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L’Oréal launches biggest Beauty Tech startup competition for the beauty sector across Asia and MENA to uncover marketing innovations for digital natives

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Innovators from the region’s dynamic startup ecosystem to compete for a L’Oréal-funded commercial pilot opportunity and a year-long mentorship program

MUMBAI, India, May 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — To spur the next era of beauty, L’Oréal has launched the Big Bang Beauty Tech Innovation Program in the South Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa (SAPMENA) region, including India. The biggest open innovation competition of this scale for the beauty sector, it offers promising startups the chance to develop their innovation in a commercial pilot and potential exposure to 35 markets of the SAPMENA region.

The competition emphasizes the co-creation and co-development of innovative beauty technology and marketing solutions. Startups will address one or more of the five challenge themes: Consumer Experience, Content, Media, New Commerce and Tech for Good. Through their participation, startups will have the opportunity to connect with commercial and digital leaders, including strategic partners and mentors who can offer insights to test new ideas and potential to scale.

First launched in China in 2020, the competition now extends across Asia and MENA, tapping into the dynamic startup ecosystem and immense consumer potential of these regions. From a handful of investors and companies a little over a decade ago, these regions today have grown into a dynamic hub with increasing deal flow within the global startup ecosystem.

Home to 40% of the world’s population, the SAPMENA region covers 35 markets including many of the world’s fastest growing, most populous and young markets. Its consumers are young digital natives, having an average age of 28 years (compared to the global average of 33 years) and with more than 60% purchasing online every week. Innovative e-commerce and social commerce business models and technologies are needed to reach and engage these consumers, who are leading the beauty acceleration with diverse beauty ideals and a dynamic digital culture of on-demand, always-connected and hyper social. Across Southeast Asia, India and the Middle East, the combined startup ecosystem includes over 40,000 startups, with more than 180 unicorns (startups valued US$1 billion+) and a deal flow that reached US$20 billion last year.

Vismay Sharma, President of L’Oréal SAPMENA Zone, said, “Asia and the Middle East are young, vibrant markets with a strong and dynamic startup ecosystem and opportunities for growth. Leveraging Beauty Tech, L’Oréal wants to uncover better and more novel ways of connecting with consumers and answering unmet needs through beauty innovations. We are on the lookout for unique solutions that leverage data and tech – we believe augmented tech, online platforms and digital services have great potential to elevate the consumer experience.”

Saloni Shah, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer, L’Oréal India, said, “India is home to successful start-ups that has resulted in an incredibly dynamic ecosystem. The vibrant energy, entrepreneurial spirit, and advanced digital landscape make it conducive for innovation across industries, especially in Beauty Tech. L’Oréal is committed to supporting this ecosystem, fostering collaboration, and seeking opportunities with innovative startups to shape the future of beauty.”

About the Big Bang Beauty Tech Innovation Program in SAPMENA

The Big Bang Beauty Tech Innovation Program regional open innovation competition seeks to discover, support and nurture promising startups from across the South Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa region, from countries including United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam. These startups will be given the opportunity to develop their pilots in Beauty Tech innovation in one of five challenge themes: Consumer Experience, Content, Media, New Commerce and Tech for Good. The top three SAPMENA Grand Finale winners will win a L’Oréal-funded commercial pilot opportunity and a year-long mentorship program with senior executives from L’Oréal and the program partners including Accenture, Google and Meta.

Startups who prove successful pilots in SAPMENA could have the opportunity to work with L’Oréal globally. With L’Oréal SAPMENA as a launchpad, startups could tap into an extensive network of partners and market insights.

The three regional online semi-finals for the GCC, India and Southeast Asia will culminate in an in-person SAPMENA Grand Finale. Up to ten startup finalists across SAPMENA will vie for the top prizes at the Grand Finale in Singapore on 23 October 2024. Judges will comprise senior executives from L’Oréal and the program partners.

Key dates:

Submission deadline: 13 July 2024India online semi-final: 11 September 2024Southeast Asia online semi-final: 30 September 2024SAPMENA in-person Grand Finale in Singapore: 23 October 2024

Startups passionate about creating the future of the beauty industry with L’Oréal are encouraged to apply now on the competition website by the submission deadline of 13 July 2024.

