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Lotus Wins for Groundbreaking Wearable Innovation Empowering Individuals with Disabilities at Vista Center’s Accessibility-Focused Startup Pitch Competition

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Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, a nonprofit supporting individuals with vision loss for over 75 years, recently held its inaugural Startup Pitch Competition to showcase innovations in the underserved accessibility area. Lotus won the competition with its wearable device, the Lotus Ring, which allows users to control home environments with simple point-and-click gestures. Founded by former Apple engineer Dhaval Patel, Lotus empowers individuals with disabilities. The company will present at Sight Tech Global in December 2024 and receive Harvard Business School Alumni Angels mentorship.

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired successfully hosted its inaugural Pitch Competition, where over 15 startups showcased breakthrough innovations to enhance accessibility for visually impaired and disabled users. Lotus emerged as the competition winner for its pioneering wearable solution. Finalists Equivalent and Lighthouse Tech were also recognized for their innovative contributions, each demonstrating significant potential to drive change.

“Being recognized by the accessibility community reinforces our commitment to innovative technology,” said Dhaval Patel, CEO of Lotus. “The Lotus Ring has a profound impact on daily life, and we’re excited to continue pushing accessibility forward and make this product widely available.”

Leading the Charge in Accessibility Innovation

According to the CDC, one in four adults in the U.S. lives with a disability, driving a growing demand for innovative accessibility solutions. Vista Center’s event highlighted this urgent need in a market that often operates in isolation, showcasing cutting-edge technologies designed to enhance independence and improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities. This event is part of Vista Center’s ongoing commitment to raising awareness and advancing assistive technologies that promote inclusion.

“We were truly inspired by the diverse range of cutting-edge solutions presented at our inaugural innovation event,” said Karae Lisle, CEO of Vista Center. “Discovering companies pushing the boundaries of accessibility technology gives us hope for a future where independence is accessible to all.”

About LOTUS (Event Winner):

Founded in 2021 by a team of experts from top tech companies such as Apple, Google, and Nest, Lotus is revolutionizing assistive technology with its groundbreaking Lotus Ring. This wearable device empowers individuals with limited mobility to control their home environment through simple point-and-click gestures, providing new levels of independence and ease. Its versatility also extends to individuals with vision impairments, offering an intuitive alternative to traditional home automation systems.

This groundbreaking technology earned Lotus a speaking engagement at Sight Tech Global 2024 and a pro bono HBS/MIT Advisor Mentoring Session sponsored by Harvard Business School Alumni Angels.

Developed using a combination of universal design and inclusive design, the Lotus Ring requires no rewiring or complex setup—users can snap the Lotus Switch Cover onto an existing wall switch and start using it immediately. This feature makes home automation affordable and accessible, eliminating the hassle of traditional smart home systems.

The inspiration for Lotus came from founder and CEO Dhaval Patel, who developed the idea after struggling with mobility. Following a night when he couldn’t easily turn off the lights while using crutches, Patel was driven to create technology that could benefit others facing similar challenges. “If I, as an Apple engineer, didn’t have accessible smart home tech, who else is struggling?” Patel asked himself. His experience laid the foundation for Lotus’ mission: to build technology that everybody can use by optimizing for disability first.

“Being recognized by the accessibility community reinforces our commitment to innovative technology,” said Dhaval Patel, CEO of Lotus. “The Lotus Ring has a profound impact on daily life, and we’re excited to continue pushing accessibility forward and make this product widely available.”

Vista Center’s Startup Pitch event is part of a broader initiative to promote innovation in accessibility technology.

“Our goal is to support companies creating technologies that improve independence for the visually impaired community. The recognition of Lotus is well-deserved, and we are excited to have them take the stage at our Sight Tech Global (STG) conference in December.”

Sight Tech Global, now in its fourth year, is a premier global virtual conference that brings together technology pioneers who are creating new approaches to barrier-free navigation, human interaction, and equitable access to information. Free for anyone to attend, STG advances technologies supporting accessibility.

About Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired

For over 75 years, Vista Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has empowered individuals with vision loss to embrace life to the fullest through evaluation, counseling, education, and training. With low-vision clinics in Palo Alto and San Jose, California, Vista Center provides essential support through various comprehensive rehabilitation programs and services. By fostering collaboration with technology companies. Vista Center continues to champion innovations that enhance the independence and quality of life for people with vision loss.

