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FuelPositive Welcomes New Visionary Board to Lead Company into a Bold Future

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2 years ago

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Highlights:

Introducing the New Board of DirectorsStrategic Board FocusBoard Transition Selecting the 5th Board Member.Entering a New Era for FuelPositiveAGM Meeting Date and Strategic Stakeholder Updates

WINNIPEG, MB, Oct. 24, 2024 /CNW/ – FuelPositive Corporation (TSXV: NHHH) (OTCQB: NHHHF) (the “Company”) is thrilled to announce a new chapter in its journey by introducing a forward-thinking and strategically chosen board of directors. These new leaders bring a wealth of expertise, passion, and vision that align perfectly with FuelPositive’s mission to revolutionize agriculture and energy, positioning the Company for its next phase of growth and global impact.

Introducing the New Board of Directors

The newly appointed board members are highly respected in their fields each with a remarkable track record of driving impactful, positive change. Their complementary skills, deep-rooted ethical principles, and shared commitment to sustainability and innovation make them the ideal leaders for FuelPositive’s future.

FuelPositive Co-Founder, CEO and Chair of the Board Ian Clifford expressed his excitement: “We are thrilled to welcome these exceptional individuals to our board. Their strategic insight, integrity, and dedication to global impact make them the perfect fit for this exciting phase of our Company’s evolution. I have complete confidence that with them on board, FuelPositive will be in trustworthy and selfless hands, ready to deliver exceptional value for our shareholders while advancing clean agricultural and energy solutions.”

Darrell Brown: Leader in Sustainable Energy and Empowering Communities

Darrell Brown, a highly regarded leader in Manitoba and Canada, brings two decades of experience working with Indigenous communities, government, and business leaders. His eight year of expertise in off-grid renewable energy projects, combined with his experience with Manitoba Hydro, positions him as a critical asset for FuelPositive as it aims to deliver sustainable, decentralized energy solutions to underserved communities.

Darrell’s leadership is essential to FuelPositive’s efforts to empower rural, remote, northern and Indigenous communities by providing them with access to clean energy and food security solutions, such as fossil fuel replacements and on-site fertilizer availability. His work ensures that these communities are recipients of new technologies and active participants in a more sustainable future, benefiting from governance, energy independence and food security.

His extensive network across Manitoba strengthens FuelPositive’s local and global visibility, connecting the Company to the right partners and helping navigate potential risks. Darrell’s commitment to fostering ethical and inclusive growth guarantees that FuelPositive’s vision and innovations will benefit communities most in need while also driving positive, profitable outcomes for shareholders.

Darrell shared:
“FuelPositive’s mission to promote decentralized energy and food security while empowering communities aligns with my personal and professional values. I am honoured to join this team and excited about the potential to bring lasting change to Manitoba-based communities as an initial focus by supporting their energy needs and ensuring they are part of this transformative journey towards more sustainable decentralized green energy.”

Andre Mech: Engineering Visionary and Global Carbon Emissions Strategist

Andre Mech, a highly experienced engineer with a diverse international background, brings his carbon credit and renewable energy expertise to the team. He has long been involved in designing strategies to rebuild Ukraine and is dedicated to seeing FuelPositive’s technology adopted as part of global foreign aid efforts. Andre’s passion for sustainability and innovation aligns perfectly with FuelPositive’s long-term vision of true global food security and a decentralized fossil-fuel-free future.

Andre Mech shared:”Farmers are already excited about the potential of carbon credits and FuelPositive’s Green Ammonia technology for producing their own fertilizer and grain drying inputs on-farm. I’m eager to help develop a regulated market for FuelPositive technologies in Manitoba, which can set the standard globally. The possibilities for both environmental and financial benefits are incredible, and I’m excited to contribute to the team’s mission.”

Luna Clifford: Balancing Positive Change and Profitability with a Commitment to Core Values

Luna Clifford, Co-Founder and Chief Impact Officer of FuelPositive, joins the board as a key strategic leader. Since co-founding FuelPositive with Ian in January 2020, Luna has driven the Company’s bold vision and mission to create clean, sustainable technology that benefits both the environment and shareholders. Her experience and expertise in communication, healthcare, permaculture, and ethical and daring business models have been instrumental in creating the Company’s vision and positioning FuelPositive for strategic expansion and positive change.

