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U.S. Minority Business Development Agency and Urban Strategies, Inc. Announce New Partnership to Strengthen Opportunities and Access for Minority Businesses

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BALTIMORE, July 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development at the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Eric Morrissette and Esther Shin, president of Urban Strategies, Inc. (USI), celebrated a partnership with the signing of a memorandum of understanding to strengthen opportunities and access for emergent enterprises of color throughout the country.

As a federally designated Community Development Financial Institution, Urban Strategies’ CDFI focuses on helping underserved businesses and communities prosper with training and expertise in accessing necessary resources.

“The ability for Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and other marginalized communities to dream and actualize their economic goals is oftentimes a hard-fought battle. These entrepreneurial dreamers, in partnership with USI and the USI CDFI, are building a pathway to access resources with thoughtful funders and strategic partners who understand the systemic challenges that call for meaningful and equitable strategies. USI is proud to solidify this partnership with the Minority Business Development Agency to create pathways for families with enterprising aspirations to achieve stability, prosperity, and liberation.” – Esther Shin, USI, President

The mission of the MBDA is to foster, promote and develop minority enterprises, including promoting their growth and global competitiveness, by providing technical assistance and highlighting business development opportunities. Financial assistance provided by the agency is designed to help deliver a range of services.

Through the partnership, USI and the MBDA will work as strategic partners to scale access to services and capital for emergent businesses of color, leveraging the capabilities of each organization to expand public awareness of their priorities, initiatives and resources. They will also identify opportunities to support each other’s work, with efforts to recognize USI as a collaborator with MBDA grantees nationwide, including sharing information about USI activities through MBDA networks.

USI will provide opportunities for MBDA officials to speak at and become engaged in USI-hosted events and share information about the agency’s programs through its network.

About the U.S. Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA): 

The U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency is the only Federal agency dedicated to the growth and global competitiveness of U.S. minority business enterprises (MBEs). For more than 50 years, MBDA’s programs and services have better equipped MBEs to create jobs, build scale and capacity, increase revenues, and expand regionally, nationally, and internationally.                                                      

About USI CDFI
The USI Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Certification is a designation given by the CDFI Fund to specialized organizations that provide financial services in low wealth communities and to people who lack access to financing. The USI CDFI provides equitable access to affordable financial products and services. For information www.usi-cdfi.org

About Urban Strategies Inc.
Founded in 1978, Urban Strategies, Inc. is a national nonprofit leader with extensive experience in implementing results-based human capital development strategies in communities that are undergoing physical revitalization. USI supports communities while working with partners to develop economic opportunities, cradle-to-college/career success, high quality health services and a range of comprehensive service supports. The organization is leading people efforts and neighborhood transformation in 32 cities and 48 communities across the nation. USI’s mission is to help ensure that all families will be stable and thriving. For more information www.usi-inc.org.

Contact:
Cindy Wallach 
1-314-922-8060 
cindy@sagemarketingpr.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/us-minority-business-development-agency-and-urban-strategies-inc-announce-new-partnership-to-strengthen-opportunities-and-access-for-minority-businesses-302208732.html

SOURCE Urban Strategies, Inc

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Signant Health and Lothar Medical Sign Letter of Intent to Commercialize ALDS PRO for Clinical Trials

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Collaboration creates a path to combine Signant’s market-leading eCOA and digital endpoint capabilities with Lothar Medical’s three-in-one ALDS PRO respiratory assessment system

PHILADELPHIA, and WÜRZBURG, Germany, Sept. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Signant Health, a leading provider of evidence generation solutions for clinical trials, and Lothar Medical today announced that they have signed a letter of intent outlining a planned strategic collaboration to bring Lothar Medical’s next-generation pulmonary function technology to the global clinical trial market.

The companies are discussing plans to develop an integrated clinical trial offering that combines Signant’s electronic clinical outcome assessment (eCOA) solutions, including TrialMax®, with Lothar Medical’s ALDS PRO, an all-in-one respiratory assessment system. The planned offering would help sponsors connect patient-reported symptoms and daily functioning with objective measures of pulmonary function and airway inflammation, providing a more complete view of treatment effects in respiratory studies.

