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Business Plan Contest “Photonics Challenge 2024” was Successfully Held in Hamamatsu City, the Center of the Optical Industry

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Discovering Ambitions Individuals and Creative Startups Focused on Optical Technology

Three startups from Shizuoka Prefecture – Hamamatsu Pulse Co. Ltd., Pi PHOTOTONICS, Inc. and eZov International are awarded for their business plans

HAMAMATSU, Japan, March 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Photonics Challenge 2024 is a business contest that supports the expansion of optical technology applications by venture companies and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) nationwide that seek to create new value in society.

Photonics Challenge is an annual competition sponsored by the Graduate University School for the Creation of New Photonics Industries. This year marked its fifth year and is the only business plan contest in Japan that specializes in optical technology. Nine finalists, selected from among applicants from all over Japan, presented their business plans applying a wide variety of light at the final judging held on February 29 at Entetsu Hall in Hamamatsu City, after four months of mentoring. Four of the nine companies are based in Shizuoka Prefecture and three of them, Hamamatsu Pulse Co. Ltd., Pi PHOTOTONICS, Inc. and eZov International successfully presented and were awarded for their respective business plans.

Four awards were presented by the Chairman of the Judging Committee, Hiroyasu Ito, President of Graduate School for the Creation of New Photonics Industries.

Best Business Award – prize of one million yen – Awarded to HOLODESIGN Inc.Grand Prize for the Best Challenge – prize of one million – Awarded to Hamamatsu Pulse Co. Ltd.Shizuoka SME Excellence Award – prize of 300,000 yen – This award is for applications whose base of operations is in Shizuoka Prefecture and was received by Pi PHOTOTONICS, Inc.Observer Award – prize of 300,000 yen – Awarded to eZov International.   

Profile of Finalists

Best Business Award – prize of one million yen awarded to HOLODESIGN Inc.

Making innovation in laser manufacturing, HOLODESIGN Inc. is a startup originating from Utsunomiya University in Tochigi prefecture. It researches, develops, designs, manufactures, sells, and maintains holographic optical engines for laser processing. The holographic optical engine developed by HOLODESIGN improves the accuracy and speed of laser processing at the same time, thus contributing to higher performance and lower cost of products.

Satoshi Hasegawa, CEO of HOLODESIGN Inc. said, “We are very happy to receive this prestigious award. Thank you very much for the high evaluation by the judges. We also thank our mentors, professors from the Graduate School for the Creation of New Photonics Industries, who have been very helpful in brushing up our business plan and checking our presentation to make it even better. We are grateful for the support of everyone including our partners. With this award, our company will continue to expand our business and do even better in the future.”

https://www.holodesign.jp/

Grand Prize for the Best Challenge – prize of one million yen to Hamamatsu Pulse Co. Ltd

Looking towards the future of agriculture, Hamamatsu Pulse Co. Ltd developed Air Revive. It is a commercial air purifier that suppresses storage diseases such as mold and reduces rot and peel damage in agriculture products, maintaining freshness in transport as it can be used in containers, as well as warehouses during storage. Air Revive protects the freshness of agricultural products and improves farmer’s productivity and aims towards less waste and more sustainable agriculture. 

Hamamatsu Pulse also took part in the “Shizuoka Prefecture SDGs Business Awards” in 2023 which honors environmental businesses and won the highest award, the Governor’s Award for its presentation, ‘Reforming Agriculture with Photocatalysis’.

Aki Furuhashi, Planning & Development Dept. of Hamamatsu Pulse said, “We launched our product last year after discovering the wonder of photocatalytic technology. This is the first product of its kind, and one of the challenges we face is what to do with it, but we hope to receive your support and it will be very much appreciated.”

https://www.h-pulse.co.jp/

Shizuoka SME Excellence Award – prize of 300,000 yen awarded to Pi PHOTONICS, Inc.  

Pi PHOTONICS started in 2006 by Takahiro Ikeda, a graduate of the Graduate University for the Creation of New Photonics Industries. The company’s flagship product, “HOLOLIGHT” is a special LED light that can form various highly visible light patterns from a distance. Pi PHOTONICS’ products are widely used for safety, for example, in a factory to indicate hazardous areas around suspended loads of overhead cranes and the direction of travel of industrial vehicles such as forklifts, as well as areas that are off-limits, assisting in areas where hearing-impaired people work and helping prevent industrial accidents in manufacturing plants.

