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2024 Design Intelligence Award Held at China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China

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HANGZHOU, China, Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The ceremony for the 2024 Design Intelligence Award (DIA) took place on December 6 at the Liangzhu Campus of China Academy of Art (CAA). The Fourier General-Purpose Humanoid Robot GR-1 clinched the Grand Award, the highest prize of DIA. Gold Awards were presented to several remarkable projects, including the THETA Dental Implant Surgery Robotic System, the Digital Central Axis: Micro-Universe Immersive Interactive Digital Exhibition of Beijing’s Central Axis, Pic Copilot, and the Ventete aH-1 Helmet from the United Kingdom. During the event, DIA announced the establishment of the Design Intelligence Foundation (DIF), a strategic initiative aimed at fostering innovation. CAA signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the World Design Organization (WDO), and the 2025 DIA Global Call for Entries was officially launched.

DIA is China’s first international academic award in the field of industrial design sponsored by CAA. Guided by its principles of professionalism, internationalization, and foresight, DIA has become the most globally influential industrial design competition in China and an important platform for exploring intelligent design and innovative solutions on the international stage. Now in its second decade, DIA is aligning itself with the zeitgeist of the era, promoting mutual learning between global civilizations, and forging ahead with renewed quality and vigor, as it upholds the mission to “Harness Collective Wisdom, Shape a Smart Future”.

Comprehensive Upgrades

The 2024 DIA commenced officially on December 15, 2023, and received more than 8,000 entries from 47 countries and regions. With the addition of seven new participating nations, this year marked the first time DIA has achieved representation from 76 countries and regions. Ultimately, 360 entries from 21 countries and regions won awards, among which 39 exceptional works advanced to the finals. It is worth noting that 58% of the selected projects were pre-market innovations, while 56% were global premieres.

This year’s submissions encapsulated the core values of global diversity and cross-cultural exchange, covering cutting-edge applications such as artificial intelligence, brain-computer interface, virtual reality, and new materials. They explored emerging areas such as the low-altitude economy, digital cultural tourism, and humanoid robotics while expanding into frontier fields like augmented reality in the metaverse and human-machine symbiosis. Collectively, they contributed to the comprehensive reconstruction and upgrading of global supply chains, innovation chains, and value chains, advancing the paradigm of Industry 4.0 on a worldwide scale.

Innovation Foundation

The latest edition of DIA initiated the establishment of the Design Intelligence Foundation (DIF) in adherence to a global perspective and a human-centered philosophy.

DIF, led by DIA in collaboration with over 100 member enterprises of the Design Intelligence Union (DIU), is a design matrix and innovation fund that is open to all individuals passionate about design and intelligent manufacturing. This initiative underscores DIA’s commitment to empowering the younger generation. In the digital intelligence era, young people are poised to become transformative forces in global design programs. DIF marks the start of a new era of broader and deeper collaboration within the international design sector. It will inspire more young talents to join the cause, contributing their wisdom and creativity to building a sustainable future.

Global Connectivity

The World Design Organization (WDO) and CAA inked a strategic cooperation agreement at the ceremony. Under the principles of equality, openness, and mutual benefit, both parties have articulated their commitment to leveraging their strengths to deepen collaboration in four key areas: 1. Enhancing the sharing of design education resources to support the training and development of young designers. 2. Fostering international cooperation within the design industry through exchanges and mutual visits between Chinese and international design communities. 3. Advancing the global dissemination of design values to increase public awareness of design innovation. 4. Jointly supporting Hangzhou’s bid to become a WDO-designated World Design Capital or host the WDO Annual Conference, boosting an urban atmosphere of innovation and strengthening the city’s international profile. This strategic partnership aims to contribute to the global prosperity of the design industry.

Multi-Dimensional Engines

The 2024 DIA encompassed an international forum under the theme of “New Quality Engine”, which focused on topics such as revolutionary technological breakthroughs, innovative allocation of production factors, and deep industrial transformation and upgrades. At the forum, international experts, scholars, industry pioneers, and design elites delivered keynote speeches and engaged in roundtable discussions, offering insights and visionary perspectives on frontier topics about design and intelligent manufacturing.

The “New Quality Gravity” exhibition, centered on the standout entries of this year’s DIA, was organized into five thematic sections: Digital Intelligence Future, Expanding Horizons, Health and Care, Eco-Friendly Creations, and Better Living. Each exhibit was carefully presented to reveal its design purpose, innovative highlights, and aesthetic value. The exhibition was a multi-dimensional showcase of the integration of technology and humanity, future and present, and design and society, demonstrating the immense potential of design in shaping our future.

Annex: Grand Award and Gold Award Winners

Grand Award

Winner: Shanghai Fourier Intelligence Co., Ltd.

