Technology

UST Hosts Zero-waste Hackathon 2025 to Tackle Food Waste Through Innovation

Published

11 months ago

May 23, 2025

UST empowers next-gen innovators of students and young professionals to tackle food waste through technologyWinning teams shared a £1,500 prize pool in recognition of innovative ideasJudging panel included leaders from AWS, Compass Group, Levy, and 40 Percent

LONDON, May 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — UST, a leading global digital transformation solutions company, hosted its annual Zero-Waste Hackathon 2025 on 22nd May, bringing together bright young minds from across the globe to design innovative tech solutions to reduce food waste across the supply chain.

UST received 88 entries from around the world for its global hackathon, including submissions from university students, professionals, innovators, and changemakers who came together to participate in this event. The top 10 teams hailed from India, Spain, the US, and the UK. Of these, the top 5 teams joined the final round in person at the UST London office, while the remaining 5 participated virtually.

Each team discussed pressing business challenges in the hospitality sector, with a focus on buffet food waste. To address these problems, their creative solutions made use of AI technologies, complete with coded implementations. The teams competed in a fiercely competitive setting, and the judges carefully considered each team’s ideas. Numerous solutions demonstrated how technology can have a lasting impact and were highly compatible with UST’s AI + ESG vision.

On May 22nd, the participants engaged in a full-day challenge focused on promoting sustainability in the food service sector. The winning teams were Zero Forks (UK), an external team, and Cul Intel, from UST (India). Zero Forks captivated the judges with their approach that utilised behavioural science to minimize food waste within households. Highlighting that preventing food waste should start in the kitchen, they created the Zero Forks app which is a playful and interactive platform that turns reducing food waste into a game. The application not only informs users but also encourages dialogue between consumers and the food sector, distinguishing it as an exceptional solution.

Cul Intel, on the other hand, showcased Cul Intel, an AI-driven platform that intelligently optimises menu offerings, pricing, portion sizes, and real-time food redistribution. Their dynamic, data-driven approach to reducing waste in food service operations earned them high praise from the judges.

The event concluded with an awards ceremony, where the top winning teams received certificates and a share of the £1,500 prize pool.

Praveen Prabhakaran, Chief Delivery Officer and Managing Director, UK at UST, said, “This hackathon was more than just a competition – it was a call to action. The solutions presented today demonstrate the power of technology to tackle urgent real-world challenges like food waste. We’re proud to support the next generation of changemakers.”

Robert Hodges, Head of Innovations Programs, Amazon Web Services, said, “It was fantastic to see such a great amount of energy and passion focused on such a great cause. The progress made by the competing teams within such a short time was remarkable.”

“Innovation in sustainability starts with bold ideas, and today’s participants pushed the boundaries of what’s possible. It’s inspiring to see tech and purpose come together so powerfully,” said Raj Jeyaratnam, Transformation Director, D&T, Compass Group.

“It was a real privilege to be involved in judging this year’s hackathon. The creativity, energy, and commitment these teams brought to solving food waste challenges were truly impressive,” said Steve Hewitt, Co-Founder, 40 Percent.

“Young minds with smart tech are a powerful force for good. It was great to be involved in exploring potential solutions that tackle food waste and drive real-world sustainability,” said Asma Mohamed, Transformation Director, Levy.

About UST

Since 1999, UST has worked side by side with the world’s best companies to make a powerful impact through transformation. Powered by technology, inspired by people, and led by our purpose, we partner with our clients from design to operation. Our digital solutions, proprietary platforms, engineering, R&D, products, and innovation ecosystem turn core challenges into impactful, disruptive solutions. With deep industry knowledge and a future-ready mindset, we infuse expertise, innovation and agility into our clients’ organizations—delivering measurable value and positive lasting change for them, their customers, and communities around the world. Together, with 30,000+ employees in 30+ countries, we build for boundless impact—touching billions of lives in the process. Visit us at www.UST.com.

