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Optima names education innovator Adam Mangana as CEO

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 Ushering in a Bold Vision for the Future of Immersive Education

NAPLES, Fla., Dec. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Optima, the leader in immersive education solutions, is thrilled to announce Adam Mangana as its new chief executive officer. As a co-founder and visionary behind Optima’s groundbreaking virtual reality (VR) learning platform, Mangana is poised to lead the company into an exciting new chapter of innovation, growth, and impact.

Mangana’s career has been defined by a relentless drive to redefine education. With over a decade of experience in immersive learning and educational innovation, Mangana’s leadership has been central to Optima’s development of cutting-edge VR curricula and tools. His entrepreneurial spirit and deep understanding of how technology can transform education uniquely position him to unlock new opportunities for the EdTech company.

“Education is at a tipping point,” Mangana said. “At Optima, we believe immersive technology can not only engage students but also transform how they understand the world. This is a moment for bold leadership, and I am honored to guide Optima in shaping the future of education, one immersive experience at a time.”

Under Mangana’s leadership, Optima will prioritize: 

Expanding Access: Scaling Optima’s VR content library to reach more schools, homeschool families and educators worldwide.Innovating Learning: Developing avatar-based AI tutors and enhancing the company’s immersive courses to provide fully personalized, asynchronous learning experiences.Building Strategic Partnerships: Strengthening collaborations with schools and institutions to bring immersive learning to life in classrooms globally.

Mangana’s appointment marks a new chapter of opportunity for Optima, which is on the forefront of blending virtual reality and artificial intelligence to create impactful, scalable learning tools. His vision is rooted in the belief that every learner deserves to experience education in a way that is engaging, accessible, and transformative.

As Optima celebrates this transition, the company also acknowledges the incredible contributions of Erika Donalds, its founding CEO. During her tenure, Donalds built a solid foundation, guiding Optima from an ambitious startup to a recognized leader in VR education. Her development of Optima Academy Online set a high standard for virtual schooling, and her dedication to empowering students and educators has positioned the company for future success.

 “I am incredibly proud of the strong foundation Adam and I have laid at Optima, and I have every confidence that he will take our vision to new and exciting heights as CEO,” Erika Donalds said, who will continue to serve the company as chairman. “Adam’s passion for immersive education and his innovative spirit makes him the perfect leader to guide Optima into its next chapter of growth and impact. I look forward to seeing the transformative changes he will bring to the world of education.”

With Mangana at the helm, Optima is poised to revolutionize how education is delivered, blending immersive VR technology, personalized learning, and innovative content to prepare students for a rapidly changing world. The company is excited to continue its mission of making education more dynamic, engaging, and impactful under his visionary leadership.

For more information about Optima and its mission to transform education through immersive technology, visit www.optimaxr.ai.

About Optima

Optima transforms learning for private schools, independent schools, public schools and home learners with the world’s largest VR education library, featuring 200+ VR locations, 5,000+ 3D avatars and thousands of interactive lessons. Its innovative solutions help provide students with immersive, engaging learning experiences that drive success.

 

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SOURCE OptimaEd

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Domino Data Lab and Appsilon Partner to Speed AI to Production for Life Sciences

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Two companies already collaborating with the world’s largest pharma organizations are now working together to move open-source AI into regulated production

LONDON, June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — REV 2026 — Domino Data Lab, provider of the unified platform to build, scale, and govern AI-powered applications for the most regulated enterprises, today announced a new collaboration with Appsilon, a global technology partner for life sciences companies specializing in open-source software and AI solutions for pharmaceutical and life sciences.

The alliance gives joint customers a more complete path from R and Python development to validated production, combining Appsilon’s implementation expertise with Domino’s platform, where their data science teams already work.

Most life sciences organizations are running AI in environments that weren’t built for it. Data scientists quickly adopt new tools, but without validated infrastructure, work stalls before it ever reaches production. This partnership closes that gap.

For joint customers, that means access to Appsilon’s deep pharma expertise in R and Python development, SCE deployment, and SAS-to-open-source migration, all delivered in Domino with governance built in.

