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Independent Reserve partners golfer Shannon Tan and Extra•Ordinary People for “Better Together” community initiative

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Community responsibility initiative “Better Together” supports the dreams and aspirations of everyday SingaporeansSigns partnerships with rising Singaporean golfer Shannon Tan and local charity Extra•Ordinary People to commemorate eleven years of excellence in cryptoPart of the exchange’s broader corporate citizenry towards community betterment

SINGAPORE, June 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — To commemorate its 11th anniversary, Independent Reserve (IR) – the first licensed cryptocurrency exchange for all investors in Singapore – is proud to unveil its new corporate responsibility initiative, “Better Together”.

Drawing on the power of partnership for greater societal good, IR will support the dreams and aspirations of everyday Singaporeans through meaningful collaboration. To kick off its efforts this year, IR has partnered with accomplished Singaporean golfer Shannon Tan and adopted Extra•Ordinary People as its Singaporean charity of choice.

Lasanka Perera, CEO of Independent Reserve Singapore said: “With 11 years in the market, Independent Reserve has grown to become a trusted name in the crypto industry. We are deeply committed to Singapore and see it as our civic duty to contribute to community.

“‘Better Together’ is a new chapter for us, where we’ll support causes that resonate with our core values of respect, integrity, inclusion and collaboration.”

Better support for local talent, raising education and awareness around golf

IR is delighted to sponsor Shannon Tan, a pioneer in golf for Singapore and the region.

At just 20 years of age, Shannon has had a remarkable rise in the game. She became the first ever Singaporean to secure a full Ladies European Tour (LET) card in December 2023, and went on to achieve the rare feat of winning a tournament on her LET debut, when she triumphed in the season-opening Magical Kenya Ladies Open in February 2024.

Shannon’s achievements have continued apace, with an impressive T3 at the Ladies Italian Open earlier this month. Her strong performances so far this season have contributed towards a high placing well within the top 60 of the Women’s Olympics Golf Rankings, with the field for the Paris Games due to be confirmed next week. Her overall attitude and performances embody the spirit of perseverance and excellence that IR seeks to support.

Through this important partnership, Shannon will work with a brand that supports her development and growth as a player, while also aligning with her strong beliefs on nurturing the local grassroots golfing community in Singapore and promoting the growth of the game across the wider region.

Shannon said: “It is a genuine honour to partner Independent Reserve in their ‘Better Together’ initiative. One of my long-term goals is to generate interest in golf among the next generation of grassroots golfers in Singapore and the wider region. This ambition has always felt important to me, and through this collaboration, we can promote the sport and inspire others to pursue their dreams on and off the golf course.”

Better inclusion & diversity by supporting special needs individuals

IR has also committed to supporting better inclusion and diversity by adopting Extra•Ordinary People – a local charity dedicated to empowering individuals with special needs and fostering an inclusive society where everyone can thrive.

Marking its second year partnering with Extra•Ordinary People, the exchange will work to raise awareness and support for individuals with special needs. Longer-term efforts will include fundraising events and more educational campaigns aimed at driving greater awareness and uplifting local communities.

“We are delighted to join forces with Independent Reserve for their ‘Better Together’ initiative,” said Ivan Chin, CEO of Extra•Ordinary People. “Their dedication to supporting individuals with special needs aligns with our mission to create an inclusive society, and we are excited about the positive impact this partnership will have.”

On the partnerships, Perera said: “We’re extremely proud to support Shannon on her golfing journey. We see many shared synergies in working together – our disciplined and calculated approach to risk as a business mirrors Shannon’s level-headedness on the course and her mindset towards her play. The collaboration also reflects IR’s long-standing heritage and culture of sportsmanship. which encourages mateship, fair play, and resilience. We hope to inspire many more young Singaporeans to embrace golf as an accessible, healthy sport.”

“Extra•Ordinary People’s dedication to empowering individuals with unique challenges aligns perfectly with our values of respect, inclusivity and social responsibility. We believe in the power of community and the importance of supporting organizations that make a tangible difference in people’s lives. Together, we can set an example and help create a society where everyone has the chance to succeed and contribute meaningfully,” Perera added.

Corporate citizenry at Independent Reserve’s core

IR has always strived to play its part as a corporate citizen to local communities, in line with its beliefs of creating a supportive environment for all to thrive. In Singapore, IR worked with the World Corporate Golf Challenge team to raise funds for Community Chest – the philanthropy and engagement arm of the National Council of Social Service.

Since 2019, IR has committed to help offset carbon emissions through various initiatives as a corporate partner of the Trillion Tree Foundation, as well as with Climeworks, a Swiss-based firm which captures CO2 from the air with its cutting-edge technology.

