, and built to meet the most stringent IT security and compliance requirements. Flexie puts you in complete control of your signage network.
     
  • E-Paper Solution: Smarter Signage for a Greener Business.
    As ESG commitments move from boardroom pledges to daily operational decisions, E-Paper Solution offers a tangible, measurable path forward. Leveraging e-paper display technology, this ultra-low-power signage platform dramatically reduces energy consumption without sacrificing readability. For organizations serious about reducing their environmental footprint, in retail, logistics, or smart buildings, E-Paper is the signage investment that delivers for your business and your sustainability targets simultaneously.

Your Next Signage Project Starts at Booth P1202b

No two deployments are the same. Whether you are planning your first digital signage rollout, scaling an existing network, or replacing a system that has not delivered, CAYIN’s sales team is at the booth, ready to listen, advise, and map out what integration could look like for your specific environment.

AV system integrators, distributors, resellers, and enterprise IT decision-makers: bring your project brief, your questions, and your challenges. Leave with a clear picture of how CAYIN digital signage fits into your business. Live demonstrations, expert consultations, and real answers, all at Booth P1202b.

Exhibition Details

Event: COMPUTEX 2026
Dates: June 2-5, 2026
Venue: Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 2, 1F, Taipei
Booth: P1202b

About CAYIN Technology: The Infrastructure Behind the Screen

Behind every screen that never goes dark, there is a platform built to be trusted. CAYIN Technology has been engineering that platform since 2004. Headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, CAYIN designs and manufactures professional digital signage hardware and software that enterprises in over 100 countries rely on, day in, day out, across retail, hospitality, corporate, healthcare, transportation, and education environments.

Twenty years. One hundred countries. Countless deployments. CAYIN’s track record is not a marketing claim. It is the reason global organizations keep choosing CAYIN as their long-term signage infrastructure partner.

Resettlement Progresses in Oudomxay as Dam Project Moves 845 Families

By
Namfon Chanthavong
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New resettlement area in Oudomxay Province. (Photo: Laophattana News)

Authorities in Oudomxay confirmed on 2 May that 845 families, 4,252 people, in Nga district face impacts from the ongoing construction of the Luang Prabang Hydroelectric Dam.

Of the 11 affected villages, authorities designated six for full relocation and five for partial relocation. As of early May, Lathan and Khok Phu villages have completed relocation. Lathan village, home to 233 families, completed its move in March. The remaining areas remain at different stages of development.

Yoi Hai village leads progress among the remaining sites, reaching 86.66 percent completion. Meanwhile, Latlamun, Houay Hin, and Phonesavang villages continue construction at around 31 percent. Five other villages remain in the data collection and land survey phase, with authorities completing property assessments and land measurements.

During the visit, residents in Lathan village raised four main concerns on access to sufficient production land, reliable clean water, improved road access, and sustainable livelihoods.

These issues are part of broader challenges in Nga district, where mountainous terrain limits access to flat and fertile land. Many families previously depended on Mekong riverbank farming, fishing, and small-scale livestock.

The Project

The resettlement links directly to the Luang Prabang Hydroelectric Dam, a 1,460-megawatt project located about 25 kilometers upstream from Luang Prabang city. Developers include Xayaburi Power Company Ltd. and PetroVietnam Power Corp., under the Luang Prabang Power Company.

The project forms part of Laos’ strategy to export electricity across the region. It stands among 11 planned dams on the Mekong mainstream, with power expected to supply Thailand and Vietnam. Construction began in 2024.

The reservoir will affect areas in Luang Prabang, Xayaburi, and Oudomxay provinces. In Nga district, limited flat land creates additional challenges for relocation.

Discussions on compensation began in 2022 as authorities engaged with affected communities on relocation plans and land valuation.

Local reports noted concerns over housing design and limited farmland at resettlement sites, with some families receiving less land than expected.

Hydropower Expansion

Hydropower expansion across Laos has displaced tens of thousands of people. with 81 operating dams across the country and over a thousand people displaced for each of them, an approximate 60 to 80 thousands people had relocated due to dam projects nationwide, with unofficial estimates suggesting the number could reach up to 280,000.

