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ASK Investment Managers to Acquire SageOne; Samit Vartak to be CIO (Equities) of the combined platform

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The combined platform, backed by Blackstone, brings together ASK’s institutional scale and broad client reach, and SageOne’s research-driven, time-tested investment approach.

MUMBAI, India, Oct. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ASK Investment Managers (‘ASK IM’) today announced that it has entered into definitive agreements to acquire SageOne Investment Managers (‘SageOne’), an established asset manager operating across portfolio management services (PMS) and alternative investment funds (AIF). Samit Vartak, SageOne Founder and Chief Investment Officer will reinvest into ASK and continue in an expanded role as the Chief Investment Officer (Equities) of the combined asset management business.

The acquisition strengthens ASK IM’s equity investment capabilities and provides SageOne access to ASK’s global distribution footprint. Blackstone will remain the majority shareholder of the platform.

SageOne has established a differentiated performance track record through its disciplined, high-conviction investment approach. The SageOne Core Portfolio (SCP) is among the best performing domestic funds and has delivered annualized returns of 25.3% from April 1, 2012 to August 31, 2026, compared with 13.8% for the BSE 500 TRI during the same period. Over the last 3 years, the fund has delivered annualized returns of 19.4% compared with 12.1% for the BSE 500 TRI. The SageOne team led by Samit will continue to drive their investment function with the same consistent approach that has underpinned SageOne’s performance.

Samit is a veteran investor and comes with 25 years of investment experience across market cycles. Since founding SageOne in 2012, Samit has built the firm into a respected, high-performing investment franchise anchored in disciplined research.

ASK and SageOne will bring together more than INR 850 billion in assets under management, a deep pool of investment talent, and deep pan-India distribution and global institutional network. The platform will innovate strong investment products and drive scalability.

Mr. Sameer Koticha, Founder and Chairman of ASK Group said, “This is a strong strategic fit for ASK. SageOne has built an impressive investment business based on rigorous research, conviction and disciplined execution. Just as importantly, Samit is an exceptional investor and entrepreneur whose experience and perspective will be valuable across our platform. His appointment as our CIO (equities) will strengthen our investment leadership and help us serve clients with a broader set of high-quality investment solutions. We are very pleased to welcome Samit and the SageOne team to ASK.”

Mr. Samit Vartak, Founder and Chief Investment Officer of SageOne Investment Managers said, “This partnership is the right next step for SageOne. ASK gives us the scale and institutional support, without changing the philosophy and discipline that define how we invest. We also see significant value in being part of the broader Blackstone ecosystem, with access to its global perspectives, institutional capabilities and the ability to attract and nurture exceptional investment talent. Our ambition is to build one of the strongest investment teams improving our ability to deliver alpha for the clients. ASK and SageOne share a long-term approach and a strong belief in independent research. I look forward to working with ASK’s investment teams and contributing to the next phase of growth across the platform.”

Mr. Ganesh Mani, Senior Managing Director at Blackstone said, “We are bullish on the long-term compounding value of Indian asset and wealth management businesses and continue to invest in ASK’s growth. We believe that SageOne is the right addition to the ASK platform and solidifies ASK’s equities asset management business. We welcome Samit, whose expertise will strengthen the ASK leadership team and continue to deliver long-term value for our clients.”

The transaction is subject to customary regulatory and investor approvals and the completion of applicable regulatory processes.

The Rainmaker Group acted as the exclusive financial advisor to this transaction.

About ASK Group

ASK Group is a leading provider of asset and wealth management services, specializing in high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients. The Group’s diversified offerings include portfolio management, alternative investment funds, real estate private equity, wealth management, hedge solutions, non-banking financial services, private credit, and international investments. It has 20+ offices and branches across India, Dubai and Singapore, and caters to multiple asset classes and investors (such as HNI, institutional, family office, pension funds, funds of funds and sovereign wealth funds) across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. ASK Asset & Wealth Management Group manages assets over INR 770 billion as of March 31, 2026. ASK is majority owned by Blackstone Inc, a leading global investment firm with over $1.3 trillion of assets under management.

