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The 9th China Festival of Education: Shaping the Future of Learning

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SHANGHAI, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On 18 April, the 9th China Festival of Education broke new ground, drawing more than 70 speakers and over 800 attendees from across China and around the world. With participation at an all-time high, the Festival remains the country’s essential platform for anyone invested in the future of teaching, learning and school leadership.

Reflecting on the event, Jeremy Birk, Director of the China Festival of Education, said, “This year’s Festival proves that when educators come together, real momentum builds. We saw honest discussion, bold ideas and genuine connections—a community committed to pioneering education that serves and helps shape a better world.”

Setting the Stage for Meaningful Exchange

From the outset, the programme encouraged questions, debate and the exchange of real solutions for modern classrooms. Barbara Amono-Oceng, British Deputy Consul-General in Shanghai, emphasised the value of international educational partnerships in her opening remarks: “International education works best when it is based on trust and shared purpose. The Festival of Education, particularly here in China, shows how long‑term partnerships—between educators, leaders and institutions—can create space for honest discussion and mutual learning.”

Insights for Today and Tomorrow

Author and columnist Chloe Combi delivered the first keynote of the day, titled Gen Z, Gen A and the Road to 2030 in China: What Every Educator Needs to Know. Among her most urgent warnings was the threat artificial intelligence poses to youth employment pathways. “AI is stripping away entry-level jobs—those are the jobs done by young people,” Combi stated. “If you keep taking away the bottom, sooner or later you lose the top. You cannot demand the future of leadership if you don’t teach young people how to become future leaders and managers.” Yet Combi concluded on an optimistic note, emphasising the importance of qualities such as critical thinking, service, leadership, and being well-read—skills that every young person has the power to develop.

Another keynote came from psychotherapist and Sunday Times bestselling author Owen O’Kane, who addressed the topic of Navigating a Healthy Mind. Mr O’Kane spoke frankly about the growing pressures facing students and teachers, offering practical advice on building resilience and prioritising wellbeing. “We walk around with a high volume of thought,” he explained, “and about 70% of those thoughts can be critical, judgmental or anxiously driven. We very often over-identify with them… But the reality is most things that we think are not facts—they are just thoughts that can come and go.” He urged educators to model healthy self-talk and emotional regulation, arguing that teaching students to value themselves may be one of the most powerful interventions schools can offer.

Lessons from School Leaders: Connection in Action

This year’s highly anticipated panel discussion, Empowering the Future: Fostering Connection in a Polarised World, brought together a distinguished group of school leaders: Maxine Lu (General Principal, Xiehe Education), Cynthia Xin (Head of School, Tsinghua International School Daoxiang Lake), and Stella Zhou (Master, Hiba Academy Shanghai). Together, they shared insights on educational leadership and pedagogical practice, examining how schools might bridge cultural divides in periods of change, transcend subject boundaries to foster interdisciplinary learning, and strengthen home-school trust—equipping every pupil with meaningful connections and robust support to realise their potential and contribute to societal progress.

Stories and Sessions That Defined the Day

Educators from across China and around the world gathered to exchange ideas, share experiences and look ahead to the future of education. The Festival welcomed participants from K12 schools and universities, creating space for meaningful discussions on the opportunities and challenges facing modern classrooms.

Throughout the day, sessions explored a range of timely topics shaping the educational landscape—among them, China’s ongoing transitions in education, the integration of AI and emerging technologies into teaching and learning and the growing focus on wellbeing, coaching and school leadership. Attendees also engaged with the latest thinking in the science of teaching, as experts shared current research and practical approaches.

Adding to the celebratory spirit, the programme included spectacular performances by our pupils as well as interactive robot demonstrations. These moments showcased not just innovation but the shared energy and commitment of the entire educational community.

A Partnership for Progress

This year’s Festival marked an important milestone for international education in China, highlighted by the signing of a partnership agreement between Wellington College Education (China) and Lujiazui Group. Through the innovative integration of ‘education × city × industry,’ our organisations are teaming up to promote the development of a high-quality international community in Qiantan. This partnership embodies a shared belief in the power of education to drive community growth. Together, we are committed to expanding educational opportunities, driving innovation and supporting growth throughout Pudong—and Shanghai as a whole—while advancing international education nationwide.

Continuing a Global Conversation

Now part of Wellington College Education’s expanding global network, the Festival continues to welcome new voices and perspectives each year. With established editions in the UK, US and Thailand, the event has become a meeting point for educators eager to make connections that cross borders and cultures. In 2026, this spirit of collaboration will expand even further. For the first time, the Festival of Education will also take place in Spain and the Netherlands, bringing together new communities dedicated to reimagining what education can be.

