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Priority Pass Welcomes Racing Driver Bianca Bustamante as Asia Pacific Brand Advocate

Priority Pass, the world’s leading airport lounge and experiences programme, owned and operated by Collinson International, teams up with Filipino Elite Motorsport racing star in latest show of support for up-and-coming athletes

LONDON, March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Priority Pass™, the original and market-leading airport experiences programme, owned and operated by Collinson International, today announced a collaboration with Filipino, Elite Motorsport racing driver, Bianca Bustamante. As Priority Pass’ newest Asia Pacific brand advocate, the 20-year-old will champion the brand’s promise to elevate every journey into something special. The news follows Priority Pass’ recent support of the Hong Kong China Delegation to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and Harbin 2025 Asian Winter Games, for which Priority Pass was the Official Airport Lounge Partner.  

This strategic collaboration reflects a shared commitment to elevating standards of excellence. A trailblazer in her field, Bustamante is one of the few Southeast Asian women in motorsport. She was the first female driver who joined the McLaren Driver Development programme and in 2023 to 2024, she also competed in the F1 Academy (a female-only, Formula 4 single seater racing championship). Bianca’s career reflects the spirit of breaking boundaries – a quality that has defined Priority Pass as a pioneer and market leader in delivering premium travel experiences for over 35 years.

Born and raised in the Philippines, Bustamante discovered her passion for racing early on; competing in both local and international karting championships from the age of five. In the traditionally male-dominated world of motorsport, Bustamante is determined to show that women can succeed at the highest levels.

“I am proud to be a brand advocate for Priority Pass, a brand that supports my passion for travel and my goal to inspire others to challenge their limits. The nature of the sport means having to travel to different countries and cities. As I prepare for my debut in the GB3 Championship with Elite Motorsport this year, I’m grateful to now have access to Priority Pass’ global network of airport lounges and travel experiences – in which I can conserve much-needed energy ahead of my races,” said Bianca Bustamante.

“Bianca’s remarkable achievements at such a young age are testament to her grit, talent, and resilience. Her story embodies Priority Pass’ commitment to pushing boundaries and setting new standards. As Bianca is increasingly required to travel internationally, travel fatigue and jet lag will pose a threat to her performance. By providing Bianca with access to Priority Pass airport lounges and travel experiences globally, we hope she’ll be able to better rest before her flights and arrive feeling more refreshed and focused on achieving her best on the world stage,” said Todd Handcock, Global Chief Commercial Officer and Asia Pacific Executive Chair, Collinson International. “We are delighted to support Bianca in this shared journey of inspiring the next generation of sport stars to become trailblazers in their own right, on and off the track.”

Priority Pass is proud to support athletes around the world. In addition to being named as the Official Airport Lounge Partner for the Hong Kong, China Delegation to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and Harbin 2025 Asian Winter Games, Priority Pass is also a partner to the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA); providing athletes with comfort and convenience during their travels to help them stay on top of their game. Furthermore, The Collinson Group is a proud founding partner of Coach Core, a UK-based charity focused on empowering young people through sports.

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About Priority Pass

Priority Pass™ is the world’s original and market-leading airport experiences programme. We provide travellers with access to over 1,700 airport lounges and travel experiences in 725 airports in 145 countries. Members can access an ever-growing range of premium experiences – from spas to sleeping pods to dining – that help elevate every journey into something special. By building partnerships with other leading brands, we help to bring a better travel experience to the world.

Priority Pass is operated by Collinson International, the global, privately-owned company dedicated to helping the world to travel with ease and confidence.

 

 

 

“Deep Current: Architecture of Taiwan”

Taiwan’s Multi-Layered History Told Through its Landmarks

Eight-Part Documentary Series Premieres on TaiwanPlus March 4, 2025

TAIPEI, March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — TaiwanPlus is pleased to announce the premiere of “Deep Current: Architecture of Taiwan,” a documentary series examining Taiwan’s visual history through its architecture. This eight-part series, with each episode running 30 minutes, chronicles the evolution of Taiwan’s identity as reflected in its built environment from the 17th century to the present.

Taiwan's architectural landscape reflects a history moulded by immigration, colonization, conflict, and economic development.
Taiwan’s architectural landscape reflects a history moulded by immigration, colonization, conflict, and economic development.

