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ATEL Ventures Says Supporting Hard Tech Founders is Key to a Sustainable Future

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– New paper calls for greater creativity in financing game-changing technologies – 

SAN FRANCISCO, May 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — A new paper published today argues that important advancements in health, telecommunication, mobility and other areas risk being hindered if visionary founders are not able to access the necessary funding for their ventures.

‘Debt as Catalyst – Making Hard Tech Less Hard’ is published by ATEL Ventures, Inc., a division of ATEL Capital Group and a provider of growth capital to startups across multiple sectors and life stages. The paper highlights the role of ‘hard tech’ ventures in solving many of the world’s most pressing challenges, with hard tech defined as “technology that requires big breakthroughs and has a high barrier of entry”. It argues that the success of these businesses has the potential to lead to major advances in global connectivity, health outcomes, transportation, food security, sustainability and other areas.

Dean Cash, the Chairman and CEO of ATEL Capital Group who along with ATEL’s COO Pari Choksi founded ATEL Ventures 25 years ago, says: “The startups with the most potential to have a lasting, beneficial impact on society are the very ones that struggle the most to get off the ground. Whether they are building satellites with the power to bring the world’s two billion unconnected citizens online, or developing new therapeutics to treat previously untreatable conditions, their work is both time- and capital-intensive; and many investors currently lack the appetite for that level of long-term risk.”

The State of Venture Debt
The March 2023 run on Silicon Valley Bank led to a sharp decline in the venture debt market, and while Deloitte and others predict a partial bounce back in 2024, much of the venture capital community remains wary of investments that may require them to underwrite venture debt.

Dean Cash has a different point of view: “We can’t afford not to back these businesses,” he says. “Historically, the most important innovations have rarely paid off over a short period, but they do pay off, and the rewards are much greater than merely financial.”

Hard Tech Founders Working to Solve the Hardest Problems 
The ‘Debt as Catalyst’ paper lays out some of the societal benefits to accrue from the success of hard tech ventures:

Global connectivity: Around one-third of the earth’s population, or 2.6 billion people, are without internet access and all of the associated benefits of access to education, information and commerce. Hard tech startups are developing Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites with the power to enhance internet access and communication capabilities worldwide.

Healthcare advancements: Breakthroughs in medical devices and biotechnology that promise to revolutionize treatment protocols and patient care are being made by venture-backed startups as well as the major pharma companies.

Industrial sustainability: Startups are leading the way in developing new technologies aimed at improving the sustainability of large-scale industrial processes including in the high-carbon energy and construction sectors.

Food security and sustainability: Many startups are applying their innovative thinking to the agricultural sector. New technologies could enable the year-round cultivation of fresh produce in urban environments, reducing the environmental footprint of traditional farming methods while simultaneously increasing yields to feed a growing population.

Transportation and urban mobility: Hardware solutions developed by startups and powered by the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) will enable vehicles to ‘talk’ to each other and the road infrastructure around them, improving both capacity and safety on roads.

Debt as Catalyst
ATEL’s Dean Cash makes the case for a more creative use of venture debt as part of the financing mix for capital-intensive startups at all stages. 

“While many founders are wary of taking on debt, venture debt can be a powerful means of accelerating growth or extending runway without diluting equity,” says Cash. “In some cases, it can make the difference between success and failure. It’s important that those of us involved in the financing of hard tech founders adopt the kind of visionary long-term thinking we look for in founders.”

‘Debt as Catalyst – Making Hard Tech Less Hard’ is available to download for free from: atelventures.com/catalyst.

About ATEL Ventures, Inc.
ATEL Ventures Inc., a division of ATEL Capital Group, is a leading provider of venture debt and equipment financing to emerging growth companies. The company is a primary source of non-dilutive capital across the landscape of venture capital investments. ATEL Ventures is industry- and stage-agnostic, having provided capital to companies in Information Technology, Life Sciences, Energy, Agriculture, Material Sciences, and Consumer Products and Services. For more information, visit atelventures.com or contact Steven Rea: srea@atel.com

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SOURCE ATEL Ventures

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AFP Launches No Code AI for Finance Certificate to Upskill Finance Teams

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April 29, 2026

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New certificate empowers financial professionals with real-world AI skills that don’t require programming expertise

ROCKVILLE, Md., April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Association for Financial Professionals (AFP) announced the launch of its No Code AI for Finance Certificate Program. Taught by an AI expert with a background in finance and operations, the virtual on-demand program goes beyond theory, providing practical applications of AI in finance.

Key takeaways

Practical curriculum: The certificate course, developed through feedback from finance practitioners, provides hands-on exercises and lessons on building a data foundation, training and interpreting machine learning models, generating insights with generative AI and embedding ethics in AI adoptionSelf-paced learning: Once registered for the certificate, eight hours of on-demand content across four modules are available in AFP Learn.Professional recognition: The certificate course is eligible for 9.6 CTP, FPAC and CCM Credits and provides a Digital Badge and printable certificate upon successful completion.

Why it matters
The finance function is at a critical turning point. Data volumes are growing while finance professionals are increasingly being asked to do more with less. The No Code AI for Finance Certificate equips teams to scale their impact by automating labor-intensive workflows and speeding up processes while maintaining accuracy.

