Technology

iRobot Names Michael J. Loparco to Board of Directors

Published

2 years ago

August 12, 2024

BEDFORD, Mass., Aug. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT), a leader in consumer robots, announced the addition of Michael J. Loparco to its board of directors. Mr. Loparco brings to the board extensive public company and global technology leadership experience in areas including consumer product and smart home innovation, manufacturing, global supply chain, mergers and acquisitions, design, enterprise IT, retail and robotics.

Mr. Loparco is a seasoned CEO and consumer-focused leader with more than 25 years experience building and growing highly technical and cross-border manufacturing businesses. Most recently, he served as CEO of Symbotic, an AI and software-enabled warehouse robotics and automation company where he led the company’s successful IPO. Prior to Symbotic, Mr. Loparco spent more than two decades at Jabil Inc., where he rose through the ranks to become CEO of the Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) segment in 2020 with responsibility for more than $22 billion in global operations. Prior to that, he served as CEO of the Engineered Solutions division beginning in 2014. In these roles, Mr. Loparco ultimately led enterprise supply chain and operations across 25 countries with a workforce of more than 80,000 employees. During his tenure at Jabil, he was responsible for driving growth, innovation, digital transformation, operational efficiencies, establishing technology roadmaps, transforming complex supply chains and working with sophisticated OEM/JDM partners in a diverse array of end markets including robotics, smart home appliances and broader consumer electronics. He is also very familiar with iRobot’s product portfolio having worked closely with the company during his time at Jabil. Additionally, Mr. Loparco currently serves on the boards of directors at E2IP Technologies and Illumus, is strategic advisor to the Israeli-Canadian based Awz Ventures, and has additional public and private company board experience. He holds a JD with honors from Stetson University College of Law and BA, International Business, from Eckerd College.

“We welcome Michael to iRobot’s board of directors and are are enthusiastic about working with him and the company’s leadership team moving forward,” said Andrew Miller, chairman of the board at iRobot. “Michael’s established track record of business leadership, his familiarity of iRobot’s product and unique combination of manufacturing, supply chain and IT experience will be tremendous assets to the company as it continues to make progress on its transformation and strategic initiatives.”

“Having worked with iRobot while at Jabil and knowing the consumer benefits its products provide, I am honored to begin contributing to the company as it charts a new path forward,” said Michael Loparco. “I believe my past experiences will be valuable to iRobot’s continued success and am excited to work with the board and leadership team to address and capitalize on the many opportunities that lie ahead.”

About iRobot Corporation
iRobot is a global consumer robot company that designs and builds thoughtful robots and intelligent home innovations that make life better. iRobot introduced the first Roomba robot vacuum in 2002. Today, iRobot is a global enterprise that has sold more than 50 million robots worldwide. iRobot’s product portfolio features technologies and advanced concepts in cleaning, mapping and navigation. Working from this portfolio, iRobot engineers are building robots and smart home devices to help consumers make their homes easier to maintain and healthier places to live. For more information about iRobot, please visit www.irobot.com. 

