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Qiddiya and leading tech company Globant agree a landmark partnership to make Saudi Arabia’s Qiddiya City one of the world’s most immersive entertainment hubs

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Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) and Globant, a digitally native company focused on reinventing businesses through innovative technology solutions, announce a new landmark partnership to create a state-of-the-art digital ecosystem for Qiddiya City, the new global destination for entertainment, sports, and culture built on the foundations of playAt the heart of this collaboration will be the Qiddiya “PLAY LIFE Connected Experience”, offering visitors a seamless, personalized interface to book events and manage their itineraries, providing real-time updates and recommendations tailored to individual preferences Qiddiya City is set to attract millions of annual visitors, combining cutting-edge technology with unparalleled experiences to establish a unique, world-class destination unlike any other on the planet

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Nov. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) and leading technology company Globant (NYSE: GLOB) have announced a significant new partnership that will cement Saudi Arabia’s landmark new destination Qiddiya City as one of the world’s most immersive hubs for entertainment, sports and culture.

As part of the collaboration, Globant – a digitally native company focused on reinventing businesses with innovative technology solutions – will work with QIC to develop the Qiddiya “PLAY LIFE Connected Experience”, a cutting-edge digital ecosystem designed to transform how visitors and residents interact with the unique destination’s wide range of offerings.

The system will leverage artificial intelligence, data analytics, and cloud technology to develop a seamless interface that personalizes and enhances every interaction at Qiddiya City. It will allow visitors to book events, manage their itineraries, discover new adventures, and engage with the community, all

through a personalized, real-time interface. Whether attending a sporting event, exploring cultural attractions, or participating in world-class entertainment, the “PLAY LIFE Connected Experience” will enrich every moment.

Abdulrahman Alali, QIC’s Chief Technology Officer, underscored the importance of the new partnership in achieving Qiddiya’s ambitions. “Our partnership with Globant marks a pivotal step in realizing Qiddiya’s vision as the world’s first city dedicated entirely to play,” he said.

“The Qiddiya PLAY LIFE Connected Experience will not only enhance how visitors engage with our attractions but also set a new standard for digital integration in entertainment and tourism. We are creating a destination that is both innovative and unforgettable, and this collaboration will help ensure that every visitor’s journey is personalized, seamless, and truly unique,” Abdulrahman Alali added.

The partnership substantiates Globant’s pivotal role in Saudi Arabia’s smart city initiatives and its broader digital transformation efforts.

Federico Pienovi, CEO & CBO of New Markets at Globant said: “Partnering with Qiddiya on this program is a major milestone for Globant. We are not building a smart city; but creating an immersive, digitally connected experience that brings Qiddiya to life in ways that go beyond traditional entertainment. This is the future of how cities and people will interact, and we are thrilled to lead this transformation.”

Globant’s expertise in creating immersive digital experiences is central to the success of the PLAY LIFE Connected Experience, which will be a cornerstone of Qiddiya’s dynamic offerings. By incorporating cutting-edge technologies, Globant is ensuring that Qiddiya City becomes a world-leading example of how digital ecosystems can enhance the entertainment and cultural sectors. In addition to digital innovation, this collaboration emphasizes the development of local talent, in line with Saudi Vision 2030.

Mamdouh Aldoubayan, Managing Director for MENA at Globant, highlighted the importance of this project for the Saudi workforce: “At Globant, we are deeply committed to fostering the growth of local talent. Projects like Qiddiya provide unparalleled opportunities to transfer our expertise in digital transformation and innovation especially in the entertainment industry to the new generation of Saudis. As a result of creating opportunities for upskilling and reskilling, we are not only helping to build the future workforce but also enabling the Kingdom to become a leader in digital ecosystems.”

Globant’s collaboration with QIC marks a significant step in the company’s expansion into Saudi Arabia and the broader MENA region, one of the world’s fastest-growing markets for digital innovation. This

strategic move allows Globant to leverage its expertise in artificial intelligence, data analytics, and cloud technologies across various sectors, from entertainment to smart city development. By contributing to projects aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals, Globant is positioning itself at the forefront of technological advancement in the region. This partnership not only enhances Globant’s global footprint but also reinforces its role as a leader in digital transformation, capable of driving innovative solutions and shaping technological progress in key markets worldwide.

