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PQShield raises $37m in Series B funding to deliver the widespread commercial adoption of quantum resistant cryptography

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2 years ago

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PQShield will use the investment to meet fast-growing market demand from the technology supply chain for its software and hardware IP The funding comes just as NIST is due to publish the official standards for post-quantum cryptography (PQC) – the final milestone in a process that is driving the global transition to quantum-resistant cryptography

LONDON, June 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — PQShield, a cybersecurity company specializing in post-quantum cryptography (PQC), has raised $37 million in Series B funding led by Addition, with participation from new investors Chevron Technology Ventures, Legal & General and Braavos Capital, together with existing backers, Oxford Science Enterprises. 

PQShield will use the funding to expand its commercial operations as it continues to meet growing global demand for its quantum-ready cryptographic solutions for hardware, software and communications, as well as its research IP. 

The National Institute of Standards & Technology’s (NIST) post-quantum cryptography standards are due to be ratified in a matter of weeks, marking an inflexion point in the global transition to quantum security. NIST’s standards are also likely to be adopted by the International Organization for Standardisation (ISO). With new global standards in place and a series of government directives, such as the US National Security guidance (e.g CNSA 2.0), mandating the migration of critical systems to PQC from 2025, it’s now a commercial imperative to adopt PQC. This is particularly so where an organization has critical data it needs to keep secure for any length of time – in fact, if they haven’t already started planning the transition, they are already behind.

Since it was founded in 2018, PQShield has established an industry-leading team of cryptography and engineering experts who have built an extensive, secure product suite for use in hardware, software, and the cloud. Recent strategic US hires include Johannes Lintzen, who joins from Cryptomathic as Global Business Development Director, and Janssen Liston, who joins from Rambus as North America Senior Sales Director. 

PQShield’s cryptographic solutions are already helping to facilitate the transition to quantum security throughout the global technology supply chain – for example, in the secure boot and update of devices, in the Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) that secure most financial transactions, in ever-more connected vehicles, and in military grade communications systems. Customers include AMD, Microchip Technologies, Collins Aerospace, Lattice Semiconductor, Sumitomo Electric, NTT Data, Mirise Technologies (Toyota / Denso R&D), and many others. 

As well as advising businesses on the transition to quantum security, the company plans to also continue to support governments, industry bodies and cybersecurity agencies as they develop guidance around the migration to PQC. PQShield continues to play a leading role in the NIST PQC standardization project (having co-authored all four announced standards), and will continue to advise the White House, European Parliament, UK National Cyber Security Council (NCSC) and World Economic Forum (WEF) on the practical challenges involved. 

Todd Arfman of Addition said: 

“As we approach the culmination of the NIST project, we expect newly-ratified standards to help drive rapid adoption of PQC across the technology supply chain. Led by an industry-leading team with decades of experience, PQShield has quickly established itself as a leading authority in post-quantum cryptography for hardware and software. We are excited to see the business continue to build on its existing commercial success and further enhance its efforts in protecting our digital future.”

PQShield CEO and founder, Ali El Kaafarani, said: 

“I’m immensely proud to lead our team in shaping the way our digital world is protected against the threats of tomorrow. It no longer matters when a quantum computer will arrive that can break current cryptography methods: the need for quantum-resistant encryption is here today, as governments and standards agencies push to protect our most sensitive data. 

“We’re already getting our technology into the hands of customers across the supply chain, and today’s funding will enable us to deliver real-world, post-quantum hardware and software upgrades to even more organizations as they move to comply with new global standards.

“It’s our responsibility to deliver security and privacy in an increasingly digital world. Every line of code we write, every mathematical problem we solve, and every interaction we make is focused on one specific goal: keeping us all one step ahead of the attackers.”

About PQShield

PQShield is a post-quantum cryptography (PQC) company building the quantum-safe cryptography solutions that are modernizing the vital security systems and components of the global technology supply chain. We deliver real-world, high-quality secure implementations of quantum-safe cryptography in hardware, software and the cloud, as well as being a leading contributor to post-quantum cryptography standardization projects around the world.

Headquartered in the UK, with a 70 strong team across 10 countries, PQShield’s contribution has been recognised by Bloomberg, Wired, Fast Company and the World Economic Forum. The company is backed by Addition, Oxford Science Enterprises, Chevron Technology Ventures, Legal & General, Braavos Capital, Kindred Capital, Crane and Innovate UK. Its extensive catalog of research papers is available here.

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Melody Party Offers Over 20,000 Songs and Adds More Than a Thousand New Tracks Monthly, Enhancing Its Online Karaoke Experience

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56 minutes ago

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October 27, 2026

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SEOUL, South Korea, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Melody Party is a music social app featuring a variety of activities, including Mic Grab, Artist Mafia, and Singing Battle. Through its online karaoke feature, SING A SONG, the app brings the traditional karaoke experience online, removing time and location constraints and offering a music experience that combines real-time singing with social interaction.

SING A SONG features an extensive library of more than 20,000 songs, with over a thousand new songs added every month. Its diverse selection includes popular K-pop tracks, classic Korean songs, and karaoke favorites. The feature offers a free-use model, allowing users to start singing their chosen songs without paying a separate fee. This helps reduce the time and cost associated with visiting traditional coin-operated karaoke venues, making it easier to enjoy singing as part of everyday life.

