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DECISION MAKERS TO CONVENE AT ASIA PACIFIC MARITIME’S BIGGEST EDITION YET

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Themed Future of Vessels, Solutions for Tomorrow, Southeast Asia’s premier trade exhibition and conference will host a series of new launches and strategic discussions across six halls at the Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre

SINGAPORE, Feb. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — In just two weeks, the highly anticipated 18th edition of Asia Pacific Maritime (APM) is set to herald the largest gathering of the global maritime value chain in Southeast Asia. From 13 to 15 March 2024, over 1,400 global brands will be present at the conference and exhibition, spanning 17 pavilions across six expansive halls of Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands.

From closed-door networking sessions and delegation visits to product launches and business announcements, APM 2024 will serve as a platform for fostering tangible connections and sharing insights that will propel the maritime industry forward in today’s landscape of transformative changes driven by technology, climate imperatives, and shifting geopolitical landscape.

APM 2024 Conference

Close to 120 industry experts from Singapore and across the world will share their insights and expertise in Sustainability, Digitalisation, Cybersecurity, Next Gen Ports and Operational Excellence across two stages on the floor. The Main Stage will focus on tackling growth and business potential in maritime, while the Innovation Stage will present case studies, leading innovations, and inspiring visions to help companies overcome challenges in business growth.  

At the heart of the APM conference will be a keynote panel discussion titled “A Net Zero Carbon Maritime Industry – Will We Ever Get There?” as the first session at the Main Stage on 13 March 2024. The panel will bring together some of the key leaders in the industry to discuss regulatory and policy frameworks and dissect the industry’s trajectory towards carbon neutrality, examining challenges, opportunities, and the feasibility of achieving this ambitious goal. They include Andreea Miu, Head of Decarbonisation, The Sustainable Shipping Initiative; Douglas Raitt, Area Commercial Manager Singapore, Southeast Asia & Australasia, Lloyd’s Register; Capt. Hari Subramaniam, Chairperson, The Nautical Institute (Singapore) & Regional Head of Business Relations, The Shipowners Mutual P&I Association (Luxembourg) (Singapore Branch); Jason Chia, Assistant Vice President, Global Design Centre, Seatrium; Kenneth Lim, Assistant Chief Executive (Industry & Transformation), Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA); Dr. Sanjay Kuttan, Chief Technology Officer, Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation; Torben Nørgaard, Chief Technology Officer – Energy & Fuels, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping; Toshikazu Shiomi, Senior Vice President, Ocean Network Express. 

Kenneth Lim, Assistant Chief Executive (Industry & Transformation), Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), commented, “Singapore, as a forward-looking maritime hub, has been at the forefront driving digitalisation and decarbonisation for the maritime industry. We look forward to meeting like-minded individuals and organisations from all over the world to discuss achieving net-zero emissions through technological innovations, alternative fuels, regulatory frameworks, and collaboration among industry stakeholders. MPA looks forward to contributing to the global efforts in transforming the maritime industry and combat climate change.”

“We must relentlessly continue our ambition to decarbonise in accordance with the 1.5°C target. A substantial increase in upstream investments in alternative fuels is critical for the maritime decarbonisation journey. I am looking forward to sitting down with other maritime leaders at APM 2024 to bring these discussions forward,” said Torben Nørgaard, Chief Technology Officer – Energy & Fuels, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping.

Sessions curated for the conference, which is sponsored by ABS WaveSight, Convera, DNV, Roxtec, Yinson GreenTech, ARI Simulation and Siemens Energy, include:

Market Intelligence: Shipping Outlook for 2024 and Beyond – What Lies AheadIs the Maritime Sector Struggling to Innovate?Developing a Future-Ready Maritime WorkforceGreen Shipping Corridors: Fostering Eco-Friendly Transportation NetworksRise of Green Ammonia: What is Needed to Make it a Success?

