Technology

B4B Challenge 2025-26 Award Presentation Ceremony

Published

13 hours ago

April 20, 2026

Carbon Tech and Virtual Tech powered by AI: A New Force in Green Innovation
Virtual Technology Revolution: A New Era of Digital Experience

HONG KONG, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The renowned local innovation and technology competition, the “B4B Challenge” (B4B), has reached its 10th edition, marking a significant milestone in the development of Hong Kong’s Big Data and AI innovation ecosystem. The organiser, B4B Limited, held the Award Presentation Ceremony on 15 April at the Hong Kong International Innovation and Technology Expo (InnoEX), announcing the results of this year’s competition. Themed around “Tech for ESG,” highlighting the vital role that technology plays in promoting Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives, this edition established two innovation pillars: “Carbon Tech powered by AI” and “Virtual Tech powered by AI”, encouraging participating teams to explore the cross-industry application potential of AI in sustainable real estate development and immersive digital experiences.

This year’s Award Ceremony received strong recognition from the Government of the HKSAR and the innovation and technology sectors. Mr. Daniel Cheung, JP, Acting Commissioner for Digital Policy Office (DPO) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, was the Guest of Honour, joining other government representatives, industry leaders, supporting organisations and participating teams to celebrate B4B’s decade of innovative achievements.

The ceremony received wide-ranging support, including:

Guest of Honour:
• Mr Daniel Cheung, JP, Acting Commissioner for Digital Policy, HKSAR Government

Sharing Guests:
• Mr Francois Lee, Founder and Director of B4B
• Prof Herbert Chia, JP, Honorary Chairman and Principal Mentor of B4B
• Dr Toa Charm, Principal Advisor of B4B

Guests (partial list, in no particular order):
• Ms Cari Wu, Acting Deputy Commissioner (Digital Infrastructure), Digital Policy Office, HKSAR Government
• Mr Tony Wong, JP, Former Commissioner for Digital Policy, HKSAR Government
• Ir Stephen Lau, JP, Personal Data Privacy Advisor of B4B
• Ms Vivian Chan, Associate Director, Exhibitions and Digital Business, Hong Kong Trade Development Council

Speaking at the Award Ceremony, Mr. Daniel Cheung, JP, Acting Commissioner for Digital Policy of the HKSAR Government, said: “The Challenge, as in previous years, provides a platform for participants to showcase their creativity and capabilities. One of the themes of this year’s Challenge is carbon reduction technologies in real estate and smart construction, which aligns with the development of smart building and the nurturing of a modernised construction industry chain as set out in the country’s Report on the Work of the Government. Another theme focuses on virtual technologies, with artificial intelligence as the driving element. This echoes the mention of ‘AI+’ for three consecutive years in the country’s Report on the Work of the Government with aims to expand the application of AI across a wide range of industries. It is hoped that the solutions put forward by participants will be implemented, thereby promoting the wider adoption of carbon reduction and virtual technologies across different sectors. “

Mr Francois Lee, Founder and Director of B4B, Dr Toa Charm, Principal Advisor of B4B and Prof Herbert Chia, JP, Honorary Chairman and Principal Mentor of B4B, delivered the following remarks in their opening speech: Stepping into its 10th anniversary, the most heartwarming part of the B4B Big Data Business Application Challenge is not just the competition itself, but seeing the massive alumni community that has been built up over these ten years. Today, everyone has gathered once again to witness how B4B has grown from a competition into a full ecosystem. It continues to uphold its original mission of driving innovation through data and AI, and is now ready to step into the next decade hand in hand.

Two Innovation Pillars: AI Innovation Across Industry Boundaries
Themed around “Tech for ESG,” highlighting the vital role that technology plays in promoting Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives, this edition established two innovation pillars, encouraging participating teams to use AI technology to transcend traditional industry boundaries. A breakthrough was achieved this year — the competition was fully opened to cross-industry participation, no longer confined to real estate applications. Teams were encouraged to take a broader perspective in exploring the cross-industry application potential of AI in immersive digital experiences, helping them widen their market vision and explore AI’s cross-sector potential. Whether it is AI transforming real estate, AI short film creation, virtual human interaction, immersive experiences, or innovative media tools — if the solution addresses pain points in the virtual technology market, it qualifies as the type of innovation the competition seeks.

