HONG KONG, BEIJING and SHANGHAI, July 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Grace Investment Machine (“GIM”), an AI-native investment technology company building agentic systems for capital markets, today announced the close of its US$20 million Series A financing. The round was co-led by a leading US venture capital firm and Hony Capital, with participation from IDG Capital and existing investor Monolith Capital. The financing marks GIM’s third funding round within its first year of operations.

GIM is building agentic AI systems designed to go beyond assisting investment research. The company describes this approach as a “Visionary Machine”: AI systems that generate, test, and refine investment hypotheses through market data, feedback loops, and coordinated agents.

Capital markets offer a uniquely rich learning environment. Every investment hypothesis can be translated into action, and every action produces measurable feedback. Over time, this closed learning loop allows intelligent systems to sharpen judgment not by memorizing the past, but by continuously learning from the market itself.

“We believe investment AI is moving from information assistance to autonomous hypothesis generation and testing,” said Jiahao Xu, founder and CEO of GIM. “GIM is building systems that can reason across market data, evaluate signals through feedback, and improve over time in real-world capital markets.”

The company is advancing on two fronts: foundation models tailored to capital-market environments, and multi-agent systems that generate, validate, and evolve investment signals across coordinated reasoning layers. Its flagship paper, CogAlpha, was accepted to the ACL 2026 main conference with an Oral recommendation. The paper presents a seven-layer agent architecture that moves from raw data to actionable investment signals.

GIM’s broader ambition is captured in a second phrase: Shared Prosperity. As intelligence systems compound at different rates, the company believes the defining question of the next decades will be who gets to own and harness that growth. Its long-term bet is to build products — from institutional strategies to individual-accessible vehicles — that turn self-evolving intelligence into a widely held asset, rather than a concentrated advantage.

This vision has drawn support from investors with long-term conviction in both AI and capital markets. The round brings together long-term investors with experience across artificial intelligence, financial technology, and global markets. Alongside its research efforts, GIM is also bringing AI-driven strategies and investment products into live validation across multiple asset classes and markets.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gim-raises-us20-million-series-a-as-agentic-investing-enters-live-execution-302821550.html

SOURCE GIM（Grace Investment Machine）

TAIPEI, July 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As Asia-Pacific continues to demonstrate strong growing digital sophistication, investors across the region are increasingly embracing a broader, globally informed approach to financial decision-making. Taiwan, in particular, stands out as one of the region’s more dynamic markets, characterised by high levels of digital adoption, strong investor participation, and a deep-rooted culture of continuous learning.

According to recent industry data, securities account holders in Taiwan now represent close to 60% of the population*. Several factors have contributed to this trend, including the rapid adoption of financial technology, greater accessibility to global markets, the expansion of the middle class, and increasing interest among younger generations in financial literacy and wealth management knowledge.

Against this backdrop, Plotio analysts have observed a notable shift in investor behaviour. Rather than focusing solely on domestic opportunities, investors are increasingly seeking to understand how global macroeconomic developments, geopolitical events, and cross-market relationships may influence financial markets. This transition from localised investment perspectives towards a broader global macro approach reflects a growing emphasis on risk awareness and informed decision-making.

According to Plotio, understanding global macro trends has become increasingly important in today’s interconnected financial environment. Market developments in one region can often influence sentiment and conditions elsewhere, making access to educational resources and market information an essential component of financial learning. As a professional business partner committed to investor education, Plotio places significant emphasis on helping individuals develop a broader understanding of global market dynamics through accessible educational content and market insights.

The growing demand for financial knowledge is particularly evident across Asia-Pacific, where investors continue to demonstrate strong enthusiasm for learning. In response to this trend, Plotio has accumulated experience through hosting more than 2,000 professional seminars and educational events. These initiatives aim to promote a risk-first mindset and encourage rational, knowledge-based decision-making among market participants.

At the same time, digitalisation continues to reshape expectations around information accessibility and cybersecurity. Investors increasingly value stable digital platforms, secure information environments, and seamless access to market updates across multiple devices. To support these evolving needs, the Plotio App provides users with market information, real-time market insights, and expert analysis.