Luna shared her excitement:”I am incredibly honoured to continue this journey as part of our new board. We are bringing together brilliant, compassionate leaders who are committed to creating a sustainable, equitable future. This new chapter marks an exciting time for the Company as we work together to deliver scalable, impactful solutions that will benefit farmers, the environment, and communities worldwide.”

Strategic Board Focus

FuelPositive’s new board leadership team, including Luna Clifford, Andre Mech, Darrell Brown, and Ian Clifford, will drive forward three major initiatives.

–           1. Green Ammonia based carbon free Nitrogen fertilizer alternative
The first is the Company’s revolutionary Green Ammonia technology—a groundbreaking innovation designed to decentralize ammonia production, providing farmers with a sustainable, reliable, and clean alternative to traditional fertilizers. This technology has the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions while enhancing fertilizer and energy independence for farmers and communities across Manitoba, Canada, and eventually on a global scale.

–           2. Green Ammonia based carbon-free fuel alternative
Looking ahead, FuelPositive will prioritize the development of a Green Ammonia-based carbon-free fossil fuel alternative to replace natural gas, propane, gasoline and diesel, with an initial focus on grain drying for farmers, followed by expansion into other critical fossil fuel replacement applications.

–           3. Vertical integration:
As part of its forward-thinking strategy, FuelPositive is committed to vertical integration, evolving to offer a comprehensive suite of renewable energy solutions that meet the diverse needs of its customers and farmers. From Green Ammonia to other Canadian-made complementary clean technologies, FuelPositive aims to deliver a complete offering that provides ease of use, stability, sustainability, and long-term profitability. By expanding its offerings to include additional renewable energy solutions, the Company ensures its customers can fully optimize their operations and reduce their carbon footprint holistically and in a decentralized manner. With the support of its new strategic board, FuelPositive is dedicated to empowering communities by providing food and energy security and driving economic growth through sustainable, decentralized agricultural and energy solutions that benefit all stakeholders.

Board Transition

As part of this exciting transition, FuelPositive acknowledges the resignation of ex-board members Ashola Ashiru, Gord Ellis, and Nelson Leite, who have stepped down together, which has made way for the next stage of the Company’s exponential growth and new exciting leadership.

Their departure allows for a more strategic focus as FuelPositive continues to advance its carbon-free agricultural and energy initiatives in Manitoba.

Additionally, Lenore Newman, an invaluable board member, has retired from the board due to new professional commitments that are incompatible with her public board role.

Lenore leaves behind a legacy of remarkable contributions to FuelPositive, particularly through her incredible insights into global food security. While she will be missed in an official capacity, the Company will continue benefiting from her extensive knowledge and her upcoming activities that align with FuelPositive’s mission and growth.

Lenore Newman, current Director of the Food and Agriculture Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley, Research Chair in Food and Agriculture Innovation and ex-independent board member of FuelPositive, shared:

“This is not goodbye, but more of a ‘see you soon.’ I’ve been honoured to be part of this visionary journey and am confident in Luna, Ian, Andre, and Darrell’s vision and leadership. I’m excited about FuelPositive’s potential to drive change in agriculture and energy, initially in Manitoba, which is a perfect place to start! And I’ll always be cheering for the Company’s success.”

Selecting a 5th Board Member

FuelPositive is actively seeking a fifth board member with deep expertise in sustainable agriculture, ethical manufacturing, and global food security.

The search for this individual is centred in Manitoba to complement the Company’s strategic priorities and growing leadership team in the province.

Entering New Era for FuelPositive

As FuelPositive moves forward, Ian Clifford, FuelPositive’s Co-Founder and CEO, reflected on this exciting transition: “This new board is composed of exceptional individuals who are dedicated to making the world a better place. Their deep expertise, integrity, and shared vision will create real opportunities for our shareholders and help drive the Company to new heights.”