Pillar 1: Carbon Tech powered by AI – Reshaping the Real Estate Value Chain
The competition continues to explore how technology can empower the real estate value chain to achieve greater sustainability, covering five key areas: B4B Challenge continues to explore how the real estate value chain—encompassing new building materials, energy management, design and planning, construction and demolition, and facility management – can become more sustainable through technology.

The organiser emphasizes that real estate extends far beyond buildings and bricks – it is closely connected to our daily lives, while one might associate real estate primarily with buildings and bricks, the property sector is intricately linked to a wide range of industries and daily activities, from workplaces and retail shopping outlets to transportation stations and, of course, our homes.

Accordingly, participating teams are encouraged to broadly explore cross-industry applications, extending carbon technology solutions to wider application scenarios to create greater impact.

Pillar 2: Virtual Tech powered by AI – Breaking Through Immersive Experience Bottlenecks
Virtual technology faces several key challenges, including hardware limitations, affordability, and user comfort. The need for powerful computing systems and the risk of motion sickness continue to restrict widespread adoption. Data-related obstacles also persist, such as the requirement for high-resolution 3D models, detailed textures, and authentic datasets to create truly immersive experiences. Additional hurdles include real-time data transmission, voiceover matching, AI-driven editing, dubbing with accurate lip sync, and efficient processing. Overcoming these challenges is essential to making virtual technology more accessible, user-friendly, and cost-effective. Advancements such as improved hardware, cost reductions, enhanced comfort features, and effective solutions for motion sickness can significantly boost adoption. Similarly, better curation and processing of data, improved real-time transmission capabilities, and expanded availability of high-quality datasets will unlock greater growth and potential for virtual technology across various industries. Furthermore, smarter user interfaces and progress in the areas mentioned above could be dramatically enhanced by the latest AI technologies.

A Decade of Cultivation: Building a Sustainable Innovation Ecosystem
Since its founding in 2016, B4B Challenge has been dedicated to promoting Big Data technology and intelligent technology innovation, fostering a healthy and sustainable data ecosystem. The 10th edition — the “B4B Challenge 2025-26 Award Ceremony” — was held at the Hong Kong International Innovation and Technology Expo (InnoEX), with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) serving as the venue partner. A concurrent four-day “B4B Pavilion” exhibition (13–16 April) was held alongside the ceremony, inviting this year’s participating teams to showcase their latest technology solutions to the public.

Over the past decade, B4B Challenge has attracted numerous outstanding teams since its launch in 2016, many of whom have gone on to achieve remarkable results after the competition. The following are two representative teams of two particularly standout:

Linksoul – Since participating in the B4B Challenge, Linksoul has, under the recommendation of the competition, quickly secured multiple prestigious awards in a short period of time, including the Best Smart Mobility Award in the “Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge”, the Jingrui Science and Technology Award, and several honors at the China Mobile Maker Marathon. The company is currently collaborating with the Hong Kong Productivity Council, the Transport Department, and the Automotive Technology R&D Centre to apply for the Smart Traffic Fund to develop an AI-powered smart transportation platform. At the same time, Linksoul is working with Everbright Centre, Langyi Plaza, and China Overseas Group to promote the large-scale implementation of AI Butler and AI Agent solutions in major building complexes.

MOVA – The Best Solution Award winner of B4B Challenge 2023-24, has successively received the Hong Kong Fintech Impetus Awards and Gold Award – PropTech at the International Financial Technology. Founded in 2021, the company launched an AI-driven integrated real estate matching and search platform well before generative AI became mainstream in the market. It employs Federated Learning technology, enabling AI models to learn from data distributed across different stakeholders without compromising data compliance or commercial confidentiality. In 2024, MOVA successfully sold its first-generation AI matching platform to a U.S. private equity fund, completing an international exit. By the end of 2025, the company relaunched its business with a brand-new voice AI pre-screening platform. This platform uses near-human voice technology to automatically handle initial real estate inquiries and holds strong potential for cross-industry expansion into sectors such as finance, healthcare, and education.