“Deep Current” illuminates the obscured narratives residing within Taiwan’s iconic landmarks. Notable features include:

Taipei Guest House

Constructed by the Japanese colonial administration to serve as a venue for the reception of foreign dignitaries, the Taipei Guest House, a palatial edifice in the European style, continues to be a repository of exceptional Victorian tiles, comparable in quality to the most distinguished examples found in the United Kingdom.

Zhongshan Hall

Zhongshan Hall, Taiwan’s inaugural multi-purpose public complex, was conceived to serve the general populace rather than solely the governing elite. Its design incorporated a theater, concert hall, restaurant, and gallery. Evidence of the original foot-washing facilities at its entrance remain visible to this day.

Taipei 101

Taipei 101, given Taiwan’s propensity for typhoons and earthquakes, was conceived as a representation of the nation’s economic prowess. Upon its completion in 2004, it held the distinction of being the world’s tallest building.

TaiwanPlus CEO Michael Yu emphasized the significance of this series, stating, “The diversity of Taiwan’s architectural landscape is unique in the world. This series is the first to explore Taiwan’s complex history through its landmarks, making it a must-watch for anyone interested in how Taiwan has been built over time.”

The first episode of “Deep Current: Architecture of Taiwan” will premiere on March 4, 2025, on the TaiwanPlus website and TaiwanPlus Docs YouTube channel, with new episodes released weekly.

About TaiwanPlus

TaiwanPlus is the premier global provider of English-language news and infotainment from Taiwan — offering trustworthy news coverage, informative perspectives on cross-strait relations, plus inspiring lifestyle content focusing on food, travel and entertainment. Proud to be based in one of Asia’s most vibrant democracies, our diverse team of journalists and producers is committed to delivering independent news and stories that inform, enlighten and inspire audiences worldwide. Get a global perspective backed by a Taiwanese point of view on our website, mobile app, TV channel and various social media channels.

China’s two sessions: bridging public voice and policy action

BEIJING, March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — As China’s paramount legislative and advisory assemblies convene this week for their annual sessions, the global spotlight shifts to Beijing. The “Two Sessions” — the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) — commence on March 5th and March 4th respectively, providing a crucial insight into the nation’s policy directions.

These gatherings serve as pivotal indicators of China’s political and economic course. This year’s “two sessions” bring together nearly 3,000 NPC deputies and over 2,000 CPPCC members to deliberate on state affairs, exemplifying the country’s commitment to whole-process people’s democracy.

A pertinent question arises: Do the recommendations and proposals put forward by NPC deputies and CPPCC members actually influence policy? The data speaks volumes.

In 2024, China’s government departments addressed 8,783 suggestions from NPC deputies, accounting for 95.1 percent of all submissions, and 4,813 proposals from members of the National Committee of the CPPCC, representing 96.1 percent of total submissions.

More than 5,000 recommendations were formally adopted across ministries, resulting in the enactment of over 2,000 targeted policy measures. These efforts have accelerated progress in key areas: fostering high-caliber economic growth, advancing the national strategy to revitalize China through science and education, driving comprehensive rural modernization, and safeguarding and elevating public welfare.

Each motion, suggestion, and proposal underscores meticulous research and resolute commitment. Legislators and political advisors not only benefit from structured avenues to articulate insights but also observe concrete policy impacts stemming from their contributions.

As new energy vehicles (NEVs) gain traction among China’s younger demographics, post-purchase servicing has risen to prominence as a critical challenge. NPC deputy Cao Jingfang dedicated six months to scrutinizing the issue, conducting site visits to maintenance facilities and engaging industry specialists before formally proposing heightened policy backing for NEV aftercare infrastructure.

In a decisive response, China’s Ministry of Transport pledged to establish a robust regulatory framework encompassing 32 standards spanning technical certifications, service benchmarks, and inspection protocols. Concurrently, the ministry is spearheading efforts to formally classify “NEV maintenance technician” as a state-recognized profession, thereby institutionalizing workforce development for this burgeoning sector.

State mechanisms, as evidenced here, continue to serve as pivotal conduits for translating deliberative input into actionable governance.