“Most life sciences organizations have data scientists who are ready to build. What’s missing is a validated environment that lets them get work into production,” said Ricky Mann, Chief Solutions Officer, Domino Data Lab. “Appsilon has spent years solving that implementation problem for some of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. This partnership means Domino customers can tap that expertise directly inside the platform, with the governance regulators require.”

“The bottleneck is infrastructure that can’t keep pace with what teams are trying to build,” said Olga Mierzwa-Sulima, CEO of Appsilon. “What they need is a governed path to production that holds up in an audit. Domino is the right platform to deliver that at scale, and this partnership means Appsilon’s implementation expertise is now part of what Domino customers can access.”

That commitment is reflected in capabilities that people can build with today. Domino’s extensions framework lets partners embed their tools and workflows directly into the platform. Appsilon’s Axon.R is the first partner-built extension, an R package validation tool developed with the Pharmaverse Council and built on the R Validation Hub’s risk-based methodology. Life sciences teams get a compliance-ready validation workflow without leaving the environment where their work lives.

Additional Resources

Learn more about the latest life sciences-focused innovations in the Domino Enterprise AI Platform.Read the Domino Blog for customer successes and industry insights.Follow Domino on LinkedIn and X.

About Domino Data Lab

Domino Data Lab partners with the world’s most regulated enterprises as they build, scale, and govern AI-powered applications. From statistical computing to agentic AI, organizations use Domino’s AI platform to develop new therapies, protect citizens, and secure financial markets — under the most complex regulatory requirements. Founded in 2013, Domino is backed by Sequoia Capital, Coatue Management, NVIDIA, Snowflake, UBS, and other leading investors. Learn more at domino.ai.

About Appsilon

Appsilon is a premier technology partner for life sciences companies, delivering open-source, AI, R and Python solutions, implementing cloud-based statistical computing environments, and supporting SAS-to-Open Source migration to accelerate drug development in regulated settings. Trusted by 8 of the top 10 global pharma companies, Appsilon combines deep domain expertise with state of the art platform engineering to help teams modernize clinical analytics without compromising GxP compliance. Learn more at appsilon.com.

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SOURCE Domino Data Lab

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RDW: Dutch truck toll differs from other European toll systems

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GRONINGEN, Netherlands, June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Netherlands is introducing a truck toll per kilometre from 1 July 2026. Although many European countries already have similar systems, the Dutch approach differs on several points. The RDW warns that transporters who are not properly prepared risk fines or disruptions.

“During our talks with foreign drivers, we noticed that they are not always fully aware of how the Dutch truck toll works,” says Jan Strijk, Toll Collection Director at the RDW. “Transporters often assume the system is the same as in other European countries, but that is not the case. These differences can lead to unnecessary problems on the road. It is therefore important to be well prepared before entering the Netherlands.”

The onboard unit (OBU) must always be switched on

In the Netherlands, the onboard unit must always be switched on, even on roads where there is no toll. This is different from countries like Germany, Czechia, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Bulgaria, where the OBU only must be switched on toll roads. Drivers are advised to check before departure that their OBU is functioning properly and that the indicator light is green, as a switched-off or malfunctioning device may result in a fine.

The Netherlands does not have a ticket system

The Netherlands does not have a system for payment of individual or one-off trips, such as in Germany. Every truck must have a working OBU provided by an authorised service provider. The RDW has authorised six internationally operating European Electronic Toll Service (EETS) providers and contracted one national provider.

Transporters should arrange an OBU before entering the Netherlands for the first time. If this is not possible, the national provider NedLinq offers pick-up points for OBUs at the border. An OBU can be collected here after a contract has been concluded online or on site. The NedLinq OBUs only work in the Netherlands. Go to www.nedlinq.nl for the exact locations. 

Limited number of exemptions

The truck toll applies to all vehicles in categories N2 and N3 with a technical maximum mass of more than 3,500 kg, including trucks, delivery vans and certain pick-up trucks. Compared to countries such as Germany and Belgium, the Netherlands applies a very limited number of exemptions. Only specific vehicles are exempt, such as emergency service vehicles, defence vehicles and certain specialised vehicles.