In Australia, IR is the Official Cryptocurrency Exchange Partner of The Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife and its Tokens for Humanity non-fungible tokens (NFT) project. Under which, the Ethereum community can purchase NFTs that plant real-life trees in fire and flood-damaged areas to conserve habitats.

“Celebrating our 11th anniversary with the launch of ‘Better Together’ is a testament to our commitment to excellence, not only in the crypto space but also in our community,” said Perera. “We look forward to making a meaningful impact through these partnerships.”

About Independent Reserve
Founded in 2013, Independent Reserve is Singapore’s trusted cryptocurrency exchange. Independent Reserve is the first exchange licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore to provide a secure platform for trading and investing in Bitcoin and other digital assets. With a focus on trust and safety, the exchange serves discerning traders and investors by offering competitive fees, advanced trading tools, and comprehensive educational resources. Adhering to the highest standards of governance, compliance, and security, Independent Reserve empowers institutions and individuals in Singapore to confidently navigate the world of cryptocurrencies.

About Shannon Tan
Shannon Tan is a professional Singaporean golfer on the Ladies European Tour (LET). Having embarked on her golfing journey since she was 5 years old, Shannon went on to compete in many prestigious international amateur golf tournaments throughout her junior days. She represented Singapore at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship, Queen Sirikit Cup and also represented APAC at the Patsy Hankins Trophy. Her talent and dedication led to a full ride-scholarship at Texas Tech University where she achieved a T-4 finish at the NCAA Division I golf regionals. She also won the 2023 Singapore Ladies Masters, a professional event on the China LPGA Tour, as an amateur.

Shannon made history as the first Singaporean to secure a full LET card, earning it by finishing tied-8th at Q-School in December 2023. Shannon turned professional in January 2024 and finished second at the Webex Players Series Murray River in her professional debut. She then went on to win on her LET debut at the Magical Kenya Ladies Open in February 2024.

Passionate about inspiring the next generation, the 20-year-old aspires to become a role model for aspiring athletes, encouraging them to pursue their dreams on and off the course.

About Extra•Ordinary People
Extra•Ordinary People was established in July 2017 as a registered charity with IPC (Institute of Public Character) status. Our core mission is to champion inclusivity and support persons with special needs through community-driven initiatives. From early childhood to adulthood, we journey alongside individuals and their families, fostering independence and actively working towards a more inclusive society. We call ourselves Extra•Ordinary People because we are all ordinary people who make the conscious decision to go the extra mile.

CONTACT: Sheena Poh, sheena.poh@independentreserve.com 

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SOURCE Independent Reserve Singapore

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SoftBank Corp. and TOPPAN Holdings Develop Lightweight, Durable Skin for Solar HAPS Aircraft Wings

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Skin’s compatibility with stratospheric conditions such as extreme UV rays and ultra-low temperatures makes longer HAPS operations possible

TOKYO, April 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SoftBank Corp. (TYO: 9434) (President & CEO: Junichi Miyakawa, “SoftBank”) and TOPPAN Holdings Inc. (TYO: 7911) (President & COO: Satoshi Oya, “TOPPAN Holdings”) jointly developed a lightweight, durable skin for use on solar High-Altitude Platform Station (HAPS) aircraft wings and devised a testing method that replicates the stratosphere’s environment. Test production will go forward, and the aircraft wing skin is planned for use with HTA-type[1] HAPS, which SoftBank plans to deploy for commercial services from 2029 onwards.     

This jointly developed HAPS aircraft wing skin and test method that reproduces stratospheric conditions were made possible by combining SoftBank’s HAPS expertise and TOPPAN Holdings’ know-how accrued over years of creating advanced multi-layered film technology designed for packaging and construction materials. TOPPAN Holdings also leveraged its proprietary technology that evaluates weather resistance. This joint development mitigates film damage (degradation) caused by strong ultraviolet (UV) rays and ultra-low temperatures of almost -100°C. As a result, the aircraft can stay in the stratosphere for longer periods. 

Development Background
HAPS, also referred to as “base stations in the sky,” provide communication services from uncrewed aircraft that remain airborne in the stratosphere. Being able to keep an aircraft with a communications payload airborne for extended periods of time would make it possible to provide an alternative means of communications in the aftermath of large-scale natural disasters, as well as provide communication services to under-connected areas, such as mountainous regions and remote islands. As these platforms operate from the stratosphere at an altitude of approximately 20 km above, they offer wider-area coverage than base stations on the ground, while also providing high-quality, high-volume, low-latency communications superior to satellite-based communications. However, at this altitude in the stratosphere, UV ray and ozone exposure is far greater than at ground level, and with exposure to extremely cold temperatures that sometimes drop to almost -100℃, impaired efficacy due to these environmental factors had been a serious issue with conventional all-purpose skins. Responding to this challenge, SoftBank and TOPPAN Holdings jointly developed a new ultra-lightweight, high-durability skin for aircraft wings capable of withstanding the harsh conditions of the stratosphere, along with a specialized methodology for its evaluation.     

