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AI STARTUP AVALONX EMERGES FROM STEALTH WITH $10 MILLION IN FUNDING FROM RIDOWN CAPITAL

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After 18 months in stealth, AvalonX brings continuous, enterprise-grade penetration testing to small and midsize businesses, pairing proprietary security AI trained on nine years of real-world offensive-security data with human expertise to expose potential breach paths before cybercriminals strike.

ALPHARETTA, Ga., Oct. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AvalonX, an AI security start-up, today emerged from 18 months in stealth with the launch of its continuous, AI-powered penetration testing platform. Powered by security AI trained on nine years of real-world offensive-security data, the platform is designed to give small and midsize businesses the kind of offensive security testing long used by large enterprises without requiring an enterprise security team or budget.

Smaller organizations face many of the same attack vectors as large ones, but they typically have smaller teams, less money, and fewer opportunities to test whether their defenses will hold. Many such organizations rely on periodic penetration tests, leaving long stretches between assessments while systems, software, and threats continue to evolve.

That gap between the pace of attacks and the pace of pen testing can leave these businesses exposed. Verizon’s 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report found ransomware in 88% of breaches involving small and midsize companies, compared with 39% at larger organizations. AvalonX was built to help close that gap by making continuous penetration testing practical for smaller businesses through a monthly subscription that combines autonomous attack simulation with human expertise.

“Large enterprises test constantly. They have red teams, consultants, and budgets to match. A 50-person accounting firm or a regional manufacturer faces the same threats as their enterprise counterparts with none of the concomitant resources to protect themselves. Most such organizations test once a year, if they can afford it, and attackers don’t wait eleven months to strike,” said Craig Goodwin, CEO and co-founder of AvalonX and former CISO at Fujitsu, Monster, and CDK Global. “We built AvalonX so those businesses get the same quality of testing I relied on as an enterprise CISO.”

AvalonX’s Artemis platform uses autonomous agents to test a company’s defenses the way a malicious actor would, searching for ways in and determining how far attackers can move once inside. The platform is powered by Aether, AvalonX’s proprietary 400-billion-parameter security AI, trained on nine years of real-world offensive-security data and backed by 60 billion dark-web records.

Autonomous testing provides speed and scale, while AvalonX’s penetration testers add human judgment when it’s needed. Potential vulnerabilities that require expert analysis are evaluated by a tester, ensuring customers receive meaningful, actionable findings rather than a flood of automated alerts.

The technology may be sophisticated, but the customer experience is intentionally straightforward. A business enters its domain, defines what AvalonX is authorized to test, and receives results the same day. External testing requires no software installation, and results are written in plain language with clear next steps. Findings also map to SOC 2, ISO/IEC 27001, PCI DSS v4.0, and HIPAA.

Ridown Capital, the investment firm of Onecom co-founders Aaron Brown and Darren Ridge, has invested up to $10 million in AvalonX. Onecom serves more than 65,000 small and midsize businesses, giving Brown and Ridge a close view of the technology and security challenges those companies face.

“At Onecom we’ve spent two decades serving small and midsize businesses, more than 65,000 of them today, and we hear the same thing: they’re targeted like enterprises but resourced like startups,” said Brown. “AvalonX is built for them from the ground up. That’s why we backed it.”

Their investment builds on Brown and Ridge’s broader focus on bringing enterprise capabilities to smaller businesses. Ridown Group’s portfolio spans telecommunications, cybersecurity, and e-commerce, with revenues of more than $500 million in the U.K. alone.

“Aaron and I have spent our careers giving smaller businesses enterprise capability at a price that makes sense,” Ridge explained. “Craig and his team have done that for cybersecurity. We’re proud to help bring it to businesses that have historically been priced out of this level of testing.”

AvalonX is led by cybersecurity veterans Craig Goodwin, Ricardo Valdes, and Ben O’Nion, who bring more than 50 years of combined information security and technology experience to the company.

AvalonX is available now. Businesses can run a free initial test at www.avalonx.ai.

ABOUT AVALONX

AvalonX Inc. is an AI-powered offensive security start-up headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, backed by up to $10 million from Ridown Capital. After 18 months in stealth, the company launched publicly in October 2026. Its Artemis platform, powered by the proprietary Aether security AI trained on nine years of real-world offensive-security data, combines autonomous testing agents with human verification to deliver continuous, on-demand penetration testing that small and midsize businesses can afford. Learn more at www.avalonx.ai.