About Qiddiya

As one of Saudi Arabia’s leading giga-projects, Qiddiya is key to Vision 2030’s ambitions for a vibrant society, a thriving economy, and an ambitious nation. Qiddiya seeks to build destinations, programs, and initiatives based on its founding ‘Power of Play’ philosophy. This philosophy aims to redefine how people live, work, and play – laying the groundwork for a future where play is not just an activity but a way of life.

Qiddiya City is Qiddiya’s inaugural project; the world’s first purpose-built city dedicated to play. Located at the heart of the Tuwaiq Mountains just 40 minutes from the capital of Riyadh, Qiddiya City brings entertainment, sports and culture together to create a unique and unforgettable destination like no other on the planet.

The vibrant new city will boast more than 400 tourist attractions and experiences including high-energy entertainment venues, branded theme parks and world-leading arenas. It is set to host some of the world’s biggest sports competitions, festivals, concerts, and cultural events with a motorsports track, a record-breaking stadium, championship golf courses, gaming and esports arenas and an iconic performing arts center among some of its many attractions.

For more information, visit www.qiddiya.com. 

About Globant

At Globant, we create the digitally-native products that people love. We bridge the gap between businesses and consumers through technology and creativity, leveraging our experience as an AI powerhouse. We dare to digitally transform organizations and strive to delight their customers.

We have more than 29,100 employees and are present in 33 countries across 5 continents, working for companies like Google, Electronic Arts, and Santander, among others.We were named a Worldwide Leader in AI Services (2023) and a Worldwide Leader in CX Improvement Services (2020) by IDC MarketScape report.We are the fastest-growing IT brand and the 5th strongest IT brand globally (2024), according to Brand Finance.We were featured as a business case study at Harvard, MIT, and Stanford.We are active members of The Green Software Foundation (GSF) and the Cybersecurity Tech Accord.

Contact: pr@globant.com

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Trive Capital Announces Sale of EarthLink

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DALLAS, Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Trive Capital (“Trive”) is pleased to announce that it has closed on the sale of EarthLink, LLC (“EarthLink” or the “Company”) to a family office consortium consisting of WaveDivision Capital (“Wave”), The Pritzker Organization (“TPO”) and Stephens Capital Partners (“SCP”), in partnership with EarthLink’s management team. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, EarthLink is one of the largest internet service providers in the United States, serving over 500,000 internet and managed services customers nationwide. Through partnerships with several of the nation’s largest fiber and 5G providers, EarthLink has built an asset-light, nationwide network that can offer fiber internet service to more than 68 million homes.

Since Trive’s investment in EarthLink in 2018 as part of a corporate carveout, the Company has transformed from a legacy DSL and email business in precipitous decline to an asset-light connectivity platform serving over 500,000 consumers and small businesses nationwide. The Company has grown and will continue to grow based on its expanded fiber and 5G internet solutions and commitment to customer service for consumers and small businesses.

Shravan Thadani, Partner at Trive, stated, “EarthLink has been a true partnership between management and Trive in every sense of the word. The team built a differentiated, asset-light platform that gives consumers and small businesses real choice in how they get connected, and did so while standing up every function of the platform outside of its former, public parent. We are proud to have been a part of such an iconic brand’s journey and will continue to support Wave, TPO and SCP as they work with management to accelerate growth in the coming years.”

“During our partnership with Trive, we have taken one of the most trusted brands in the internet space and turned it into a trusted option for consumers and small businesses nationwide,” commented Glenn Goad, Chief Executive Officer of EarthLink. “As internet access has become one of the most important utilities in a consumer’s life, EarthLink has a renewed focus on making it easier for our customers to access the best internet options at affordable prices. Trive was critically important through and after the carve-out, and we are excited to partner with Wave, TPO and SCP to continue to grow EarthLink alongside our trusted fiber and 5G partners. Our collective goal remains the same: to provide the right technology at the right price, supported by a world-class customer experience.”

About EarthLink

EarthLink is an internet service provider offering fiber and 5G internet solutions for homes and businesses nationwide. With a focus on dependable connectivity, flexible plans, and customer-focused service, EarthLink provides broadband options designed to meet the needs of modern households and businesses. EarthLink is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia and serves over 500,000 customers. To learn more, visit earthlink.net.

About Trive Capital

Trive Capital is a Dallas, Texas based private equity firm with more than $8 billion of regulatory assets under management. Trive focuses on investing equity and debt in what it sees as strategically viable middle-market companies with the potential for transformational upside through operational improvement.

