Connect with us

Technology

Isuzu and TIER IV Form Capital and Business Alliance

Published

on

– Alliance Gears Up for Level 4 Autonomous Driving –

TOKYO, March 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Isuzu Motors Limited (headquartered in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan; President and COO: Shinsuke Minami; hereinafter Isuzu) and TIER IV, Inc. (headquartered in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan; Founder, CEO and CTO: Shinpei Kato; hereinafter TIER IV) have agreed to form a capital and business alliance for the development of autonomous driving systems for route buses. In this tie-up, Isuzu will invest six billion yen (approximately 40 million US dollars) in TIER IV.

The alliance is aimed at speeding up the development and deployment of autonomous driving systems, specifically designed for route buses, with the overarching goal of delivering Level 4 autonomous driving.

Isuzu and TIER IV have reached an agreement to develop autonomous driving systems and expand business initiatives in the route bus sector. Through the synergy of TIER IV’s advanced technologies and Isuzu’s extensive data and expertise in route buses, the companies will develop vehicles and systems compatible with Level 4 autonomous driving. Looking ahead, Isuzu envisions delivering comprehensive solutions to bus operators, offering route buses equipped with autonomous driving systems.

TIER IV, the pioneering force behind the world’s first open-source software for autonomous driving, “Autoware”*1, has been involved in proof-of-concept tests around the world, harnessing the software that facilitates the design and development of safe and reliable systems. Underscoring TIER IV’s technological advancements in this domain, the company has been selected by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) for the “Open Platform Software for Automated Driving,”*2 research and development project, as part of the Green Innovation Fund Projects.

In May 2023, Isuzu Group announced it would invest a total of one trillion yen by 2030 towards carbon neutrality initiatives and advanced DX (Digital Transformation) for logistics. As the shortage of drivers in the logistics and public transportation sector intensifies, Isuzu believes that the development and widespread adoption of autonomous driving technology, which underpins DX for logistics, will not only address these societal challenges, but also act as a key driver for Isuzu Group’s business in the future.

Through this partnership, Isuzu and TIER IV are committed to leading innovation in the autonomous driving segment, bringing a broad range of benefits to society.

*1 “Autoware” is a registered trademark of the Autoware Foundation.
*2 NEDO news release (July 19, 2022) / TIER IV news release (July 19, 2022)

Outline of Isuzu
Company name: Isuzu Motors Limited
Establishment: April 1937
Representative: Shinsuke Minami, President and Representative Director, COO
Number of employees: 44,495 (as of the end of March 2023)
Business description: Manufacture and sale of automobiles, transportation machinery and equipment, engines and other products, their parts and related materials and supplies
Website: https://www.isuzu.co.jp/world/

Outline of TIER IV
Company name: TIER IV, Inc.
Establishment: December 2015
Representative: Shinpei Kato, Founder, CEO and CTO
Number of employees: Approximately 330 (as of the end of January 2024)
Business description: Development of autonomous driving systems and platform business
Website: https://tier4.jp/en

Media Contact
pr@tier4.jp 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/isuzu-and-tier-iv-form-capital-and-business-alliance-302079512.html

SOURCE TIER IV,INC

Continue Reading

Technology

Crab2B Makes AsiaWorld-Expo Debut, Connecting Hong Kong’s Mobile Wholesalers with Global Buyers

Published

on

By

HONG KONG, Oct. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Crab2B, a pioneering B2B trading platform dedicated to mobile devices and digital products, will make its debut at the HKICEC Global Mobile Exchange Pavilion during the Global Sources Hong Kong Shows, opening at AsiaWorld-Expo on October 18, 2026.

Hong Kong has long been a major hub for electronics wholesale trade, but buyers still often rely on fragmented channels to identify suppliers. Crab2B was created to bridge this gap, bringing Hong Kong-based mobile and digital product wholesalers together on one dedicated B2B platform. Headquartered in Hong Kong, Crab2B combines the manufacturing strength of mainland China and the Greater Bay Area’s extensive supply chain capabilities with Hong Kong’s established global trading network. Together, these strengths enable Crab2B to simplify cross-border sourcing, connect buyers directly with suppliers and make international trade more accessible and efficient.