Wing Skin & Evaluation Method Characteristics
1. Use of impact-resistant advanced resin and proprietary structure to achieve both lightweighting and safety
Leveraging converting technology[2] developed for packaging by TOPPAN Holdings, an optimized skin structure was achieved by precisely layering original materials and impact-resistant advanced resin suitable for use at extremely low temperature conditions. The resulting skin weighs the same as or less than average conventional all-purpose skin, and even if damage to the skin were to occur, the break-resistant design keeps damage from spreading, allowing for both a safe and lighter HAPS airframe.    

2. Advanced durability to address harsh stratospheric conditions
SoftBank has contributed real-world data from its stratospheric HAPS flights, including actual temperature measurements and deep ultraviolet (UV-C) ray exposure conditions, and has also defined requirements such as weight reduction and other performance criteria. This has enabled TOPPAN Holdings to design a skin that addresses exposure to the harsh environmental conditions of the stratosphere by applying technology developed for construction materials. These conditions particular to the stratosphere include everything from extremely low temperatures (approximately -50℃ to -95℃) to extreme heat (approximately 100℃) from direct sunlight. The skin is also resistant to short wave UV-C and high-concentration ozone (10-20 ppm, parts per million) exposure that are far stronger than at ground level. This durability will allow for extended HAPS operation periods.      

3. Establishing a testing method that simulates stratospheric conditions to ensure reliability
TOPPAN Holdings leveraged its knowledge of packaging film testing and accelerated durability testing of construction materials, to construct a new test environment that assesses the skin under a simulation of the ultralow temperatures of the stratosphere, while also facilitating the testing of simultaneous exposure from short wave UV rays and the ozone. By using this test environment, it is possible to understand the detailed mechanisms of deterioration particular to the stratosphere and to use that knowledge for improved product design. This understanding and design adjustment makes it possible to carry out a more precise and more reliable evaluation compared to former testing methods.     

Roles of Both Companies
SoftBank
Provide expertise required to evaluate the suitability of the skin as well as expertise on HAPS operations
Supervision of advancing use with HAPS aircraft and transferring advances to practical application

TOPPAN Holdings
Develop and provide skin material suitable for HAPS aircraft
Proposal for evaluation method in stratospheric environment

Future Developments
SoftBank and TOPPAN Holdings will proceed with research to make the skin material developed within the scope of this project even lighter and stronger by fiscal 2027 (the year ending March 31, 2028). Additionally, while evaluating durability in the stratosphere, both companies will also attempt to establish mass production technology capable of ensuring sufficient supply and reliable quality by fiscal 2028. Also, based on testing outcomes, additional functions will be added, and the skin is expected to be used by SoftBank on HTA-type HAPS aircraft that provide commercial services, planned for launch from 2029 onwards. Both companies also plan to apply this skin to other fields that require a high level of durability.

[1] HTA (Heavier-Than-Air) refers to HAPS that remain airborne by generating aerodynamic lift, similar to conventional aircraft.

[2] Converting technology is the process of transforming materials like film into high-function final products through specialized processing such as printing and lamination. 

For more information:
https://www.holdings.toppan.com/en/news/04/newsrelease260427_1.html 

About SoftBank Corp.
Guided by the SoftBank Group’s corporate philosophy, “Information Revolution – Happiness for everyone,” SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) operates telecommunications and IT businesses in Japan and globally. Building on its strong business foundation, SoftBank Corp. is expanding into non-telecom fields in line with its “Beyond Carrier” growth strategy while further growing its telecom business by harnessing the power of 5G/6G, IoT, Digital Twin and Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) solutions, including High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS)-based stratospheric telecommunications. While constructing AI data centers and developing homegrown LLMs specialized for the Japanese language, SoftBank is integrating AI with radio access networks (AI-RAN), with the aim of becoming a provider of next-generation social infrastructure.
https://www.softbank.jp/en/corp/

About the TOPPAN Group
Established in Tokyo in 1900, the TOPPAN Group is a leading and diversified global provider committed to delivering sustainable, integrated solutions in fields including printing, communications, security, packaging, décor materials, electronics, and digital transformation. The TOPPAN Group’s global team of more than 50,000 employees offers optimal solutions enabled by industry-leading expertise and technologies to address the diverse challenges of every business sector and society and contribute to the achievement of shared sustainability goals.
https://www.holdings.toppan.com/en/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/toppan/

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/softbank-corp-and-toppan-holdings-develop-lightweight-durable-skin-for-solar-haps-aircraft-wings-302753970.html

SOURCE TOPPAN Holdings

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TravelingWiki Foundation Launches SportsFanWiki.com, Providing Disabled Fans with Sports Venue Specific Information in Wiki Format

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The setup of SportsFanWiki.com mirrors the extremely successful format of TravelingWiki.com, which documents disability resources for all FAA Large Sized and FAA Medium Sized hub airports and leverages the launch of a GenAI platform to ensure access across society to expanded disability resources information.