With this new leadership team in place, FuelPositive is perfectly positioned to continue its mission of making agriculture and energy cleaner, greener, and more sustainable—not just for Canada, but globally.

FuelPositive’s journey exemplifies the power of persistence and collaboration in the face of challenges. By staying true to its mission and working closely with trusted partners, the Company has attracted visionary leaders and forged strong alliances that drive meaningful change for the environment and the economy. As FuelPositive evolves, it remains committed to creating sustainable solutions that empower communities, foster growth, and lead to a cleaner, more resilient future.

“In both business and life, when we persevere and remain focused on what truly matters, we find ourselves surrounded by the best people, working together toward the best possible outcomes. It’s through resilience and a shared commitment to positive change that we create solutions that not only benefit our communities today but also pave the way for a sustainable and thriving future.” — Luna Clifford, Co-Founder and Chief Impact Officer, FuelPositive

Board Member Bios:

Darrell Brown – Indigenous Clean Energy and Technology Advisor. New Independent Board Member

Based in Winnipeg, Darrell Brown brings over two decades of experience in clean energy, governance, and international business to FuelPositive. As an independent board member, Darrell’s leadership is essential in guiding the Company’s sustainability efforts and its commitment to inclusivity, particularly through his focus on empowering Indigenous communities across Manitoba.

Darrell is a founding member and chair of the Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce in Manitoba, where he has long championed Indigenous entrepreneurship and economic development. His involvement with the Indigenous Clean Energy (ICE) Social Enterprise and the ICE 20/20 Catalyst program underscores his expertise in developing clean energy strategies that drive both community growth and industry transformation.

With a strong background in off-grid renewable energy projects and long-standing relationships with Manitoba Hydro, Darrell has worked extensively with Indigenous communities to provide sustainable energy solutions for northern and remote regions. His commitment to Indigenous self-determination aligns closely with FuelPositive’s mission to offer decentralized energy solutions that free communities from expensive and unreliable supply chains.

Darrell’s expertise will be pivotal as FuelPositive develops its green ammonia technologies for fuel switching, enabling the replacement of fossil fuels across multiple sectors. This positions FuelPositive, based in Manitoba, to lead Canada in pioneering clean energy solutions, offering a transformative opportunity on the global stage. His extensive network in Manitoba ensures that FuelPositive’s innovations will reach the communities that need them most while driving both environmental and financial benefits for shareholders and customers alike.

André Mech, BEng, MBA – Carbon Credits and Emissions Reduction Advisor. Incoming Board Member. Independent Board Member

André Mech, one of FuelPositive’s new independent board members, brings over two decades of expertise in emissions reduction and carbon credits. With a deep understanding of emissions profiles and actionable strategies for reducing carbon footprints, André’s expertise perfectly aligns with FuelPositive’s mission to revolutionize agriculture through decentralized clean fertilizer and energy solutions.

André’s career spans North America and Europe, where he has advised hundreds of organizations across transportation and renewable energy sectors. He has developed over 80 carbon reduction plans for projects ranging from $0.1 million to $1 billion, positioning him as a leader in identifying economic and environmental opportunities within emissions-reducing technologies.

As FuelPositive aims to establish Manitoba as a global center of excellence for Green Ammonia production, André’s expertise in carbon credit generation and emissions measurement will be instrumental. His knowledge will ensure that the Company’s technologies deliver significant environmental benefits while creating economic value for farmers and stakeholders worldwide.

André’s strategic insight and ability to drive sustainability goals make him a critical asset as FuelPositive expands its clean energy and agricultural solutions and contributes to global carbon reduction efforts.

Luna Clifford, FuelPositive Co-Founder and Chief Impact Officer. New Management Board Member

Luna Clifford has extensive experience in building and scaling mission-driven companies. Since co-founding FuelPositive in January 2020, Luna has held increasingly important roles in creating the Company’s strategic direction. She is responsible for shaping and guiding the Company’s ethical vision, ensuring that FuelPositive’s clean technology strategy aligns with both profitability and sustainability.