Industry veteran Carmelita Hartoto, Chairwoman of the Indonesia Shipowners’ Association (INSA) and Chair of Federation ASEAN Shipowner’s Association (FASA), will be speaking on the opening day. Her session on “Indonesian Maritime Future Energy – Opportunities and Challenges” will focus on the industry’s status, growth forecasts, and decarbonisation strategies while also exploring opportunities for collaboration to establish a green maritime plan involving electrification and green hub development. Other speakers attendees can look forward to seeing:

Ashish Mediratta, Head of Crewing, A.P. Moller MaerskDr. Chunwee Ng, Associate Professor, Singapore Institute of TechnologyElizabeth Petit Gonzalez, Head of Partnerships, The Sustainable Shipping InitiativeJan-Viggo Johansen, Managing Director, Marine, Yinson GreenTechMurthy Pasumarthy, Assistant Vice President, Technology & New Product Development, SeatriumNorberto Barlocco, Head of Operations for Electrical, Automation & Digitalisation South West Europe, Siemens Energy Sanjay Verma, Director, Decarbonisation Solutions, Wärtsilä

For the complete list of speakers, visit www.apmaritime.com

Separately, the Satellite Mobility World seminar happening on the afternoon of 14 March at the Innovation Stage will delve into the latest advancements in maritime broadband communications. Titled “Unlocking The Future of Broadband at Sea: How Multi-Orbit Connectivity Is Propelling Maritime Forward”, the sessions will be led by Speedcast, OneWeb, Intellian, Kymeta, Intelsat and Iridium. Attendees can expect discussions on cutting-edge technologies like Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) services, flat panel antennas and multi-orbit constellations shaping the future of maritime connectivity.

Innovative Solutions at APM 2024 Exhibition

As the maritime industry prepares for a significant surge in the adoption of technologies such as autonomous vessels, drones, additive manufacturing, smart coatings, artificial intelligence (AI), digital twins, hydrogen fuel cell, carbon capture, and more, APM will stand as a pivotal platform for the unveiling of such solutions to drive the industry forward.

Attendees can expect to see 1,400 leading brands, including Amogy, CALB Group Co., Ltd, Damen Shipyard, Durapower, EST-Floattech, EVE Energy Storage Co., Ltd, Fincantieri, Siemens Energy, ST Engineering Ventures, Tersan Shipyard, VertiDrive and many more.

Some of the key activities on-site will include:

Nippon Paint (Stand B-M16) will launch two groundbreaking products that promise to redefine the maritime coating industry. AQUATERRAS, hailed as the world’s first biocide-free self-polishing coating, offers exceptional long-term fouling protection while being environmentally friendly, thanks to its unique micro-domain structures. Complementing this is FASTAR, a new generation antifouling paint utilising nano-binder technology, delivering high performance while aiding emissions abatement and energy efficiency targets.Flyability will be showcasing the Elios 3 drone at their stand C-E42. Renowned for its safety and efficiency in inspection use, the Elios 3 will be demonstrated on its applications in maritime operations.

Carmelita Hartoto will also lead a contingent of Indonesian shipowners to APM 2024. She shared, “In my role as Chairwoman of INSA and Chairperson on ASEAN Shipowners, my mission is to enhance national and regional shipping with international stakeholders. Indonesia’s and ASEAN’s shipping industry has been growing significantly in recent years, so there is no better time to present ourselves on the world stage to enhance global awareness of our capabilities and needs. For APM, I am looking forward to having our shipowners network and prospect with companies from all over the world and to learn from all the different stakeholders in the maritime sector.”

“After weathering the storm of the global pandemic, the resurgence of APM in its grandest form is a testament to the unwavering resilience and determination of our maritime community and the pivotal role of APM, which has been supporting the ecosystem for the last three decades. We look forward to welcoming participants from around the globe as we embark on this journey towards a more sustainable and prosperous maritime future,” said Yeow Hui Leng, Group Project Director, RX, the organiser of APM.

All registered professionals for APM 2024 will be granted free access to both exhibition and conference floors. For the latest information on APM 2024, please visit the event website, LinkedIn, or Facebook pages.

About Asia Pacific Maritime (APM)

Asia Pacific Maritime (APM) is the premier exhibition and conference in Asia showcasing Shipbuilding & Marine, Workboat, Offshore, Port Technology. It is the largest meeting place for the global maritime value chain where over 14,000 professionals in Asia including shipowners, shipyards, ship management, technical procurers and end-users will meet with 1,400+ solution providers showcase the latest solutions, services and technology that will drive maritime development in the new decade.

With 17 editions (33 years) of proven track record, APM gives you 3 days of opportunities to connect with decision makers and sharpen industry understanding in Southeast Asia.
www.apmaritime.com 

About RX Global

RX is in the business of building businesses for individuals, communities and organisations. We elevate the power of face-to-face events by combining data and digital products to help customers learn about markets, source products and complete transactions at over 400 events in 22 countries across 43 industry sectors.  