Tomotaka Nakaya, Chief, International sales of Pi PHOTONICS, Inc. said, “We are honored to receive this wonderful award. One of the key points is that it is important for us to challenge ourselves to do as many things as possible as quickly as possible. I believe it is very important to place a renewed and larger presence overseas in order to improve Japan in the future, as more and more various technologies will be launched from Hamamatsu, Shizuoka to overseas. Pi PHOTONICS, which is located in Hamamatsu City, will continue to lead the way and become a global company.”

https://www.piphotonics.com/en/

Observer Award – prize of 300,000 yen awarded to eZov International

eZov International’s business involves efficiently removing viruses, bacteria, and chemicals in air and water, as well as odor thanks to the production of eZov, a highly efficient photocatalytic filter with nanostructured titanium dioxide on metal mesh.

Yukiko Suzuki, Representative Director of eZov International said, “I am very grateful to receive such a wonderful prize. Our company has just started our business, and we would like to continue to promote our business in many ways, so we appreciate your support. Thank you very much.”

https://ezov-i.com/

Other event highlights

In his keynote speech, Professor Fumiaki Ikeno, Senior Research Fellow at Stanford University, stated that although light is not a final product, it is a “Key Enabling Technology” that can create new developments in a wide range of industrial fields. He emphasized that the key to innovation creation is “Monozukuri” (the pride, skill and pursuit of excellence through innovation and improvement) along with “Kotozukuri” (creating business) and that “Hitozukuri” (human resource development) is indispensable to realize this.

One example is laser fusion, which is attracting attention as a new energy possibility. EX-Fusion, Japan’s only startup in this field, has a research base in Hamamatsu and is working on creating an energy revolution and industry through joint research with the Graduate University School for the Creation of New Photonics Industries.

Other startups are also working on quantum computers and photocatalysts, and aiming to solve a wide variety of social issues. J-Startup Central companies Happy Quality Inc. and ANSeeN Inc. have also been finalists in previous Photonics Challenge competitions.

As part of the Central Japan Startup Ecosystem, Hamamatsu City will continue to attract people with an entrepreneurial spirit from all over the world to create new industries through startups.

Other participating startups
Tokyo University of Science, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science
Business Plan focused on fiber optic single photon light sources
https://quantum-optics.wixsite.com/photonlab

Quantum Data Inc.
Business Plan focused on the development and dissemination of quantum cryptography optical communication technology based on quantum mechanical properties that cannot be deciphered even if a quantum computer emerges.
https://www.quantumdata.co.jp/

EVCARE Co. LTD.
Business Plan focused on the realization of quantitative evaluation and analysis service of biomarkers in hair at higher speed and lower cost than ever before.
https://evcare.co.jp/

Milde
Business Plan focused on drug discovery support platform by highly efficient raman scattering analysis.

Trioptics Japan Co., Ltd.
Business Plan focused on the development and commercialization of a processing-free refractive index measuring instrument that easily elucidates lens characteristics.
https://www.trioptics.jp/

About the Central Japan Startup Ecosystem 

In July 2020, Aichi prefecture, Nagoya City and Hamamatsu City in Shizuoka-prefecture became one of the four regional Startup Ecosystem Global Base Cities groups designated nationwide by the Japanese Cabinet Office. 

There are 371 startups in Central Japan, of which 150 are university-launched. An estimated 18,615 billion yen (as of July 2022) of funds have been raised, in addition to accelerator programs, financial support systems, and innovative university seeds. Collaborative partnerships with Station F, INSEAD, BLOCK71, Paris &Co, Bpifrance, Venture Café, Plug and Play, Israel Innovation Authority, Tsinghua University, China Medical University, National University of Singapore, the University of Texas at Austin, Stanford University, North Carolina State University, University of Nebraska and the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad attract a diverse range of entrepreneurs to the region. 

For more information, please visit https://central-startup.jp/en/

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2355935/Photo_Caption_Winners_of_Photonics_Challenge_2024.jpg

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Pillsbury Notice of Data Breach

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NEW YORK, July 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP (“Pillsbury”) was among many law firms targeted by sophisticated social engineering attempts in an incident last year. While the firm quickly detected and blocked the activity, an unauthorized actor was able to access some of the firm’s documents during a short window of time. Pillsbury notified any impacted clients last year and undertook a detailed process to review the accessed documents for personal information. Pillsbury then began notifying individuals whose personal information was affected. That process is now complete, and today, Pillsbury is publishing substitute notice as a final step.