Winning Project: Fourier General-Purpose Humanoid Robot GR-1 (China)

Judges’ Citation: Featuring a complete humanoid framework and a robust platform, this project combines bionics with high-performance robotics, endowing the machine with a lifelike presence and exceptional intelligent potential.

Industrial Equipment – Gold Award

Winner: Hangzhou Jianjia Medical Technology Co., Ltd.

Winning Project: THETA Dental Implant Surgery Robotic System

Judges’ Citation: With dual-mode configurations and enhanced mobility for ease of use, this robotic system features a digital integrated design for high precision and efficiency. It can not only increase the accessibility of oral healthcare but also demonstrate the promising future of artificial intelligence in the medical sector.

Digital Economy – Gold Award

Winner: Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group

Winning Project: Pic Copilot

Judges’ Citation: Elegantly designed with simplicity and functionality, this AI-driven tool merges multicultural insights to address critical pain points in business models. It comprehensively meets a diverse range of practical and everyday user needs.

Cultural Innovation – Gold Award

Winner: Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.

Winning Project: Digital Central Axis: Micro-Universe

Judges’ Citation: The largest hyper-realistic digital twin of Beijing’s Central Axis to date, this project pioneers the application of gaming technology in world heritage nominations. It is of profound significance as a combination of historical heritage and modern technology.

Life Wisdom – Gold Award

Winner: Ventete Ltd (United Kingdom)

Winning Project: Ventete aH-1 Helmet

Judges’ Citation: This inflatable, micro-foldable bicycle helmet employs a patented pneumatic structural system, offering unprecedented versatility and convenience.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2024-design-intelligence-award-held-at-china-academy-of-art-hangzhou-china-302329802.html

SOURCE China Academy of Art

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Portland General Electric declares dividend

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PORTLAND, Ore., July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The board of directors of Portland General Electric Company (NYSE: POR) declared a quarterly common stock dividend of $0.55125 per share.

The company’s dividend is evaluated based on capital requirements and financial performance. PGE targets a dividend payout ratio of 60 to 70% over the long term.

The quarterly dividend is payable on or before October 15, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business on September 25, 2026.

About Portland General Electric Company
Portland General Electric (NYSE: POR) is an integrated energy company that generates, transmits and distributes electricity to nearly 960,000 customers serving an area of approximately 2 million Oregonians. Since 1889, Portland General Electric (PGE) has been powering economies, delivering safe, affordable and reliable electricity while working to transform energy systems to meet evolving customer needs. PGE continues to make progress towards emissions reduction targets, and customers have set the standard for prioritizing clean energy with the No. 1 voluntary renewable energy program in the country. PGE is ranked a top ten utility in the 2025 Forrester U.S. Customer Experience Index. In 2025, PGE employees and retirees volunteered over 18,300 hours to more than 400 nonprofits organizations. Through the PGE Foundation, along with corporate contributions and the employee matching gift program, more than $5 million was directed to charitable organizations supporting economic growth and community resilience across our service area. For information: portlandgeneral.com/news.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions about the future, involve risks and uncertainties, and are not guarantees. Future results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement. These forward-looking statements represent our estimates and assumptions only as of the date of this press release. We assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Forward-looking statements include statements, other than statements of historical or current fact, regarding the Company’s amount and timing of dividends payable as well as other statements containing words such as “committed to,” “targets,” or similar expressions.

There can be no assurance that future dividends will be declared. The declaration of future dividends is subject to approval of our board of directors and various risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to: our cash flow and cash needs; the timing or amount of dividends paid; the timing or outcome of various legal and regulatory actions; changes in the Company’s business strategy; increases in capital expenditures; changes in capital and credit market conditions, including volatility of equity markets as well as changes in PGE’s credit ratings and outlook on such credit ratings restrictions on the payment of dividends under existing or future financing arrangements; changes in tax laws relating to corporate dividends; deterioration in our financial condition or results, and those risks, uncertainties, and other factors identified from time-to-time in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. These reports are available through the EDGAR system free-of-charge on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov and on the Company’s website, investors.portlandgeneral.com. Investors should not rely unduly on any forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other factors.

Media Contact:
Drew Hanson
Corporate Communications
Phone: 503-464-2067

Investor Contact:
Erin Schwartz
Investor Relations
Phone: 503-464-7751

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/portland-general-electric-declares-dividend-302834503.html

SOURCE Portland General Company

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Care Career Announces Acquisition of MAS Medical Staffing, Completing Its First Acquisition Phase and Expanding Annual Revenue Beyond $150 Million, with a Path to Exceed a Quarter Billion by the End of 2026 Through Additional Acquisitions and Organic Growth

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WOODBRIDGE, N.J., July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Care Career, a rapidly growing healthcare workforce technology organization, today announced the acquisition of MAS Medical Staffing, one of the Northeast’s leading healthcare workforce organizations. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The acquisition represents Care Career’s seventh strategic acquisition in the past 24 months, further strengthening the company’s position as one of the largest healthcare workforce organizations in the United States while accelerating its strategy to redefine the future of healthcare workforce management through artificial intelligence, enterprise technology, and workforce innovation.