China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs processed and formally responded to 313 legislative recommendations from NPC deputies alongside 174 advisory proposals from CPPCC members in 2024, with priorities centered on eldercare systems, social welfare modernization, and administrative governance reforms.

The ministry implemented a three-phase protocol—preliminary stakeholder consultation, real-time progress briefings, and outcome accountability reviews—to systematize policymaking. To deepen alignment, officials institutionalized direct participation by inviting NPC deputies and CPPCC members into ministerial forums, joint research task forces, and draft policy deliberations, ensuring expert input directly informed regulatory agendas.

This structured engagement yielded 24 codified regulatory actions over the past fiscal year, with more than 220 recommendations integrated into operational or strategic frameworks.

For NPC deputies and CPPCC members, participation in the two sessions is both an honor and a responsibility, with their performance subject to evaluation.

Many regions have introduced evaluation mechanisms for NPC deputies based on their attendance, constituent engagement, and the quality of their motions and suggestions. This year, the NPC will review the draft amendment to the Law on Deputies to the National People’s Congress and Local People’s Congresses at Various Levels, further defining their responsibilities and requiring regularly performance reports.

During the NPC, deputies will deliberate the report on the work of the government, and the work report of the NPC Standing Committee, the Supreme People’s Court, and Supreme People’s Procuratorate. They will also review the government’s annual budgets and national development plans.

These reports, which outline legislative, administrative, and judicial developments, as well as how government funds are allocated, undergo rigorous scrutiny before final approval, ensuring the smooth operation of state institutions.

Besides, NPC deputies and CPPCC members also engage in inspections, research projects, and law enforcement oversight, submit motions, suggestions, and proposals, engage in deliberations, make inquiries, take part in elections and voting, and attend biweekly consultative sessions. They fulfill their duties in accordance with the law and serve the people wholeheartedly.

As the “two sessions” unfold, NPC deputies and CPPCC members carry with them the voices and aspirations of all sectors of society. Their discussions will help shape national development and public policy, ensuring that the concerns of citizens are heard at the highest levels of government. In this dynamic exchange between policymakers and the public, China’s governance model continues to evolve, translating suggestions and proposals into tangible progress.

QNAP Empowers Professionals with TS-h1277AFX All-flash NAS, Engineered for Intensive Creative and Virtual Workloads

TAIPEI, March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — QNAP® Systems, Inc., a leading innovator in computing, networking, and storage solutions, has unveiled the TS-h1277AFX, a 12-bay tower all-flash NAS designed to meet the rigorous demands of multimedia production and virtualization. Powered by an AMD Ryzen™ 7 9000 Series processor, the TS-h1277AFX can be upgraded to 25GbE via expansion cards for high-speed data access. Combining exceptional performance and capacity, it serves as a centralized hub for storage, file sharing, backup, and disaster recovery, making it an ideal choice for dynamic and collaborative work environments.

QNAP TS-h1277AFX — Ideal storage solution for high-speed video editing, VFX, collaboration, and data protection.
QNAP TS-h1277AFX — Ideal storage solution for high-speed video editing, VFX, collaboration, and data protection.

“All-flash NAS solutions are crucial for media professionals,” said Alex Shih, Product Manager of QNAP, adding “the TS-h1277AFX delivers low-latency, multi-user access that optimizes collaboration workflows. It provides an excellent price-to-performance ratio for creative teams, enabling seamless 4K/8K media transfers, real-time editing, and secure file management.”

Key Features

  • Powerful Performance to Drive Critical Business Operations
    Powered by AMD Ryzen™ 7 9000 Series (8-core) processors, the TS-h1277AFX supports up to 192GB of DDR5 ECC memory and includes a built-in GPU, making it ideal for demanding tasks like multimedia, real-time video editing, and VFX processing.
  • Immutable Storage for Enhanced Data Security
    Driven by QuTS hero, the TS-h1277AFX integrates ZFS self-healing, data deduplication, RAID redundancy, and SSD optimization for enterprise-grade data protection and performance, reducing hardware failure risks while maximizing SSD efficiency and lifespan to maximize your all-flash investment.
  • Fast Networking with 25GbE Options
    Featuring two 2.5GbE and two 10GBASE-T ports, the TS-h1277AFX can be upgraded to 25GbE to accommodate high-speed data transfers. When paired with QNAP’s multi-port high-speed switches, It provides seamless multi-user collaboration and efficient file sharing.
  • Flexible Expansion to Meet Growing Needs
    The TS-h1277AFX comes with three PCIe Gen 4 expansion slots, allowing users to add options for high-speed networking, JBOD storage expansions, or M.2 SSD upgrades, making it highly adaptable to changing performance and storage needs.
  • Accelerated Data Import/Export and Video Display
    The TS-h1277AFX includes two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports with 10Gbps transfer speeds for rapid SSD data transfers, streamlining media backup and restoration. It also features a 4K HDMI™ output for direct content display on monitors, simplifying local operations and video presentations.