Media Contacts, UST:

Tinu Cherian Abraham
+1 (949) 415-9857 (US)

Merrick Laravea
+1 (949) 416-6212

Neha Misri
+44-7341787926

Roshini Das K
+91-7736795557

media.relations@ust.com

Media Contacts, India:

Adfactors PR
ust@adfactorspr.com

Media Contacts, U.S.:

S & C PR
+1-646.941.9139
media@scprgroup.com

Makovsky
ust@makovsky.com

Media Contacts, U.K.:

FTI Consulting
UST@fticonsulting.com

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Technology

Yon Raz-Fridman Joins Intrinsic Labs as Co-Founder and Partner

Published

2 hours ago

April 30, 2026

Most AI companies are selling software. Intrinsic is deploying AI workers into the core operations of mid-market companies – and just brought in a serial tech entrepreneur to help the firm scale across the Heartland.

COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Intrinsic Labs today announced that Yon Raz-Fridman has joined the firm as a Co-Founder and Partner.

Raz-Fridman has spent nearly two decades building across software, hardware, and platform businesses. Early in his career, he served as Chief of Staff to the President of Keter Group, a $1 billion-plus global consumer products manufacturer. He went on to co-found Kano, the award-winning educational computing company, and later founded Supersocial, the immersive gaming studio acquired by Super League Enterprises in 2025. He is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Technology Convergence Council.

He joins Intrinsic at a moment when mid-market companies are moving from AI experimentation to deployment. Intrinsic works with operators in logistics, construction, insurance, manufacturing, and industrial markets to deploy AI workers into the workflows that run the business – increasing throughput, reducing manual work, and expanding capacity without adding headcount.

The firm has built its reputation on practical deployments tied to real operating metrics. In one engagement with a national real estate brokerage, Intrinsic’s AI Accounting Agents reached 97% invoice coding accuracy, automated 90% of the AP workflow, and fully removed FTEs from the review flow.

“Yon understands what it takes to build and scale in the real world,” said Jon Slemp, Managing Partner at Intrinsic Labs. “Our clients aren’t buying flashy agents, they’re buying outcomes and reliable labor. They need agentic systems that take work off their teams, perform reliably, and produce measurable gains in throughput and capacity. That’s what we build.”

As Co-Founder, Raz-Fridman will oversee Intrinsic’s expansion – designing the channel relationships, institutional partnerships, and market positioning that take the firm from a proven Ohio model to the defining AI workforce platform for America’s industrial middle market.

“The companies that win over the next decade will be the ones that figure out how to staff AI into their operations and manage it like a workforce. Intrinsic is doing that work now, inside real businesses, tied to real outputs. The Heartland is exactly the right place to prove this model, and Intrinsic is exactly the right team to do it.” — Yon Raz-Fridman

About Intrinsic Labs LLC
Intrinsic Labs helps mid-market companies deploy AI workers into the workflows that run their business. The firm focuses on logistics, construction, insurance, manufacturing, and industrial markets, where manual work, fragmented systems, and labor constraints create clear opportunities for leverage. Intrinsic works with clients to put AI workers into production, tie them to operating KPIs, and help teams scale output without scaling headcount. https://www.intrinsic-labs.ai/

About Team Yon LLC
Team Yon LLC is a management company founded by Yon Raz-Fridman that incubates new ventures, provides executive leadership, and makes strategic investments at the intersection of emerging technology and human advancement. Through Team Yon LLC, Raz-Fridman partners with founders and operators across healthcare, AI, and frontier technology – including his role as co-founder and Partner at Intrinsic Labs. https://teamyon.org

Media Contact:hello@intrinsic-labs.ai

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Technology

Wipfli to complete CompliancePoint transaction and add associates, expanding capabilities

Published

2 hours ago

April 30, 2026

MILWAUKEE, April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Wipfli, a top 25 national advisory and accounting firm, announced today it has entered into an agreement with CompliancePoint Inc., a provider of risk management services focused on information security, data privacy and regulatory compliance. 2 partners and 52 associates will join the firm as a result of the transaction.

