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Starti AI Studio Upgrades to 2.0: From Video Generation Tool to Complete Advertising Creative System

PALO ALTO, Calif., April 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Starti.ai, a technology company developing AI-powered tools for advertising video production, has announced the release of AI Studio 2.0, a system-level upgrade to its flagship platform. The update builds a complete workflow spanning creative understanding, video generation, campaign distribution, performance analysis, and optimization, helping brands and creative teams move beyond fragmented tools toward a sustainable, iterative creative system.

 

Video assets have become critical to advertising performance, yet creative production remains fragmented, with generation, distribution, and analysis scattered across separate tools. Most AI tools remain limited to template-based output, lacking deeper creative understanding or connection to campaign outcomes. AI Studio 2.0 addresses this gap through three core upgrades: creation capability, creation methodology, and analysis.

AI Studio’s Video Agent now functions as a creative collaborator with director-level thinking. Built on multimodal understanding, the Agent processes scripts, visuals, audio, and timeline information to handle shot planning, structure organization, and post-production editing. Rather than outputting isolated clips, the system generates complete video assets with editorial flexibility built in. A new FineTuning Mode allows users to make precise adjustments to specific sections without regenerating entire videos.

Motion Graphics production has shifted from fixed templates with swappable assets to dynamic, content-aware component generation. The system generates editable, reusable motion components scene by scene. Users can modify copy, images, colors, and other elements after generation while the system automatically maintains brand visual consistency, transforming one-time deliverables into sustainable creative assets.

Smart Insight is an entirely new module, marking AI Studio’s first expansion into post-campaign analysis. The module syncs data from Google and Meta, while further data access enablement for LinkedIn, TikTok, and AppsFlyer is currently underway. It then analyzes creative performance at the video structure level, including shot composition, pacing, information density, and narrative approach. By linking creative elements to conversion outcomes, Smart Insight delivers specific optimization recommendations.

This upgrade moves AI Studio from a standalone generation tool to an integrated creative loop system, combining deep understanding of advertising video logic with content editability and sustainable optimization. The Q2 2026 release represents an important step in AI Studio’s evolution toward a professional, controllable, and continuously improving advertising video creation system.

For more information, please visit https://starti.ai/, or stay tuned for the latest industry insights and real-time product updates from https://www.linkedin.com/company/startiai/, https://www.youtube.com/@starti_ai, and https://x.com/starti_ai.

About Starti.ai

Starti is a technology company focused on AI-powered advertising video production. Its flagship product, AI Studio, enables brands and creative teams to move beyond fragmented workflows by integrating video generation, post-production editing, and campaign performance analysis into a single platform. Starti’s approach emphasizes creative understanding, content editability, and data-driven optimization to help advertisers improve the impact of video assets on business outcomes.

 

Electrolux Group accelerates profitable growth strategy through a partnership with Midea, global organization and footprint optimization, and a fully underwritten rights issue of approx. SEK 9 billion

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE SUCH ACTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL

STOCKHOLM, April 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — In addition to the separately announced long-term strategic partnership with Midea Group in North America, AB Electrolux (“Electrolux Group” or the “Group”) today announces a plan to improve efficiency across its organization including a focused optimization of the Group’s global manufacturing footprint to further increase agility across the organization. Furthermore, the Board of Directors of AB Electrolux has resolved, subject to approval by an Extraordinary General Meeting (the “EGM”), on a fully underwritten rights issue of approximately SEK 9 billion (the “Rights Issue”). The Rights Issue, supported by AB Electrolux largest shareholder, Investor AB, is intended to finance and accelerate Electrolux Group’s profitable growth initiatives and expedite the achievement of its financial targets, as well as strengthen the Group’s balance sheet. The Group is also providing financial information for the first quarter of 2026 and comments on its business and market outlook. Electrolux Group will host a webcast and telephone conference today at 18:30 CEST.

The actions announced today support Electrolux Group’s strategy by aiming to accelerate long-term profitable growth and progress towards its financial targets. The SEK 9 billion in gross proceeds from the Rights Issue are expected to finance Electrolux Group’s profitable growth initiatives and strengthen the Group’s balance sheet. The Group intends to allocate the proceeds as follows:

  • SEK 1.0-1.5 billion of the gross proceeds to support the long-term, highly complementary strategic partnership with Midea Group in Food Preservation (refrigeration) manufacturing and sales, and Fabric Care (laundry) manufacturing in North America. The partnership is designed to support long-term profitable growth and innovation, strengthen the Group’s product offering in Food Preservation and Fabric Care, improve cost efficiencies and increase operational flexibility, and will contribute to Electrolux Group’s overarching efforts to transform the business in North America. The Group expects that the partnership will have a positive effect on Electrolux Group’s sales, and generate gradually increasing cost efficiency improvements, reaching approximately SEK 0.6 billion in year three. The partnership is expected to result in a reduction of approximately 1,500 employees in 2026. However, the manufacturing JV for Anderson is expected to hire up to approximately 1,200 employees gradually across 2027 and 2028, as the site is repurposed into a Fabric Care factory. As a result of this announcement, Electrolux Group expects to report total negative non-recurring items of approximately SEK 2.4 billion, of which approximately SEK 0.9 billion will be cash-related. The partnership is expected to commence in the third quarter of 2026. The sale of assets in Juarez to the manufacturing JV is expected to occur in the third quarter of 2026 and have a neutral effect on the income statement but is expected to generate a positive cash flow effect of approximately SEK 1.0 billion with a corresponding reduction in assets. The partnership is expected to require approximately SEK 1.1 billion in capital expenditure over the next three years. Please refer to the separate press release issued concurrently for more information.
  • SEK 2.0-2.5 billion of the gross proceeds to support the Group’s plans to improve efficiency across its organization over the next two years. This includes targeted optimization of the global manufacturing footprint to improve capacity utilization and drive cost efficiencies in addition to staff reductions globally, across functions, in line with Electrolux Group’s strategy to strengthen competitiveness and financial resilience. This initiative is expected to generate gradual cost efficiency improvements, reaching approximately SEK 1.4 billion in year three. The targeted optimization is expected to result in a net reduction of approximately 3,000 employees globally over the same period. Electrolux Group is expected to report total negative non-recurring items of approximately SEK 2.2 billion over the next two years, of which approximately SEK 1.5 billion is cash-related. To support execution of Electrolux Group’s strategy and its efforts to focus on customer-facing activities, local sales and marketing will be prioritized to accelerate profitable growth. Furthermore, Electrolux Group expects to invest approximately SEK 0.6 billion over three years to implement the manufacturing optimization plan. 