With a background in communications, healthcare, permaculture, and ethical business models, Luna has been instrumental in positioning FuelPositive for global expansion, focusing on Manitoba’s agricultural sector. She emphasizes strong partnerships, inclusive growth, and environmental stewardship, advancing scalable solutions to meet global challenges. A multifaceted and skilled business owner, Luna excels at optimizing operations, focusing on efficiency and shareholder value. Guided by values of integrity, boldness, and kindness, she is dedicated to fostering inclusivity, creating opportunities for underrepresented groups, and advancing audacious and forward-thinking vision. Luna is passionate about leveraging technology to drive meaningful progress and social change.

Ian Clifford – FuelPositive Co-Founder, CEO, and Board Chair

Ian Clifford co-founded FuelPositive in 2020 and has been instrumental in developing the Company’s innovative and paradigm-shifting business model. As CEO, Ian plays a crucial role in investor relations and serves as FuelPositive’s primary spokesperson, effectively communicating the Company’s value to investors, customers and stakeholders around the world. His forward-thinking approach to business strategy has positioned FuelPositive as a leader in the clean technology sector.

Before FuelPositive, Ian co-founded ZENN Motor Company, where he led the development of zero-emission vehicle technologies, demonstrating his long-standing commitment to environmental innovation. His ability to identify and promote breakthrough technologies well ahead of the market has been key to his success, and FuelPositive is one of the most exciting projects of his career.

Ian’s leadership is defined by his strategic focus and innovative approach, promoting a holistic view of innovation and sustainability shaped through his collaboration with his co-founder. Together, they drive FuelPositive’s mission to deliver impactful clean agricultural and energy solutions, ensuring the Company’s growth and success in the rapidly evolving clean technology landscape.

AGM and Strategic Stakeholder Updates

–           FuelPositive’s Next AGM
FuelPositive has set its next Annual General Meeting (AGM) date on Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at 4pm est. The Company will reach out to shareholders toward the end of the year to gather questions and feedback in preparation for the meeting. FuelPositive will present the highlights of the Company’s advancements and roadmap for the future at the meeting.

–           BAM AGM 
FuelPositive was honoured to be invited to the BAM AGM last week, where CEO Ian Clifford was the keynote speaker, and presented the Company’s groundbreaking developments and emphasized its commitment to building sustainable agricultural and energy solutions in Canada. Ian spoke following Manitoba’s Minister of Economic Development, Adrian Moses, warm introduction. Ian introduced FuelPositive’s Manitoba-focussed strategies to the visionary team and membership at BAM, which align perfectly with FuelPositive’s goals for driving progressive economic and environmental change.

As a new arrival to Manitoba, FuelPositive is proud to support BAM’s transformative efforts and share its own initiatives that complement the provincial government’s vision for progress. The event provided significant visibility and networking opportunities, and it was a privilege for FuelPositive to present the Company’s work in such a collaborative and forward-thinking environment alongside such an inspiring and visionary team at BAM.

–           Manitoba Green Economy Forum
On October 22, 2024, FuelPositive’s new Board Member, Darrell Brown, was pleased to attend the Manitoba Green Economy Forum hosted by the Manitoba Chamber of Commerce. The forum brought together key stakeholders from diverse sectors to unveil and discuss the comprehensive industry-level opportunities for Manitoba’s Green Advantage. The discussions spotlighted areas with the highest economic impact and opportunities to advance the green economy and drive Manitoba’s transition to a net-zero future. Discussions and feedback from the forum will be vital to informing a green economy roadmap for Manitoba.

For FuelPositive, this event is particularly relevant as the Company is at the forefront of developing clean energy solutions in Manitoba, including its revolutionary Green Ammonia technology. Engaging with industry leaders and government officials at the forum allowed FuelPositive to continue to align its efforts with Manitoba’s broader green initiatives and ensure that its innovations contribute meaningfully to the province’s transition to a net-zero economy. The forum also provided critical insights into how FuelPositive can continue to empower local communities and industries with sustainable, decentralized agricultural and energy solutions.

About FuelPositive Corporation

FuelPositive is leading the future of agriculture with the world’s first farmer-owned, on-farm Green Ammonia production systems. The Company’s modular and innovative technology offers a predictable, reliable, and affordable solution for directly producing green fertilizer and fuel on-farm, reducing reliance on external supply chains.

