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Ukrainian and United States Partners Launch MITS – The Primary Accelerator for Ukrainian Defense Tech Startups

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KYIV, Ukraine, Feb. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — There is a stereotype that defense institutions can only work with large defense companies and organizations and are biased against startups. However, the defense sector is currently undergoing significant transformations and requires bold decisions. The impetus for these changes was strong Ukrainian resistance and Ukraine’s creative approach to warfare. The solution is to cooperate with startups – small technology companies – whose fast and innovative proposals influence the course and outcome of combat operations here and now. All this allows us to significantly contribute to the development of the Ukrainian and global defense ecosystem and accelerate the development of technologies.

To this end, leading Ukrainian and American companies, and experts in the field of defense, technology solutions, and education announced the launch of the MITS (inspired by Ukrainian word for “Might”), an international defense accelerator on February 23, 2024, in Kyiv.

It aims to become a driver of Ukraine’s defense tech, to help young technology companies find the best partners and scale up, and to help the Armed Forces of Ukraine get the best defense technology products into use as soon as possible. MITS offers startups an investment of $200,000: $100,000 in direct investment in the company and $100,000 in unique expertise provided by the accelerator in cooperation with the private American university in Ukraine, American University Kyiv, as well as a post-acceleration program aimed at further assisting startups in attracting investment and scaling.

MITS and American University Kyiv, powered by Arizona State University (No. 1 in innovation among American universities in the newly released annual “Best Colleges” 2024 rankings by U.S. News & World Report), have developed a unique business program to help startups reach the world level of defense tech products, gain new competencies and become market leaders.

The acceleration program has two stages, each lasting three months: business acceleration and post-acceleration support. The program also consists of 2 training blocks:

1) development of business thinking – raising the level of business education, fundraising, management, and financial management with the involvement of industry experts from different countries according to the highest standards of Arizona State University;

2) practical component, which considers the specifics of defense production and is aimed at the successful execution of a defense order. The practical part will involve the heads of Ukrainian and international defense companies, representatives of customers, military, and defense tech experts. The accelerator’s unique value lies in access to a global network of highly qualified mentors and specialists who will provide unique knowledge and skills.

The post-acceleration program aims to prepare companies for future exports and attract foreign investment. Close collaboration with the BRAVE1 Defense Technology Cluster and the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine will provide teams with direct support at every stage of contracting and execution, including testing, certification, and codification.

MITS is looking for teams with a working MVP (Minimum Viable Product, TRL 4-6 Levels) or who are as close to a functional product as possible.

The following startup categories will be targeted for acceleration in this phase:

Ground robotic systemsUnmanned aerial vehiclesUnmanned surface vehiclesUnmanned underwater vehiclesElectronic warfare (EW)Communications, optical, and acoustic reconnaissance equipmentMilitary transportMining/demining equipmentSoftware, AI, and cybersecurity solutionsAmmunitionEquipment for the “soldier of the future”

The organizers state that they aim not only to form a technological defense ecosystem in Ukraine, but also to develop the MITS Venture Fund, which will help startups after acceleration. The fund will focus on startups that have successfully completed the MITS accelerator program and other defense, dual-use and deep-tech companies.

Teams that offer innovative defense solutions that can help accelerate Ukraine’s victory are invited to apply for the accelerator from February 23 to March 14, 2024, by filling out the form on the MITS website.

About MITS:

The founders of the accelerator comprise a group of American investors with substantial experience in defense and investment spheres, led by Perry Boyle, a former member of the executive committee of Point 72, LP, one of the leading global investment management firms.

MITS has established a Supervisory Board comprising experts from the defense industries of NATO countries.

The Supervisory Board will be Co-Chaired by Dr Phillip Karber, a former Strategic Advisor to US Secretary of Defense, NATO SACEUR and Governments, and Ernest Herold, a former NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Defense Investment.

The board will also include well-known experts in defense and investment sectors such as:

David Bonfili, co-founder of ACME General Corp., who served as a senior executive at investment firms Citadel, BlackRock, and Two Sigma and as a Research Staff Member at the Institute for Defense Analyses, a DC-based federally-funded research and development center that works primarily for the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD).

Monique Brown, Chief of Strategy and Business Development at Actus Advanced Systems, Former Regional Director, International Business Development at Lockheed Martin, and others.

Anton Melnyk, one of the co-founders of the open association of participants in Ukraine’s technological ecosystem “UATechosystem” and Alina Lovchynovska, Ukrainian Army Support activist since 2014, will coordinate the accelerator’s activities in Ukraine.

