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L’Oréal Invests in Future of AI-Powered Commerce and the Creator Economy with Tech Startups from South Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa

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L’Oréal has launched its 2026 Big Bang Beauty Tech Innovation Program for startups across South Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa (SAPMENA)Winners secure a fully funded commercial pilot with one of L’Oréal’s 40 international brands, potential scale across 35 SAPMENA markets and year-long mentorship from L’Oréal senior leaders and programme partnersEntering its third year, the programme has seven startup winners to date from Australia, India, Singapore and UAE.2026 innovation themes tap into greater potential for AI-powered commerce, creator and affiliate ecosystems, and circularity solutions.

SINGAPORE, May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — L’Oréal is officially calling for the next generation of tech pioneers in Singapore to co-create the future of beauty. Applications are now open for the 2026 Big Bang Beauty Tech Innovation Program across the SAPMENA region.  Entering its third year, the biggest beauty tech open innovation competition has become the industry’s launchpad for scale: seven startups from previous cohorts have progressed to commercial pilots with one of L’Oréal’s 40 brands.

THE OPPORTUNITY: FROM COMPETITION TO COMMERCIAL SCALE

From May to November, startups compete for the ultimate opportunity to scale in beauty: a fully funded commercial pilot with one of L’Oréal’s 40 iconic international brands. Beyond the pilot, winners unlock potential scale across 35 high-growth markets in the SAPMENA region and receive a year of strategic mentorship from L’Oréal’s senior leaders and programme partners. 

The 2026 edition has been updated to harness three major structural shifts shaping the industry: the rise of AI-powered commerce, the dominance of creator and affiliate-led ecosystems, and the critical advancement of the circular economy.

Startups can apply under five strategic innovation themes designed to drive both commercial growth and positive impact:

Connected Brand ExperienceCreators & AffiliatesAI-Powered CommerceScience for BeautyInnovation for Good

Vismay Sharma, President of L’Oréal SAPMENA Zone, commented: “SAPMENA is fast becoming a global epicentre for tech innovation. Millions of young, digitally native consumers are fuelling a rapid rise in digital commerce and redefining brand interaction. We believe this region is an important incubator for the future of beauty – a ‘Silicon Valley’ for Beauty Tech. As AI, the creator economy, and circularity reshape our industry, we are committed to discovering and nurturing the pioneers who will co-lead this transformation.”

INNOVATION PILOTS WITH 2025 STARTUP WINNERS

Commercial pilots with L’Oréal have demonstrated unique use-cases of startup capabilities in the beauty context, proving tangible impact for both founders and L’Oréal brands. 

Innovation in Sustainable Materials Science: Without from India, a materials science startup using a proprietary process to transform what would previously be unrecyclable multilayer plastics into high-quality recyclable materials. “Winning the Big Bang programme last year opened doors for us. This competition was not just about getting an award and recognition. We actually get the opportunity to do a pilot programme that can be scaled across markets,” said Anish Malpani, Founder of Without.

Real-Time Customer Intelligence: Heatseeker from Australia is addressing the industry’s reliance on reactive market data by piloting real-time intelligence to accelerate go-to-market decisions. “Both Heatseeker and L’Oréal are obsessed with the same thing – delivering customer truth, fast – and that shared DNA has meant we’ve been able to design and validate a solution side-by-side with L’Oréal that is already shaping where Heatseeker goes globally. Partnering with L’Oréal is making us unstoppable,” said Kate O’Keeffe, CEO and co-founder of Heatseeker.

AI-Powered Influencer Discovery: Halo AI from UAE is partnering with L’Oréal to transform influencer discovery and brand-matching at scale, solving the fragmentation of influencer marketing. “Winning Big Bang is a signal that the agentic infrastructure we’re building at Halo AI is meeting that moment, and I’m so excited to be building for that future with team L’Oréal,” said Rami Saad, Co-founder and Chief Business Officer of Halo AI.

AI-Powered Circularity: Sravathi AI from India is applying its AI-powered chemistry platform to help L’Oréal identify active ingredients faster and more sustainably. “Through Big Bang, we gained access to L’Oréal’s global and regional teams and partners – conversations that have been instrumental in shaping how we bring our platform to the beauty industry at scale,” said Parag Tipnis, VP Commercial of Sravathi AI.

