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L’Oréal Invests in Future of AI-Powered Commerce and the Creator Economy with Tech Startups from South Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa

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L’Oréal has launched its 2026 Big Bang Beauty Tech Innovation Program for startups across South Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa (SAPMENA)Winners secure a fully funded commercial pilot with one of L’Oréal’s 40 international brands, potential scale across 35 SAPMENA markets and year-long mentorship from L’Oréal senior leaders and programme partnersEntering its third year, the programme has seven startup winners to date from Australia, India, Singapore and UAE.2026 innovation themes tap into greater potential for AI-powered commerce, creator and affiliate ecosystems, and circularity solutions.

SINGAPORE, May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — L’Oréal is officially calling for the next generation of tech pioneers in Singapore to co-create the future of beauty. Applications are now open for the 2026 Big Bang Beauty Tech Innovation Program across the SAPMENA region.  Entering its third year, the biggest beauty tech open innovation competition has become the industry’s launchpad for scale: seven startups from previous cohorts have progressed to commercial pilots with one of L’Oréal’s 40 brands.

THE OPPORTUNITY: FROM COMPETITION TO COMMERCIAL SCALE

From May to November, startups compete for the ultimate opportunity to scale in beauty: a fully funded commercial pilot with one of L’Oréal’s 40 iconic international brands. Beyond the pilot, winners unlock potential scale across 35 high-growth markets in the SAPMENA region and receive a year of strategic mentorship from L’Oréal’s senior leaders and programme partners. 

The 2026 edition has been updated to harness three major structural shifts shaping the industry: the rise of AI-powered commerce, the dominance of creator and affiliate-led ecosystems, and the critical advancement of the circular economy.

Startups can apply under five strategic innovation themes designed to drive both commercial growth and positive impact:

Connected Brand ExperienceCreators & AffiliatesAI-Powered CommerceScience for BeautyInnovation for Good

Vismay Sharma, President of L’Oréal SAPMENA Zone, commented: “SAPMENA is fast becoming a global epicentre for tech innovation. Millions of young, digitally native consumers are fuelling a rapid rise in digital commerce and redefining brand interaction. We believe this region is an important incubator for the future of beauty – a ‘Silicon Valley’ for Beauty Tech. As AI, the creator economy, and circularity reshape our industry, we are committed to discovering and nurturing the pioneers who will co-lead this transformation.”

INNOVATION PILOTS WITH 2025 STARTUP WINNERS

Commercial pilots with L’Oréal have demonstrated unique use-cases of startup capabilities in the beauty context, proving tangible impact for both founders and L’Oréal brands. 

Innovation in Sustainable Materials Science: Without from India, a materials science startup using a proprietary process to transform what would previously be unrecyclable multilayer plastics into high-quality recyclable materials. “Winning the Big Bang programme last year opened doors for us. This competition was not just about getting an award and recognition. We actually get the opportunity to do a pilot programme that can be scaled across markets,” said Anish Malpani, Founder of Without.

Real-Time Customer Intelligence: Heatseeker from Australia is addressing the industry’s reliance on reactive market data by piloting real-time intelligence to accelerate go-to-market decisions. “Both Heatseeker and L’Oréal are obsessed with the same thing – delivering customer truth, fast – and that shared DNA has meant we’ve been able to design and validate a solution side-by-side with L’Oréal that is already shaping where Heatseeker goes globally. Partnering with L’Oréal is making us unstoppable,” said Kate O’Keeffe, CEO and co-founder of Heatseeker.

AI-Powered Influencer Discovery: Halo AI from UAE is partnering with L’Oréal to transform influencer discovery and brand-matching at scale, solving the fragmentation of influencer marketing. “Winning Big Bang is a signal that the agentic infrastructure we’re building at Halo AI is meeting that moment, and I’m so excited to be building for that future with team L’Oréal,” said Rami Saad, Co-founder and Chief Business Officer of Halo AI.

