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Plug and Play announces expansion into Seattle along with Partnership with SBI Holdings and SNBL and Future Participation as co-GP in SBI US Gateway Fund

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The partnership comprises the establishment of Plug and Play Seattle with SBI Holdings and SNBL as the Founding Anchor partners and Plug and Play’s future participation as co-GP in the $40M SBI US Gateway Fund

Plug and Play expands presence to Seattle, Washington, in strategic collaboration with SBI Holdings and SNBL to foster innovation and early-stage investment

SEATTLE, Nov. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Plug and Play, the world’s leading innovation platform based in Silicon Valley that connects startups, corporations, venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies, announced today a strategic collaboration with SBI Holdings, Inc., and SNBL to establish Plug and Play’s first presence in the Greater Seattle Region. The expansion includes two new offices in the region, with locations at the SNBL Global Gateway (SGG) business incubation facility in Everett, WA, and at CoMotion Labs technology incubator on the University of Washington’s (UW) Seattle campus, aiming to drive regional innovation and support early-stage startup growth.

This collaboration not only marks Plug and Play’s entry into the Seattle area but also includes Plug and Play’s participation as co-General Partner (co-GP) for the newly launched SBI US Gateway Fund. The $40 million fund established by SBI and SNBL focuses on early-stage startups in North America with promising advancements in sectors such as artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, climate technology, supply chain, and healthcare, including biotechnology and drug research and development. Through its co-GP role, Plug and Play will leverage its extensive global network and innovation expertise to guide and support portfolio companies, providing strategic growth opportunities and strengthening investment outcomes.

Strengthening the U.S.-Japan Innovation Pipeline
The launch of the SBI US Gateway Fund is a significant step in connecting North American startups with key investment and partnership opportunities from Japan. With this partnership, Plug and Play, SBI, and SNBL aim to create synergies between the U.S. startup ecosystem and Japanese investors, fostering long-term growth and sustainability in cutting-edge fields. The fund’s operations will benefit from Plug and Play’s expansive reach across five continents and its experience in corporate innovation and startup acceleration.

“We are thrilled to bring Plug and Play’s innovation platform to Seattle in partnership with SBI Holdings, SNBL, and the University of Washington,” said Saeed Amidi, Founder & CEO at Plug and Play. “The Pacific Northwest is home to a dynamic and rapidly growing tech ecosystem, and we are excited to contribute to this community by supporting the next generation of innovative companies.”

Yoshitaka Kitao, Representative Director, Chairman, President & CEO from SBI Holdings, stated, “This collaboration with Plug and Play and SNBL represents a major milestone in our commitment to fostering innovation and supporting transformative startups. By connecting Japanese investment with North American innovation, we are creating a unique bridge that will empower startups with not only capital but also strategic guidance and industry connections. Together, we are shaping the future of technology and healthcare advancements.”

Ryoichi Nagata, Representative Chairman, President & CEO from SNBL stated, “We are excited to join forces with Plug and Play and SBI Holdings in this groundbreaking collaboration. Through the combined strengths of our organizations, we aim to build a robust platform that will enhance our ability to support startups and innovation utilizing the SNBL Global Gateway business incubation facility. This strategic alliance enables us to leverage our respective expertise and extensive networks, creating unparalleled opportunities for growth and advancement on a global scale.”

This new collaboration between Plug and Play, SBI, SNBL, and UW will provide startups with capital and access to a unique blend of corporate innovation resources, strategic advisory services, and a wide network of industry leaders across key sectors. These resources are expected to amplify the value and growth of portfolio companies in the SBI US Gateway Fund, setting a strong foundation for sustainable innovation and development.

Plug and Play x SNBL Global Gateway (SGG) (Everett, WA)
SBI has partnered with SNBL, the largest non-clinical contract research organization in Japan, to operate an accelerator program and SBI US Gateway Fund at SGG business incubation facility in Everett, WA. Plug and Play plans to use the SGG business incubation facility as a hub to operate their accelerator programs.

Plug and Play x CoMotion Labs (Seattle, WA)
Plug and Play, SBI, and SNBL have agreed to partner with the University of Washington’s CoMotion Labs to help foster the startup ecosystem in the Seattle area and on campus. CoMotion Labs provides a multi-industry incubation environment for early-stage startups. While preference is given to UW spinoffs, CoMotion Labs also accepts startups from outside the UW community. From critical infrastructure to learning, mentoring, and networking, CoMotion Labs nurtures and enables success and helps startups grow without taking equity or IP.

To learn more about Plug and Play Seattle, visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/locations/seattle.