ALDS PRO combines three essential respiratory assessments — spirometry, airway oscillometry, and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) –in one portable, guided system. By replacing multiple devices and disconnected assessment workflows with a single solution, the combined technologies will simplify equipment management and training for sites, promote more consistent data collection across study locations, and create a more straightforward assessment experience for patients.

Oscillometry is increasingly used alongside spirometry and FeNO in clinical trials to capture airway mechanics during normal tidal breathing. FeNO provides an objective measure associated with airway inflammation. Bringing these complementary assessments together will help sites collect broader respiratory evidence with less workflow fragmentation and operational challenges.

As part of the planned commercialization framework, the companies intend Signant to serve as the exclusive provider of ALDS PRO for drug trial applications. Signant and Lothar Medical will work together on the scientific, technical, operational, and commercial activities required to prepare the solution for use by study sponsors and clinical research sites.

The collaboration supports Signant’s Sensor-Enhanced eCOA (SEE) strategy, which brings together patient-reported outcomes and sensor-generated evidence through a unified scientific, operational, and technology approach. Signant’s acquisition of Ametris, formerly ActiGraph, combined its eCOA capabilities with validated wearable-derived digital outcome measures, creating a platform designed to connect what patients report with continuous, objective measures of how they move, sleep, and function.

“Respiratory development programs increasingly need evidence that reflects both the patient’s real life experience and the underlying physiology of disease,” said Roger Smith, chief executive officer of Signant Health. “Our planned collaboration with Lothar Medical creates a compelling path to bring its innovative pulmonary function technology to clinical research. By combining ALDS PRO with TrialMax and Ametris, we intend to give sponsors an integrated and more accurate way to capture patient-reported, respiratory, and movement-based evidence while designing an experience that is more manageable for sites and patients.”

“ALDS PRO was created to make comprehensive pulmonary assessment more accessible and less fragmented,” said David Markus Thomas, managing director of Lothar Medical. “Signant brings the eCOA leadership, digital endpoint expertise, scientific depth, and global clinical trial infrastructure needed to translate that vision into a purpose-built solution for research. This planned collaboration represents an important step toward making ALDS PRO available to sponsors and sites conducting respiratory trials around the world.”

Experience ALDS PRO at ERS 2026

The companies are announcing the planned collaboration ahead of the European Respiratory Society International Congress 2026, taking place September 5–9 in Barcelona, Spain. The two companies will staff a booth at the Congress to promote the planned partnership and gain feedback from sponsors.

Congress attendees are invited to visit Lothar Medical at booth U.02B to see demonstrations of:

Lothar Medical ALDS PRO, which combines forced spirometry, airway oscillometry, and FeNO in one portable system.
Ametris ActiGraph LEAP®, a medical-grade multisensor watch that supports the collection of movement-based digital endpoints and continuous measures of activity, sleep, and mobility.

The demonstrations will illustrate the companies’ shared vision for connecting pulmonary assessments, patient-reported outcomes, and movement-based digital measures to build a more comprehensive picture of patient health in respiratory clinical trials. Demonstrations are for showcasing device functionality and do not indicate current commercial availability of an integrated Signant–Lothar solution.

To learn more about Signant’s Sensor-Enhanced eCOA strategy, visit discover.signanthealth.com/sensor-enhanced-ecoa.

About Signant Health

Signant Health is the evidence generation company, leveraging software, deep therapeutic and scientific knowledge, and operational expertise to deliver quality evidence across traditional, virtual, and hybrid trial models. For over 25 years, 600+ sponsors and CROs of all sizes – including all Top 20 pharma – have trusted Signant’s comprehensive eClinical solutions. Our clinical outcome assessments (eCOA, clinician ratings, cognitive testing) and wearable digital health technologies powered by Ametris provide the industry’s most comprehensive evidence generation capabilities, alongside EDC, eConsent, RTSM, supply chain management, and data quality analytics. Learn more at www.signanthealth.com.

About Lothar Medical

Lothar Medical develops respiratory diagnostic technologies designed to make lung assessment faster, more comprehensive, and easier to perform. Its portable ALDS platform combines respiratory measurements with cloud-based analysis to support efficient, multidimensional lung-function assessment. ALDS PRO integrates airway oscillometry, forced spirometry, and FeNO measurement in a single system. Learn more at lothar-medical.com.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/signant-health-and-lothar-medical-sign-letter-of-intent-to-commercialize-alds-pro-for-clinical-trials-302870655.html

SOURCE Signant Health

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Creality Unveils K3, SPARKX i8 and Expanded Creative Ecosystem at IFA 2026

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BERLIN, Sept. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Creality, a global leader in 3D printing, unveiled its latest product portfolio at IFA 2026, bringing together new developments across multi-channel and multi-material 3D printing, filament recycling, resin printing, 3D scanning, laser creation, and digitally manufactured consumer products.