For more information, please visit the substitute notice on our website at https://www.pillsburylaw.com/en/breach-notice.html

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pillsbury-notice-of-data-breach-302828892.html

SOURCE Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

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From Remote Racing to Embodied AI: Fibocom and Intedigo Bring 5G Bidirectional Data Transmission into Real-World Applications

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SHANGHAI, July 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — From July 17 to 20, Fibocom and Intedigo will jointly present a cross-regional, beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) teleoperation demonstration at Booth H3-C408 during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) 2026. Visitors will be able to enter a remote driving cockpit and control a real race car located at HURA PARK in Jiading, Shanghai, steering, accelerating, and braking in real time while experiencing how 5G connectivity enables remote operation.

More than an immersive driving experience, the demonstration provides a live validation of 5G bidirectional data transmission for embodied AI teleoperation. The vehicle continuously sends live track video, vehicle status, and operating data to the remote cockpit, while control commands are transmitted back to the vehicle, creating a closed-loop teleoperation system. Stable, low-latency, and highly reliable connectivity is essential for high-dynamic maneuvers such as high-speed cornering, precision braking, and continuous lane changes.

Developed by Intedigo, the remote driving system connects a real race car with an immersive remote driving cockpit. It supports 1080p@60Hz video transmission, glass-to-glass (G2G) video latency of less than 80 ms, and control latency of less than 10 ms. The demanding racing environment magnifies differences in video continuity and control responsiveness, making communications performance directly perceptible, measurable, and verifiable.

At the joint demonstration, Fibocom’s FM160 5G module provides cellular connectivity for the system. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon™ X62 5G Modem-RF System, the FM160 supports SA and NSA network architectures as well as 3GPP Release 16. On the downlink, it supports NR Carrier Aggregation (NR CA) with bandwidth of up to 120 MHz, delivering peak speeds of up to 3.5 Gbps in NSA mode and 2.5 Gbps in SA mode. On the uplink, it supports UL MIMO and delivers peak speeds of up to 900 Mbps in SA mode. These capabilities support the continuous transmission of HD video and vehicle status data, along with reliable delivery of control commands.

As embodied AI moves into factories, data centers, logistics operations, and industrial parks, robots are becoming increasingly capable of performing tasks autonomously. Yet complex environments, unexpected events, and edge cases still require Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) remote intervention to help ensure safe and reliable operation.

Daniel Liu, CEO of Intedigo, said:

“5G represents the pinnacle of human communications and the starting point of machine communications. In the past, communications connected people to people; in the future, they will connect people to robots and robots to robots. Remote racing is simply the easiest entry point for people to understand this concept. What we are truly validating is a communications system capable of supporting remote collaboration for embodied AI. HURA makes low-latency remote driving a tangible experience, while RoBOX extends this capability to robots and a broader range of intelligent terminals. Together with Fibocom, we hope to enable more machines to receive remote assistance whenever needed while remaining continuously connected and operating reliably.”

Simon Tao, VP of Wireless Solutions Business Group and General Manager of MBB BU at Fibocom, said:

“As embodied AI enters real-world industrial environments, reliable connectivity will become the foundation for telemetry feedback, remote control and operational management. Fibocom’s 5G solutions, represented by FM160, provide the cellular connectivity required for continuous on-site data transmission and reliable control command delivery. Fibocom will continue collaborating with ecosystem partners such as Intedigo to bring cellular connectivity to more robots, autonomous machines and mobile intelligent terminals, enabling embodied AI systems to stay continuously connected and respond reliably in real-world applications.”

From remote race cars to robots, unmanned equipment, and mobile intelligent terminals, 5G is evolving from connecting people to connecting machines. This joint demonstration makes the capabilities of 5G bidirectional data transmission directly perceptible, experiential, and verifiable, helping pave the way for embodied AI to scale across real-world applications.
 

About Fibocom

Fibocom, founded in 1999, is China’s first wireless communication module company listed on both the A-share and H-share markets (300638.SZ, 0638.HK). As a global leading provider of wireless communication modules and AI solutions, Fibocom leverages wireless communication and artificial intelligence as its core technologies to provide integrated hardware and software solutions that empower industry applications. These solutions accelerate the transformation from “Connect Everything” to “Intelligent Connectivity” across diverse industries.

