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Plug and Play GOAL Program Highlights 2024 Milestones and Plans for Advancing Global Innovation in 2025

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SUNNYVALE, Calif., Feb. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Plug and Play GOAL achieved significant milestones in 2024, driving innovation, fostering collaboration, and enhancing its global presence. In the past year, the US Soft Landing program supported 90 startups from over 12 countries, delivering 13 programs in in-person and hybrid formats. Looking ahead to 2025, the focus remains on advancing the entrepreneurial ecosystem and empowering startups worldwide. From its establishment in 2009, the GOAL program has accelerated over 1000 startups from across the globe to connect them to Silicon Valley resources.

Last year, Plug and Play worked closely with 16 esteemed collaborators and program sponsors, including the Armenian Ministry of High Tech Industry, City of Hamburg, City of Laval, Daegu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Daegu CCI), Enterprise Singapore, Hamdi Ulukaya Initiative, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), Innovation Denmark, Korea Environmental Industry Association (KEIA), K Innovation Center (KIC) in Silicon Valley, Korean Ministry of Environment, New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Startup Lithuania, Team of Wakers, The State of Schleswig-Holstein, and Zagreb Innovation Centre (ZICER). These partnerships played a key role in supporting startup growth and fostering innovation.

“We bring our startups into the Plug and Play ecosystem, which provides immense benefits, such as meeting real American people, experiencing the culture, and understanding how to expand their business in the U.S.,” said Alexandre Corriveau, Director of Terro X from Laval. “As a partner, it’s an opportunity to witness a wide range of innovations and stay updated on global trends. This is my third time coming to the summit, and I’m super happy to be part of this journey—I absolutely love what we’re doing with Plug and Play right now.”

Jon Steffen Therkildsen, Senior Advisor at Innovation Centre Denmark adds, “True value lies in networking, identifying emerging trends, and paths to action. Our partnership with Plug and Play Tech Center perfectly cements this commitment. When we bring our initiatives to the United States, connecting with the innovative ecosystems that Plug and Play so vividly helps define in Silicon Valley is paramount. This immersive exposure to American business culture and investor networks is indispensable for navigating not only the U.S. but also the global stage.”

Jaehong Min, VP of Korea Environmental Industry Association, emphasizes Plug and Play’s global presence, stating that, “Plug and Play plays a key role not only in Silicon Valley but also as a global hub for industries worldwide, helping multinational companies form strong networks while efficiently managing costs and time. In particular, the Korean team had the opportunity to participate in a well-structured program, from mentoring to demo day, over the course of several months, which significantly enhanced the global capabilities of Korean SMEs, leading to high satisfaction across the board.”

Additionally, Stephane Ouaki, Head of Department at European Innovation Council, shares, “Plug and Play is ideally positioned to deliver the value that we’re looking for our companies. Plug and Play provided them with training, exposure and understanding of what it takes to be successful in the US as well as gave us the platform to provide access to our companies to meet with corporates and investors.”

Last year, the GOAL program delivered comprehensive support to startups through over 100 workshops focused on Silicon Valley best practices, including market entry strategies, scaling operations, fundraising, and corporate partnerships. The program facilitated more than 350 mentor introductions, provided tailored one-on-one guidance from industry experts and connected startups to a global network of over 550 corporate partners.

Participants also showcased their innovative solutions at Plug and Play’s Global Startup Showcases during the June and November Summits, attended by over 3,500 representatives from corporations, governments, investors, and startups. In addition, startups gained valuable insights from over 20 founders, including unicorn leaders such as Alfonso de la Nuez from UserZoom, Martin Basiri from ApplyBoard, and Safwan Shah from Payactiv.

The following alumni shared how the GOAL program impacted their growth journey:

Eddie Yu, Founder & CEO of Okosix from Hong Kong, shared, “Plug and Play has very rich connections with investors and corporate partners. One of the highlights for me was attending Silicon Valley Summit. I met more than 15 potential investors there.”

Catherine Kurt, CEO of AQ22 from Lithuania, said, “Participating in the GOAL program was a transformative journey for AQ22. The program’s immersive workshops and personalized mentorship helped us refine our strategy, build meaningful partnerships, and sharpen our value proposition in ways we never anticipated.”

Siyoung Na, Founder & CEO of Carbon Energy from South Korea, added, “The GOAL program was an incredible experience that exceeded all our expectations. We highly recommend GOAL to anyone looking to elevate their skills, gain fresh perspectives, and build lasting relationships within a supportive community.”

Echoing this sentiment, Berkan Mifleh, Co-Founder of Malty from Turkey, highlighted the program’s value in driving global ambitions: “It was a productive program for showcasing our startup and expanding our global network. (It was) an important milestone in taking steps toward our global market expansion.”