About Plug and Play
Plug and Play is the leading innovation platform connecting startups, corporations, venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we’re present in 60+ locations across five continents. We offer corporate innovation programs and help our corporate partners in every stage of their innovation journey, from education to execution. We also organize startup acceleration programs and manage over $1 billion in AUM across our funds, driving innovation across multiple industries where we’ve invested in hundreds of successful companies, including Dropbox, PayPal, Guardant Health, Honey, N26, Rappi, Turing, and more. For more information, visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/.

About SBI Holdings
Established in 1999 as a pioneer of Internet-based financial services in Japan, the SBI Group is a comprehensive Internet financial group that operates globally, encompassing five core businesses: “Financial Services Business,” such as securities, banking and insurance businesses; “Investment Business,” which is engaged in private equity investment including venture capital investment; “Asset Management Business,” that provides various asset management related services; “Crypto-asset Business,” which operates crypto asset trading and exchange services; and “Non-financial Business,” which includes business activities related to biotechnology, healthcare and medical informatics, Web3, and new overseas markets. For more information, please visit https://www.sbigroup.co.jp/english/.

About SNBL
Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories, Ltd. (SNBL) is the largest and the oldest non-clinical contract research organization in Japan, with a strong focus on supporting the growth and development of the global biotechnology and drug discovery ecosystem. Founded in 1957, SNBL provides comprehensive services ranging from translational research (TR) to contract research and Medipolis, a unique blend of biomedical facilities. Headquartered in Kagoshima, Japan, SNBL is dedicated to advancing innovation in biotechnology and healthcare through its partnerships, research, and support of new and groundbreaking therapies. For more information, visit https://en.snbl.com/.

Media Contacts

Plug and Play Media Relations
Jacky Tsang
press@pnptc.com

SBI Holdings, Inc. Corporate Communications Dept.
Tel: +81 3 6229-0126

SNBL IR & Corporate Communications
ir@snbl.com

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SOURCE Plug and Play

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Nordic brings edge AI to battery-powered Wi-Fi devices, achieving twenty times lower standby power with new nRF71 Series

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Wi-Fi, Bluetooth LE, Thread, and on-device AI on a single chip, with existing software and tools, built for billions of intelligent devices that run for years on a battery

OSLO, Norway, Nov. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Nordic Semiconductor, a global leader in low-power wireless solutions, today announces the nRF71 Series of ultra-low-power Systems-On-Chip (SoCs), bringing together ultra-low-power Wi-Fi®, Bluetooth® Low Energy (LE), Thread®, and edge AI onto a single chip.

Built on the ultra-low-power design, software, and tools that have made Nordic a trusted leader in Bluetooth LE, the nRF71 Series delivers up to 20 times lower standby power usage than current-generation nRF70 Series Wi-Fi products. 

This leap in energy efficiency is expected to unlock new possibilities for developers targeting battery-powered Wi-Fi devices in applications such as smart home, wearables, and industrial IoT.  

“Edge AI will be part of every connected device, but for those that run on a battery, Wi-Fi has demanded a power budget they could not afford,” said Kjetil Holstad, EVP Wi-Fi and Power Management, Nordic Semiconductor. “With the nRF71 Series, Nordic removes that barrier. We are bringing Wi-Fi and edge AI to the same ultra-low-power platform and tools developers already trust for Bluetooth LE, so the next generation of intelligent products can connect to any network, make decisions on the device, and still run for years on a battery.”

Edge AI and the entire application on one chip

AI inference at the edge can now run directly on a single chip, with no external AI processor, so devices respond faster, use less power, and need fewer components. Keyword spotting, anomaly detection, and image classification are practical on battery-powered devices using nRF71 Series, thanks to its integrated Axon Neural Processing Unit (NPU), which runs machine learning models 10x to 17x faster than the 256 MHz Arm® Cortex®-M33 processor alone. The nRF71 Series can also run ultra-small AI models that developers build from their own data with Nordic’s Neuton software, which is ideal for running edge AI on the processor alone.

From its Axon NPU and Neuton software to over-the-air model updates with nRF Cloud, Nordic is bringing edge AI to battery-powered Wi-Fi devices, with the application, wireless connectivity, and AI all running on a single chip.

