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INTRODUCING JOURNEY: A NEW KIND OF LOYALTY PROGRAM DESIGNED FOR THE MODERN TRAVELER

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Founded by Visionary Entrepreneur, John Sutton and Backed by Brian Kelly (Founder of The Points Guy), Journey is the First Rewards Program Tailored to Private Rental Homes and Boutique Hotels

NEW YORK, Nov. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Journey, a pioneering travel rewards platform, launches today to redefine travel loyalty. Journey allows travelers to earn points and perks across a curated network of unique, independently operated properties—from boutique hotels in major cities to private rental homes in remote locales—offering the flexibility and personalization guests crave.

Introducing Journey: A New Kind of Loyalty Program Designed for the Modern Traveler

“More than ever, loyalty is important to consumers,” said Brian Kelly, founder of The Points Guy, Senior Advisor and Investor at Journey. “Travelers want to earn and redeem points for life changing experiences. Whether that’s a safari or a private vacation rental, many of the best lodging options don’t exist within the current loyalty landscape. That’s where Journey comes in—a game changing platform that rewards travelers for staying at properties that they traditionally haven’t been able to earn points for. With Journey, travelers will no longer have to sacrifice loyalty when seeking bespoke and boutique travel experiences.”

Unlock More With Every Stay
Journey connects travelers to hidden gems—boutique hotels, luxury resorts, and private rental homes—that they may not have discovered otherwise. Travelers earn points on every eligible stay, building rewards redeemable for future getaways and perks. For guests, Journey showcases a world of accommodation options beyond the large hospitality groups, giving travelers access to unique, independently owned properties, all while earning valuable loyalty rewards.

“Travelers today face an overwhelming amount of choice,” said John Sutton, Founder and CEO of Journey. “Our curated collection of exceptional, independent stays showcases a handpicked selection of the best accommodations across the globe. By designing a platform from the ground up, we introduce travelers to inspiring, off-the-radar properties while rewarding them for supporting independent operators.”

Transforming Stays, One Reward at a Time
Journey is building an exclusive alliance of independently operated hotels and private rentals, representing a handpicked selection of top properties across the globe. Unlike many rewards programs designed to maximize profits for the loyalty scheme, Journey prioritizes operators and encourages guests to book directly for the best experience and value. Journey Rewards members (travelers) earn at least five points per dollar on eligible stays booked directly with the property versus at least one point per dollar when booking via online travel agencies. Journey also provides operators with next-generation AI marketing tools to personalize guest experiences, optimize off-seasons, attract repeat guests, and compete globally with big chains.

“Journey is about creating an ecosystem where independent operators can thrive without compromising their identity or profits,” Sutton continued. “For far too long, loyalty programs have made money for the loyalty program and not for the hotel or vacation rental. We don’t think it should be that way.”

A World-Class Team of Visionaries
Journey’s leadership team and investors bring together travel industry icons and entrepreneurial powerhouses, united by a passion for redefining loyalty:

John Sutton, Founder and CEO: John is a visionary entrepreneur who sold his digital marketing company in 2009 to join Red Ventures. He held various roles within the organization, including Chief Digital Officer for more than six years, until he left in 2021 to pursue his dream of playing professional beach volleyball. Today, as Journey’s CEO, he is responsible for setting and executing the strategic vision while hiring and overseeing the company’s roster of top industry talent.Brian Kelly, Senior Advisor and Investor: Brian founded The Points Guy in 2010 and built it into one of the top travel media empires in the world. His influential work has led him to be recognized on AdWeek’s Young Influentials list, labeled Forbes’ No. 1 travel influencer and included in Travel + Leisure’s Most Notable People in Travel and Out100’s lists. In 2017, The Points Guy was acquired by Red Ventures, where Brian first connected with John.James McBride, Alliance Ambassador & Senior Advisor: Recognized as “One to Watch” by Bloomberg Businessweek’s Bloomberg 50 and awarded Independent Hotelier of the World by Hotels magazine, James has led iconic properties from Ritz-Carlton to The Carlyle to Grosvenor House. At Journey, James draws on decades of leadership to support independent travel, helping operators thrive in a competitive marketplace while maintaining their unique identity.Eric Wu, Senior Advisor and Investor: Eric was the CEO and Co-Founder of Opendoor, the leading e-commerce platform for residential real estate. His experience building innovative, scalable businesses is a key asset to Journey’s future growth.Chris Burch, Senior Advisor and Investor: As the Co-Founder of Tory Burch and the Owner of Nihi Sumba Resorts, Chris brings a wealth of knowledge in luxury, travel and hospitality, providing valuable insight into crafting world-class guest experiences.

Join the Journey
Journey is currently accepting applications from hospitality operators who wish to become Alliance members. Visit JoinJourney.com/Alliance to learn more. For travelers who are interested in joining Journey Rewards, please visit JoinJourney.com/Waitlist. Travelers will be able to earn and redeem Journey rewards points starting Spring 2025. For more information, visit JoinJourney.com or follow along on social @JourneyRewards.