    On March 31, 2026, Electrolux Group announced the decision to close the factory in Santiago, Chile, effective at the end of April 2026, which is part of the manufacturing footprint optimization initiative. The decision followed a review of the cost-competitiveness of the factory and will impact approximately 400 employees. A restructuring charge of approximately SEK 0.5 billion, of which approximately SEK 0.2 billion is cash-related, will be reported as a negative non-recurring item, affecting operating income for Region Latin America in the first quarter of 2026. 

    On April 22, 2026, Electrolux Group announced the decision to end production at the factory in Jászberény, Hungary, which manufactures built-in and freestanding refrigeration products. Production is expected to cease by the end of 2026. The decision will impact approximately 600 employees. A restructuring charge of approximately SEK 0.6 billion, of which SEK 0.3 billion is cash-related, will be reported as a negative non-recurring item affecting operating income for Region Europe, Middle East & Africa and Asia-Pacific in the second quarter of 2026. 

    The restructuring charges related to Chile and Hungary are included in total negative non-recurring items of approximately SEK 2.2 billion.

  • SEK 1.0 billion of the gross proceeds to support other long-term profitable growth initiatives, including product category and market expansion and increasing lifetime value offerings.
  • SEK 4.0-5.0 billion of the gross proceeds to strengthen the balance sheet to provide the Group with the financial flexibility and resilience needed in today’s competitive and challenging market environment while executing on the strategic initiatives and maintaining a solid investment-grade rating.

Torbjörn Lööf, Chair of the AB Electrolux Board of Directors, said:

“Electrolux Group continues to take decisive actions, through the announced initiatives, to deliver on its strategy for long-term profitable growth. Through the planned fully underwritten rights issue, supported by our main shareholder Investor AB, all existing shareholders are invited to participate in the transformative journey of Electrolux Group. We are convinced that this is the right path to ensure that the company remains strong, competitive, and well positioned for the future.”

Yannick Fierling, President and CEO of Electrolux Group, said:

“Today’s announcement will fundamentally strengthen Electrolux Group. The highly complementary, strategic partnership with Midea Group, our efforts to optimize the global manufacturing footprint and a more agile organization, together with a stronger balance sheet, will be instrumental to the Group’s long-term profitable growth. By building on the substantial cost efficiency improvements, we have delivered to manage changing market dynamics, these initiatives enable us to invest in the innovations and consumer experiences that will define the future of home appliances, leveraging global scale and supply-chain flexibility, significantly reduce costs and increase efficiency. Through the planned fully underwritten rights issue, we secure financial flexibility to execute our long-term strategy.”

These initiatives add to the ongoing transformation of Electrolux Group, which in recent years has taken decisive actions to focus on consumer experience innovation, sharpen strategic focus and significantly resize the organization. These initiatives have contributed to realized cumulative cost efficiency improvements amounting to close to SEK 13 billion since the end of 2022, and additionally SEK 3.5-4.0 billion is expected in 2026.

The Group aims to have an efficient capital structure and has an objective that the net debt/EBITDA ratio should not exceed 2.0x to preserve balance sheet strength and its investment-grade credit profile. As of December 31, 2025, the Group had a net debt/EBITDA[1] ratio of 3.0x. Adjusting the December 31, 2025 net debt/EBITDA for the contemplated Rights Issue proceeds of SEK 9 billion, the net debt/EBITDA ratio would have improved to close to 2.0x[2]. Further, following the announcement and completion of the initiatives, in which the expected annual cost efficiency improvements would total SEK 2.0 billion by year three, the initiatives are expected to further contribute to a stabilizing net debt/EBITDA ratio below 2.0x. The improved financial strength will provide the Group with the flexibility, agility and resilience needed in today’s competitive and challenging market environment while executing on the strategic initiatives and exploring additional opportunities for future expansion and long-term profitable growth.

Financial information for the first quarter of 2026

For the first quarter of 2026, Electrolux Group’s net sales amounted to SEK 30 billion, with operating income (excluding non-recurring items) of SEK 0.2 billion. The North American home appliance market experienced a 10 per cent decline in the first quarter of 2026, which negatively impacted organic contribution to operating income. A change in accounting estimates for customer rebate provisions as a result of a volatile pricing environment, as well as an initiated voluntary recall of a limited number of Frigidaire gas ranges in North America, negatively impacted operating income with a total of SEK 0.3 billion. Operating income in North America was SEK -0.9 billion, primarily due to challenging market conditions in combination with continued year-over-year negative external factors related to tariff costs. Operating income for Region Europe, Middle East & Africa and Asia-Pacific improved year-over-year to SEK 0.6 billion and operating income for Region Latin America improved year-over-year to SEK 0.6 billion.

Operating cash flow after investments amounted to SEK -4.6 billion, negatively impacted by seasonal increase in operating working capital and the operating loss in North America. Net debt/EBITDA was at 3.8x at the end of the first quarter of 2026. Adjusting the net debt/EBITDA ratio for the contemplated Rights Issue proceeds of SEK 9 billion, the ratio would have improved to 2.8x.

Because of the decline in the North American home appliance market in the first quarter of 2026, the 2026 market outlook for North America has been adjusted from “Neutral to Negative” to “Negative”. The Brazilian home appliance market developed positively in the first quarter of 2026 and therefore the 2026 market outlook for Brazil has been adjusted from “Neutral” to “Positive”. The market outlook for Europe remains “Neutral”.

