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Federated Hermes enters strategic alliance with Conduit Digital Holdings on tokenized money market fund in Asia Pacific

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Builds on over 50-years of money markets innovationFurther evidence of commitment to evolving Digital Assets Product and StrategyContinues growth of APAC product offering following recent announcement of Hong Kong expansion plans

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Federated Hermes, Inc. (NYSE: FHI), a global leader in active investing, today announced a strategic alliance with Singapore-based Conduit Digital Holdings Pte Ltd, part of the Conduit Group, to support the launch of a regulated tokenized distribution structure in APAC. Under this arrangement, the Conduit-managed investment fund will invest in the Federated Hermes Short-Term U.S. Prime Fund. Shares of the Conduit fund, which provide exposure to the underlying Federated Hermes fund, will then be tokenized and offered to institutional and wholesale investors, in APAC.

For over 50 years, Federated Hermes has been a leader in money market innovation with US$676.9 billion1 in money market assets under management. The Federated Hermes Short-Term U.S. Prime Fund is an actively managed, UCITS-authorized money market fund that aims to provide current income while maintaining daily liquidity and a stable principal value. It invests primarily in high-quality, U.S. dollar-denominated short-term debt instruments like commercial paper and certificates of deposit.

Federated Hermes’ strategic alliance with Conduit builds on a series of recent money market initiatives including: an alliance with UK-based Archax, an FCA-regulated digital securities exchange, to provide tokenized access to three UCITS money market funds; participation in an industry-wide, regulated initiative using mirrored tokenization to enhance transferability, collateral utility and real-time tracking of fund shares; and the launch of Federated Hermes’ first GENIUS Act-aligned money market fund in the US, designed to support stablecoin reserve use cases, with potential for future tokenization/tokenized share classes.

Federated Hermes’ approach to regulated digital assets, tokenization and next-generation investment infrastructure is led by Kevin Barr, who was appointed as Director, Digital Assets Product and Platform Strategy in May 2026.

This announcement represents Federated Hermes’ first digital assets initiative in APAC, demonstrating a continued commitment to the growing digital asset ecosystem in the market by enhancing visibility and supporting customer needs through its role as the underlying asset manager to this tokenized offering. Earlier this year, Federated Hermes announced plans to expand its Asia-Pacific footprint – which includes existing offices in Singapore, Tokyo and Sydney – with the opening of a Hong Kong office as part of a long-term growth strategy to deepen relationships with private banks, family offices, wealth intermediaries and institutional investors across the region.

1As of 30 June 2026

Kevin Barr, Director, Digital Assets Product and Platform Strategy at Federated Hermes comments: “We are excited to support innovative cash management solutions that better serve client needs, building on our legacy of innovation in the money market fund space. Vaults represent a compelling evolution in investment management, and we see a significant opportunity to bring our legacy of trust and fiduciary responsibility to this emerging space. We continue to explore on-chain distribution opportunities to enhance flexibility and accessibility, while preserving access to the stability and yield characteristics typically associated with money market funds. Today’s announcement reflects our continued commitment to building a larger digital asset presence, leveraging one of our core strengths in liquidity management.

Jim Roland, Head of Business Development, Asia Pacific and Australia at Federated Hermes further added: “Tokenized products represent a new and evolving way to engage with our clients, combining our investment expertise with Conduit’s MAS-regulated end-to-end tokenization capabilities and regional distribution network. Our customers in the APAC market are leading worldwide adoption of tokenization, making this strategically important region a highly receptive market the natural choice for the launch our latest digital assets initiative.”

Richard Schroder, Co-Founder and CEO of Conduit Digital Holdings commented: “We are delighted to work with Federated Hermes to have their U.S. Prime Fund as the anchor product of the CDH tokenized multicurrency money market offering. We are committed to unlocking the full utility of these tokens – moving beyond simple settlement to enable use as collateral, multicurrency management, and integration into AI agentic treasury management systems. This is where the real efficiency gains for our customers lie, and we are building the infrastructure to make that a reality.” 

Chris O’Meara, CEO of Conduit Asset Management and Chairman of the Conduit Group, added: “This collaboration with Federated Hermes marks a defining moment for the Conduit Group. Conduit Digital Holdings sits at the heart of our vision for the future of asset management in Asia-Pacific – bringing institutional-grade products onchain through regulated, MAS-licensed infrastructure. As investment manager to the fund, Conduit Asset Management is proud to combine our fiduciary oversight with the strength of an active manager with over 50 years of money market leadership. The Group is fully committed to Conduit Digital Holding’s growth, and this launch is only the first step in building the institutional access layer for tokenized real-world assets across the region.”