For iRobot Investors
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements regarding the Company’s implementation of its operational restructuring plan and related restructuring charges (including the timing thereof), the Company’s business plans, strategies, priorities and initiatives and the expected business and financial impacts thereof (including anticipated cost savings), expected product launches and the impact thereof, and anticipated business enhancements and expected benefits to the Company’s products and business therefrom. These forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations, estimates and projections about its business and industry, all of which are subject to change. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future business and financial performance and financial condition, and often contain words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “could,” “seek,” “see,” “will,” “may,” “would,” “might,” “potentially,” “estimate,” “continue,” “expect,” “target,” similar expressions or the negatives of these words or other comparable terminology that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes. All forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, and are not guarantees of future results. These and other forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in such statements and, therefore, you should not place undue reliance on any such statements and caution must be exercised in relying on forward-looking statements. Important risk factors that may cause such a difference include, but are not limited to: the Company’s ability to implement its business plans and strategies; the Company’s ability to achieve the anticipated benefits of its operational restructuring plan; the Company’s ability to successfully navigate its leadership transition; the ability of the Company to retain and hire key personnel; legislative, regulatory and economic developments affecting the Company’s business; general economic and market developments and conditions; the impact of various global conflicts on the Company’s business and general economic conditions; the evolving legal, regulatory and tax regimes under which the Company operates; unpredictability and severity of catastrophic events, including, but not limited to, acts of terrorism or outbreak of war or hostilities; supply chain challenges including constraints in the availability of certain semiconductor components used in the Company’s products; the financial strength of the Company’s customers and retailers; the impact of tariffs on goods imported into the United States; and competition. Additional risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements are included under the caption “Risk Factors” in the Company’s most recent annual and quarterly reports filed with the SEC and any subsequent reports on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q or Form 8-K filed from time to time and available at www.sec.gov. The forward-looking statements included herein are made only as of the date hereof. The Company does not assume any obligation to publicly provide revisions or updates to any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by securities and other applicable laws.

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SOURCE iRobot Corporation

Technology

Galaxy Digital Inc. Announces Pricing of $3.507 Billion of Senior Secured Notes

Published

38 minutes ago

July 24, 2026

NEW YORK, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Galaxy Digital Inc. (NASDAQ: GLXY) (“Galaxy” or the “Company”), a global leader in digital assets and data center infrastructure, today announced that its indirect wholly owned subsidiary, Galaxy Helios Data Centers II LLC (the “Issuer”), has priced a $3.507 billion private offering (the “Offering”) of 9.875% senior secured notes due 2031 (the “Notes”). The Offering is expected to close on July 28, 2026, subject to market and other conditions.

The Issuer intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering to finance a portion of the development and construction of two buildings containing eight data halls with a combined total of 400 megawatts (“MW”) of utility capacity and 260 MW of critical IT capacity (the “Project”) to be built on an approximately 260-acre property in Dickens County, Texas and to fund debt service reserves.

The Notes will bear interest at a rate of 9.875% per annum payable semi-annually in cash in arrears on February 1 and August 1 of each year, beginning on February 1, 2027 and will mature on August 1, 2031. The Notes will amortize at a rate of 4.00% per annum of the original principal amount subject to adjustment, with amortization payments payable semi-annually with the first payment date to occur at least ten months after the completion of the Project.

The Notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Galaxy Helios II LLC, a wholly owned direct subsidiary of the Issuer (the “Guarantor”), and will constitute the senior secured obligations of the Issuer and the Guarantor. The Notes and related note guarantee will be secured by first-priority liens on (i) substantially all assets of the Issuer and the Guarantor, other than certain excluded property and (ii) all equity interests of the Issuer held by the direct parent company of the Issuer.

The Offering is subject to market and other conditions, and there can be no assurance as to whether, when or on what terms the Offering may be completed.

The Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction, and the Notes may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws. The Notes will be offered only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A under the Securities Act and outside the United States to non-U.S. persons in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy the Notes, nor shall there be any sale of the Notes in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About Galaxy

Galaxy Digital Inc. (Nasdaq: GLXY) is a global leader in digital assets and data center infrastructure, delivering solutions that accelerate progress in finance and artificial intelligence. Our digital assets platform offers institutional access to trading, advisory, asset management, staking, self-custody, and tokenization technology. In addition, we develop and operate cutting-edge data center infrastructure to power AI and HPC workloads. Our 1.63 GW Helios campus in Texas positions Galaxy among the largest and fastest-growing data center developers in North America. The Company is headquartered in New York City, with offices across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements, including statements relating to the completion, size and timing of the Offering, the terms of the Notes and the intended use of proceeds. The Company intends such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and includes this statement for purposes of complying with these safe harbor provisions. Forward-looking statements represent the Company’s current expectations regarding future events and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by the forward-looking statements. Among those risks and uncertainties are market conditions, including market interest rates, the satisfaction of the closing conditions related to the Offering and risks relating to the Company’s business, including those described in periodic reports that the Company files from time to time with the SEC. The Issuer may not consummate the proposed Offering described in this press release and, if the proposed Offering is consummated, cannot provide any assurances regarding the final terms of the Offering or the Notes or its ability to effectively apply the net proceeds as described above. The forward-looking statements included in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake to update the statements included in this press release for subsequent developments, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

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SOURCE Galaxy Digital Inc.