For more information and specifications, please visit www.qnap.com.

Small Battery, Big Power: SUNGROW Unveils SBS050 5 kWh Home Battery

HEFEI, China, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Recently, SUNGROW unveiled its 5 kWh SBS050 home energy storage battery, a game-changing solution that redefines residential energy storage. With a compact 182 mm design, SBS050 offers exceptional scalability, allowing for expansion from 1 to 4 units in parallel, providing a maximum capacity of 20.48kWh. Capable of handling a charge/discharge current of up to 50 A, it delivers superior performance and safety. Its seamless compatibility with diesel generator systems further enhances its versatility, making it the ideal solution for homes seeking reliable, scalable, and high-performance energy storage.


Maximized Power Output for Uninterrupted Supply

Paired with SUNGROW’s SHRS-20 inverter series, SBS050 supports a high current charge/discharge of 50 A. This enables quick power delivery during grid fluctuations or peak demand, efficiently supporting high-power household appliances and lowering energy costs. Leveraging its advanced backup power technology, SBS050 can imperceptibly switch to battery power in 10 ms during grid outages, ensuring uninterrupted, stable power for critical loads.

Additionally, SBS050 is designed to efficiently integrate with diesel generator systems, automatically switching to generator power in case of an outage, providing ultimate flexibility for a wide range of home energy needs.

Sleek, Flexible, and Leading the Way in Home Energy

SBS050 embodies SUNGROW’s minimalist design philosophy, featuring a sleek white profile that easily fits into various home styles. Its LED linear breathing light merges functionality with aesthetics, gently signaling battery charge levels while evoking the dynamic rhythm of life. At just 182 mm thick, SBS050 is compact and space-efficient. It offers versatile installation options, supporting both floor-standing and wall-mounted setups, as well as horizontal and vertical parallel connections. With its plug-and-play design, installation and expansion are effortless—no combiner box required.

Certified Safe, Reliable, and Built to Last

SBS050 offers robust protection at both the components and system levels. Powered by high-quality LFP cells, it supports more than 6,000* charge/discharge cycles, ensuring long-term reliability. SBS050 also features 10 built-in sensors for continuous 24/7 monitoring, providing real-time insights into battery performance. Rated IP55 for dust and water resistance and classified with a C5 corrosion resistance grade, the battery is built to withstand various outdoor conditions. Its system incorporates 11 safety features, such as temperature regulation, overcurrent protection, communication failure safeguards, and contactor malfunction defense, delivering optimal safety and performance at all times.

Extensively tested for extreme conditions, SBS050 has demonstrated its ability to perform reliably at high altitudes, as well as its resilience to vibrations, impacts, and compression. It has earned six international certifications, including IEC 62477, IEC 62619, and IEC 62040, proving its compliance with global standards in challenging environments.

Furthermore, SBS050 is integrated with the iSolarCloud App, which allows users to monitor energy generation, storage, and consumption. The app also allows users to track clean energy revenue and access real-time battery status, including temperature and performance, providing full transparency and efficient energy management.

*Note:≥ 6000 cycles (25℃+2°℃, 0.5 C/0.5 C, 90% DOD, 70% EOL)

AI pilot zones can lead tech revolution

BEIJING, March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from chinadaily.com.cn:

MA XUEJING/CHINA DAILY
MA XUEJING/CHINA DAILY

Artificial intelligence has triggered what many say is a revolution in technology and industry, prompting countries worldwide to capitalize on the market momentum by establishing AI pilot zones in order to make breakthrough innovations. With the increase in generative AI adoption, the AI market has been flourishing through inclusive growth and disruptive models. In such circumstances, global collaboration is essential to unlock the AI era’s dividends.