About Lotus

Founded in 2021 and based in Silicon Valley, Lotus creates accessible home automation solutions that eliminate the need for rewiring or apps. Partners include the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the State of New York, and the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL). With over 1 billion people globally living with disabilities, Lotus’s innovative product, the Lotus Ring, has the potential to transform the lives of millions by providing greater independence and ease of use.

Media Contact

Jennifer George, Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, 1 4083149833, jennifer@jgmmc.com, www.jgmmc.com

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SOURCE Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired

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Chelsea FC announces multi-year sleeve partnership with Sokin, the business payments and FX platform

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Chelsea FC name fast-growing fintech platform as Principal Partner

LONDON, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Chelsea Football Club has today announced a multi-year partnership with Sokin, the embedded finance and payments company used by businesses worldwide. Sokin will be named a Principal Partner and Official Business Payments and FX Partner of Chelsea FC and Chelsea FC Women.

As a Principal Partner, Sokin will be represented on the sleeves of the Chelsea FC men’s, women’s and academy home, away, and third kits from the 2026/27 season.

The partnership brings together two ambitious London-headquartered organisations with worldwide reach – a club with millions of fans across the world and a fintech platform through which businesses move more than $11 billion a year. A club of Chelsea’s scale works in many currencies every day, with partners, competitions and supporters around the world, and needs a financial partner built to handle that.

Sokin gives finance teams business payments, multi-currency accounts, foreign exchange, checkout and treasury in one place, so they spend less time juggling banks and providers and keep more of what they move.

As Official Business Payments and FX Partner, Sokin will simplify how Chelsea FC sends, receives and manages money in the currencies the club operates in.

The Sokin logo will feature on the sleeve of the Chelsea shirt for the first time [when the men’s team host Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on Saturday 24th October.]

Jason Gannon, President at Chelsea FC said:

“At Chelsea, we seek to partner with organisations that share our ambition and innovative mindset. Sokin’s expertise in business payments, and their focus on making both simpler for the businesses they serve, makes them a natural fit for the Club. We are pleased to welcome Sokin to the Chelsea family and look forward to working together in the years ahead.”

Vroon Modgill, CEO and founder at Sokin said:

“Chelsea plays on the biggest stage in world football, and its business runs in dozens of currencies. Sokin was built for that with regulated, multi-currency payments and foreign exchange for organisations that operate internationally. We’re proud to be the platform behind the business payments and FX of one of the most iconic teams in football. Sokin’s platform serves businesses in more than 170 countries. We’re thrilled to be partners for the season ahead. An organisation as sophisticated as Chelsea doesn’t leave its finances to chance.”

About Sokin

Sokin is the financial layer global business runs on. Businesses can transact, convert and hold money in 70+ currencies across 170+ countries. Some businesses use Sokin to manage global finance in-house. Others build it into their products to power financial experiences for their customers. Businesses move more than $9 billion a year on licenses Sokin holds in 36+ countries and infrastructure Sokin owns. Founded in 2019, Sokin has raised over $100 million from investors including Morgan Stanley Expansion Capital and Prysm Capital.

About Chelsea Football Club

Chelsea Football Club is one of the biggest, most successful football clubs globally and our men’s team are reigning world champions, having won the four-yearly FIFA Club World Cup in 2025. Our women’s team, Chelsea Women, are also multiple trophy winners.

Founded in 1905, Chelsea is London’s most central football club, based at the iconic 40,000-capacity Stamford Bridge stadium. Nicknamed the Blues, the club lifted the Champions League for the first time in 2012 and domestically has won the Premier League five times, the FA Cup eight times, the Football League Cup five times and the Football League Championship once, in 1955.

The Chelsea Women’s team have enjoyed a huge amount of success and in 2025 won the FA Women’s Super League for a sixth consecutive year and the eighth time overall. The Women’s FA Cup has been won on six occasions. We have also captured the FA Women’s League Cup four times as well as reaching the UEFA Women’s Champions League final in 2021. In two seasons, 2020/21 and 2024/25, a domestic treble of trophies was secured.

