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Palo Alto Networks Announces Intent to Acquire Protect AI, a Game-Changing Security for AI Company

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The acquisition will enable secure pursuit of AI innovation with confidence by helping customers discover, manage, and protect against AI-specific security risks—securing AI end to end from development to runtime.

SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Palo Alto Networks® (NASDAQ: PANW), the global cybersecurity leader, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Protect AI, an innovative leader in securing the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) applications and models. This strategic acquisition reflects Palo Alto Networks’ commitment to remaining at the forefront of next-generation cybersecurity innovation, and expanding its capabilities to protect the dynamic new attack surface created by the explosion of AI.

Large enterprises and government organizations are building a complex ecosystem of AI models, agents, infrastructure, tools, APIs and third party components. This creates new and often overlooked risks, with threat actors exploiting vulnerabilities in different layers through techniques like model manipulation, data poisoning and prompt injection attacks. This threat landscape requires purpose-built solutions to reduce risk and provide best-in-class security. Palo Alto Networks was an early mover in building out solutions for securing AI, and Protect AI has already established itself as an important player in this increasingly critical new area of security.

After the close of the transaction, Protect AI’s solutions and team of experts will enable Palo Alto Networks to more quickly and comprehensively accelerate its vision for Prisma AIRS™, the industry’s most complete AI security platform, also announced today. Prisma AIRS will offer customers unparalleled protection for one of the most transformative technologies of our time. As organizations explore embedding AI in their processes, Prisma AIRS will enable them to deploy AI bravely by protecting the entire AI development lifecycle to meet enterprise requirements for model scanning, risk assessment, GenAI runtime security, posture management, and AI agent security.

Anand Oswal, SVP and GM, Palo Alto Networks
“As AI-powered applications become core to businesses, they bring risks traditional security tools can’t adequately handle. By extending our AI security capabilities to include Protect AI’s innovative solutions for Securing for AI, businesses will be able to build AI applications with comprehensive security. With the addition of Protect AI’s existing portfolio of solutions and team of experts, Palo Alto Networks will be well-positioned to offer a wide range of solutions for customers’ current needs, and also be able to continue innovating on delivering new solutions that are needed for this dynamic threat landscape.”

Ian Swanson, Co-Founder & CEO, Protect AI
“Joining forces with Palo Alto Networks will enable us to scale our mission of making the AI landscape more secure for users and organizations of all sizes. We are excited for the opportunity to unite with a company that shares our vision and brings the operational scale and cybersecurity prowess to amplify our impact globally.”

Protect AI CEO, founders, and employees are expected to join Palo Alto Networks once the deal closes. The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is expected to close by Palo Alto Networks’ first quarter of fiscal 2026.

To learn more about Protect AI and Prisma AIRS, and what’s next in AI security from Palo Alto Networks, register to attend the “Hello Tomorrow” livestream event on Tuesday, April 29, 2025 at 2:30PM PT.

Follow Palo Alto Networks on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

About Palo Alto Networks
As the global cybersecurity leader, Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW) is dedicated to protecting our digital way of life via continuous innovation. Trusted by organizations worldwide, we provide comprehensive AI-powered security solutions across network, cloud, security operations and AI, enhanced by the expertise and threat intelligence of Unit 42. Our focus on platformization allows enterprises to streamline security at scale, ensuring protection fuels innovation. Discover more at www.paloaltonetworks.com