Battery-powered Wi-Fi for smart home, security, and industrial IoT 

With nRF71 Series, battery-powered smart home hub, Matter bridge, or Thread border router designs can now run Wi-Fi, Thread, and Bluetooth LE on a single chip, as can Matter-enabled smart locks, security panels, wearables, and industrial sensors. Two independent radios with separate RF and processing blocks make this possible: a Wi-Fi radio and Nordic’s 2.4 GHz multiprotocol radio from the latest generation nRF54 Series wireless SoCs. Both radios receive simultaneously, for devices to maintain their Wi-Fi connection to the cloud while listening for Bluetooth LE or Thread traffic, without either protocol waiting for the other.

The first nRF71 Series SoCs are the nRF7120 and the nRF7120E.  The nRF7120 offers dual-band Wi-Fi 6, while nRF7120E adds tri-band Wi-Fi 6E, and the Axon NPU for hardware-accelerated edge AI. Both parts come with 4 MB of on-chip non-volatile memory and 1 MB of user-accessible RAM. 

On show at Electronica

Nordic will showcase the nRF71 Series, including a Nordic-branded module, at this year’s Electronica, in Hall C6, booth 159.

Availability

The nRF71 Series is now sampling with selected customers.  
Developers can contact their local Nordic sales representative for availability. 

About Nordic Semiconductor

Nordic Semiconductor is a leading low-power wireless IoT company, providing the essential platform and wireless technologies that connect the world’s IoT devices for the consumer, healthcare, and industrial markets. By offering world-class hardware, embedded software, development tools, and cloud lifecycle services, the company simplifies the development and maintenance of secure, reliable, and scalable connected products. www.nordicsemi.com 

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Tencent Cloud Selected for HKMA’s Agentic Finance Expert Group, Showcases WorkBuddy’s New Financial Capabilities at Hong Kong FinTech Week

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HONG KONG, Nov. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Tencent Cloud, the cloud business of global technology leader Tencent, showcased a range of innovative solutions at Hong Kong FinTech Week 2026, including the international version of WorkBuddy, eKYC, Tencent Cloud Risk Control Solutions, Tencent Marketing Cloud, and its global AI infrastructure network. Among them, the newly launched investment research capabilities on WorkBuddy International Edition emerged as a key focus among financial industry professionals attending the event.

During Hong Kong FinTech Week, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced the launch of Project SAGE (Securing Agentic Finance with Governance and Enablement) and established the Agentic Finance Expert Group. Tencent Cloud was selected as a member of the group, bringing its experience in deploying WorkBuddy across financial services to collaborate with the HKMA and industry stakeholders on standards and governance for Agentic Finance, supporting the responsible development and adoption of the technology in Hong Kong.

WorkBuddy International Edition Introduces New Financial Capabilities to Enhance Investment Research Efficiency

Tencent WorkBuddy is a full-scenario AI agent desktop workstation designed for modern workplace scenarios. Its International Edition was launched on May 28 this year. By simply entering a natural language prompt, users can instruct WorkBuddy to autonomously access information, break down tasks, utilize relevant tools, and execute complex workflows, generating ready-to-use deliverables across a wide range of work and learning scenarios.

Designed for financial researchers and consultants, financial content creators, and individual investors, WorkBuddy’s newly launched investment research capabilities help streamline a range of investment research tasks. It supports company research, portfolio assessments based on user-provided information, and stock screening based on specific criteria.

For example, when conducting company research, users can simply instruct WorkBuddy: “Compile data from Tencent Holdings Limited (00700.HK) across its latest 12 reported quarters, provide an in-depth analysis of its revenue, profit margins and growth drivers, and retain the original sources.” WorkBuddy can then help retrieve and consolidate financial reports across multiple quarters, analyze key business metrics, business composition and performance trends based on company disclosures, and generate a preliminary research report while preserving original source references. Users can further refine their analysis through follow-up questions on specific figures, calculation methodologies or the drivers behind business performance, significantly reducing the time spent on manual data collection and information consolidation.

According to the WorkBuddy spokesperson, WorkBuddy is built on human-in-the-loop collaboration. While AI assists with data gathering, data analysis and information synthesis, research judgment and investment decisions remain firmly in the hands of professionals. By streamlining repetitive, time-consuming and cross-platform workflows, WorkBuddy enables users to devote more time and effort to strategic analysis and in-depth research. Looking ahead, WorkBuddy will continue to expand its financial capabilities to improve productivity across a wider range of financial services scenarios.

Tencent Cloud Selected for the Agentic Finance Expert Group to Advance Interoperability Standards

During Hong Kong FinTech Week, the HKMA officially launched Project SAGE and established the Agentic Finance Expert Group. Tencent Cloud was selected to join the group and will focus on contributing to interoperability standards-related initiatives, drawing on WorkBuddy’s experience in financial services to support the responsible development and adoption of Agentic Finance in Hong Kong.