One notable feature of the APP is the Visitor Mode, which allows members of the public to access selected market information and educational content without a complex registration process. By lowering barriers to learning while maintaining a strong focus on information security, the feature supports Plotio’s commitment to making financial education more accessible.

Plotio emphasises that all financial decisions should be made independently by clients based on their own learning, research, and assessment of risks. Through ongoing educational initiatives and the provision of market information, Plotio remains committed to supporting investors as they enhance their financial knowledge and navigate an increasingly interconnected global marketplace.

*source: https://money.udn.com/money/story/5607/9481609

*Educational resources are provided for reference only and do not constitute any investment advice.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/plotio-analyst-highlights-emerging-risk-management-trends-among-asia-pacific-investors-in-a-global-macro-environment-302820436.html

SOURCE Plotio

DORVAL, QC, July 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Smardt, a pioneer and global leader in oil-free centrifugal chiller technology, today announced the appointment of Sandeep Nair as Chief Executive Officer. Sandeep takes the helm as Smardt extends its oil-free heritage into a broader portfolio of thermal management solutions and deepens its position in fast-growing markets led by AI-driven data centers. He succeeds Albert Yam, who transitions to Executive Director on Smardt’s Board.

Sandeep is a seasoned global executive with more than two decades of president-level leadership at Emerson Electric across the HVAC, data center, telecom and industrial sectors. He has managed businesses ranging from $100 million to over $1 billion in revenue, with responsibility for operations across North America, Europe and Asia.

He previously served as President, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa at Copeland (formerly Emerson Commercial & Residential Solutions), where he delivered record profitability and cash flow, accelerated growth and successfully led portfolio transformation. Across his career, he has built a reputation for value creation by driving growth, operational excellence and business transformation, with deep expertise in lean methodologies, manufacturing consolidation, product platform development, and strategic portfolio actions including acquisitions and divestitures.

“On behalf of the Board, I am pleased to welcome Sandeep as Chief Executive Officer,” said Albert Yam, Executive Director of Smardt’s Board. “His track record of scaling global businesses and his depth in our core markets make him the right leader for Smardt’s next chapter, and I look forward to supporting him in this role.”

Smardt enters this transition from a position of strength, with an installed base of over 12,000 oil-free chillers operating worldwide and manufacturing across five countries. Building on its leadership in oil-free centrifugal technology, the company has expanded into heat pumps and air-side systems through its Smardt AIR division, broadening its role in the buildings and infrastructure its customers depend on.

Sandeep’s mandate centers on this next phase of growth: strengthening Smardt’s position in critical infrastructure for AI-driven data centers, where he brings direct experience having led the creation of a new business platform for turnkey data centers, while extending the company’s reach into adjacent markets including pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, new energy, green building projects, and infrastructure.

“I am honored to lead Smardt at such a pivotal stage in its journey,” said Sandeep Nair, Chief Executive Officer of Smardt. “Smardt’s leadership in oil-free technology and the strength of its global teams provide an exceptional foundation, and I look forward to working with our talented teams worldwide to accelerate growth, build on the strong legacy of innovation and deliver greater value across our business, for our customers, employees, and partners alike.”

As CEO, Sandeep will work closely with the Board to strengthen Smardt’s management infrastructure, advance its digital transformation, and reinforce corporate governance.

About Smardt
As a global leader in oil-free centrifugal chiller technology with an expanding portfolio of thermal management solutions, Smardt is dedicated to delivering high-efficiency and energy-saving systems for industries, real estate developments, health care and educational centers worldwide. We operate manufacturing facilities in the US, Canada, Germany, China, and Australia, with a team of over 1,000 employees. With a focus on reliability, performance, and environmental stewardship, Smardt continues to redefine industry standards through advanced engineering and a commitment to a more sustainable future.

Media Contact:
cam.whitelaw@smardt.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/smardt-names-sandeep-nair-chief-executive-officer-albert-yam-transitions-to-board-302821491.html

SOURCE Smardt Inc