Groundbreaking AgTech and Green Energy:

FuelPositive’s containerized Green Ammonia production systems are transforming the Green Ammonia industry by decentralizing production. This new fertilizer production approach aims to empower farmers to generate green nitrogen fertilizer and carbon-free fuel on-site, ensuring stable costs and supply. Each ton of ammonia produced by FuelPositive systems eliminates up to 2 tons of CO2e emissions, providing an environmentally sustainable solution that is also easily accessible and remotely monitored, enabling farmers to focus on their operations without added complexity.

First System Delivery: A Milestone in Sustainable Agriculture:

In June 2024, FuelPositive delivered its first commercial system, the FP300, to Tracy and Curtis Hiebert’s 11,000-acre grain farm near Sperling, Manitoba. This milestone marks a significant advancement for both FuelPositive and sustainable agriculture. The system activation this fall will further demonstrate the transformative impact of the Company’s technology on farming practices, driving a more sustainable future.

Manitoba: A Global Center of Excellence:

FuelPositive is positioning Manitoba as a leader in decentralized Green Ammonia production. The Company’s vision includes establishing a world-leading manufacturing hub that will generate highly skilled engineering, science, and trade jobs and contribute to the local economy over the coming years.

See sale details here: https://fuelpositive.com/sales/.

FuelPositive Corporation is based in Ontario and Manitoba (Canada) and trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol NHHH and in the USA on the OTCQB under the symbol NHHHF.

Cautionary Statement

Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) that are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the date of this news release. The information in this release about future plans and objectives of the Company, including with respect to further testing and implementation of the FP300 system, are forward-looking statements.

These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time they were made and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the time of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. These estimates and assumptions may prove to be incorrect.

Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can directly or indirectly affect and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.

Forward-looking information is provided for the purpose of providing information about management’s expectations and plans relating to the future. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except to the extent required by applicable law.

SOURCE FuelPositive Corp.

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Technology

U.S. Quartz Workers: Strong Safeguard Remedies Needed to Save 100,000 American Manufacturing Jobs

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July 23, 2026

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WASHINGTON, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Quartz Manufacturers Alliance for America (QMAA) released a powerful video featuring quartz manufacturing workers from across the country calling for free and fair trade policies to save 100,000 American jobs. QMAA, a coalition of leading U.S.-based quartz slab manufacturers, are calling for strong safeguard remedies after the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) found a huge flood of foreign imports had caused tremendous injury to the domestic quartz industry.

QMAA members are urging the Trump Administration to build on the ITC’s strong recommendation and address this major flood of quartz imports with a Tariff of 50% and a Reshoring Import Cap of 141 million square feet on imported quartz surface products. This will ensure a reshoring of the good-paying U.S. quartz manufacturing jobs stolen by companies who cheat U.S. trade law, distort competition and are decimating U.S. quartz manufacturing. Together, these trade remedies will provide the relief necessary to save the 100,000 jobs supported by the U.S. quartz industry.

The video features workers from LX Hausys, Guidoni USA and Cambria Company and is available here:
Save 100,000 American Quartz Jobs

Quotes from QMAA Quartz Manufacturing Workers
“This facility used to be a Husqvarna plant. Husqvarna closed down due to cheap foreign imports. There were over 1,000 people working here and all of a sudden…I’m worried I may see the same thing take place again.”
-Raymond Mack, Production Operator, Guidoni USA, Helena-McRae, GA

“Foreign countries, mainly China, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, have been circumventing and cheating the American market. We believe in the industry. We believe in the American working power. We just want to level the playing field, make it fair for everyone and everyone will benefit.”
– Daniel Vas de Melo SA, Business Development Manager, Guidoni USA, McRae-Helena, GA

“In order for us to continue to compete, we need a strong Tariff and Import Cap on imported quartz surfaces. That will ensure we can play on an even playing field. That’s all we’re asking for. I would hate to see cheap, imported quartz have a negative impact on families such as mine and the other families that we employ here.”
– Mike Morici, Vice President – LX Hausys, Adairsville, GA