About SageOne Investment Managers:

Founded in 2012, SageOne Investment Managers is a SEBI & IFSCA registered investment management firm with offices in Pune, Mumbai and Gift City. The firm manages equity investments through Portfolio Management Services (PMS) and Category III Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) structures, with strategies oriented towards mid & small-cap space, including domestic and GIFT City offerings. As of Aug 31, 2026, SageOne manages nearly INR 90 billion of equity assets across its PMS and AIF structures for HNI and UHNI investors.

 

This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer or solicitation to invest. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investment strategies discussed herein may not be suitable for all investors. Investments in alternative investment funds involve risks, including loss of capital. No assurance is given that any investment objectives will be achieved.

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GIGABYTE AI TOP ATOM 64GB Unified Memory Version Expands Possibilities for Desktop AI Development

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TAIPEI, Oct. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — GIGABYTE today announced the launch of a new 64GB unified memory version of GIGABYTE AI TOP ATOM, expanding its existing 128GB offering. Available starting October 23, the new configuration retains the hardware design of AI TOP ATOM, based on the NVIDIA DGX Spark platform, giving developers, researchers, and enterprise teams greater flexibility to select the configuration that best fits their AI workloads and memory requirements, while enabling dedicated on-premises AI development environments.

As generative AI and agentic AI applications continue to evolve, model testing, data processing, and application validation are becoming increasingly integral to everyday development workflows. GIGABYTE AI TOP ATOM integrates AI computing capabilities into a compact desktop form factor, enabling users to perform model inference, prototype development, and data analysis in offices, laboratories, and educational environments. By running models and processing data locally, users can maintain greater control over development resources and project data while reducing reliance on cloud computing resources.

The new 64GB unified memory version, together with the existing high-capacity 128GB version, creates a more comprehensive AI TOP ATOM product lineup. Users can evaluate and select the memory capacity that best matches their model sizes, workflows, and multitasking requirements, enabling them to develop AI applications on the same platform and progress from early proof-of-concept development to practical deployment. With built-in ConnectX-7 networking, developers can cluster up to 4 units with NVIDIA Sync for larger memory pool and compute capability.

On the software side, AI TOP ATOM integrates NVIDIA CUDA accelerated AI software ecosystem with GIGABYTE AI TOP Utility, providing capabilities including model downloading, inference, and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) to help users establish local AI workflows. Developers can explore open models, test AI assistants, or leverage their own documents to build knowledge-based question-and-answer applications, allowing them to continuously refine and validate solutions based on project requirements and accelerate the transition from ideas to real-world applications.

GIGABYTE is also continuing to explore the potential of AI TOP ATOM for agentic AI applications. In a multi-node scientific computing demonstration, GIGABYTE integrated NVIDIA Nemotron open models with the NVIDIA NemoClaw open agent blueprint to connect research hypothesis generation with simulation workflows, demonstrating the potential of AI agents to support scientific research. Through the continued integration of hardware platforms, software tools, and real-world applications, GIGABYTE is committed to expanding the use cases for desktop AI computing.

With the addition of the 64GB unified memory version, AI TOP ATOM is now available in both 128GB and 64GB configurations, addressing the needs of users across different stages of AI development and application scales. GIGABYTE will continue to expand its AI TOP product portfolio and software ecosystem, helping individuals and enterprise teams build on-premises AI capabilities and bring AI from technology exploration into everyday applications.

The GIGABYTE AI TOP ATOM 64GB unified memory version is officially available starting October 23, 2026. Product availability, sales channels, and pricing may vary by region. Please refer to GIGABYTE’s official announcements and authorized local distributors for details.