AI-Powered Circularity: Sravathi AI from India is applying its AI-powered chemistry platform to help L’Oréal identify active ingredients faster and more sustainably. “Through Big Bang, we gained access to L’Oréal’s global and regional teams and partners – conversations that have been instrumental in shaping how we bring our platform to the beauty industry at scale,” said Parag Tipnis, VP Commercial of Sravathi AI.

Ethical Tech and IP Compliance: Wubble AI from Singapore integrates ethical, royalty-free music to ensure seamless IP compliance for L’Oréal’s engagements. “Being a part of the Big Bang competition has been a key milestone in the story of our young company. We have been fortunate to work with different L’Oréal teams since then, on two paid projects, and the experience has been absolutely invaluable in shaping and sharpening our product design and the user journey on our platform,” said Anand Roy, Founder and CEO of Wubble AI.

SAPMENA: A REGION BUILT FOR INNOVATION

The SAPMENA region, home to 40% of the world’s population and its emerging new consumer base, is now the primary laboratory for beauty tech innovation. With over 60% of its young, digitally native consumers shopping online weekly, the region offers unparalleled commercial opportunities for ambitious startups.

This momentum is supported by a flourishing startup ecosystem. Asia Pacific recorded the strongest annual growth worldwide in the 2025 Global Startup Ecosystem Index, with Singapore ranking 4th globally led by 44.9% growth, while Saudi Arabia leaped to 38th, fuelled by a 236.8% growth rate.

Recognising this energy, L’Oréal is nurturing the next generation of innovators through its Big Bang Beauty Tech Innovation Program, encouraging development at all levels. The beauty sector is one of the most advanced in applying AI, personalisation and data-driven commerce. NielsenIQ reports that nearly half of all consumers are now receiving beauty recommendations from generative AI, the industry has become the definitive arena where new technology proves its commercial value first.

ABOUT THE BIG BANG BEAUTY TECH INNOVATION PROGRAM IN SAPMENA

The biggest Beauty Tech open innovation competition of this geographical scale, the Big Bang Beauty Tech Innovation Program seeks to discover, support and nurture promising startups from the South Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa region. The competition is open to startups from countries including United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand. 

Startups will be given the opportunity to develop their pilots in beauty tech innovation in one of five challenge themes: Connected Brand Experience, Creators & Affiliates, AI-Powered Commerce, Science for Beauty and Innovation for Good. 

The top three SAPMENA Grand Finale winners will win a L’Oréal-funded commercial pilot opportunity, potential to scale multiple markets and a year-long mentorship with senior leaders from L’Oréal and the programme partners. 

Startups who prove successful pilots in SAPMENA could have the opportunity to work with L’Oréal on future collaborations globally. 

Key dates:

Submission deadline: 3 July 2026Regional finals: August-September 2026Middle EastIndiaSoutheast AsiaAustralia and New ZealandSAPMENA Grand Finale in Singapore (in-person): November 2026

Startups passionate about creating the future of beauty with L’Oréal are encouraged to apply now on the competition website by the submission deadline of 3 July 2026.

ABOUT L’ORÉAL SOUTH ASIA PACIFIC, MIDDLE EAST, AND NORTH AFRICA (SAPMENA) ZONE

Home to 3 billion people and 40% of the world’s population, the South Asia Pacific, Middle East & North Africa (SAPMENA) Zone is a major growth engine for L’Oréal and a global talent hub. The SAPMENA Zone was formed in 2021 to drive focus on consumer needs and growth in many of the world’s most populous, young and fast-growing economies. Across 13 entities and 35 markets spanning New Zealand to Morocco, the L’Oréal SAPMENA Zone is reinventing beauty experiences for our consumers through a portfolio of over 30 international brands and game-changing Beauty Tech innovations. Our business model is built on responsible and sustainable growth, with commitments which focus on three key areas – the planet, the people and our products.

