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LITTE FISH ANNOUNCES PROPOSED QUALIFYING TRANSACTION

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VANCOUVER, BC, Dec. 19, 2024 /CNW/ – Little Fish Acquisition I Corp. (the “Company” or “LILL”) (TSXV: LILL.P) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a binding letter of intent (the “LOI”) on December 18, 2024, with Sequoia Digital Corp. (“Sequoia”), an arm’s length party, pursuant to which the Company intends to acquire (the “Acquisition”) all of the issued and outstanding securities of Sequoia by way of share exchange or other acceptable means, subject to regulatory approval including that of the TSX Venture Exchange (the “Exchange”). The Acquisition is expected to constitute the Company’s qualifying transaction under the policies of the Exchange. Upon completion of the Acquisition, subject to all requisite approvals, it is anticipated that the Resulting Issuer (as defined herein) will be a Tier 2 – Technology issuer.

About Sequoia

Founded in April 2022, Sequoia is a widely-held bitcoin mining company based in British Columbia and operates a bitcoin mining data center in Sherbrooke, Quebec (the “Data Center”).  The Data Center is owned and managed by a third-party hosting company pursuant to a hosting facility agreement.  At the Data Center, Sequoia mines bitcoin and generates revenue by earning Bitcoin through a combination of block rewards and transaction fees from the operations of it’s Application-Specific Integrated Circuit Units.  Sequoia also generates revenue through the exchange of Bitcoin for fiat currency.  Sequoia is committed to creating continued sustained Bitcoin mining operations and expanding its Bitcoin mining capacity in 2025.  Further, in 2025, Sequoia intends to diversify its mining operations into additional cryptocurrencies in the crypto and blockchain ecosystem that Sequoia deems accretive to its business plan and road map.

Sequoia has been mining Bitcoin since July 2022.  Audited financial statements for the year ended April 30, 2024 show revenue of CAD$413,318 with a net loss of $234,179.  As at April 30, 2024, Sequioa had total assets of $326,409, and total liabilities of $19,714.  Primary operation costs are electricity, sustaining fees and general operational expenses. Sequoia’s primary assets are cash and crypto-currency related holdings.

The Acquisition

It is anticipated that the parties will complete the Acquisition by way of a share exchange agreement, pursuant to which the Company will acquire all of the issued and outstanding securities in the capital of Sequoia resulting in Sequoia becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Resulting Issuer”) on closing (the “Closing”). The final structure and form of the Acquisition remains subject to satisfactory tax, corporate and securities law advice for both Sequoia and the Company and will be set forth in a definitive agreement (the “Definitive Agreement”) to be entered into among the parties, which will replace the LOI. Upon completion of the Acquisition, the Resulting Issuer will continue to carry on the business of Sequoia as currently constituted.

Pursuant to the terms of the LOI, the Company intends to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Sequoia for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $7.4 million (the “Purchase Price”). The Purchase Price will be satisfied through the issuance of an aggregate of 37,157,000 common shares (the “Consideration Shares”) in the capital of the Company at a price of $0.20 per Consideration Share. It is anticipated that any existing convertible securities of Sequoia will be converted for equivalent securities of LILL or exercised prior to the closing of the Acquisition.

The Acquisition will constitute a qualifying transaction for the Company under the policies of the Exchange.  Closing of the Acquisition is subject to a number of conditions including but not limited to satisfactory due diligence investigations, the negotiation and execution of the Definitive Agreement, receipt of all required shareholder, regulatory and third-party approvals and consents, including that of the Exchange and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions and completion of the Financing. The Acquisition cannot close until these conditions are satisfied. There can be no assurance that the Acquisition will be completed as proposed or at all. No finders’ fees are payable by the Company in connection with completion of the Acquisition, nor does the Company anticipate advancing any funds to Seqouia in advance of completion of the Acquisition.

Resulting Issuer

In connection with the Acquisition, it is anticipated that the Company will, among other things: (i) change its name to “Sequoia” or any other such name that is acceptable to Sequoia; (ii) reconstitute the existing directors and officers of the Company with nominees of Sequoia; (iii) enter into employment, consulting or other agreements with key members of the Sequoia team and management; and (iv) enter into such escrow or pooling agreements as required by the Exchange or as agreed by the parties.