LAS VEGAS, April 27, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — TravelingWiki Foundation announces the launch of SportsFanWiki.com, providing a comprehensive database of sports venue information for fans with Non Visible Disabilities. The setup of SportsFanWiki.com mirrors the extremely successful format of TravelingWiki.com, which documents disability resources for all FAA Large Sized and FAA Medium Sized hub airports.

Leadership of TravelingWiki Foundation is honored to expand to sports venue disability information, offered free to the public and funded via the the sale of cards from the extraordinary careers of Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Shohei Ohtani and Mickey Mantle.

The launch of SportsFanWiki occurs at the same time as the launch of ShoheiAutographs.com; MantleRookies.com; KobeRookies.com; and LebronRookies.com, offering market leading sports card inventory of Shohei Ohtani, Mickey Mantle, Kobe Bryant and Lebron James, respectively. The launch highlights TravelingWiki’s services offered including new Generative AI functionality via a GenAI platform currently in beta testing. The launch also spotlights TravelingWiki’s CardForACause.com platform for free disability resources offered to 20 million Americans for no cost as funded with sports cards sales nationwide via the most two recent White House administrations.

TravelingWiki CEO Jonathan Sutter notes, “Leadership of TravelingWiki Foundation is honored to expand to sports venue disability information, offered free to the public and funded via the the sale of cards from the extraordinary careers of Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Shohei Ohtani and Mickey Mantle, to highlight the critical resources offered via TravelingWiki for the Non Visible Disability community.”

More information about the non-profit work of TravelingWiki foundation is available via visiting http://www.Travelingwiki.com.

Media Contact

Jonathan Sutter, TravelingWiki Foundation, 1 4044033333, jonathan.sutter@travelingwiki.com, http://www.TravelingWiki.com

Jonathan Sutter, TravelingWiki Foundation, 1 4044033333, jonathan.sutter@travelingwiki.com, http://www.TravelingWiki.com

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View original content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/travelingwiki-foundation-launches-sportsfanwikicom-providing-disabled-fans-with-sports-venue-specific-information-in-wiki-format-302753876.html

SOURCE TravelingWiki Foundation

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AiPPT.com Expands Its Approach to Turning Information into Ready-to-Use Presentations in India

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NEW DELHI, April 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AiPPT.com has refined its platform as demand continues to grow in India for faster ways to turn everyday information into structured presentations.

Across universities, coaching centers, startups, and corporate teams, presentation work often begins with scattered material from notes, documents, and online sources. The platform focuses on converting this workflow into a single process that produces usable slides from raw input. The aim is to reduce preparation time while keeping presentations clear and ready for use.

A Workflow Built Around Content

AiPPT.com allows users to start in familiar ways. A topic can be entered directly, or files such as Word and PDF documents can be uploaded. Web content can also be converted into slides via the URL-to-PPT feature, which turns online information into structured presentations.

The system analyzes the input and builds a presentation with clear sections and logical flow. Slides are generated with formatting applied automatically, reducing manual effort.

For users looking for inspiration, AiPPT.com also provides resources such as easy presentation topics to help them get started more quickly.

From Scattered Information to Clear Communication

In academic and workplace settings, information is often spread across multiple formats. Turning this into a structured presentation can take time.

AiPPT.com simplifies this process. A report can become a meeting deck. A research paper can be turned into a seminar presentation. Startups can quickly build investor materials using the AI pitch deck generator. Educators can create structured lessons with support from tools designed for teaching, such as AI for teachers.

A Flexible System for Editing and Conversion

AiPPT.com supports full editing after generation. Users can adjust text, change slide order, or refine structure. Presentations can also be edited directly through its online PPT editor.

Users can also choose from a range of presentation templates to match different use cases. This flexibility helps users adapt presentations for classrooms, meetings, and digital sharing without rebuilding them.

About AiPPT.com

AiPPT.com is an AI-powered PPT generator focused on turning information into structured presentations. The company builds tools that connect content creation, organization, and presentation in one workflow. Its goal is to support clearer communication by helping users transform ideas and materials into ready to use slides efficiently.

Contact Information
Company Name: PIXELBLOOM PTE. LTD.
Email: support@aippt.com

Website: https://www.aippt.com/

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/aipptcom-expands-its-approach-to-turning-information-into-ready-to-use-presentations-in-india-302753879.html

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