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POLLARD BANKNOTE TO LAUNCH ITS FIRST U.S. ILOTTERY PROGRAM

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WINNIPEG, MB, Aug. 26, 2024 /CNW/ – Pollard Banknote Limited (“Pollard Banknote”) (TSX: PBL) is pleased to announce that it has signed a contract to provide a full turnkey iLottery solution for the Kansas Lottery (“the Lottery”), powered by its proprietary, natively omnichannel Pollard Catalyst™ Gaming Platform (“the Platform”), which will begin generating revenue for the State of Kansas in early 2025.

Pollard Banknote has been a key player in iLottery since the inception of this channel in the United States, and in 2021 made a strategic decision to invest in its own end-to-end iLottery technology, beginning with the acquisition of the Next Generation Lotteries’ group of companies (“NGL”), formerly subsidiaries of Novomatic AG, one of the largest gaming technology companies in the world. This acquisition supplemented Pollard Banknote’s organic growth in the digital space with proven lottery technology, an experienced team of industry leaders, and significant software design and development resources. NGL was an iLottery pioneer in Europe and a trusted supplier since 1996, when it built the first-ever e-commerce solution for a national lottery. Combining Pollard Banknote’s learnings from its decade of North America iLottery experience with NGL’s software and expertise, Pollard Banknote upgraded the technology to meet the latest standards as well as the needs of the U.S. market, culminating in the Pollard Catalyst™ Gaming Platform. The Platform is a fully cloud-native, modular, and API-first solution that is uniquely positioned to revolutionize the lottery gaming systems space by leapfrogging the competition. The Platform’s modern design easily integrates with other solutions, accelerates roadmap development, and enables cutting-edge features such as fully automatic scalability with no constraints for jackpot runs.

Pollard Banknote’s history of iLottery success fuels its approach in Kansas. Pollard Banknote and its technology partner launched the Michigan Lottery’s iLottery program in 2014, which grew quickly to become, in 2020, the first in North America to exceed $1 billion in annual sales. Shortly after that program’s launch, Pollard Banknote formalized that partnership in a joint venture, NeoPollard Interactive LLC (“NPi”). NPi would ultimately launch four of the most profitable iLottery programs in the United States: Michigan, Virginia, North Carolina, and New Hampshire, markets representing more than 70% of iLottery gross wagers in the United States, according to Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, LLC, a leading research and consulting firm in the global gaming industry.

Pollard Banknote’s state-of-the-art iLottery solution offers the complete catalog of products and services required to run a modern iLottery program. At launch, it will initially enable players in Kansas to play popular draw-based games including Powerball® and Mega Millions®, and eInstant games from the Pollard Digital Games Studio specifically customized for the Kansas market. Pollard Banknote’s robust Player Account Management system will provide the functionality required for registration, age and identity verification, wallet transactions, and responsible gaming features. Geolocation services will be provided through Pollard Banknote’s proprietary GeoLocs™ technology, among the most mature and reliable commercial solutions available today. GeoLocs™ has been implemented with over a dozen operators, including several lotteries in North America. Pollard Banknote will also provide a suite of business services to the Kansas Lottery including marketing, draw operations, risk management, and a player support center.

The Pollard Catalyst™ Gaming Platform will be fully integrated with the Lottery’s existing PlayOn® Player Loyalty Program, a Pollard Banknote proprietary loyalty solution. This integration offers a number of benefits that will ensure a strong launch of the program, including an established player base that already engages with the Lottery online. The included iLottery support services will help maximize returns to the State while operating within a responsible gaming framework.

Marketing support from Pollard Banknote’s experienced team will include providing insightful, data-driven recommendations for player acquisition and retention. Pollard Banknote’s Marketing Engagement Platform is powered by Bloomreach, a leader and visionary in the digital experience platform space, serving over 1400 global brands. The deep integration with Bloomreach, enabling lotteries to use real-time data to identify player actions in the moment to deliver highly personalized communications across both the loyalty and iLottery programs, sets Pollard Banknote apart from the competition in terms of marketing capabilities. This approach solidifies Pollard Banknote’s position as an iLottery leader that supports all the Lottery’s sales channels.

“These are exciting times for the Kansas Lottery and for Pollard Banknote. Our decades-long relationship with the Lottery combined with our game-changing Pollard Catalyst™ technology and what we believe is the strongest team in the industry will deliver the best player experience and is a winning combination for the Lottery and its players,” said Doug Pollard, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Pollard Banknote. “We look forward to delivering an exceptionally strong iLottery program.”