Upon completion of the Acquisition, it is anticipated that the board of directors of the Resulting Issuer shall consist of up to approximately 5 directors. The nominees will be determined and announced in connection with the execution of the Definitive Agreement.

Financing

In connection with the Acquisition, the parties intend to complete a financing (the “Financing”) of securities of Sequoia for gross proceeds of a minimum of $1 million and a maximum of $2 million, at a price of $0.30 per share and to be completed by Sequoia on a “best efforts” basis. The Financing shall be structured as either a common share offering, a subscription receipt offering, or such other security offering as determined by Sequoia and the Company based on discussions with investors. Other than in connection with the Financing, neither party will issue any shares or rights exchangeable or exercisable into shares of such party prior to closing of the Acquisition. The proceeds of the Financing will be used for the working capital requirements of the Resulting Issuer.

Further particulars regarding the Financing will be disclosed in subsequent news releases relating to the Acquisition. The parties acknowledge that an agent may be engaged to act as agent for the Financing and in connection therewith may be paid a commission in an amount to be determined.

Trading Halt

Trading of the Company’s shares has been halted and will remain halted pending the Exchange’s receipt of satisfactory documentation and completion of the Acquisition.

Filing Statement

In connection with the Acquisition and pursuant to the requirements of the Exchange, the Company will file a filing statement or a management information circular on its issuer profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca), which will contain details regarding the Acquisition, Sequoia, the Financing, and the Resulting Issuer.

Sponsorship of the Acquisition

Sponsorship of a “Qualifying Transaction” of a capital pool company is required by the Exchange unless exempt in accordance with Exchange policies. The Company anticipates requesting a waiver from Sponsorship requirements. However, there is no assurance that a waiver from this requirement can or will be obtained.

Cautionary Statements

Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Completion of the Acquisition is subject to a number of conditions including as disclosed herein, but not limited to, Exchange acceptance and if applicable, disinterested shareholder approval. Where applicable, the Acquisition cannot close until the required shareholder and Exchange approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Acquisition will be completed as proposed or at all.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the Acquisition, any information released or received with respect to the Acquisition may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative.

The TSX Venture Exchange has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

All information contained in this press release with respect to the Company and Sequoia was supplied by the parties respectively, for inclusion herein, without independent review by the other party, and each party and its directors and officers have relied on the other party for any information concerning the other party.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the “1933 Act”) or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.

Forward-Looking Information

This press release includes “forward-looking information” that is subject to assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company.  Statements in this news release which are not purely historical are forward looking, including without limitation any statements concerning the expected results of the Acquisition, the completion of the transactions contemplated by the LOI, the anticipated timing thereof, completion of the Financing and the expected use of proceeds therefrom. Although the Company believes that any forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate.  The Company cautions readers that all forward-looking statements, are based on assumptions none of which can be assured and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements represent management’s best judgment based on information currently available. Readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such risks and uncertainties and should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

The forward‐looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and no undertaking is given to update publicly or revise any forward‐looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws or the Exchange. The forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

SOURCE Little Fish Acquisition I Corp.

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Park Systems Leads Global AFM Market by Revenue for Fourth Consecutive Year

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GWACHEON, South Korea, Oct. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Park Systems Corp., a global provider of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and nanometrology solutions, maintained its position as the world’s leading AFM manufacturer by revenue for the fourth consecutive year (2022–2025), according to QY Research’s Global Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) Market Report, History and Forecast 2021–2032.

Park Systems accounted for 23.8% of global AFM revenue in 2025 and led the industry in unit shipments, with 340 systems sold during the year. The findings place the company first in both revenue and shipment volume in 2025 among manufacturers covered by the study.

The leadership comes as the global AFM market enters a period of significant expansion. QY Research estimates the market reached $508.69 million in 2025 and forecasts it will grow to approximately $1.01 billion by 2032, a compound annual growth rate of 11.23%. Industrial Grade AFM, which the report calls the principal value-growth engine, is forecast to grow even faster, at a 15.72% CAGR over the same period, driven by automated wafer metrology, 200/300 mm wafer handling and other high-value semiconductor process-control functions. The report notes that while Industrial Grade systems represented just 14.54% of global unit shipments in 2025, they generated 43.41% of market revenue, reflecting substantially higher configured system prices.