RX is passionate about making a positive impact on society and is fully committed to creating an inclusive work environment for all our people. 

RX is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. www.rxglobal.com 

About RELX

RELX is a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. The Group serves customers in more than 180 countries and has offices in about 40 countries. It employs over 33,000 people, of whom almost half are in North America. The shares of RELX PLC, the parent company, are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York Stock Exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX.  The market capitalisation as at 3 August 2023:  £48.7bn | €56.6bn | $62bn

*Note: Current market capitalisation can be found at http://www.relx.com/investors

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SOURCE RELX Singapore Pte Ltd

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Toku launches Makimoto Flows, a visual builder for speech AI pipelines, taking its open-source initiative beyond transcription

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Developers can chain transcription, summarisation and call tagging on one canvas, test each step and export the pipeline as code, with every step processed in Singapore

SINGAPORE, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Toku Ltd. (SGX: TKU), a Singapore-headquartered AI-powered customer experience (CX) platform, has launched Makimoto Flows (“Flows”), a visual builder within its open-source conversational AI initiative where developers assemble speech AI pipelines block by block and test each stage on a recorded call. Flows is now live at makimoto.ai.

On the Flows canvas, developers connect blocks to build a speech AI pipeline and test each step individually. The Transcribe block converts audio into text using Kawa, the Summarise block generates a topic and short summary from the transcript, and the Tags block classifies each call across seven categories, including customer sentiment. Developers can see how audio moves from transcription to analysis, and control how each stage connects and runs. Every block runs in Singapore, so audio, transcripts and the resulting analysis stay in-country.

The Chained Analysis starter template puts these blocks together in one click, and developers can adjust any block and rerun it to compare results. Each block maps to a Makimoto API endpoint, and any flow can be exported as ready-to-run Python code, so developers can take the same capabilities into their own code for applications such as call recaps and call triage.

“Developers should have control over how their voice AI works, from the models they use to the way each stage connects. That is the principle behind Makimoto. Flows puts the orchestration layer in front of them: they can build a pipeline, run a recorded call through it and see what each step produces before anything reaches their customers. Models will keep changing. The ability to compose them, and to know where they run, is what lasts,” said Thomas Laboulle, Founder and CEO at Toku.

Flows builds on the composable architecture Toku set out when it introduced Makimoto in April 2026, and takes the initiative beyond transcription. Kawa, released on schedule on 1 July 2026, established the transcription layer through a Singapore-hosted API; summarisation and tagging endpoints followed in September; Flows now lets developers compose them visually. Next, Makimoto plans to add audio preparation blocks, starting with noise filtering, giving developers more control over how recordings are processed before transcription.

By pairing open-source development with enterprise-grade deployment, Makimoto complements Toku’s existing customer experience platform and supports long-term innovation opportunities across the Group’s AI roadmap.

Developers can create a free account at makimoto.ai, open the Chained Analysis template and run a sample recording, or one of their own call recordings, through it; each account includes 1,000 free minutes. Feedback reaches the Makimoto team directly from the portal.

About Toku

Headquartered in Singapore, Toku Ltd. (SGX Catalist: TKU) is a cloud-native, AI-powered customer experience platform purpose-built for enterprises operating in complex, multi-market environments. With deep roots in the APAC region and an expanding global footprint, Toku’s modular 360° CX Platform orchestrates customer interactions across voice, chat, email and digital channels while managing regulatory, linguistic and infrastructure complexity at scale.

Built on end-to-end ownership of its technology stack, from carrier-grade connectivity to AI applications, Toku delivers enterprise-grade security, reliability and deployment flexibility in commercial cloud, private data centres and hybrid environments. Its AI capabilities include transcription, summarisation, sentiment analysis, conversation analytics and governed virtual agents, designed to integrate seamlessly with enterprise systems and customer data.

Trusted by leading enterprises and public-sector organisations, Toku helps organisations streamline operations, scale customer engagement and deliver consistent experiences in fragmented markets worldwide.

For more information about Toku, visit toku.co.

