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Black Dragon Capital℠ to Attend America’s Credit Unions GAC 2025 with Portfolio Companies Open Banking Solutions, PayOnward, and Veep

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Recognized FinTech and Credit Union Leaders and Advisors associated with Black Dragon Capital will engage with Community and support Portfolio Companies.  

BOCA RATON, Fla., Feb. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Black Dragon Capital℠ (“Black Dragon”), a multi-phased investment firm focused on disruptive technologies in high growth industry segments, has announced its attendance to the annual America’s Credit Unions Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC) happening in Washington DC. Through its participation, the firm intends to continue its consistent support of the fintech and credit union communities. Black Dragon will also be joined by its portfolio companies Open Banking Solutions, PayOnward, and Veep Software.

Black Dragon Capital℠ has a long history of creating and investing in market leading FinTech companies. Its unique, operations-led approach that combines deep domain expertise with their proprietary Black Dragon Toolkit℠ to enhance company performance, and a global network of professionals who we believe have extensive industry, operational, and investment success has been instrumental to the firm’s consistent track record of performance.

This year, the firm will continue showing support for the credit union community through its participation in GAC 2025. Joining them will be Black Dragon Capital advisors and portfolio company leaders Joe Lockwood, CEO of Open Banking Solutions; Cary Strange, CEO of PayOnward; and Drew Hyatt, CEO of Veep Software.  Each represents the type of investment and leadership that has been the hallmark of the firm.  Leaders with a strong track record of success and building market shaping technologies. 

Black Dragon Capital℠ will participate in a variety of events including:

Selected events hosted by Filene Research InstituteNational Credit Union Association Foundation Herb Wegner Awards EventSelected private events hosted by Industry Advisors CU2.0Invitation Only Cocktail Event hosted by Black Dragon Capital℠Private advance discussion of Louis Hernandez Jr’s upcoming fourth book, Digital Tsunami, will be previewed to a select audience.Private meetings with key committed partners and credit union leaders associated with Black Dragon Capital.Key GAC leadership eventsHosting a Black Dragon Capital Technology “Whisper Suite” where selected advanced technologies serving the credit union movement, will be demonstrated to a private audience.

Representatives include Louis Hernandez, Jr., who has built a career creating solutions to benefit members of the credit union community.  He was the Chairman and CEO of Open Solutions when the company created and designed the revolutionary DNA Core system which reshaped the industry decades ago. Hernandez also created the rapidly growing payments platform Payveris before founding the multi-phased investment firm Black Dragon Capital℠ which has a unique, operationally led model that has led to success in working with communities and providing above market returns.

Benson Porter, a Black Dragon Capital Senior Advisor collaborating on the firm’s FinTech Investment strategy, is the former CEO of BECU and First Tech Credit Union. A highly regarded credit union and financial services leader, Mr. Porter has assembled the most recognized credit union leaders and committed investors to help reshape the credit union landscape to drive better service to the community and high returns to invest in the community.

“For decades, the leaders behind Black Dragon Capital℠ have been deeply committed to helping credit unions remain a vital component of the U.S. financial services landscape. We believe that collaboration between innovative credit union leaders and advanced technology partners is a crucial step to creating new solutions to address some of our industry’s biggest challenges,” said Benson Porter, Black Dragon Capital℠ Senior Advisor. “Our team is excited to attend events like GAC 2025 and get the chance to have meaningful discussions with the members of our industry.”

“After over thirty years in the core banking industry, I have seen the banking and financial services landscape change. Having had the opportunity to work on the DNA core system with Louis in the past, I am confident in Black Dragon’s vision of helping credit unions through creating innovative solutions. OBS is excited to have support from Black Dragon Capital℠,” said Joe Lockwood, CEO of Open Banking Solutions.

Black Dragon Capital℠ further proves their dedication to address the unique needs of the credit union market through their strong presence at GAC 2025, where they can share their insights as well as engage in meaningful conversations with the members of the credit union industry.

“It’s been my honor to serve the credit union community for decades. Black Dragon Capital℠ is privileged to have so many recognized credit union and financial technology leaders join our cause.  We look forward to continuing collaborating with the community to navigate the next phase of our industry.  Working together, we are excited to lead the new digital era,” said Louis Hernandez, Jr., Black Dragon Capital℠ CEO and Founder.

About Black Dragon Capital℠

Black Dragon Capital℠, founded over a decade ago by recognized financial technology and Credit Union leaders, is a multi-phased investment firm focused on disruptive technologies in high growth industry segments that strengthen economic stability within communities.   The firm is led by a collaborative team with a combination of intense operating experience, community impact focus, and a proven track record of successful investing.

