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Esports World Cup Welcomes Chess to 2025 Games Lineup with a $1.5 Million Prize Pool

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One of History’s Most Enduring and Popular Games Joins the World’s Largest Gaming and Esports Festival to Bring Competitive Chess to New Audiences

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia and NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the Esports World Cup Foundation (“EWCF”), and Chess.com announced a multi-year partnership that will bring competitive online chess to the 2025 Esports World Cup (EWC), the world’s largest esports and gaming festival, set to return to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, next summer. Chess is one of the most popular games on the planet, with more than 600 million players, and Chess.com is the leading website for playing, learning, and enjoying chess with nearly 200 million members. Additionally, Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen will join Chess at the Esports World Cup as a Global Ambassador.

“Bringing Chess, a game that has been played for 1,500 years, to the Esports World Cup is a truly exciting moment.”

As part of the partnership, the Champions Chess Tour (CCT), a fast Chess.com tournament circuit, will become the primary path for the world’s best Chess players to qualify for the EWC championship event. In 2025, there will be two online Tour events, in February and May, boasting a combined $300k prize pool, offering players opportunities to compete on the world’s biggest esports stage.

“Bringing Chess, a game that has been played for 1,500 years, to the Esports World Cup is a truly exciting moment,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation. “It’s the perfect example of how games evolve: from boards to screens, the core competition stays the same. Chess’ rich history, global appeal, and thriving competitive scene make it a perfect fit for our mission to unite the world’s most popular games and their passionate communities under one competitive umbrella. Partnering with the leading online platform for the game, Chess.com, and appointing the legendary Magnus Carlsen, a true GOAT of the sport, as the game’s ambassador, allows us to not only showcase Chess on a massive stage but also to drive innovation and growth within its already vibrant ecosystem. We’re eager to see how our Clubs embrace this new challenge.”

Magnus Carlsen, widely regarded as one of the greatest Chess players in history, joins the Esports World Cup as an ambassador, bringing his unparalleled expertise to the partnership. With his legendary career and ability to captivate audiences, Magnus has elevated Chess from a traditional board game to a modern global online phenomenon, setting it on a path into the esports ecosystem.

As an ambassador, Magnus will help connect Chess with the broader esports community by showcasing the mental strategy and competitive spirit that Chess shares with other top-tier esports titles. Working with the Esports World Cup Foundation, his involvement will help inspire a new generation of players and fans, emphasizing the intellectual depth and excitement of Chess on a global stage.

“I’m thrilled to see Chess join some of the biggest games in the world at the Esports World Cup,” said Magnus Carlsen, Grandmaster. “This partnership is an incredible opportunity to grow the game, by introducing Chess to new audiences and inspiring the next generation of players. Being part of the esports family is an amazing opportunity for Chess to broaden its reach to a massive group of esports fans.”

The top 12 players from the CCT will be invited to the EWC Chess tournament, which will take place between July 31 and August 3, 2025, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ), open to both amateur and professional players, will be held in Riyadh and will determine four remaining spots to round out the field of competitors. Players will compete for a share of the $1.5 million prize pool, and valuable Esports World Cup Club Championship points. 

The format of the competition has been designed to bring competitive Chess to a new esports audience. Matches will be played in the rapid 10+0 Chess format, giving games a quick pace while still showcasing the strategic brilliance of the players. Should a match be tied after regulation, there will be a single Armageddon game as a tiebreaker.

Chess joins the 2025 lineup of the world’s most popular gaming titles at the Esports World Cup, bringing together the top clubs, players, and fans under one banner for the largest celebration of gaming as a global sport. The tournament’s unique cross-game competition format across over 20 titles, rewarding Clubs for their performance in each, connects audiences to their favorite games and promotes the growth and innovation of the broader esports and gaming ecosystem.

With origins tracing back over 1,500 years to ancient India, Chess has evolved through centuries into a global intellectual pursuit and one of the world’s most popular forms of entertainment.  Chess’ transition to online platforms began in the late 1990s, but its popularity exploded in the 2010s with platforms like Chess.com offering accessible gameplay, lessons, puzzles, and global competitions. This shift was further accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the increasing popularity of streaming platforms and influencers, alongside hit cultural phenomena like The Queen’s Gambit, have cemented Chess as a dynamic and widely celebrated digital sport.