Projects such as the Laos-China Railway and planned dams in Oudomxay have also faced similar challenges, including limited farmland and distance from services.

The recent visit signals continued monitoring by provincial authorities. With several villages still under development and others in planning, relocation in Nga district will likely continue into 2027.

TEN-YEAR PIVOTAL DATA REINFORCE THE LONG-TERM DURABILITY OF EDWARDS’ RESILIA TISSUE

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Advertorial Desk
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SINGAPORE, May 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Edwards Lifesciences, the leading global structural heart innovation company, recently announced 10-year results from the COMMENCE aortic trial, reinforcing the long-term durability and sustained performance of its proprietary RESILIA tissue. The data were presented at the 106th American Association for Thoracic Surgery Annual Meeting.

Valvular heart disease continues to pose a significant and growing burden on healthcare systems across the Asia‑Pacific region. As clinical evidence increasingly supports earlier intervention in the valve disease pathway, the need for long-term durable valve solutions continues to grow.

“By extending the evidence base to 10 years, these data further support the long‑term durability and performance of RESILIA tissue,” said Vikram Jaisinghani, Senior Director, Medical Affairs, Asia‑Pacific, Edwards Lifesciences. “The COMMENCE trial provides prospective, 10‑year durability data that contribute to the evidence base supporting lifetime management for patients with aortic stenosis.”

At 10 years, COMMENCE trial data showed that patients treated with Edwards’ surgical valves featuring RESILIA tissue experienced:

  • 97.9% freedom from structural valve deterioration (SVD)
  • 97.8% freedom from reoperation due to SVD
  • 98.6% freedom from non-structural valve dysfunction (other than PVL)
  • Sustained hemodynamic performance, including stable gradients and effective orifice area over time

For patients, long-term durability matters because it can reduce the likelihood of repeat procedures over a lifetime, helping preserve quality of life as life expectancy increases. “As bioprosthetic valves are increasingly used in younger and lower-risk patients, many of whom lead active lifestyles and wish to avoid anticoagulation, plus their ascending life expectancy, long-term durability has become a central consideration in surgical decision-making,” Dato’ Seri Dr. Jeffrey Jeswant Dillon, Senior Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon at Institut Jantung Negara (IJN), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia added. “From a clinical practice perspective, minimal structural valve deterioration observed at 10 years provides important confidence for long‑term treatment planning and may help reduce the need for repeat interventions over a patient’s lifetime.”

Building on nearly 70 years of leadership in structural heart innovation, Edwards has established a strong body of clinical evidence supporting the evaluation of valve performance, durability and treatment options in severe aortic stenosis. Developed more than two decades ago to address the need for improved durability in bioprosthetic valves, RESILIA tissue technology is now incorporated across a broad range of Edwards’ surgical and transcatheter platforms, supporting aortic and mitral surgical valve replacement, aortic valve conduit procedures, and transcatheter treatment in the aortic position.

Within this context, the COMMENCE trial builds on the totality of Edwards’ clinical evidence, further reinforcing the durability of outcomes supporting its surgical and transcatheter therapies, alongside large, randomized, FDA‑approved studies such as the PARTNER series of trials.

The PARTNER trial series advanced the field with long-term patient outcomes on treatment with Edwards TAVR and SAVR, with 10 years of follow-up data. The new COMMENCE trial data build on that foundation with the latest evidence on the long-term durability of RESILIA tissue.

To date, more than 500,000 patients worldwide, including over 30,000 in the Asia‑Pacific region, have been treated with Edwards’ surgical and transcatheter innovations featuring RESILIA tissue1.

“This significant advancement in tissue technology underscores Edwards’ long-standing commitment to pioneering innovation and advancing long term patient outcomes across Asia-Pacific,” said Amit Raheja, Senior Vice President, Asia‑Pacific, Edwards Lifesciences. “As Asia-Pacific becomes an increasingly important region for Edwards, we continue to invest in clinical evidence and regional capabilities to support sustainable growth and improved patient care. The availability of robust 10-year clinical data helps ensure that clinicians in the region are equipped to make informed treatment decisions that benefit patients over their lifetime.”

