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Amartha Initiates Coalition to Advance Financial Health for Grassroots Communities in Indonesia

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The coalition, titled the Indonesian Coalition for Financial Health, was officially launched on June 4 at the Asia Grassroots Forum 2026 and initiated by Amartha together with partners.Fully supported by Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands in her role as the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Financial Health (UNSGSA), the coalition will drive the implementation of financial health through research, innovation hubs, and cross-sector collaboration platforms.

JAKARTA, Indonesia, June 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Amartha Financial (Amartha), together with Women’s World Banking, Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, CERISE+SPTF, SME Finance Forum (SMEFF), KUMPUL, Beenext, and Koalisi Ekonomi Membumi (KEM) officially launched the Indonesian Coalition for Financial Health (ICFH). This cross-sector coalition aims to strengthen the financial health agenda for grassroots communities in Indonesia.

This strategic initiative has received full support from Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands in her capacity as the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Financial Health (UNSGSA), with a representative of Queen Máxima attending the launch ceremony. The coalition’s membership, comprising a diverse range of domestic and global stakeholders, reflects a shared commitment to unlocking the potential of grassroots communities to grow inclusively and sustainably.

Launched alongside The 2026 Asia Grassroots Forum, ICFH brings together a diverse group of domestic and global stakeholders, reflecting a shared commitment to advancing the economic potential of grassroots communities in Indonesia through inclusive and sustainable growth.

“Financial inclusion has advanced significantly, but access doesn’t guarantee financial health. As a member of the Indonesian Coalition for Financial Health, we’re committed to the rigorous research and cross-sector collaboration needed to drive stronger financial health outcomes for Indonesia and beyond,” said Jayshree Venkatesan, VP of Consumer Protection and Strategic Industry Engagement, from the Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion.

During UNSGSA Queen Máxima’s official country visit to Indonesia in November 2025, she visited Amartha clients in Central Java to hear about how Amartha’s products and services have improved their financial health and helped foster the growth of their MSMEs. She also spoke with Amartha leadership about the importance of gathering partners to scale financial health initiatives across Indonesia and the region, particularly in underserved communities.

“Through ICFH, we hope that the financial inclusion paradigm can evolve beyond access and focus more on resilience and well-being as tangible outcomes, particularly for the needs of grassroots communities, including women-owned MSMEs in rural areas and other underserved groups,” said Aria Widyanto, Head of the Secretariat of the Indonesian Coalition for Financial Health. To date, Amartha has served more than 3.9 million women entrepreneurs in rural areas. This support helps partners build financial resilience, grow their businesses sustainably, and participate more actively in the household economy.

Subhasini Chandran, Senior Vice President, Social Impact, APEMEA, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, added, “Financial inclusion has traditionally been measured by how many people have access to financial services. As the global middle class continues to grow, we must ensure that this access leads to usage and resilience, which creates more opportunities for growth. This coalition and set of partners will play an important role in strengthening the financial health agenda for grassroots communities in Indonesia, and aligns well to Mastercard’s newest commitment to connecting and protecting 500 million people and small businesses on their pathways to financial health.” 

In its implementation, ICFH will focus on three key priorities. First, Research & Evidence Generation, which involves developing a knowledge base and data on financial health that is relevant to the Indonesian context, gender-sensitive, and grounded in the realities of grassroots communities. Second, the Financial Health Innovation Hub, a collaborative platform to design, test, and scale inclusive financial innovations such as alternative credit scoring, open finance, embedded finance, and community-based financial services. Third, the Convening Platform, a cross-sector collaboration forum aimed at aligning agendas, building commitments, and driving concrete actions for inclusive growth.

ICFH will also develop several strategic initiatives, ranging from the Grassroots Financial Alliance to expand access to microfinance products among rural and women’s communities, and Research & Shared Metrics to measure financial resilience, preparedness, and recovery, to Innovation Labs that serve as spaces for developing and scaling innovative models and solutions. The coalition will further promote Practitioner Learning & Peer Exchange and encourage a shift in narrative from asset accumulation alone toward financial readiness, life security, and economic resilience rooted in the lived experiences of women.

