Technology

STAAR Surgical™ and Lucy Bronze, MBE See Eye to Eye on Vision Correction

Published

1 year ago

November 4, 2024

Women’s football star benefits on and off the pitch from EVO ICL™ vision correction procedure

LONDON, Nov. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — STAAR Surgical Company (NASDAQ: STAA), a leading developer, manufacturer, and marketer of the EVO family of Implantable Collamer® lenses (EVO ICL™) for myopia, astigmatism and presbyopia, is proud to announce a collaboration with women’s international football player Lucy Bronze, MBE. She’s gained global recognition as a “serial winner” and has now chosen a winning strategy by selecting STAAR Surgical to improve her vision with leading vision correction procedure: EVO ICL.

Bronze has won five Champions League titles and has been one of her country’s strongest performers since her senior team debut in 2013. Since then, she’s won every domestic football honor in her country during spells with several teams, and she has also lived abroad to play for clubs in other countries. In addition, Bronze was named the 2018/19 UEFA Women’s Player of the Year and The Best FIFA Women’s Player for 2020.

“I’ve won the Euros and five champions leagues, but I always had that worry on the pitch that my contact lenses might fall out, and mid-game, it has actually happened. Not to mention the dry eyes, uncomfortable lens fits and daily hassles,” said Bronze. “I realised I needed to tackle my vision. EVO ICL has been a procedure that changed my life completely, and my biggest regret is literally the fact that I didn’t do it sooner.”

EVO ICL is great for patients who are tired of the hassles of glasses and contacts and want to upgrade their vision with a quick, easy, and long-term vision correction solution. The EVO ICL procedure is a same-day surgery, so patients are typically back to their usual routines without delay.

Tom Frinzi, President and CEO of STAAR Surgical, states, “Lucy Bronze is a champion on the football pitch, and we are proud to have her as the newest champion of EVO ICL. STAAR’s innovative EVO ICL procedure has changed her eyesight, her game, and her life.”

EVO ICL is a clinically proven implantable lens that treats patients with mild to severe shortsightedness (myopia) with or without astigmatism. With EVO ICL, the natural lens remains intact. A small, soft, biocompatible lens, EVO ICL is positioned inside the eye, between the iris (coloured part of the eye) and the natural lens. The procedure is usually completed in 20-30 minutes and does not induce dry eye syndrome. 1,2

EVO ICL has been approved, marketed, and successfully implanted by ophthalmologists in countries throughout Europe, North America, Asia, and the rest of the world. According to a STAAR patient survey, 99.4% of patients would have the EVO ICL procedure again.3 Over 3,000,000 ICLs have been distributed globally.

For more information about EVO Implantable Collamer Lenses, please visit https://evoicl.com.

References:

Zhang H, Deng Y, Ma K, Yin H, Tang J. Analysis on the changes of objective indicators of dry eye after implantable collamer lens (ICL) implantation surgery. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2024 Jul;262(7):2321-2328. Naves J.S, Carracedo G, Cacho-Babillo I, Diadenosine nucleotid measurements as dry-eye score in patients after LASIK and ICL surgery. Presented at American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) 2012.Packer M. The Implantable Collamer Lens with a central port: review of the literature. Clin Ophthalmol. 2018: 12: 2427–2438.

About STAAR Surgical

STAAR, which has been dedicated solely to ophthalmic surgery for over 40 years, designs, develops, manufactures, and markets implantable lenses for the eye. These lenses are intended to provide visual freedom for patients, lessening or eliminating the reliance on glasses or contact lenses. All these lenses are foldable, which permits the surgeon to insert them through a small incision. STAAR’s lens used in refractive surgery is called an Implantable Collamer® Lens or “ICL,” which includes the EVO ICL™ product line. More than 3,000,000 ICLs have been sold to date and STAAR markets these lenses in over 75 countries. To learn more about the ICL go to: www.evoicl.com. Headquartered in Lake Forest, CA, the company operates manufacturing and packaging facilities in Aliso Viejo, CA, Monrovia, CA and Nidau, Switzerland. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.staar.com.

Important Safety Information for EVO/EVO+ ICL

Implantation of the EVO/EVO+ ICL is a surgical procedure, and as such, carries potentially serious risks. The EVO/EVO+ ICL is designed for the correction/reduction of up to -20 diopters (D) of nearsightedness with up to 6 D of astigmatism for patients who are 21 to 60 years of age. Before considering EVO/EVO+ ICL surgery you should have a complete eye examination and talk with your eye care professional about the procedure, especially the potential benefits, risks, and complications. You should discuss the time needed for healing after surgery. For additional information with potential benefits, risks and complications please visit DiscoverICL.com.

Media Contact
5W Public Relations
EVO@5wpr.com

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Technology

Hexagon Interim Report 1 January – 31 March 2026

Published

17 minutes ago

April 23, 2026

STOCKHOLM, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ —

First quarter 2026

Continuing operations

Operating net sales of 963.8 (961.5) resulting in organic growth of 8%Net sales including acquired deferred revenue amounted to 963.6 MEUR (961.5)Adjusted gross earnings of 606.3 (619.1) resulting in a 62.9% (64.4) gross marginAdjusted operating earnings (EBIT1) of 251.3 MEUR (248.7) resulting in a 26.1% (25.9) EBIT1 marginAdjusted earnings per share of 6.7 Euro cent (6.5)Earnings per share of 58.4 Euro cent (5.0)Cash conversion of 77% (60)Recurring revenue of 289.9 MEUR (308.0), 6% organic growthOctave reported operating net sales of 327.2 MEUR (361.3) and adjusted operating margin of 25.2% (26.6)Adjusted earnings per share including discontinued operations of 9.1 (9.4)Earnings per share including discontinued operations of 59.9 Euro cent (7.0)

For further information, please contact:
Tom Hull, Head of Investor Relations, +44 (0) 7442 678 437, ir@hexagon.com
Anton Heikenström, Investor Relations Manager, +46 8 601 26 26, ir@hexagon.com

This is information that Hexagon AB is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 08:00 CET on 23 April 2026.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/hexagon/r/hexagon-interim-report-1-january—31-march-2026,c4338783

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Hexagon Interim Report Q1 2026

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SOURCE Hexagon

Technology

Dragonpass Empowers Financial Institutions with End-to-End Loyalty Solutions at Money20/20 Asia

Published

17 minutes ago

April 23, 2026

BANGKOK, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Dragonpass, a leading global travel and lifestyle platform, participated in Money20/20 Asia, showcasing its customer loyalty solutions for banks, payment providers, credit card issuers, and fintech companies across APAC and globally.