Based in Duluth, Georgia, CompliancePoint brings specialization across cybersecurity, privacy and compliance, serving clients across a wide variety of industries. The addition strengthens Wipfli’s risk management offerings and expands its ability to help organizations navigate regulatory scrutiny, evolving cybersecurity threats and complex data protection requirements.

“Organizations today are under more pressure than ever to protect sensitive information and operate responsibly in an evolving regulatory environment,” said Kurt Gresens, CEO at Wipfli Advisory, LLC. “The team at CompliancePoint brings specialized experience and a strong, people-first approach that enhances how we support clients navigating today’s risk landscape.”

CompliancePoint has built its reputation on helping organizations manage risk across the full data lifecycle, with a holistic approach that recognizes how privacy, security and compliance intersect. The combined professional teams from CompliancePoint and Wipfli will deliver expanded, integrated advisory solutions designed to help clients proactively manage risk while supporting long-term growth and operational resilience.

“Wipfli shares our commitment to practical, client-focused solutions and long-term relationships,” said Greg Sparrow, CompliancePoint president. “Together, we’re expanding the resources available to our clients while continuing to deliver the specialized experience and trusted relationships they rely on.”

The addition of the CompliancePoint team also supports Wipfli’s continued investment in talent and innovation. CompliancePoint associates will join a national firm that emphasizes collaboration, professional development and meaningful client impact, while maintaining the specialized focus that has defined their work.

The transaction is expected to become effective on May 1st, 2026

About Wipfli

Wipfli is a leading national advisory and accounting firm with nearly 100 years of experience serving ambitious middle-market organizations. We understand our clients’ unique challenges and help them succeed on their terms through assurance, tax, advisory, outsourcing and technology services. With 3,000+ associates and global alliances, we combine national capabilities with local relationships. Wipfli operates under an alternative practice structure: Wipfli LLP, a licensed CPA firm, provides attest services, while Wipfli Advisory LLC, a non-CPA firm, delivers business advisory and non-attest services. Learn more at wipfli.com or contact Alicia O’Connell at alicia.oconnell@wipfli.com.

Media Contact

Alicia O’Connell
Wipfli
alicia.oconnell@wipfli.com

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SOURCE Wipfli

Technology

Ginkgo Bioworks Announces Date of First Quarter 2026 Results Presentation

Published

2 hours ago

April 30, 2026

Presentation and Q&A session scheduled for post-market on Thursday, May 7, 2026

BOSTON, April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: DNA, “Ginkgo”) today announced that it plans to host a presentation and Q&A session reviewing business performance for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026, on Thursday, May 7, 2026, beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET.

The presentation details and webcast link will be available on Ginkgo’s investor relations website at https://investors.ginkgobioworks.com, and a replay will be made available.

To ask a question ahead of the presentation, please submit them to @Ginkgo on X (hashtag #GinkgoResults) or by sending an e-mail to investors@ginkgobioworks.com.

About Ginkgo Bioworks
Ginkgo Bioworks builds the tools that make biology easier to engineer for everyone. The company offers autonomous laboratories that replace manual laboratory work with robotics in the lab, greatly improving the productivity of scientists. Ginkgo’s in-house autonomous lab is also available as a “cloud lab” through our Datapoints and Solutions contract research services. For more information, visit ginkgobioworks.com and ginkgobiosecurity.com, read our blog, or follow us on social media channels such as X (@Ginkgo and @Ginkgo_Biosec), Instagram (@GinkgoBioworks), Threads (@GinkgoBioworks), or LinkedIn.

Ginkgo Bioworks Contacts:

INVESTOR CONTACT:

investors@ginkgobioworks.com

MEDIA CONTACT:

press@ginkgobioworks.com

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SOURCE Ginkgo Bioworks