The previously communicated business outlook for the financial year 2026 in the Year-end Q4 report 2025 remains overall unchanged, despite expected significant additional costs related to extended U.S Section 232 import tariffs on products that contain steel, aluminum and copper applicable since April 6, 2026. The Group’s ambition is to offset the negative impact through already announced price increases.

Electrolux Group will publish its interim report for the first quarter of 2026 on April 24, 2026, at approx. 07.00 CEST in accordance with its financial calendar.

The Rights Issue

Those who on the record date are registered as shareholders of Class A and Class B shares in AB Electrolux and are eligible to participate in the Rights Issue will receive subscription rights for each existing share of Class A and/or Class B, respectively. Shares not subscribed for with primary preferential right shall be offered to all shareholders for subscription (subsidiary preferential right). Upon the transfer of subscription rights (representing the primary preferential right), the subsidiary preferential right will also be transferred to the new holder of the subscription right. If not all new shares are subscribed for with subscription rights (primary preferential right), new Class A and Class B shares will be allotted by the Board, up to the maximum amount of the Rights Issue, in the following order (except for such shareholders who reside in certain unauthorized jurisdictions):

Firstly, allotment shall be made to those who have subscribed for new shares with subscription rights (subsidiary preferential right), irrespective of share class subscribed for and regardless of whether they were shareholders on the record date or not. In case of oversubscription, allocation shall be made pro rata in relation to the number of subscription rights each one has exercised for subscription of shares and, if that is not possible, by drawing of lots.

Secondly, allotment shall be made to others who have applied for subscription of shares without subscription rights (the general public in Sweden and “qualified investors”). In case of oversubscription, allocation shall be made pro rata in relation to their applied interest and, if that is not possible, by drawing of lots.

Thirdly, allotment shall be made to Investor AB and the underwriting banks in accordance with their respective guarantee undertakings.

Detailed terms and conditions for the Rights Issue, including the subscription price, the share capital increase and the number of shares to be issued, are expected to be resolved upon by the Board of Directors and announced on or around May 22, 2026. The record date for participation in the Rights Issue is expected to be on or around May 29, 2026. The subscription period is expected to run from and including June 2, 2026 up to and including June 16, 2026, or a later date as resolved by the Board of Directors. Trading in subscription rights is expected to take place on Nasdaq Stockholm during the period from and including June 2, 2026 up to and including June 11, 2026. Trading in BTAs (Sw. betalda tecknade aktier) is expected to take place on Nasdaq Stockholm during the period from and including June 2, 2026 up to and including June 29, 2026.

The Rights Issue is subject to approval by the EGM to be held on or around May 27, 2026. The convening notice for the EGM will be announced in a separate press release. The resolution on the Rights Issue will also require that the EGM resolves to amend the limits for the share capital and the number of shares in the company’s articles of association.

Subscription and underwriting commitments

Investor AB, holding 17.94 percent of the shares and 30.43 percent of the votes in AB Electrolux (18.78 and 31.54 percent, respectively, excluding treasury shares held by AB Electrolux), has undertaken to subscribe for its pro rata share of the Rights Issue. In addition, Investor AB has undertaken to guarantee subscription of 18.78 percent of the Rights Issue. In total, Investor AB’s undertaking encompasses 37.56 percent of the Rights Issue. The Swedish Securities Council (Sw. Aktiemarknadsnämnden) has – in relation to Investor AB’s undertaking to subscribe for its pro rata share of the Rights Issue – granted Investor AB an exemption from the mandatory takeover bid requirement that would otherwise arise. Investor AB has also been granted such an exemption in relation to its undertaking to underwrite the Rights Issue, subject to (i) the shareholders of AB Electrolux being informed ahead of the EGM about the maximum ownership level that Investor AB may reach upon utilization of its underwriting undertaking; and (ii) the EGM’s resolution to approve the Rights Issue being supported by shareholders representing at least two-thirds of both the votes cast and the shares represented at the EGM, whereby shares held and represented by Investor AB must be disregarded. Investor AB’s guarantee undertaking is conditional upon said majority being received at the EGM.

The Swedish Securities Council’s ruling (AMN 2026:03) will be made available on the Swedish Securities Council’s website (www.aktiemarknadsnämnden.se).

Morgan Stanley and SEB have entered into a standby underwriting agreement with AB Electrolux, whereby they have committed, subject to customary conditions, to enter into an underwriting agreement, covering the remaining portion of the Rights Issue, including shares subject to Investor AB’s guarantee undertaking in the event the above-mentioned majority is not received at the EGM. The Rights Issue is thus fully underwritten.

Prospectus

Comprehensive information regarding the Rights Issue will be included in the prospectus which is expected to be published on or around May 28, 2026.

Indicative timetable for the Rights Issue

The timetable below is preliminary and may be subject to change.

May 22, 2026

Announcement of complete terms and conditions, including subscription price and subscription ratio

May 27, 2026

EGM to approve the Rights Issue

May 27, 2026

Last day of trading in shares including right to participate in the Rights Issue

May, 28, 2026

First day of trading in shares excluding right to participate in the Rights Issue

May 28, 2026

Estimated date for publication of the prospectus

May 29 2026

Record date for participation in the rights issue, i.e. holders of shares who are registered in the share register on this day will receive subscription rights for participation in the Rights Issue

June 2, 2026 – June 11, 2026

Trading in subscription rights on Nasdaq Stockholm

June 2, 2026 – June 16, 2026

Subscription period

On or around
June 17, 2026

Estimated date of announcement of preliminary outcome of the Rights Issue

On or around
June 22, 2026

Estimated date of announcement of final outcome of the Rights Issue

As a consequence of the Rights Issue, the company will postpone the publication date of the company’s interim report for the second quarter of 2026 to July 29, 2026.