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About L’Oréal South Asia Pacific, Middle East, and North Africa (SAPMENA) Zone

Home to 3 billion people and 40% of the world’s population, the South Asia Pacific, Middle East & North Africa (SAPMENA) Zone is a major growth engine for L’Oréal and a global talent hub. The SAPMENA Zone was formed in 2021 to drive focus on consumer needs and growth in many of the world’s most populous, young and fast-growing economies. Across 13 entities and 35 markets spanning New Zealand to Morocco, the L’Oréal SAPMENA Zone is reinventing beauty experiences for our consumers through a portfolio of over 30 international brands and game-changing Beauty Tech innovations. Our business model is built on responsible and sustainable growth, with commitments which focus on three key areas – the planet, the people and our products.

About L’Oréal

For 115 years, L’Oréal, the world’s leading beauty player, has devoted itself to one thing only: fulfilling the beauty aspirations of consumers around the world. Our purpose, to create the beauty that moves the world, defines our approach to beauty as essential, inclusive, ethical, generous and committed to social and environmental sustainability. With our broad portfolio of 37 international brands and ambitious sustainability commitments in our L’Oréal for the Future program, we offer each and every person around the world the best in terms of quality, efficacy, safety, sincerity and responsibility, while celebrating beauty in its infinite plurality.

With more than 90,000 committed employees, a balanced geographical footprint and sales across all distribution networks (e-commerce, mass market, department stores, pharmacies, perfumeries, hair salons, branded and travel retail), in 2023 the Group generated sales amounting to 41.18 billion euros. With 20 research centers across 11 countries around the world and a dedicated Research and Innovation team of over 4,000 scientists and 6,400 Digital talents, L’Oréal is focused on inventing the future of beauty and becoming a Beauty Tech powerhouse.

More information on https://www.loreal.com/en/mediaroom

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MatchMove Receives Frost & Sullivan’s 2026 Asia-Pacific Cross-Border Payment and Remittance Solution Technology Innovation Leadership and 2026 Singapore Embedded Finance Company of the Year Recognitions for Advancing Embedded Finance and Cross-Border Payment Innovation

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The company is recognized for its leadership in embedded finance, cross-border payments, and programmable financial infrastructure, enabling enterprises to accelerate digital transformation across Asia-Pacific.

SAN ANTONIO, July 20, 2026 /CNW/ — Frost & Sullivan is pleased to announce that MatchMove has received the 2026 Asia-Pacific Cross-Border Payment and Remittance Solution Technology Innovation Leadership and 2026 Singapore Embedded Finance Company of the Year recognitions in the fintech and digital financial services industry for its outstanding achievements in technology innovation and customer impact. These recognitions highlight MatchMove’s leadership in transforming embedded finance and cross-border payments through a scalable banking-as-a-service (BaaS) platform that simplifies financial services while empowering enterprises to innovate with confidence.

Frost & Sullivan evaluates companies through a rigorous benchmarking process across two core dimensions: strategy effectiveness and strategy execution. MatchMove excelled in both, demonstrating its ability to anticipate market evolution, align innovation with customer needs, and deliver scalable financial infrastructure across diverse markets. “MatchMove empowers enterprises with a unified platform for digital wallets, card issuance, remittance, multi-currency settlement, and Web 3.0, enabling seamless and compliant global money movement,” said Dewi Rengganis, Senior Industry Analyst, ICT at Frost & Sullivan.

Guided by a long-term growth strategy centered on digital innovation, ecosystem partnerships, and platform expansion, MatchMove continues to redefine how enterprises embed financial capabilities into their products and services across Asia-Pacific.

The company’s strategic agility and sustained investment in API-first infrastructure, programmable finance, and compliance-by-design have helped it scale efficiently across multiple markets. Its unified BaaS platform combines cross-border payments, card issuance, virtual accounts, fund collection, and payout capabilities into a single ecosystem, allowing businesses to reduce operational complexity, accelerate deployment, and launch scalable financial solutions through one integration.

“Earning both recognitions in the same year reflects what we care about most — that our platform works at the speed our customers need. Every day, enterprises across Asia-Pacific use MatchMove to issue cards, move money across borders, and embed financial services into their products without becoming a bank themselves. That’s a hard problem to solve at scale across multiple regulatory regimes and currencies, and we’ve spent years engineering it to feel simple. This recognition from Frost & Sullivan tells the market that MatchMove is the partner of choice for enterprises serious about accelerating digital transformation through embedded finance,” said Amar Abrol, President and Co-founder, MatchMove.