Award Winners

Award Category

Winning Team

Best Presentation Award

LifeSparrow Solutions

Best Solution Award

Leaflot Technology

Best ESG Award 2026
(in no particular order)

Nifty Corner CompanyOh My Ink TechnologyPathexSentri TechnologyDrawMotion AI AcademyMUSES AICanpanion GroupafterNATUREYUNI TECHESGalatorYunix – MungerMind AITobot SolutionCliimacircuitVizzleA+B Productions

For more details about the B4B Challenge, please visit the official website: www.b4bchallenge.com

About B4B Challenge
B4B Challenge is an annual contest organised by B4B Limited, a Hong Kong social enterprise that aims to promote the development of a healthy and sustainable ecosystem for Big Data and intelligent technology innovation and to match young talents and enterprises with an intensive accelerator programme.

Through education, competition, and exchange, the programme seeks to raise public awareness in Hong Kong of the value and impact of Big Data and AI, and to improve the adoption and acceptance of Big Data and AI innovations. Beyond Hong Kong, the competition’s reach extends across Hong Kong and other regions. B4B stands for “Big Data For Business” — as the name suggests, the programme aims to collect outstanding local proposals based on the practical needs of local enterprises, attracting more Hong Kong businesses to adopt Big Data and AI solutions and maintaining their competitiveness in the international market.

The B4B Challenge 2025-26 is the 10th annual edition since its inception in 2016. The programme continues to expand, with its core team comprising Founder and Director Mr Francois Lee, Honorary Chairman and Principal Mentor Prof Herbert Chia, JP, and Principal Advisor Dr Toa Charm.

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SOURCE B4B Limited

Technology

CNN to bring its Global Perspectives events series to Bangkok

Published

20 minutes ago

April 21, 2026

Conversations to be led by CNN journalists including Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Richard Quest and Kristie Lu Stout

HONG KONG, April 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — CNN will hold the inaugural Asia chapter of its Global Perspectives events franchise in Bangkok, Thailand, on 14 October 2026, reinforcing the network’s commitment to convene global leaders and fostering dialogue on the critical issues shaping international business, policy and economic development.

CNN will bring together dignitaries, visionaries, political and business leaders for Global Perspectives: In Bangkok, to explore big ideas, bold leadership and the dynamic economies at the forefront of global transformation. On-stage conversations will be led by CNN’s esteemed anchors and correspondents, including Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Richard Quest, Kristie Lu Stout, Will Ripley and Hanako Montgomery, with editorial content and news-making interviews from the event featured across CNN platforms.

Expanding the Global Perspectives series with this Bangkok edition underscores CNN’s long-standing engagement in Asia. As a historic economic and cultural crossroads, Bangkok sits at the intersection of global economic dynamism, regional influence and vibrant cultural energy. The event will take place as global leaders, investors and policymakers gather in the city for the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group Annual Meetings, creating an exclusive platform for CNN to examine a world in transition and the forces reshaping power and influence.

Ellana Lee, Group SVP, GM APAC, & Global Head of Productions at CNN, said: “Global Perspectives: In Bangkok will reflect CNN’s deep commitment to Asia and will aim to foster conversations that matter most on the global stage. At a time of rapid transformation, this event will bring together influential voices to examine the ideas, opportunities and challenges shaping the region and the world.”

James Hunt, SVP, Head of Client Solutions & Business Lead, Global Perspectives, CNN International Commercial said: “Global Perspectives provides a unique platform for leaders and partners to engage in meaningful dialogue and connect with the forces driving global change. Hosting the event in Bangkok creates new opportunities for brand partners and sponsors to be associated with important conversations about collaboration, insight and impact at the heart of one of the world’s most dynamic regions.”

Expanding its events franchise by holding Global Perspectives: In Bangkok builds on CNN’s long-standing presence in Asia which includes a network of bureaus and correspondents across Hong Kong, Beijing, Bangkok, Taiwan, Seoul, Tokyo, New Delhi and Islamabad.

Global Perspectives is an invitation-only gathering for international decision-makers and influential leaders from across industries, including technology, finance, investment, trade, geopolitics, healthcare, media, entertainment and more. The event will be attended by heads of state, regional and global leaders, and participants can expect to form meaningful connections that will last well beyond the event itself. Global Perspectives will be hosted at The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok.

