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Novo Holdings announces investment in AgNext Technologies, an agricultural and food technology company developing AI-based solutions for more sustainable agriculture

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SINGAPORE, June 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Novo Holdings today announced that it has led an investment in AgNext Technologies Private Limited, a breakthrough agricultural and food technology company enhancing trust along the food chains by innovating artificial intelligence-based food quality assessment technologies.

Founded in 2016 with operations in India and Abu Dhabi, UAE, AgNext Technologies is committed to advancing, scaling, and commercialising an integrated platform for rapid, precise, cost-effective and portable food quality evaluations, benefiting all stakeholders across the agricultural value chain.

By digitising quality assessment, the company is establishing benchmarks for ensuring transparency in food transactions from origination to consumption. The company has built scalable models providing fair pricing in food chains, usage of unadulterated crop inputs, quality-assessed procurement for businesses and consumption of safe unadulterated food across food chains notably in grains, pulses, oilseeds, spices and herbs. AgNext’s solutions also significantly enhance efficiency and profitability within the food ecosystem.

This latest funding round will support the company’s efforts to further develop technologies for food quality assessments and enable the building of a team that will scale its product sales internationally and into new food segments.

The deal also marks the first Asia investment in the planetary health sector for Novo Holdings, supporting its broader strategic goal of making investments that address planetary health and drive the green transition – to feed a growing world population, fight climate change and create sustainable cities.

Dr Amit Kakar, Managing Partner and Head, Novo Holdings Asia, said: 

“This investment presents an exciting opportunity for Novo Holdings to collaborate with AgNext’s management team in markets with unmet needs, prioritising both organic and inorganic growth in the food and agritech space in the near and long term. With an innovative technology offering, AgNext is poised to capture opportunities to grow its business across various sectors and regions. Further, the company’s focus on unique and customised solutions aligns well with our vision of supporting transformative technologies in the bioindustrial and planetary health sector.”

Navjeewan Khosla, Partner, Novo Holdings Asia, added: 

“The food quality testing industry in India is driven by solid growth in the broader agricultural industry as well as a growing focus on quality control. With our investment in AgNext, we look forward to working closely with the company on its growth journey, leveraging our expertise and network to drive innovation and sustainable impact in the agritech space.”

Taranjeet Singh Bhamra, Founder and CEO, AgNext Technologies, said: 

“We at AgNext have been focused on digitising food chains enabling greater transparency and profitability for stakeholders. We are delighted to welcome Novo Holdings as an investor. Their global outlook and deep sector expertise will be valuable in supporting our mission of consolidating and integrating the best technologies for building the next generation in global food chains.”

Deepa Hingorani, Partner, Planetary Health Investments, Novo Holdings Asia, concluded:

Asia offers compelling opportunities for Novo Holdings to scale up its investments in infrastructure within bioindustrials and planetary health. By investing in these areas, we aim to support our companies in their growth and ambitions to make an impact on people and planet.”

About Novo Holdings A/S

Novo Holdings is a holding and investment company that is responsible for managing the assets and the wealth of the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The purpose of Novo Holdings is to improve people’s health and the sustainability of society and the planet by generating attractive long-term returns on the assets of the Novo Nordisk Foundation. Wholly owned by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, Novo Holdings is the controlling shareholder of Novo Nordisk A/S and Novonesis A/S (Novozymes A/S) and manages an investment portfolio with a long-term return perspective. In addition to managing a broad portfolio of equities, bonds, real estate, infrastructure and private equity assets, Novo Holdings is a world-leading life sciences investor. Through its Seed, Venture, Growth, Asia, Bioindustrial and Principal Investments teams, Novo Holdings invests in life science companies at all stages of development. As of year-end 2023, Novo Holdings had total assets of EUR 149 billion. www.novoholdings.dk

About the Novo Nordisk Foundation

Established in Denmark in 1924, the Novo Nordisk Foundation is an enterprise foundation with philanthropic objectives. The vision of the Foundation is to improve people’s health and the sustainability of society and the planet. The Foundation’s mission is to progress research and innovation in the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic and infectious diseases as well as to advance knowledge and solutions to support a green transformation of society.

www.novonordiskfonden.dk/en

About AgNext Technologies

AgNext Technologies is an agritech company dedicated to revolutionizing food quality assessment along the agricultural value chain. Through its integrated platform for rapid, precise, and cost-effective portable food quality evaluations, AgNext is empowering stakeholders to make informed decisions that drive sustainability and efficiency within the agricultural ecosystem.

https://agnext.com

 

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iSOFT Contributes Intelligent Driving OS as AUTOSAR CAPI Global Code Baseline

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SHANGHAI, June 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — At the 17th AUTOSAR Open Conference (AOC) in Shanghai, iSOFT (iSOFT Infrastructure Software Co., Ltd.) contributed its self-developed intelligent driving operating system as the global code baseline for AUTOSAR’s Common Adaptive Platform Implementation (CAPI) – a notable milestone in the evolution of the global smart vehicle industry.

