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Launch of Mouvement Repreneuriat au féminin to Encourage Business Buyouts by Women

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Co-created by the Fonds de solidarité FTQ and BCF Business Law

MONTRÉAL, April 30, 2025 /CNW/ – The Fonds de solidarité FTQ (“Fonds”) and BCF Business Law (“BCF”) have teamed up to create Mouvement Repreneuriat au féminin, an initiative designed to encourage business buyouts by women and to adapt support programs and tools from a gender perspective. The launch will be marked by a round table on June 17 that will bring together some 30 key players in the field to identify concrete actions and initiatives to increase female representation in business transfers and help women execute successful buyouts. The recommendations arising from the discussions will be unveiled in the fall to guide the Mouvement’s next steps.

An important initiative

Nearly 1,000 Québec businesses will be up for sale in the coming year, yet women account for just 26% of buyers, a figure that drops to 18% if transfers to spouses are excluded.1 This low rate of female representation highlights the need to develop the potential of women entrepreneurship to ensure the long-term survival of Québec companies.

To this end, the Mouvement aims to mobilize the business community around women-led buyouts, to understand the issues faced by women in this regard and to identify concrete actions to remove obstacles and encourage more women to acquire existing businesses.

“To foster a strong Québec economy, we need to keep locally founded companies here at home. Business succession is important to Québec’s prosperity, as is the search for qualified buyers. Women represent extraordinary potential as entrepreneurs and buyers. Our aim with the Mouvement Repreneuriat au féminin is to offer solutions to meet the needs of women entrepreneurs,” said Natalie Brown, Vice-President, Legal Affairs, and Corporate Secretary, at the Fonds de solidarité FTQ.

“By co-creating this movement, we hope to enable women to seize buyout opportunities and to find concrete solutions that will help secure Québec’s economic future.  At BCF, fostering the success of business leaders and informing their decisions at decisive moments also means responding to the current challenges of business succession,” said BCF managing partner Julie Doré.

Bringing together the driving forces of the ecosystem

To kick-start the Mouvement, the Fonds de solidarité FTQ and BCF Business Law will be bringing together some 30 key economic, financial and entrepreneurial actors for a round table on June 17 in order to find ways to increase women-led buyouts.

About the Fonds de solidarité FTQ

The Fonds de solidarité FTQ is a source of pride in Québec, fulfilling its mission through a unique business model created more than 40 years ago. Since then, the Fonds has rallied Québec into action thanks to the retirement savings of 795,374 shareholders.

With net assets of $21.7 billion as at November 30, 2024, the Fonds supports nearly 4,000 companies through direct and indirect venture and development capital investments based on the belief that impact is created as much by financial as societal returns. For more information, visit fondsftq.com or our company page on LinkedIn.

About BCF Business Law

Celebrating 30 years in business in 2025, BCF Business Law has more than 520 employees, including 270 professionals. It is the go-to firm for business leaders, entrepreneurs, growing companies and international businesses having chosen Québec and Canada as a springboard for growth and success. Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, BCF Business Law has the distinction of being the only law firm to have been named as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies every year since 2007.

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1

Average for 2015-2022, Étude nationale du repreneuriat et des transferts d’entreprise au Québec, 2015-2022 (2nd edition), Centre de transfert d’entreprise du Québec, 2025.

SOURCE Le Fonds de Solidarité des Travailleurs du Québec (FTQ)

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Brightmoor Hospice, LLC Provides Notification of Data Security Incident

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GRIFFIN, Ga., Oct. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Brightmoor Hospice, LLC (“Brightmoor”) is providing notification of a data security incident that may have impacted certain protected health information.

On or around March 25, 2026, Brightmoor Hospice, LLC (“Brightmoor”) discovered suspicious activity related to two employees’ email accounts. Upon discovery, Brightmoor took immediate action to secure the accounts and engaged a team of third-party specialists to investigate. The investigation determined that two employee email accounts were accessed without authorization between March 24, 2026, and March 25, 2026. Upon confirmation of unauthorized access, Brightmoor began a comprehensive review of the contents of the affected accounts to determine whether they contained sensitive information pertaining to individuals. On August 18, 2026, Brightmoor determined that protected health information belonging to certain patients was present within the accounts. Brightmoor then conducted a time-intensive review of its internal records to locate address information for the potentially impacted individuals. On October 16, 2026, Brightmoor began notifying individuals by mail.