ABOUT RIDOWN CAPITAL

Ridown Capital is the investment arm of Ridown Group, led by Aaron Brown and Darren Ridge. The group’s portfolio spans telecommunications, cybersecurity, and e-commerce, with revenues of more than $500 million in the U.K. alone. It includes Onecom, one of the U.K.’s largest independent business communications providers, serving more than 65,000 businesses.

Media contact: press@avalonx.ai

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SOURCE AvalonX

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From IFA Berlin to CES 2027: OlloBot Continues Its Journey in Emotional Companionship

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November 1, 2026

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HONG KONG, Oct. 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AI companion robot brand OlloBot made its European debut at IFA Berlin 2026, where its AI companion robot OlloNi SS1 was named an Honoree in the Best in Home & Entertainment category of the IFA Innovation Awards. The recognition, alongside feedback from visitors at the show, offered further encouragement for OlloBot’s belief that the future of home robotics lies not only in what robots can do, but also in the connections they can build with people.

In the Top 10 Trends in China’s Robotics and Embodied Intelligence Market for 2026, IDC identifies the evolution of educational and companion robots into all-age home intelligent terminals as a key trend. The report highlights a growing emphasis on long-term companionship, contextual understanding and ongoing content services, with value extending beyond specific functions to lasting relationships and services.

OlloBot is building its identity around this shift. Rather than developing humanoid robots or devices primarily centered on task execution, the brand is exploring a different path through what it calls “Cyber Pet,” an emerging category of home companions designed around emotional relationships. Its approach starts with a simple question: how can a robot become a familiar and meaningful presence in someone’s life?

For OlloBot, the answer lies in restraint. A companion robot should not replace human relationships or compete for a user’s constant attention. It should learn when to engage and when to step back. The goal is not about delivering a moment of novelty or amusement. It is about creating a unique relationship that can expand with each interaction and gradually become personally meaningful.

“We believe home robots need to enter the household through emotional connection,” said Lyn Fang, founder of OlloBot. “Technology can create the conditions for interaction, but meaningful companionship comes from how those interactions make people feel over time.”

At IFA, the enthusiasm from visitors offered a tangible reflection of this approach. Under the theme “Touch. Feel. Bond.,” OlloBot created an open, home-inspired setting where visitors could interact with OlloNi SS1 directly. Powered by OlloBot’s proprietary EmpathCore emotional engine and Affinilog interaction system, OlloNi SS1 engages dynamically through touch, sound and facial expressions. OlloNi SS1 also appeared in IFA’s “Robots on the Runway” showcase, where its emotional engine enabled it to react to its surroundings in real time. Visitors were not simply examining a device or comparing functions. They were exploring how it responded to them. The experience reinforced the brand’s conviction that, in the home, emotional connection can matter as much as technical capability.

Next stop: Las Vegas

The recognition and feedback at IFA mark an encouraging step as OlloBot continues to advance its product development and commercialization. Looking ahead to CES 2027, OlloBot is set to take the next step in its journey by introducing two all-new robot family members: a desktop lamp-form robot and OlloBot Gen 2. Visitors will also get a first look at a rich lineup of IP merchandise and ecosystem peripherals built around the flagship OlloVerse universe. Please stay tuned—OlloBot looks forward to welcoming everyone in Las Vegas and sharing how its expanding ecosystem continues to redefine emotional companionship in the home.

About OlloBot

OlloBot is an AI companion robot brand developed by Ollobot Robotics Limited, a Hong Kong-based company and part of BizConf Technology Co., Ltd. (SZSE: 300578).

The company focuses on embodied intelligence and family-oriented AI companion robots designed to support more natural interaction, emotional presence and connection in modern homes. Through its Cyber Pet concept, OlloBot aims to explore how AI and robotics can become a more meaningful and approachable part of everyday family life.

For more information, please visit ollobot.com.