“This is a paradigm shift from ‘standard-first’ to ‘code-first,’ responding to new industrial demands of the intelligent connected era,” said Liu Hongqian, General Manager of iSOFT. “Open source enables collaboration but must meet automotive-grade safety and performance requirements. iSOFT was the first to open-source EasyXMen, and CAPI reinforces our commitment. As the first international code standard baseline from a Chinese enterprise, this is Chinese wisdom going global. CAPI lets global enterprises develop on one codebase, significantly reducing adaptation costs.”

Joachim Langenwalter, AUTOSAR spokesperson, underscored China’s lead: “China is the world’s largest automotive market at 30 million vehicles annually. Other countries are keeping a close eye on Chinese-developed technology. iSOFT leveraged ‘China speed’ to establish CAPI’s foundation, allowing specifications and code to evolve in lockstep with shortened feedback cycles. AUTOSAR transcends geopolitical boundaries; this unified codebase will be used worldwide.”

Patrick Will, Head of SW Product Marketing & Management at Infineon, noted the accelerating transformation: “The open-source shift is accelerating and automotive mindsets are changing. iSOFT and Infineon are aligned in a shared vision: to streamline software development processes. Our DRIVECORE platform integrates iSOFT middleware with Infineon software and hardware layers, enabling customers to kick off their projects swiftly without encountering licensing barriers. ‘China-for-China’ development is increasingly essential, yet global collaboration matters — walls make no sense.”

Yu Peng, XPENG Motors Technical Center GM, explained CAPI’s value: “It delivers three key benefits for OEMs: reduced redundant costs, enhanced supply chain security, and accelerated ecosystem collaboration. CAPI solves the structural tension where foundational software moves too slowly while upper layers iterate in weeks. It provides a ‘common foundation’ for chip vendors, software suppliers, and automakers to co-develop on the same baseline. China’s mass-production practices now feed back into global standards while global standards better serve China.”

With 25 million-plus units deployed across 300-plus vehicle models, iSOFT’s OS brings production-proven middleware to the global stage through CAPI’s open, collaborative framework for the software-defined vehicle era.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/isoft-contributes-intelligent-driving-os-as-autosar-capi-global-code-baseline-302801042.html

SOURCE iSOFT

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METI-Supported Global South-Japan Tech Talent Internship Opens Applications for 2026 Program

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Program connects STEM students from the Global South with leading Japanese companies through on-site and online internships

TOKYO, June 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Applications are now open for the Global South-Japan Tech Talent Internship (GS-JTI), a program sponsored by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), with Deloitte Tohmatsu Venture Support Co., Ltd., serving as the Program Secretariat. The program aims to connect talented students and recent graduates from the Global South with Japanese companies in advanced technology fields, creating opportunities for cross-border learning, skills development, and future career growth.

The GS-JTI program is designed for students and recent graduates in STEM fields, including IT, AI, and semiconductors, who are interested in gaining real-world experience with Japanese industry. Through the program, selected participants will have the opportunity to work on meaningful projects, learn from industry mentors, and experience Japanese workplace culture.

In addition to practical work experience, the program offers various forms of participant support. These may include travel and accommodation support, visa application assistance, and 24/7 support during the internship period, in accordance with program conditions.

The program offers both on-site internships in Japan and online internship opportunities. On-site internships are scheduled for approximately 1.5 months between September 2026 and February 2027, while online internships are scheduled for approximately one month during the same period, subject to host company conditions.

Applicants must satisfy the program’s eligibility requirements. Eligible candidates include individuals who:

are majoring in STEM-related fields, including IT, AI, and semiconductors.are currently enrolled at a university or have graduated within the last three years.possess working proficiency in English.are citizens of countries listed on the OECD DAC List (excluding the People’s Republic of China); andreside outside Japan at the time of application.