ABOUT JOURNEY
Journey is a revolutionary loyalty program designed for the modern traveler, connecting guests with unique, independently operated properties. As the first rewards program tailored specifically to private rentals and boutique hotels, Journey enhances both guest experience and operator success by boosting direct bookings and guest personalization through AI enabled tools. For more information, visit JoinJourney.com or join the conversation @JourneyRewards on Instagram, LinkedIn and X.

MEDIA CONTACT:
press@joinjourney.com

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SOURCE Journey

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Bloomberg Introduces Spread-to-Benchmark Quoting for EUR and GBP Portfolio Trading Baskets

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LONDON, June 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bloomberg today announced the launch of Spread-to-Benchmark quoting and trading for Euro (EUR) and Sterling (GBP) denominated portfolio trades through its Portfolio Trading Basket Builder (PTBB). The new functionality expands the range of quoting protocols available for European credit portfolio trading and reflects growing client demand for spread-based execution workflows, alongside increased dealer support for the convention across EUR and GBP markets.

Spread-to-Benchmark quoting is a well-established protocol for USD credit portfolio trades and is used by market participants to evaluate and execute portfolio trades. By extending this workflow to EUR and GBP portfolio trades, Bloomberg enables clients and dealers to transact using a familiar spread-based methodology across additional credit markets. 

The introduction of Spread-to-Benchmark quoting for EUR and GBP baskets reflects increased client interest in evaluating portfolio trades through a spread-based lens and the growing adoption of spread-based execution workflows in European credit markets. The workflow provides market participants with an additional framework for assessing the relationship between credit spread risk and underlying government bond yields when pricing and executing portfolio trades. 

Additional Workflow Flexibility 
The workflow complements Bloomberg’s existing portfolio trading capabilities, which support the full range of market-standard quoting conventions, including Price, Yield, Spread-to-Benchmark and Spread based workflows that reference Bloomberg’s evaluated pricing service (BVAL). This gives clients flexibility to compare and execute portfolio trades using the quoting methodology that best aligns with their investment objectives, execution preferences and internal risk management processes. 

“European credit clients continue to look for execution workflows that reflect how they evaluate risk and monitor portfolio trading outcomes,” said Harry Street, Global Head of Credit and Equities Trading Product at Bloomberg. “By expanding dealer support for Spread-to-Benchmark quoting for EUR and GBP baskets, Bloomberg is broadening the range of workflow options available to clients trading European credit portfolios.” 

“Portfolio trading workflows in fixed income continue to become more sophisticated as institutional investors look for ways to evaluate execution quality in changing market conditions,” said Kevin McPartland, Head of Market Structure & Technology Research at Crisil Coalition Greenwich. “Spread-based quoting helps market participants more clearly distinguish between the impacts of credit spread and underlying rates movements when determining how best to execute a portfolio trade.” 

Bloomberg’s Electronic Markets solutions are used by leading financial institutions to trade efficiently in over 175 markets around the world. More than 9,000 client firms use Bloomberg Electronic Markets to access industry-leading depth and breadth of liquidity across asset classes from over 800 dealers globally. Bloomberg Electronic Markets provides market participants with comprehensive solutions across the trading lifecycle, including robust price transparency, analytics, automation and execution, powered by Bloomberg’s high-quality, multi-asset class data and tools.

About Bloomberg
Bloomberg is a global leader in business and financial information, delivering trusted data, news, and insights that bring transparency, efficiency, and fairness to markets. The company helps connect influential communities across the global financial ecosystem via reliable technology solutions that enable our customers to make more informed decisions and foster better collaboration. For more information, visit Bloomberg.com/company or request a demo.

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SOURCE Bloomberg L.P.

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Dr. Sunho Kang, a senior battery-technology executive with leadership experience at major global battery and EV manufacturers, joins TeraWatt Technology as Head of Product and Technology

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SAN FRANCISCO, June 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — TeraWatt Technology Inc. (Headquartered in California, USA) is pleased to announce that Dr. Sunho Kang has joined the company as Head of Product and Technology.

Dr. Kang is a globally recognized battery-technology executive with more than 25 years of leadership experience spanning the United States, Asia, and Europe, and a distinguished track record of advancing innovations from laboratory research through gigafactory-scale production. He has held senior executive positions at world-leading organizations including Samsung SDI, Apple, and Volkswagen Group of America, and brings deep expertise in lithium-ion battery materials, cell engineering, and product industrialization across a broad range of applications, including electric vehicles and energy storage systems.

At TeraWatt, Dr. Kang will lead global product development and the commercialization of TeraWatt’s battery technology platform, aiming to accelerate the delivery of TeraWatt’s competitive products as well as the technology and commercialization roadmap including manufacturing scale-up.

Dr. Kang commented:

“I am thrilled to join TeraWatt Technology as Head of Product and Technology. TeraWatt’s innovative battery platform presents a tremendous opportunity to push the boundaries of lithium-ion technology, and I look forward to working with the team to accelerate product development and commercialization to deliver meaningful impact.”

