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BUILD-A-BEAR WORKSHOP CELEBRATES HARRY POTTER™’S BIRTHDAY WITH ENCHANTING NEW COLLECTION AND FAN GIVEAWAY

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A new Harry Potter™ Collection launches July 30, in time for Harry Potter’s birthday, as fans
gear up for a milestone year for the wizarding world™

ST. LOUIS, July 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Build-A-Bear Workshop® is inviting witches, wizards and Muggles alike to celebrate Harry Potter™’s birthday with the launch of an all-new Harry Potter collection available online and at participating Build-A-Bear Workshop locations beginning July 30, just in time for Harry Potter’s birthday on July 31.

New additions to the collection include a new Harry Potter Bear, Harry and Ron-inspired sweater fashions, and an all-new assortment of Mini Beans® plush featuring the beloved mascots of each Hogwarts™ House: the Gryffindor™ Lion, Ravenclaw™ Raven, Hufflepuff™ Badger and Slytherin™ Snake. Fans can complete their collections with returning favorites including Hogwarts™ House robes and scarves, Hogwarts™ school uniform fashions, the Sorting Hat™ with sound, Light-Up Wand with sound, Firebolt™ broom wristie, Harry Potter Bear Carrier and more.

“Few fandoms have captured imaginations across generations quite like Harry Potter,” said Anjali Khosla, Vice President of Brand Management at Build-A-Bear Workshop. “As we continue our partnership, we are excited to give fans even more options in our Harry Potter Collection to celebrate the stories and characters they love and to represent their house pride. What makes this collection especially unique is that it combines beloved Harry Potter characters and accessories with Build-A-Bear’s signature make-your-own experience, allowing fans to create a personalized furry friend that’s uniquely their own.”

The expanded collection gives longtime fans and a new generation of witches and wizards an opportunity to showcase their Hogwarts™ house pride, create personalized gifts and commemorate the stories that continue to inspire audiences worldwide. The launch also arrives during an exciting year for fans as the wizarding world celebrates the 25th anniversary of Harry Potter and anticipation continues to build for the upcoming Harry Potter television series debuting on HBO Max this Christmas.

ENTER TO WIN A BEARY MAGICAL GIVEAWAY EXPERIENCE

Beginning July 31 and running through August 7, eligible fans in the United States and United Kingdom can enter by following instructions on Build-A-Bear’s giveaway post published on the company’s official social media channels on July 31. One winner will be selected in the United States and one winner will be selected in the United Kingdom.

Prize Details

U.S. Grand Prize

One (1) winner will receive:

Four (4) standard tickets to Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood for one (1) dayFour (4) round-trip airline ticketsA two (2)-night hotel stayA private VIP Build-A-Bear Workshop experience

U.K. Prize

One (1) winner will receive:

A private VIP Build-A-Bear Workshop experienceFour (4) personalized Hogwarts™ House robes

Additional eligibility requirements, entry details, and official rules will be available when the giveaway opens on July 31.

About Build‑A‑Bear Workshop, Inc. 

Founded in 1997, Build‑A‑Bear is a leading global retailtainment brand on a mission to add a little more heart to life. At Build-A-Bear, guests are invited to create personalized furry friends through a unique stuffing, dressing, accessorizing and naming process, accentuated by a memorable “heart ceremony” that creates moments of connection for people of all ages.

Over the years, Build‑A‑Bear has grown into a multi‑generational phenomenon, positioned at the intersection of pop‑culture trends. Beyond its signature retail experience, the brand also offers pre‑stuffed plush, gifting, partnerships with best‑in‑class licensed and collectible characters, and original storytelling through Build‑A‑Bear Entertainment, LLC. Build‑A‑Bear’s current brand platform and message, “The Stuff You Love,” crosses ages and cultures while celebrating nearly 30 years of helping people mark life’s meaningful moments.

Today, Build‑A‑Bear operates more than 650 company-owned, partner-operated and franchise experience locations across more than 30 countries, complemented by buildabear.com. Build‑A‑Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE: BBW) reported $529.8 million in total revenues for fiscal 2025, representing the company’s 5th consecutive year of record results. Learn more at the Investor Relations section of buildabear.com.

About Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products

Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products (WBDGCP), part of Warner Bros. Discovery’s Revenue & Strategy division, extends the company’s powerful portfolio of entertainment brands and franchises into the lives of fans around the world. WBDGCP partners with best-in-class licensees globally on award-winning toy, fashion, home décor, and publishing programs inspired by the biggest franchises from Warner Bros.’ film, television, animation, and games studios, HBO, Discovery, DC, Cartoon Network, HGTV, Eurosport, Adult Swim, and more. With innovative global licensing and merchandising programs, retail initiatives, and promotional partnerships, WBDGCP is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/build-a-bear-workshop-celebrates-harry-potters-birthday-with-enchanting-new-collection-and-fan-giveaway-302839411.html

SOURCE Build-A-Bear Workshop

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CleanSpark Executives to Discuss Q3 2026 Financial Results Via Webcast

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LAS VEGAS, July 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — CleanSpark, Inc. (Nasdaq: CLSK) (“CleanSpark” or the “Company”), a market leading data center developer, will discuss its fiscal third quarter 2026 financial results via a live webcast beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT on Thursday, August 6, 2026.