Through ICFH, Amartha and its partners aspire to become a global reference point in developing a financial health ecosystem that is relevant, collaborative, and sustainable. This initiative is also expected to strengthen the role of grassroots communities, particularly women-owned MSMEs, as an integral part of a more inclusive economic development agenda in Indonesia and across the region.

About Indonesian Coalition for Financial Health

The Indonesian Coalition for Financial Health (ICFH) is a joint initiative that brings together government institutions, the private sector, financial institutions, fintech companies, civil society organizations/NGOs, academics, investors, and global partners to strengthen the financial health of grassroots communities. ICFH focuses on financial health research, innovation incubation, the development of shared frameworks, and cross-sector collaboration to empower underserved communities, including women, micro-entrepreneurs, and smallholder farmers, in achieving sustainable financial well-being.

About Amartha Financial

Established in 2010 and known under the “Amartha” brand, Amartha Financial (PT Amartha Financial Group and its subsidiaries) provides comprehensive digital financial services designed to address the needs of communities and women-led MSMEs in more than 50,000 villages across Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Bali Nusra, through the AmarthaFin application.

Amartha Financial comprises PT Amartha Mikro Fintek, a licensed productive financing provider; PT Amartha Warbler Finance, a licensed cash financing provider, both licensed and supervised by the Financial Services Authority (OJK); as well as PT Amartha Finansial Asia, a licensed electronic money provider (e-money) licensed and supervised by Bank Indonesia.

Through AmarthaFin, users can access working capital financing services, digital payments, PPOB, zakat distribution, as well as investment features that connect rural communities with national and global investors.

To date, Amartha has disbursed more than IDR 47 trillion in business capital to more than 4 million women-led MSMEs, to strengthen micro-entrepreneurship, create jobs, and drive more inclusive economic growth in Indonesia.

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SOURCE Amartha Financial

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Best VPS Hosting (2026): Virterion Recognized for Performance, Reliability, and Scalability by Expert Consumers

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NEW YORK, Sept. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Expert Consumers has recognized Virterion in an assessment of the best VPS hosting solutions for 2026. The recognition highlights the provider’s performance-focused virtual servers, infrastructure reliability, and ability to scale from entry-level VPS plans to dedicated hardware.

Best VPS Hosting

Virterion – a provider of VPS hosting, Windows VPS, website hosting, and dedicated servers offering KVM virtualization, configurable resources, European server locations, backup options, and scalable infrastructure, supported by 24/7 technical assistance and remote server management tools.

Demand for virtual private servers continues to grow as websites, applications, and databases require more control than conventional shared hosting can provide. VPS hosting allocates processing power, memory, and storage to an independent virtual environment. This structure gives developers and organizations greater control over software, security settings, and server configuration.

Virterion addresses these requirements through several workload-specific services. The portfolio includes standard VPS hosting, high-CPU configurations, Windows VPS, storage-focused virtual servers, website hosting tools, and dedicated servers. The range allows customers to select infrastructure based on processing, storage, operating system, and location requirements.

Virtual Servers Designed Around Different Workloads

Virterion uses KVM virtualization across the VPS range. KVM technology separates virtual machines within a physical server and provides each environment with allocated resources. Customers receive administrative access and can install supported operating systems or use compatible ISO images.

Standard VPS plans are available in Naaldwijk, the Netherlands, and Sofia, Bulgaria. Entry configurations include 1 vCPU, 1 GB of RAM, and 10 GB of SSD or NVMe storage. Plans also provide a static IPv4 address, with IPv6 available on applicable configurations.

The Netherlands and Bulgaria VPS ranges support resource customization. CPU cores, memory, storage, bandwidth, IP addresses, and backup capacity can be adjusted through the ordering system. Existing configurations can also be upgraded when traffic or application requirements increase.