About Makimoto

Makimoto is Toku’s open-source initiative, operated through Makimoto Technology Pte Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Toku Group, dedicated to building composable conversational AI infrastructure for Asia-Pacific. Its releases include Makimoto Kawa, a Singapore-hosted transcription API; summarisation and tagging endpoints; and Makimoto Flows, a visual builder for composing speech AI pipelines. For more information about Makimoto, visit makimoto.ai.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding Toku’s expansion plans, business strategy and planned product releases. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Toku undertakes no obligation to update these statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Sponsor’s Statement

Toku Ltd. (the “Company”) was listed on Catalist of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited (the “Exchange”) on 22 January 2026. The initial public offering of the Company was sponsored by PrimePartners Corporate Finance Pte. Ltd. (the “Sponsor”). This press release has been reviewed by the Sponsor. It has not been examined or approved by the Exchange and the Exchange assumes no responsibility for the contents of this press release, including the correctness of any of the statements or opinions made or reports contained in this press release. The contact person for the Sponsor is Ms. Ng Shi Qing, 16 Collyer Quay, #10-00 Collyer Quay Centre, Singapore 049318, sponsorship@ppcf.com.sg.

Investor Relations Contact:
investor.relations@toku.co

Developers and Partners:
contact@makimoto.ai  

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SOURCE Toku Ltd.

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Conscious Spark LLC Launches Alphimiya® Neuro-Recalibration Framework Designed to Resolve C-Suite Revenue Plateaus

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New research-backed neuro-recalibration framework targets the autonomic nervous system’s threat response to managing high financial amounts, offering enterprise leaders a biological pathway to scaling.

ANTALYA, Turkey and ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Conscious Spark LLC, a research and advisory firm specializing in applied neuroscience for executive leadership, today announced the official launch of Alphimiya®, a proprietary C-suite neuro-recalibration framework designed to resolve corporate revenue plateaus by upgrading the biological capacity of enterprise decision-makers.

Developed to address the root causes of stalled enterprise growth, the Alphimiya® framework targets the human autonomic nervous system’s subconscious threat response to managing high financial amounts. When commercial leaders and CEOs attempt to scale past historical capital thresholds without recalibrating their stress response, the body’s natural survival mechanism triggers decision fatigue, strategic risk aversion, and systemic self-sabotage. Alphimiya® recalibrates this biological safety brake, enabling executive teams to hold, absorb, and scale larger financial volumes without physiological or operational friction.

“A corporate revenue plateau is rarely an operational or marketing failure; it is a biological safety brake embedded within executive leadership,” stated Dr. Ahmed Al-Nashi, Founder of Conscious Spark LLC. “When managing high financial amounts triggers an underlying physical stress response, the enterprise subconsciously contracts to remain in its perceived safe zone. Alphimiya® removes that biological friction, allowing C-level leaders to multiply revenue with calm, biological authority.”

The Alphimiya® framework restructures executive performance across three core operational pillars:

Sovereign Enterprise Scaling: Expands the nervous system’s tolerance for high-stakes capital, allowing leadership teams to scale revenue without experiencing executive burnout.

High-Value Deal Execution: Regulates autonomic stress responses during multi-million-dollar negotiations and volatile market entries, eliminating hesitation under pressure.

Restored Strategic Clarity: Removes chronic decision fatigue across C-suite teams, restoring mental focus and strategic presence inside and outside the boardroom.

By recalibrating the autonomic nervous system’s response to high capital exposure, Alphimiya® removes the subconscious biological brakes that lock corporate revenue at a standstill. Senior C-level executives and enterprise leadership teams seeking to evaluate their organization’s biological capacity can access the official executive briefing, case studies, and framework assessment directly at https://alphimiya.co/.

About Conscious Spark LLC

Conscious Spark LLC is a U.S.-registered firm specializing in executive education, training, and strategic performance consulting. Pioneering applied neuroscience for C-level leaders, founders, and commercial decision-makers, the firm utilizes its proprietary Alphimiya® methodology to enable leadership teams to recalibrate biological stress responses, resolve revenue ceilings, and build scalable corporations.

Media Relations Team
Conscious Spark LLC
Email: hello@consciousspark.online 
Website: https://alphimiya.co/

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SOURCE Conscious Spark LLC

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Daffodil Software Brings Multilingual Conversational AI to Aadhaar’s Udai Mascot

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GURUGRAM, India, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Daffodil Software showcased an AI-powered conversational experience featuring UIDAI’s Udai mascot at Aadhaar Samvaad 2026. Developed by Daffodil Software, the assistant is designed to help users access Aadhaar-related information through natural conversation, using official UIDAI as its reference knowledge base.