“The surge of foreign imports has shocked the U.S. economy, and the market for surfaces. It’s taken prices down to unsustainably low levels for any domestic supplier. The result of that is we’re not producing as much as we should, we can’t hire as many people as we would like to, and we can’t grow our business in the way that we and our peers in the U.S. want to grow.”
– Andrew Eich, President and Chief Operating Officer, Cambria

“As these foreign imports flood the market, we lose the ability to create and sustain jobs that ensure good paying conditions for manufacturing workers. There will be over 100,000 jobs that have the strong potential to go away.”
– Jack Sundry, SVP Core and Lexus – Cambria, Southern Minnesota

Background
In September 2025, QMAA filed a Global Safeguard petition with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) under Section 201 of the U.S. Trade Act of 1974. The ITC’s thorough investigation found serious injury to the domestic industry caused by a massive import surge designed to undercut American businesses. Quartz imports have surged by 78.3% within the past five years, leading to a nearly 20% decline in domestic production, factory closures and major job reductions.

A final safeguard decision from the United States Trade Representative is expected by Aug. 1, 2026.

About the Quartz Manufacturing Alliance for America:
QMAA is a coalition of U.S.-based, American quartz slab manufacturing factories, united with other industry leaders to support and strengthen the American quartz industry. QMAA is committed to ensuring a free and fair, competitive marketplace born of free enterprise that provides the opportunity to compete on a level playing field for American quartz slab manufacturing factories and their valued workers. We also believe this effort will have a positive impact throughout the entire quartz surfacing industry, including to the strong benefit of American stone fabrication shops and upstream suppliers of quartz minerals and resin. Learn more at: https://www.qmaa.org/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/us-quartz-workers-strong-safeguard-remedies-needed-to-save-100-000-american-manufacturing-jobs-302833444.html

SOURCE Quartz Manufacturing Alliance of America

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Databricks and Microsoft expand partnership to help enterprises bring business context to enterprise AI

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July 23, 2026

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Databricks and Microsoft extend strategic partnership through the 2030s to scale enterprise AIDatabricks deepens its bet on Azure, growing its use of Azure Databricks to run its own core business operations and analytics, while both companies advance native integration across the Microsoft stack, including Databricks Genie and Microsoft 365Databricks increases its use of Microsoft Azure Cobalt to improve performance and efficiency

REDMOND, Wash. and SAN FRANCISCO, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Microsoft Corp. and Databricks on Wednesday announced an expansion of their decade-long strategic partnership, extending into the 2030s. Databricks will deepen its use of Azure Databricks to run core business operations and build its unified lakehouse, while leveraging Azure Cobalt, Microsoft’s next-generation Arm-based infrastructure, to improve performance and efficiency. Microsoft will also continue integrating Databricks Data and AI platform across its products, bringing capabilities like Genie, Databricks’ AI co-worker, directly into customer workflows. Together, the companies are helping enterprises build AI grounded in their own business context with the cost efficiency, control and choice needed to scale successfully.

Enterprises want AI that understands their customers, products, operations, metrics and business processes, all while running securely where work happens. Yet, most still struggle to connect AI to trusted business knowledge, govern models and agents consistently, and control costs. Microsoft and Databricks are helping customers close that gap: 

“For nearly a decade, Databricks and Microsoft have helped enterprises innovate with data and AI,” said Ali Ghodsi, Co‑Founder and CEO of Databricks. “Today, our partnership is stronger than ever. With Databricks Genie and Unity AI Gateway deeply integrated across Microsoft’s products, we’re helping enterprises unify their data and ground AI in business knowledge. This lets customers get the full benefits of agents and models while controlling costs and ensuring governance.”

“The next generation of AI will be defined by how effectively organizations turn their unique knowledge into intelligence,” said Judson Althoff, CEO, Microsoft Commercial Business. “Microsoft and Databricks are helping customers connect data, AI and business context to accelerate decision-making and drive measurable impact. With Databricks deepening its investment in Azure Databricks and Azure Cobalt-powered infrastructure, customers will benefit from greater performance, efficiency and scale for their most demanding workloads. Databricks’ decision to run its own core business operations on Azure Databricks also gives customers confidence in a platform proven at enterprise scale.”

