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Simplilearn and UC Santa Barbara Professional and Continuing Education Collaborate to launch the Applied Generative AI Specialization program

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PLANO, Texas, April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Simplilearn, a global leader in digital upskilling, in collaboration with UC Santa Barbara Professional and Continuing Education (UCSB PaCE), will be delivering Applied Generative AI Specialization. The program covers 50+ hours of live classes led by industry experts and 16+ hours of self-learning, complemented by hands-on experience through 7+ real-world projects and a capstone project. Through a comprehensive curriculum, learners build expertise in GenAI, from foundational AI literacy to advanced Generative AI, agentic frameworks, and governance.

Generative AI is expected to add nearly $4.4 trillion to the global economy annually, signalling the growing need for professionals who can implement agentic frameworks and build autonomous AI systems for real-world business applications (Source: McKinsey & Company). This program has been developed to address this gap, and will help learners gain the skills to design and deploy AI-powered chatbots using OpenAI models and advanced prompt engineering, and address these evolving industry demands.

The projects included in the curriculum are meant to translate theoretical knowledge into practical skills, such as a personal expense tracker and task manager with user authentication, AI-Powered HR Assistant, AI-driven design generator, AI-Powered Business Intelligence Assistant, and image generation apps using OpenAI, LangChain, and RAG frameworks. Towards the end, the capstone project, will consolidate  their newly acquired capabilities through hands-on work that integrates learnings from across the modules into a portfolio-ready solution.

Speaking about the program, Mr. Kashyap Dalal, Cofounder and COO of Simplilearn, said, “There is a surge in tech adoption across industries, and Generative AI is similarly advancing. Today, when we think of AI, we think of capabilities such as AI literacy, Generative AI fundamentals, and large language model (LLM) architecture, all of which are core to this program. The learning path has been carefully designed to align with the most in-demand skill sets across industries. Our collaboration with UCSB PaCE further strengthens this vision by supporting professionals with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate the evolving AI landscape.”

In addition to the compulsory modules, learners can choose two electives to deepen their practical understanding of Generative AI. The Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals: Generative AI course introduces core concepts such as large language models, Azure OpenAI Service, prompt optimisation, and responsible AI principles. The Microsoft Copilot Foundations course further has key learnings on building and managing copilots, exploring Azure AI Studio, and developing RAG-based solutions using real data. Additionally, the program includes an exclusive masterclass with an industry expert that delves into advanced GenAI topics and emerging trends

Denis Couturier, Dean at UC Santa Barbara Professional and Continuing Education, said, “Professionals must continuously upskill with the latest and cutting-edge tools to make the most effective use of emerging technologies. This collaboration aims to deliver a comprehensive Generative AI  training that blends academic rigor with practical application. The program explores the core building blocks of Generative AI, including neural networks, GANs and transformers, while offering hands-on learning through live sessions and projects to ensure learners gain conceptual depth and industry skills.”

Through the course, learners will gain access to Simplilearn Career Services for targeted job assistance and extended guidance to help turn job searches into success stories, including career services workshops, networking, interview preparation, assessments, and AI-powered profile optimization. The program also offers flexible learning through session recordings and 24/7 access to Simplilearn’s LMS. Upon program completion, learners will  earn a certificate of completion from UC Santa Barbara Professional and Continuing Education and Simplilearn.. Additionally, they will earn individual course completion certificates hosted on the Microsoft Learn portal for Microsoft courses.

About UC Santa Barbara Professional & Continuing Education

The University of California, Santa Barbara is a top-ranked public research university, consistently recognized among the top 15 public universities in the U.S. UCSB is home to 8 Nobel Laureates, 10 national research centres and institutes, and 34 National Academy of Engineering members, reflecting its strong academic excellence, innovation, and real-world impact. UC Santa Barbara Professional and Continuing Education empowers professionals and lifelong learners with essential skills through flexible certificate programs, professional courses, workshops, and seminars across diverse fields such as business, technology, and more. UCSB PaCE is collaborating with Simplilearn to deliver industry-aligned, online non-credit professional programs. This collaboration combines UCSB’s globally recognized academic reputation with Simplilearn’s immersive learning model, featuring live virtual classes, applied projects, and career-focused curriculum. Learners benefit from studying with a top-ranked UC institution while gaining job-ready skills and career support designed to drive immediate and measurable professional impact.

About Simplilearn

Founded in 2010, Simplilearn, a Blackstone portfolio company, is a global leader in digital upskilling, enabling learners across the globe with access to world-class training for individuals and businesses. Simplilearn offers 1,500+ live classes each month across 150+ countries, impacting over 8 million learners worldwide. Its programs are designed and delivered in collaboration with world-renowned universities, top corporations, and leading industry bodies. From early-career professionals to managers, executives, small businesses, and large enterprises, Simplilearn’s role-based, skill-focused, industry-recognized, and globally relevant training programs provide ideal upskilling solutions for diverse career or business goals.

