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Barry Silverstein and David Velasquez Named to Newly Formed Strategic Advisory Board, Myrias Optics

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AMHERST, Mass., Aug. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Myrias Optics, a world leader in wafer-level metaoptics and diffractive optical technologies, today announced the formation of its Strategic Advisory Board (SAB) and the appointment of Barry Silverstein and David “Dave” Velasquez as its inaugural members.

The Strategic Advisory Board will advise Myrias’ leadership team as the company advances the commercialization and scale-up of its proprietary all-inorganic nanoimprint manufacturing platform. Its initial focus will include technology and product roadmaps, strategic customer engagement, manufacturing scale-up, capital allocation, and market expansion across augmented reality, consumer electronics, semiconductor, aerospace and defense, advanced imaging, and other high-growth optical markets.

“The formation of our Strategic Advisory Board is an important step in Myrias’ evolution from a breakthrough technology company into a trusted commercial partner ready to support our customers as they start to scale,” said John Fijol, Chief Executive Officer of Myrias Optics. “Barry and Dave bring exceptional and highly complementary experience. Barry has helped define the future of AR display and optical systems, while Dave has repeatedly converted complex, capital-intensive technologies into large, profitable global businesses. Their guidance will strengthen our ability to align innovation with customer needs, accelerate qualification, and build the partnerships required for high-volume adoption.”

Barry Silverstein

Barry Silverstein is a recognized leader in augmented reality (AR), display technology, and advanced optical systems. In 2026, he joined the University of Rochester faculty as Director of the Center for Extended Reality after serving as Senior Director and Chief Technology Officer of Optics and Display at Meta’s Reality Labs.

During seven years leading optics and display research at Meta, Silverstein focused on creating smaller, lighter, and more efficient visual imaging systems. His work included microLED, liquid crystal on silicon, silicon carbide, and laser-scanning display engines; lightweight, high-refractive-index materials; and waveguide architectures based on volume holography, polarization volume holograms, and surface-relief gratings. Across Meta, IMAX, and Kodak, his career has spanned the research, development, and commercialization of optical systems, laser projection, sensing, imaging and printing, space imaging, and optical recording.

Silverstein received a 2024 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Scientific and Engineering Award for contributions to the design and development of the IMAX Prismless Laser Projector. He is named on 100 awarded U.S. patents and has led multiple successful patent and technology licensing programs.

“Myrias has developed a differentiated platform with the potential to address some of the most important optical performance, manufacturability, and cost challenges facing next-generation AR and imaging systems,” said Silverstein. “I look forward to helping the team connect its materials and process advantages to the system-level requirements that will drive commercial adoption.”

David “Dave” Velasquez

Velasquez is a board director, strategic advisor, and technology commercialization executive with 25 years of experience helping industrial and technology companies translate breakthrough engineering into scaled, profitable global businesses. His work spans semiconductors, photonics, advanced materials and packaging, and aerospace and defense, and he is particularly focused on portfolio strategy for capital-intensive technology businesses; where to place bets, how to structure customer partnerships that share risk, and how to align technology roadmaps with commercial execution. Since 2025, he has led Horizon Delta LLC, an independent advisory practice serving CEOs, boards, and investors.

Velasquez spent 25 years at Corning Incorporated, culminating in Corporate Vice President and General Manager roles leading the $1.2 billion Gorilla Glass and Augmented Reality division and the $600 million Advanced Optics division. His record includes leading global manufacturing networks, securing more than $200 million in customer co-investments for capacity expansion, structuring long-term supply and intellectual property agreements, and aligning multi-year technology roadmaps with Tier 1 customers in semiconductors, consumer electronics, and defense. He has served on the boards of Bharat Innovative Glass Technologies, Mosaic Microsystems, and Menlo Microsystems.

Velasquez began his career as a U.S. Army officer and AH-64 Apache helicopter officer. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS in Systems Engineering, with honors, from the United States Military Academy at West Point.