In terms of functionality, SING A SONG supports pitch adjustment and independent volume controls for vocals and accompaniment, allowing users to customize their singing experience according to their preferences. Users can also create online karaoke rooms, invite friends to sing together in real time, and enjoy voice chat and social interaction.

By continuously expanding its song library and offering diverse music-based interactive experiences, Melody Party continues to strengthen its music ecosystem. Through SING A SONG, the platform aims to create an accessible, highly interactive online music social space.

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SOURCE Melody Party

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Drawing new strength from 20-year legacy, IAACA calls on global counterparts to join annual conference to fortify integrity

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October 27, 2026

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MARRAKECH, Morocco, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA), an independent and non-political anti-corruption organisation with over 190 member anti-corruption authorities (ACAs) worldwide, will co-host IAACA Annual Conference 2026 in Marrakech, Morocco next month together with the Independent Commission Against Corruption of Hong Kong, China (ICAC) and the National Authority for Probity, Prevention and Fight Against Corruption of Morocco (INPPLC) to chart a path for the global graft fight and explore cutting-edge approaches to tackle emerging corruption challenges.

Themed “Building on 20 Years of Legacy: Drawing Strength from the Past, Guarding Global Integrity for the Future”, the international event will not only mark the 20th anniversary of the IAACA, but also provide a dynamic forum for IAACA members to exchange insights and enhance co-operation.

Calling on international counterparts to participate in the conference scheduled for November 25, IAACA President Mr Woo Ying-ming, who also serves as ICAC Commissioner, said that “As the IAACA marks its 20th anniversary, the conference will bring together global anti-corruption community at a pivotal moment for collective action. I anticipate that the valuable insights and new approaches generated through the international synergy will chart a resilient strategic path for us to navigate integrity risks and draw strength from our shared legacy to guard global integrity for generations to come.”

During the conference, renowned international experts from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Basel Institute on Governance, the International Anti-Corruption Academy, and global anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies and institutions will shed light on harnessing artificial intelligence in the fight against corruption, safeguarding integrity within global climate and biodiversity frameworks and analysing global corruption measurement and systemic effectiveness.

Following the conference, the ICAC, the INPPLC, the IAACA and the UNODC will co-organise a training seminar on leveraging AI in combating corruption.

While the ICAC and INPPLC will share how AI and new technology can reshape the future of anti-graft enforcement and corruption prevention, the UNODC will provide a global perspective on using AI models in financial crime investigations and addressing the operational relevance, legal robustness and adaptability across jurisdictions.

For details of the conference and training, please visit:
https://www.icac.org.hk/icac/iaaca-morocco-2026/index.html

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SOURCE International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA)

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Viettel moves 100 million subscribers to home-grown cloud-native charging in three months – with zero downtime

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October 27, 2026

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HANOI, Vietnam, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Viettel High Technology Industries Corporation (Viettel High Tech), part of Viettel Group, has migrated more than 100 million subscribers and some 5,000 tariff plans at Viettel, Vietnam’s largest mobile operator, to vOCS 4.0, its in-house cloud-native charging system. The three-month cutover ran on a live national network with no service disruption.

Replacing a charging system is one of the riskiest projects an operator can undertake, which is why many stick with legacy platforms. Viettel High Tech reduced the risk through real-time data synchronization, parallel running and a phased cutover, with instant rollback at every stage.

The project won the Telecom Review Excellence Awards 2026 prize for Best Technology Deployment in Asia, a first for a Vietnamese company.

What it means for operators:

Scale: more than 300,000 transactions per second at latency below 5 milliseconds, across 2G–5G and fixed services on one platformLower cost: up to 50% less hardware investment than the previous generation, by sharing infrastructure with the networkAgility: new tariff plans in hours instead of days, new features three times faster and deployments about 30% fasterResilience: two active data centers about 2,000 km apart and automatic recovery in under two minutes

Viettel High Tech developed every core layer in-house, from a telecom-grade cloud-native platform and NFV-MANO orchestration to real-time charging, subscriber and balance management.

“Passing rigorous tests of real-time self-diagnosis and self-recovery is what allows an operator to keep its promise of 24/7 service to customers,” said Luu Manh Ha, CEO of Viettel Networks, which operates the system on Viettel’s network in Vietnam. “Above all, owning the charging system means an operator is not dependent on foreign vendors – it safeguards digital sovereignty and preserves business flexibility.”

“The charging system is where an operator’s business strategy turns into revenue in real time,” said Nguyen Minh Quang, CEO of Viettel High Tech. “We believe vOCS 4.0 is ready to help operators worldwide capture the value of 5G and digital services.”

In 2017, vOCS 4.0’s predecessor, vOCS 3.0, replaced a foreign vendor’s platform for 90 million Viettel subscribers. Across both generations, vOCS serves more than 220 million subscribers in 11 countries. Viettel High Tech now offers vOCS 4.0 to operators worldwide.

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SOURCE Viettel Group

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