Media Contact or Inquiries:

Stephy Wilson
Senior Marketing Manager, Black Dragon Capital
swilson@blackdragoncap.com

Aren Wong
Social Media Manager, Black Dragon Capital
awong@blackdragoncap.com

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SOURCE Black Dragon Capital

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Hisense Celebrates Earth Day: The Quiet Green Shift Happening Inside Households Through Smarter Appliances

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DUBAI, UAE, April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — There’s something futuristic about a refrigerator that thinks for itself. Not in a science-fiction, take-over-the-world kind of way, but in the everyday miracle of a 620-litre side-by-side unit deciding, on its own, that 3am is the perfect time to run its compressor at minimal power because nobody’s opening the door anyway.

This is the green revolution that nobody talks about at climate summits. While world leaders debate carbon credits and industrial emissions, a quieter transformation is unfolding in kitchens, utility rooms, and living spaces across the UAE and beyond. It happens every time a washing machine calculates the precise amount of water needed for that half-load of towels, or when an air conditioner’s inverter technology throttles down instead of cycling on and off like an energy-guzzling metronome.

Earth Day, falling on 22 April this year, typically conjures images of tree-planting ceremonies and beach clean-ups. Worthy endeavours, certainly. But the environmental impact of what sits in your home, running twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, fifty-two weeks a year, rarely gets the attention it deserves.

On average, washing machines use 19 gallons of water per load, and the average household runs between 5 and 6 loads per week. Based on those figures, most washers use up to 5,605 gallons of water annually . Swap that for a modern front-load unit with AI wash programs, like Hisense’s models, and that figure can drop by up to 50 percent. Multiply this across the roughly 500,000 households in Dubai alone, and we’re suddenly talking about water savings that would make a desalination plant executive weep with joy.

The same logic applies to electricity consumption, a particularly pressing concern in a region where summer temperatures regularly exceed 45°C and air conditioning is a necessity. The difference between a conventional split AC unit and one equipped with inverter technology isn’t marginal, it’s substantial enough to show up on utility bills within the first month of operation.

Intelligence as an Environmental Strategy

What makes the current generation of home appliances genuinely different isn’t just improved efficiency ratings or eco-labelling. It’s the integration of AI into the very fabric of how these machines operate.

Hisense, a brand that has positioned itself at this intersection of technology and sustainability, describes its approach as a “dual-track strategy of intelligence plus green development.” Its ConnectLife ecosystem, available on select refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, and air conditioners, monitors energy consumption in real-time, learns household patterns, and makes AI-driven recommendations that, over time, compound into meaningful resource savings.

A Hisense 14-place setting dishwasher with auto-wash technology, for instance, doesn’t simply run the same cycle regardless of load. It assesses soil levels and adjusts water temperature and duration accordingly. A half-load mode means running appliances at appropriate capacity rather than wasting resources on unnecessary full cycles.

Multi-airflow cooling systems that reduce temperature fluctuation and preserve food longer. No-frost technology that eliminates the energy waste of ice buildup. Inverter compressors that modulate power consumption rather than running at full throttle constantly. These technologies have existed in various forms for years. What’s changed is their integration into accessible price points and mainstream product lines, making efficient living achievable for households beyond the ultra-premium market.

The Gulf region presents a fascinating case study for domestic sustainability. Per capita energy consumption ranks among the highest globally, driven by climate control requirements, water desalination dependencies, and historically subsidised utility costs. Yet the UAE has simultaneously positioned itself as a regional leader in renewable energy investment and sustainability commitments.

This creates a unique environment where smart appliance adoption carries amplified significance. A 1.5-ton inverter split AC running across a typical Abu Dhabi summer doesn’t just save its owner money, it reduces the load on an electrical grid increasingly powered by solar and nuclear generation. The connection between individual choices and collective outcomes becomes tangible in ways that might seem abstract in milder climates.

The rise of connected appliances adds another dimension. Remote diagnostics can extend product lifespans by identifying minor issues before they become terminal failures. Software updates can improve efficiency algorithms years after purchase. Energy monitoring creates accountability loops that encourage conscious consumption patterns.

Steam wash functions on modern washing machines reduce the need for hot-water cycles while improving allergen removal. Anti-bacterial filters in air conditioning units address both health and environmental concerns simultaneously. These convergences suggest that the old tension between convenience and conscience may be resolving itself through engineering rather than requiring consumers to choose sides.

The Household as Climate Actor

There’s something democratic about domestic sustainability. Industrial emissions reductions require policy negotiations, capital investments, and coordination across complex stakeholder ecosystems. Choosing a more efficient refrigerator requires a trip to the appliance store and perhaps a slightly higher upfront cost that will recoup itself over the product’s operational lifetime.

This isn’t to diminish the necessity of systemic change, individual action cannot substitute for structural transformation. But the two approaches complement rather than compete. Households equipped with intelligent appliances consume fewer resources, place less strain on infrastructure, and model consumption patterns that cascade through communities.