With the 9th China Festival of Education successfully behind us, one message stands out: real progress in education depends on open minds, collaboration and the courage to try something new.

 

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SOURCE Wellington College Education (China)

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Solidion Technology Enters into Binding Strategic Patent Monetization Agreement with Hilco Global

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Company intends to monetize its foundational patent portfolio in the global $150 billion battery market

DALLAS, April 20, 2026 /CNW/ — Solidion Technology Inc. (“Solidion” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: STI), an advanced battery technology solutions provider, announced that it has entered into a binding agreement with the IP Services Practice of Hilco Global (a subsidiary of Orix Company) to monetize its foundational energy portfolio and enforce its patent rights. Hilco has analyzed the Solidion patent portfolio to identify high value assets and the patent data suggest that a significant number of global companies will likely require a license to the Solidion portfolio.  In the energy storage segment in particular, virtually all the major players in the industry have technology that overlaps with the Solidion portfolio and the same appears to be true in semiconductors, consumer electronics and aerospace.

The value of Solidion’s portfolio could exceed $750 million.

Jaymes Winters, Chief Executive Officer of Solidion Technology, stated:

“The entire energy storage ecosystem has repetitiously utilized several of Solidion’s foundational patents to monetize their business models at a level rarely seen before. These are not just mom and pop startups, most of them are worldly known household names and industry leaders in not just EV battery storage, but other sectors such as semiconductors, aircraft and automotive manufacturing and cutting edge materials. The value of Solidion’s portfolio could exceed $750 million.”

Karl Maersch, head of the Patent Analysis & Monetization Group at Hilco IP Services, stated:

“Solidion’s portfolio covers various aspects of graphene and battery technology and it has applicability across multiple industry segments and includes companies that compete with Solidion and companies in adjacent technology segments.  In our view, the portfolio shows significant indicia of value and we are excited to partner with Solidion to help the company extract revenue from its portfolio.”

About Solidion Technology, Inc.

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas with pilot production facilities in Dayton, Ohio, Solidion’s (NASDAQ: STI) core business includes manufacturing of  battery materials and components, as well as development and production of next-generation batteries for energy storage systems, including including UPS systems serving the artificial intelligence (AI) data center market and electric vehicles for ground, aerospace, and sea transportation. Solidion holds a portfolio of over 345 patents, covering innovations such as high-capacity, silane gas free and graphene-enabled silicon anodes, biomass-based graphite, advanced lithium-sulfur and lithium-metal technologies.

For more information, please visit www.solidiontech.com or contact Investor Relations.

About Hilco Global

Hilco Global, a subsidiary of ORIX Corporation USA, is a diversified financial services company that delivers integrated professional services and capital solutions that help clients maximize value and drive performance across the retail, commercial and industrial, real estate, manufacturing, brand and intellectual property sectors, and more. Hilco Global provides a range of customized solutions to healthy, stressed, and distressed companies to resolve complex situations and enhance long-term enterprise value. Hilco Global works to deliver the best possible result by aligning interests with clients and providing strategic advice and, in many instances, the capital required to complete the deal. Hilco Global is based in Northbrook, Illinois and has more than 810 professionals operating on four continents.

Visit www.hilcoglobal.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Solidion Technology Inc., (NASDAQ: STI) (the “Company,” “Solidion,” “we,” “our” or “us”) desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words “forecasts” “believe,” “may,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “should,” “plan,” “could,” “target,” “potential,” “is likely,” “expect” and similar expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

 

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SOURCE Solidion Technology, Inc.

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Following Pivotal Trial, FDA Set to Review First-of-a-Kind VR Autism Therapy

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WASHINGTON, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Floreo, a developer of virtual reality (VR)-based therapeutic technologies, today announced the submission of a De Novo request to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for FloreoRx, its software-based product being evaluated for use in supporting skill development in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. FloreoRx is an investigational device and has not yet been cleared or approved by the FDA.

In 2023, Floreo became the first VR autism technology to receive the FDA’s Breakthrough Device Designation, a program designed to expedite the development and review of technologies that may provide more effective treatment for serious conditions.

For many families and clinicians, access to consistent, high-quality autism therapy remains a persistent challenge. If authorized, FloreoRx could become one of the first FDA-authorized therapeutic devices intended to address core social communication challenges associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Using a VR headset and FloreoRx, behavioral therapists deliver structured experiences that enable users to safely develop and practice social communication skills through real-world scenarios and interactions.

The submission is supported by data from Floreo’s pivotal trial which utilized FloreoRx within Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) autism therapy evaluated against an active VR sham control. The study was 100% monitored and among the largest prospective, multi-site randomized controlled trials of a VR-based intervention conducted in children with autism.