The Trive team is comprised of seasoned investment professionals who have been involved in over 250 middle-market transactions representing in excess of $10 billion in revenue across Trive’s targeted industry sectors and situations.

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SOURCE Trive Capital

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Rondo Energy and Rio Tinto Advance Australia’s Largest Thermal Energy Storage Project

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GLADSTONE, Australia, Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Rondo Energy and Rio Tinto have started front-end engineering and design on the project for a 360 MWh storage / 30 MW discharge Rondo Heat Battery, supported by a grant from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

ARENA’s funding for the project will be provided in stages, with an initial $3.6 million to complete front-end engineering and design work. Following successful completion of that study, ARENA will provide up to $38 million for deployment. ARENA has also approved up to $33.3 million in conditional contingency support, which would only be made available in defined circumstances to manage specific project risks, including cost overruns and electricity costs. 

If progressed, the project would be delivered at Rio Tinto’s Yarwun alumina refinery near Gladstone, Queensland and would be one of the first large-scale demonstrations of thermal energy storage for industrial process heat globally, and a world-first for the alumina industry.

Rondo Heat Batteries use abundant, low-cost midday electricity to charge, storing energy as high-temperature heat in refractory brick, and supplying energy as 24/7 continuous process heat to industry. Typically, the heat is delivered as steam, directly into an industrial facility’s steam network. Australia regularly has 4-6 hours of surplus solar-generated renewable electricity in the middle of the day, but industrial facilities need heat 24 hours a day, not just when the sun is shining. By charging when electricity is cheap and abundant and discharging continuously, Rondo Heat Batteries turn short periods of low-cost electricity into 24/7 delivery of low-cost steam. 

For energy-intensive industries such as alumina refining, Rondo Heat Batteries create a pathway to electrification that addresses both emissions and energy costs. Because the heat battery slots into the existing steam network, the facility’s processes run exactly as before — the only thing that changes is the energy for that heat: no longer from fossil fuels, but sourced from low cost electricity instead. The Yarwun study will assess the technical and economic viability of integrating the technology into refinery operations.

“This project shows how Australia’s abundant energy can become a competitive advantage for industry,” said Dr. Kira Rundel, Rondo’s Head of Australia. “Heat batteries allow manufacturers to use low-cost electricity to produce the reliable, round-the-clock heat their operations need. Australia’s largest heat battery will show how factories can cut emissions without increasing energy costs, helping Australian industry to increase global competitiveness and supporting local manufacturing jobs.”

Rio Tinto Pacific Operations Managing Director Armando Torres said: “Reducing emissions from alumina refining is complex, particularly when it comes to generating the high-pressure steam needed for our operations.

“This study will help us determine whether thermal energy storage can provide a technically and economically viable alternative to fossil fuels for part of Yarwun’s steam requirements.

“The best way to tackle challenges of this scale is through collaboration between industry, government, and technology partners. We welcome ARENA and Rondo’s support as we assess technologies that could help reduce our Scope 1 emissions while maintaining reliable operations at Yarwun.”

About Rondo Energy

Rondo Energy delivers firm heat and power, including combined heat and power (CHP), to heavy industry and provides power solutions and long duration storage to data centers. For industrial heat applications, Rondo Heat Batteries convert 4-6 hours of low-cost electricity into continuous 24-hour, high-temperature heat, delivered as steam or hot air up to 1,000°C. The heat delivered integrates directly with existing industrial equipment and processes, eliminating on-site emissions and running on lower cost energy. Rondo heat storage can integrate with steam turbines to deliver combined heat and power (CHP) for industry, and long duration power-to-power solutions for large energy consumers such as data centers. Built on proven refractory brick as the thermal storage medium, Rondo’s platform is engineered for multi-decade operation in the most demanding industrial environments.

Rondo Heat Batteries have been delivering firm heat and power at scale since 2023, with operational facilities serving customers in fuels and cement (including steam driving turbines for electricity) in the United States and in Asia. The next unit will come online shortly – a 100 MWh Rondo Heat Battery under construction in Europe for a chemical plant. Rondo is a global company based in California, with teams across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Australia. Providing heat and power solutions to the alumina industry is an area of focus for the company due to the strong fit of Rondo’s technology with the heat and power needs of the alumina industry.