Ethical Tech and IP Compliance: Wubble AI from Singapore integrates ethical, royalty-free music to ensure seamless IP compliance for L’Oréal’s engagements. “Being a part of the Big Bang competition has been a key milestone in the story of our young company. We have been fortunate to work with different L’Oréal teams since then, on two paid projects, and the experience has been absolutely invaluable in shaping and sharpening our product design and the user journey on our platform,” said Anand Roy, Founder and CEO of Wubble AI.

SAPMENA: A REGION BUILT FOR INNOVATION

The SAPMENA region, home to 40% of the world’s population and its emerging new consumer base, is now the primary laboratory for beauty tech innovation. With over 60% of its young, digitally native consumers shopping online weekly, the region offers unparalleled commercial opportunities for ambitious startups.

This momentum is supported by a flourishing startup ecosystem. Asia Pacific recorded the strongest annual growth worldwide in the 2025 Global Startup Ecosystem Index, with Singapore ranking 4th globally led by 44.9% growth, while Saudi Arabia leaped to 38th, fuelled by a 236.8% growth rate.

Recognising this energy, L’Oréal is nurturing the next generation of innovators through its Big Bang Beauty Tech Innovation Program, encouraging development at all levels. The beauty sector is one of the most advanced in applying AI, personalisation and data-driven commerce. NielsenIQ reports that nearly half of all consumers are now receiving beauty recommendations from generative AI, the industry has become the definitive arena where new technology proves its commercial value first.

ABOUT THE BIG BANG BEAUTY TECH INNOVATION PROGRAM IN SAPMENA

The biggest Beauty Tech open innovation competition of this geographical scale, the Big Bang Beauty Tech Innovation Program seeks to discover, support and nurture promising startups from the South Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa region. The competition is open to startups from countries including United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand. 

Startups will be given the opportunity to develop their pilots in beauty tech innovation in one of five challenge themes: Connected Brand Experience, Creators & Affiliates, AI-Powered Commerce, Science for Beauty and Innovation for Good. 

The top three SAPMENA Grand Finale winners will win a L’Oréal-funded commercial pilot opportunity, potential to scale multiple markets and a year-long mentorship with senior leaders from L’Oréal and the programme partners. 

Startups who prove successful pilots in SAPMENA could have the opportunity to work with L’Oréal on future collaborations globally. 

Key dates:

Submission deadline: 3 July 2026Regional finals: August-September 2026Middle EastIndiaSoutheast AsiaAustralia and New ZealandSAPMENA Grand Finale in Singapore (in-person): November 2026

Startups passionate about creating the future of beauty with L’Oréal are encouraged to apply now on the competition website by the submission deadline of 3 July 2026.

ABOUT L’ORÉAL SOUTH ASIA PACIFIC, MIDDLE EAST, AND NORTH AFRICA (SAPMENA) ZONE

Home to 3 billion people and 40% of the world’s population, the South Asia Pacific, Middle East & North Africa (SAPMENA) Zone is a major growth engine for L’Oréal and a global talent hub. The SAPMENA Zone was formed in 2021 to drive focus on consumer needs and growth in many of the world’s most populous, young and fast-growing economies. Across 13 entities and 35 markets spanning New Zealand to Morocco, the L’Oréal SAPMENA Zone is reinventing beauty experiences for our consumers through a portfolio of over 30 international brands and game-changing Beauty Tech innovations. Our business model is built on responsible and sustainable growth, with commitments which focus on three key areas – the planet, the people and our products.

About L’Oréal                                                                      

For over 115 years, L’Oréal, the world’s leading beauty player, has devoted itself to one thing only: fulfilling the beauty aspirations of consumers around the world. Our purpose, to create the beauty that moves the world, defines our approach to beauty as essential, inclusive, ethical, generous and committed to social and environmental sustainability. With our broad portfolio of 40 international brands and ambitious sustainability commitments in our L’Oréal for the Future programme, we offer each and every person around the world the best in terms of quality, efficacy, safety, sincerity and responsibility, while celebrating beauty in its infinite plurality.