The Pollard Catalyst™ Gaming Platform and the turnkey iLottery solution are provided to the Kansas Lottery following the exercise of an option under the Lottery’s existing Player Loyalty Program contract, which currently runs through October 31, 2026.

About Pollard Banknote

Pollard Banknote is a leading lottery partner to more than 60 lotteries worldwide, providing high-quality instant ticket products, licensed games, in-lane ticket options, and sales-driving merchandising solutions from its Schafer Retail Solutions + portfolio. It also offers a full suite of digital offerings, ranging from world-class game apps to comprehensive player engagement and iLottery solutions, including strategic marketing and management services. The company is a proven innovator and has decades of experience helping lotteries to maximize player engagement, sales, and proceeds for good causes. Pollard Banknote also provides pull-tab tickets, bingo paper, ticket vending machines, and its Diamond Game and Compliant Gaming electronic games and devices to charitable and other gaming markets in North America. Established in 1907, Pollard Banknote is owned approximately 64% by the Pollard family and 36% by public shareholders, and is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: PBL). For more information, please visit our website at www.pollardbanknote.com.

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release may constitute “forward-looking” statements and information, which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. When used in this document, such statements include such words as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “believe,” “plan,” and other similar terminology. These statements reflect management’s current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date of this document. There should not be an expectation that such information will in all circumstances be updated, supplemented, or revised whether as a result of new information, changing circumstances, future events, or otherwise.

SOURCE Pollard Banknote Limited

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Wistron Celebrates Grand Opening of First U.S. Smart Factory Marking Milestone in Global Smart Manufacturing Strategy

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FORT WORTH, Texas, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Wistron Corporation (“Wistron”) celebrated the grand opening of its D1 AI smart facility in Fort Worth, Texas, the site where the first NVIDIA GB300 Grace Blackwell Ultra Superchip was built and mass-produced in the United States. The US$ 700 million facility, spanning approximately 324,000 square foot, was officially unveiled during a ceremony led by Wistron Chairman Simon Lin and NVIDIA Founder and CEO Jensen Huang. Jessica Rogers, Director of the Economic Development Department for the City of Fort Worth, and Alexander Tah-ray Yui, Taiwan’s Representative to the United States, were among the government officials and business leaders who attended, marking a milestone in the expansion of Wistron’s global footprint and advanced manufacturing capabilities.

This is a key hub in Wistron’s global AI infrastructure manufacturing network. The facility runs on NVIDIA accelerated computing and integrates NVIDIA’s Nemotron and Cosmos open frontier models and Omniverse and Metropolis libraries, using digital twin technology to optimize factory design, production workflows, and operational efficiency. It is Wistron’s first U.S.-based manufacturing facility, established to serve customers locally and produce NVIDIA’s most advanced and cutting-edge products. Wistron Chairman Simon Lin said “The operation here is not typical manufacturing. It is new, very comprehensive, and high-tech. Right now we produce the NVIDIA GB300 Grace Blackwell Ultra Superchip, and beyond, we are also going to produce the NVIDIA Vera Rubin Superchip here. In the next couple of years, this location will be one of the most important, as we build AI infrastructure here in the United States. I think this is the reason we say that there will be the next chapter, and we are going to empower AI from Texas.”

Responding to Customer Needs: Texas, the Newest Global Manufacturing Hub
At this pivotal moment for global AI infrastructure, Wistron is drawing on decades of global manufacturing experience to expand its footprint in Texas, a state with a well-established ecosystem for logistics, talent recruitment, and advanced manufacturing. The new D1 facility produces the NVIDIA GB300 Grace Blackwell Ultra Superchip and soon, the NVIDIA Vera Rubin Superchip — critical to powering the next generation of AI computing. The new Fort Worth facility strengthens a critical upstream layer of the AI infrastructure supply chain by expanding domestic capacity to assemble and test NVIDIA AI systems. These servers can be integrated into NVIDIA DSX infrastructure, with DSX providing the common architecture and technologies needed to deploy and operate energy-efficient AI factories at scale.