Technology

The Finish Line that Changed China: Retracing the Long March to Yan’an

Published

38 minutes ago

July 24, 2026

BEIJING, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from China.org.cn on the Long March, and what it means for China today:

Every journey has a destination.

But some destinations become the beginning of something even greater.

This is Yan’an.

Over 90 years ago, an army of soldiers embarked from Yudu, Jiangxi Province, on a journey that would go down in history.

They crossed snow-capped mountains, vast grasslands and raging rivers, eventually arriving in northern Shaanxi.

Across this grueling 12,500-kilometer journey, they wrote a magnificent epic in human history with willpower and courage.

Here, their Long March came to a victorious end. But a new chapter of history was only beginning.

In Yan’an, the Red Army found time to recover and rebuild, and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China regrouped, gathering strength for the next chapter.

Here, new ideas were debated, new strategies were shaped, and a vision for China’s future gradually took form.

Today, while preserving its revolutionary legacy, Yan’an has grown into a vibrant, modern city — with a greener environment, thriving industries and happier lives for its people.

Nearly 90 years ago, American journalist Edgar Snow came to northern Shaanxi, seeking to uncover a story that few outside China knew. He later chronicled it in his book “Red Star Over China,” which carried the story of the Long March to the world.

Today, people from around the world are once again retracing those steps.

As part of China International Communications Group (CICG)’s “Together on the Long March” international communication project, participants have spent more than a month retracing the route across six key regions.

From Jiangxi to Shaanxi, they followed the Red Army’s journey and witnessed the remarkable changes that have taken place along the way.

I asked them one simple question: What does this journey mean to you?

Zhavier Harris, marketing and communications manager at the Springfield Urban League, said conversations with local residents and descendants of the Red Army made history feel far more immediate than he had expected.

He said history isn’t as distant as we often think. “We’re only one or two generations from these great sacrifices that led to the development and the greatness that we see from the Communist Party of China and China as a whole.”

David Ferguson, honorary chief English editor at Foreign Languages Press under CICG and a recipient of the 2021 Chinese Government Friendship Award, said the journey deepened his understanding of the Long March.

He said the journey helped him understand not only the historical facts, but also what the Red Army endured. “If you see the Long March merely as a military campaign, it ended in Yan’an. But as a spirit, it has never truly come to an end.”

We came to retrace history. We leave with something more: a deeper understanding of China’s past, a clearer view of its present, and perhaps a greater appreciation for the stories that connect us across cultures.

Edgar Snow called the Long March “an Odyssey unequalled in modern times.” He believed that what sustained it was a flame — consisting of an undimmed ardor, an undying hope and an amazing revolutionary optimism.

Ninety years later, that flame still burns.

Passed down through generations, the spirit of the Long March continues to light China’s path forward.

And as it crosses borders and cultures, it offers the world a glimpse of a nation defined by resilience, perseverance and an enduring drive to move forward.

China Mosaic
http://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm

The Finish Line that Changed China: Retracing the Long March to Yan’an
http://www.china.org.cn/video/2026-07/23/content_118614941.shtml

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SOURCE China.org.cn

Technology

Visa and Lianlian Advance Trusted B2B Agentic Commerce Through LoopXPay’s First Live B2B Agentic Transaction

Published

38 minutes ago

July 24, 2026

First live B2B agentic transaction in Greater China highlights how AI-enabled commerce can help SMBs streamline purchasing and payments, supported by Visa’s Agentic Directory for trusted AI agent interactions

SINGAPORE, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Visa (NYSE: V), a global leader in digital payments, and Lianlian DigiTech Co., Ltd. (“Lianlian”), an AI-native global financial infrastructure provider, today announced the first live B2B agentic transaction completed using LoopXPay, Lianlian’s AI agent.