With more than 95,000 committed employees, a balanced geographical footprint and sales across all distribution networks (ecommerce, mass market, department stores, pharmacies, perfumeries, hair salons, branded and travel retail), in 2025 the Group generated sales amounting to 44.05 billion euros. With 22 research centres across 9 regional hubs around the world and a dedicated Research and Innovation team of over 4,000 scientists and more than 8,000 Digital, Tech and Data talents, L’Oréal is focused on inventing the future of beauty and becoming a Beauty Tech powerhouse.

In 2025, L’Oréal has been named the most innovative company in Europe by Fortune magazine, out of 300 companies, in a ranking spanning 21 countries and 16 industries in Europe.

More information on https://www.loreal.com/en/mediaroom

MEDIA CONTACT
L’ORÉAL
Sonia MEYER, sonia.meyer@loreal.com

 

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SOURCE L’Oréal

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eBay Rejects Unsolicited Proposal from GameStop

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SAN JOSE, Calif., May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — eBay Inc. (Nasdaq: EBAY), a global commerce leader that connects millions of buyers and sellers around the world, today announced that, following a thorough review with the support of its financial and legal advisors, the company’s Board of Directors has determined to reject GameStop’s unsolicited, non-binding acquisition proposal.

The full text of the eBay Board’s response letter to GameStop CEO, Ryan Cohen, is set forth below:

Dear Mr. Cohen,

The Board, with the support of its independent advisors, has thoroughly reviewed your proposal and has determined to reject it.

We have concluded that your proposal is neither credible nor attractive. We have taken into account such factors as 1) eBay’s standalone prospects, 2) the uncertainty regarding your financing proposal, 3) the impact of your proposal on eBay’s long-term growth and profitability, 4) the leverage, operational risks, and leadership structure of a combined entity, 5) the resulting implications of these factors on valuation, and 6) GameStop’s governance and executive incentives.

eBay is a strong, resilient business that has delivered meaningful results over the past several years. We have sharpened our strategic focus, strengthened execution, enhanced our marketplace and seller experience, and consistently returned capital to shareholders. With its differentiated global marketplace and a clear strategy, eBay’s Board is confident that the company, under its current management team, is well-positioned to continue to drive sustainable growth, execute with discipline, and deliver long-term value for our shareholders.

Our team remains focused on executing our strategy and driving our business forward in the best interests of the company, our shareholders, our employees, and millions of buyers and sellers around the world.

Sincerely,

/s/ Paul S. Pressler

Paul S. Pressler
Chairman of the Board of Directors, eBay

About eBay
eBay Inc. (Nasdaq: EBAY) is a global commerce leader that connects people and builds communities to create economic opportunity for all. Our technology empowers millions of buyers and sellers in more than 190 markets around the world, providing everyone the opportunity to grow and thrive. Founded in 1995 in San Jose, California, eBay is one of the world’s largest and most vibrant marketplaces for discovering great value and unique selection. In 2025, eBay enabled nearly $80 billion of gross merchandise volume. For more information about the company and its global portfolio of online brands, visit www.ebayinc.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements relating to, among other things, the future performance of eBay Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries that are based on the company’s current expectations, forecasts and assumptions and involves risks and uncertainties. These statements include, but are not limited to, management’s vision for the future of eBay and our ability to accomplish our vision, the future growth in our business, our ability to drive sustainable long-term growth and create lasting value for our shareholders, the impact of current and contemplated strategic initiatives and offerings, partnerships with and acquisitions of other companies, and new and updated product features or programs, including the initiatives, offerings, partnerships, acquisitions, features and programs discussed in our earnings press release for the first quarter 2026, the effects of foreign currency volatility and our ability to respond to such effects, operating efficiency and margins, and dividends and share repurchases. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as “aim,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “commit,” “consider,” “continue,” “could,” “design,” “develop,” “enable,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “future,” “goal,” “impact,” “intend,” “likely,” “maintain,” “may,” “ongoing,” “opportunity,” “optimistic,” “outlook,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “probable,” “pursue,” “remain,” “seek,” “should,” “strategy,” “strive,” “target,” “value,” “will,” “would,” or similar expressions, variations and derivative forms and/or the negatives of those words.  Forward-looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those that eBay expects. These and other risks and uncertainties include market risks, trends and conditions. These and other risks and uncertainties are more fully described in eBay’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in the risk factors included in eBay’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, and subsequent reports that eBay files with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In light of such risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements represent beliefs and assumptions of eBay only as of the date of this press release. eBay does not intend to update, and expressly disclaims any obligation to update, any of these forward-looking statements for any reason after the date of this press release or to conform these statements to actual results or revised expectations, except as required by law.