Palo Alto Networks, Prisma AIRS, and the Palo Alto Networks logo are trademarks of Palo Alto Networks, Inc. in the United States or in jurisdictions throughout the world. All other trademarks, trade names, or service marks used or mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. Any unreleased services or features (and any services or features not generally available to customers) referenced in this or other press releases or public statements are not currently available (or are not yet generally available to customers) and may not be delivered when expected or at all. Customers who purchase Palo Alto Networks applications should make their purchase decisions based on services and features currently generally available.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the anticipated benefits and impact of the proposed acquisition on Palo Alto Networks and its customers. There are a significant number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from statements made in this press release, including, but not limited to: the effect of the announcement of the proposed acquisition on the parties’ commercial relationships and workforce; the ability to satisfy the conditions to the closing of the acquisition; the ability to consummate the proposed acquisition on a timely basis or at all; the ability of Palo Alto Networks to integrate Protect AI’s technology, operations and business; developments and changes in general market, political, economic, and business conditions; failure of our product offerings; failure to achieve the expected benefits of our acquisitions; risks associated with managing our growth; risks associated with new product, subscription and support offerings, including our efforts to leverage AI; shifts in priorities or delays in the development or release of new offerings, or the failure to timely develop and achieve market acceptance of new products and subscriptions as well as existing products, subscriptions and support offerings; failure of our business strategies; rapidly evolving technological developments in the market for security products, subscriptions and support offerings; defects, errors, or vulnerabilities in our products, subscriptions or support offerings; our customers’ purchasing decisions and the length of sales cycles; our competition; our ability to attract and retain new customers; our ability to acquire and integrate other companies, products, or technologies in a successful manner; our debt repayment obligations; and our share repurchase program, which may not be fully consummated or enhance shareholder value, and any share repurchases which could affect the price of our common stock.

Additional risks and uncertainties that could affect our financial results are included under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on February 14, 2025, which is available on our website at investors.paloaltonetworks.com and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Additional information will also be set forth in other filings that we make with the SEC from time to time. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to us as of the date hereof, and we do not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements provided to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

 

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SOURCE Palo Alto Networks, Inc.

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Manufacturing Category at 139th Canton Fair Presents Smarter, Lighter and More Connected Solutions

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GUANGZHOU, China, April 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — At the 139th Canton Fair, Manufacturing category presented a clear view of how industrial equipment is evolving to address efficiency, labor shortages, and sustainability goals. Across power equipment, machinery, automation systems, and industrial robots, exhibitors pointed to a common direction: smarter operation, stronger engineering performance, and deeper integration with digital manufacturing systems.

Industrial equipment is advancing towards intelligence with products emphasizing built-in sensing and automatic adjustment to enhance reliability and efficiency. Silent inverter generators, for example, can detect operating conditions and ambient temperature to regulate cooling for better fuel use and stability. Pumps and cleaning equipment with variable-frequency drives and integrated protection systems follow the same approach, prioritizing smooth operation, longer service life, and consistent output.

Lightweight, high-performance design has also become a priority across categories. Advances in materials and structural engineering are enabling major weight reductions without compromising power or durability. Aluminum-extrusion housings in three-phase asynchronous motors cut weight by up to 40% while improving heat dissipation and installation efficiency. Lightweight permanent-magnet submersible pumps delivered stronger flow stability despite smaller size and reduced weight.

AI-based visual inspection and quality control are also becoming essential. AI-powered optical inspection stations demonstrated full-process, high-speed inspection without relying on manual sampling. By turning experience-based judgment into standardized, repeatable rules, these systems help manufacturers improve scalability and consistency.

Industrial robots are taking on more active roles as well. Security patrol robot dogs and inspection robots are moving beyond monitoring to direct intervention, such as carrying fire-suppression modules for emergency response. This shift marks a broader move from passive observation to active execution in high-risk or labor-intensive environments.

Finally, more industrial devices are being designed as system nodes rather than standalone machines. Intelligent industrial gateways that combine data collection, protocol conversion, edge computing, and secure transmission show how equipment value increasingly depends on its ability to connect with enterprise-level digital systems.

The 139th Canton Fair vividly showcased the accelerated shift of industrial equipment toward intelligent and system-level development.

For pre-registration, please click: https://buyer.cantonfair.org.cn/register/buyer/email?source_type=16

 

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SOURCE Canton Fair

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Zhejiang unicorn ranks grow to 58 as Hangzhou tightens lead, top ranking shows

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Province adds three unicorns, expands high-growth pipeline
Hangzhou accounts for 83% as new entrants and startups scale up

HANGZHOU, China, April 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Zhejiang’s roster of unicorn companies has expanded to 58 as of April 2026, highlighting the province’s growing role as a hub for emerging technologies and industrial upgrading.