Databricks runs core business operations on Azure Databricks 

As part of this latest deal, Databricks deepens its commitment to Azure, running its own core business operations and analytics on Azure Databricks, using the very platform it delivers to customers at scale.

Advancing performance with Azure Cobalt

Databricks will also expand its use of Azure Cobalt, Microsoft’s next-generation Arm-based infrastructure, to improve performance and efficiency for agentic and data-intensive workloads. Databricks currently uses Cobalt 100 and plans to adopt Cobalt 200, which delivers up to 50% better performance and includes memory encryption enabled by default.

Deep integrations for Databricks Genie and Unity AI Gateway with Microsoft product stack

By combining the Databricks Data + AI Platform with Azure’s global scale, customers can accelerate AI transformation while maintaining control and reliability. As a native Azure service, Azure Databricks makes its AI capabilities available directly within customers’ existing Microsoft environment, grounding and operating agents on enterprise data with Genie and Genie Ontology, and governing models, agents and cost through Unity AI Gateway. Deeply integrated across the Microsoft ecosystem spanning Microsoft Entra, Azure Data Lake Storage, Azure security, Microsoft OneLake, Power BI, Microsoft Purview, Microsoft Foundry, Power Platform, Microsoft 365, Teams and Copilot, these capabilities bring governed, real-time data and AI into business workflows, giving organizations the context, control, choice and cost efficiency needed to drive impact.

Continued investment is evident from our recent announcements with Databricks at Data + AI Summit in June.

Customer impact with Azure Databricks

The deepened collaboration strengthens support for joint customers running data, analytics and AI workloads on Azure Databricks, delivering improved performance, security, AI governance and enterprise readiness. Thousands of customers, including Banco Bradesco, the Cincinnati Reds, Electrolux, SMBC and Unilever, already use Azure Databricks to run critical workloads and scale AI with confidence.

Read more on the proven business value of the Databricks and Microsoft partnership on the Microsoft Azure blog.

About Databricks

Databricks is the Data and AI company. More than 20,000 organizations worldwide — including AT&T, Bayer, BMW Group, HSBC, T-Mobile, Unilever, and 70% of the Fortune 500 — rely on Databricks Data + AI Platform to build and scale data and AI apps, analytics and agents. Headquartered in San Francisco with 30+ offices around the globe, Databricks offers a unified platform that includes Genie, Lakebase, Agent Bricks, Lakeflow, Lakehouse, and Unity Catalog. To learn more, follow Databricks on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, and Instagram.

About Microsoft

Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) creates platforms and tools powered by AI to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers. The technology company is committed to making AI available broadly and doing so responsibly, with a mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/databricks-and-microsoft-expand-partnership-to-help-enterprises-bring-business-context-to-enterprise-ai-302832954.html

SOURCE Microsoft Corp.

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Harness and Kong Expand Strategic Partnership to Deliver Comprehensive API and AI Security

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July 23, 2026

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Joint solution extends proven API gateway security to the AI era — with automated AI discovery and runtime AI protection

SAN FRANCISCO, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Harness, the AI Software Delivery Platform™ company, and Kong Inc., a leading developer of API and AI connectivity technologies, today announced an expansion of their strategic partnership to address the growing security challenges posed by AI-driven architectures, autonomous agents, and Model Context Protocol (MCP) deployments.

According to The State of AI-Native Application Security 2025 report, as enterprises race to deploy AI at scale, 62% have no visibility into where LLMs are in use across their environment, and 74% say AI sprawl will outpace API sprawl when it comes to risk — making embedded, infrastructure-level security more critical than ever. And companies are now deploying agents into their operations at an exponentially increasing rate, making it a necessity to protect the agents themselves and the systems interacting with those agents.

The two companies are extending their joint solution from Kong API Gateway to also include Kong AI Gateway, bringing Harness’s AI security intelligence directly into the AI infrastructure layer and enabling enterprises to discover, monitor, and protect every agent, AI asset, LLM-powered service, and MCP-connected workflow that traverses it.