Several operational features are available across applicable VPS plans:

Remote server access: A VNC console allows server access when standard network connections are unavailable.Backup controls: Supported plans allow manual backups and scheduled backup creation.Network testing: Looking Glass tools provide information about routes, latency, upload speeds, and download speeds.Flexible operating systems: Customers can select supported Linux distributions or compatible custom images.Technical assistance: Support is available around the clock through email, tickets, and online chat.

These tools give technical teams direct control over routine server management. However, customers remain responsible for application configuration, data protection, and software security.

Performance and Reliability Across European Locations

Location can influence website speed because distance affects the time required to transfer information. Virterion positions the Netherlands location for audiences across Central and Northern Europe. The Sofia location can support projects targeting Southeastern Europe and nearby markets.

Standard plans at both locations provide 300 Mbit/s network options and unlimited traffic. The Netherlands range uses enterprise NVMe storage, while the Bulgaria range uses enterprise SSD storage. Both formats are designed to provide faster data access than traditional mechanical drives.

Projects requiring greater processing capacity can use the High CPU VPS range. These servers use dedicated CPU cores, modern server processors, DDR5 memory, and enterprise NVMe storage. Virterion reports approximately 80 to 90 percent greater CPU performance than the standard Netherlands VPS line. The comparison is based on provider testing and should be evaluated alongside the requirements of each workload.

Reliability also depends on the surrounding data-center and network infrastructure. Virterion cites service availability of up to 99.995 percent for overseas data-center operations. Prospective customers can use the available network-testing tools to evaluate latency and routing before selecting a location.

Backup policies require careful review. Manual and scheduled backups are available on several VPS products, but customers remain responsible for protecting important files and databases. The storage-focused VPS line does not include backup functionality.

Storage VPS configurations begin with 500 GB of SSD capacity. Standard options extend to 1.5 TB, while configurable upgrades can reach 3 TB. This category may suit media libraries, archives, or data-heavy applications when an independent backup process is already established.

Windows VPS and Website Hosting

Virterion provides Windows VPS options in both the Netherlands and Bulgaria. Entry plans include 1 vCPU, 2 GB of RAM, 20 GB of SSD storage, a 300 Mbit/s network connection, one IP address, and unlimited traffic.

Windows VPS plans include a graphical desktop through Remote Desktop Protocol. VNC console access provides another method of connecting to the virtual machine. Manual and scheduled backup tools are also available.

The Windows service is unmanaged. Technical support can help address issues involving the virtual machine, but software and applications running inside the server remain the customer’s responsibility.

Windows licensing is another important consideration. Virterion provides an evaluation version with a 180-day trial key. A permanent operating system license is not included. Organizations planning long-term deployment should account for licensing and administration requirements before selecting a plan.

Website hosting can be managed through optional control-panel software. Available editions support individual developers, teams handling multiple projects, and agencies maintaining larger website portfolios. Depending on the selected edition, domain allowances include 10, 30, 50, or unlimited domains.

Relevant control-panel options include visual website management, database administration, WordPress tools, subscription controls, and account management. These features can reduce the amount of command-line work required for common hosting tasks.

A VPS still requires more technical involvement than conventional shared website hosting. The tradeoff is greater control over allocated resources, operating system settings, application installation, and security configuration.

Scaling From VPS Hosting to Dedicated Servers

Virtual servers can support many websites, development environments, databases, and business applications. Dedicated servers become more appropriate when a workload requires physical hardware without virtualization, larger memory capacity, multiple storage devices, hardware RAID, or consistently high network throughput.

Virterion offers dedicated servers from the Netherlands location. The catalog includes configurations for smaller production workloads and higher-capacity business systems. Available specifications include ECC memory, enterprise SSD and NVMe storage, hardware RAID options, and multiple-drive configurations.

Selected systems provide network links ranging from 1 Gbit/s to 10 Gbit/s. Traffic allowances vary by configuration, with unmetered service available as an upgrade on applicable servers. Some systems support hundreds of gigabytes of memory, while higher-capacity models support multiple enterprise storage devices.

