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Frost & Sullivan Appoints Dr. Vinod K. Aggarwal as Chief Economist

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Renowned economist to lead global initiatives addressing industrial policy, economic statecraft and non-market strategy

SAN CLARA, Calif., Aug. 3, 2026 /CNW/ — Frost & Sullivan today announced the appointment of Dr. Vinod K. Aggarwal as Chief Economist. Having collaborated with the company for more than two decades across a range of advisory and leadership roles, Dr. Aggarwal brings deep expertise in the interplay of markets, policy and global strategy.

In this new capacity, Dr. Aggarwal will lead Frost & Sullivan’s global initiatives to help governments, corporations and investors navigate the shifting dynamics of industrial policy, economic statecraft and non-market strategy. His work will focus on how geopolitical change and technological transformation are redefining global competitiveness.

“Dr. Aggarwal’s appointment reinforces Frost & Sullivan’s commitment to providing clients with unparalleled foresight at the intersection of business and policy,” said Krishna Srinivasan, Executive Board Member and Global Managing Partner at Frost & Sullivan. “His exceptional academic credentials, global perspective and deep understanding of geoeconomics will strengthen our ability to help organizations anticipate change and make informed strategic decisions in an increasingly complex global environment.”

Dr. Aggarwal is Distinguished Professor and Alann P. Bedford Chair in Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley; Affiliated Professor at the Haas School of Business; Director of the Berkeley APEC Study Center; and a Fellow at the Public Law and Policy Center at Berkeley Law School. He also serves as a visiting professor at leading business schools worldwide, teaching executive and MBA programs. At Haas, he received the Cheit Award for Excellence in Teaching for both MBA and PhD programs.

An elected lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Dr. Aggarwal has advised numerous public- and private-sector organizations around the world and speaks five languages. He is the author or editor of more than 20 books, including The Oxford Handbook of Geoeconomics and Economic Statecraft (Oxford University Press, 2025) and Governing Growth: Industrial Policy from Hamilton to Trump (Oxford University Press, 2026).

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Transformational Growth Company, enables clients to accelerate growth and achieve best-in-class positions in growth, innovation, and leadership. The company’s Growth Pipeline as a Service along with Transformation Engine™ provides the CEO’s Growth Team with transformational growth strategies and best-practice models to drive the generation, evaluation, and implementation of powerful growth opportunities. For over 65 years, Frost & Sullivan has partnered with investors, corporate leaders, and governments to identify, prioritize, and implement transformational growth strategies.

Is your organization ready to navigate the Intelligence Revolution and turn disruption into growth? Your Transformational Growth Journey Starts Here: Schedule Your Growth Pipeline Dialog™ with the Frost & Sullivan team.

Contact:
Kristina Menzefricke
Marketing & Communications
Global Customer Experience, Frost & Sullivan
kristina.menzefricke@frost.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/frost–sullivan-appoints-dr-vinod-k-aggarwal-as-chief-economist-302841597.html

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Regional Business Growth (2026): Registered Agents Inc Analyzes Business Formation Trends Across the U.S. by Better Business Advice

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NEW YORK, Nov. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Better Business Advice has recognized Registered Agents Inc for its analysis of regional business growth through the company’s Business Formation Report, which tracks new business registrations across the United States. The monthly report provides state-level data on business formation activity, offering insights into changing entrepreneurial trends and the geographic distribution of new business entities.

The October 2026 report recorded 576,818 new business formations nationwide. The findings also showed that approximately 5.9 million business entities have been formed during the first ten months of 2026, a 16% increase compared with the same period in 2025.

The Registered Agents Inc Business Formation Report  provides a timely view of business creation across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. By tracking monthly formation totals and year-over-year changes, Registered Agents Inc helps economists, policymakers, journalists and entrepreneurs examine where business activity is increasing and where regional trends are shifting.

Business Formation Data Highlights Regional Growth

The October 2026 findings demonstrate that business formation activity remains substantial across the country. The national total increased approximately 8% compared with the 532,456 formations recorded in October 2025. Monthly activity saw a jump, with October formations increasing 4.5% compared to September.

Registered Agents Inc reported that 37 of the 51 tracked jurisdictions posted year-over-year growth in October, pointing to broad-based gains in business formation across the country. Looking beyond national totals offers a clearer picture of where entrepreneurial activity is taking hold and how growth varies by state.

Registered Agents Inc projects approximately 6.7 million business formations for 2026, compared with 5.9 million in 2025. The projection reflects the elevated pace recorded during the first ten months of the year, although final totals will depend on activity during the remaining months.