The types of information vary by individual and may include name and one or more of the following: addresses, Social Security numbers, driver’s license information, dates of birth, patients’ identification numbers, diagnosis, medical history information, medical record numbers, medical treatment information, lab information, treating doctor’s name, medication information, vaccination information, medical insurance information, and family and social history information.

In response to this incident, Brightmoor worked with third-party specialists to investigate and implement additional security measures within its network. Brightmoor has no evidence of actual or attempted misuse of information as a result of this incident. Nonetheless, in an abundance of caution, Brightmoor is providing notice to potentially affected individuals and offering complimentary credit monitoring services. Individuals are also encouraged to monitor their account statements and explanation of benefits forms for suspicious activity and to detect errors. In addition, Brightmoor has notified the U.S. Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights of this incident. 

Brightmoor has established a toll-free call center to answer questions about the incident and to address related concerns. The number for the hotline is 1-800-759-8524. The hotline hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 8 PM EST, excluding holidays. You can also write to 3247 Newnan Rd, Griffin, GA 30223.

Brightmoor takes protecting the privacy and security of personal information seriously and is reviewing and implementing further security enhancements designed to strengthen the protection of our systems.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/brightmoor-hospice-llc-provides-notification-of-data-security-incident-302911735.html

SOURCE Brightmoor Hospice, LLC

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EVIDENT Expands Its Pramana Digital Pathology Portfolio to Support Small and Medium-Sized Labs

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The new Pramana™ POD benchtop WSI scanner delivers autonomous imaging to help laboratories create pathologist-ready whole slide images with minimal operator intervention.

NEEDHAM, Mass., Oct. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Evident announced the Pramana™ POD whole slide imaging (WSI) scanner, a new benchtop system designed to help laboratories produce trusted images. Built for small and medium-sized laboratories and specialty applications within larger institutions, the scanner helps make digital pathology adoption more accessible.

As pathology laboratories expand digital workflows amid increasing case volumes and operational demands, they need scanning systems that produce consistent, high-quality images across specimen types while integrating into existing laboratory workflows. Evident designed the Pramana POD scanner to address those needs, extending proven Pramana autonomous WSI technology to smaller laboratories.

“Pramana WSI technology has received tremendous acceptance from pathology labs across academic medical centers and network labs across the United States,” said Prasanth Perugupalli, Vice President of Digital Pathology, Evident. “By incorporating quality assurance into the whole slide imaging process, Pramana technology can help labs of varying sizes reduce the need for post-scan QA and the associated costs and delays.”

The Pramana POD scanner automates imaging with an advanced tissue finder, extensive label detection, and automated focal plane and scan-profile selection. Built-in image-quality assessment helps deliver pathologist-ready whole slide images and identify scans that may require further review. Volumetric imaging captures multiple focal planes to support the selection of sharp focal information across the scanned area, with true 40X imaging at 25 slides per hour under defined conditions.

The Pramana series of autonomous WSI scanners is well-suited for most brightfield imaging applications, including histopathology, core biopsies, hematology, cytology, and microbiology.

“Scientific advances move quickly, but laboratory infrastructure changes slowly,” Perugupalli added. “With the Pramana POD scanner, small and medium-sized labs can build as their needs evolve.”

To learn more about the Pramana POD benchtop WSI scanner, visit evidentscientific.com/products/slide-scanners/pramana-pod.

About EVIDENT
For over 100 years as Olympus, we set the industry standard for optical precision in microscopy, helping the world see what was once out of view. Today, as Evident, we continue to help scientists, physicians, and engineers illuminate the unseen with advanced imaging solutions that combine renowned optics with cutting-edge digital innovation.

Our life science portfolio supports research, clinical diagnostics, and education, offering a comprehensive range of imaging methods from essential brightfield and darkfield microscopy to advanced fluorescence, 4D analysis, and digital pathology. In industrial microscopy, we deliver precision and flexibility through laser scanning, digital, and semiconductor microscopes designed for tasks ranging from routine inspection to intricate quality control and manufacturing analysis.