The dedicated-server range provides a migration path for projects that outgrow VPS resources. Customers can begin with virtual infrastructure and move to physical hardware when performance, storage, or network requirements justify the change.

Dedicated hardware involves more planning than a standard VPS. Processor requirements, memory capacity, drive layout, RAID configuration, bandwidth, remote management, and operating system selection should be evaluated before ordering. Virterion provides sales assistance for customers who need help selecting a suitable configuration.

Practical Considerations for Prospective Customers

Virterion is suited to developers, agencies, online businesses, and technical teams seeking configurable VPS hosting in Europe. The service may also fit organizations requiring Windows-based environments, large-capacity storage, or access to dedicated infrastructure through the same provider.

The platform requires a degree of technical knowledge. Windows VPS plans are unmanaged, permanent Windows licensing is separate, and some storage plans do not include backup tools. Application security and data protection remain customer responsibilities.

Expert Consumers’ recognition focuses on the combination of workload-specific VPS options, configurable resources, European server locations, practical management tools, and a direct route to dedicated hardware. For organizations evaluating VPS hosting in 2026, these factors provide a structured way to match infrastructure with current requirements while preserving room for future growth.

The full review is available at the Expert Consumers website.

About Virterion

Virterion provides virtual private servers, Windows VPS, storage-focused VPS configurations, website hosting tools, dedicated servers, domains, and SSL certificates. Virtual server locations include the Netherlands and Bulgaria, with scalable configurations available for websites, applications, databases, and other online projects.

About ExpertConsumers.org: Expert Consumers delivers news and insights on consumer products and services. As an affiliate, Expert Consumers may earn commissions from sales generated using links provided.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/best-vps-hosting-2026-virterion-recognized-for-performance-reliability-and-scalability-by-expert-consumers-302870035.html

SOURCE ExpertConsumers.org

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Experience AI Companion in Everyday Life at Hisense IFA 2026

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BERLIN, Sept. 5, 2026 /CNW/ — Hisense, a leading brand in global consumer electronics and home appliances, is inviting visitors at IFA 2026 to experience how AI can make everyday home routines simpler and more intuitive. Under the theme “Innovating a Brighter Life,” the Hisense AI Companion Suite, powered by ConnectLife, brings connected intelligence to the kitchen, laundry and living spaces.

Step into the kitchen and a simple question– “What should I make?”–can set the experience in motion. The AI Companion Refrigerator recognizes stored ingredients and suggests meal ideas based on personal preferences. Once a recipe is selected, it can sync with the AI Companion Oven to support automatic cooking, while the AI Companion Wine Cabinet recommends pairings and maintains suitable storage conditions. After the meal, the AI Companion Dishwasher recognizes dish conditions and adjusts cleaning, demonstrating how AI can support the journey from planning dinner to cleaning up.

In the laundry area, visitors can see how the AI Companion Laundry Suite turns a routine load into a simpler, more automated experience. By recognizing clothing characteristics, it selects suitable wash and dry cycles and adjusts the process automatically, creating a load-and-go experience.

The experience continues in the living space. The AI Companion Air Conditioner senses indoor conditions and user presence, adapting airflow as people move through the room. Meanwhile, the AI Companion Energy System considers weather and time-of-use electricity pricing to help optimize household energy use.

Building on ConnectLife’s support, Hisense is collaborating with Alexa+ to be among the first home appliance brands bringing smart home devices to Amazon’s Alexa+ AI assistant using Amazon’s new Smart Home AI Toolkit. Available in the coming months, Alexa+ customers will be able to control select Hisense air conditioners by simply saying what they need. Alexa+ will then map the request, navigate the settings, and complete the action for them.

Hisense’s approach to innovation has also earned recognition at IFA, with several of its products receiving awards. The Multi Function II Series, an all-in-one energy-saving HVAC solution, received a Winner Award, while the X-zone Master was named an Honoree. The U8 Air Master Air Conditioner, W60 3D Kitchen-fit Series and 60cm Integrated Wine Cabinet were also recognized that underscores Hisense’s focus on combining intelligent technology, thoughtful design and everyday usability.