Tomas Byčkovas, CEO of Biohifas from Lithuania, also emphasized the unique opportunities provided by their time in Silicon Valley, noting, “Engaging with fellow startups, industry mentors, and entrepreneurs has provided us with practical insights into scaling a business and improving our operations.”

The success is demonstrated by the numerous partnerships and pilot projects that emerged from the participation in the GOAL program. The founders’  journey highlights the program’s mission to bridge global markets and foster economic growth.

“We are proud to have hosted in 2024 more than 90 technology startups in Silicon Valley from so many countries with the help of JETRO and NEDO in Japan, State of Schleswig-Holstein in Germany, EIC from the European Union,  KIC and KEIA in South Korea and more. These startups will learn the best practices from the culture here and build global companies like BusinessObjects, Skype and Waze that would keep their organization in the home country but raise money in Silicon Valley and execute globally. This is why the top companies are either born in Silicon Valley or have satellite offices here,” said Saeed Amidi, CEO of Plug and Play.

As the Plug and Play GOAL program looks ahead to 2025, it will build on the progress of 2024 to expand its reach, foster collaboration, and create new opportunities for startups and partners.

For inquiries and GOAL Soft Landing Program partnerships, please contact:
Elina Gorji, Senior Program Manager – GOAL Silicon Valley (elina@pnptc.com)
Yui Koda, Program Manager – GOAL Silicon Valley (y.koda@pnptc.com)

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 5 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 have built an in-house VC to drive innovation across multiple industries where we’ve invested in hundreds of successful companies including Dropbox, Guardant Health, Honey, Lending Club, N26, PayPal, and Rappi. To get in contact with Plug and Play, visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/contact.

For media inquiries, please contact:
press@pnptc.com 

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SOURCE Plug and Play

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Global AI Leader and Enterprise Transformation Visionary Zeya Ottomone Appointed Chief Executive Officer of Integrow

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Author of Empowered to Execute in the Agentic Era to Lead Next Generation of AI-Powered Enterprise Innovation

ATLANTA, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Integrow announced the appointment of Zeya Ottomone as Chief Executive Officer, marking a significant milestone in the company’s evolution as it accelerates its vision to become a global leader in Agentic AI-powered enterprise software and business transformation.

Integrow announced the appointment of Zeya Ottomone as Chief Executive Officer, marking a significant milestone in the company’s evolution as it accelerates its vision to become a global leader in Agentic AI-powered enterprise software and business transformation.

With more than three decades of executive leadership spanning Fortune 500 enterprises, global technology organizations, and enterprise software innovation, Ottomone joins Integrow at a defining moment in the evolution of artificial intelligence.

Widely recognized for helping organizations modernize operations, simplify complex business ecosystems, and deliver measurable transformation outcomes, Ottomone has led some of the industry’s largest enterprise modernization initiatives across ERP, CRM, workforce management, cloud computing, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and intelligent automation. His appointment signals Integrow’s commitment to redefining how enterprises execute strategy in the era of autonomous AI.

“Artificial Intelligence is no longer about automation alone, it’s about empowering organizations to execute faster, make smarter decisions, and fundamentally rethink how work gets done,” said Zeya Ottomone, Chief Executive Officer of Integrow. “We’re entering the Agentic Era, where intelligent AI agents become trusted digital teammates capable of planning, reasoning, collaborating and executing alongside people. At Integrow, we’re building the enterprise platform that makes that future practical, secure and measurable for every organization.”

Ottomone is internationally recognized as a leader in enterprise technology, SaaS transformation, digital modernization and AI-enabled business strategy. Throughout his career he has held executive leadership and C-level positions with ABB, Honeywell, AmerisourceBergen, Cable & Wireless, Chicago Tribune and Rimini Street, leading global organizations through large-scale transformation initiatives across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. His expertise spans enterprise applications, Salesforce ecosystems, ServiceNow, ERP modernization, customer experience, intelligent operations, data strategy, and the emerging field of Agentic AI.

Before joining Integrow, Ottomone led global SaaS Centers of Excellence focused on enterprise transformation, helping organizations modernize critical business operations while reducing technology complexity and accelerating innovation. A certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt and recognized executive advisor, Ottomone has consistently delivered operational excellence by combining strategic leadership with emerging technologies to create sustainable business value.

His appointment also coincides with the upcoming publication of his new book, Empowered to Execute in the Agentic Era, which explores how organizations can bridge the gap between strategy and execution by leveraging AI, empowering people, and building intelligent enterprises capable of continuous innovation. The book reflects many of the same principles that will guide Integrow’s next phase of growth: human-centered AI, intelligent automation, operational excellence, and measurable business outcomes.