Whether advancing new therapies, ensuring product integrity, or exploring the unknown, Evident is defining a new era of discovery with easy-to-use tools that help unlock hidden answers and empower exciting new breakthroughs.

Evident is headquartered in Tokyo and supported by R&D and manufacturing centers in Japan, the United States, Germany, and China, with operations and dedicated sales and service centers around the world. For more information, visit EvidentScientific.com.

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures. Future clinical availability is subject to applicable regulatory authorization, and regulatory status and availability may vary by country. Performance varies by specimen type and workflow.
Pramana is a trademark of Evident Corporation or its subsidiaries.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/evident-expands-its-pramana-digital-pathology-portfolio-to-support-small-and-medium-sized-labs-302911714.html

SOURCE Evident

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PhotonPay Secures UK EMI Licence, Advancing Its Global Payment Operating System

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HONG KONG, Oct. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — PhotonPay, a next-generation payment operating system, today announced that it has secured an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) licence from the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

The licence enables PhotonPay to issue electronic money and provide regulated payment services in the UK within the scope of its authorisation. It further strengthens PhotonPay’s local capabilities in the market and supports the company in delivering broader payment and treasury solutions for businesses operating globally.

The UK is one of the world’s leading financial and commercial hubs, and an important gateway for businesses operating across Europe and international markets. As companies expand into more countries and regions, their financial needs are evolving beyond individual cross-border transactions toward more integrated management of accounts, collections, payouts, foreign exchange, cards and treasury operations.

For PhotonPay, entering a market means more than making products and services available. It requires building a local financial foundation that meets regulatory requirements and can support businesses over the long term. The EMI licence further strengthens PhotonPay’s position in the UK and provides an important foundation for deeper connectivity with local banks, payment networks and the broader financial ecosystem.

JP, Global Head of Compliance at PhotonPay, said:

“Securing our UK EMI licence marks an important milestone in the continued expansion of PhotonPay’s global regulatory footprint. Building a global payment operating system requires strong local regulatory foundations. This authorisation strengthens our ability to build for the long term in the UK, while supporting our continued expansion across more markets, currencies and payment networks. Ultimately, it enables us to deliver a more complete and efficient payment and treasury experience for businesses operating globally.”

As businesses expand internationally, the financial infrastructure behind their operations remains highly fragmented. Different markets operate across distinct account structures, payment networks, currencies and regulatory frameworks, often requiring businesses to manage multiple financial institutions, payment providers and systems at the same time.

PhotonPay is building its next-generation payment operating system around this complexity. Through a unified technology platform, the company connects local financial capabilities across markets, enabling businesses to manage global accounts, collections, payouts, foreign exchange, cards and embedded finance more centrally while reducing the operational complexity created by multiple markets, currencies and systems.

Real commerce is the foundation of this operating system. By continuously expanding its regulatory coverage, banking relationships, payment networks and underlying technology infrastructure, PhotonPay aims to ensure that financial infrastructure can scale alongside a business as it enters new markets and grows internationally.

Since its founding, PhotonPay has continued to expand its global regulatory and local market capabilities through entities across major financial markets. Today, PhotonPay has secured nearly 30 payment licences and related regulatory authorisations worldwide, supporting capabilities across global accounts, collections, payouts, foreign exchange, cards and embedded finance.

The UK EMI licence represents another step in the continued development of PhotonPay’s global regulatory network. Looking ahead, PhotonPay will continue to deepen its local regulatory and financial capabilities in key markets, connect more markets, currencies and payment networks, and advance the development of its next-generation global payment operating system.

About PhotonPay

PhotonPay is a next-generation payment operating system designed for businesses operating globally. Across global accounts, collections, payouts, foreign exchange, cards and embedded finance, PhotonPay connects banks, payment networks and local financial infrastructure to help businesses manage global money movement more efficiently and expand into new markets with greater operational simplicity.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/photonpay-secures-uk-emi-licence-advancing-its-global-payment-operating-system-302911540.html

SOURCE PhotonPay

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