American University Kyiv is a strategic partner of MITS and Lyudmila Dolhonovska and Yuriy Bots from the American University Kyiv are coordinators in creating the acceleration program.

Media contact:
Alina Lovchynovska
373441@email4pr.com
+380504042040

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SOURCE MITS Capital LLC

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Agenda for the 4th Hong Kong Clinical-driven Robotics and Embodied AI Technology (CREATE) Symposium Officially Released

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Leading Experts from Medicine, Research, Industry and Investment Revealed

HONG KONG, Sept. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Scheduled for September 22–23, 2026, the 4th Hong Kong Clinical-driven Robotics and Embodied AI Technology (CREATE) Symposium will be held at the Charles K. Kao Auditorium in Hong Kong Science Park. The Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR), Hong Kong Institute of Science & Innovation, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), organizes the event, with co-organization by the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP).

The CREATE Symposium is dedicated to building a platform for in-depth dialogue between clinical medicine and cutting-edge technology. Having been held successfully for multiple editions, it has become a flagship international symposium on embodied intelligence in healthcare. This year’s event will focus on the practical clinical needs of more than ten specialties, including neurology, neurosurgery, respiratory intervention, otolaryngology, ultrasound imaging, and sleep medicine. It will bring together world-leading academicians, hospital directors, department leaders, and innovative scholars at the intersection of medicine and engineering to explore clinical applications and translation pathways of AI and robotics technologies, accelerating innovation and industrialization in global healthcare technology.

Symposium Highlights

This year’s symposium features a special “Hospital Presidents’ Roundtable” session. Eight hospital leaders from the Greater Bay Area will engage in in-depth discussions on integrating medicine and engineering, smart hospital development, and practical applications of medical AI.

The distinguished panel includes:

Linbo CAI, President of Guangdong 999 Brain Hospital, Chief Physician, and Doctoral Supervisor at Jinan University.

Kenneth Man-Chee CHEUNG, President and Hospital Chief Executive of The University of Hong Kong – Shenzhen Hospital, The Jessie Ho Professor in Spine Surgery and Chair Professor, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, HKU.

Kin-lai CHUNG, CEO of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Medical Centre.

Xiquan HU, Director, Management Committee of Lingnan Hospital; Director and Chief Physician, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University; President-Elect, Chinese Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chinese Medical Association.

Lijian JIN, Dean of Faculty of Dentistry, Modern Dental Group Professor in Clinical Dental Science, HKU.

Wing-yee SO, Hospital Chief Executive of North District Hospital, Hospital Authority.

Kenneth Hing Lim TSANG, Regional CEO of IHH Healthcare North Asia, CEO of Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong.

Yi XIONG, Executive Director of Shenzhen Luohu District People’s Hospital.

The symposium will also launch CARES 4.0, a multi-modal medical AI large model and intelligent agent system for healthcare scenarios. Concurrently, a dedicated MedTech innovation exhibition will showcase cutting-edge medical hardware, AI algorithms, and other innovative achievements, demonstrating the latest capabilities in embodied intelligent healthcare.

As a co-organizer of this year’s symposium, HKSTP will host a special session titled “Empowering Founders, Enabling Growth: HKSTP’s Entrepreneurship Journey from Idea to Commercialization”. The session will introduce HKSTP’s life and health technology ecosystem and startup community, share The Road to Commercialization: Insights and Success Stories from HKSTP Startups, and feature the Roundtable Discussion: Empowering Value Creation and Growth through Strategic Partnerships.

Notably, the CREATE Symposium will debut a new “Roadshow Session” on September 23. The session will connect top-tier investment institutions with innovative companies. Participating companies will showcase products and technologies while receiving professional feedback from leading investors.

Investors from renowned institutions including Guangyuan Investment, Jiuguang Capital, Allwinner Technology, Yuexiu Group, Yanghe Investment, CICC Capital, Jianyuan Tianhua etc. have been invited to serve as judges. Invitations are also being extended to institutions such as Shenzhen Angel Fund of Funds, CCB International etc.

This year’s symposium will fully integrate MEDLing, CAIR’s proprietary intelligent conference assistant. The system has been customized and optimized for medical terminology, providing real-time speech transcription in Mandarin, English, and Cantonese, as well as high-precision transcript recording and simultaneous translation throughout the event. This will enable attendees from diverse fields and countries to communicate seamlessly and enjoy an enhanced conference experience.