Further details on speakers and programming will be announced in due course. People interested in attending Global Perspectives: In Bangkok can register their interest at: https://cnnicevents.cnn.com/gpbangkok/prl

About CNN Worldwide

CNN Worldwide is the most honored brand in cable news, reaching more individuals through television, streaming and online than any other cable news organization in the United States. Globally, people across the world can watch CNN International, which is widely distributed in over 200 countries and territories. CNN Digital is the #1 online news destination, with more unique visitors than any other news source. HBO Max, Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming platform, features CNN Max, a 24/7 streaming news offering available to subscribers alongside expanded access to News content and CNN Originals. CNN’s award-winning portfolio includes non-scripted programming from CNN Original Series and CNN Films for broadcast, streaming and distribution across multiple platforms. CNN programming can be found on CNN, CNN International and CNN en Español channels, via CNN Max and the CNN Originals hub on discovery+ and via pay TV subscription on CNN.com, CNN apps and cable operator platforms. Additionally, CNN Newsource is the world’s most extensively utilized news service partnering with over 1,000 local and international news organizations around the world. CNN is a division of Warner Bros. Discovery.

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SOURCE CNN International

Technology

Quality Executive Partners, Inc.® Announces Exclusive Partnership with Vi’eNnI® Training and Consulting LLP to Accelerate Workforce Development in India’s Huge Pharmaceutical Sector with Virtuosi®

Published

20 minutes ago

April 21, 2026

ATLANTA and BENGALURU, India, April 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Quality Executive Partners, Inc.® (QxP), a global leader in pharmaceutical quality, workforce development, regulatory compliance, and manufacturing consulting, today announced an exclusive strategic partnership with Vi’eNnI® Training and Consulting LLP to introduce and scale Virtuosi® across the Indian biopharmaceutical market.

Virtuosi helps biopharmaceutical manufacturers to solve one of their most critical operational challenges—the readiness of the workforce to perform in high-risk, high-complexity GMP environments—by building and sustaining operational capability across the employee lifecycle.

Under this agreement, Vienni will be QxP’s exclusive partner for Virtuosi in India, leading market engagement, client identification, and commercial activities.

Vi’eNnI® TRAINING & CONSULTING LLP: Enabling Scalable Training Excellence Across India

Vi’eNnI® is a recognized leader in pharmaceutical training and capability development in India, with a strong track record in GMP education, regulatory compliance, and industry engagement. Vi’eNnI® through its association with Eduoriens Skill Development LLP and professional bodies such as Parenteral Drug Association (PDA) India, Vienni operates at the center of India’s pharmaceutical training and compliance ecosystem.

With this established network, operational credibility, and relationships across India’s leading pharmaceutical manufacturers, Vienni is uniquely positioned to drive the adoption of Virtuosi at scale across the Indian market.

“This alliance is intended to deepen, enrich, and embed the field of training. The advantage of this collaboration is expected to make learning stick, with recall much higher when a participant leaves the learning zone,” said Vishal Sharma, Co-Founder Director, Vi’eNnI® TRAINING & CONSULTING LLP

“This marks the beginning of driving innovation and shaping outcomes that matter. Together, we forge a partnership that speaks the language of impact, influence, and enduring progress for teaching-learning & implementation,” said Ivy Louis, Founder Director, Vi’eNnI® TRAINING & CONSULTING LLP

“Vi’eNnI®’s mission is to empower doers to excel in their craft. This association with QxP for Virtuosi marks a pivotal step in advancing workforce capability and highlighting the strategic value of immersive training in India. We are proud to continue driving this mission forward.”

“We are honored to partner with Vi’eNnI® , a highly respected organization with deep roots in the Indian pharmaceutical industry,” said Crystal Mersh, Chief Executive Officer of Quality Executive Partners, Inc. “Together, we are enabling broader access to Virtuosi in a way that allows clients to build and sustain the knowledge, skills, and behaviors required to perform under real operating conditions. This embeds compliance and capability into daily execution in order to deliver high quality medicines to patients around the world.”

Virtuosi by QxP: Advancing Workforce Capability in India’s Globally Critical Pharmaceutical Hubs

India is one of the most critical pharmaceutical manufacturing markets globally and is poised for significant growth in the coming years, particularly across biologics, biosimilars, and advanced therapies. As manufacturers expand into more complex product categories and face increasing scrutiny from global regulatory agencies—including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) —the ability to rapidly build, standardize, and sustain a high-performing, inspection-ready workforce has become a strategic priority.

cGMP experts at QxP created Virtuosi to address this exact challenge. Virtuosi is an immersive workforce readiness program accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET), aligning with globally recognized standards for continuing education and distinguishing it as the only virtual reality–based training program to achieve such accreditation.