According to the report, Park Systems’ core customer types include fabs, foundries and IDMs, electronics, display and storage companies, as well as universities, national laboratories, and materials and life-science institutions, with semiconductor/electronics representing the largest high-value application. Park Systems also continues to invest in its Research Grade portfolio for scientific research: in April 2026, it launched NX1, a Research Grade AFM designed for atomic-scale imaging under ambient conditions, with a rigid, thermally stable architecture engineered to suppress mechanical noise for reliable, repeatable high-resolution imaging.

Park Systems has also expanded its nanometrology capabilities through strategic acquisitions. According to the report, its 2022 acquisition of Germany-based Accurion GmbH added imaging spectroscopic ellipsometry and active vibration-isolation technologies, while its 2025 acquisition of Lyncée Tec SA of Switzerland added digital holographic microscopy — broadening the company’s measurement capabilities beyond AFM for both research and industrial customers.

About Park Systems Corp.

Park Systems is a global provider of nanometrology solutions for research and industrial applications. Founded by Dr. Sang-il Park, who contributed to the invention of atomic force microscopy at Stanford University, the company develops advanced measurement technologies including atomic force microscopy (AFM), white light interferometry (WLI), digital holographic microscopy (DHM), imaging spectroscopic ellipsometry (ISE), active vibration isolation systems and solid metal probes.

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SOURCE Park Systems Corp.

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Pulpex Opens First Commercial Fibre Bottle Manufacturing Facility Near Glasgow

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New facility brings fibre bottle technology into commercial production, creating up to 40 million units of annual capacity and establishing the blueprint for global expansion

RENFREW, Scotland, Oct. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Pulpex, the UK packaging technology company behind the world’s leading fibre bottle platforms, today opened its first commercial manufacturing facility near Glasgow, marking a major milestone in the scale-up of fibre-based packaging. The site has an initial capacity of up to 40 million units per annum, has created approximately 39 skilled manufacturing jobs and serves as the first step towards Pulpex’s ambition of producing one billion bottles annually through a global network of Manufacture Under Licence partners. 

Commercial demand has already been secured, with more than 90% of the site’s initial available capacity for the current financial year committed. Launch customers include household cleaning brand smol, which is introducing Pulpex fibre bottles into the liquid laundry category, and Purely Scottish Natural Mineral Water, which plans to launch what is expected to be the UK’s first natural mineral water in a paper bottle following an 18-month collaboration with Pulpex. Additional launches involving consumer brands across food, beverage, home care and personal care sectors are expected to be announced in the coming months.

The opening marks the transition of Pulpex fibre bottle technology from pilot-scale production into commercial manufacturing. The Glasgow facility at Westway will support customer launches, scaled production and future manufacturing partnerships while serving as the reference plant for Pulpex’s international licensing strategy.

“The opening of our Glasgow facility marks the moment Pulpex moves from proving the technology to proving the industrial model,” said Sandy Westwater, Chief Executive Officer of Pulpex. “Every Manufacture Under Licence discussion we have from today is a conversation about a working manufacturing facility rather than a prototype.”

Pulpex’s patent-protected fibre bottles are manufactured from sustainably sourced wood pulp, contain no hidden plastic and are designed to be recycled through existing household paper and card recycling systems. The bottles have also been developed for compatibility with established filling infrastructure, providing brand owners with a practical route to adopt renewable, lower-carbon packaging without major production-line modifications.

Pulpex’s licensing model is designed to use the global network of established packaging production sites and experienced manufacturing partners already serving regional markets. By transferring its technology and operating model into this existing infrastructure, Pulpex can accelerate adoption, enable production closer to customer demand and support alignment with regional supply chains and recycling systems.

In Europe, Perlen Industrieholding AG has become Pulpex’s first Manufacture Under Licence partner, securing manufacturing exclusivity across Switzerland, Austria, Italy and southern Germany. In Asia, Alternicq has secured exclusive rights to develop the market across India and the Gulf Cooperation Council region as a precursor to a full manufacturing partnership. Together, these partnerships provide the foundation for scaling production from Glasgow’s 40 million-unit capacity towards the company’s ambition of one billion units annually through a global manufacturing network.