Webcast Information: To view the webcast, please click here.

Downloadable files, including a transcript, will be available on the company website 48 hours after the event.

About CleanSpark 
CleanSpark (Nasdaq: CLSK), is a market-leading data center developer with a proven track record of success. We control a portfolio of more than 1.8 GW of power, land, and data centers across the United States powered by globally competitive energy prices. Sitting at the intersection of Bitcoin, energy, operational excellence, and capital stewardship, we optimize our infrastructure to deliver superior returns to our shareholders. Monetizing low-cost, high reliability energy by producing a global emerging critical resource – compute – positions us to prosper in an ever-changing world.

Investor Relations Contact
Kyle Sourk
702-989-7693
ir@cleanspark.com 

Media Contact
Eleni Stylianou
702-989-7694
pr@cleanspark.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cleanspark-executives-to-discuss-q3-2026-financial-results-via-webcast-302839455.html

SOURCE CleanSpark, Inc.

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Bloomberg Expands Electronic Trading for Onshore-Listed Australian ETFs, Options and Futures

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SYDNEY, July 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bloomberg today announced an expansion of its electronic trading capabilities for the Australian markets, enabling eligible onshore participants to electronically negotiate Australian-listed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) using Bloomberg’s Request-for-Quote (RFQe) workflow, alongside options and futures, following a variation amendment by ASIC.

The first transaction has been facilitated using the RFQe workflow.

Building on Bloomberg’s established Electronic Markets offering, the rule amendment enables the extension of Bloomberg’s Request-for-Quote (RFQe) workflow to include Australian-listed products. Eligible participants can now access domestic and offshore ETF markets through a single, auditable trading experience with minimal onboarding.

“At JBWere, our focus is on delivering strong investment outcomes for clients. Innovations that improve transparency, liquidity access, and execution quality support that objective by enhancing the way investment decisions are implemented,” said Daniel Walsh, Executive Advice at JBWere. “Capabilities such as RFQe contribute to a more efficient and scalable trading environment, helping us better serve clients as markets continue to evolve.”

“Australia’s exchange-traded fund markets continue to grow as investors increasingly adopt ETFs across a broader range of investment strategies,” said Ben Pool, Head of Australia and New Zealand at Bloomberg. “Extending our RFQ workflow to Australian-listed ETFs, options and futures broadens market access while giving eligible participants a consistent trading experience across domestic and global markets.”

Streamlined ETF Workflows for Australian Markets
The expanded capability provides access to competitive multi-dealer liquidity through an electronic RFQ process, replacing workflows that have traditionally relied on voice, messages or other manual methods. The workflow integrates with Bloomberg’s EMSX and AIM while providing a complete electronic audit trail.

Supporting investment, hedging and portfolio management strategies, the enhancement brings together three key Australian listed asset classes, helping firms simplify trading workflows. 

The announcement also builds on Bloomberg’s broader ETF offering in Australia, where the ETF markets have grown significantly. Together with BSKT, Bloomberg’s ETF creation and redemption solution, Bloomberg supports the full ETF lifecycle from basket management and creation/redemption to secondary market trading and execution.

Bloomberg’s Electronic Markets solutions are used by leading financial institutions to trade efficiently in over 175 markets around the world. More than 9,000 client firms use Bloomberg Electronic Markets to access industry-leading depth and breadth of liquidity across asset classes from over 1,500 dealers globally. Bloomberg Electronic Markets provides market participants with comprehensive solutions across the trading lifecycle, including robust price transparency, analytics, automation and execution, powered by Bloomberg’s high-quality, multi-asset class data and tools.

About Bloomberg
Bloomberg is a global leader in business and financial information, delivering trusted data, news, and insights that bring transparency, efficiency, and fairness to markets. The company helps connect influential communities across the global financial ecosystem via reliable technology solutions that enable our customers to make more informed decisions and foster better collaboration.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bloomberg-expands-electronic-trading-for-onshore-listed-australian-etfs-options-and-futures-302839438.html

SOURCE Bloomberg

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Smallest.ai gets $21 Million in Funding to Build Voice 4.0, the Next Generation of Enterprise Voice AI

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Raises $13 million Series A led by Seligman Ventures, bringing total funding to more than $21 millionIntroduces Voice 4.0 and Hydra, an asynchronous AI architecture designed  to make AI conversations as natural, responsive and scalable as human dialoguePulse STT and Lightning TTS rank among the top choices for enterprises on Artificial Analysis, leading on speed and cost efficiency across the global leaderboard

SAN FRANCISCO, July 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Smallest.ai, a San Francisco-based foundational AI research lab building the next generation of real-time voice AI infrastructure for enterprises, today announced it has surpassed $21 million in total funding following the close of a $13 million Series A led by Seligman Ventures with participation from Sierra Ventures and 3one4 Capital.