Under Ottomone’s leadership, Integrow will accelerate investment across:

Agentic AIEnterprise AI PlatformsIntelligent ERPAI-powered CRMHuman Capital ManagementIT Service ManagementPredictive AnalyticsAutonomous WorkflowsEnterprise CopilotsIndustry-specific AI Solutions

The company’s vision is to deliver a unified enterprise platform where AI is embedded into every business process, enabling organizations to eliminate operational silos, automate decision-making, increase productivity, and create competitive advantage through intelligent execution. “Zeya represents exactly the type of visionary leader required for the next generation of enterprise software,” said Harvey Nicholson, Chair of Corporate Governance and Member of Integrow’s Board of Directors. “His global experience, deep understanding of enterprise technology, and forward-looking vision for Agentic AI position Integrow to become one of the industry’s most innovative AI-powered enterprise software companies.”

Wayne Gadson, Chair of Growth Strategy, added: “The future belongs to organizations that can execute strategy with intelligence, speed and confidence. Zeya has spent his career helping enterprises achieve exactly that. His appointment marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Integrow, our customers and our partners worldwide.” As enterprises face mounting pressure to modernize operations, reduce costs, improve workforce productivity and harness the power of artificial intelligence, Integrow is uniquely positioned to help organizations transform through a single AI-powered enterprise platform that unifies finance, operations, customer engagement, workforce management, projects and service delivery.

“Our mission is simple,” Ottomone concluded. “We don’t believe AI should replace people. We believe AI should elevate people. The organizations that will define the next decade won’t simply adopt AI—they’ll empower every employee to execute better decisions every day. That’s the future Integrow is building.”

About Integrow

Integrow is a global enterprise software company delivering next-generation AI-powered business applications built on Salesforce. The platform unifies ERP, CRM, Human Capital Management, IT Service Management, Project Management, Field Service, Finance and Operations into a single intelligent ecosystem enhanced by Agentic AI.

By embedding artificial intelligence into every workflow, Integrow enables organizations to modernize operations, accelerate innovation, improve decision-making and execute strategy with confidence.

For more information, visit www.integrow.com.

Media Contact

Media Team, Integrow, Inc., 1 855-333-4769, info@integrow.com, www.integrow.com 

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SOURCE Integrow, Inc.

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Lufax Announces Board and Management Changes

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SHANGHAI, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Lufax Holding Ltd (“Lufax” or the “Company”) (NYSE: LU and HKEX: 6623), a leading financial services enabler for small business owners in China, today announced changes to its board of directors and senior management, effective July 25, 2026.

Ms. Fangfang Cai (“Ms. Cai”), Mr. Shibang Guo (“Mr. Guo”) and Mr. Peifeng Li (“Mr. Li”) have resigned as non-executive directors of the Company and from their respective positions on the Board’s committees. Mr. Tongzhuan Xi (“Mr. Xi”) has resigned as an executive director, the chief financial officer and the authorised representative of the Company (“Authorised Representative”) under Rule 3.05 of the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (“Hong Kong Listing Rules”), with effect from July 25, 2026. Each of the four directors cited personal work arrangements as the reason for their resignation and confirmed there is no disagreement with the Board and no matter relating to their departure that needs to be brought to shareholders’ attention.

The Company has begun a search for a new chief financial officer. During the transition, the CFO’s duties will be temporarily assumed by the Company’s internal team to ensure continuity of the Company’s financial functions. Mr. Xiang Ji, an executive director and the Company’s chief executive officer, has been appointed as the Authorised Representative, the Company’s designated liaison with the Stock Exchange under the Hong Kong Listing Rules, in place of Mr. Xi, with effect from July 25, 2026.

The Board has appointed Mr. Wai Kin Chim (“Mr. Chim”) as an independent non-executive director for an initial three-year term commencing July 25, 2026.

Mr. Chim, aged 65, has over 40 years of experience in international banking and extensive board experience in Asia Pacific, having worked in Hong Kong, Singapore and Beijing. He specializes in risk management and internal control, with a strong emphasis on corporate governance, credit risk, market risk and capital management.

Mr. Chim served as a loan officer at Standard Chartered Bank, Hong Kong Branch, from October 1985 to August 1988. He was then employed by Bankers Trust Company, Hong Kong Branch, as a vice president of the Asia Credit Department from September 1988 to October 1996. He subsequently served as the managing director and the chief credit officer for Deutsche Bank AG, a company listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under ticker symbol DBK, for Asia Pacific (non-Japan Asia), from October 1996 to November 2006. He joined Bank of China Limited, a company listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange under stock code 3988, as the chief credit officer from March 2007 to March 2015.