Combining virtual reality interactive experiences with digital course content, Virtuosi enables professionals to practice critical manufacturing and quality processes—such as aseptic operations, microbiology, and advanced therapies—in realistic, risk-free environments. The platform includes over 100 hours of education, 56 technical courses, and 20 immersive VR experiences, and is available in seven languages—English, French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Spanish, and Swedish—to support global workforce standardization. Virtuosi helps organizations reduce human error, accelerate time to competency, and improve compliance and operational performance across global pharmaceutical operations.

By shifting training from passive instruction to experiential learning, Virtuosi helps reduce time to competency and human error, improve inspection readiness, and drive measurable quality outcomes which translates directly to revenue protection and growth. This partnership strengthens not only the competitiveness of individual organizations, but also the long-term resilience, regulatory standing, and global leadership of India’s pharmaceutical sector.

About Quality Executive Partners, Inc.® (QxP)

Quality Executive Partners, Inc. (QxP) is a premium CGMP consulting firm focused on solving complex operational and regulatory challenges in pharmaceutical manufacturing. QxP services pharmaceutical manufactures and CDMOs globally across all major modalities – OTC, oral solid dosage, sterile, biologics, ATMPs, clinical-stage manufacturing, and combination products. We support clients throughout the product lifecycle, including clinical operations, commercial readiness, regulatory strategy, quality transformations, and remediation. Through our ‘Teach and Do®’ model, QxP embeds senior GMP experts / former regulators into day-to-day operations to execute alongside client teams and build internal capability. This model ensures solutions are effective in practice, sustainable, and directly reduce operational risk. .

About Vi’eNnI®

Vi’eNnI® Training and Consulting LLP is a pharmaceutical training and consulting organization based in Bengaluru, India, focused on advancing workforce capability, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence across the life sciences sector, for the past 16 years. The company delivers targeted training and consulting services across GMP, quality systems, aseptic processing, microbiology, and inspection readiness, competency and culture building initiatives, helping organizations strengthen performance, consolidate efficiency and achieve sustainable compliance. Known for its practical, implementation-focused approach, Vi’eNnI® enables pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to translate training into measurable improvements on the shop floor, supporting continuous improvement and long-term capability development across India’s pharmaceutical industry with a variety of options and tools.

Media Contact (Global)
Robin Mersh
SVP, Virtuosi Sales
Quality Executive Partners, Inc.
Email: RobinMersh@QualityExecutivePartners.com
Phone: (+1) 678-496-7503

Media Contact (India)
Ivy Louis
Founder-Director
Vi’eNnI® Training and Consulting LLP
Email: Ivy_louis@vienni.com
Phone: +91 9986821045
WhatsApp: +91 9986821045

Vi’eNnI® & Virtuosi® are registered trademarks for VIENNI & Quality Executive Partners, Inc., respectively.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2790799/5926395/Virtuosi_Logo.jpg

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Technology

Tuniu Corporation Files Its Annual Report on Form 20-F

Published

20 minutes ago

April 21, 2026

NANJING, China, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Tuniu Corporation (NASDAQ:TOUR) (“Tuniu” or the “Company”), a leading online leisure travel company in China, today announced that it filed its annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 20, 2026, U.S. Eastern Time. The annual report can be accessed on the Company’s investor relations website at http://ir.tuniu.com or the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The Company will provide a copy of its annual report containing the audited consolidated financial statements, free of charge, to its shareholders and ADS holders upon request. Requests should be directed to the Investor Relations Department at 12th floor, building 6-A, Juhuiyuan, No.108 Xuanwudadao, Xuanwu District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210023, The People’s Republic of China.

About Tuniu Corporation

Tuniu (Nasdaq: TOUR) is a leading online leisure travel company in China that offers integrated travel service with a large selection of packaged tours, including organized and self-guided tours, as well as travel-related services for leisure travelers through its website tuniu.com and mobile platform. Tuniu provides one-stop leisure travel solutions and a compelling customer experience through its online platform and offline service network, including a dedicated team of professional customer service representatives, 24/7 call centers, extensive networks of offline retail stores and self-operated local tour operators. For more information, please visit http://ir.tuniu.com.

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SOURCE Tuniu Corporation