MAS Medical Staffing has built an outstanding reputation for delivering high-quality workforce solutions through strong client relationships, exceptional clinician engagement, and deep regional expertise throughout the Northeastern United States. The acquisition significantly expands Care Career’s geographic footprint while broadening its access to healthcare professionals, client relationships, workforce data, and regional market intelligence.

Care Career is building a technology-enabled workforce ecosystem powered by its AI-powered workforce platform, where every acquisition contributes not only additional market presence, but also expanded data, enhanced artificial intelligence capabilities, digital innovation, and operational scale that continuously improve the experience for clients and clinicians alike. As the platform grows, every clinician engagement, client interaction, credential, placement, and workforce trend strengthens the intelligence of Career’s technology, creating a continuously improving ecosystem designed to deliver faster, smarter, and more effective workforce solutions.

The acquisition also brings MAS Medical Staffing’s MAESTRA® engagement technology, along with its client relationships and clinician network, directly onto Career’s AI-powered workforce platform. MAESTRA’s scheduling, credentialing, and communication capabilities will be integrated into Care Career’s existing technology stack, further enhancing clinician engagement across onboarding, scheduling, and career management while providing healthcare organizations with greater workforce visibility and operational efficiency.

“Our vision is to build the AI-powered infrastructure that modernizes healthcare workforce management,” said Siva Konatham, Group President and Chief Executive Officer of Care Career. “Under my leadership, Care Career is focused on transforming a fragmented, labor-intensive industry into a data-driven, technology-enabled ecosystem that improves speed, efficiency, and workforce visibility for healthcare providers. Each acquisition strengthens our platform intelligence, expands our scale, and enhances our margin potential. By integrating advanced analytics, AI automation, and digital engagement tools, we are not just growing revenue—we are building a smarter, more scalable model positioned to lead the next era of healthcare workforce solutions.”

The combined organization will leverage expanded recruiting resources, centralized credentialing, advanced workforce analytics, AI-enabled automation, and digital engagement technologies—all powered by Care Career’s AI-powered workforce platform—to deliver broader recruiting capabilities, faster response times, enhanced workforce insights, and expanded national coverage. Clinicians will benefit from a seamless digital experience that simplifies every stage of their careers—from job discovery and credentialing to onboarding, scheduling, communication, and long-term career development.

With seven strategic acquisitions completed in less than two years, representing the first round of acquisitions now totaling more than $150 million in annual revenue, Care Career has rapidly expanded its national presence while executing a disciplined growth strategy focused on technology integration, operational excellence, and workforce innovation. The company has also signed additional Letters of Intent with other entities with expected close dates in the third quarter of 2026. Upon completion of these transactions, coupled with organic growth, Care Career expects consolidated annual revenue to exceed a quarter of a billion dollars by the end of 2026.

The addition of MAS Medical Staffing further strengthens the organization’s ability to serve healthcare systems, hospitals, long-term care providers, outpatient facilities, and other healthcare organizations across an increasingly diverse geographic footprint.

“The healthcare workforce industry is entering a new era where technology, artificial intelligence, and data-driven decision-making will define the market leaders,” Konatham added. “Every acquisition we complete expands the intelligence of our AI-powered workforce platform, enhances the value we deliver to our clients, and creates more opportunities for clinicians. We believe the combination of exceptional people, innovative technology, and strategic scale positions Care Career to lead the next generation of healthcare workforce solutions.”

About Care Career

Care Career is a technology-enabled healthcare workforce solutions company dedicated to transforming how healthcare organizations recruit, engage, credential, deploy, and retain clinical talent. Powered by its proprietary AI-powered workforce platform and supported by advanced artificial intelligence, enterprise technology, and workforce analytics, Care Career is building an intelligent healthcare workforce ecosystem that connects providers and clinicians more efficiently while improving workforce performance, operational effectiveness, and patient care. Following seven strategic acquisitions over the past 24 months the first round of acquisitions totaling more than $150 million in annual revenue and with additional signed LOIs under contract expected to complete shortly, positioning the company to surpass a quarter of a billion dollars in consolidated annual revenue by the end of 2026, Care Career has become one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing healthcare workforce organizations, serving healthcare providers and clinicians across the United States.