As one of the most influential fintech events worldwide, Money20/20 Asia gathers decision-makers across the financial ecosystem. At the event, Dragonpass demonstrated how financial institutions can enhance customer engagement and build long-term loyalty through integrated travel and lifestyle experiences.

Established in 2005, Dragonpass has evolved from a lounge provider into a loyalty solutions partner, serving more than 800 global clients and over 40 million members worldwide.

At the core of Dragonpass is a business structure that combines global supply aggregation, a technology-enabled engagement platform, and consumer-facing lifestyle services — providing a one-stop solution across the customer lifecycle.

Leveraging data-driven insights, Dragonpass enables partners to design and optimise loyalty programs, incorporating customer segmentation and tiered incentive structures, alongside curated campaigns and entitlement configuration — driving more effective customer activation, engagement, and retention.

Its offering includes a broad portfolio of travel and lifestyle benefits such as airport lounge access, fast-track, dining, airport transfers, and lifestyle experiences. These are supported by flexible delivery models, including API integration, white-label solutions, and ready-to-deploy digital platforms, enabling seamless integration into clients’ customer journeys.

As customer expectations evolve, the industry is shifting from standardized benefits to more personalized, experience-led loyalty models. Insights from Dragonpass’s Loyalty Index show that customers increasingly value trust, rewards, simplicity, recognition, and exclusivity, with preferences varying across markets.

“Financial institutions today are looking for more effective ways to engage customers beyond traditional rewards,” said Jane Zhu, Co-founder and CEO of Dragonpass. “User engagement is at the core of loyalty, and technology — especially AI — plays a key role in enabling deeper and more relevant customer connections.”

Dragonpass works with leading global brands including Mastercard, Visa, HSBC, and Revolut, supporting them deliver differentiated value propositions and enhance customer engagement through scalable, customizable solutions.

Through its participation at Money20/20 Asia, Dragonpass aims to strengthen its presence in the APAC market and build strategic partnerships with organizations seeking to elevate their customer engagement strategies.

About Dragonpass

Dragonpass is a global travel and lifestyle platform providing premium airport and travel experiences across 140+ countries. By integrating global supply and technology, Dragonpass enables partners to deliver seamless, personalized experiences and drive customer loyalty.

Media Contact

Dragonpass PR
Email: brandmarketing@dragonpass.com
Website: www.dragonpass.com

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SOURCE Dragonpass

Technology

SBI Life Insurance registers New Business Premium of ₹42,551 crores for the year ended on 31st March, 2026

Published

17 minutes ago

April 23, 2026

MUMBAI, India, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SBI Life Insurance, one of the leading life insurers in the country registered a New Business Premium of ₹42,551 crores for the year ended on 31st March, 2026 vis-a-vis ₹35,577 crores for the year ended 31st March, 2025. Single premium has increased by 28% over the year ended on 31st March, 2025.

Establishing a clear focus on protection, SBI Life’s protection new business premium stood at ₹4,622 crores for the year ended 31st March, 2026, marking a growth of 13%. Protection Individual new business premium registered a growth of 23% and stood at ₹973 crores for the year ended 31st March, 2026. Individual New Business Premium stands at ₹29,783 crores with 13% growth over the year ended on 31st March, 2025.

SBI Life’s profit after tax stands at ₹2,470 crores for the year ended 31st March, 2026 with a growth of 2% over the year ended on 31st March, 2025.

The company’s solvency ratio continues to remain robust at 1.90 as on 31st March, 2026 as against the regulatory requirement of 1.50.

SBI Life’s AUM also continued to grow at 9% to ₹4,87,163 crores as on 31st March, 2026 from ₹4,48,039 crores as on 31st March, 2025, with the debt-equity mix of 62:38. 94% of the debt investments are in AAA and Sovereign instruments.

The company has a diversified distribution network of 3,58,506 trained insurance professionals and wide presence with 1,230 offices across the country, comprising of strong bancassurance channel, agency channel and others comprising of corporate agents, brokers, Point of Sale Persons (POS), insurance marketing firms, web aggregators and direct business.

Performance for the year ended March 31, 2026

Private Market leadership in Individual New Business Premium and Individual Rated Premium with market share of 25.5% & 22.9% respectively.Annualized Premium Equivalent (APE) stands at ₹ 24,266 crores with growth of 13%Individual New Business Sum Assured stands at ₹ 4,46,337 crores with 61% growthImprovement in 13M & 49M persistency by 53 bps & 107 bps respectivelyValue of New Business (VoNB) stands at ₹ 6,667 crores with growth of 12%VoNB Margin stands at 27.5%Indian Embedded value (IEV) stands at ₹ 80,791 crores with 15% growthProfit After Tax (PAT) stands at ₹ 2,470 crores with 2% growthOperating Return on Embedded Value stands at 19.7% Assets under Management stands at ₹ 4,87,163 crores with 9% growthRobust Solvency ratio of 1.90

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