“Myrias has built a differentiated optics platform at exactly the moment the market needs one,” said Velasquez. “The work ahead is picking the right customer partnerships, structuring them so risk and reward are shared, and building the manufacturing scale-up path that turns technical leadership into durable market position. That is the work I am here to help with.”

About Myrias Optics

Myrias Optics focuses on metaoptics, diffractive optics, and AR waveguides, delivering wafer-level optical solutions that integrate advanced nanostructures with cost-efficient, high-throughput manufacturing. The company’s proprietary all-inorganic nanoimprinting technology enables precision optical components with industry-leading material performance, strong yield characteristics, and a clear path to production-scale deployment.

For more information: https://myriasoptics.com/
Contact: Info@myriasoptics.com

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Guidepoint Relocates Shanghai Office to Strengthen Regional Presence

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SHANGHAI, Sept. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Guidepoint, a global pioneer in access to expert insight, today announced the relocation of its Shanghai office to the Bund Center on East Yan’an Road.

Building on more than a decade of sustained growth in China, the relocation positions Guidepoint in the heart of Shanghai’s business district, bringing the firm closer to the clients and partners it serves while providing a modern, collaborative workspace for its growing team.

“Research today has evolved beyond standalone expert calls to more connected, AI-enabled workflows,” said Michael Wang, Guidepoint’s Director and Head of China. “The new Shanghai office brings together capabilities across research, product innovation, compliance, and operations, reinforcing Guidepoint’s commitment to delivering source-backed insight through rigorous standards, transparency, and integrity.”

“Shanghai remains one of the world’s most influential centers for business and finance, connecting decision-makers across industries and markets,” said Chris Bonsi, Head of APAC. “This relocation reinforces our long-term commitment to the region and strengthens our ability to serve clients and attract top talent.”

As demand for expert-led, source-backed insight continues to grow, Guidepoint is focused on expanding its research capabilities by combining expert knowledge, proprietary content, and technology-enabled workflows to help clients move from uncertainty to conviction with greater speed and confidence.

About Guidepoint
Guidepoint provides real-time access to expert insights, combining human expertise with AI-powered research tools to deliver knowledge at scale. Backed by a global network of more than 2M+ subject-matter experts, Guidepoint equips institutional investors, consulting firms, and corporations with the context they need across companies, markets, and trends. Through live, asynchronous, and agentic workflows, Guidepoint embeds expert knowledge directly into decision-making, turning answers into action when timing matters most.

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Reap Launches First Ever Managed Fraud and Risk Service for Card Programs

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Reap Sentry configures and manages fraud controls for clients’ card programs, eliminating the need for additional monitoring tools or in-house fraud specialists.

HONG KONG, Sept. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Reap, a global financial technology company that enables financial connectivity and access for businesses worldwide through stablecoin-enabled infrastructure, today announced the launch of Reap Sentry, a managed card fraud and risk service. Through Sentry, Reap manages a client’s end-to-end transaction risk management – from configuring fraud rules and screening authorisations in real time to investigating alerts, processing chargebacks, and reporting confirmed fraud to Visa. Clients do not need to build or license additional fraud-monitoring tools, or hire a dedicated fraud team.

Payment card fraud losses worldwide totalled USD 33.41 billion in 2024 (The Nilson Report, January 2026), tied to global card volume of USD 51.920 trillion (The Nilson Report, January 2026). Every card in circulation is a live payment instrument, with authorisation decisions made in milliseconds. Fraud must be stopped at the point of authorisation, not afterwards, as the knock-on costs of fraud can often exceed the value of the fraud itself. Meanwhile, evolving attack patterns make fraud management an ongoing operational function.

Built on the technology within Reap’s issuing portfolio, Sentry combines the fraud policy, tooling, and day-to-day operations required to manage transaction risk effectively. Having issued millions of cards over eight years of card issuance, Reap brings to Sentry controls informed by fraud patterns observed across its entire issuing portfolio. These controls are tailored to each client’s business profile, including its cardholder segments, geographic footprint, and stated risk appetite.