Investor Relations Contact:
John Egbert
ir@ebay.com

Media Relations Contact:
Sybille St. Arromand
press@ebay.com

 

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SOURCE ebay Inc.

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Caliber Public Safety Goes Live Across Elkhart County, Indiana, Delivering a Full Suite of Public Safety Technology

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NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark., May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Caliber Public Safety is proud to announce the successful go-live of its complete public safety technology platform across Elkhart County, Indiana. On Tuesday, April 28, 2026, the Elkhart County 911 Communications Center, along with law enforcement, fire, and EMS agencies countywide, transitioned to Caliber’s Premise CAD, Hosted Mobile, Pocket Cop, Pocket Rescue, and Online RMS, marking the beginning of a new chapter in how the county serves and protects its more than 207,000 residents.

The project, signed in September 2025, moved from contract to live operations in just seven months, a timeline that reflects the structured, hands-on approach Caliber brings to every deployment.

A Deployment Built on Planning, Not Luck

The scale of this implementation was significant: 18 CAD positions across two locations, 8 WebCAD subscriptions, more than 290 Mobile licenses, 31 Pocket Cop licenses, 31 Pocket Rescue licenses, and 440 RMS subscriptions serving both sworn and non-sworn personnel. Getting a deployment of this size right required detailed coordination and a true partnership between Caliber and Elkhart County leadership.

Every phase of the project followed Caliber’s proven implementation methodology. As with all Caliber deployments, the process included thorough discovery, careful configuration, and structured training well before the go-live date. The county’s staff had the opportunity to review system functionality and confirm operational readiness prior to the transition, ensuring confidence across dispatch, patrol, and administrative teams on Day One.

Go-Live Day: Focused, Prepared, and On Mission

The Caliber team arrived in force and prepared. Deployment led the managed command center operations, both onsite and virtually, monitoring system performance and resolving technical matters in real time. Dedicated support staff were stationed directly on the dispatch floor, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with 911 personnel throughout the transition. Additional team members provided focused support for Mobile and Pocket solutions across police, fire, and EMS agencies, drawing on deep product knowledge and Indiana-specific public safety expertise. Others delivered hands-on RMS assistance at individual agencies, including the Goshen Police Department and the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office, both onsite and remotely.

With 10 CAD workstations staged and ready at the 911 Center, the team made the cut live at 11:30 AM, and Elkhart County handled its first live incident in the new system, a medical emergency call. Operations were in full stride from that moment forward. The center stayed busy throughout the day, and the collaboration between Caliber staff and Elkhart County dispatchers set the tone for a strong, productive partnership.

Beyond the technology, the Caliber team also focused on the human side of the transition. Team members kept spirits high during long hours, strengthened relationships with county partners, and made sure every person involved felt supported.

Egbert Dijkstra, Director of 911 Center at Elkhart County, states “I want to commend Caliber on their team: the tech support and IT team. They helped above and beyond and did it with class and a great attitude. It has been a pleasure working with everyone at Caliber. The experience reflected the Caliber culture; a team that is easy to work with, communicates openly and consistently, and attacks challenges head-on with professionalism and urgency. Their willingness to go above and beyond reinforced that this is an organization focused on building long-term partnerships, not just delivering software. I look forward to a long relationship with Caliber and all the fine people who are the face of the organization.”