One-Stop Operational Ecosystem Strengthens U.S. AI Supply Chain Resilience
Behind every breakthrough in AI computing lies the manufacturing capability to scale it. Wistron is expanding its AI server production capabilities from Taiwan to the United States, guided by a vision of precision, efficiency, and sustainability. This reflects a broader industry shift: AI leadership is determined not only by technological breakthroughs, but also by the operational capability to transform innovation into high-volume production with consistent quality, supply chain resilience, and predictable delivery. By establishing AI infrastructure manufacturing capacity in the United States, Wistron is building a one-stop operational ecosystem spanning manufacturing and after-sales service — shortening delivery timelines and customer support cycles, strengthening supply chain resilience, and laying the foundation for long-term competitive advantage as AI infrastructure continues to scale.

Partnering with NVIDIA to Pioneer a New Model for Smart Manufacturing and Energy Optimization
As the era of physical AI begins, Wistron is extending its smart manufacturing capabilities to the United States, creating a new model for AI infrastructure production built on digital manufacturing, energy optimization, and local operations. Jensen Huang said: “The largest infrastructure buildout in history is underway. Demand for AI factories—the engine of this next industrial revolution—is incredible, and they must be produced everywhere. Together, NVIDIA and Wistron are restoring US advanced manufacturing capacity in Texas, creating skilled jobs and strengthening America’s AI supply chain.” As demand for advanced manufacturing grows in Texas, smarter planning of production loads and energy use will give the plant greater control and flexibility over its electricity needs.

Turning Global Experience into Scalable AI Infrastructure
Simon Lin stressed that the speed the AI era demands comes with its own responsibility. “In the AI era, the pressure of speed is also a form of responsibility,” Lin said. “We don’t just need to build fast; we need to build right.”

The Fort Worth plant will serve as the core engine of Wistron’s U.S. manufacturing operations, the company said, connecting its global production network with ecosystem partners as it scales advanced AI manufacturing. Wistron said that the investment reflects efforts to deepen its technical capabilities, strengthen the resilience and efficiency of global supply chains, and support the next phase of AI infrastructure development.

About Wistron:
Wistron Corporation is a leading global technology service provider delivering advanced ICT products, AI infrastructure, and manufacturing solutions to technology brands worldwide. With more than 63,000 employees across North America, Europe, and Asia, Wistron continues to expand its AI, cloud, and advanced manufacturing capabilities to support the next generation of intelligent computing. For more information about Wistron, please visit the official website at www.wistron.com. Additional information about the event is available on the event website.

Media Contact:
Joyce WL Chou
joyce_wl_chou@wistron.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wistron-celebrates-grand-opening-of-first-us-smart-factory-marking-milestone-in-global-smart-manufacturing-strategy-302831439.html

SOURCE Wistron Corporation

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NSG Bio Accelerates Breakthrough Biotech Innovation in Singapore

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New initiative under NSG Bio Tomorrow will support promising startups developing next-generation approaches in respiratory and neonatal care

SINGAPORE, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The NSG Bio Tomorrow initiative aims at supporting emerging life sciences startups working on complex challenges in respiratory and neonatal care.

Launched through the support of Chiesi Group, The Impulse initiative will provide a selected startup with one year of NSG Bio membership and access to a dedicated laboratory bench at NSG Bio Singapore. The initiative is designed to help early-stage biotech companies move from promising science toward stronger proof-of-concept work in a fully equipped research environment.

The initiative comes at a time when the biotech industry is increasingly looking for faster, more connected ways to move high-potential science from the lab toward real-world patient impact. For startups, access to infrastructure is only one part of the challenge. Equally important are the right networks, industry visibility, technical environment, and opportunities to engage with partners who understand the path from early discovery to clinical relevance.

The programme will focus on startups developing innovative biotechnological solutions with potential relevance to chronic respiratory diseases and neonatal conditions. Areas of interest include cell therapies, gene therapies, gene-editing technologies, regenerative tissue engineering, engineered or programmable living systems, lung-targeted delivery platforms, preventive approaches, and small-molecule-based approaches.

The selected startup will gain access to NSG Bio’s laboratory infrastructure, shared workspaces, meeting facilities, and wider community of biotech entrepreneurs, researchers, scientific leaders, and industry partners. The support is intended to help the company advance key research milestones while becoming part of Singapore’s growing life-science innovation ecosystem.

For NSG Bio, the initiative is part of NSG Bio Tomorrow, its ecosystem-building arm created to expand the company’s role beyond facilities and real estate. While NSG Bio is known for providing high-quality laboratory and office infrastructure for biotech companies, NSG Bio Tomorrow focuses on building the programmes, partnerships, and opportunities that help startups grow.