YouTube：https://www.youtube.com/@ollo_botFacebook：https://www.facebook.com/ollobotofficialInstagram：https://www.instagram.com/ollo_botThreads：https://www.threads.com/@ollo_botTikTok：https://www.tiktok.com/@ollo_botX：https://x.com/OLLOBOT_Real

 

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SOURCE OlloBot

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A new way to explore Japan with AI: Naviu AR Travel Companion for Japan Launches November 1 2026

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18 minutes ago

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November 1, 2026

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Patent pending geospatial technology brings 29 language guidance and city scale AR navigation to travelers

TOKYO, Oct. 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Naviu, a business under TANGLE Inc., offering an AI-powered augmented-reality travel companion for Japan, launches on iOS and Android on November 1. Built on patent-pending geospatial technology, Naviu places AR content and navigation accurately in the real world across entire cities, without requiring a visual positioning system.

Travelers can ask Naviu about anything around them and receive answers in any of 29 languages, grounded in their exact location. A semi-transparent AR path provides turn-by-turn guidance, an AI companion walks with the traveler, and the app reveals side-street cafes, local landmarks, and other places that conventional maps and guidebooks may overlook.

About Naviu

Naviu combines an ask-anything AI guide, city-scale AR navigation, photo recognition, bespoke trip planning, and an optional cultural storytelling companion. Its spatial content network also allows brands, cities, and creators to place interactive 3D and AR content in the real world. AR experiences are already live at landmarks including Senso-ji, Tokyo Skytree, Tokyo Tower, Meiji Jingu, and Tokyo Station.

Naviu is available on the App Store and Google Play.

Official site: naviu.app

Key Features

Ask-anything AI guide: Conversational answers about any place in 29 languages, grounded in precise location dataCultural storytelling and guidance: An optional companion mode that guides travelers street by street and narrates local history and storiesAR navigation: A semi-transparent augmented-reality path overlaid on real streets across entire citiesPhoto recognition: Travelers can point the camera at a temple, sign, or storefront and ask what it isBespoke trip planning: Itineraries built around dietary needs, interests, accessibility, and available timeSpatial content network: Brands, cities, and creators can place interactive 3D and AR content in the real world

Statement from the Head of Naviu

“The hard part of traveling in Japan isn’t getting lost. It’s standing in front of something remarkable with no idea what it is. Naviu answers that question in your own language, right where you’re standing, so the city opens up instead of staying a backdrop.”
Jack Mead
CEO of Ashita Co. and Head of Naviu

About TANGLE Inc

TANGLE Inc. is the Tokyo-based company behind the tour operators TOMOGO! and Untold Japan. Its mission, Make the City Yours, reflects a decade of helping travelers discover Japan beyond the guidebook and now extends that experience into software through Naviu.

Company

TANGLE Inc.

Headquarters

Tokyo, Japan

Representative Director

Kengo Goto

Business

TOMOGO!, Untold Japan, and development and operation of Naviu

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SOURCE TANGLE Inc.

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Karma Automotive Announces Eximius, the Bespoke Vehicle Program for Elite Clients Seeking Singular Expressions of Extreme Performance and Bold Craftsmanship

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October 31, 2026

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The First Eximius Creation, “Eximius 1,” is a Menacing Four-Seater Built for the Track which Makes its World Premiere at the 2026 Concours at Wynn Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Karma Automotive builds vehicles in the hundreds rather than the thousands, attracting a highly individualistic clientele seeking a unique statement. For those who wish to go further still, and explore new possibilities beyond the extensive options for personalization available through the Studio program, Karma has created the Eximius bespoke vehicle program. Eximius clients may modify the vehicle’s body, performance and powertrain, collaborating with Karma’s design and engineering teams to build a One-of-One statement which will never be repeated.

Karma Eximius clients may modify the vehicle’s body, performance and powertrain to build a One-of-One statement

The first vehicle from Karma Eximius debuts today at the 2026 Concours at Wynn Las Vegas. A menacing four-seater purpose-built for the track, “Eximius 1” is in ongoing development with its commissioning client, who is not revealed at this time. Upon delivery in 2027, “Eximius 1” will be fitted with an extreme-performance Plug-in Series Hybrid utilizing a 6.2 Liter V8 producing nearly 1200hp (550hp ICE, 645hp battery), delivering acceleration from 0-60mph in 2.7 seconds and a top speed in excess of 200mph (estimated). As these parameters would demand, “Eximius 1” will be equipped with carbon-ceramic brakes and two-piece slotted brake rotors, and Ohlins semi-active suspension.