Financial update and reconfirmed financial targets with accelerated progress expected from announced initiatives

In connection with today’s announcements, Electrolux Group confirms its financial targets and remains focused on accelerating progress towards their achievement:

  • Average annual organic sales growth[3] of at least 4 percent over a business cycle[4].
  • Operating margin[5] (excl. non-recurring items) of at least 6 percent over a business cycle.
  • Return on net assets exceeding 20 percent over a business cycle.
  • Capital turnover rate[6] of at least 4 times over a business cycle.

Following the completion of the announced initiatives, Electrolux Group expects gradually increasing annual cost efficiency improvements reaching approximately SEK 2.0 billion in year three, and accelerate Electrolux Group’s overarching efforts to reach its mid-term ambition to accelerate growth and reach an operating margin of 6 percent for the Group.

Electrolux Group will incur aggregated negative non-recurring items of approximately SEK 4.6 billion in total, of which approximately SEK 2.4 billion is cash-related. Out of this, approximately SEK 3.0 billion is expected to be incurred in the second quarter of 2026, of which approximately SEK 1.2 billion is cash-related.

Furthermore, Electrolux Group expects to invest approximately SEK 1.6 billion over the next three years to implement the initiatives.

Lastly, Electrolux Group expects to recognize a positive cash flow impact of approximately SEK 1.0 billion in the third quarter of 2026 following the sale of assets in connection with the partnership with Midea Group.

Advisors

Morgan Stanley and SEB are acting as financial advisors to Electrolux. Mannheimer Swartling Advokatbyrå AB and Davis Polk & Wardwell London LLP are acting as legal advisors to Electrolux as to Swedish law and U.S. law, respectively. White & Case Advokat AB and White & Case LLP are acting as legal advisors to Morgan Stanley and SEB as to Swedish law and U.S. law, respectively.

Webcast and telephone conference today at 18:30 CEST

In light of the above, a video webcast and simultaneous telephone conference will be held today, April 23, 2026, at 18:30 CEST. The conference will be led by President and CEO Yannick Fierling, and CFO Therese Friberg.

If you wish to participate via webcast, please use the link below. Via the webcast you are able to ask written questions.

https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/r3vcobce

If you wish to participate via telephone conference, please register on the link below. After registration you will be provided phone numbers and a conference ID to access the conference. You can ask questions verbally via the telephone conference.

https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BI6bc941b1babb4cedbfad3084366784d8

The presentation material used in the webcast will be available on the investor relations section on electroluxgroup.com.

Important notice

This press release and the information herein is not for publication, release or distribution, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan or South Africa or any other state or jurisdiction in which publication, release or distribution would be unlawful or where such action would require additional prospectuses, filings or other measures in addition to those required under Swedish law.

The press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or issue, or the solicitation of an offer to buy or acquire, or subscribe for, any of the securities mentioned herein (collectively, the “Securities”) or any other financial instruments in AB Electrolux. Any offer in respect of any securities in connection with the Rights Issue will only be made through the prospectus that AB Electrolux expects to publish on or about May 28, 2026 on www.electroluxgroup.com. Any offer will not be made to, and application forms will not be approved from, subscribers (including shareholders), or persons acting on behalf of subscribers, in any jurisdiction where applications for such subscription would contravene applicable laws or regulations, or would require additional prospectuses, filings, or other measures in addition to those required under Swedish law. Measures in violation of the restrictions may constitute a breach of relevant securities laws.

None of the Securities have been or will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction in the United States, and may not be offered, pledged, sold, delivered or otherwise transferred, directly or indirectly, except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and in compliance with applicable other securities laws. There will not be any public offering of any of the Securities in the United States.

In the United Kingdom, this press release is directed only at, and communicated only to, persons who are “qualified investors” (as defined in paragraph 15 of Schedule 1 to the Public Offers and Admissions to Trading Regulations 2024) who: (i) have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the “Order”), (ii) are high net worth entities falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order, or (iii) are persons to whom an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 may otherwise lawfully be communicated or caused to be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as “Relevant Persons”). Any person in the United Kingdom that is not a Relevant Person should not act or rely on the information included in this press release or use it as basis for taking any action. In the United Kingdom, any investment or investment activity that this press release relates is available only to, and will be engaged in only with, Relevant Persons.

This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect AB Electrolux current view of future events as well as financial and operational development. Words such as “intend”, “assess”, “expect”, “may”, “plan”, “estimate” and other expressions involving indications or predictions regarding future development or trends, not based on historical facts, identify forward-looking statements and reflect AB Electrolux beliefs and expectations and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions which could cause actual events and performance to differ materially from any expected future events or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking statement. The information contained in this press release is subject to change without notice and, except as required by applicable law, AB Electrolux does not assume any responsibility or obligation to update publicly or review any of the forward-looking statements contained in it and nor does it intend to. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. As a result of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual future events or otherwise.

[1] Net debt/EBITDA defined as net debt at end of period in relation to 12-months rolling EBITDA, excluding non-recurring items.

[2] Assuming the EBITDA for the financial year of 2025 of SEK 9.3 billion and net debt financial position of SEK 28.2 billion as of December 31, 2025, adjusted for the Rights Issue proceeds of SEK 9 billion, net the estimated transaction costs.

[3] Defined as change in net sales, adjusted for currency translation effects, acquisitions and divestments.

[4] A business cycle is typically six to seven years but may vary depending on global macroeconomic and geopolitical events.

[5] Defined as income for the period expressed as a percentage of net sales.

[6] Defined as net sales divided by average net assets.

This is information that AB Electrolux is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, on 23-04-2026 17:30 CET.