The new lineup arrives with recognition from the IFA Innovation Awards 2026, with the Creality M1 Filament Maker named a Winner and the new flagship K3 recognised as an Honoree. The honours highlight Creality’s continued innovation across both next-generation 3D printing and more sustainable material workflows.

Leading Creality’s 3D printing lineup are the new K3 and SPARKX i8, representing two approaches to more efficient and versatile multicolour printing. They are joined by the large-format Ender-3 V3 Mega, the new HALOT-X1 Max and HALOT-X1 Neo resin printers, the portable Pika 3D scanner, Creality’s latest A1C and T1C laser systems, and Nexbie 3D-printed footwear.

K3: Award-Recognised Multi-Channel and Multi-Material Innovation

Recognised as an IFA Innovation Awards 2026 Honoree, the K3 represents the latest evolution of Creality’s flagship K Series. Powered by the built-in KliTek™ multi-channel system, it enables nozzle swaps in just 4.8 seconds, eliminating the repeated filament retraction, reloading, and heavy purging typical of single-nozzle multicolour printers. The system cuts total print time by up to 80%* and material waste by up to 85%*.

With optional add-on accessories, the K3 unlocks advanced multi-material capabilities and mixed-nozzle printing. It handles soft, flexible filaments including TPU 85A–95A, combines materials of varying hardness in a single build, and supports hybrid nozzle configurations—pairing a 0.4 mm nozzle for high-precision outer walls with a 0.8 mm nozzle for rapid infill, boosting print efficiency by up to 30%*. Combined with an AI-assisted workflow and an open ecosystem, the K3 expands creative possibilities for makers, print farm operators, and industrial professionals alike.

*Data based on Creality’s internal testing. Actual results may vary depending on testing conditions.

M1: Award-Winning Filament Recycling

Named a Winner at the IFA Innovation Awards 2026, the M1 Filament Maker extends 3D printing into a more circular material workflow. Working with the R1 Shredder, the system enables users to process plastic and failed prints into new filament, while also supporting customised material formulations for greater experimentation and reuse.

SPARKX i8: Efficient Four-Colour Creation

The SPARKX i8 makes four-colour printing faster, cleaner, and easier to use. Its four-channel toolhead and 4-in-1 hotend keep four filaments ready at once, while a short shared melt zone minimises purging between colours, reducing material waste and transition time.

Combined with AI-assisted creation and intelligent printing features, the i8 is designed to shorten the journey from an initial idea to a finished multicolour object with fewer manual steps.

Expanding the AI-Powered Creative Ecosystem

Creality has also expanded its FDM lineup with the Ender-3 V3 Mega, combining a 420 × 420 × 420 mm build volume with support for 85A–95A TPU. Designed for large models and batch production, it brings greater scale and material flexibility to the Ender platform.

The resin lineup has grown with HALOT-X1 Max and HALOT-X1 Neo. The X1 Neo offers a compact, accessible entry point with high-resolution printing and AI-assisted creation, while the flagship X1 Max combines a 17.1 L build volume, 16K display, 40°C active heating, quad-lead-screw architecture, and a 5 L smart resin system for larger, continuous production.

For 3D scanning, the new Pika packs a seven-line blue laser and NIR scanning into a portable 260 g body, delivering accuracy up to 0.03 mm and scanning speeds of up to 110 fps. AI-powered processing and wireless connectivity further simplify the path from physical objects to editable digital models.

Creality’s latest laser solutions further extend the ecosystem into engraving, cutting, marking, and personalisation, giving creators more ways to turn digital designs into physical objects.

Beyond creative tools, Creality is showcasing the possibilities of digital manufacturing through Nexbie and its latest 3D-printed footwear collection. Models including CloudWing, CloudSpark, and CloudX combine DLP printing, advanced elastomers, and digitally engineered structures to explore new approaches to footwear design and production.