Small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) often lack dedicated procurement teams and spend valuable time sourcing, purchasing and making payments themselves. In the transaction, the LoopXPay agent was used to source a product sample from a supplier and complete the purchase in a single workflow. The agent identified the purchasing requirement, recommended suitable suppliers, compared options, placed the order and securely executed the payment within a single workflow, while operating within pre-defined spending controls and approval parameters.

The milestone highlights how AI-powered commerce experiences can help SMBs simplify purchasing and payment activities while maintaining appropriate controls and oversight. By enabling AI agents to operate within pre-defined spending parameters and approval controls, businesses can reduce manual effort while retaining visibility into commercial decision-making.

As AI agents become more involved in purchasing and payment activities, businesses will require confidence that transactions are being executed by verified participants, within approved parameters and with appropriate oversight. Capabilities aligned with Visa’s Trusted Agent Protocol can help provide the identity, transparency and controls needed to support these interactions.

As part of the collaboration, LoopXPay has been registered in Visa’s Agentic Directory, enabling participating businesses and merchants to identify verified AI agents within the ecosystem. Supporting the implementation of Visa’s Trusted Agent Protocol, the Agentic Directory helps provide greater transparency into agent-driven interactions and confidence that participating agents have met Visa’s requirements.

“AI-powered commerce experiences can help businesses simplify purchasing and payments while maintaining the controls and oversight they require,” said Darren Parslow, Global Head, Visa Commercial Solutions, Visa. “For SMBs, that means less complexity in managing day-to-day commercial activities and more time focused on growth. As businesses increasingly look to embed intelligence into purchasing and payment experiences, trust will become a critical enabler of adoption. Through our collaboration with Lianlian, we are helping advance the trusted foundations that businesses will need to participate in this next era of commerce with confidence.”

Building on this milestone, Visa and Lianlian are exploring how AI agents can support a broader range of commercial activities, including procurement, digital advertising optimisation and B2B platform payments, helping advance trusted commerce through greater efficiency, transparency and control.

Zhang Zhengyu, Founder, Chairman of the Board and CEO, Lianlian DigiTech, said, “AI is reshaping the entire commercial value chain, where a growing number of business activities will be autonomously executed by AI agents, with payments serving as the critical infrastructure connecting them to global commerce. Leveraging its experience in global cross-border payments, compliance, as well as payment network, LianLian is actively building AI-native financial infrastructure, delivering an integrated suite of capabilities for the Agent Economy, spanning identity verification, transaction authorisation, intelligent payment, and global fund settlement. Through this collaboration with Visa, we aim to combine Lianlian’s AI-native capabilities with Visa’s trusted global network and commercial payment expertise to help businesses transact more securely, intelligently and efficiently in an increasingly agent-driven commerce environment.”

About Visa

Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, sellers, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.

About Lianlian

Lianlian DigiTech Co., Ltd. (“Lianlian DigiTech” or “Lianlian”) was founded in 2009 and listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2024 (stock code: 2598.HK). As China’s leading global provider of digital and intelligent payment services, Lianlian adheres to its mission of “Connecting the world, empowering global commerce” and pursues an “AI-Native + Globalization” strategy. The Company is committed to building a trusted global intelligent financial infrastructure, enabling seamless connectivity between Chinese enterprises and global businesses. As of now, Lianlian has established a global licensing portfolio comprising 68 payment licenses and related qualifications, and holds a VATP license issued by the Hong Kong SFC. It supports services in more than 200 countries and regions and enables transaction settlement in over 140 currencies, connecting over 180 global e-commerce platforms and serving a cumulative total of over 13.3 million customers. Learn more at www.lianlian.com.

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SOURCE Visa Worldwide Pte. Limited