For its first appearance at a major industry trade show, Crab2B is bringing together more than 200 merchants already registered on the platform, marking a significant milestone in its development. The Crab2B booth is expected to attract electronics traders from Southeast Asia, Europe, the Middle East and beyond. Visitors will be able to discover the app’s capabilities through live demonstrations, register on the platform and connect directly with participating merchants to explore business opportunities.

A buyer who experienced the Crab2B app shared: “With Crab2B, we no longer have to search far and wide for reliable suppliers. The platform brings Hong Kong’s mobile phone wholesalers together in one place, giving us greater visibility into available products and sourcing opportunities. Whether I’m at my desk or on the move, I can find products and connect with suppliers whenever I need to. For businesses like ours that source across borders, that kind of access makes a real difference. It saves time, reduces transaction costs and helps us do business more efficiently.”

Crab2B CEO Luo Yaohong said, “We want to be pioneers in cross-border B2B trading for digital products, creating new opportunities for Hong Kong’s wholesale industry. As Hong Kong places greater emphasis on developing digital trade, we’re addressing a longstanding gap in the market with a dedicated digital platform that connects Hong Kong’s electronics suppliers directly with buyers around the world. Our ambition is to make cross-border trading easier, faster and more accessible, while helping Hong Kong businesses reach new markets.”

The platform’s trade show debut is also attracting attention from international merchants, with exhibitors expressing interest in joining Crab2B to expand their reach into overseas markets. Meanwhile, merchants already registered on the platform are looking forward to the launch of its planned online marketplace, which will create further opportunities for sustained collaboration and business growth.

Building on this debut, Crab2B will remain firmly rooted in Hong Kong while expanding its connections with businesses around the world. The company will continue to enhance its platform with smarter sourcing tools, more comprehensive trading capabilities and an increasingly connected network of suppliers and buyers. By making it easier to discover products, establish business relationships and conduct cross-border transactions, Crab2B aims to open new opportunities for merchants of all sizes and help shape the next chapter of Hong Kong’s digital trade industry.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/crab2b-makes-asiaworld-expo-debut-connecting-hong-kongs-mobile-wholesalers-with-global-buyers-302911938.html

SOURCE Crab2B

Continue Reading

Technology

Canton Fair Buyers Alliance Launched as the 140th Edition Opens

Published

on

By

GUANGZHOU, China, Oct. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On October 15, the Canton Fair Buyers Alliance was officially launched at the Canton Fair Complex, marking a significant milestone as the fair celebrates the 70th anniversary of its founding.

More than 140 overseas buyers attended the launch ceremony, highlighting the fair’s enduring role as a bridge connecting global commerce with China’s export sector.

Speaking at the ceremony, Luís Vilariça, CEO of Joinco, Import & Export, Ltd., discussed his company’s long-standing relationship with the Canton Fair. Drawing on years of participation, he reflected on the growth opportunities created through cooperation with Chinese suppliers and highlighted the fair’s role in supporting international business development and global trade exchanges.

The ceremony also featured a joint declaration by alliance members. Representatives from five member companies read the statement in their respective native languages, underscoring the international character of the new organization. Additional members sent video congratulatory messages, joining the celebration and witnessing the official launch of the alliance.

The Canton Fair Buyers Alliance represents one of the fair’s key service innovations. Designed primarily for Fortune Global 500 companies, buyers from the world’s top 250 retailers and leading sourcing enterprises across a diverse range of markets, the alliance aims to offer members a platform for information sharing and resource coordination. The first cohort of alliance members includes 58 companies from 32 countries and regions across 5 continents. Through the alliance, members will gain access to a range of priority benefits spanning four major areas: services, events, resources and information.