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SOURCE GIGABYTE

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MEXC and Payward Signal Intent to Explore Broader Collaboration Ahead of TOKEN2049

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MUTSAMUDU, Comoros, Oct. 5, 2026 /CNW/ — MEXC, a pioneer in 0-fee digital asset trading, and Payward, the parent company of Kraken, are in discussions to explore a collaboration as both platforms look at how exchanges can better serve users across evolving global markets. The two companies will bring the conversation to TOKEN2049 Singapore, where MEXC CEO Vugar Usi Zade and Payward Co-CEO Arjun Sethi will join a panel on the MEXC Stage to discuss the next phase of trading platforms and share further perspectives on collaboration between exchanges.

The discussion comes as trading platforms respond to several shifts happening at the same time. Users are seeking broader access across crypto and traditional markets, AI is changing how investors research and interact with trading tools, and social trading is creating new ways to discover and participate in market opportunities. Against this backdrop, exchanges are increasingly looking beyond individual products toward how market access, infrastructure, liquidity and user experience can work together more effectively. As platforms evolve, exchange security and user asset protection will also remain an important part of the conversation.

As the exchange industry evolves, platforms are building different strengths across user experience, market access, infrastructure and trading capabilities. MEXC has focused on retail user experience, deep liquidity and perpetual trading across crypto and TradFi assets, while Payward brings global compliant financial infrastructure, professional trading capabilities and a strong U.S. market presence. These different strengths create room to explore where broader collaboration could add value for users.

“Users increasingly expect broader market access without more complexity,” said Vugar Usi Zade, CEO of MEXC. “The next stage of trading will require strong user experience, liquidity, infrastructure and market access to work more closely together. As exchanges continue to evolve, there is growing room to explore where collaboration across the industry can create more value for users.”

The TOKEN2049 panel will take place on October 7 from 12:30 to 13:00 at the MEXC Stage, and will explore the trends reshaping trading, how exchanges are preparing for changing user expectations, and where greater collaboration between platforms could create value. The conversation will also look at the convergence of crypto and TradFi, the growing role of AI in trading, and how global trading platforms may evolve as markets and infrastructure become more connected.

About MEXC

Founded in 2018, MEXC is a leading global multi-asset trading platform built as your 0-fee gateway to infinite opportunities. Serving users across 170+ markets, MEXC provides simple and efficient access to crypto, stocks, tokenized assets, derivatives, and a growing range of TradFi-linked opportunities through one account and one gateway.

With 0 trading fees, deep liquidity, broad asset coverage, and a high-performance trading experience, MEXC is designed for retail users who want to discover earlier, act faster, and trade with fewer barriers. As crypto and traditional finance continue to converge, MEXC is committed to making global opportunities more accessible, helping users trade freely and MEXCmize every opportunity.

MEXC Official Website| X | Telegram |How to Sign Up on MEXC

Risk Disclaimer:

This content does not constitute investment advice. Given the volatility of financial markets, including digital assets, tokenized assets, and traditional financial products, investors should carefully assess market conditions, underlying asset fundamentals, and potential financial risks before making any investment or trading decisions.

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SOURCE MEXC

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Solidion Technology (NASDAQ: STI) Remains Firm on Flux Power (NASDAQ: FLUX) Below Market Offer in Response to Flux Board Rejection

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Sees no Basis to Increase Its Offer as Flux Power Continues to Face Highly Dilutive Financing Requirements, Regulatory Issues, and Default Risk

DALLAS, Oct. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Solidion Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: STI) (“Solidion Technology” or “the Company”), an advanced battery technology solutions provider, today responded to the decision of the Board of Directors of Flux Power Holding, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLUX) (“Flux Power” or “Flux”) to reject Solidion’s previously announced acquisition proposal. Solidion considers its bid to be best and final.

“Solidion strongly disagrees with the Flux Power Board’s assertion that its proposal ‘significantly undervalues’ the company,” said Jaymes Winters, Chairman and CEO of Solidion Technology. “This offer takes into account the capital and execution required to stabilize the business, and Solidion has no intention of increasing its offer at this time.”