CONTACT:

For more information:

Ann-Sofi Jönsson, Head of Investor Relations & Sustainability Reporting, +46 73 025 1005 
Maria Åkerhielm, Investor Relations Manager, +46 70 796 3856 
Henry Sjölin, Investor Relations Manager, +46 76 863 51 85 
Electrolux Group Press Hotline, +46 8 657 65 07

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/electrolux-group/r/electrolux-group-accelerates-profitable-growth-strategy-through-a-partnership-with-midea–global-org,c4339202

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/1853/4339202/4055754.pdf

Press release Partnership, Optimization, Rights Issue April 23 2026 Eng final

Oxford Royale Academy Partners with MIT to Bring AI Education to Summer School Students

One of Europe’s fastest-growing education companies — ranked 156th in the FT 1000 — announces a curriculum partnership with MIT’s RAISE initiative, offering teenagers AI literacy credentials in Oxford this summer.

OXFORD, England, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Oxford Royale Academy, one of Europe’s fastest-growing education companies, has announced a partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to bring AI literacy education to international summer school students this year.

Students at Oxford Royale Academy’s summer programme in Oxford, where they can complete the MIT RAISE FutureBuilders AI pathway.
Students at Oxford Royale Academy’s summer programme in Oxford, where they can complete the MIT RAISE FutureBuilders AI pathway.

 

The collaboration will see students at Oxford Royale’s programmes in Oxford complete the MIT RAISE FutureBuilders pathway — a structured AI education curriculum developed by MIT’s Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education (RAISE) initiative in partnership with Pharos Education. Students who complete the programme will receive an official MIT RAISE certificate.

Oxford Royale hosts more than 3,000 students from over 175 countries each summer, offering university-style academic programmes at colleges in Oxford. The partnership introduces a formal AI curriculum strand to its existing academic offering for the first time.

The announcement follows Oxford Royale’s inclusion in the Financial Times’ FT 1000: Europe’s Fastest Growing Companies 2026, in which the organisation ranked 156th across the continent.

IN THEIR WORDS

“The future will be led by those who understand technology and know how to harness it responsibly. Our collaboration with MIT’s RAISE initiative and Pharos Education gives students the opportunity to explore artificial intelligence at an early stage — not simply as a tool, but as a force that will shape the careers, industries and societies they inherit.”

— Andy Palmer, Chief Executive Officer, Oxford Royale Academy

“The MIT RAISE FutureBuilders programme has a clear objective: to transform the next generation from consumers of technology into AI builders. Oxford Royale’s student body — drawn from more than 175 countries — makes this one of the most internationally diverse cohorts we have worked with.”

— Felipe Arango, Chief Executive Officer, Pharos Education

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Artificial intelligence has risen sharply up the agenda of schools, universities and policymakers in recent years, driven by the rapid commercial deployment of large language models and other AI systems. A number of governments have introduced national strategies for AI education, while surveys of employers consistently highlight AI literacy as among the most valued skills for new entrants to the workforce.

Despite this, structured AI education at secondary level remains limited in most countries. Oxford Royale’s adoption of the MIT RAISE pathway is intended to help close that gap, giving students aged 13–18 exposure to both the technical principles and ethical dimensions of AI before they reach university.

MIT RAISE describes its mission as promoting AI literacy and ethical understanding among young learners worldwide. Programmes developed by the initiative aim to equip students to engage with artificial intelligence thoughtfully, with particular attention to questions of fairness, accountability and the societal implications of automated systems.

Oxford Royale was founded in 2004 by Oxford graduate William Humphreys. Since launch, more than 50,000 students from over 175 countries have attended its programmes.

NOTES TO EDITORS

Programme Dates and Availability

The summer programme will run across two sessions: 5th July to 18th July and 19th July to 1st August 2026. There are a total of 60 places available across both sessions.

About Oxford Royale Academy

Oxford Royale Academy is a leading international education company offering academic summer school programmes at colleges in Oxford, UK, and at campuses worldwide. Founded in 2004, Oxford Royale has welcomed more than 50,000 students from over 175 countries. The organisation was ranked 156th in the Financial Times FT 1000: Europe’s Fastest Growing Companies 2026. Further information is available at oxfordroyale.com.

About MIT RAISE

MIT RAISE (Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education) is a global initiative based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology dedicated to expanding access to AI literacy education. Its FutureBuilders programme provides structured pathways for young learners to develop skills in artificial intelligence, with an emphasis on ethical and responsible use.

About Pharos Education

Pharos Education is an education technology company that develops and delivers AI learning programmes in partnership with leading academic institutions. Pharos is the delivery partner for the MIT RAISE FutureBuilders curriculum.

 

Arasan Announces immediate availability of its UFS 5.0 Host controller IP

Arasan announces the immediate availability of its UFS 5.0 Host Controller IP. The UFS 5.0 Host IP is already in use by Tester Companies for compliance and production testing.

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Arasan extends its long history of support for JEDEC and MIPI standards with the immediate availability of UFS 5.0 Host controller IP. Arasan’s UFS 5.0 Host Controller IP supports a maximum throughput of 46.694 Gbps with M-PHY HS-Gear 6 operation, providing very high data transfer rates with low power consumption for advanced mobile applications such as high end smartphone and edge AI devices.

Arasan UFS 5.0 Host Controller IP Block Diagram. The UFS IP is available immediately for ASIC and FPGA applications.
Arasan UFS 5.0 Host Controller IP Block Diagram. The UFS IP is available immediately for ASIC and FPGA applications.

Arasan joined the UFS Association in 2010 and was the industry’s first provider of a Total UFS IP solutions along with the M-PHY IP in 2011. Arasan’s UFS IP has been licensed by major memory vendors and semiconductor companies since 2011. Our UFS IP is the de facto standard IP used in UFS production testers and UFS compliance testers.

Universal Flash Storage (UFS) is a JEDEC standard for high performance mobile storage devices suitable for next generation data storage. UFS is also adopted by Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) as a data transfer standard designed for mobile systems. UFS incorporates the MIPI UniPro standard as well as the MIPI Alliance M-PHY standard. Arasan has been an executive member of the MIPI Association since 2005 and provides the broadest portfolio of MIPI IP, including UNIPRO IP and M-PHY IP. 