Across these IFA scenarios, Hisense brings its Smart Home Companion capabilities to life through V AIOS, giving devices the ability to Sense what is happening, Think through what to do, Communicate naturally with users and across devices, and Execute tasks by orchestrating devices and services autonomously. Together, these capabilities help AI Companion Suites understand context, make decisions and take action, helping the home do more while asking less of its users.

About Hisense

Hisense, founded in 1969, is a globally recognized leader in home appliances and consumer electronics with operations in over 180 countries, specializing in delivering high-quality multimedia products, home appliances, and intelligent IT solutions. According to Omdia, Hisense ranks No. 1 globally in the 100-inch and over TV segment (2023-2026H1). As The Origin of RGB MiniLED, Hisense continues to lead the next-generation RGB MiniLED innovation. As the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026TM, Hisense is committed to global sports partnerships as a way to connect with audiences worldwide.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/experience-ai-companion-in-everyday-life-at-hisense-ifa-2026-302870635.html

SOURCE Hisense

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PITAKA Marks Its Next Chapter in Berlin With “Signals in the Wind,” Unveiling New iPhone 18 Accessories

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At The Feuerle Collection in Berlin, PITAKA hosted its inaugural brand event, premiering the new ‘Wind Over Wheat’ design and debuting Trace Form™—the brand’s original textured-weave technique.

BERLIN, Sept. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — PITAKA, known for its aramid-fiber phone cases, MagSafe accessories and tech accessories for iPhone and Samsung devices, marked a new chapter for the brand on the evening of September 4, hosting its first-ever brand event, “Signals in the Wind” at The Feuerle Collection, a converted industrial-era space turned art museum in Berlin. From 8 p.m., guests, press and industry partners filled the space, and the evening drew widespread praise as a striking debut for PITAKA’s move from tech accessories into a broader lifestyle brand built around materials and design.

The evening unfolded across five stations built around PITAKA’s philosophy of Material & Sense. In “Material Speaks,” a wheat-field-inspired product display let guests handle PITAKA Moment and Trace pieces side by side, feeling firsthand how aramid fiber shifts from an industrial material into something more emotional. “Meditation in the Wind” paired field recordings — wind through wheat, rustling stalks, birdsong — with the sounds of aramid fiber and weaving, inviting guests into a moment that can’t be repeated. The night’s centerpiece was the world premiere of the Wind Over Wheat Trace Form Edition, followed by the public debut of Trace Form™ itself: PITAKA’s technique for letting select fibers drift from their programmed path, so texture emerges from the interplay of human judgment and material response. A short film closed the evening, following a sound artist’s process from recording in the wheat fields to performing an original score live on-site — an experiment, PITAKA said, in how perception itself gets captured.

Wind Over Wheat, the latest addition to the Trace collection, is inspired by the fleeting movement of wind across a wheat field and uses woven aramid fiber to capture the rhythm of the landscape. It arrives in three finishes — Golden Drift, Surging Awn and Berlin Nocturne — with the limited Trace Form Edition launching September 17, timed to PITAKA’s new iPhone 18 accessories collection.

“Technology has become incredibly precise, but we’re interested in what happens when we leave room for material, human judgment and nature to participate in the process,” said James Zheng, Founder of PITAKA. “We want to create products that do more than perform a function — products that people can see, touch and feel a connection with.”

Through “Signals in the Wind,” PITAKA is shifting the conversation beyond conventional accessory features such as thinness and protection, toward material, aesthetics and sensory experience — establishing the brand not simply as a maker of phone cases and tech accessories, but as a distinctive voice in material-led design and modern technology lifestyle.

About PITAKA

PITAKA is a material technology and lifestyle brand exploring how advanced materials, craftsmanship and thoughtful design can shape the way everyday technology feels. Built around its philosophy of Material & Sense, PITAKA creates aramid-fiber phone cases, MagSafe accessories, tech organization and lifestyle products for Apple and Samsung devices.

Website: www.ipitaka.com

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SOURCE PITAKA

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