Industry forecasts expect the global Voice AI market to grow from $2.4 billion in 2024 to $47.5 billion by 2034, however, less than 1% of today’s global voice interactions are powered by AI. Enterprises continue to struggle with systems that sound robotic, fail under real-world complexity, introduce latency, and create operational challenges around reliability, compliance and governance. Smallest.ai is expanding its core voice AI platform across financial services, healthcare, contact centers, and business process outsourcing, where organizations are increasingly looking to deploy AI-powered voice agents at scale.

“Voice AI has gone through three generations of innovation, but each generation has ultimately hit the same wall,” said Sudarshan Kamath, founder and CEO of Smallest.ai. “The industry has focused on making models larger when the real challenge is architectural. Humans don’t wait for someone to finish speaking before they begin thinking. We listen, think, and respond simultaneously. Voice AI needs to work the same way. That’s why we built Smallest.ai around a real-time architecture that processes speech as it arrives, enabling faster, more natural conversations without sacrificing intelligence. By rethinking the stack instead of simply scaling models, we’re reducing latency to the point where voice interactions feel genuinely human.”

The End of Voice 3.0

Voice technology has evolved through three major eras:

Voice 1.0: Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems built around rigid phone trees and menu navigation.Voice 2.0: Machine learning-powered voice bots capable of basic intent recognition but unable to handle complexity.Voice 3.0: Generative AI voice agents powered by large language models that sound more natural but still rely on multiple disconnected systems working sequentially.

Today’s voice agents typically require a chain of separate technologies, including speech recognition, language models, text-to-speech systems, orchestration layers, memory systems, and guardrails. The result is high latency, brittle performance, and conversations that still feel distinctly artificial.

Beyond Voice 3.0: Introducing Voice 4.0 

Smallest.ai characterizes its innovation as Voice 4.0, a paradigm shift toward AI architectures that process listening, reasoning, action, and response in parallel. Rather than executing these functions sequentially, Voice 4.0 enables them to happen simultaneously, allowing AI systems to respond while conversations are still unfolding.

Hydra: The Architecture Behind Voice 4.0

At the center of Voice 4.0 is Hydra, Smallest.ai’s speech-to-speech model designed around asynchronous intelligence. Rather than waiting for one process to finish before starting another, Hydra performs multiple tasks in parallel, enabling real-time conversational flow, mid-conversation tool use, natural interruptions, and significantly lower latency.

Together, Hydra and Pulse STT Pro are designed to support real-time conversational interactions, with transcription latency measured in milliseconds rather than seconds.

The Smallest.ai Models

Smallest.ai’s broader platform includes Pulse STT Pro and Lightning V3.1, which rank among the top voice AI models on Artificial Analysis for speed, quality, and cost efficiency. Built for enterprise-scale deployments, Pulse STT Pro supports 38 languages and combines low-latency transcription with capabilities such as speaker diarization, emotion detection, code-switching, noise reduction, and built-in PII and PCI redaction.

Customers use Smallest.ai to automate enterprise voice workflows, reducing support costs by up to 80% while improving agent productivity by as much as 10x.

“Voice AI is creating a real impact on life and work,” said Ashish Kakran, Managing Partner at Seligman Ventures. “Developers now increasingly talk to their machines instead of typing code. Smallest.ai is taking a fundamentally different approach to the category by rethinking architecture itself. Customers get an efficient vertically integrated stack and don’t need to waste time stitching models together. We believe the next generation of enterprise voice will be powered by Smallest AI.”

Smallest.ai currently works with organizations managing large-scale voice operations, including RingCentral, Truecaller, Readymode, Piramal, Kogta, Pocket, and others. The company has nearly 60 employees and plans significant expansion over the next year as demand for enterprise voice AI accelerates.

About Smallest.ai
Smallest.ai is a foundational AI research lab building the next generation of real-time voice AI infrastructure for enterprises. The company develops speech recognition, speech generation, and speech-to-speech systems designed to enable natural, scalable AI conversations across customer service, healthcare, financial services, and other high-volume communication environments. Headquartered in San Francisco, Smallest.ai serves enterprises globally through its Voice 4.0 platform and proprietary AI models. The company is backed by Seligman Ventures, Sierra Ventures, 3one4 Capital, Better Capital, Upsparks Capital, Schema Ventures, Tiny VC, DeVC, Mission Street Capital, and other angel investors.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/smallestai-gets-21-million-in-funding-to-build-voice-4-0–the-next-generation-of-enterprise-voice-ai-302839266.html

SOURCE Smallest.ai

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