1. Based on cumulative internal sales data for Edwards surgical and transcatheter heart valves incorporating RESILIA tissue in the Asia Pacific region

About Edwards Lifesciences

Edwards Lifesciences is the leading global structural heart innovation company, driven by a passion to improve patient lives. Through breakthrough technologies, world-class evidence and partnerships with clinicians and healthcare stakeholders, our employees are inspired by our patient-focused culture to deliver life-changing innovations to those who need them most. Discover more at www.edwards.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Edwards, Edwards Lifesciences, the stylized E logo, COMMENCE, PARTNER and RESILIA are trademarks of Edwards Lifesciences Corporation or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Blueport Acquisition Ltd and SingAuto Inc Announce Business Combination Agreement to Create a Publicly Listed Company

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NEW YORK and SINGAPORE, May 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Blueport Acquisition Ltd (Nasdaq: BPAC) (“Blueport”), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, and SingAuto Inc (“SingAuto”), a global innovator providing green cold-chain logistics technology solutions for smart commercial electric vehicles (“CEVs”), today announced that they have entered into a definitive business combination agreement (the “Business Combination Agreement”). Upon consummation of the business combination of Blueport and SingAuto and related transactions contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement (collectively, the “Proposed Transactions”), a newly formed holding company for the purpose of the Proposed Transactions will be listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”). The closing of the Proposed Transactions is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory and shareholder approvals.

Innovation in Logistics Technology Solutions in CEV

Headquartered in Singapore, SingAuto operates through its subsidiaries in Singapore and the Middle East to design, produce and manufacture CEVs. SingAuto has completed the research, development and testing of its flagship new energy refrigerated commercial vehicle, S1, covering application scenarios for increasing delivery efficiencies of frozen, chilled and fresh produce with pharmaceutical products in the same vehicle during the same shipment. SingAuto imports semi knocked-down (SKD) parts from original equipment manufacturers to the Middle East and manufactures direct to consumer in the cold-chain logistics space and licenses its technology, patents and other services to other companies. SingAuto’s competitive advantages are characterized by its unique business models, technology innovations and an experienced management team.

Management Comments

“As a serial entrepreneur, I am extremely excited about the future of new energy, intelligent refrigerated trucks and the rapid technological evolution in the cold-chain logistics industry,” said Mr. Yuqiang Liu, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SingAuto. “We focus on not only the technology revolution of the cold-chain logistic industry, but also the seamless integration of artificial intelligence into our products. The business combination will strengthen our market presence and allow us to accelerate our business plan and growth. For our next step, we plan to leverage on our expertise and expand our products and services to reach a wider audience base.”

“Our team has been actively and diligently searching for a target to add value to our shareholders, and we are fortunate enough to find this opportunity to partner with the team at SingAuto,” said Mr. William S. Rosenstadt, the Chief Executive Officer of Blueport. “We believe SingAuto is a uniquely compelling company with green cold-chain logistics technology solutions for smart commercial electric vehicles that will benefit from being a public company.”

Transaction Overview

Under the terms of the Business Combination Agreement, Blueport will merge with and into NeoCryo Inc., a Cayman Islands exempted company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Blueport (“Purchaser”), with Purchaser as the surviving entity (the “Reincorporation Merger”), and (ii) at least one business day following the Reincorporation Merger, NeoCryo Merger Sub Ltd, a Cayman Islands exempted company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Blueport (“Merger Sub”), will merge with and into SingAuto, with SingAuto as the surviving entity and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Purchaser (the “Acquisition Merger”). Purchaser upon consummation of the Proposed Transactions is referred to as “PubCo.”

Upon the closing of the Reincorporation Merger, (i) each issued and outstanding unit of Blueport will automatically separate into its individual components of class A ordinary shares and rights, (ii) each issued and outstanding class B ordinary shares of Blueport will be converted into one class A ordinary share of Blueport, (iii) each issued and outstanding class A ordinary share of Blueport will be converted into one ordinary share of Purchaser, and (iv) each right of Blueport will be converted into a right to receive one-sixth of one ordinary share of Purchaser at the closing of the Proposed Transactions.

Upon the closing of the Acquisition Merger, shareholders of SingAuto will receive approximately, 120,000,000 ordinary shares of PubCo, valued at $10.00 per share, based on the merger consideration of USD$1.2 billion.