Conference Information

Date: September 22–23, 2026 (Tuesday–Wednesday)
Venue: Charles K. Kao Auditorium, Hong Kong Science Park
Event Details and Latest Schedule: https://www.cair-cas.org.hk/article/662
Registration Link: https://forms.office.com/r/ePnu6HMySU?origin=lprLink

This year’s symposium features a dedicated healthcare technology exhibition area in the Atrium Link of Hong Kong Science Park. During the event, multiple guided tours will be organized to facilitate exchanges among attendees, academic experts, and industry representatives, fostering in-depth cross-sector collaboration.

Currently, only a limited number of booths remain available in the corporate exhibition area. Interested companies are invited to review partnership options

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SOURCE Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR), Hong Kong Institute of Science & Innovation, Chinese Academy of Sciences

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Scholarship America Marks 25th Anniversary of 9/11 by Honoring Its Support for the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund

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NEW YORK, Sept. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Scholarship America today marks the 25th anniversary of the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund, which it established and has administered since the fund’s founding in the direct aftermath of the September 11th attacks.

On September 11, 2001, the unthinkable happened, and the nation was forever changed. Thousands of children, including those of Ground Zero first responders, lost a parent or watched one become permanently disabled. In response, Scholarship America helped establish the Families of Freedom Fund to protect the dreams of these students, which it has proudly administered for more than two decades.

In the years since, the Fund’s scope has expanded to include the children of rescue and rebuilding workers who developed long-term and chronic illnesses tied to their service, nearly doubling the number of students eligible for support. Meeting that growing need has required an equally significant response: more than 20,000 individuals, corporations, foundations, and organizations – including longtime supporters Citi and Strada Education Foundation – have contributed to the Fund, helping award $193 million to 3,877 students who lost a parent or had one permanently disabled as a result of the September 11th attacks and the recovery efforts that followed.

“From the moment the horrific attacks unfolded, we knew the impact would echo across generations,” said Brandee McHale, Head of Community Investing and Development at Citi and President of the Citi Foundation. “We are proud of the work we did with organizations across the country to create this Fund, making a lasting commitment to support the educational needs of the children of victims.”

The Fund’s commitment will carry through 2030, when its youngest beneficiaries complete their undergraduate education.

“Twenty-five years later, we still remember how this Fund began—born out of one of the worst days in our nation’s history in an effort to ensure that these victims’ children wouldn’t lose their futures along with their loved ones,” said Mike Nylund, President and CEO of Scholarship America. “A promise was made to these students, and Scholarship America has been honored to help keep it for the past twenty-five years. Watching them graduate, build careers, and give back to their own communities has been one of the great privileges of this organization’s history.  On behalf of every student this Fund has supported, I am incredibly grateful for the generosity that made it possible.”

About Scholarship America

Since 1958, Scholarship America has been committed to breaking down financial barriers to higher education, turning the generosity of donors into life-changing opportunities for students across the country. To date, the organization has distributed more than $6 billion in scholarships to over 3.5 million students, making it the nation’s leading nonprofit scholarship administrator. Scholarship America also partners with individuals, foundations, small businesses, and nearly half of today’s Fortune 500 companies to deliver end-to-end scholarship program management for students pursuing degrees and certifications at technical, vocational, and two- and four-year colleges and universities.

Contacts:

Claire Berge Schmidt
Scholarship America
cbergeschmidt@scholarshipamerica.org

Logan Flynn
Hiltzik Strategies
lflynn@hstrategies.com

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SOURCE Scholarship America

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The 26th CIFIT Opens in Xiamen, Merchants from 129 Countries and Regions Seek Business Opportunities

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XIAMEN, China, Sept. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A report from IQINGDAO:

The 26th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT) opened in Xiamen on September 8. More than 1,200 government agencies and business delegations from 129 countries and regions as well as 30 international organizations gathered at the event to explore opportunities for two‑way investment and cooperation.

As a landmark platform for “Invest in China”, this year’s CIFIT revolves around three major sections: “Invest in China”, “Chinese Investment” and “International Investment”. For the first time, it features Finland and Saudi Arabia as dual Guest Countries of Honor, and Guangdong and Qinghai as dual Guest Provinces of Honor.

Both the exhibition area and the number of exhibitors in the financial zone have doubled at this edition. A special zone for the Cross‑border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) makes its debut at CIFIT. A new special zone for new quality productive forces has been set up, focusing on cutting‑edge sectors including artificial intelligence and low‑altitude economy.

Over 40 key investment‑promotion events will be held during the fair, alongside nearly 100 supporting activities such as capital matchmaking and special‑topic roadshows. The Online CIFIT platform pools resources including investment‑attraction projects, corporate financing and industrial funds. Empowered by digital technologies, it enables easier project sourcing and more efficient capital matching.

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SOURCE Iqingdao

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