Transporters are therefore advised to check in advance whether a vehicle qualifies for an exemption and to apply in time if necessary. More information is available at: https://www.vrachtwagenheffing.nl/en/register-an-exemption

Zero-emission vehicles: still subject to truck toll

Zero-emission trucks are also subject to the Dutch truck toll if they exceed 4,250 kg. While the rates for these vehicles are significantly lower than for more polluting trucks, they are not fully exempt as they may be in other countries, such as Germany and Belgium. In the Netherlands, only zero-emission trucks up to 4,250 kg are exempt.

Proceeds go back to the transport sector

A large share of the revenues from the truck toll in the Netherlands will be reinvested in the road transport sector through a revenue recycling system. For example through subsidies for zero-emission vehicles and charging infrastructure. By doing so the Dutch system directly supports the transition to cleaner road transport.

Be prepared before hitting the road

With the introduction of the truck toll, the Netherlands aligns with existing European toll systems. At the same time, the RDW emphasises that understanding the Dutch-specific rules is essential to avoid unexpected costs or disruptions.

More information on the Dutch truck toll is available on www.trucktoll.nl.

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SOURCE RDW

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Dahua Technology Showcases “Visible AI in New Energy” at Intersolar Europe 2026

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MUNICH, June 25, 2026 /CNW/ — Dahua Technology, a world-leading video-centric AIoT solution and service provider, showcased its latest innovations for the renewable energy industry at Intersolar Europe 2026. Under the theme “Visible AI in New Energy,” Dahua demonstrated how AIoT technologies can help energy operators enhance efficiency, reliability, and security across the entire energy value chain, from power generation and transmission to consumption.

At this year’s exhibition, Dahua presented a comprehensive portfolio of solutions covering five key application areas: Intelligent Security, Equipment Inspection, HSE-PPE Management, EV Charging, and Smart Control Centre. Together, these solutions address the growing need for smarter operations, safer workplaces, and more efficient asset management across renewable energy infrastructure.

For Intelligent Security, Dahua showcased perimeter protection solutions for photovoltaic plants and energy facilities, integrating thermal imaging, radar-camera linkage, triple-lens monitoring, and solar-powered wireless security. Powered by self-developed thermal algorithms, the solution extends detection range by up to 85%. In a photovoltaic project in Brazil, the solution reduced more than 1,000 daily false alarms generated by 204 devices to approximately one false alarm per device per week. In Europe, Dahua’s AI-enabled perimeter protection solutions have also been deployed at a 60 MW solar park in Romania.

For Equipment Inspection, Dahua demonstrated intelligent inspection solutions tailored for substations and other geographically dispersed energy assets. By continuously monitoring equipment temperature and operating status, the system helps operators identify potential abnormalities at an early stage. Automated inspection records and reports further support predictive maintenance strategies, improving operational efficiency while reducing manual inspection workloads.

To enhance workplace safety, Dahua presented its HSE-PPE solutions, featuring both fixed and portable AI-powered detection systems. The solutions automatically verify whether personnel entering high-risk areas are wearing required protective equipment, such as helmets and safety vests, and provide real-time alerts when irregularities are detected, helping strengthen safety compliance across energy facilities.

Dahua also showcased its EV charging portfolio, including AC charging solutions for residential scenarios and DC fast-charging solutions for commercial applications. Supported by a cloud-based management platform and mobile app, the solutions enable users to monitor charging status, configure charging schedules, and manage charging operations with greater flexibility and convenience.

Complementing these applications, Dahua’s Smart Control Centre integrates security, inspection, and operational management into a unified platform powered by DSS Professional. The platform supports remote video monitoring, alarm management, inspection task scheduling, and historical data analysis, providing operators with a centralized view of site operations. In Italy, Dahua’s thermal perimeter protection solution and DSS Professional platform enabled centralized management across remote solar sites and was later expanded to cover 80 sites with approximately 1,600 thermal cameras.

Together, these solutions reflect Dahua’s commitment to advancing the renewable energy industry through intelligent technologies and comprehensive lifecycle protection. Looking ahead, Dahua will continue collaborating with global partners to explore innovative AI applications that support a safer, more efficient, and more sustainable energy future.

For more information about Dahua’s smart energy solutions, please visit the company’s official website here.

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SOURCE Dahua Technology

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