For more information, please visit www.simplilearn.com

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SOURCE Simplilearn Solutions Private Limited

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The World Is Taking Notice: TIME Recognition Fuels VinFast’s Global Journey

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On a rainy Tuesday morning in Paris, a driver waiting at a red light on Boulevard Haussmann might not immediately place the badge on the SUV beside them. Thousands of miles away, a driver in California might have a similar moment seeing the same badge on an American road. It is not German, nor one of the familiar Asian names that have become common across established automotive markets. It belongs to VinFast ,  a Vietnamese automotive brand that is steadily making its presence felt across Europe and North America, and whose global journey reflects a much larger story unfolding inside its parent group, Vingroup.

PARIS , Sept. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — That journey reached a new milestone this year. Vingroup has been ranked 340th in TIME’s World’s Best Companies 2026, produced jointly with the research firm Statista, placing it among the world’s top 350 businesses and marking a rise of nearly 500 places from the previous year. It is the only Vietnamese company to appear on the list for two consecutive years.

A Ranking Built on More Than Growth

TIME and Statista do not rank companies on size alone. Their methodology weighs three dimensions: revenue growth, employee satisfaction and sustainability transparency. Vingroup earned an overall score of 81 out of 100, rising from 817th to 340th worldwide.

The revenue figures behind that score are substantial. In the first half of 2026, Vingroup posted consolidated net revenue of VND 222.9 trillion, up 72 percent year on year, with profit after tax reaching VND 20.904 trillion, more than four and a half times the figure recorded over the same period in 2025. That growth was driven largely by the Group’s industrial manufacturing and real estate businesses, earning Vingroup an “Outstanding” rating on the revenue metric.

Employee satisfaction told a similar story of momentum. Vingroup climbed to 398th globally, up 496 places, in a workforce that now spans roughly 400,000 people across 12 countries.

On sustainability, the Group’s contribution came through a different kind of infrastructure – green transition projects, urban development, and long-term investment in the systems that sustain a livable city rather than a single quarter’s balance sheet. Vinhomes, the Group’s real estate arm, has extended this thinking through its ESG++ model, adding Regeneration and Resilience to the conventional three pillars of Environmental, Social and Governance work, applied across urban developments spanning thousands of hectares.

Two new business lines added to that picture in 2025: infrastructure, through VinSpeed’s high-speed rail projects connecting Ho Chi Minh City to Can Gio and Hanoi to Quang Ninh, and green energy, through VinEnergo’s projects across multiple provinces. Together, they represent an attempt to build not just individual businesses, but the connective tissue – rail, power and mobility – that a modern, low-carbon economy runs on.

Making the EV Transition More Accessible

Within that broader ecosystem, VinFast represents one of the clearest expressions of Vingroup’s global aspirations. The company’s expansion across Asia, North America and Europe is bringing the Group’s vision for a greener future to an increasingly international audience, while putting a Vietnamese automotive brand directly into competition in some of the world’s most established markets.

For customers considering a new automotive brand, however, global vision is only the starting point. The more important question is whether a new entrant can earn the trust required to become part of everyday life.

Research from the McKinsey Center for Future Mobility offers a useful, if counterintuitive, perspective. Surveying thousands of European car buyers, McKinsey found that Europeans open to considering an Asian market entrant show an overall 53 percent likelihood of switching to a new brand when they move to an electric vehicle – a figure that rises as high as 63 percent in the United Kingdom. Brand loyalty, in other words, is proving more fluid in the EV era than it was in the age of the internal combustion engine.

That shift creates an opening for new EV brands. But winning customers requires more than a competitive vehicle. It requires making electric mobility accessible while building the sales, service and ownership infrastructure that gives customers confidence throughout the ownership journey.

With an increasingly diverse and accessible product portfolio, VinFast remains committed to its mission of making electric vehicles more accessible to everyone and enabling customers to transition to green mobility with greater ease and confidence.

In Europe, the company is expanding its presence with products designed around local priorities of efficiency, design and accessibility, including the VF 6 and VF 8, while electric buses such as the EB 8 and the fully European-certified EB 12 further extend its contribution to the region’s transition toward greener transportation.

Across North America, the same vision is being supported by the expansion of VinFast’s sales and service network and the development of its Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) program. Together, these initiatives are designed to build a more comprehensive ecosystem around the customer, extending beyond the vehicle itself to the services and support that shape the ownership experience.

Vingroup was the first Vietnamese company to qualify for TIME’s World’s Best Companies list in 2025, while VinFast has earned recognition among TIME100 Most Influential Companies and Asia-Pacific’s Best Companies of 2025. These milestones reflect growing international recognition of Vingroup’s and VinFast’s aspirations, capabilities and expanding global reach.

The latest TIME recognition for Vingroup therefore arrives at a moment when that global reach is becoming increasingly visible. For VinFast, the challenge and opportunity now extend across multiple continents ,  from European cities where a new badge is gradually becoming familiar, to North American roads where the company is building its presence and customer ecosystem. 