About L’Oréal                                                                      

For over 115 years, L’Oréal, the world’s leading beauty player, has devoted itself to one thing only: fulfilling the beauty aspirations of consumers around the world. Our purpose, to create the beauty that moves the world, defines our approach to beauty as essential, inclusive, ethical, generous and committed to social and environmental sustainability. With our broad portfolio of 40 international brands and ambitious sustainability commitments in our L’Oréal for the Future programme, we offer each and every person around the world the best in terms of quality, efficacy, safety, sincerity and responsibility, while celebrating beauty in its infinite plurality.

With more than 95,000 committed employees, a balanced geographical footprint and sales across all distribution networks (ecommerce, mass market, department stores, pharmacies, perfumeries, hair salons, branded and travel retail), in 2025 the Group generated sales amounting to 44.05 billion euros. With 22 research centres across 9 regional hubs around the world and a dedicated Research and Innovation team of over 4,000 scientists and more than 8,000 Digital, Tech and Data talents, L’Oréal is focused on inventing the future of beauty and becoming a Beauty Tech powerhouse.

In 2025, L’Oréal has been named the most innovative company in Europe by Fortune magazine, out of 300 companies, in a ranking spanning 21 countries and 16 industries in Europe.

More information on https://www.loreal.com/en/mediaroom

MEDIA CONTACT
L’ORÉAL
Sonia MEYER, sonia.meyer@loreal.com

 

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SOURCE L’Oréal

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Datex and Elastic Solutions Survey Suggests 3PL Competitive Advantage Is Shifting from Technology Adoption to Execution

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100+ 3PL professionals reveal a growing gap between technology adoption and measurable value, with throughput gains widespread but ROI confidence still limited

CLEARWATER, Fla., Aug. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Datex, a leading provider of third-party logistics (3PL) warehouse management software (WMS) for complex and regulated storage environments, today released findings from The 3PL AI & Automation Playbook Survey, based on original research conducted by Elastic Solutions and sponsored by Datex. The survey gathered insights from more than 100 3PL logistics, supply chain and warehousing professionals across North America.

The findings point to a shift in the 3PL technology conversation. As adoption of AI and automation grows, simply having the technology may no longer be enough to differentiate. The greater opportunity is in execution: how effectively 3PLs turn those investments into better warehouse performance, measurable business value and stronger customer service. This closely reflects the brief’s central finding that differentiation is shifting from technology adoption to operational execution.

The data illustrates both the progress 3PLs are making and the execution challenges that remain. While 83% of respondents reported increased warehouse throughput from automation and advanced WMS capabilities, only 33% said they are confident or very confident they will achieve positive ROI within their projected implementation timeline. At the same time, 80% said customers expect, or increasingly assume, AI and automation capabilities from their 3PL partners.

The survey also points to a shift in what is driving investment. Among respondents, 84% cited operational efficiency, evolving client demands or competitive advantage as the primary reason for investing in AI and automation, compared with just 6% who primarily cited labor shortages and rising labor costs.

“Competitive advantage doesn’t come from simply having more technology. It comes from what you can accomplish with it,” said Mike Armanious, CEO of Datex. “For 3PLs, the opportunity is to start with the business outcome and make sure every investment contributes to a better operation, whether that means greater productivity, stronger service or the ability to respond faster to new customer requirements. Sometimes that means getting more from the technology you already have. Other times, it means recognizing when the foundation itself needs to change.”

The resulting executive brief, The Execution Advantage, looks at what the survey findings may mean for 3PLs as they continue investing in AI, automation and warehouse technology, including considerations around ROI, workforce productivity, changing customer expectations and the role of the WMS in supporting these initiatives.

The findings represent the perspectives of more than 100 survey respondents and should be viewed as a snapshot of their experiences and priorities rather than a representation of the entire 3PL market.

Download the full executive brief, The Execution Advantage: How AI, Automation, and Modern WMS Platforms Are Shaping the Next Competitive Advantage for 3PLs, here.

About Datex
Datex helps third-party logistics providers simplify the complexity of multi-client warehouse operations. Footprint® WMS combines real-time inventory visibility, client-specific workflows, advanced billing and low-code configurability to help 3PLs operate more efficiently and adapt faster. Complemented by Footprint Analytics and Datex Studio, the platform delivers trusted insights, streamlined operations and seamless integration. The result is greater agility, stronger customer service and a foundation for scalable growth.