State-Level Differences Reveal Changing Formation Patterns

The October report highlights significant differences in business formation activity across the country. Florida led with 62,687 new formations, followed by Texas with 46,446 and California with 41,156. Delaware and Wyoming rounded out the top five, with 32,193 and 25,935 formations, respectively.

All three of the nation’s leading states posted year-over-year growth in October. Florida increased 6.6%, Texas gained 11.8% and California rose 2.2%. While these established markets continue to attract the largest share of new registrations, growth across other states reveals a broader shift in where entrepreneurial activity is gaining momentum.

Growth Gains Momentum Beyond the Largest Markets

Several states outside the traditional high-volume markets posted notable year-over-year gains in October. Colorado led with a 46.7% increase, followed by Kentucky at 38.7%, Louisiana at 34.9% and Missouri at 32.6%.

Some of these increases coincide with developments that may be creating a more favorable environment for business ownership. In Kentucky, for example, an individual income tax reduction from 4% to 3.5% took effect in January 2026, potentially offering additional financial flexibility to entrepreneurs and owners of pass-through businesses. The state also maintains tax incentives aimed at encouraging business investment and job creation.

Colorado’s growth comes amid continued investment in advanced industries, workforce development and rural business expansion. Meanwhile, Louisiana’s expanding industrial investment and new entrepreneurial support initiatives are creating opportunities for smaller businesses, contractors and service providers.

Missouri has also maintained strong formation activity, with a 32.6% year-over-year increase in October. State efforts to attract business investment, including new incentives for qualifying capital projects, add context to the state’s broader economic development landscape.

Although these developments do not establish a direct cause for increased business registrations, they illustrate how tax policy, investment and entrepreneurial resources can shape the environments in which new businesses emerge. Together, these state-level trends show that business formation growth is extending beyond the country’s largest markets.

Monthly Reporting Provides an Ongoing View of Entrepreneurship

Registered Agents Inc publishes its Business Formation Report on the second Tuesday of each month, covering formation activity from the preceding month. The report draws on filings from Secretaries of State and equivalent agencies across all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

The company cross-references its formation data with U.S. Census information. Its methodology counts newly formed legal entities when formation documents are filed, including single-member LLCs, holding companies and entities that may never hire employees.

This approach differs from datasets that focus on business applications associated with employer activity. The measures reflect different stages and definitions of business creation, so their totals should not be treated as directly interchangeable.

Monthly reporting allows readers to monitor changes over time and compare state-level formation activity across reporting periods. Consistent comparisons can help distinguish temporary movements from patterns that continue over several months.

The report is available to economists, journalists, policymakers, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders interested in current business formation trends. Historical reports also provide context for assessing whether recent changes represent a departure from earlier activity.

Supporting Business Formation and Long-Term Compliance

Registered Agents Inc provides complete identity services that help entrepreneurs establish and maintain legitimate business entities. Its offerings include business formation assistance, registered agent services, compliance support, professional websites, domain names, business addresses and phone numbers.

These services address administrative requirements that can arise when establishing a business and maintaining its legal standing. The company’s broader mission centers on making business ownership more accessible to entrepreneurs from different backgrounds. The Business Formation Report complements that focus by documenting where new entities are being established and how formation activity changes across the country.

As additional monthly data becomes available, continued monitoring will help clarify whether these patterns persist or shift. The Business Formation Report provides a recurring resource for understanding the geographic distribution of new business entities and examining regional changes in American entrepreneurship.

The full review is available at Better Business Advice website.

About Registered Agents Inc

Registered Agents Inc (RAI) is the largest registered agent service provider in the U.S. helping millions of entrepreneurs start and maintain their businesses every year nationwide. The company also offers complete identity services, including websites, domains, professional address and phone number, mail service and more. Because of its extensive internal database, RAI is able to deliver real-time trends and insights about the small business economy through its monthly formation report.

About Better Business Advice: Better Business Advice covers the news and strategies driving modern business success. The information provided by Better Business Advice does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials are for general informational purposes only. As an affiliate, Better Business Advice may earn commissions from services mentioned in the links provided.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/regional-business-growth-2026-registered-agents-inc-analyzes-business-formation-trends-across-the-us-by-better-business-advice-302938742.html

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VKAISS 2026 Strengthens Vietnam and South Korea Cooperation in AI and Semiconductors

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HANOI, Vietnam, Nov. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The first Vietnam – Korea AI – Semiconductor Summit (VKAISS 2026) attracted more than 400 delegates representing over 50 semiconductor companies, research institutes, universities and local authorities from both countries, with the participation of leaders from Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Vietnam, Bac Ninh City, KAISA and FPT among others.