“We are proud to extend our leadership in UFS with the announcement of our UFS 5.0 Host IP. This IP addresses the need for higher speeds in mobile applications that require a high throughput with low power consumption and low pin count. We look forward to our compliant UFS 5.0 IP proven in production testers and emulation platforms accelerating UFS 5.0 adoption in ASIC’s” said Prakash Kamath, CTO at Arasan.

Arasan’s UFS 5.0 Host IP joins our complete portfolio of solid state memory IP solutions including xSPI IP and PSRAM IP for the NOR Flash, eMMC controller for low throughput NAND Flash applications and NAND Flash Controller IP with seamlessly integrated PHY IP. The PHY IP are available in nodes down to 4nm on major foundries. Arasan UFS 5.0 Host IP is available for immediate licensing along with the M-PHY DFE (Digital Front End) and UFS 5.0 Software Stack. Arasan UFS 5.0 Host IP is available for use on FPGA and ASIC applications. Please contact sales@arasan.com

For more information please visit https://www.arasan.com/products/UFS/

About Arasan: Arasan Chip Systems is a leading provider of IP for mobile storage and mobile connectivity interfaces, with over a billion chips shipped with our IP. Our high-quality, silicon-proven Total IP Solutions encompass digital IP, Analog Mixed Signal PHY IP, Verification IP, HDK, and Software. With a strong focus on mobile SoCs, we have been at the forefront of the Mobile evolution since the mid-90s, supporting various mobile devices, including smartphones, automobiles, drones, and IoT devices, with our standards-based IP.

MINISH Technology Accelerates Global Expansion with Next-Generation Biomimetic Solutions; Secures $110M Valuation

LOS ANGELES, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — MINISH Technology, a dental health-tech company focused on preserving natural tooth structure, has secured a $22 million investment from VIG Partners. The deal gives VIG a 20% minority stake and values MINISH at approximately $110 million, roughly triple its valuation in 2023.

minish veneers training course
minish veneers training course

The funding comes as MINISH continues to expand globally, driven by growing demand for minimally invasive dental treatments.

The company has trained hundreds of clinicians across Asia, with growing adoption in Japan and upcoming expansion into the United States.

The Global Shift: 30 Japanese Doctors Master the MINISH Protocol

The investment follows the successful conclusion of the 17th Global MINISH Veneers Training Course in Seoul. Underscoring international demand, 30 dentists and their lead assistants flew from Japan to participate in an intensive three-day masterclass. The program highlights a global shift away from aggressive traditional veneers toward a more precise, biomimetic approach that prioritizes natural enamel preservation.

MINISH Technology is leading this evolution by offering an end-to-end clinical ecosystem that integrates 0.1mm precision fabrication, specialized dental blocks, and world-class clinical education, equipping doctors to deliver results that were previously thought impossible.

A Step-by-Step Masterclass in Precision

The training is designed as a practical, step-by-step guide to the MINISH methodology that clinicians can apply immediately.

  • Day 1: Advanced diagnostics and pre-treatment planning focused on preserving the physical properties of natural enamel.
  • Day 2: Digital workflows and lab-clinician collaboration, featuring bonding protocols for long-term durability and tooth health.
  • Day 3: A live, one-day MINISH Veneer patient demonstration and clinical presentations by leading MINISH providers, showcasing real cases.

Led by CEO Dr. Jung-ho Kang and Dr. Sang-gil Lee, the program concluded with an induction ceremony, welcoming the participants into the Global MINISH Provider Network.

U.S. Expansion: The 0.1mm Revolution Arrives in California

Building on its growth in Asia, MINISH Technology is now bringing its disruptive technology to the United States, where demand for restorative, minimally-invasive dentistry continues to rise. MINISH is opening its training course in California this May.

Course details:

  • Date: May 8 – 10, 2026
  • Location: VITA North America Education Center
  • CE Credits: 20

U.S. dentists interested in incorporating enamel-preserving, biomimetic techniques into their practice are invited to join the course and be part of the shift towards health-first, veneer treatment.

Lead the shift towards enamel preservation. Secure your seat today: https://minishveneers.com/us-veneers-training-course/

About MINISH Technology

MINISH Technology is a health-tech startup dedicated to dental longevity through biomimetic restoration. By replacing damaged tooth structure with proprietary materials that mimic natural enamel, MINISH offers a “No-Drill” alternative to traditional veneers and crowns, integrating 0.1mm precision fabrication with a world-class clinical ecosystem.

XGIMI Opens Orders For TITAN Noir Series 4K Projectors Featuring the World’s First Dual Intelligent Iris System

Now accepting orders, the TITAN Noir Series delivers up to 10,000:1 native contrast, 7,000 ISO lumens, and cinematic 4K performance engineered for large-format home entertainment. 

NEW YORK, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — XGIMI, a global leader in premium smart projection and home entertainment innovation, today announces the official global launch of its highly anticipated TITAN Noir Series 4K projectors. First showcased at CES 2026, the flagship lineup introduces the world’s first Dual Intelligent Iris System, setting a new benchmark for contrast, detail, and cinematic immersion in consumer projection.

XGIMI Opens Orders For TITAN Noir Series 4K Projectors Featuring the World’s First Dual Intelligent Iris System
XGIMI Opens Orders For TITAN Noir Series 4K Projectors Featuring the World’s First Dual Intelligent Iris System

The TITAN Noir Series represents XGIMI’s most advanced engineering to date, designed for discerning home theater enthusiasts and those who demand uncompromising visual performance—whether immersing themselves in the latest blockbuster on the big screen, or taking their gaming experience to a whole new scale with expansive, cinematic display. At the core of its breakthrough performance is the world’s first Dual Intelligent Iris System, which delivers exceptional light control, achieving up to 10,000:1 Native Contrast for profoundly deep blacks, brilliant highlights, and lifelike shadow detail that preserves every frame’s creative intent.