For more information, visit https://datexcorp.com/.

About Elastic Solutions
Elastic Solutions is a leader in targeted marketing, research and demand generation services for the B2B high-tech community. Elastic Solutions was responsible for generating and analyzing the data presented in the executive brief.

For more information, visit www.elasticroi.com.

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SOURCE Datex Inc.

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ECRI Expands Problem Reporting Network and Calls for More Data on AI Errors in Patient Care

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As the adoption of AI in healthcare continues to accelerate, ECRI calls on healthcare providers, systems, and clinicians nationwide to report AI-related incidents

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa., Aug. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Global patient safety nonprofit ECRI announced an expansion of its Problem Reporting Network to specifically capture and investigate errors, malfunctions, and near misses involving artificial intelligence (AI) tools and AI-enabled devices used in patient care.

ECRI is calling on healthcare providers, health systems, and clinicians nationwide to submit reports of any incident where an AI-enabled tool may have contributed to an error or introduced risk into care delivery. ECRI triages and investigates those reports and shares findings with each submitter. This program compliments the ECRI and ISMP Patient Safety Organization (PSO) which has gathered and analyzes more than 8 million reports of safety events from healthcare providers nationwide.

AI’s promise comes with a data gap

AI is actively transforming healthcare, with immense potential to improve clinical outcomes and efficiency. However, clinical AI tools and AI-enabled medical devices are being deployed at a pace that has challenged the safeguards designed to prevent, identify, and respond to failures.

AI now assists with everything from diagnostic imaging and clinical decision support to personal chatbots, but there is no centralized, healthcare-specific mechanism tracking how often these tools produce incorrect or misleading outputs, and how often those outputs reach a patient.

“ECRI has persistently emphasized the risk of adopting AI with insufficient scrutiny,” said Scott Lucas, PhD, ECRI’s Vice President of Devices, Therapeutics, and Technology. “Although we appreciate AI’s tremendous potential, we don’t yet have a clear picture of its downstream impact in healthcare. Without a robust reporting dataset and analysis, the industry cannot sufficiently improve the design and integration of AI tools and devices. We must look to evidence and data to understand the evolving risks and associated system factors, to enable the use of the safest, most effective technologies.”

Survey shows a mix of AI errors & uncertainty  

In a recent ECRI survey of 124 respondents — mostly quality, safety, risk or compliance leaders — nearly one-third said they encountered an AI output they believed was incorrect or misleading over the past year (31%), while 34% had not, and 35% were unsure. Nine percent reported an AI error reached a patient or impacted a care decision. Ambient scribes were the most commonly encountered AI tools in the survey (37%), ahead of EHR-embedded clinical decision support (31%) and clinical LLM assistants or chatbots (31%).

ECRI has evaluated the effectiveness and clinical evidence surrounding numerous AI-enabled devices and AI tools, including applications in imaging, fall prevention, anesthesia, wearable technology for chronic disease management, cardiovascular diagnoses, colonoscopy systems, and behavioral therapy.

How ECRI’s Problem Reporting Network works

ECRI’s Problem Reporting Network has served the healthcare community since 1972, offering a free, confidential channel for reporting medical device and technology problems. Every submission is triaged and investigated by ECRI’s clinical and engineering experts, and ECRI follows up directly with the submitter to share what was found.

When a safety risk is identified in a device or technology, ECRI informs relevant stakeholders including manufacturers, providers, and regulatory agencies by issuing hazard reports that describe the problem and provide actionable recommendations to reduce risk. The Problem Reporting Network also contributes to the top health technology hazards and patient safety concerns in research reports ECRI publishes for the public each year.

With this most recent expansion, the Problem Reporting Network now explicitly includes a pathway for reporting suspected AI-related errors, incorrect outputs, or unsafe AI behavior encountered in clinical or operational use. Healthcare providers, systems, and professionals who have encountered a suspected AI error, whether it reached a patient or was caught beforehand, are encouraged to submit reports through ECRI’s Problem Reporting Network. 