Daffodil Software has developed Udai, an AI-powered virtual mascot that helps users get clear, reliable answers about Aadhaar simply by talking to it. The assistant was showcased at Aadhaar Samvaad 2026, held in Kolkata on 29 September, coinciding with the 17th Aadhaar Day, where visitors watched it listen, respond, and gesture in real time in their own language.

For most people, questions about Aadhaar come up in daily life, and they usually need answers fast. Which documents do I need for an address change? How much does an update cost? How do I link Aadhaar to my bank account or mobile number? The answers exist, but finding them usually means working through long help pages and documents.

 Udai is designed to answer exactly these questions in a natural conversation, without anyone having to search through long help pages.

A conversation in the user’s own language

Udai speaks and understands 11 languages: Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Odia, and English. A user simply asks a question. Udai listens, works out the answer, and replies in the same language, with natural speech, matching lip movements and expressive hand gestures.

What sets Udai apart is how it is built. AI avatars rely on expensive, specialised graphics hardware to bring a face to life. Udai takes a simpler route. The character is created from pre-filmed footage, and its lip movements are matched to its speech in real time using lightweight processing that runs in a web browser.

The result is a smooth experience at 24 frames per second on ordinary servers, at a fraction of the usual cost per user. For a programme that serves hundreds of millions of people, that efficiency is what turns a nationwide rollout from an ambition into a practical plan.

“Our focus with Udai was to make Aadhaar-related information easier to access through natural conversation. Combining multilingual voice interaction with official reference content allowed our team to build an experience that is practical, approachable, and useful to users,” said Yogesh Agarwal, Founder and CEO, Daffodil Software.

Answers drawn only from official sources

The assistant uses official UIDAI material as its reference knowledge base: frequently asked questions, provisions of the Aadhaar Act, and government policy documents on Aadhaar services. It covers the topics users ask about most:

Enrolment and registrationAddress and demographic updatesFees, required documents and eligibilityeKYC and Virtual IDLinking Aadhaar with bank accounts, PAN and mobile numbersmAadhaar servicesGrievance redressal

Users don’t need to phrase their questions in any particular way. Udai understands everyday language, whether a question is spoken in English, Hindi, or asked in a mix of both, and finds the most relevant official information to answer it.

Built to be accurate, respectful, and secure

When a public service speaks directly to users, trust matters as much as convenience. Udai is protected by three layers of safeguards.

Accuracy first. Udai answers only from its verified knowledge base. Responses are grounded in a curated knowledge base of official UIDAI material. If a question falls outside Aadhaar, it guides the user back rather than offering an answer it cannot stand behind.

Respectful conversations. A screening layer catches abusive or offensive language in English, Hindi, and Hinglish before it reaches the assistant. Screening is designed to identify abusive language while supporting legitimate queries

Protection against misuse. Udai cannot be talked into abandoning its role, pretending to be someone else, revealing its internal setup, or answering beyond its approved scope. These checks work almost instantly, so users experience no delay.

What comes next?

Udai is planned to roll out in two phases.

In the first phase, the mascot will be placed in Aadhaar Centres. Visitors will be able to check information and understand processes on their own, such as which documents they need for an address change. This frees centre staff to focus on their core work instead of answering the same questions again and again.

In the second phase, Udai will come to the Aadhaar website and mobile app, taking the place of the current text-based chatbot, which was also built by Daffodil.

About Daffodil Software

Daffodil Software is a software engineering and AI solutions company serving businesses across industries. Its services span software consulting, product engineering, UI/UX design, AI/ML development, quality assurance, cloud and DevOps, and maintenance. The company serves sectors including healthcare, fintech, banking, technology, and digital commerce. Its client portfolio includes organizations such as the Reserve Bank of India, Mount Sinai Hospital, Maruti, Samsung, Pramerica Insurance, and Dangote Group. Daffodil Software has also been featured in industry research and recognition by Gartner, Everest Group, Zinnov, and Frost & Sullivan. For more information, visit https://www.daffodilsw.com

Media contact

Kunwar Pal Singh
media-relations@daffodilsw.com

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