The United States is fostering research-industry synergy and China is pioneering large-scale commercialization, while the United Kingdom is pursuing strategic integration, and Japan is advancing its Society 5.0 program. These efforts have already made significant achievements, showcasing the vitality and competitiveness of AI innovation worldwide.

The US is trying to harness a seamless synergy of innovation and application by establishing AI pilot zones in global hubs such as Silicon Valley and Boston. More than 20 AI research centers, led by institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University, are fostering collaboration among government, industry and the academia. Focusing on autonomous driving, smart healthcare and AI chips, they are trying to achieve cross-disciplinary breakthroughs, accelerating technology transfer from labs to market and boosting AI-driven industrial development.

China has designated major cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hangzhou and Chengdu, as front-runners in AI commercialization since launching its National AI Innovation Pilot Zone initiative in 2019. These hubs are applying research results to smart manufacturing, healthcare and autonomous vehicles. Supported by targeted policies, funding and industrial clustering, the rise of DeepSeek highlights China’s cost-efficient, high-performance AI model and offers a unique blueprint for global AI development.

Japan’s Society 5.0 program promotes AI integration with traditional industries, fostering breakthroughs in manufacturing, healthcare and smart cities. The Japanese government has introduced the AI Business Guidebook to guide enterprises in AI adoption, and implemented funding initiatives, policy incentives, international partnerships to accelerate AI commercialization. By focusing on AI-powered solutions for the aging population, smart transportation and advanced manufacturing, Japan is enhancing AI’s social relevance and accelerating its penetration across entire industry chains.

The UK has adopted a structured approach to AI development, ensuring industry integration. The UK government has established the AI Council and AI Office, and introduced key policies such as the AI Roadmap, National AI Strategy and AI Regulation White Paper, alongside the AI Opportunity Initiative. AI applications in finance, manufacturing, healthcare, and energy have become crucial drivers of the UK’s digital economy, reinforcing its long-term leadership in AI innovation.

But despite their progress, AI innovation pilot zones face challenges that constrain scalability and sustainability. So breakthroughs in fundamental research are urgently needed amid fierce global competition, underdeveloped infrastructure, limited commercialization and talent gaps.

Although large AI models, artificial general intelligence (AGI) and cross-modal integration remain in early stages, countries are racing to the edge. The US leads in chip development, computational ecosystems and algorithm innovation, while China makes advances in large-model training. But to sustain long-term competitiveness, all major AI economies must accelerate efficient training frameworks, energy-optimized computing and human-AI collaborative intelligence.

The US dominates with NVIDIA’s H100 chips and robust cloud services, high costs limit adoption. And China’s DeepSeek has reduced the country’s reliance on massive compute power through optimization, and yet the country’s needs to expand its intelligent computing centers and autonomous supply chains.

While AI has demonstrated its transformative potential, many apps remain in the early stages of commercialization, while AI adoption is still largely concentrated in high-value sectors such as advertising, finance and autonomous driving, and other emerging apps lack mature business models. As such, bridging the gap between AI innovation and market demand to create scalable, replicable commercialization models is a key challenge for global AI pilot zones.

The rapid growth of the AI industry has intensified global competition for AI talents, particularly for professionals with both technical expertise and business acumen. The US continues to attract top AI researchers, while China is likely to face an estimated AI talent shortfall of 4 million by 2030. Similarly, the EU and Japan are struggling to address AI workforce shortage.

To unlock the full potential of AI innovation pilot zones, governments and industries must work together to overcome existing challenges, and boost high-quality AI development. This requires advancing foundational research, strengthening AI infrastructure, expanding real-world applications and cultivating a skilled workforce.

The related authorities should also increase investments in AI foundational research, establish dedicated funds for open-ended research and breakthrough innovations, and encourage multiple AI research pathways. In this regard, it is essential to advance original AI algorithms, large-model architectures and AGI, and establish a research ecosystem that supports trial-and-error experimentation to foster continuous technological advancement.

Robust AI infrastructure is critical for widespread adoption. Establishing an AI open-source ecosystem will drive algorithm reusability and innovation while lowering development costs, and improving data governance frameworks will ensure security and regulatory compliance, and facilitate efficient data utilization.