About MAS Medical Staffing

MAS Medical Staffing is a premier healthcare workforce organization recognized for exceptional service, strong client partnerships, and a commitment to connecting healthcare professionals with rewarding career opportunities. With an established presence throughout the Northeastern United States, MAS Medical Staffing has earned a reputation for quality, responsiveness, and delivering workforce solutions that help healthcare providers meet their evolving workforce needs while supporting clinicians throughout every stage of their careers.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/care-career-announces-acquisition-of-mas-medical-staffing-completing-its-first-acquisition-phase-and-expanding-annual-revenue-beyond-150-million-with-a-path-to-exceed-a-quarter-billion-by-the-end-of-2026-through-additional-acqu-302834472.html

SOURCE Care Career

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PointsKash Demonstrates How Businesses Can Build on Bitcoin Without Burdening the Blockchain

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As industry debate surrounding Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP-110) intensifies, PointsKash unveils an architecture designed to work regardless of the proposal’s outcome.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As the global Bitcoin community debates Bitcoin Improvement Proposal 110 (BIP-110) and the future of data stored on the Bitcoin blockchain, PointsKash, Inc. today announced that its next-generation kiosk infrastructure was intentionally designed to operate efficiently under any outcome of the proposal.

Rather than storing operational data directly on the Bitcoin blockchain, PointsKash utilizes a layered architecture that combines Bitcoin‘s unmatched security with modern decentralized communications technology. Every transaction, machine event, system update, and operational record generated across the PointsKash network is cryptographically verified, securely maintained off-chain, and anchored to the Bitcoin blockchain through a single immutable cryptographic proof.

This approach allows thousands of operational events to be permanently verified while utilizing only a minimal amount of blockchain data.

As discussion surrounding BIP-110 has intensified across the digital asset industry, PointsKash believes the debate does not require choosing between innovation and responsible blockchain stewardship.

“The industry has been debating whether businesses can build meaningful applications on Bitcoin without unnecessarily consuming blockchain space,” said Michael Herron, Chief Executive Officer of PointsKash. “We believe we’ve demonstrated that the answer is yes. Bitcoin provides the world’s most trusted immutable timestamp and security layer, while higher-volume operational data belongs on technologies specifically designed to manage it. By combining both, we’ve built an architecture that is scalable, transparent, and future-ready regardless of how the BIP-110 discussion ultimately evolves.”

The company’s infrastructure assigns every kiosk its own unique cryptographic identity, allowing each machine to securely authenticate every transaction and operational event. Those records are then independently verifiable through cryptographic proofs while remaining resistant to alteration or manipulation—even by PointsKash itself.

According to the company, this architecture delivers several significant advantages:

Mathematically verifiable transaction records for regulators, banking partners, auditors, and enterprise customers.Improved network reliability, allowing kiosks to continue operating during temporary connectivity interruptions without losing transaction history.Enhanced cybersecurity, with every machine maintaining its own authenticated identity and secure communications.A scalable blockchain architecture that minimizes on-chain data while preserving complete auditability.

Bitcoin was created to provide trust, security, and permanence—not to become a storage system for every piece of application data,” Herron added. “Our philosophy has always been simple: use Bitcoin for what it does better than anyone else—creating immutable proof that records have never been altered—and leverage modern decentralized technologies for everything else. We believe that’s the future of enterprise blockchain infrastructure.”

PointsKash believes this architecture positions the company among a new generation of fintech innovators utilizing Bitcoin as a secure trust layer while developing scalable financial applications for enterprise deployment.

The technology also establishes the foundation for future blockchain-based financial products currently under development, including enhanced digital audit capabilities, verifiable financial records, enterprise licensing opportunities, and next-generation digital asset infrastructure.

As the Bitcoin ecosystem continues to mature, PointsKash believes its technology demonstrates that responsible innovation and blockchain scalability can successfully coexist—providing enterprise organizations with the confidence to build on Bitcoin without contributing unnecessary data to the network.

About PointsKash, Inc.

PointsKash, Inc. is a financial technology company developing an integrated ecosystem of AI-enabled self-service financial centers, digital banking, digital payment solutions, cryptocurrency services, loyalty rewards, enterprise merchant technologies, and mobile financial applications. Through proprietary software, Artificial Intelligence, and strategic partnerships, PointsKash is building innovative financial solutions designed to empower consumers, merchants, and enterprise organizations throughout North America.

For more information, visit www.pointskash.com.

Media Contact

PointsKash, Inc.
Investor Relations
info@pointskash.com
www.pointskash.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding anticipated technology integrations, Artificial Intelligence initiatives, product development, future commercialization plans, expected operational efficiencies, business strategy, and future growth. These statements are based on current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Factors that could affect actual results include, but are not limited to, technology development timelines, integration efforts, financing, regulatory developments, market conditions, and other risks facing the Company. PointsKash undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pointskash-demonstrates-how-businesses-can-build-on-bitcoin-without-burdening-the-blockchain-302834473.html

SOURCE PointsKash Inc.

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