“With an initial capacity of up to 40 million units a year, Glasgow is the first step on our path to one billion units globally,” said Scott Winston, Managing Director and Chief Science and Sustainability Officer at Pulpex. “This facility demonstrates how UK-developed innovation can create skilled manufacturing jobs, support lower-carbon packaging solutions and provide a scalable platform for international growth.”

The Glasgow facility, supported by investment from the UK’s National Wealth Fund and the Scottish National Investment Bank, will act as the operational blueprint for future licensees, supporting commercial launches, technology transfer and international manufacturing partnerships. As additional manufacturing partners come online, Pulpex’s licensing-led growth model is designed to enable local production at scale while maintaining product consistency and compatibility with regional recycling infrastructure.

Further details at Pulpex.com 

ABOUT PULPEX

Pulpex is a packaging technology company developing recyclable fibre bottles made from sustainably sourced wood pulp. Designed to contain no hidden plastic and be recycled through existing paper and card recycling streams, the company’s patent-protected platform enables brands to adopt renewable packaging using established filling infrastructure. Through its Manufacture Under Licence model, Pulpex works with manufacturing partners to scale fibre bottle production globally while supporting local supply chains and recycling systems.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/pulpex-opens-first-commercial-fibre-bottle-manufacturing-facility-near-glasgow-302898093.html

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Argus launches alternative European ethylene and propylene price indexes

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New prices offer greater transparency for key chemical markets

LONDON, Oct. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Global energy and commodity price reporting agency Argus has launched new monthly price indexes for the domestic European ethylene and propylene markets, bringing greater transparency to these important chemical markets.

The new monthly Argus northwest Europe ethylene and Argus northwest Europe propylene indexes provide independent price references for the industry and were developed through discussions with market participants. Initially useful as a point of refence and to aid traditional monthly contract price (MCP) negotiations, the prices are designed to be suitable for adoption as an alternative to or in combination with existing benchmarks in pricing mechanisms.

The indexes are calculated using a transparent and publicly available (LINK) methodology. Each is based on a weighted combination of spot ethylene or propylene prices and spot cracker feedstock prices for naphtha, propane and butane, all assessed by Argus.

European ethylene and propylene MCPs have served as benchmarks for long-term contract pricing for decades. They are set through independent negotiations between industry participants, historically providing a baseline against which companies could negotiate their own contract prices, including discounts to the MCPs. But participation in these negotiations has declined, underscoring the need for innovative new pricing tools.

Beyond the ethylene and propylene markets, MCPs are also key benchmarks for many downstream value chains, including polymers and other chemical products. As a result, they ultimately influence the prices of a wide range of industrial and consumer goods.

Argus Media chairman and chief executive Adrian Binks said: “We are pleased to have worked closely with chemical market participants to develop a fresh approach to pricing. Our new indexes respond to reduced participation in the monthly contract price process and offer a fresh transparency which addresses a growing disconnect between contract prices and observed market values. Argus is committed to providing accurate, reliable and independent price assessments that bring clarity to complex and often opaque markets.”

Argus contact information 

London: Seana Lanigan
+44 20 7780 4200
Email Seana

Houston: Liz Orr
+1 713 968 0000
Email Liz

Singapore: Tomoko Hashimoto
+65 6496 9960
Email Tomoko

About Argus Media

Argus is the leading independent provider of market intelligence to the global energy and commodity markets. We offer essential price assessments, news, analytics, consulting services, data science tools and industry conferences to illuminate complex and opaque commodity markets.

Headquartered in London with over 1,500 staff, Argus is an independent media organisation with 32 offices in the world’s principal commodity trading hubs.

Companies, trading firms and governments in 160 countries around the world trust Argus data to make decisions, analyse situations, manage risk, facilitate trading and for long-term planning. Argus prices are used as trusted benchmarks around the world for pricing transportation, commodities and energy.

Founded in 1970, Argus remains a privately held UK-registered company owned by employee shareholders and global growth equity firm General Atlantic.

Trademark notices

ARGUS, the Argus Logo, ARGUS MEDIA and ILLUMINATING THE MARKETS, Argus publication titles and index names are trademarks of Argus Media Limited. Visit Trademarks for more information.

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SOURCE Argus Media

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