The Champions Chess Tour is a premier online Chess competition bringing the world’s top players together in a series of rapid-format tournaments. Launched in 2020, the Tour revolutionized the Chess landscape by offering a fully digital, viewer-friendly experience, complete with live commentary and interactive features. The 2024 Tour will conclude in Oslo, Norway this week as eight finalists battle for the final $500K out of a total season prize pool of $1.7 million.

About The Esports World Cup

The Esports World Cup (EWC) is a premier annual sporting event and global celebration of competitive excellence and esports fandom. The competition features a unique cross-game format that pits the world’s top esports clubs against one another for the largest prize pool in esports history. The inaugural EWC in 2024 featured 1,500 elite athletes and 200 clubs from 100 countries. They competed in 22 tournaments across 21 games for a $60 million prize pool. The eight-week competition and festival drew 500 million views online and saw 2.6 million people attend. Returning to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the summer of 2025, the EWC will bring gaming and esports communities together again to crown the next Esports World Cup Club Champion.
esportsworldcup.com/en 

About Chess.com

Founded in 2007, Chess.com is the world’s largest chess website, with a community of nearly 200 million members worldwide and more than 6 million games played daily. Chess is one of the most popular games globally and with that, Chess.com is committed to growing chess as a positive influence in the world, where every person can enjoy the game, connect with others and be accepted in the community. Chess.com was recognized by Fast Company’s list of Most Innovative Companies in 2024, as well as included on TIME’s 100 Most Influential Companies in 2023.

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SOURCE Esports World Cup Foundation

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Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair Students Win Big at the 75th California Science and Engineering Fair

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SAN DIEGO, April 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The 75th California Science and Engineering Fair (CSEF) took place April 11–12 at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, bringing together 900 of the best of 1st place winners from regional competitions covering 58 counties across the state, including the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair (GSDSEF). GSDSEF students earned 40 awards at the event, including two of only six highly coveted spots to the prestigious Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Seven students earned 1st Place awards in the categories of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Cognitive Science, Microbiology, Physics and Astronomy, and Zoology. In addition, one student won the Saban Family Foundation Scholar Prize, while another won the South Coast AQMD Air Quality Award and A&WMA Environmental Leadership Award. CSEF is the oldest science fair west of the Mississippi River and the highest level competition in the state.

Top winners were:

Arya Bhatt, Grade 7, Oak Valley Middle School, South Coast AQMD Air Quality Award, A&WMA Environmental Leadership Award, “Context Aware Real Time Air Quality Prediction Using Machine Learning”.

Joie Green, Grade 8, Muirlands Middle School, 1st Place, “Soon I will be Invisible: How to Direct Energy with Topological Metamaterials”.

Maggie Hao, Grade 10, The Bishop’s School, 1st Place, “Harnessing Tardigrade Genes to Enhance Bacterial Biosensors for Heavy Metal Pollutant Detection”.

Uma Kattamuri, Grade 7, Oak Valley Middle School, 1st Place, “Elevated CO2 During Kalanchoe pinnata Growth Reveals Enhanced Antiproliferative and Synergistic Therapies”.

Sonika Dhenuva Konda, Grade 11, Del Norte High School, Saban Family Foundation Scholar Prize, “Adaptive Swarm Coordination for Wildfire Control via Q-Learning Tuned PSO with Quantum-Inspired Coupling”.

Emma Liu, Grade 11, The Bishop’s School, ISEF Finalist, 1st Place, “Defining 3D Phenotypic Cell States of Polymorphonuclear Neutrophils via Novel Computational Pipeline”.

Sharvi Mahajan, Grade 8, Bernardo Heights Middle School, 1st Place, “Evaluating Predictive EEG Theta/Beta Features in Adult ADHD via Machine Learning”.

Sydney O’Donnell, Grade 8, The Rhoades School, 1st Place, TFJIC, “Effects of Marigold Versus Chlorella Supplementation on Yolk Lutein Content”.

Ihan Sung, Grade 11, Eastlake High School, ISEF Finalist, 1st Place, “Renewable Ammonia Electrochemical Synthesis by Glow Discharge with an Iron Based Catalyst”.

Full results and project showcase available online.

About the GSDSEF

Since 1955, the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair (GSDSEF) has provided an inspiring experience in science and engineering for tens of thousands of San Diego and Imperial County students, motivating them to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This regional competition challenges students to go beyond classroom studies to do independent research – to ask compelling questions, to design and implement innovative solutions, and to present and defend results to judges who are professionals in their fields. The GSDSEF brings together 800 of the best middle and high school students, 400+ judges who are professionals in their fields and over 60 professional societies and organizations, with $40k in prizes awarded.