Comprehensive curriculum
The certificate program includes four modules that are tailored to the specific needs of finance professionals:

Data Foundations for Trustworthy Finance Analytics: Learn about decision cycles AI can shorten, mitigation tactics for AI hallucinations, and the difference between supervised, unsupervised and generative tasks.Understanding the Full Machine Learning Process and Its Results: Learn to frame finance machine learning problems correctly, choose and defend the right success metrics for each task and translate model results into business-ready insights.Generative AI for Finance: Smarter Questions, Faster Insights: Learn to write prompts for GenAI, generate and refine GenAI-supported data-prep code, pressure test insights with GenAI and apply guardrails for GenAI.From AI Capability to Adoption & Ethics by Design: Learn to select and prioritize a first AI pilot, design an operating cadence, draft an ethics and risk control sheet, and define ROI and adoption KPIs.

Each module includes downloadable assets to help learners apply the lessons to their day-to-day work.

Key quote
“At AFP, we recognized a clear need for training that addresses finance-specific applications of AI. This certificate acts as a bridge to connect financial professionals to the transformative power of AI, ensuring they remain the indispensable strategic partners their organizations require,” said Pat Culkin, President & CEO of AFP.

Ready to lead AI adoption in your finance team?
Enroll in the certificate program and begin working toward the No Code AI for Finance Certificate.

FAQs
Who should enroll in this certificate program?
The program is designed for financial professionals at all levels looking to integrate AI into their workflows.

Are there any prerequisites for the course?
There are no prerequisites for this course. It is accessible to professionals of all technical backgrounds. No coding knowledge is required.

How is the course delivered?
The course consists of eight hours of on-demand content across four modules, which can be completed at the learner’s own pace.

How much does it cost to enroll in the certificate program?
The certificate program is $295 for AFP members and $495 for non-members.

About AFP®
Headquartered outside of Washington, D.C., and located regionally in Singapore, the Association for Financial Professionals (AFP) is the professional society committed to advancing the success of treasury and finance members and their organizations. Established and administered by AFP, the Certified Treasury Professional and Certified Corporate FP&A Professional credentials set standards of excellence in treasury and finance. Each year, AFP hosts the largest networking conference worldwide for about 7,000 corporate financial professionals.

Media contact
Joe Hodanich
Senior Director, Digital Strategy & Content
Association for Financial Professionals
Email: jhodanich@financialprofessionals.org

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SOURCE Association for Financial Professionals

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KT Corp. Files 2025 Annual Report on Form 20-F

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April 29, 2026

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SEOUL, South Korea, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — KT Corporation (NYSE: KT), South Korea’s largest integrated telecom and digital platform service provider, announced that it has filed its Form 20- F Annual Report on April 29th, 2026 for the year ended December 31, 2025 with the Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States. The report can be accessed on KT’s English website at https://corp.kt.com/eng in the Investors section under Business Report as well as the SEC’s Edgar database at www.sec.gov. Shareholders may also request a hard copy of the Form 20-F Annual Report that includes audited financial statements of 2025, free of charge, by sending an e-mail to the Company’s IR department at ktir@kt.com.

About KT Corporation (KRX: 030200; NYSE: KT)

KT Corporation is the leading integrated telecommunications and platform service provider based in South Korea. Principal services include mobile, Broadband, IPTV, B2B communications, and fixed-line telephony. The Company has industry-leading market presence in Broadband, media services, and fixed-line telephony by maintaining the No.1 market share positions. Also, the Company is the No.1 player in B2B communications and offers a wide range of digital transformation services (DC, Cloud, AI, etc.). Additionally, the Company possesses a well-balanced portfolio of diverse subsidiaries focusing on media/content, financial services, real estate developments, and commerce industries.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains “forward-looking statements” that are based on our current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections about us and the industries in which we operate. The forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “project,” “should,” and similar expressions. Those statements include, among other things, the discussions of our business strategy and expectations concerning our market position, future operations, margins, profitability, liquidity and capital resources. We caution you that reliance on any forward-looking statement involves risks and uncertainties, and that although we believe that the assumptions on which our forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, any of those assumptions could prove to be inaccurate, and, as a result, the forward-looking statements based on those assumptions could be incorrect. The uncertainties in this regard include, but are not limited to, those identified in the risk factors discussed above. In light of these and other uncertainties, you should not conclude that we will necessarily achieve any plans and objectives or projected financial results referred to in any of the forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to release the results of any revisions of these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances.

IR department:
+82-70-4193-4036
ktir@kt.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kt-corp-files-2025-annual-report-on-form-20-f-302757200.html

SOURCE KT Corp.

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SK TELECOM CO. LTD. FILES ITS ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 20-F

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April 29, 2026

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SEOUL, South Korea, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On April 29, 2026, SK Telecom Co., Ltd. filed its Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2025 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The 2025 Annual Report on Form 20-F can be viewed on www.sktelecom.com, as well as from the website of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. Printed copies of SK Telecom’s complete audited financial statements (including footnotes) as of and for the year ended December 31, 2025 can be requested, free of charge, by written request to skt.ir@sk.com.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sk-telecom-co-ltd-files-its-annual-report-on-form-20-f-302757201.html

SOURCE SK Telecom Co., Ltd

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