By simplifying financial services through a single integration point, embedding compliance directly into platform architecture, and allowing intelligent payment orchestration across global corridors, MatchMove continues to address the evolving needs of enterprises, financial institutions, and digital platforms. Its modular architecture, broad application capabilities, and focus on operational efficiency have enabled customers to deploy innovative financial products significantly faster while supporting expansion across more than 200 countries and territories.

Frost & Sullivan commends MatchMove for setting a high standard in competitive strategy, execution, and market responsiveness. The company’s vision, technology leadership, and customer-first approach are shaping the future of embedded finance and cross-border payment infrastructure while enabling businesses to deliver seamless digital financial experiences at scale.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents the Technology Innovation Leadership recognition to a company that demonstrates exceptional technological advancement and commercialization, resulting in meaningful market impact and competitive differentiation. The Company of the Year recognition honors organizations that consistently excel in vision, innovation, customer value, and growth strategy while setting new benchmarks within their industries.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Recognition
Frost & Sullivan’s Best Practices Recognitions honor companies across regional and global markets that exhibit exceptional achievement and consistent excellence in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer experience, and strategic product development. Each recognition is the result of a rigorous analytical process in which Frost & Sullivan industry experts benchmark performance through comprehensive interviews, deep-dive analysis, and extensive secondary research. The goal is to identify true best-in-class organizations that are driving transformative growth and setting new industry standards.
Contact us: Start the discussion.

About MatchMove
MatchMove is a Singapore-headquartered Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) company and one of Asia’s leading embedded finance providers. Through its proprietary, MAS-regulated Banking Wallet OS™, MatchMove lets businesses issue accounts and cards, move payments, and offer lending — embedded directly inside their own apps, without building banking infrastructure or holding their own licences. In 2025, the platform processed over US$5 billion, issued more than 4 million cards, and reaches 200+ payout countries through 100+ partners. Recognised with the Frost & Sullivan 2026 Singapore Enabling Technology Leadership Recognition for Embedded Finance, MatchMove partners with leading banks across the region to bring compliant financial products to market in weeks, not months.

Contact:
Tarini Singh
E: Tarini.Singh@frost.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/matchmove-receives-frost–sullivans-2026-asia-pacific-cross-border-payment-and-remittance-solution-technology-innovation-leadership-and-2026-singapore-embedded-finance-company-of-the-year-recognitions-for-advancing-embedded-fina-302828509.html

SOURCE Frost & Sullivan

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Saber Astronautics releases new spacecraft constellation control and automation software SABER COMMANDER

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SYDNEY, July 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Saber Astronautics today announced the release of Saber Commander, its new spacecraft and constellation operations software.

Saber Commander builds on the operational heritage of the Predictive Ground station Interface (PIGI), recognised in the space industry for pioneering techniques in digital twin and machine learning to manage individual satellites. Saber Commander preserves that foundational heritage while supporting increasingly complex satellites, constellations, and mission requirements in the modern space age.

Originally developed in 2010 and released in 2012, PIGI pioneered new capabilities as Saber’s flagship operations software. Listed as a NASA Spinout, it was the first product globally to successfully solve spacecraft diagnostics using machine learning, allowing operators to learn the root cause of health problems on a spacecraft. 

PIGI represented a new generation of software leading efforts to visualise satellite constellations and was the first Unity game engine digital twin to receive fielding authority by the US Space Force.  This eventually led to the production of Saber’s Space Battle Management System (SBMS) which now serves as the protect-and-defend tool accepted across US Space Force Combat Command Deltas.

“PIGI was about reducing the barrier to entry to satellites, making it easier and safer to fly” said Dr. Jason Held, CEO of Saber Astronautics. “Saber Commander carries that heritage forward, with new automation, visualization, and operational scale that modern satellite constellations require.”

Developed in close collaboration with Saber’s own satellite operators, Saber Commander reflects the company’s direct operational experience through its Responsive Space Operations Centres (RSOC), in Australia and the United States. Saber currently controls 36 tonnes of spacecraft in orbit, giving the company daily exposure to the real pressures faced by mission teams.