The GSDSEF fosters creativity and innovation through inquiry, celebrates students’ STEM achievements, and showcases how young minds can make an impact in the present and future. Many of these student scientists are conducting world-class research and conducting groundbreaking experiments in fields ranging from Astronomy to Zoology, such as the discovery of cures for diseases, formulations of new vaccines, cancer research, applying AI to enhance medical diagnoses, using biomimicry for water conservation, novel drone technology, advances in micro robotics and autonomous driving technology. The GSDSEF is the highest-level STEM competition in the region and one of the oldest, most respected and competitive in the world. The GSDSEF is a 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at gsdsef.org and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Copyright © 2026 Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair. All rights reserved.

Media Contact:
Sany Zakharia
sany.zakharia@gsdsef.org

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SOURCE Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair

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Innowise Named to 2026 CRN Tech Elite 250 List By The Channel Company

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WARSAW, Poland, April 26, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Innowise has officially secured a position on CRN’s 2026 Tech Elite 250. This annual ranking identifies IT solution providers across the US and Canada that have achieved top-tier status within the partner programs of the industry’s leading technology vendors. The inclusion follows a period of verified growth in technical proficiency and a focus on high-impact engineering.

“Innowise concentrates on creating scalable, resilient architectures that produce measurable benefits for our clients. The honor of being recognized by CRN highlights the commitment of our experts to maintain high standards in highly competitive markets,” said Dmitry Nazarevich, CTO at Innowise.

About the Tech Elite 250

The Tech Elite 250 is a directory of companies recognized as having the highest level of partnership and certifications within the global IT ecosystem. In order to reach the final list, the provider must hold the most advanced technical credentials from vendors like AWS, Cisco, Dell, HPE, IBM, Intel, Nutanix, and Nvidia.

This directory serves as a verified ledger for enterprise clients who need to orchestrate complex hardware and software stacks without letting legacy environments rot. Holding these certifications is mandatory to stop the cash bleed caused by inefficient infrastructure and unoptimized cloud usage.

About Innowise

Founded in 2007, Innowise is a global software engineering and IT consulting center. The company is focused on developing high-value technologies, including artificial intelligence, data engineering, and cloud computing. Innowise crafts technological solutions for companies across 40+ domains in order to assist them in updating, creating, and modernizing their digital ecosystems.

Innowise specializes in using established technologies and modular approaches to enable organizations to expand or shift their operations while retaining complete control over all their physical and intangible assets.

Media Contact

Lizaveta Piaskova, Innowise, 48 48 787 027 706, lizaveta.piaskova@innowise.com, innowise.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/innowise-named-to-2026-crn-tech-elite-250-list-by-the-channel-company-302751951.html

SOURCE Innowise

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Neusoft Showcases Full-Stack & Global Innovations at Auto China 2026

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BEIJING, April 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — At Auto China 2026, Neusoft Corporation hosted a press conference on April 25th and announced three key strategic moves: the iteration of Neusoft OneCoreGo® Global In-Vehicle Intelligent Mobility Solution 7.0, the launch of Neusoft NAGIC.AI Cockpit Software Platform, and the strategic upgrade of its subsidiary, Neusoft Smart Go. By leveraging full-stack technology and a global ecosystem to drive innovation and empowerment, Neusoft is transforming vehicles into proactive, connected and collaborative mobile intelligent spaces.

OneCoreGo® Global In-Vehicle Intelligent Mobility Solution 7.0: An Evolved AI Companion for Global Intelligent Mobility

Intelligent mobility requires proactive perception, scenario integration, and global connectivity to meet personalized user needs and complex driving scenarios. Neusoft, whose products cover over 130 countries and regions worldwide, addresses these challenges with its OneCoreGo® Global In-Vehicle Intelligent Mobility Solution 7.0 through AI-driven innovation and global ecosystem collaboration. Powered by One Mate’s cross-agent collaboration and a sub-product matrix including One Map, One Sight, One Cloud, One Pay, One Store, One Link, and One Guard, the solution delivers full-link global mobility services spanning navigation, in-cabin AR, payment, app ecosystem services, connectivity and security. By breaking down functional silos, it streamlines multi-step operations into a single “depart” command, leveraging full-stack AI technology across perception, decision-making, interaction, and execution processes.