Since AI’s true value lies in its real-world applications, countries should fast-track AI integration into critical sectors such as smart manufacturing, healthcare, financial services and urban planning, and establish AI innovation hubs and industry incubation centers to accelerate the transition from research to commercialization, and create AI intellectual property exchange platforms to streamline technology transfer and enhance industry-wide collaboration.

As sustained AI growth depends on a well-developed talent pipeline, Chinese enterprises can implement strategic AI talent recruitment policies, attract high-caliber professionals and expand AI training programs that integrate the academia and industry, while the development of interdisciplinary AI education frameworks incorporating AI engineering, ethics and business applications will help build a competitive AI workforce.

In the era of AI innovation, pilot zones can be engines of transformative progress. As for challenges like lack of breakthroughs in fundamental research, compute resource shortages, commercialization hurdles and talent gaps, they can be overcome through coordinated international efforts. And by combining their strengths, China can unleash AI’s potential to reshape industries and promote global technology breakthroughs.

The author is a distinguished professor at Sichuan University, and a CPPCC National Committee member. The views don’t necessarily represent those of China Daily.

If you have a specific expertise, or would like to share your thought about our stories, then send us your writings at opinion@chinadaily.com.cn, and comment@chinadaily.com.cn.

Visier Launches Visier AI Lab in Singapore, Expands APAC Operations

Lab opening underscores Singapore’s ascendance as innovation hub for artificial intelligence and reflects Visier’s strong regional growth

SINGAPORE, March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Visier, the globally recognised leader in workforce AI solutions, today announced the launch of its Singapore-based Visier AI Lab, a strategic initiative designed to advance the company’s leadership in Workforce AI. The new lab, supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), will focus on the continued development of Visier’s generative and agentic AI solutions, including Vee, Vee Boards, and the company’s recently introduced AI Agent Platform. To support this growth, Visier plans to double its workforce in its AI Lab and its APAC regional office over the next two years. Located in Asia Square, the lab is positioned at the center of Singapore’s dynamic business district, reinforcing Visier’s belief in the region’s growth potential.

Representatives from Visier, EDB and IMDA celebrate the opening of Visier's AI Lab in Singapore.
Representatives from Visier, EDB and IMDA celebrate the opening of Visier’s AI Lab in Singapore.

“As challenging labour market dynamics and macro trends compound globally, the mandate for Workforce AI continues to expand well beyond HR, reaching every corner of the C-suite and across business functions,” said Ryan Wong, co-founder and CEO of Visier. “Our deep investments in AI are driven by recognition that every company on the planet needs to fundamentally transform their workforce productivity to survive and thrive over coming decades. The Visier AI Lab in Singapore is instrumental to accelerating Visier’s already substantial AI investments.”

The news from Visier follows Singapore’s Parliamentary 2025 Budget announcement, which supports AI and skills transformation to upskill employees and boost workforce competitiveness. For example, the Enterprise Compute Initiative avails consulting services and computing resources to empower businesses with analytics and AI, driving efficiency and productivity.

“Workforce AI is the next frontier in business transformation,” said Boon Huat Lee, Chief Growth Officer for Asia Pacific at Visier. “As leaders are expected to achieve high growth rates, they are also faced with declining employee engagement, talent shortages and plateauing productivity growth. Visier provides organisations with the ability to unify people and work data to better understand their employees, the work they’re doing, enabling every organisation to improve productivity and business impact.”

All of Visier’s AI products and innovation are built upon the company’s award-winning People Data Platform, which power organisations to connect people, work and outcomes at the speed of AI.

  • Vee Generative AI Digital Assistant: First introduced in 2023, Visier’s Vee provides the most performant, secure, and intuitive way to ask and answer any people-related question in natural language. It unlocks the power of people insights and Workforce AI for everyone from HRBPs to frontline managers and executives.
  • Vee Boards: Vee Boards combine the best of generative AI and executive dashboards, delivering people data visualisations and AI-driven narratives tailored to reveal the highest priority issues to the C-suite. Vee Boards are available out-of-the-box for CFO and CHRO personas, and customers and partners can create their own for any other executive role.
  • Visier’s AI Agentic Platform: Visier’s Agentic AI Platform promises to bring a powerful new agent-based workforce AI platform to enterprise CIOs, ISVs, and SIs to create powerful and secure agentic AI solutions. By combining people data with work data in new ways, this first-of-its-kind agent-based AI platform will give technical teams the foundation to launch their own team of AI-based analytic agents.