A Proven Foundation: Harness and Kong API Gateway

Harness and Kong have been jointly trusted by enterprises to deliver best-in-class API security for years. The existing Harness and Kong API Gateway integration provides:

Comprehensive API traffic visibility and behavioral analysis across all Kong-managed servicesReal-time detection and blocking of API threats, including OWASP API Security Top 10 risks, credential stuffing attacks, and business logic abuseContinuous sensitive data tracking to identify PII exposure and regulatory riskZero-friction deployment alongside existing Kong configurations

This new offering of the AI Gateway solution applies the same level of security depth to AI infrastructure, ensuring that security teams are not left behind as their organizations adopt AI and agentic operations.

“Our partnership with Harness has given joint customers production-grade API security that works with the way they build, not against it,” said Ken Kim, Senior Vice President, Business Development at Kong Inc. “Extending to include Kong AI Gateway is a natural next step. The same enterprises are now moving AI into production through our gateway and need the same depth of visibility and control they’ve come to rely on for their APIs for all AI traffic types including LLM, MCP, and A2A. That’s exactly what this delivers and is crucial for organizations scaling in the agentic era.”

The New Frontier: Kong AI Gateway and Harness AI Security

As enterprises accelerate AI adoption, the attack surface has fundamentally shifted. AI agents, LLM-powered microservices, and MCP-enabled integrations introduce new vectors that traditional security tools were not designed to address. Unlike traditional software, AI agents are non-deterministic — the same agent can behave differently on consecutive runs, making it impossible to secure them the way you’d secure a static API. The new Harness and Kong AI Gateway integration directly tackles these challenges across two critical domains: AI discovery and AI protection.

AI Discovery
Harness automatically inventories every AI asset, API, MCP server, tool, prompt, and resource routed through Kong AI Gateway — providing security teams with a continuously updated catalog of their AI attack surface. No manual documentation. No blind spots.

AI Protection
Harness applies behavioral analysis and anomaly detection to AI traffic in real time, identifying prompt injection attacks, data exfiltration through AI responses, jailbreaking, malicious code in prompts, and other AI-specific threats. Enterprises gain the same depth of observability and protection for their agents and AI workloads that they already rely on for traditional APIs, with full prompt and response details available for incident investigation and inline policy enforcement through Kong AI Gateway.

“Shadow AI has become the defining security blind spot for enterprises today. Traditional tools were built for static code and predictable systems, not for adaptive AI models, agent-to-agent communication, and MCP-connected workflows that evolve continuously,” said Rahul Sood, GM of Application Security at Harness. “This integration of Harness AI Security with Kong puts security intelligence directly into the connectivity layer where AI traffic flows. Joint customers now have the visibility and control they need to move fast without losing sight of what’s happening across their AI infrastructure.”

Availability

The Harness and Kong API Gateway integration is generally available today for all joint customers. The Kong AI Gateway integration, including AI Discovery and AI Protection, is also generally available now. Joint customers can contact their account team or request a demo.

About Harness
Harness is the AI Software Delivery Platform™ company, enabling engineering teams to build, test, and deliver software faster and more securely. Powered by Harness AI and the Software Delivery Knowledge Graph, the platform brings intelligent automation to every stage of the software delivery lifecycle after code — removing toil and freeing developers from manual, repetitive work. Companies like United Airlines, Morningstar, and Choice Hotels use Harness to accelerate releases by up to 75%, cut cloud costs by 60%, and achieve 10x efficiency across DevOps. Based in San Francisco, Harness is backed by Goldman Sachs, Menlo Ventures, IVP, Unusual Ventures, and Citi Ventures.

About Kong

Kong Inc., a leading developer of API and AI connectivity technologies, is building the connectivity layer of AI. Trusted by the Fortune 500® and AI-native startups alike, Kong’s unified API and AI platform enables organizations to secure, manage, accelerate, govern, and monetize the flow of intelligence across APIs and AI traffic — on any model, any cloud. For more information, visit www.konghq.com.

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SOURCE Harness

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