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XLCS Partners advises CID Capital on its investment in Kaiser Garage Doors & Gates

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NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — XLCS Partners, Inc., a leading middle market investment bank, is pleased to announce it served as advisor to CID Capital on its investment in Kaiser Garage Doors & Gates, LLC (Kaiser).

Headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, Kaiser is a leading installer and servicer of residential and commercial overhead doors and gates serving the Phoenix, Tucson, and White Mountains markets. With over 30 years of proven operations, the company has established a strong regional footprint, a reputation for quality and reliability, and long-standing customer relationships.

Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, CID Capital is a private equity firm with decades of experience partnering with high-quality, lower middle market companies. CID makes control investments in companies with a proven track record of success and works alongside management teams to provide strategic guidance, resources, and capital for the next phase of growth, combining a focus on founder- and family-owned companies with a collaborative approach to building long-term value.

Kaiser is the third platform investment made from CID’s latest fund, CID Capital Opportunity Fund IV, L.P. In conjunction with the closing, industry veteran Eric Farley stepped in as CEO to lead the business under CID’s ownership, partnering with Dean Bennett, COO, and the existing Kaiser team.

XLCS acted as buyside advisor to CID Capital in connection with its investment in Kaiser, which was completed on August 14, 2026. The engagement was supported by Jay Cremer, Vice President, and David Silva, Senior Associate.

About XLCS Partners, Inc.
XLCS Partners is a leading global investment banking firm providing M&A advisory services. Visit www.xlcspartners.com for more information.

Media Contact: 
Kendra Span
kspan@xlcspartners.com
615-379-7783

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SOURCE XLCS Partners, Inc.

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PlanetiQ Selected for NOAA’s Space-Based Environmental Monitoring IDIQ

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Selection builds on PlanetiQ’s long-standing relationship with NOAA and adds thermospheric neutral density to its environmental data offerings

GOLDEN, Colo., Sept. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — PlanetiQ, a leading provider of commercial satellite-based environmental data, today announced that it has been selected as an industry partner under NOAA’s new Space-Based Environmental Monitoring (SBEM) Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. Through the SBEM IDIQ, PlanetiQ will be eligible to compete for task orders to provide NOAA with two types of commercial environmental data: Global Navigation Satellite System-Radio Occultation (GNSS-RO) observations for atmospheric profiling and ionospheric monitoring, and thermospheric neutral density data for satellite orbit prediction.

“This selection builds on our long-standing partnership with NOAA and expands the ways our data can support the agency, from high-resolution atmospheric and ionospheric observations to thermospheric neutral density for satellite orbit prediction,” said Ira Scharf, CEO of PlanetiQ.  

The SBEM IDIQ, established by NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) through its Commercial Data Program. The contract has a five-year base period followed by a five-year option and is effective from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2036.

Under SBEM, PlanetiQ will provide data from its existing satellite constellation as well as additional satellites planned for launch later this year. The company’s GNSS-RO observations provide high-resolution atmospheric profiles for numerical weather prediction and measurements of the ionosphere, including Total Electron Content (TEC) and scintillation. PlanetiQ will also introduce thermospheric neutral density data as a new commercial data product for NOAA NESDIS, supporting improved satellite orbit prediction and space-weather applications.

“PlanetiQ has built its business around delivering high-quality GNSS-RO data with the precision needed to improve weather forecasting,” said Ira Scharf, CEO of PlanetiQ. “This selection builds on our long-standing partnership with NOAA and expands the ways our data can support the agency, from high-resolution atmospheric and ionospheric observations to thermospheric neutral density for satellite orbit prediction. We look forward to continuing to work with NOAA to advance weather forecasting and space weather applications.”

Per NOAA’s own press release, NOAA is expanding its procurement and use of new commercial environmental satellite data streams that will enhance weather forecasting and space weather monitoring. The SBEM IDIQ contract is a key part in the agency’s ongoing effort to boost U.S. weather forecasting capabilities.

PlanetiQ currently provides GNSS-RO data to NOAA NESDIS under the agency’s previous commercial data contract vehicle. The company’s most recent task order, announced in August, provides GNSS-RO and ionospheric data and bridges the transition to the new SBEM contract.

About PlanetiQ

PlanetiQ provides the highest-quality GNSS radio occultation (RO) data available from a commercial constellation of satellites, offering unmatched temporal and spatial resolution. The data drive accurate, high-impact weather and climate forecast models, helping improve Numerical Weather Prediction and AI forecasts, safeguard lives and property from severe weather. In 2025, PlanetiQ was awarded NOAA’s largest-ever contract for satellite weather data, valued at $24.3 million. PlanetiQ is a space-tech company that serves the most mission-critical government, defense, and industry leaders, including international weather agencies, enabling more resilient operations across sectors. Founded in 2015 and privately owned, PlanetiQ designs, builds, and operates the preeminent commercial constellation of GNSS-RO satellites, setting the standard for precision and reliability in atmospheric monitoring. For more information, contact info@planetiq.com

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SOURCE PlanetiQ

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