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SOURCE Rondo Energy

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14 Organizations Earn CHIME’s Highest Digital Health Most Wired Designation for 2026

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ANN ARBOR, Mich., Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME), the leading professional organization for digital health leaders, today announced 14 organizations have achieved Level 10 in the 2026 CHIME Digital Health Most Wired (DHMW) survey. Powered by Digital Health Analytics (DHA), the survey is CHIME’s global assessment of digital health excellence, with Level 10 as its highest designation.

Representing health systems across the U.S., this year’s Level 10 organizations demonstrated exceptional performance across the enterprise digital ecosystem, leveraging technologies, data, infrastructure, and strategic practices shaping modern care delivery. The prestigious designation recognizes organizations that have moved beyond technology implementation to integrate digital investment across clinical and operational environments, producing measurable value for their health systems, patients, and providers.

The 2026 DHMW survey maintains a rigorous scoring methodology designed to account for differences in organizational size, complexity, risk, and resources, creating an equitable measure of performance across diverse healthcare environments. The model evaluates organizations across 10 distinct segments, measuring both the foundational elements required for digital maturity and the advanced practices that demonstrate broader adoption, integration, and value.

“Healthcare is experiencing extraordinary technological acceleration, driven in large part by the rapid adoption of AI and increasingly sophisticated digital capabilities,” said Russ Branzell, President and CEO of CHIME. “As that pace intensifies, the Digital Health Most Wired Survey continues to provide a rigorous benchmark for evaluating whether technology is translating into meaningful progress. It gives leaders a data-driven view of performance, critical gaps, and opportunities for high-impact investment while setting an industry standard of excellence for responsible technology adoption. The Level 10 organizations recognized this year exemplify the leadership and innovation required to turn digital investment into measurable improvements in care delivery.”

The 2026 Digital Health Most Wired survey includes data from more than 45,000 facilities worldwide, offering a global view of technology adoption, investment and performance across healthcare organizations and the evolving role of digital health in care delivery, operations and the patient and provider experience.

Each participating organization received a customized benchmarking report through the Digital Health Analytics (DHA) portal, offering detailed insights into performance metrics across 10 key segments:

InfrastructureSecurityAdministrationSupply chainAnalytics and data managementInteroperabilityPopulation healthPatient engagementInnovationClinical quality and safety

Fourteen healthcare organizations achieved Level 10 distinction, the highest designation awarded through the 2026 CHIME Digital Health Most Wired survey. The recipients are Baptist Health System (Jacksonville, Florida); Bon Secours Mercy Health (Ohio); MetroHealth Medical Center (Ohio); MultiCare Health System (Washington); Northeast Georgia Health System (Georgia); NYU Langone Health (New York); Parkview Health (Indiana); Roper St. Francis Healthcare Services, Inc. (South Carolina); Stanford Health Care (California); UCHealth (Colorado); UNC Health (North Carolina); University Health (Texas); University of Utah Health (Utah); and UPMC (Pennsylvania).

Collectively, the 2026 Level 10 designees reflect a healthcare environment in which digital performance increasingly depends on the alignment of technology strategy, data, infrastructure, and organizational priorities with strong leadership and a sustained commitment to innovation. Their results demonstrate how leading health systems are converting digital investment into measurable gains across clinical and operational environments while establishing the foundations required to responsibly adopt emerging technologies at scale.

CHIME will formally recognize these distinguished Level 10 honorees on November 12, 2026, during the CHIME26 Fall Forum in Denver, CO, which runs from November 11-14.

For additional details on the 2026 Digital Health Most Wired survey and the complete list of all Level 7-10 award recipients, visit dhanalytics.org.

About CHIME 
The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is the leading professional organization for digital health executives and leaders. CHIME provides a trusted, collaborative environment where members and partners connect, share best practices, advance professional development, and advocate for the effective use of information and technology to improve health and care in the communities they serve. For more information, please visit chimecentral.org.

About Digital Health Analytics (DHA)
Digital Health Analytics provides healthcare organizations, technology companies, and academic researchers with the data, benchmarking, and market intelligence they need to lead digital transformation — 365 days a year. Powered by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME), DHA helps provider organizations supercharge their digital health transformation capabilities. For more information about DHA, visit dhanalytics.org.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Calli Dretke
Executive Vice President & Chief Digital and Marketing Officer
CHIME
734.665.0000
cdretke@chimecentral.org

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SOURCE College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME)

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