For further information, please contact:

Federated Hermes
press@federatedhermes.com 

Conduit
cdh@conduit.group

This is a corporate communication and is not to be construed as a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any securities in the US. Shares of the fund have not been and will not be registered under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”) or the securities laws of any of the states of the US. The Shares may not be offered or sold directly or indirectly in the US or to or for the account or benefit of any US Person.

About Federated Hermes

Federated Hermes, Inc. (NYSE: FHI) is a global leader in active investment management, with $911.6 billion in assets under management, as of June 30, 2026. We deliver investment solutions that help investors target a broad range of outcomes and provide equity, fixed-income, alternative/private markets, multi-asset and liquidity management strategies to more than 11,000 institutions and intermediaries worldwide. Our clients include corporations, government entities, insurance companies, foundations and endowments, banks and broker/dealers. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Federated Hermes has more than 2,000 employees in London, New York, Boston and offices worldwide. For more information, visit FederatedHermes.com.

About Conduit Digital Holdings

Conduit Digital Holdings (CDH) is a specialized digital assets firm dedicated to the tokenization of Real-World Assets. By leveraging distributed ledger technology (DLT), we work with investment managers to provide investors with fractional access to high-value assets with enhanced liquidity, automated compliance, and real-time settlement. CDH was created by Conduit Group in Singapore, a leading independent investment and financial services firm.
Website: https://www.conduit.group/

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SOURCE Federated Hermes, Inc.

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3M announces collaboration with GSEO to advance Expanded Beam Optical manufacturing and development

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ST. PAUL, Minn., Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — 3M (NYSE: MMM) today announced a collaboration with Genius Electronic Optical Co., Ltd. (GSEO, Taiwan: 3406), an optical technology company, to advance technology development and manufacturing for 3M’s Expanded Beam Optical (EBO) solutions. In support of these efforts, 3M expects to make a strategic investment to acquire approximately 4.7% of GSEO’s common shares as part of the company’s private placement of newly issued shares, subject to customary closing conditions.

The collaboration brings together 3M’s EBO technology leadership, optical interconnect expertise, materials science, manufacturing scale and customer relationships with GSEO’s precision optics manufacturing capabilities and production scale. Together, the companies aim to support EBO commercialization and long-term capacity expansion to meet growing demand from hyperscale data centers and other advanced connectivity applications.

“3M is investing in capabilities and partnerships that can accelerate innovation for our customers,” said William Brown, 3M Chairman and CEO. “By selecting GSEO as a manufacturing partner and investing in the company, we are strengthening the path to scale next-generation optical connectivity solutions for high-performance data center infrastructure.”

GSEO’s existing precision optics manufacturing capabilities and technical development experience are expected to support manufacturing readiness for 3M’s EBO ferrules, co-packaged optics solutions and related optical interconnect applications. The collaboration is part of 3M’s broader EBO ecosystem strategy, which includes continued work with customers and partners across the optical interconnect market.

“GSEO is pleased to expand its relationship with 3M as we work together to advance optical interconnect solutions for next-generation data center infrastructure,” said Micro Kuo, GSEO CEO and President. “This collaboration brings together complementary technology and manufacturing strengths to support continued innovation and help meet the performance demands of high-growth connectivity markets.”

3M expects the strategic investment to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this release are considered “forward-looking statements” under the federal securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, and are intended to enjoy the protection of those laws. Forward-looking statements may appear throughout this release and are typically identified by the words “aim,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “can,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “evaluate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “future,” “goal,” “guidance,” “impact,” “initial,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “outlook,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “probable,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “strategy,” “target,” “will,” “would,” and other words that are similar to, or have the opposite meanings of, those words. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, 3M assumes no duty to update those statements, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of those statements. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and expectations of future events and trends that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including those described in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors” of 3M’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025.

About 3M
3M (NYSE: MMM) is focused on transforming industries around the world by applying science and creating innovative, customer-focused solutions. Our multi-disciplinary team is working to solve tough customer problems by leveraging diverse technology platforms, differentiated capabilities, global footprint, and operational excellence. Discover how 3M is shaping the future at 3M.com/news.