The Chelsea Foundation boasts one of the most extensive community initiatives in sport, helping to improve the lives of children and young people all over the world.

Media Contacts:

Taina Biggs
taina.biggs@sokin.com 

Nerissa Chesterfield
nerissa.chesterfield@chelseafc.com 

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Amy Johnson Appointed President of GDIT

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RESTON, Va., Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — General Dynamics (NYSE:GD) announced today that Amy Johnson has been appointed as president of GDIT, effective November 3.

Johnson is a 27-year veteran of General Dynamics Mission Systems, where she held increasingly senior roles in engineering, engineering management and business leadership across cybersecurity, defense electronics, space and intelligence systems, most recently as vice president and general manager for Space, Cyber and Intelligence. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science and computer systems engineering. 

“Amy has a proven track record of leading teams to solve complex and highly technical challenges for our customers,” said Phebe Novakovic, CEO of General Dynamics. “I am confident that her dynamic leadership, operational rigor and deep commitment to our values and culture will deliver value to our customers, employees and shareholders.”

GDIT delivers digital modernization, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and software development solutions to the U.S. federal government, defense, intelligence agencies and other customers. It is a business unit of General Dynamics, a global aerospace and defense company that offers a broad portfolio of products and services in business aviation; ship construction and repair; land combat vehicles, weapons systems and munitions; and technology products and services. General Dynamics employs more than 120,000 people worldwide and generated $52.6 billion in revenue in 2025. More information is available at gd.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/amy-johnson-appointed-president-of-gdit-302918411.html

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Yazan Al Homsi Invests US$500,000 in Toronto Drone Maker Arcanus Aerial Systems

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Private investment comes as Arcanus builds out Canadian manufacturing capacity for autonomous aerial systems

DUBAI, UAE, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Yazan Al Homsi, a UAE-based investor and managing partner of Catalyst Communications DMCC, has invested US$500,000 in Arcanus Aerial Systems Inc., a Toronto-headquartered developer and manufacturer of unmanned aerial systems for defence, public safety and critical infrastructure customers. Al Homsi is an investor only and holds no operational, advisory or board role with the company. Other terms were not disclosed.

Arcanus is a Canadian-controlled company. It currently lists more than 15 platforms across heavy-lift, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), cargo, strike and counter-drone missions. According to the company, its published line-up includes:

AB 516e: a long-endurance vertical take-off fixed-wing aircraft rated for three hours of flight.AE 401: a counter-drone interceptor with a top speed of 300 km/h.AC 5250: a cargo platform with a 250 kg payload and a range of more than 2,300 km.

Alongside defence, Arcanus markets its systems for wildfire detection, search and rescue, Arctic sovereignty, border and maritime patrol, and pipeline and power line monitoring.

The company has spent 2026 assembling its domestic production base. In April, Arcanus signed a binding term sheet with Portugal-based Beyond Vision, granting it rights to manufacture, commercialize and support Beyond Vision’s unmanned aerial systems in Canada.

In June, Arcanus announced a five-year agreement appointing FeralX Systems Inc. as a non-exclusive Canadian contract manufacturer for several of its platforms.

“Canada has the engineering talent to build these systems at home, and recent years have shown how much depends on having that capacity domestically,” said Yazan Al Homsi. “What stood out to me about Arcanus was the manufacturing groundwork already in place: licensing, a production partner, and a range of aircraft that serves wildfire crews and search-and-rescue teams alongside defence customers.”

About Yazan Al Homsi

Yazan Al Homsi is a UAE-based investor and managing partner of Catalyst Communications DMCC, which he founded in Dubai in 2018. He was previously based in Vancouver, where he founded Founders Round Capital in 2017 and built a track record of investments in early-stage and small-cap companies. He earned a finance degree from McGill University in 2004 and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. Before turning to investing, he spent more than a decade with PricewaterhouseCoopers in the Middle East, rising to director and focusing on transaction due diligence and valuation.

Media Contact
Catalyst Communications DMCC
catalyst-wire@protonmail.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/yazan-al-homsi-invests-us500-000-in-toronto-drone-maker-arcanus-aerial-systems-302918414.html

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