“‘Eximius 1’ began as a conversation with an elite client who loves their Karma Revero, but wanted something more extreme and unexpected, which was music to our ears,” says Marques McCammon, President and Chief Executive, Karma Automotive. “The Eximius program effectively deletes the word ‘no’ from conversations about what’s possible,” he continues, “and as a four-seat track weapon packing what’ll be the most powerful Plug-in Series Hybrid powertrain and vehicle ever developed, ‘Eximius 1’ shatters expectations and further establishes Karma as a manufacturer of exotic, uniquely American vehicles.” 

Exterior Design
“Eximius 1” is an imposing vehicle to behold, exhibiting the muscularity and eyepopping strength of a superhero. Every panel – excluding the body surface outer – is constructed of pre-impregnated carbon fiber, and the vehicle is 50mm wider due to its wheel arch extensions. The front doors and hood have a unique technical fade from glossy, exposed regular carbon fiber to signature Borealis Blue paint.

The front carbon splitter sets an aggressive tone and is flanked by massive side air intakes incorporating Karma’s Target Acquisition Lighting, rotated 45º to create a distinctive ‘><‘ DRL graphic identity. On the hood, the dramatic arc of the Comet Line – which is inspired by Halley’s Comet is it streaks across the evening sky – widens from its apex towards the base of the windshield; vents above the front fenders release air pressure from the wheel housings and add further visual intrigue. Moving to the side of the vehicle, the front fenders aft of the wheels feature Karma’s signature “Backslash” bearing the number “5,” which is of particular significance to the commissioning client. 21″ Magnesium wheels with center-locks reduce rotating and unsprung mass, and are finished in satin black. Aft of the driver’s side front wheel, twin exhaust tips announce the fearsome new powertrain.

The full-width rear GT wing maximizes stability and downforce at high speeds, and continues the distinctive ‘><‘ DRL graphic identity established at the front of “Eximius 1.” The rear fascia also boasts large side air intakes which are connected by a dominant diffuser to manage underbody airflow.

Interior Design
An aura of intensity continues to the interior of “Eximius 1.” In concert with the exterior, blue-tinted carbon-fiber adorns the seats, flat-bottom steering wheel and doors; for aesthetics and weight-savings, all four doors are manufactured in exposed carbon fiber with one purposeful arm pad on each door. The seats, which are Recaro carbon fiber buckets up front, are trimmed with blue Alcantara and blue Italian leather with Moondust Alcantara upper sections, creating an articulated, form-fitted feel. To support high-speed driving and intense braking force, the accelerator, brake pedal and dead pedal are billet machined aluminum.

The instrument panel is reimagined in glossy carbon fiber and incorporates anodized billet aluminum HVAC vents. The carbon fiber center console is simplified to include the essentials only: the PRND gear selector, window switches, key fob holder, and Emergency kill switch. This console extends through to the rear compartment, to which the client’s custom-fitted carbon fiber racing helmet is held in place by a center-latched strap matching the blue seat belts.

About Karma Automotive
Karma Automotive is America’s only full-line ultra-luxury vehicle manufacturer, and a pioneer of Plug-in Series Hybrid vehicles which it manufactures at its Karma Innovation and Customization Center (KICC) in Moreno Valley, CA. Its Executive, Product Development, and Design headquarters are located in nearby Irvine, CA. The Karma portfolio embodies California’s spirit of innovation and entrepreneurial boldness, reflected by the signature Comet Line which is the central hallmark of Karma’s new design language. The Gyesera Grand Coupe, a Plug-in Series Hybrid four-seater, arrives at dealerships in December 2026; and the Amaris GT 2-Door Plug-in Series Hybrid arrives in Q4 2027. The Karma Kaveya Super Coupe, with over 1,000HP and butterfly-doors, will arrive in Q1 2028, to be followed by the Karma Ivara GT-UV: both EVs will incorporate SDVA (Software-Defined Vehicle Architecture) developed with leading technology partners. For more information, visit www.karmaautomotive.com) 

Media Contact:

Joe Richardson, (917) 716-6617
Joe@BeautifulNoisePR.com 

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SOURCE Karma Automotive

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