The TITAN Noir Series launches on Kickstarter with three models—TITAN Noir Max, TITAN Noir Pro, and TITAN Noir offering a range of options from flagship performance to an accessible entry point.

All three models are now available for orders, with introductory pricing as follows:

  • TITAN Noir Max: $2,999 (MSRP $5,999)
  • TITAN Noir Pro: $2,699 (MSRP $4,999)
  • TITAN Noir: $2,499 (MSRP $3,999)

Engineered for Absolute Black

Headlined by the flagship TITAN Noir Max, the series combines premium engineering with flagship-grade components to set a new standard in home projection performance—ideal for large, immersive setups where picture quality and screen size take priority.

Key specifications for the TITAN Noir Max include:

  • Up to 7,000 ISO Lumens
  • 10,000:1 Native Contrast with Dual Iris
  • Supports IMAX Enhanced, Dolby Vision, HDR10+
  • ΔE < 0.8, 110% BT.2020 Coverage
  • MT9681 Chipset, 4GB + 64GB
  • Up to 240Hz for Gaming
  • RGB triple-laser engine

Shipping in June, the TITAN Noir Series is designed to enhance live sports, gaming, and cinematic viewing with smooth 240Hz performance and large-format 4K projection. As the official partner of EA SPORTS FC™ 26, XGIMI brings stadium-level visuals and immersive gameplay experiences into the home.

Unlock Exclusive Pricing on Accessories

During the Kickstarter campaign, XGIMI is offering exclusive launch pricing on a range of accessories—helping backers maximize savings and value when building their ultimate home cinema or living room setup.

  • 100″ XGIMI Ascend Floor-Rising Screen – $1,299 (MSRP $1,999)
  • Ceiling Mount (Interface B) – $199 (MSRP $399)
  • X-Floor Stand Ultra (Interface B) – $199 (MSRP $399)

For more information, visit the official XGIMI TITAN Noir Series Kickstarter page.

About XGIMI
Since 2013, the state-of-the-art XGIMI projectors have helped countless people worldwide to create genuinely immersive audio-visual experiences. Working with reputable partners like Google, Harman Kardon, and Texas Instruments, XGIMI builds all-in-one entertainment devices, perfected due to their user-oriented philosophy. Through industry-leading innovation, streamlined setups, and unique designs, XGIMI always strives to develop the best home and portable projectors for everyone to enjoy. XGIMI is also expanding their expertise into commercial projector technology to bring immersive experiences to more spaces. Learn more at XGIMI Projector Technology.

Tencent Cloud Cube Sandbox Goes Fully Open-Source, with Five Major Breakthroughs Enabling Large-Scale Agent Deployment

Tencent Cloud’s Cube Sandbox goes fully open source with five technical breakthroughs, providing a production-grade foundation for AI Agent deployment at industrial scale. 

SHENZHEN, China, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As AI Agent applications evolve rapidly, building an optimal underlying architecture has become one of the industry’s most pressing challenges. On April 21, 2026, Tencent Cloud officially introduced its open-sourced Cube Sandbox under Apache 2.0—not SDK-only, but the entire production-grade sandbox-as-a-service stack, battle-tested at scale and immediately deployable.


A Foundational Layer for the Agent Era 

Cube is the industry’s only open-source Agent sandbox combining hardware-level isolation with sub-60ms cold start, natively supporting the OpenAI Python SDK and E2B SDK. Developers can simply redirect the runtime and migrate seamlessly. No code changes required.

This gives developers and enterprises a secure, high-performance, low-cost foundation—bringing Agents from the lab into mass production. 

Performance, Security, and Stability at the Limit

Built at the hardware virtualization layer, Cube Sandbox delivers an extreme combination:

  • Performance: Cold start as low as 60ms in real-world scenarios—one-third of the industry average (150ms). Minute-level scheduling of tens of thousands of sandboxes, with platform-level burst scheduling exceeding 100K instances.
  • Security: A triple-layer defense architecture with millisecond-level event snapshots and state rollback, providing a critical “undo” mechanism for unpredictable Agent behavior. This feature will be launched and open-sourced once fully completed.
  • Stability: Validated at ultra-large-scale production, with every headline performance number measured in live production environments.

Five Breakthroughs: A Hardware-Level Security Cockpit for Agents

Built on MicroVM architecture, Cube addresses autonomous Agent security risks: malicious code execution, data exfiltration, resource abuse, and kernel escape.

Figure: Tencent Cloud Cube Sandbox layered architecture
Figure: Tencent Cloud Cube Sandbox layered architecture

At the technical core, Cube Sandbox delivers five breakthroughs:

  • Hardware-Level Isolation

Every sandbox runs a dedicated Guest OS kernel via KVM hardware virtualization—no shared kernel. “A breach in one sandbox leaves the rest untouched.”

  • Sub-60ms Cold Start

Via resource pool pre-provisioning, snapshot cloning, EPT Lazy Load, and lock optimization, cold start is <60ms (avg. 67ms, P95 = 90ms at 50 concurrent)—significantly outperforming VMs, containers and peer MicroVM solutions.

  • Extreme Lightweight

Per-instance memory overhead <5MB. CoW sharing, Rust-based trimming, and reflink disk sharing enable 2,000+ sandboxes on a single 96-vCPU host, with 90%+ storage savings versus traditional approaches.

  • Massive Concurrent Scheduling

Distributed scheduling and bin-packing deliver platform-level burst scheduling of 100K+ instances, with P99 latency below 200ms under 100 concurrent launches on a single 96-vCPU host.

  • Event-Level Snapshot Rollback

Sub-hundred-millisecond snapshots support checkpoint saving, arbitrary state rollback, and rapid forking. This capability will be released and open-sourced once development is completed.

Three User Scenarios Across the Full Agent Lifecycle

Cube Sandbox addresses the full-lifecycle needs of AI Agents—from R&D and training to application development and enterprise-scale production.