The event was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Science and Technology and jointly organized by the Department of Digital Technology and Artificial Intelligence, FPT Corporation, the Korea AI Semiconductor Fabless Industry Association (KAISA), and the VINASA Semiconductor Industry Development Committee (VSID).

The event featured two high-level sessions focusing on workforce development and Vietnam–South Korea cooperation policies in AI and semiconductors, alongside a series of keynote presentations and panel discussions.

The conference witnessed the signing of eight MOUs, nearly 100 business matchmaking sessions, and a technology exhibition featuring leading organizations from both countries, including FPT, HanelPT, VSAP Lab, Dnotitia, HyperAccel, ITDA Semiconductor and KAISA.

The eight MOUs covered three key areas: business and supply chain connectivity, technology development, and workforce training. Key partnerships included KAISA and the Bac Ninh Semiconductor Association to connect South Korean semiconductor companies with local businesses; FPT’s cooperation with HANA Micron, Supergate and EdgeAI in semiconductor packaging and testing; and FPT’s partnership with SKAIChips to explore AI and semiconductor applications. Educational cooperation was also established between FPT Polytechnic College, Soongsil University, EdgeAI and the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology with the Institute of Semiconductor Engineers (ISE).

Speaking at the summit, Mr. Tran Trung Tinh, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology emphasized that Vietnam’s ambitions extend beyond attracting investment to mastering technologies and participating more deeply in global value chains. KAISA Chairman Kyungho Kim emphasized that combining Korea’s semiconductor technology and industrial capabilities with Vietnam’s skilled workforce and growing market could create strong synergies, and expressed his hope that VKAISS would develop into a sustainable platform for Korea–Vietnam cooperation in AI and semiconductors.

Senior Executive Vice President of FPT Corporation – Mr. Nguyen The Phuong stressed that the success of cooperation depends on translating agreements into concrete outcomes, including joint research, practical workforce training and commercially viable products. He also highlighted VKAISS 2026 has strengthened Vietnam–South Korea cooperation in technology development, capability building and integration into global semiconductor supply chains.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/vkaiss-2026-strengthens-vietnam-and-south-korea-cooperation-in-ai-and-semiconductors-302938861.html

SOURCE FPT Corporation

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Weixin Pay Enables Pix QR Code Payments for Chinese Travelers in Brazil

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Weixin Pay makes it easier for Chinese visitors to spend at local businesses during their travels in Brazil

GUANGZHOU, China, Nov. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Weixin Pay today announced that, through collaboration with local payment partners, Chinese travelers can now scan Pix QR codes via Weixin and pay at participating merchants in Brazil, just as they would when making everyday purchases at home.

For participating Brazilian merchants, the service makes it easier to serve Chinese tourists: they receive payments in Brazilian reais without any additional steps at checkout. Visitors pay in renminbi through Weixin Pay, allowing them to shop and dine locally without having to exchange cash in advance or handle change.

Launched by the Central Bank of Brazil in 2020, Pix is Brazil’s national instant payment system and operates around the clock, every day of the year. According to the central bank, more than 170 million individuals, equivalent to around 80% of Brazil’s population, have used Pix.

Pix is accepted by around 15 million merchants in Brazil, with QR codes commonly found in shopping malls, restaurants, neighborhood stores and beachside stalls.

The service complements Brazil’s efforts to welcome Chinese tourists, including visa-free entry for valid ordinary passport holders through December 31, 2026, for cumulative stays of up to 30 days without extension. A smoother payment experience can make travel more convenient for Chinese visitors and support the development of Brazil’s tourism sector.

About Weixin Pay 

Weixin Pay is a mobile payment solution within Weixin/WeChat app and one of the leading mobile payment methods in China. It is dedicated to providing users and businesses with secure, convenient and professional payment services. In China, Weixin Pay touches almost every aspect of everyday life, providing both online and offline services and giving users a highly efficient and intelligent payment experience. Currently, Weixin Pay’s cross-border payment service is also available in 86 countries and regions, supporting settlement in 39 currencies. It covers a wide range of scenarios including dining, retail, transportation, attraction, and tuition payments, empowering overseas merchants to better connect with the vast China market.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/weixin-pay-enables-pix-qr-code-payments-for-chinese-travelers-in-brazil-302938863.html

SOURCE Weixin Pay

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