Contacts
3M
Investor Contact:
Diane Farrow, 612-202-2449
Media Contact:
3MNews@mmm.com 

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SOURCE 3M Company

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Scott Vicknair Personal Injury Lawyers Announces Second Annual Operation Fur-Ever Home Pet Adoption Event at Lafreniere Park

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NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Scott Vicknair Personal Injury Lawyers is excited to announce the return of its second annual Operation Fur-Ever Home, a free community pet adoption event taking place on Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Lafreniere Park in Metairie, Louisiana.

The free, family-friendly event will give attendees the opportunity to meet adoptable pets from local animal shelters, learn about responsible pet ownership, and potentially welcome a new furry companion into their homes. Those who preregister for the event will also be entered for a chance to win a Soundcore speaker and a free pet adoption.

“Last year’s event was everything we hoped it would be, and we are incredibly excited to bring Operation Fur-Ever Home back for a second year,” said David Vicknair, founding partner of Scott Vicknair Personal Injury Lawyers. “There is something special about watching a family meet a pet that could become part of their lives for years to come. We wanted to create another opportunity to make those connections while supporting the organizations that work tirelessly to care for animals in our community.”

Building on the success of the first event, this year’s event continues the firm’s commitment to supporting local animal shelters and creating meaningful opportunities for families throughout Southeast Louisiana.

“Giving back to our community has always been an important part of who we are as a firm,” said Vicknair. “Whether we are helping students prepare for school, recognizing deserving teachers, or supporting local animal shelters, our goal is to make a positive difference in the communities we serve.”

Operation Fur-Ever Home is free and open to the public. Families, animal lovers, and anyone interested in adopting a pet are encouraged to attend and preregister.

About Scott Vicknair Personal Injury Lawyers

Scott Vicknair Personal Injury Lawyers is a New Orleans-based personal injury firm committed to providing exceptional legal representation while also investing in the communities it serves. Their experienced team of dedicated attorneys specializes in car accidents, personal injury, and wrongful death cases in New Orleans. With diverse personal and professional backgrounds, they craft legal strategies tailored to each client’s specific case and needs.

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SOURCE Scott Vicknair Personal Injury Lawyers

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Can we produce low-cost omega-3s without relying on fish?

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GOLD COAST, Australia, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Southern Cross University researchers are aiming to halve the cost of producing omega-3 supplements to make these essential nutrients more accessible to pregnant women and infants in low-income countries, backed by the University’s first-ever grant from The Gates Foundation.

The research takes a novel approach: rather than relying on fish oil, the team is going closer to the original source of omega-3. Fish don’t produce omega-3 themselves – they accumulate it from marine microorganisms lower in the food chain.

Led by Professor Dirk Erler from Southern Cross University’s Faculty of Science and Engineering, the team is investigating how these naturally omega-3-producing microorganisms can be grown more cheaply through precision fermentation, including the use of agricultural and food-processing by-products as a source of fermentation sugar.

Omega-3 is an important nutrient during pregnancy and early life, supporting brain and nervous system development in babies. But the cost of supplements remains a significant barrier to access in many low-income countries.

“The main barrier for the uptake of omega-3s as supplements in pregnant women is the cost,” Professor Erler said.

“The whole objective of our project is to reduce that cost and make omega-3 supplements more available.”

The research team at Southern Cross University, which includes biomedical scientist Dr Nedeljka Rosic, Dr Shane McIntosh, postdoctoral researcher Dr Jasmine Haskell and PhD researcher Michael Ingram, is focused on growing omega-3-producing marine microorganisms known as thraustochytrids – or ‘throstys’ for short.

“By growing those microorganisms on land through precision fermentation, we have an alternative way of producing omega-3s that is both reliable and highly targeted,” Professor Erler said.

Precision fermentation allows the researchers to grow thraustochytrids under controlled conditions to produce omega-3 oils. The team is investigating whether expensive feedstocks used in the process can be replaced with lower-cost agricultural and food-processing by-products, helping drive down the overall cost of production.

The approach could also reduce reliance on wild-caught fish as a source of omega-3 oil and create a more reliable, scalable, and local supply.

For biomedical scientist Dr Nedeljka Rosic, the production challenge is ultimately about what greater access to omega-3 could mean for women and babies.

“As a biomedical scientist, my purpose is to find ways to use science to improve people’s health,” Dr Rosic said.

“This project is important because it aims to improve the health of pregnant women and children and reduce preterm births through simple dietary improvements.”

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/can-we-produce-low-cost-omega-3s-without-relying-on-fish-302893631.html

SOURCE Southern Cross University

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