“Biotech companies need more than lab space. They need access, momentum, and the right ecosystem around them,” said Hasyim Sim, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, NSG Bio. “Through NSG Bio Tomorrow, we are building initiatives that help promising startups connect with partners, unlock opportunities, and move their science forward. This initiative reflects exactly the kind of role we want to play in the biotech ecosystem.”

“Chiesi is committed to supporting innovation that can make a meaningful difference for patients, and we work with entrepreneurs, researchers and partners to advance meaningful ideas,” said Fabrizio Conicella, Vice President, Center of Open Innovation & Competence at Chiesi Group. “By supporting this NSG Bio Tomorrow initiative, we want to create an opportunity for early-stage innovators to access the infrastructure and ecosystem support needed to develop impactful science in respiratory and neonatal care.”

NSG Bio Tomorrow programme also reinforces Singapore’s position as a growing hub for biotech innovation in Asia, where startups, research institutions, investors, and industry partners are increasingly coming together to support the next generation of healthcare companies.

Applications open on 22 July 2026 at 09:00 a.m. SGT. Finalists will be invited to present at a virtual pitch event, after which the selected startup will be announced.

About NSG Bio

NSG Bio is Singapore’s leading provider of BSL-2 certified co-working laboratory and office spaces, supporting life-science companies from early research through growth. Through its facilities, community, and ecosystem initiatives, NSG Bio enables biotech innovators to accelerate research, access networks, and build companies that address critical healthcare challenges.

About NSG Bio Tomorrow

NSG Bio Tomorrow is NSG Bio’s ecosystem-building arm, created to support the next generation of biotech innovation through partnerships, programmes, community initiatives, and opportunities that extend beyond physical laboratory infrastructure. Its mission is to strengthen the biotech industry by connecting startups with the resources, expertise, and networks they need to thrive.

About Chiesi Group 

Chiesi is a research-oriented international biopharmaceutical group that develops and markets innovative therapeutic solutions in respiratory health, rare diseases, and specialty care. The company’s mission is to improve people’s quality of life and act responsibly towards both the community and the environment. As a certified B Corp since 2019, Chiesi is part of a global community of businesses that meet high standards of social and environmental impact. 

With 90 years of experience, Chiesi is headquartered in Parma (Italy), with 31 affiliates worldwide, and counts more than 7,900 employees. The Group’s research and development centre in Parma works alongside 6 other important R&D hubs in France, the US, Canada, China, the UK, and Sweden. For further information please visit https://www.chiesi.com/en/home 

Media Contact
Giridharan
Laboratory Manager
NSG Bio
giridharan@nsgbio.com
87797175

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/nsg-bio-accelerates-breakthrough-biotech-innovation-in-singapore-302830494.html

SOURCE NSG Bio

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House Judiciary Committee Passes Bill that Would Prevent Future Immigration Crises: Swift Action Needed by Full House, Says FAIR

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WASHINGTON, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the House Judiciary Committee passed an updated version of H.R. 2, the landmark border security bill from last congressional session. The bill now awaits consideration by the full House of Representatives. The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) urges Speaker Mike Johnson to schedule a final floor vote as soon as possible.

The Secure Border Act systematically closes the loopholes that allowed the Biden administration to unleash the largest and most damaging wave of illegal immigration in American history. Enactment of this legislation would prevent future anti-borders administrations from shirking their responsibilities to secure our borders and enforce our immigration laws; asserting unlimited discretion to parole inadmissible aliens to enter the country; or releasing millions of illegal aliens into the country, rather than detaining them or returning them to the country from which they entered.

“We congratulate the Judiciary Committee for its swift action on this critical legislation,” said Dale Wilcox, executive director and general counsel of FAIR. “Ending border chaos and rampant illegal immigration was a key reason that Republicans regained control of the White House and both chambers of Congress in the last election. The clock is ticking on the 119th Congress, and Republicans only have a short time to deliver on the promises they made to voters in 2024, before the midterms.

“Right now, our immigration laws are being enforced in the interests of the American people. As the last administration demonstrated, enforcement of those laws is not guaranteed unless Congress acts to prevent similar abuse in the future. Now is the time for decisive action in the House, where this bill can be passed with a simple majority vote, and an opportunity for Senate Majority Leader John Thune to put every member of that body on record before voters go to the polls in the fall,” Wilcox concluded.

Hayley Hill, hhill@fairus.org 202-328-7004

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/house-judiciary-committee-passes-bill-that-would-prevent-future-immigration-crises-swift-action-needed-by-full-house-says-fair-302831443.html

SOURCE Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR)

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