The Proposed Transactions have been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both Blueport and SingAuto. The Proposed Transactions are expected to close by end of 2026, subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals, and other customary closing conditions, including that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) completes its review of the Proxy statement/Prospectus relating to the Proposed Transactions and approval by Nasdaq to list the PubCo ordinary shares. No assurances can be made that the Proposed Transactions will be consummated on the terms or time frame currently contemplated, or at all.

SingAuto’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Yuqiang Liu, is expected to continue to lead PubCo after the closing of the Proposed Transactions.

Additional information about the Proposed Transactions, including a copy of the Business Combination Agreement, will be provided in a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed by Blueport with the SEC and will be available at www.sec.gov.

ADVISORS

Loeb & Loeb LLP is acting as U.S. legal counsel to Blueport and Ogier is acting as Cayman legal counsel to Blueport. Robinson & Cole LLP is acting as U.S. legal counsel to SingAuto, ShookLin & Bok is acting as Singapore counsel to SingAuto and Ogier is acting as Cayman legal counsel to SingAuto.

About SingAuto Inc

Headquartered in Singapore, SingAuto is a global innovator in green cold-chain logistics technology solutions. Starting with new energy refrigerated vehicles for the cold-chain logistics industry, the company has developed an integrated cold-chain platform that meets the demand of different markets.

About Blueport Acquisition Ltd

Blueport Acquisition Ltd (Nasdaq: BPAC) is a blank check company incorporated in the Cayman Islands as an exempted company with limited liability for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities. Blueport is led by Mr. William Rosenstadt, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, and Mr. Kulwant Sandher, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer. 

Additional Information and Where to Find It

This press release relates to a proposed business combination transaction involving Blueport and SingAuto. In connection with the Proposed Transactions, Blueport, SingAuto and Purchaser intend to file with the SEC a registration statement on Form F-4 that will include a proxy statement for shareholders of Blueport and that will also constitute a prospectus with respect to the ordinary shares of PubCo to be issued in connection with the Proposed Transactions (the “Proxy Statement/Prospectus”). This document is not a substitute for the Proxy Statement/Prospectus. The definitive Proxy Statement/Prospectus (if and when available) will be delivered to Blueport’s shareholders. Blueport may also file other relevant documents regarding the Proposed Transactions with the SEC. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING OR INVESTMENT DECISION, INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF BLUEPORT AND SINGAUTO AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND ALL OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT ARE FILED OR WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED TRANSACTIONS, INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THESE DOCUMENTS, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BLUEPORT, SINGAUTO, PURCHASER, THE PROPOSED TRANSACTIONS AND RELATED MATTERS.

Investors and security holders of Blueport and SingAuto may obtain free copies of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus (if and when available) and other documents that are filed or will be filed with the SEC by Blueport, SingAuto and Purchaser through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov.

Participants in the Solicitation

Blueport, SingAuto and their respective directors, executive officers, and other members of management and employees may, under SEC rules, be deemed to be participants in the solicitations of proxies from Blueport’s shareholders in connection with the Proposed Transactions. Information regarding the persons who may, under SEC rules, be deemed participants in the solicitation of Blueport’s shareholders in connection with the Proposed Transactions will be set forth in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus to be filed with the SEC in connection with the transactions. You can find more information about Blueport’s directors and executive officers, and their ownership of Blueport’s ordinary shares in its filings with the SEC, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, which was filed with the SEC on February 26, 2026. Additional information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests will be included in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus when it becomes available. Shareholders, potential investors and other interested persons should read the Proxy Statement/Prospectus carefully when it becomes available before making any voting or investment decisions. You may obtain free copies of these documents from the sources indicated above.