The quiet green shift happening inside households won’t make headlines the way renewable energy megaprojects or electric vehicle adoption rates do. But every time that dishwasher calculates optimal water usage, every time that inverter compressor modulates instead of cycles, every time that smart refrigerator adjusts its cooling schedule based on door-opening patterns, something meaningful happens. Millions of these moments, aggregated across millions of households, compound into impact that rivals any single infrastructure project.

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Dreame Nebula NEXT Auto expands academic collaboration to accelerate AI-driven automotive innovation

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UC Berkeley engagement underscores long-term investment in autonomous systems, engineering depth and intelligent vehicle development

BERKELEY, Calif., April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Dreame Nebula NEXT Auto has deepened its engagement with leading academic institutions, including the University of California, Berkeley, as it accelerates development of AI-defined vehicles and next-generation autonomous systems. The collaboration signals a long-term commitment to advancing core technologies that will shape the future of intelligent automotive motion.

The engagement brought Nebula NEXT engineers and leadership together with Berkeley researchers specialising in autonomous control systems, AI and intelligent transportation. The sessions focused on translating advanced research into real-world vehicle systems, with particular emphasis on safety, control and full-stack AI integration.

Jake Ma, Executive of Dreame Nebula NEXT Auto, said: “We aren’t building a car. We are building a new brain for the physical world. To us, the car is the only physical mothership capable of carrying the extreme compute required by large AI models today.”

The visit forms part of a broader strategy to anchor Nebula NEXT’s development in deep technical collaboration. By working closely with academic experts, the company is strengthening its approach to autonomous driving, vehicle intelligence and system-level engineering.

Nebula NEXT builds on Dreame Technology’s foundation in precision engineering and AI-driven innovation. This heritage underpins a shift from software-defined vehicles to AI-defined vehicles, where intelligence is embedded across the entire system, from perception and decision-making to chassis and powertrain control.

The company’s technical direction centres on integrating AI into the core dynamics of how vehicles operate. This includes continuous learning systems, multi-agent architectures and high-performance computing platforms designed to support real-time decision-making in complex driving environments.

Nebula NEXT first drew global attention at CES 2026 with the debut of the Nebula NEXT 01, a four-door electric hyper-sedan concept. The vehicle delivers 1.8-second acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h, more than 2,000 horsepower and a lightweight structure built from proprietary Blue Carbon Fiber.

Momentum continued with a high-profile appearance during the Super Bowl LVIII broadcast, extending the brand’s reach across North America and reinforcing its position as an emerging force in automotive technology.

Alongside performance, the company continues to prioritise foundational innovation. Its architecture combines AI-native operating systems, zonal electrical design and high-density computing platforms to enable scalable, intelligent vehicle systems.

Nebula NEXT is now entering a phase focused on system execution, engineering depth and scalable technology development. The company will present further advances at an upcoming Silicon Valley event on 27 April 2026, where it will unveil new products and core technologies.

By combining global market momentum, academic collaboration and a focus on engineering fundamentals, Dreame Nebula NEXT is positioning itself at the centre of the transition to AI-defined mobility.

Media contact:
Li Tong, Dreame Nebula Next Auto PR head, litong2@dreame.tech
Website: https://www.dreametech.com

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Sucden Financial Enables Client Trading in Shanghai Nickel Futures

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LONDON, April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Sucden Financial, the multi-asset execution, clearing and liquidity provider, announces that clients can now trade nickel futures and options on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE), following today’s opening of the contract to international participants.

Sucden Financial offers access to SHFE through its Overseas Intermediary status and established Chinese banking relationships. Clients can manage exposure across SHFE, the London Metal Exchange (LME) and more than 20 other global commodities markets through a single account.

In addition to SHFE nickel contracts, Sucden Financial’s clients can access the following Chinese exchanges: the Shanghai International Energy Exchange, the Dalian Commodity Exchange and the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange.

Lucy Wainman, Head of Sales (China) at Sucden Financial, said:

“We are pleased to offer clients the opportunity to trade Shanghai nickel futures and options contracts, further broadening our access to Chinese markets. This milestone reflects the hard work of our team and the long-standing relationships we have built in China. We would like to thank SHFE and Chinese regulators for their support and constructive engagement.”

Marc Bailey, CEO of Sucden Financial, said:

“Expanding our global exchange coverage to include access to onshore mainland Chinese markets supports our organic growth strategy. By adding access to SHFE, we provide clients with an extended global reach through a single account. Continued investment in technology underpins our long-term commitment to our clients, enabling them to respond quickly to changing market dynamics and capture emerging opportunities.”

About Sucden Financial

With a history and heritage in commodity futures and options trading, Sucden Financial has evolved and diversified to become a leading global multi-asset execution, clearing and liquidity provider across FX, fixed income, and commodities.

Sucden Financial has a proven track record of over 50 years in financial markets. Since its foundation in 1973, it has been supported by its parent, Sucden, one of the world’s leading soft commodity trading groups, while remaining fully independent in its day-to-day trading operations.

Sucden Financial Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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