A Unified Platform, Built for the Way Agencies Actually Work

Elkhart County now operates on a single, integrated public safety platform. Their CAD, Mobile, and RMS systems share data in real time, which means incident details entered by a dispatcher populate automatically in both the Mobile client and the RMS. Officers updating reports from the field see that information reflected immediately for supervisors and investigators back at the station. This connected architecture eliminates redundant data entry, reduces errors, and gives every member of the team a consistent, up-to-date picture of operations from dispatch through case closure.

Because Caliber’s Online RMS is hosted at Nlets data centers, Elkhart County benefits from infrastructure that meets FBI CJIS standards, with full multi-site hot backup disaster recovery and redundant network paths. The hosted model also means that software updates, including three major releases per year and monthly service packs, are delivered automatically, so the county will always operate on the latest version without the burden of managing upgrades in-house.

“A go-live of this scope requires trust on both sides of the table,” said Michael Sturgeon, Senior Project Manager at Caliber Public Safety. “Elkhart County brought exceptional leadership and preparation to this project. The result speaks for itself: a county of over 200,000 residents now served by a modern, unified public safety platform that went live on schedule and on mission.”

About Elkhart County, Indiana

Elkhart County covers approximately 467 square miles in northern Indiana and is home to around 207,000 residents, making it the sixth most populous county in the state. Elkhart County is proudly recognized as the “RV Capital of the World,” producing the majority of the nation’s recreational vehicles, and is a significant manufacturing hub for musical instruments, furniture, and industrial components. The county is also home to one of the largest Amish and Mennonite communities in the United States. Centrally located within a few hours of Chicago, Detroit, and Indianapolis, Elkhart County blends a rich cultural heritage with a dynamic modern economy.

About Caliber Public Safety

Caliber Public Safety provides integrated technology solutions for law enforcement, fire/EMS, corrections, and 911 communications agencies. The Caliber platform includes CAD, Mobile, Online RMS, and JailTracker, all built by and for public safety professionals. With a focus on reliability, interoperability, and ease of use, Caliber serves hundreds of agencies across the country, helping first responders spend less time on technology and more time serving their communities.

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SOURCE Caliber Public Safety

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Gamehaus Holdings Inc. to Announce Unaudited Financial Results for the Third Quarter of Fiscal 2026 on June 8, 2026

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SHANGHAI, May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Gamehaus Holdings Inc. (“Gamehaus” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: GMHS), a technology-driven mobile game publisher, today announced that it will release its unaudited financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2026 ended March 31, 2026, before the U.S. market opens on June 8, 2026.

The management team of Gamehaus will host a conference call at 08:00 A.M. Eastern Time on Monday, June 8, 2026 (08:00 P.M. Beijing/Hong Kong time on the same day) to discuss the financial results. In advance of the conference call, all participants must use the following link to complete the online registration process. Upon registering, each participant will receive access details for this conference including a conference passcode, a unique PIN number (personal access code), dial-in numbers, and an e-mail with detailed instructions to join the conference call.

Participant Online Registration: https://dpregister.com/sreg/10209253/10404aa4efc

A live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the Company’s Investor Relations website at https://ir.gamehaus.com/.

About Gamehaus

Gamehaus Holdings Inc. is a technology-driven global mobile game publisher dedicated to bridging creative studios and players worldwide. With a portfolio spanning mid-core and casual games, Gamehaus delivers full-stack publishing support across market insights, user growth, live-ops, data analytics and monetization optimization. With a vision to be the go-to partner for creative teams, the company specializes in combining global publishing reach with AI- and data-powered solutions to help partners build lasting success. For more information, please visit https://ir.gamehaus.com/

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the Company’s business plan and outlook. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company’s current expectations and projections about future events that may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can find many (but not all) of these statements by the use of words such as “approximates,” “believes,” “hopes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may”, or other similar expressions in this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results due to various risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those described under the “Risk Factors” section in the Company’s annual report on Form 20-F filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Investor Relations Contact

Gamehaus Holdings Inc.
Investor Relations Team
Email: IR@Gamehaus.com

The Blueshirt Group
Mr. Jack Wang
Email: Gamehaus@TheBlueshirtGroup.co

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SOURCE Gamehaus Holdings Inc.

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