The pivotal trial was conducted in partnership with Cortica Healthcare (Cortica) across 18 clinical sites nationwide, leveraging Cortica’s gold-standard integrated autism care model. Additionally, MCRA served as CRO and Highland BioMed provided strategic regulatory assistance with the preparation of the De Novo submission.

The trial focused on core social communication challenges associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder, assessed using the Autism Impact Measure (AIM). At clinically interpretable thresholds of improvement, participants receiving Floreo treatment demonstrated higher responder rates than those in the VR control group (e.g., 45.6% vs. 23.3%), with statistically significant differences between groups. These results were supported by consistent improvements across clinician-rated and functional measures.

Importantly, this trial also reflects the scale and operational capacity required to generate meaningful results in real-world care settings. Cortica enrolled 125 patients and coordinated more than 150 behavioral technician VR coaches and 15 blinded assessors across all sites involved in the study over a 15-month period, spanning both blinded therapy delivery and crossover.

“The clinical research continues to validate what clinicians and families are seeing every day: immersive VR can meaningfully support skill development for autistic learners,” said Vijay Ravindran, founder and CEO of Floreo. “Three things stand out in the trial: 1) That Floreo could achieve statistically significant results with a dosage of 18 minutes per week over 12 weeks, 2) That Floreo performed better as the severity of symptoms increased, and 3) that improvements continued to strengthen after 60 days.”

Clinical Highlights Include:

Social Skills: Clinician-administered CARS-2 evaluations showed a statistically significant LSMean change of -4.5 for the Floreo group versus -2.2 for the control (p = .0182).Subgroup Analysis (Highest-Burden Baseline): Participants in the highest-burden tertile at baseline demonstrated a 72% responder rate compared to 30% in the control group (p=0.009).Post-Treatment Observation: Improvements observed in AIM scores for the FloreoRx group at the 12-week end-of-treatment mark were sustained at the 60-day follow-up evaluation.High Skill Mastery: A majority of participants (95.1%) mastered one or more new skills by the end of treatment, as measured by the Assessment of Functional Living Skills.Family Quality of Life: Caregiver-reported CFQL-2 reports on family quality of life showed a between groups difference that was statistically significant for the Floreo group versus the control of 0.152 (p = 0.032).Crossover Findings: Participants who initially received the VR control demonstrated improvements after transitioning to Floreo treatment, supporting the consistency of the observed treatment effect.Safety Profile: No serious adverse events were reported in the study, and observed adverse events were generally mild and transient.High Engagement and Satisfaction Across Stakeholders: High levels of satisfaction were reported across clinicians and caregivers, including clinician-reported enjoyment of VR (98%) and willingness to use it as a treatment tool (88%), as well as parent-reported child enjoyment (93%) and interest in using VR as part of therapy (86%).

If authorized, Floreo intends to make FloreoRx available as an adjunct to existing therapeutic approaches, with the goal of expanding access to structured, skills-based interventions for the approximately 3% of children in the United States diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, where access to consistent, high-quality therapy remains a significant challenge.

Floreo currently offers a commercially available VR platform designed for general wellness and skills development that does not make medical or therapeutic claims. FloreoRx is a separate investigational product under FDA review.

About Floreo
Floreo’s vision is a world that is open and accessible for every neurodiverse person. Through immersive virtual reality experiences, Floreo creates safe, engaging environments where learners can build skills and tools they can apply in their everyday lives. Floreo’s virtual reality platform teaches social, behavioral, communication, and life skills for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other neurodiverse conditions. For more information, please visit floreovr.com.

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SOURCE Floreo

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Hyperscale Data Accelerates Michigan Operations Capabilities for AI Data Center and Robotics Hub

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Company Advances Facility Reconfiguration and Robotics Capabilities, with Plans to Hire 500+ Employees Over Three Years

LAS VEGAS, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Hyperscale Data, Inc. (NYSE American: GPUS), an artificial intelligence (“AI”) data center company anchored by Bitcoin (“Hyperscale Data” or the “Company”), today announced that it is accelerating the enhancement of its Michigan operations into a combined AI data center and robotics hub, following its recently executed agreement with AGIBOT PTE. LTD. (“AGIBOT”), a developer of intelligent robotics technology.

The Company is advancing the reconfiguration of key sections of its existing building on its 34.5-acre campus to support AI infrastructure, robotics deployment, and large-scale data generation. Hyperscale Data currently operates approximately 30 megawatts (“MW”) of power capacity at the site, and the Company believes there is potential to expand to over 300 MW over time.

Building an Integrated AI and Robotics Platform

Hyperscale Data is enhancing its Michigan operations to combine high-performance computing infrastructure with robotics capabilities. Sections of the existing building are being re-imagined to support robotics assembly, testing, and deployment alongside AI model training and validation.