No Offer or Solicitation

This press release is for informational purposes only and is not intended to and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to sell or to buy any securities or a solicitation of any proxy, consent, vote or approval with respect to any securities in respect of the Proposed Transactions and is not a substitute for the Proxy Statement/Prospectus or any other document that Blueport, SingAuto or Purchaser may file with the SEC or send to Blueport’s or SingAuto’s shareholders in connection with the Proposed Transactions. No offer, sale, issuance or transfer of securities shall be made in any jurisdiction in which such offer, sale, issuance or transfer would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements,” including, among other things, statements regarding the anticipated benefits and impact of the Proposed Transactions on PubCo’s business and future financial and operating results, the anticipated timing of closing of the Proposed Transactions, the anticipated growth of the industries and markets in which SingAuto competes, the success and customer acceptance of SingAuto’s product offerings and other aspects of SingAuto’s operations, plans, objectives, opportunities, expectations or operating results, the expected ownership structure of PubCo and the likelihood and ability of the parties to successfully consummate the Proposed Transactions. Words such as “may,” “should,” “will,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimated,” “target,” “project,” and similar phrases or words of similar meaning that denote future expectations or intent regarding PubCo’s and SingAuto’s financial results, operations and other matters are intended to identify forward-looking statements. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Such forward-looking statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of management of Blueport and SingAuto and are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive risks, uncertainties and other factors, both known and unknown, which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Blueport and SingAuto and that may cause actual results and the timing of future events to differ materially from the results and timing of future events anticipated by the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to: (i) the ability of the parties to complete the Proposed Transactions within the time frame anticipated or at all; (ii) the failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the Proposed Transactions or those benefits taking longer than anticipated to be realized; (iii) the risk that the Proposed Transactions may not be completed by Blueport’s business combination deadline and the potential failure to obtain further extensions of the business combination deadline if sought by Blueport; (iv) the failure to satisfy the conditions to the consummation of the Proposed Transactions, including the approval of the Business Combination Agreement by the shareholders of Blueport and SingAuto, the receipt of any required governmental or regulatory approvals or the failure to meet the Nasdaq listing standards in connection with the closing of the Proposed Transactions; (v) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the Business Combination Agreement; (vi) the effect of the announcement or pendency of the Proposed Transactions on SingAuto’s business relationships, performance and business generally; (vii) risks that the Proposed Transactions disrupt current plans and operations of SingAuto and any potential difficulties in SingAuto employee retention as a result of the Proposed Transactions; (viii) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against SingAuto or Blueport related to the Business Combination Agreement or the Proposed Transactions or any product liability or regulatory lawsuits or proceedings relating to SingAuto’s products; (ix) the ability to maintain the listing of the PubCo ordinary shares on Nasdaq after the closing of the Proposed Transactions; (x) potential volatility in the price of PubCo ordinary shares due to a variety of factors, including changes in the competitive and highly regulated industries in which SingAuto operates, variations in performance across competitors, changes in laws and regulations affecting SingAuto’s business, and changes in PubCo’s capital structure; (xi) the ability to implement business plans, identify and realize additional opportunities and achieve forecasts and other expectations after the completion of the Proposed Transactions; (xii) the risk of downturns and the possibility of rapid change in the highly competitive industries in which SingAuto operates or the markets that SingAuto targets; (xiii) the inability of SingAuto and its current and future collaborators to successfully develop and commercialize SingAuto’s products in the expected time frame or at all; (xiv) the risk that PubCo may never achieve or sustain profitability or may need to raise additional capital to execute its business plan, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all; and (xv) the costs of the Proposed Transactions. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to additional risks, uncertainties and factors, including those described in Blueport’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other documents filed or to be filed with the SEC by Blueport, SingAuto and Purchaser from time to time. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a predictor of future performance as projected financial information and other information are based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to various significant risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Blueport or SingAuto. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date hereof, and Blueport and SingAuto disclaim any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date hereof. Forecasts and estimates regarding SingAuto’s industry and end markets are based on sources Blueport and SingAuto believe to be reliable, however there can be no assurance these forecasts and estimates will prove accurate in whole or in part. Annualized, pro forma, projected and estimated numbers are used for illustrative purposes only, are not forecasts and may not reflect actual results.

Contact Information:
Blueport Acquisition Ltd
William S. Rosenstadt
Tel: +1 212.588.0022
Email: wsr@orllp.legal

SingAuto Inc.
Jimmy Tan, IRC
Tel: +65 6970 7107
Email: Jimmy.tan@singautotech.com

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