The launch of Visier AI Lab was celebrated at an exclusive event featuring distinguished guests from Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB), Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), AI Singapore, and customers including Micron Technology. This gathering celebrated Visier’s commitment to fostering collaboration between industry leaders, government, and academia to drive innovation in Workforce AI.

Philbert Gomez, Executive Director and Head of Digital Industry Singapore (DISG) said, “EDB welcomes Visier AI Lab, which strengthens our position as an AI innovation hub for fast growing companies to create global solutions from Singapore. It reflects the capability of our ecosystem to partner with companies that conduct AI innovation. The Visier AI Lab is aligned with the National AI Strategy 2.0 to accelerate the use of AI to uncover business value, with its AI Agent Platform demonstrating how innovations help customers better utilise their people related data to create custom workforce solutions and automate tasks.”

“With the launch of Visier AI Lab, we are excited by Visier’s commitment to foster the growth of the AI ecosystem in Singapore and beyond,” said Edwin Low, Director for Enterprise, Ecosystem Development of the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) of Singapore. “We believe this initiative will drive innovation in workforce analytics, and position Visier at the vanguard of AI-powered solutions, empowering organisations with insights to make smarter, data-driven decisions for their people.”

For more information about Visier, visit www.visier.com.

About Visier 

Visier gives organisations a Workforce AI Edge: A set of AI-powered capabilities that help leaders understand the relationship between people and work, elevate employee productivity, and win by adapting to change faster. The company is the global leader in AI-powered people analytics, workforce planning, and compensation allocation. All Visier technology is underpinned by its Real-time People Data Platform, which uses AI to unlock the business-transforming potential of people data, work data, and the fusion of both. Founded in 2010 by the pioneers of business intelligence, Visier has over 65,000 customers in 75 countries—including enterprises like BASF, Panasonic, Experian, Amgen, eBay, Ford Motor Company, and more. Visier is an IMDA-Accredited company. To learn more about Visier, visit www.visier.com.

Media Contact:

Adrian Tan
Head of Marketing (APAC)
adrian.tan@visier.com
+65 9852 3746

Walker Sands
VisierPR@walkersands.com

 

GHIT-backed Innovation Achieves Landmark: New Treatment Option for Schistosomiasis Reaches Preschool-Aged Children

TOKYO, March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund is today announcing a significant milestone: the first administration of arpraziquantel to preschool-aged children in Uganda, in an implementation science setting. This new pediatric treatment for schistosomiasis, developed by the GHIT-funded Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium, is being introduced through the Consortium’s ADOPT program, which focuses on integrating arpraziquantel into existing healthcare platforms in countries where schistosomiasis is prevalent. This achievement marks GHIT’s first supported innovation to reach people in need since its establishment in 2013.

“This isn’t just a scientific achievement,” said Osamu Kunii, CEO of the GHIT Fund. “It’s a testament to the transformative power of global collaboration. By bringing together a diverse array of partners, each steadfastly contributing their unique expertise and sustaining momentum throughout a decade-long marathon of innovation to shepherd this breakthrough (from bench to bedside), arpraziquantel’s development journey has unlocked solutions that once seemed impossible.”

Schistosomiasis, or bilharzia, affects 250 million people globally, including an estimated 50 million preschool-aged children, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. Left untreated, this poverty-related parasitic disease can lead to anemia, stunted growth, and impaired learning ability, as well as chronic inflammation of the organs, which can be fatal. Until now, a child-friendly treatment specifically tailored for preschool-aged children was not available, leaving millions of preschoolers at risk.

Early treatment of schistosomiasis in preschool-aged children is a crucial investment in public health and societal wellbeing. By intervening at this critical stage, we not only aim to shield young bodies from severe complications like organ damage and cognitive impairment but also alleviate the long-term burden on healthcare systems and hopefully better livelihoods.

The Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium developed arpraziquantel to address this gap. Japan’s Astellas Pharma Inc., as a founding member of the Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium, played a pivotal role by utilizing its proprietary technology to lead arpraziquantel’s initial formulation development, resulting in water dispersible, climate-stable, child-friendly tablets with acceptable taste. The formulation was optimized by Merck in Germany; the manufacturing process served to produce clinical trial supply from Merck and Farmanguinhos in Brazil. Current manufacturing is done by Farmanguinhos; future large-scale production by Universal Corporation Ltd. in Kenya is planned in and for Africa.

“Japanese innovation is a cornerstone of arpraziquantel’s development,” Dr. Kunii added, “embodying GHIT Fund’s core mission: harnessing the power of international partnerships to revolutionize global health.”

GHIT Fund has supported arpraziquantel’s development journey throughout the overall development program spanning over 10 years. GHIT has and continues to support the Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium in developing their access plans, with a particular focus on exploring new and sustainable access mechanisms. GHIT is also co-funding, with EDCTP, implementation via the Consortium’s ADOPT Program, which is assessing different implementation platforms in three countries: Côte d’Ivoire, Uganda and Kenya. In addition, GHIT is coordinating, together with the consortium, in-country readiness preparations for introduction of arpraziquantel in additional countries such as Senegal and Tanzania.

“Understanding what needs to be in place at country level in terms of policy framework, regulatory framework, implementation models and domestic resource mobilization is critical to the successful uptake and roll out of arpraziquantel. We hope the lessons learnt from these countries will inform other countries,” said Dr Isaac Chikwanha, Senior Director of Access at the GHIT Fund.

Arpraziquantel received European Medicines Agency’s positive scientific opinion in December 2023 and was included into the World Health Organization (WHO)’s List of Prequalified Medicines in May 2024. Inclusion in the WHO’s Essential Medicines List is expected in 2025.

1. About schistosomiasis
Schistosomiasis (also known as bilharzia) is one of the most prevalent parasitic diseases worldwide and a very important one in terms of public health burden and economic impact. It is a poverty-related disease that is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions where large sections of the population have no access to clean water. Flatworms transmit the disease and people become infected with the parasite through contact with freshwater, for example, while working, swimming, fishing, or washing their clothes. The minuscule larvae penetrate human skin, enter the blood vessels, and attack internal organs. The infection rate is particularly high among children. Schistosomiasis is a chronic condition and is classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the 21 neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/schistosomiasis

2. About arpraziquantel
The current standard of care treatment for schistosomiasis is praziquantel. Praziquantel is already approved, and suitable for school-aged children and adults. Extending the range of options for the treatment of schistosomiasis, arpraziquantel is tailored for preschool-aged children against Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma haematobium. Tested in clinical development, under the responsibility of Merck, arpraziquantel is a 150mg dispersible tablet. The prototype of its pediatric formulation was developed by Astellas Pharma Inc. in Japan, and further optimized by Merck in Germany. 

In developing arpraziquantel, the Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium established a pediatric drug development program, divided into four major steps: preclinical development, clinical development, registration, and access. All details can be found on the Consortium website.

3. About the Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium
The Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium is an international public-private partnership that aims to reduce the global disease burden of schistosomiasis and improve child health by addressing the medical needs of preschool-aged children. Its mission has been to develop, register, and provide access to a suitable pediatric drug for treating schistosomiasis in children 3 months to 6 years of age. For more information, and to see an overview of all Consortium partners, visit the Consortium website:
www.pediatricpraziquantelconsortium.org

The GHIT Fund is a Japan-based international public-private partnership (PPP) fund that was formed between the Government of Japan, multiple pharmaceutical companies, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The GHIT Fund invests in and manages an R&D portfolio of development partnerships aimed at addressing neglected diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis, and neglected tropical diseases, which afflict the world’s vulnerable and underserved populations. In collaboration with global partners, the GHIT Fund mobilizes Japanese industry, academia, and research institutes to create new drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics for malaria, tuberculosis, and neglected tropical diseases.
https://www.ghitfund.org/en

For more information, contact:
Katy Lenard at +1-301-280-5719 or klenard@burness.com
Eriko Mugitani at +81-36441-2032 or eriko.mugitani@ghitfund.org