Mr. Chim was an independent non-executive director of Standard Chartered Bank (China) Limited from October 2015 to October 2017. He served as an independent non-executive director of HDR Global Trading Limited, owner and operator of the BitMEX digital asset trading platform, from February 2021 to February 2022. Mr. Chim served as a non-executive director of China Chengtong Hong Kong Company Limited from July 2022 to June 2025. Mr. Chim is currently an independent non-executive director of OCBC Bank (Hong Kong) Limited, since November 2017; an independent non-executive director of Banco OCBC (Macau), S.A., since August 2023; an independent non-executive director of China Intellogis Technology Co., Ltd., since June 2024; and a director of Hong Kong Dance Company Limited since June 2026.

Mr. Chim obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1983 and an MBA degree from Indiana State University, USA, in 1985. He also graduated from the Senior Executive Program at Columbia University in 2000.

In connection with these changes, with effect from July 25, 2026, Ms. Cai will step down from the Nomination and Remuneration Committee, and Mr. Koon Wing Ernest Ip has been appointed as a member to that committee. The Company’s Special Committee will comprise Mr. Dicky Peter Yip, Mr. Koon Wing Ernest Ip and Mr. Siu Hong Cheng, continuing under the chairmanship of Mr. Dicky Peter Yip, with effect from July 25, 2026.

The Board would like to take this opportunity to thank Ms. Cai, Mr. Guo, Mr. Li and Mr. Xi for their service during the tenure of their office and warmly welcome Mr. Chim to the Board.

About Lufax

Lufax is a leading financial services enabler for small business owners in China. The Company offers financing products designed principally to address the needs of small business owners. In doing so, the Company has established relationships with 85 financial institutions in China as funding partners, many of which have worked with the Company for over three years.

Investor Relations Contact

Lufax Holding Ltd
Email: Investor_Relations@lu.com

ICR, LLC
Robin Yang
Tel: +1 (646) 308-0546
Email: lufax.ir@icrinc.com

 

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SOURCE Lufax Holding Ltd

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UMD Smith School Researchers Warn AI Security Lapses Highlight Urgent Need for Independent Oversight

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COLLEGE PARK, Md., July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A series of recent AI security lapses—including the OpenAI–Hugging Face breach—raises a fundamental question, say a pair of researchers at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business: Can tech companies safely govern the powerful AI systems they build, or is stronger outside oversight now essential?

In its incident report, OpenAI confirmed that one of its experimental AI agents exploited a weakness in its testing environment while working on a routine benchmark task. The system wasn’t instructed to behave maliciously; instead, its persistence turned a small design flaw into a real escape. Earlier tests showed similar behavior, including agents that learned to bypass security checks by manipulating authentication tokens.

This pattern echoes findings from Dean’s Professor of Information Systems Siva Viswanathan at the Smith School, who studies how large technology platforms enforce rules. His research on mobile app privacy—published in Management Science—examined Google’s rollout of Android 6.0, which gave users more control over what data apps could collect. Developers were granted a flexible window to update their apps. Many used that flexibility to delay compliance for months, continuing to gather user data until Google imposed consequences such as lower search rankings and reduced visibility in its app store.

Viswanathan’s takeaway: when companies rely on voluntary compliance, self‑interested actors often exploit the slack. Real accountability requires pairing flexibility with firm, enforceable penalties.

That lesson now reverberates across the AI sector. As companies race to build increasingly capable systems, Viswanathan says oversight must treat these AI systems as strategic actors and must include strong safeguards that can pause or reverse a system before harm occurs.

He notes that a separate study from Anthropic underscores the stakes. In controlled tests, even an AI system designed to monitor another AI inherited the same flaws it was supposed to catch. In some cases, the “judge” model failed to flag clear sabotage because it agreed with the agent’s goals, allowing dangerous behavior to pass without human review.

Balaji Padmanabhan, Dean’s Professor of Decisions, Operations and Information Technologies and director of the Smith School’s Center for Artificial Intelligence in Business, extends Viswanathan’s governance argument into the realm of autonomous AI agents, warning that the same structural weaknesses now carry far higher stakes.

“The fact that this breach occurred organically without the AI agent being asked to be malicious is itself notable. Imagine what someone who actually intends to do harm can do. It’s also not terribly reassuring that the same firms we depend on for AI infrastructure, who are facing these issues, are the ones assuring enterprises that their systems with guardrails are perfectly safe,” says Padmanabhan. “We have to wake up to the fact that we’ve created capabilities that let software become as powerful as we want it to be—and then some. It’s time we seriously ask what’s needed to create an infrastructure to play defense well.”

Across the independent studies, the pattern is consistent, says Viswanathan: Voluntary compliance fails when the governed actor is more capable than the regulator. And AI systems cannot be governed by trust or good intentions alone. Oversight must be preventive, independent and capable of stopping harmful behavior before it spreads.

About the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business
The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and flex MBA, executive MBA, online MBA, business master’s, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia.

Contact: Greg Muraski, gmuraski@umd.edu

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SOURCE University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business

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