As part of this initiative, the Company is initially dedicating more than 100,000 square feet within its existing 617,000 square foot facility to AI and robotics operations. Within this footprint, the Company plans to:

Develop robotics assembly and testing capabilities;Build real-world environments for data collection and system validation; andIntegrate compute infrastructure with robotics-driven data generation.

Data generated through these activities is expected to be commercialized and utilized within U.S. markets, supporting domestic AI development and deployment.

Supporting Next-Generation AI Development

Hyperscale Data believes that the next phase of AI will increasingly depend on real-world data and physical system training in addition to traditional digital datasets.

The Michigan campus is being developed to support:

Machine-generated data from robotics operating in real environments;Human (egocentric) data capture for contextual learning;Testing and validation of robotic systems; and  Training workflows for advanced AI models.

Workforce Expansion and Regional Impact

Hyperscale Data expects to hire more than 500 employees over the next three years to support its Michigan operations. Anticipated roles include robotics engineers, AI data specialists, infrastructure personnel, and operations staff.

The Company expects to pursue opportunities to support frontier AI developers, those advancing large-scale models and next-generation robotics systems, and high-performance computing platforms as demand for these capabilities evolves.

Investor Webcast

Hyperscale Data invites investors and the public to join its previously announced Tuesday webcast, where management will provide additional details on the Michigan enhancement, robotics strategy, and AI infrastructure plans. To register for the webcast, please visit here.

The webcast will feature:

William B. Horne, Chief Executive Officer; andMilton “Todd” Ault III, Executive Chairman.

Executive Commentary

William B. Horne, Chief Executive Officer of Hyperscale Data, stated:

“We are enhancing our Michigan operations into a scaled AI and robotics platform that supports both high-performance compute and real-world data generation. This next phase of development positions us to support evolving AI workloads while creating high-quality jobs in the region.”

Milton “Todd” Ault III, Executive Chairman of Hyperscale Data, added:

“This initiative builds on our existing infrastructure and expands it into a more comprehensive AI ecosystem. By combining compute, robotics, and data generation in a single environment, we are developing infrastructure aligned with where artificial intelligence is heading.”

For more information on Hyperscale Data and its subsidiaries, Hyperscale Data recommends that stockholders, investors and any other interested parties read Hyperscale Data’s public filings and press releases available under the Investor Relations section at hyperscaledata.com or available at www.sec.gov.

About Hyperscale Data, Inc.

Through its wholly owned subsidiary Sentinum, Inc., Hyperscale Data owns and operates a data center at which it mines digital assets and offers colocation and hosting services for the emerging AI ecosystems and other industries. Hyperscale Data’s other wholly owned subsidiary, Ault Capital Group, Inc. (“ACG”), is a diversified holding company pursuing growth by acquiring undervalued businesses and disruptive technologies with a global impact.

Hyperscale Data currently expects the divestiture of ACG (the “Divestiture”) to occur in the second quarter of 2027. Upon the occurrence of the Divestiture, the Company would be an owner and operator of data centers to support high-performance computing services, as well as a holder of the digital assets. Until the Divestiture occurs, the Company will continue to provide, through ACG and its wholly and majority-owned subsidiaries and strategic investments, mission-critical products that support a diverse range of industries, including an AI software platform, equipment rental services, defense/aerospace, industrial, automotive, medical/biopharma and hotel operations. In addition, ACG is actively engaged in private credit and structured finance through a licensed lending subsidiary. Hyperscale Data’s headquarters are located at 11411 Southern Highlands Parkway, Suite 190, Las Vegas, NV 89141.

On December 23, 2024, the Company issued one million (1,000,000) shares of a newly designated Series F Exchangeable Preferred Stock (the “Series F Preferred Stock”) to all common stockholders and holders of the Series C Preferred Stock on an as-converted basis. The Divestiture will occur through the voluntary exchange of the Series F Preferred Stock for shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock of ACG (collectively, the “ACG Shares”). The Company reminds its stockholders that only those holders of the Series F Preferred Stock who agree to surrender such shares, and do not properly withdraw such surrender, in the exchange offer through which the Divestiture will occur, will be entitled to receive the ACG Shares and consequently be shareholders of ACG upon the occurrence of the Divestiture.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements generally include statements that are predictive in nature and depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and include words such as “believes,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “potential,” or similar expressions. Statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties.

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any of them publicly in light of new information or future events. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement as a result of various factors. More information, including potential risk factors, that could affect the Company’s business and financial results are included in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, the Company’s Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. All filings are available at www.sec.gov and on the Company’s website at hyperscaledata.com.

 

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SOURCE Hyperscale Data Inc.

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