As AI Agent technologies continue to mature, the financial industry’s use of AI is evolving from improving internal operational efficiency to exploring how AI Agents can deliver more efficient and secure financial services. This emerging model, known as Agentic Finance, has the potential to reshape how customers access and use financial products and services. Meanwhile, the associated risks and challenges need to be properly addressed to support its responsible development and adoption, particularly in areas such as agent identity verification, accountability and system security.

According to the HKMA, Project SAGE aims to enable practical applications of Agentic Finance, while ensuring the governance framework is in place. This initiative focuses on four key areas: Market Development and Use Case Exploration, Agent Identity, Interoperability Standards, and Legal and Regulatory Frameworks. Through its participation in the interoperability standards initiatives, Tencent Cloud will support the exploration of how AI Agents across different institutions and platforms can securely identify one another, accurately communicate instructions, and safely exchange data, laying the foundation for the large-scale adoption of Agentic Finance.

Liming Hu, Vice President of Tencent Cloud, said: “Common standards and protocols can help reduce duplicate integration efforts and mitigate risks associated with interactions between systems, providing a critical foundation for the large-scale adoption of Agentic Finance. We look forward to bringing WorkBuddy’s practical experience in financial services into industry discussions and contributing to the development of Hong Kong’s Agentic Finance ecosystem and related standards.”

Tencent Cloud has extensive experience serving the financial industry, and supports more than 10,000 financial institution customers worldwide. Its AI Agent tool, WorkBuddy, is already widely used across banking, insurance, securities, and asset management scenarios, and has accumulated extensive practical experience in AI Agent collaboration and cross-platform interoperability.

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.

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SOURCE Tencent Cloud

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Wincomm and Portwell to Showcase Next-Gen Medical AI Computing at MEDICA 2026

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A Broader Computing Portfolio from Mobile care, Medical AI and Operating Room

HSINCHU, Nov. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Wincomm, a Portwell company, will join Portwell Taiwan and Portwell Europe at MEDICA 2026 to present a shared direction for medical AI computing. Taking place November 16–19 in Düsseldorf, Germany, the joint showcase at Hall 12, Stand C76 will connect embedded computing, medical All-in-One (AIO) PCs, and portable devices across a wider range of healthcare applications.

With participation from Portwell Taiwan and Portwell Europe, the showcase brings together product engineering expertise and regional support to help medical equipment manufacturers and system integrators explore suitable computing architectures for their applications.

The joint presentation reflects a broader development in healthcare technology: demand for more diverse computing platforms tailored to different workloads, power requirements, installation constraints, and system integration needs. By presenting their complementary portfolios together, Wincomm and Portwell offer visitors a more comprehensive view of the platforms available for developing connected medical equipment and deploying intelligence at the clinical edge.

A Shared Medical AI Direction: Application-Specific Platforms Across the Care Environment

Together, Wincomm and the Portwell group will present a medical AI development direction centered on application-specific computing: combining mobility, graphics acceleration, clinical integration, and serviceability according to the needs of each care setting.

The demonstration portfolio spans the following application areas:

Application area

Featured models

Development focus

Mobile medical
cart computing

WMP-22U/24U

Energy-efficient Intel® Core™ Ultra computing
and optional triple hot-swappable batteries for
continuous mobile workflows

GPU-accelerated
medical AI

WMP-22S/24S and
MEDS-P2210

Computing platforms for demanding medical
imaging and AI workloads, including AIO
configurations with discrete GPU options

Medical box
computing

MEDS-7081, 7082, 5210,
and DTEC-D012

Embedded computing options for medical
equipment integration and application-specific
deployment

Operating room
computing

WMP-22T/24T/27T-PIS

AIO platforms designed for operating room
integration and surgical information workflows

Point-of-care
computing

WMP-109, MEDS-
P1003, and WMP-
22P/24P-IP54

Clinical information access and interaction at the
point of care

Portable medical
computing

WMT-101

Handheld information access, barcode scanning,
and NFC-enabled data capture

Medical device manufacturers, system integrators, and healthcare technology partners are invited to explore the demonstration portfolio and discuss future medical AI development opportunities.

Exhibition: MEDICA 2026
Dates: November 16–19, 2026
Location: Düsseldorf, Germany
Wincomm Portwell Joint booth: Hall 12, Stand C76
TW Excellence booth: Hall 16, Stand B23

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/wincomm-and-portwell-to-showcase-next-gen-medical-ai-computing-at-medica-2026-302927355.html

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