As IFA continues, Creality’s booth H20.143 remains open to visitors looking to explore its latest products and hands-on experiences. From the award-recognised K3 and M1 to new developments across multicolour printing, scanning, laser processing and digitally manufactured consumer products, the portfolio reflects Creality’s broader ambition to make advanced digital fabrication more accessible across the creative workflow.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/creality-unveils-k3-sparkx-i8-and-expanded-creative-ecosystem-at-ifa-2026-302870657.html

SOURCE Creality

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TCL Inspires Her Greatness at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026

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As a FIBA Global Partner, TCL brings TCLforHer to life through technology-enabled fan experiences that celebrate women athletes, connect fans, and extend the energy of the game beyond the court.

BERLIN, Sept. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 takes place in Berlin this September, with the world’s top women’s basketball teams competing on the sport’s biggest stage. As a FIBA Global Partner, TCL is bringing its TCLforHer initiative to life at the tournament with a series of technology-enabled fan experiences that let standout performances by women athletes be seen, shared and celebrated by audiences worldwide.

With the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 taking place in Berlin alongside IFA 2026, TCL is using this rare meeting of global sport and consumer technology to connect the energy of the court with the future of smart living.

“The FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup is a powerful platform for celebrating the confidence, resilience and teamwork that define women’s basketball,” said Wei Xue, Vice President and ESG Director of TCL Technology and Chairman of the TCL Charity Foundation. “Through TCLforHer and our partnership with FIBA, TCL is using technology not only to enhance the fan experience, but also to help the stories and achievements of women athletes inspire more women around the world.”

TCLforHer Champions Women’s Sport On and Off the Court

During the tournament, the TCL Player of the Game award will honor standout performances across 36 games, recognizing the skill, strength, leadership and resilience shown on the court.

Beyond the court, TCL’s commitment to celebrating women’s achievements extends through TCLforHer, a global initiative launched in 2021 that brings together technology, sport, and education to support women’s personal development. Through FIBA’s “Her World, Her Rules,” TCL encourages girls and women to build confidence, challenge limitations and pursue their potential through sport.

From the Court to the Living Room, TCL Brings Elite Sport Closer to Fans

TCL’s support is visible throughout the tournament through courtside advertising boards, on-court decals, media backdrops and a dedicated fan interactive booth at Berlin Arena, while fan activations—including TCL Lucky Frame, giant TIFO display and TV giveaways—turn live game highlights into memorable fan moments.

Outside the arena, TCL is extending the passion of the game to home entertainment and mobile through TVs, RayNeo glasses, and mobile devices. Whether watching the game on a large living-room screen, exploring more personal viewing through wearable displays, or following and sharing moments on mobile devices, TCL is bringing the game’s energy into more everyday settings through a richer range of on-screen experiences.

Inspiring Greatness Through Global Sports Engagement

Sport is a key pillar of TCL’s global brand strategy and a shared language through which it creates emotional connections with audiences across cultures. Spanning football, basketball, American football, esports, and more, TCL is building a global partnership network that connects fans with world-class sport.

As an Official Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner and FIBA Global Partner, TCL brings international sporting moments into everyday life through its display technologies, smart home appliances, and smart living experiences. Beyond these global sports platforms, TCL is also connecting with fans locally through football partnerships with major European national teams and clubs, creating more everyday touchpoints for fans to experience their favorite sports and teams. Together, these partnerships help TCL bring fans closer to their favorite athletes and teams, igniting more moments that Inspire Greatness every day.

About TCL

Founded in 1981, TCL—short for “The Creative Life”—is dedicated to empowering smarter, healthier lifestyles through next-generation experiences. Operating through two independent entities, TCL Industries and TCL Technology, TCL delivers innovative solutions spanning TVs, smartphones, audio products, smart home devices, display technologies, and clean energy.

Today, with 50 R&D centers and 47 manufacturing bases globally, TCL operates in over 160 countries and regions, reinforcing its position as a globally competitive smart technology brand. To further inspire greatness, TCL has become an official Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner in the Home Audiovisual Equipment and Home Appliances category. 

https://www.tcl.com/global/en
 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tcl-inspires-her-greatness-at-the-fiba-womens-basketball-world-cup-2026-302870648.html

SOURCE TCL Technology Group Corporation

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