For Foundation Model Labs:

Cube tackles extreme concurrency in Agentic RL training. MiniMax runs hundreds of thousands of heterogeneous sandboxes (Linux, Windows, Android) concurrently. Cube’s image acceleration cuts storage and IO pressure; distributed scheduling delivers 100K+ instances per minute, several times faster than peer solutions.

For Agent Developers and Small-to-Medium Businesses:

No Kubernetes, no vendor lock-in—a one-click script sets up the full environment in minutes. Integration via MCP, API, SDK, or CLI requires zero rewrites to Agent code.

For Enterprise Customers:

Full private deployment keeps data within enterprise boundaries, meeting cybersecurity grading and compliance requirements. Apache 2.0 ensures commercial friendliness, full auditability, and zero dependency on foreign cloud providers.

Already Open, Already in Production

Cube Sandbox has released its full codebase, one-click deployment scripts, documentation, and examples—covering Shell execution, file operations, browser automation, RL training, and more—free to use, modify, and distribute.

At the Tencent Cloud Shanghai City Summit on March 27, Dowson Tong, Senior Executive Vice President of Tencent and CEO of the Cloud and Smart Industries Group, first disclosed the Cube open-source plan as a core practice of Tencent Cloud’s AI Agent Infrastructure strategy.

Tencent Cloud will pair Cube with TACO AI Acceleration Engine and FlexKV cache system, building a full-stack “Secure Sandbox + Inference Acceleration + Cache Optimization” infrastructure—giving every Agent a secure, efficient, low-cost runtime and unlocking the productivity potential of the large-model era. 

Aloha! oneworld welcomes Hawaiian Airlines to alliance

  • Hawaiian Airlines becomes oneworld’s third US-based member airline
  • Further strengthens alliance’s network across the Pacific

FORT WORTH, Texas, April 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — oneworld® has welcomed Hawaiian Airlines as its newest member airline, becoming the third US-based carrier alongside Alaska Airlines and American Airlines and adding Honolulu as a global hub.

Hawaiian Airlines A330 aircraft
Hawaiian Airlines A330 aircraft

With Hawaiian Airlines on board, oneworld’s global network offers greater travel opportunities across the Hawaiian Islands and new destinations in the Pacific including Hilo, Hawai’i; Rarotonga, Cook Islands; Pago Pago, American Samoa; and Papeete, Tahiti.

“We are delighted to officially welcome Hawaiian Airlines into the oneworld family, further strengthening our alliance’s footprint in the Pacific region and the United States,” said Ole Orvér, CEO of oneworld. “Renowned for its award-winning service for almost 100 years, Hawaiian Airlines will make travel to the beautiful islands of Hawai’i more connected and rewarding for oneworld customers, delivering an elevated journey that brings the spirit of aloha to our alliance.”

“We are thrilled to join this extended ‘ohana, or family of the world’s best airlines,” said Hawaiian Airlines CEO Diana Birkett Rakow. “oneworld brings significant global travel benefits to our guests, including Atmos Rewards loyalty members and Hawai’i residents. Our Hawaiian Airlines team members look forward to welcoming oneworld guests onboard from around the world, sharing their aloha and warm Hawaiian hospitality, and inspiring visitors to appreciate Hawai’i’s culture, environment and people.”

Hawaiian Airlines guests will now enjoy access to almost 1,000 global destinations across the oneworld network, while the airline’s top tier guests will gain access to oneworld Priority benefits including access to First Class check-in and lounges plus fast-track security lanes at selected airports, regardless of class of travel, and a network of nearly 700 premium airport lounges, including oneworld branded lounges in Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and the award-winning facility in Seoul’s Incheon Airport.

Bringing Hawai’i closer

Hawaiian Airlines operates about 230 daily flights to, from and within the Hawaiian Islands and welcomed more than 11 million passengers in 2025. Hawaiian Airlines connects the Pacific, linking the islands of Hawai’i with key destinations in Asia, North America and the South Pacific, including oneworld hubs in Los Angeles, New York–JFK, Seattle, Sydney and Tokyo.

The airline serves every major Hawaiian island directly and operates an average of 140 daily inter-island flights. oneworld customers enjoy seamless connections throughout the archipelago to and from Europe, the Middle East, Australia, Asia and North America via its hubs in Honolulu, O’ahu, and Kahului, Maui.

More rewarding

Through Atmos™ Rewards, the combined company’s new loyalty programme, members can earn and redeem points across Alaska and Hawaiian airlines and oneworld’s global network. Benefits for oneworld Emerald, Sapphire, and Ruby customers include reciprocal status recognition, earning status points, priority check-in and boarding and industry-best lounge access.

About Alaska, Hawaiian and Horizon:

Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group, and McGee Air Services is a subsidiary of Alaska Airlines. We are a global airline with hubs in Seattle, Honolulu, Portland, Anchorage, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. We deliver remarkable care as we fly our guests to more than 140 destinations throughout North America, Latin America, Asia, the Pacific and Europe. Guests can book travel at alaskaair.com and hawaiianairlines.com. Alaska and Hawaiian are members of the oneworld alliance. Members of our Atmos Rewards loyalty program can earn and redeem points with oneworld airlines and our additional global partners that serve over 1,000 worldwide destinations. Learn more about what’s happening at Alaska and Hawaiian and news.alaskaair.com. Alaska Air Group is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as ALK.

About oneworld:

oneworld brings together 16 world-class airlines – Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Fiji Airways, Finnair, Hawaiian Airlines, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Oman Air, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian and SriLankan Airlines – and more than 20 of their affiliates. oneworld member airlines work together to consistently deliver a superior, seamless travel experience, with special rewards and privileges for its frequent flyers, including earning and redeeming miles and points across the entire alliance network, access to airport lounges, priority check in and boarding and extra baggage allowances and more. Learn more about the oneworld Alliance at oneworld.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

CONTACT: Katie Hulme, katie.hulme@oneworld.com

Hawaiian Airlines Flight Attendant and Pilot
Hawaiian Airlines Flight Attendant and Pilot

 

 

 

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