That experience shaped Saber Commander around practical needs: faster situational awareness, clearer decision support, reduced manual workload, and automation.

 “Saber Commander takes everything we learned from our first generation of products and turned it into a platform built for the realities of modern space operations,” says Chris Schuck, Head of Product Engineering. “Larger fleets and congested orbits demand a smarter approach. We designed Commander hand-in-hand with operators to bring automation, commanding, monitoring, and situational awareness together into a single platform to reduce operator workload while giving greater confidence and control. I’m incredibly proud of what our team has built, and excited to see what our customers achieve with it.”

Please direct enquiries to: media@saberastro.com

About Saber Astronautics

Saber Astronautics’ mission is the democratization of space, reducing barriers to space flight, and making space as easy as driving a car. Founded in 2008, Saber Astronautics provides operations, mission design services, and related software. Saber has R&D laboratories and mission control centres in the USA and Australia, being a trusted supplier to traditional space and government customers worldwide.

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SOURCE Saber Astronautics

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How Curb Flow Is Driving Growth for Ride Demand and Technology Partners Across the US, UK and Canada

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New data from GoRide partnership shows drivers on Curb Flow spend 26% more time on trips and complete 16% more hired miles

LONDON, July 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Curb, a leading mobility technology provider specialising in metered taxi payment systems, dispatch platforms and demand aggregation solutions, is opening its Curb Flow network to new demand and technology partners across the US, UK and Canada following the full public launch of Curb Flow in London. With the North American network already at scale and London now live, Curb is releasing new data from its GoRide partnership in Washington DC that demonstrates the impact of connecting supply partners to aggregated demand through a single platform.

Curb Flow enables taxi fleets and technology providers, including those operating their own meter and dispatch systems, to integrate with the platform and gain access to demand from sources including Uber, Curb’s consumer app, Taxi Butler, HQ and Gridd. The open integration model means drivers and fleets using existing technology systems can join the network without switching platforms.

GoRide is a taxi technology system provider operating in Washington DC that integrated into Curb Flow as a supply partner, giving its drivers access to Curb Flow’s ride demand. The partnership demonstrates how taxi technology providers with their own systems can connect to the Curb Flow network to unlock additional trip volume for their drivers. In Washington DC, Curb Flow now accounts for nearly half of all trips completed by participating drivers, with some GoRide drivers completing more than 650 trips per month.

These results reflect broader performance across the Curb Flow network. Drivers using the platform spend 26% more time on trips and complete 16% more hired miles, while Curb’s nationwide booking volume has quadrupled since 2023.

Dorel Tamam, Vice President of the Mobile Business Unit at Curb, says: “With Curb Flow now live in London, we are opening the network to additional partners, regardless if they run their own system or not. The results show what happens when you remove the barriers to consistent, aggregated demand and supply.”

The GoRide partnership has become one of the strongest proof points for the Curb Flow model in North America, with consistent month-over-month growth in trip volume and driver participation since launch. That track record is now informing how Curb approaches new supply partnerships in the UK market.

Ermias Wosenu, CEO and Founder GoRide, says: “Integrating with Curb Flow gave our drivers access to a significant new source of demand without requiring them to change how they work. The volume of trips through the platform has grown consistently since we launched, and it has been a straightforward way for us to expand what we can offer our drivers.”

Curb Flow launched in London in March and is currently operating with an initial network of supply and demand partners, bringing additional trip opportunities to black cab drivers through a single platform.

Operators and technology providers ready to join the next phase of Curb Flow in London can find out more and register their interest at https://www.gocurb.co.uk/curb-flow.

Notes to Editors

Curb analysed the data from operating cabs during March 2026 in the Washington DC district.

About Curb 

Curb reimagines urban mobility with a driver-first approach, offering transparency and seamless access to rides. Connected to over 100,000 drivers in 65+ cities across the US, UK, and Canada, Curb powers millions of rides and billions of dollars in payment transactions annually. Its innovative platform unifies taxis and for-hire vehicles, serving passengers, drivers, and fleet management. Curb’s B2B services support transit agencies, healthcare providers, and businesses, helping cities and organizations move efficiently.

Media Contact:
8020 Communications
curb@8020comms.com 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/how-curb-flow-is-driving-growth-for-ride-demand-and-technology-partners-across-the-us-uk-and-canada-302828612.html

SOURCE Curb

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