The latest rankings, released at the 10th All Blossom Conference in Hangzhou on April 23, show companies spread across seven cities, including Hangzhou, Ningbo, Jiaxing, Jinhua, Shaoxing, Taizhou and Wenzhou.

While Hangzhou, Ningbo and Jiaxing remain the top three hubs, the broader distribution points to a more geographically balanced innovation landscape. The province’s unicorn count rose by three from a year earlier.

Hangzhou continues to dominate the landscape, home to 48 of Zhejiang’s unicorns, up from 44 last year—when it already accounted for roughly four out of every five such startups.

The annual rankings also include tiered lists of “future unicorns,” valued between $100 million and $1 billion, and early-stage “seed unicorns” worth $10 million to $100 million.

Together, they map a full pipeline of high-growth companies across sectors such as artificial intelligence, embodied intelligence, life sciences, new energy, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing and aerospace, and have become a key barometer of Zhejiang’s startup ecosystem.

Among the top 100 future unicorns, integrated circuits lead with 22 companies, followed by artificial intelligence and life sciences with 19 each. Advanced manufacturing accounts for 16 firms, new energy and materials 15, and next-generation information technology nine.

In the seed unicorn category, new energy and life sciences each count 22 companies, ahead of advanced manufacturing with 19, while AI, next-generation IT and semiconductors each have 11 firms, and aerospace-related companies total four.

Against that provincial backdrop, Hangzhou remains the clear center of gravity—continuing to generate both the largest share of unicorns and the deepest pipeline of emerging startups.

The city added eight companies to its unicorn ranks on April 23, bringing the total to 48, according to the same conference ranking.

The new entrants—Hailiang Technology Services, Geener Microelectronics, Spirit AI, Geespace, Sunrise, Seepin, DEEP Robotics and Simplexity Robotics—span sectors from semiconductors and robotics to commercial aerospace.

As of April, Hangzhou accounted for 83% of Zhejiang’s unicorns, up from 80% a year earlier, underscoring its outsized role in the province’s innovation economy.

The conference also released a list of 413 quasi-unicorns—companies typically valued between $100 million and $1 billion—including 50 new additions.

Several firms, such as Diagens Biotechnology, Manycore Tech, Mirxes, Promisemed, Saint Bella, Tide Pharmaceutical, Tongshifu and ISV, exited the list after scaling into unicorn status or completing initial public offerings.

Quasi-unicorns are concentrated in sectors aligned with Hangzhou’s broader “296X” industrial strategy. Life sciences lead with 118 firms, followed by next-generation information technology with 78 and AI and embodied intelligence with 50—together accounting for about 60% of the total.

The “296X” is an industrial cluster blueprint the city introduced in October 2025 in an effort to speed up the integration of technological and industrial innovation.

More than half of both unicorns and quasi-unicorns—255 companies—are classified as nationally recognized “specialized and refined” enterprises, including 20 unicorns and 235 quasi-unicorns, reflecting a structured pipeline of high-growth firms.

Since 2018, Hangzhou’s unicorn count has risen from 26 to 48, while quasi-unicorns have expanded from 105 to 413, underscoring sustained growth in its innovation-driven economy.

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SOURCE All Blossom Conference

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KUN Unveils AI Intelligent Strategy at Money20/20 Asia: Reconstructing Global Commercial Efficiency with “1-1-4-6” Layout

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BANGKOK, April 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — At the prestigious Money20/20 Asia held at QSNCC, KUN showcased its upgraded brand identity and launched the “1-1-4-6” Intelligent Strategic Blueprint. This milestone marks KUN’s comprehensive transition toward a globalized, full-stack, and intelligent ecosystem.