Guan Xin, Vice President of Neusoft and General Manager of Neusoft Automotive Innovative Solutions Division, said, “Adhering to the core principles of AI and globalization, OneCoreGo® 7.0 keeps innovating, evolving into a globally intelligent mobility companion that truly understands user needs.”

To enhance driving safety and mobility efficiency, OneCoreGo® 7.0 has also comprehensively upgraded its sub-products: One Map Global Navigation newly introduces 3D city effects, 3D lane-level maps, and traffic light guidance, offering dedicated solutions for two-wheelers and commercial vehicles as well. One Sight AR For Car improves navigation display effects, reducing instances of taking wrong routes. One Pay In-Vehicle Payment achieves over 90% payment coverage for parking services across core European cities. Combined with One Cloud’s global compliance cloud monitoring platform and One Guard’s full-stack vehicle networking security services, it creates a truly comprehensive OneCoreGo® Global In-Vehicle Intelligent Mobility Solution.

Neusoft NAGIC.AI Cockpit Software Platform: Dual-track Architecture for AI Integration in Every Vehicle

Amid the AI-driven transformation of the automotive industry, the market faces two challenges: limited computing power in legacy vehicles and high adaptation difficulties for next-gen models. Neusoft’s NAGIC.AI Cockpit Software Platform adopts a flexible “distributed + centralized” dual-track architecture approach. For existing vehicle models, it introduces the AI BOX solution, rapidly boosting computing power via external AI computing units, significantly reducing upgrade costs and timelines. For new vehicle models built on next-gen central computing platforms, Neusoft provides a full-stack AI cockpit software product suite, meeting automakers’ stringent requirements for system stability, reliability, and full-domain control.

Pang Hongyan, Vice President of Neusoft and General Manager of the Automotive Intelligent Software Division, said, “Our dual-track architecture enables every vehicle to embrace AI and enjoy an intelligent future. Both existing models and new-generation vehicles can find the most suitable path to intelligentization.”

Moreover, Neusoft’s NAGIC.AI Cockpit Software Platform features scenario-based, human-centric AI Agents seamlessly integrating driving safety, occupant care services, intelligent assisted driving and in-cabin entertainment. Neusoft also collaborates with global ecosystem partners to drive intelligent upgrades of in-cabin interaction products, fostering a more open and dynamic intelligent cockpit ecosystem.

Strategic Upgrade of Neusoft Smart Go: A World-leading Provider of Full-Domain Upper-Body Electronics Solutions for Intelligent Vehicles

Aligning with the trend of E/E architecture evolution from distributed control to “central computing + zonal control”, Neusoft Smart Go, a subsidiary of Neusoft in the field of intelligent vehicle connectivity, has completed a strategic upgrade, aiming to become a global leader in full-domain upper-body electronics solutions for intelligent vehicles.

This strategic upgrade positions Neusoft Smart Go to focus on full-domain scenarios in upper-body electronics, building a product matrix covering full-category in-vehicle electronics solutions, including central computing platforms, cockpit-driving-parking integration, intelligent cockpits, intelligent communications, intelligent audio systems, and zonal control units, and pioneering the integration of large model algorithms.

Jian Guodong, Senior Vice President of Neusoft and CEO of Neusoft Smart Go, said, “This strategic upgrade represents a significant leap from partial focus to comprehensive layout. Through our dual-track strategy of high-end cutting-edge solutions and mature standardized products, we can flexibly meet the mass production needs of vehicle models across different regions and price segments worldwide.” Neusoft Smart Go will provide mass-producible, adaptable hardware-software integrated solutions, empowering global automakers in achieving intelligent transformation.

Neusoft’s President, Mr.Gai Longjia stated, “In the future, Neusoft Smart Go will create stronger synergy with Neusoft Corporation by sharing internal technologies and capabilities while responding jointly to external demands. This specialized yet collaborative model will preserve business unit’s agility and expertise while enhancing Neusoft’s full-stack technological advantages.”

As a trusted partner in a smarter world, Neusoft is committed to collaborating with global automakers and ecosystem partners to build an open and inclusive intelligent automotive community together for the future of global mobility.

For more information about Neusoft, please visit www.neusoft.com.

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/neusoft-showcases-full-stack–global-innovations-at-auto-china-2026-302753701.html

SOURCE Neusoft Corporation

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