 For more convenient attendance, please click here for pre-registration:

https://buyer.cantonfair.org.cn/register/buyer/email?source_type=16

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/canton-fair-buyers-alliance-launched-as-the-140th-edition-opens-302911896.html

SOURCE Canton Fair

Continue Reading

Technology

Bioethanol from human hair – Indian start-up’s solution to rising prices of grains and sugar

Published

on

By

GUJARAT, India, Oct. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — In what could be called the beginning of the 5G (fifth-generation) of bioethanol or non-cellulosic bioethanol or non-sugar-based biofuels, an Indian start-up, Techofest Global, based out of Gujarat, has developed its own, indigenous, and patented technology for the production of bioethanol from waste human hair. Such processes would significantly reduce the employment of sugars, grains, and agricultural residues, which form the classical first- and second-generation bioethanol feedstocks. As a result, the rising fuel-vs.-food/fodder debate is anticipated to reduce, and instead, ethanol produced from municipal/industrial waste, after trials, can supplement the current supply being used as blends with presently retailed fossil fuels (E20, E27, etc.). 

As stated by Dr. Ravi, the founder-CEO of Techofest Global, the strategic priority and the USP of the start-up is industrial symbiosis, which, typically, involves an ecosystem of up-cycling/valorising the effluents of an industry, thereby creating a value-chain for residues often lacking an end-of-life. With more than three decades of experience in designing customized nuclear fusion reactors for international programmes, such as ITER, JET/UKAEA and SST-1, Dr. Ravi, a seasoned mechanical engineer, spearheads the start-up’s patented technologies’ scale-up and commercialization.

Two biochemical engineers, Dr. Navnit – the former CTO, and Dr. Kabilan – the former CEO of Biomakerz, Chennai, are the brains behind the current technology/process portfolio of the joint-venture between Techofest Global and Biomakerz. They have been working on biorefineries’ process intensification for more than a decade. “Having foreseen the fuel-vs-fodder/food competition as early as the year 2015, we began developing techno-economically feasible and viable in-vitro metabolically-engineered bioprocesses for scaling-up ethanol production from municipal waste streams between 2019–2021”, says Navnit. After developing operational technologies for international biofuel organizations, serving process engineer roles with certain biorefineries-related OMC R&D’s of India, Dr. Navnit, presently works for a premier academic institution.

An on-going fermentation trial at the Techofest Global-Biomakerz JV’s R&D facility

Techofest Global has developed and tested, in its R&D JV’s pilot-facility of ~100-L, 3 innovative and cost-effective technologies, such as 5G ethanol production using human hair, used cooking oil (UCO), and enriched bio-methane production from disposed sanitary napkins.

“With massive CapEx and OpEx, 2G ethanol technology is facing a major commercialization bottleneck, owing to competition with food/livestock fodder, requirement of a cost-intensive pre-treatment procedure, and the requirement of cellulolytic cocktails, which have a poor recycle efficiency. The proprietary 5G SAFE process developed for the start-up circumvents the mentioned constraints, and instead, utilizes a single-stage saccharification followed by fermentation, and records over 85–90% biocatalyst recovery. Likewise, the proprietary SIM process for bio-methane production, exclusively developed for the start-up, is 2x faster with improved intermittent feeding cycles and continuous gas harvest”, says Navnit.

“With on-going pre-commercialization trials, the proprietary ethanol and bio-methane processes of ours are soon being commercialized”, says Ms. Bhumika, the co-founder and the corporate advisor of the start-up. Furthermore, Mr. Ronak pilots the organization’s global market entry and commercialization frontier.

Techofest Global’s veteran Principal Technology Advisors include: Dr VS Tripathi, former Joint Director, DRDE Gwalior, Dr B S Munjal, former Director, Structures and Thermal group, SAC/ISRO, Academician and Advisor CIKS-Dharohar, GTU, and Dr AV Santhanababu, former Scientist at Satish Dhawan Space Centre. With on-going R&D activities, Dr. Munjal says, “the start-up is striving to provide a unique solution along the lines of the Atmanirbhar and Viksit Bharat Vision 2047”.

Media Contact: www.techofestglobal.com; e-mail: info@techofestglobal.com; contact person: The PR team of Techofest Global.

Photo: https://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS2015507/Picture1.jpg?id=OA3024965&token=5vT9XuZXAG0yamsZlRrsBAiUapaplm73wYH8NIfU0xCtOlj76dueXcTw2Eb-3w

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/bioethanol-from-human-hair–indian-start-ups-solution-to-rising-prices-of-grains-and-sugar-302911813.html

Continue Reading

Trending