TeraWatt Technology founder CEO Ken Ogata, Ph.D. commented:

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Kang as our Head of Product and Technology. His deep expertise in battery materials, cell engineering, and productization will be instrumental in accelerating TeraWatt’s product roadmap and technology leadership. Together with Dr. Kang, we will continue to drive our mission forward.”

About TeraWatt Technology Inc.
TeraWatt Technology Inc. is a California-based company that produces lightweight, high-power, and safe next-generation lithium-ion batteries.

Company Overview
Name: TeraWatt Technology Inc.
Representative: Co-founder and CEO Ken Ogata
Headquarters: 28 Geary St, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94108, United States
Founded: January 2020
Established: December 2019
URL: https://www.terawatt-technology.com/

 

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SOURCE TeraWatt Technology Inc.

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Tencent Cloud and Soniox Announce Strategic Partnership: Combining Advanced Speech-to-Text (STT) Technology with Global Real-Time Infrastructure

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HONG KONG, June 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Tencent Cloud, the cloud business of global technology company Tencent, today announced a strategic partnership with Soniox, a San Francisco-based speech AI company that specializes in developing high-accuracy, low-latency speech AI solutions. The collaboration integrates Soniox’s speech-to-text (STT) technology with Tencent Cloud’s Real-Time Communication (TRTC) enterprise-grade global infrastructure, enabling enterprises to build and deploy multilingual voice AI applications across 200+ countries and regions.

Elevating Enterprise Voice AI at a Global Scale

In enterprise voice AI deployments, latency directly affects user experience and application reliability. The integration of Soniox’s high-accuracy, low-latency STT with TRTC’s global transmission infrastructure reduces latency across the entire pipeline, creating a comprehensive end-to-end solution for enterprises deploying conversational AI applications worldwide.    

Soniox is the voice platform for every language. Unlike legacy speech AI, which was built primarily for English-speakers, Soniox delivers native-speaker accuracy across 60+ languages. Its technology can handle mid-sentence language switching — a user can switch between English and Chinese in a single utterance, and Soniox will capture every word with complete accuracy. All of this works through a single API that works for both speech-to-text and text-to-speech.

By integrating TRTC, the partnership leverages an enterprise-grade real-time communication backbone featuring more than 3,200 global nodes, sub-300 ms worldwide latency, and advanced capabilities such as AI noise suppression and weak-network resilience. These capabilities enable conversational AI applications to operate reliably across diverse network environments, including regions such as Southeast Asia and Africa.

With the roll out of this partnership, developers can integrate the Soniox STT API directly within the Tencent Cloud console. Whether targeting English-speaking markets or supporting languages such as Arabic, Hindi, and Malay, enterprises can build global voice applications — including intelligent customer service, voice assistants, real-time translation, and meeting transcription — to address the demands of expansion into emerging markets and multilingual scenarios.

Wison Xie, Head of Product at Tencent RTC, stated: “Tencent RTC has always been committed to providing reliable real-time communication infrastructure for global enterprises. Our partnership with Soniox brings together our strengths in enterprise-grade audio transmission and Soniox’s advanced speech recognition technology. Together, we are making it easier for businesses to deploy accurate, low-latency voice AI applications across any language and any market.”

Klemen Simonic, CEO at Soniox Inc., stated “At Soniox, our mission is to help businesses understand every word, in any language, with native speaker accuracy and exceptional speed. Partnering with Tencent Cloud combines our speech AI with world-class real-time infrastructure, enabling enterprises to build voice AI experiences that scale globally with low latency and reliability.”

About Tencent Cloud:

Tencent Cloud, one of the world’s leading cloud companies, is committed to creating innovative solutions to resolve real-world issues and enabling digital transformation for smart industries. Through our extensive global infrastructure, Tencent Cloud provides businesses across the globe with stable and secure industry-leading cloud products and services, leveraging technological advancements such as cloud computing, Big Data analytics, AI, IoT, and network security. It is our constant mission to meet the needs of industries across the board, including the fields of gaming, media and entertainment, finance, healthcare, property, retail, travel, and transportation.

About Tencent RTC:

Tencent RTC provides real-time communication solutions, including audio/video calling, live streaming, and in-game voice. With enterprise-grade security, AI-powered enhancements, and a global network of over 3,200 nodes, Tencent RTC powers mission-critical communication for customers worldwide.

About Soniox:

Soniox is a next-generation voice AI company bringing about the end of English-first speech AI. Most people on the planet did not grow up speaking English and often mix languages mid-sentence; and yet legacy speech AI was built for just English. Soniox is different: native-speaker accuracy across 60+ languages, true mid-sentence language switching, and flawless alphanumeric recognition that legacy providers still can’t match. For developers building global apps, Soniox is the only option. Try it for yourself at soniox.com.

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SOURCE Tencent Cloud

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