Winters continues, “Solidion is and always will be an opportunistic acquirer of companies it believes will complement and amplify its existing technology. In doing so, we will be resolute custodians of our shareholder value and not seek opportunities that are overpriced, beyond repair or not related to Solidion’s growth strategy. We will continue to pursue other prospects in parallel with FLUX.”

In Solidion’s opinion:

Flux Power still faces an immediate need for capital, resulting in highly discounted equity issuance: Private placements, equity lines of credit or other highly dilutive capital facilities used in this distressed manner (which may have been utilized on 10/02/2026) will only accelerate the loss of shareholder value. If the Board believes that its strategy offers greater shareholder value, Solidion believes that shareholders deserve to know how much additional capital will be required, where it will come from, and what it could cost existing shareholders.In order to meet their stated objectives, Flux Power requires, at minimum, $10 million in fresh capital: In order to achieve this without substantial shareholder dilution, the only alternative financing path is an acquisition of Flux by a stronger company.Flux Power continues to face NASDAQ listing pressure: On July 24, 2026, Flux Power received notice from NASDAQ that its common stock had closed below the $1.00 minimum bid price for 30 consecutive business days, providing an initial 180-day period to regain compliance. Additionally, in the event that a reverse stock split becomes necessary, the post-stock split decay risk has historically resulted in a 20-40% decline in the price per share.Changing macroeconomic winds remain a significant risk: Flux Power’s expectations for easing headwinds overlook continued uncertainty in the macroeconomic environment, particularly with regard to the significant tariff exposure facing its supply chain. In order to overcome these challenges, a company with a strong balance sheet is far better suited to weather macroeconomic uncertainties.

Solidion believes that Flux Power shareholders should be given the transparency and information necessary to make an informed assessment of the condition of Flux’s ability to continue as a going concern, and deserve a clear choice between an acquisition that provides a large degree of certainty or continuing to fund a turnaround whose ultimate cost, dilution, and outcome remain critically uncertain.

About Solidion Technology, Inc.

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas with pilot production facilities in Dayton, Ohio, Solidion’s (NASDAQ: STI) core business includes manufacturing of battery materials and components, as well as development and production of next-generation batteries for energy storage systems, including UPS systems serving the artificial intelligence (AI) data center market and electric vehicles for ground, aerospace, and sea transportation. Solidion holds a portfolio of over 385 patents, covering innovations such as high-capacity, silane gas free and graphene-enabled silicon anodes, biomass-based graphite, advanced lithium-sulfur and lithium-metal technologies.

For more information, please visit www.solidiontech.com or contact Investor Relations.

Important Information Regarding the Proposed Transaction

Solidion has expressed its interest in pursuing a potential acquisition of Flux Power Holdings, Inc. No assurance can be given that a definitive agreement will be entered into or that any transaction will ultimately be commenced or consummated. This is not a legally binding obligation, offer, or commitment by either party. No past, present, or future expression of intent, proposal, discussion, or course of conduct shall give rise to any legally binding contract or obligation to proceed with or close the proposed transaction unless and until a definitive written acquisition agreement has been fully executed. Any proposed transaction would be subject to applicable legal and regulatory requirements, the completion of due diligence, financing considerations, required approvals and other customary conditions.

This communication is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to purchase or a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities. Additionally, this communication does not constitute an offer to buy or solicitation of an offer to sell any securities. This communication relates to a proposal which Solidion has made for a business combination transaction with  Flux. This communication is not a substitute for any proxy statement, registration statement, tender offer statement, prospectus or other document the parties may file with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction.  This document shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. If and when a transaction is commenced, Solidion expects to file applicable materials with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors and security holders are urged to read such materials carefully and in their entirety when and if they become available because they will contain important information.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Solidion Technology Inc., (NASDAQ: STI) (the “Company,” “Solidion,” “we,” “our” or “us”) desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words “forecasts” “believe,” “may,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “should,” “plan,” “could,” “target,” “potential,” “is likely,” “expect” and similar expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

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