In addition, ECRI encourages healthcare organizations to submit safety reports through all applicable required reporting channels, including state and federal reporting, and through Patient Safety Organizations.

For more information about the safe use of AI in healthcare, visit ECRI’s AI Resource Hub.

About ECRI

ECRI is an independent, nonprofit organization improving the safety, quality, and cost-effectiveness of care across all healthcare settings. Over the past six decades, ECRI has built its reputation on integrity and disciplined rigor, with an unwavering commitment to independence and evidence-based insights. ECRI is designated an Evidence-based Practice Center by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The ECRI and Institute for Safe Medication Practices PSO is a federally certified Patient Safety Organization (PSO) as designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ECRI is the only organization worldwide to conduct independent medical device evaluations. ECRI acquired The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) in 2020 to address one of the most prolific causes of preventable harm in healthcare, medication errors; then acquired The Just Culture Company in 2024 to transform healthcare workplace cultures – thus creating one of the largest healthcare quality and safety entities in the world.

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SOURCE ECRI

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Murrieta the Gem of the Valley TV Series Spotlights Southern California Real Estate and Lifestyle on REAL Shows Network

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Locally hosted series led by Tiffany Williams highlights the people, neighborhoods, businesses, and stories that make Murrieta the Gem of the Valley.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif., Aug. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — REAL Shows Network (RSN), the national TV platform dedicated to elevating real estate and lifestyle storytelling, has added Murrieta the Gem of the Valley, a new locally hosted series serving Southern California, to its lineup. The real estate and lifestyle TV series is hosted by local real estate leader Tiffany Williams and produced by RSN’s Emmy-nominated, Telly Award-winning team.

Viewers can learn more about the series and watch episodes of Murrieta the Gem of the Valley at realshows.tv.

The series captures the spirit of Murrieta by blending real estate, local culture, and community stories into a vibrant viewing experience. Each episode features Tiffany Williams:

Highlighting notable neighborhoods and distinctive propertiesCelebrating local businesses and community organizationsSpotlighting the people and stories that give the area its unique characterSharing insight into how real estate can help families build long-term wealth and legacy

“After nearly 30 years serving this valley, we’ve learned that real estate isn’t just about property. It’s about the people, businesses, and neighborhoods that give a place its soul,” said Tiffany Williams, host of Murrieta the Gem of the Valley. “Murrieta is truly the Gem of the Valley, and through this show, we want to spotlight those stories while teaching families how a home today can become a legacy tomorrow. Wealth via real estate isn’t just a strategy. It’s how you pass something priceless down to your children’s children.”

Murrieta the Gem of the Valley is part of REAL Shows Network’s growing lineup of locally branded series that highlight communities across the United States.

As part of RSN’s national network of locally branded shows, Murrieta the Gem of the Valley gives its host a full 30 minutes to build a recognizable, personality-driven brand while authentically representing the people and communities she serves. The show provides local organizations, including nonprofits and philanthropic initiatives, along with entrepreneurs and community influencers, a high-quality platform to share their stories through cinematic, lifestyle-driven segments.

Rooted in RSN’s mission of positive media, Murrieta the Gem of the Valley focuses on authenticity, connection, and the everyday experiences that make communities stand out. It uplifts the people, businesses, and causes that make the region extraordinary, offering viewers fresh insight along with engaging, professionally produced entertainment. High-resolution images and video clips from Murrieta the Gem of the Valley are available upon request.

About REAL Shows Network

REAL Shows Network (RSN) is a national TV network for top real estate professionals and influential local leaders, giving select hosts in each market the exclusive opportunity to lead a full 30-minute show that showcases their expertise, partners, and community. Created by an Emmy-nominated, Telly Award-winning production team, RSN delivers cinematic, lifestyle-driven storytelling and strategic media exposure that builds authority, deepens community connection, and elevates positive stories in each market. For more information, visit realshows.tv.

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SOURCE REAL Shows Network

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