Dr. Louis Liu, Founder & Group CEO of KUN, stated at the launch: “While the convergence of Web2 and Web3 defines the current era, we believe the embedded ecosystem synergy of AI and Web3 is the inevitable future of commerce. Our evolution is an intelligent reconstruction of commercial efficiency. By leveraging decades of vertical payment expertise, we provide enterprise clients with full-stack, end-to-end payment and financial solutions. Through digital orchestration and operations, we deliver secure, compliant, and high-velocity transaction safeguards to empower global business growth.”

Money20/20 Roundtable: Compliance as the “Scaling Layer” for Institutional Adoption

At the “Bridging TradFi and DeFi” roundtable, Dr. Liu shared three key insights on the future of cross-border finance:

Asia as the Hub for Real-World Stablecoin Settlement: Asia has emerged as a critical hub for cross-border trade flows and stablecoin settlement, connecting high-growth emerging markets. Currently, 60% of the world’s on-chain stablecoin trade volume is centered in Asia, making it a primary corridor for capital flows between Asia, LATAM, Africa, and the Middle East.

Compliance as the “Scaling Layer”: The bottleneck for scaling digital payments is not technology or licensing, but the ability to embed jurisdictional compliance frameworks into business logic. Integrating AML and risk controls directly into the payment flow is the prerequisite for the explosion of global institutional applications.

Accelerating AI and Web3 Ecosystem Convergence: As AI agents increasingly enter commercial decision-making, payments are shifting from human-controlled to autonomous. Blockchain and stablecoins will serve as the default infrastructure for Agent-to-Agent (A2A) transactions.

Exhibition Interaction: From Platform Governance to Vertical Efficiency

At the main exhibition area, KUN demonstrated its dual-brand synergy through a new visual identity:

KUN: Positioned as the Trusted Vertical Digital Payments Platform for Real Economy, providing one-stop digital payments and scenario-based on-chain financial solutions.

YeeZ: A KUN Group brand specializing in 2B2C Global Corporate Card Issuance for global enterprises.

The “1-1-4-6” Strategic Blueprint: Driving Global Growth

KUN decoded its “1-1-4-6” strategy—an AI-powered blueprint designed for seamless asset mobility. The ecosystem integrates KUN Space™ (the digital payments & financial services platform) with KUN Nexus™ (the AI-orchestrated liquidity network). Driven by four core engines—KUN | Pay, KUN | Cards, KUN | Money, and KUN | Agent—the strategy empowers liquidity for six vertical sectors: Bulk Commodity, General Trade, B2B Cross-border E-Commerce, Service Trade, Web3 Ecosystems, and AI Applications.

Future Vision: The Era of “Driverless” Intelligent Payments

The launch highlighted KUN | Agent as the pioneer of the “driverless” era of intelligent global payments.

KUNClaw.AI: Orchestrates autonomous financial workflows to drive intelligent cost reduction and efficiency.

AI Agent Wallet: Features programmable KYC and authorization fences to ensure secure, compliant execution where “decision is payment”.

Seamless Network, Borderless Payments.

KUN remains dedicated to serving as the engine for the real economy, providing secure, compliant, and efficient one-stop cross-border payment solutions in an uncertain global environment.

About KUN

KUN is an innovative financial infrastructure company centered on digital payments and embedded finance. Built on a globally distributed licensing framework and a robust compliance and risk-management system, KUN connects Asia with high-growth emerging markets across Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East.

Positioned as a trusted vertical digital payments platform for real economies, the company operates across four core pillars—Cross-Border Digital Payments, On-Chain Finance, Card Issuing, and AI Agentic Payments. By integrating artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies, KUN delivers secure, compliant, and efficient one-stop payment and transaction services for enterprise clients across industries including commodity trade, B2B cross-border e-commerce, service trade, Web3 ecosystems, and AI applications.

Through this integrated infrastructure, KUN serves as a growth engine enabling enterprises to expand globally with speed, trust, and financial connectivity.

Learn more about KUN → www.kun.global

Contact: KUN: brandmkt@kun.global  

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SOURCE KUN

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