Fibocom’s one-stop solutions encompass cellular communication, AI, automotive, and GNSS modules, as well as AI toolchains, supporting industry-side and mainstream large model integration, and providing AI Agent, global connectivity, and cloud services, driving the digital intelligence upgrades in industries such as robotics, consumer electronics, low-altitude economy, intelligent transportation, smart retail, and smart energy.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/from-remote-racing-to-embodied-ai-fibocom-and-intedigo-bring-5g-bidirectional-data-transmission-into-real-world-applications-302828996.html

SOURCE Fibocom Wireless Inc.

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DR. PHONE FIX ANNOUNCES SECOND TRANCHE CLOSING OF NON-BROKERED CONVERTIBLE DEBENTURE UNIT FINANCING

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/NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES/

EDMONTON, AB, July 18, 2026 /CNW/ — Dr. Phone Fix Canada Corporation (“Dr. Phone Fix” or the “Company”) (TSXV: DPF) is pleased to announce that, further to its news release dated May 19, 2026 and June 24, 2026 (the “Prior News Releases”), it has closed the second tranche of its non-brokered private placement (the “Offering”) of convertible debenture units of the Company (each, a “Unit”). The Company issued 726 Units, at a price of $1,000 per Unit, for aggregate gross proceeds of $726,000. Each Unit is comprised of (i) one $1,000 principal amount unsecured convertible debenture of the Company (a “Convertible Debenture”) and (ii) 3,125 common share (“Common Share”) purchase warrants of the Company (each, a “Warrant”). Additional detail on the Offering, including terms of the Convertible Debentures and Warrants, is set out in the Prior News Releases.

In connection with the Offering, the Company paid a finder’s fee consisting of an aggregate cash fee of $50,820 and issued an aggregate of 317,625 common share purchase warrants of the Company (each, a “Finder’s Warrant”) to certain qualified arm’s length parties. Each Finder’s Warrant is exercisable to acquire one Common Share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.22 prior to the date that is 24 months from the date of issuance.

All securities issued pursuant to the Offering, including any Common Shares issuable upon conversion of the Convertible Debentures or exercise of the Warrants and Finder’s Warrants, are subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day from the closing of the Offering, in accordance with applicable securities laws and TSX Venture Exchange (the “TSXV”) policies. 

The Offering remains subject to final acceptance of the TSXV.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described in this news release in the United States. Such securities have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act, or any state securities laws, and, accordingly, may not be offered or sold within the United States, or to or for the account or benefit of persons in the United States or “U.S. Persons”, as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from such registration requirements.

About Dr. Phone Fix

Dr. Phone Fix is a national, award-winning, eco-friendly, and customer-centric leader in Canada’s cell phone and electronics repair and certified pre-owned device industry. Founded in 2019, the Company now operates 44 retail locations nationwide through a standardized and scalable operating platform designed to support consistent execution across multiple markets, delivering fast, reliable, and environmentally conscious repair services alongside a curated selection of certified pre-owned devices and premium accessories. Dr. Phone Fix maintains strong partnerships with OEMs and certified suppliers, ensuring consistently high-quality standards across its national footprint. With a focus on responsible device lifecycle management, customer service, and operational discipline, Dr. Phone Fix continues to set the benchmark for device care and resale in Canada.

www.docphonefix.com

NEITHER THE TSXV NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSXV) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.

Forward-Looking Information and Cautionary Statements

Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as “may”, “should”, “anticipate”, “expect”, “potential”, “believe”, “intend” or the negative of these terms and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements relating to: the final acceptance of the Offering by the TSXV; and the expected use of proceeds following the closing of the Offering. Forward-looking information in this news release is based on certain assumptions and expected future events, namely: the Company’s financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events; the TSXV will provide its final acceptance of the Offering; and the Company will be able to obtain the financing required in order to develop and continue its business and operations. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including but not limited to: the Company’s inability to obtain TSXV final acceptance for the Offering; the potential failure to complete the balance of the Offering or to raise the full anticipated gross proceeds; market conditions and investor demand for the Company’s securities; the Company’s inability to deploy the proceeds as currently intended; and general economic and market conditions. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and reflect the Company’s expectations as of the date hereof and are subject to change thereafter. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.

 

SOURCE Dr. Phone Fix

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