Sentry conducts ongoing screening and declines suspected fraud in real time at authorisation; triages and investigates alerts; and continuously updates controls as new threats emerge, including BIN attacks and merchant breaches. The service also processes and represents chargebacks submitted by clients, reports confirmed fraud, and provides program performance reporting on an agreed cadence. Controls are reviewed and refined as each program evolves, without requiring client intervention. Clients can integrate with Sentry through a single Reap API.

Reap protects the authorisation layer it operates and observes, while clients retain responsibility for the cardholder relationship and key first-party fraud entry points, including onboarding, identity verification and account access.

“Most companies launching a card programme have to build a fraud function from day one. Doing so requires specialist tooling, dedicated expertise and several months of preparation before they can safely issue a single card, by which point the threat landscape may already have shifted. That is rarely how a team wants its first months to go.” said Harris Leow, Head of Product, Reap. “Sentry takes on that entire card fraud function: our controls, data and specialists, tailored to each card programme.”

Sentry is available to new Reap card issuing clients and to existing clients at contract renewal, on Reap’s own API.

To find out more about Sentry, visit our website: https://reap.global/products/sentry-fraud-risk-management

About Reap
Reap is a global financial technology company that enables financial connectivity and access for businesses worldwide through stablecoin-enabled infrastructure. We transform the financial landscape through more efficient money movement by merging traditional finance with digital assets, bridging disparate economies and connecting key financial markets.

Reap was an early leader in Asia to incorporate stablecoins into our solutions. In 2025, Reap processed billions in stablecoin-funded transaction flows. From stablecoin-enabled corporate cards to cross-border payments, we streamline financial operations and empower companies to scale with our integrated business accounts and embedded finance solutions.

Founded and headquartered in Hong Kong, Reap employs 300 people worldwide. More information about Reap can be found at reap.global.

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Envision Energy Powers Morocco’s First Large-Scale Battery Storage System at OCP’s Benguerir Mining Site

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BENGUERIR, Morocco, Sept. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Envision Energy, a global leader in green technology, today announced the successful energisation of Morocco’s first large-scale lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery energy storage system at OCP Green Energy’s Benguerir mining site. The 25 MW / 125 MWh system was supplied and commissioned by Envision Energy under a contract signed in late 2025, and is now undergoing testing before entering commercial operation.

Envision Energy provided the full storage system and led the commissioning work, integrating the BESS with the site’s solar generation, grid conditions and industrial load profile. The system is designed to shift surplus solar power from daytime generation to peak consumption hours, reducing the site’s peak-hour electricity bill by approximately 25%.

With five hours of storage capacity, the BESS functions as an industrial energy management tool rather than a short-duration grid asset. It is supported by USD 20 million from the Clean Technology Fund, managed through the African Development Bank Group, and is designed for a 25-year lifetime with daily charge-discharge cycles. For OCP, the value lies not in battery capacity, but in the system’s ability to reduce peak-hour costs over a 25-year operating life.

“The successful energisation of Morocco’s first large-scale battery storage project demonstrates the reliability, flexibility and cost-effectiveness of integrated renewable-plus-storage solutions in industrial applications,” said John Lee, General Manager of Envision Energy for the Middle East and Africa. “Envision is proud to be part of this landmark project and to contribute green technology to Morocco’s energy transition.”

As highlighted in OCP Group’s official press release announcing the milestone, Omar Kadir, CEO of OCP Green Energy, said: Storage is the natural extension of our energy strategy. It allows us to reconcile the variable output of renewable energy with the continuous needs of our industrial platforms, while strengthening the reliability of our energy supply. Beyond OCP Group’s own needs, this technology paves the way for a more harmonious integration of renewable energy into the national power system. By bringing greater flexibility and resilience to the grid, it will help accelerate the deployment of renewable capacity.”

The project marks a significant milestone for battery storage and industrial decarbonisation in Morocco. It supports the country’s target of achieving 52% of installed electricity capacity from renewable sources by 2030 and serves as a benchmark for industrial decarbonisation across Africa.

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