Past program feedback indicates strong participant interest in future engagement with Japanese employers. According to program materials, 94% of previous interns expressed interest in working for Japanese companies after completing the internship.

The GS-JTI program seeks to contribute to skills development, cross-cultural exchange, and longer-term collaboration between Japan and future technology professionals from the Global South.

For additional information about the program, please visit:
** https://gs-jti.go.jp/foreign-talent/**

To register and apply, please visit:
** https://hub.techjapan.work/register**

Contact
Global South – Japan Tech Talent Internship (GS-JTI) Program Secretariat
(Contractor: Deloitte Tohmatsu Venture Support Co., Ltd.)
Email address: gs_hr_exchange_support@tohmatsu.co.jp

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/meti-supported-global-south-japan-tech-talent-internship-opens-applications-for-2026-program-302797841.html

SOURCE DELOITTE TOHMATSU VENTURE SUPPORT CO., LTD.

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U.S. News Unveils 2026-2027 Best Global Universities Rankings

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Universities in more than 100 countries are evaluated in the newest edition.

WASHINGTON, June 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in education rankings and consumer advice, today published the 2026-2027 Best Global Universities rankings, which evaluate more than 2,250 schools on academic research and reputation.

The latest edition includes universities from more than 100 countries. The following countries have the most schools in the overall rankings:

China: 409United States: 275India: 123United Kingdom: 93Japan: 86

“For students seeking universities with strong academic excellence and global recognition, the Best Global Universities rankings offer an essential comparative resource,” said LaMont Jones, Ed.D., managing editor for Education at U.S. News. “Our methodology focuses on a school’s research mission and scholarly impact, helping students identify institutions that are truly at the forefront of global knowledge creation.”

Of the 51 subject rankings, four will have more schools ranked this year, including: water resources; chemical engineering; energy and fuels; and clinical medicine.

Powered by data and metrics from the Web of Science Core Collection and InCites Benchmarking & Analytics provided by Clarivate, a leading global provider of transformative intelligence, the Best Global Universities methodology weighs factors that measure a university’s global and regional research reputation and academic research performance.

For the overall ranking, this includes bibliometric indicators such as publications, citations and international collaboration. Each of the 51 subject rankings has its own weighting based on academic research performance in that specific area.

2026-2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities
*See the full rankings here.

Overall Best Global Universities – Top 10

Harvard UniversityMassachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)Stanford UniversityUniversity of OxfordUniversity of CambridgeTsinghua UniversityUniversity of California BerkeleyYale UniversityUniversity College LondonColumbia University

Africa – Top 3

University of Cape Town (South Africa)Cairo University (Egypt)University of Witwatersrand (South Africa)

Asia – Top 3

Tsinghua University (China)National University of Singapore (Singapore)Peking University (China)

Australia/New Zealand – Top 3

University of Melbourne (Australia)University of Sydney (Australia)University of New South Wales Sydney (Australia)

Europe – Top 3

University of Oxford (United Kingdom)University of Cambridge (United Kingdom)University College London (United Kingdom)

Latin America – Top 3

Universidade de Sao Paulo (Brazil)Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile (Chile)University of Buenos Aires (Argentina)

The Best Global Universities rankings serve the broader U.S. News mission of providing trusted information and rankings – such as Best High Schools, Best Colleges and Best Online Programs – to empower all students in making informed choices about their education.

For more information on the Best Global Universities, visit X, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram using #BestGlobal.

About U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report is the global leader for journalism that empowers consumers, citizens, business leaders and policy officials to make confident decisions in all aspects of their lives and communities. A multifaceted media company, U.S. News provides unbiased rankings, independent reporting and analysis, and consumer advice to millions of people on USNews.com each month. A pillar in Washington for more than 90 years, U.S. News is the trusted home for in-depth and exclusive insights on education, health, politics, the economy, insurance, personal finance, travel, automobiles, real estate, careers and consumer products and services.

About Clarivate

Clarivate is a leading global provider of transformative intelligence. We offer enriched data, insights & analytics, workflow solutions and expert services in the areas of Academia & Government, Intellectual Property and Life Sciences & Healthcare. For more information, please visit www.clarivate.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/us-news-unveils-2026-2027-best-global-universities-rankings-302800745.html

SOURCE U.S. News & World Report, L.P.

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