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Bluehost Brings AI to Life for Small Businesses Worldwide

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From the inaugural ELEVATE Small Business Growth Summit featuring Google, TikTok, Gary Vaynerchuk and Codie Sanchez, to a global AI Builder Tour spanning 10 cities and four continents, Bluehost is bringing together entrepreneurs, technology leaders and AI innovators to turn AI into real business growth.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Nov. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bluehost, the small business platform for the AI era, today announced a global series of events bringing together entrepreneurs, technology leaders and AI builders to help small businesses move beyond AI hype and put AI to work to build, grow and run their businesses.

The initiative brings together two complementary communities shaping the future of small businesses. On Nov. 10, Bluehost’s inaugural ELEVATE Small Business Growth Summit will help entrepreneurs and small business owners discover practical ways to use AI to build, grow and run their businesses. In parallel, the company’s Small Business AI Builder Tour will connect founders, developers and AI innovators across 10 cities and four continents to showcase new ideas, collaborate with experts and turn AI-powered projects into real-world solutions.

Despite growing awareness of AI, adoption beyond general-purpose chat remains limited. Bluehost’s recent State of Small Business AI Confidence study found that only 16% of surveyed U.S. small business owners had deployed an AI agent. Closing that gap by helping businesses move beyond asking AI questions and transitioning to use AI for marketing, customer discovery, growth and everyday operations is a central focus of Bluehost’s global events and community programs.

“AI is giving small businesses capabilities that once required much larger teams and budgets,” said Sachin Puri, Chief Executive Officer of Newfold Digital, parent company of Bluehost. “But access to AI alone isn’t enough. The real opportunity is helping entrepreneurs put it to work, to build, grow and run their businesses. By bringing together small business owners, technology leaders and AI builders, we’re turning AI’s promise into practical outcomes.”

Bluehost ELEVATE Small Business Growth Summit
Taking place virtually on Nov. 10, 2026, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET, ELEVATE is a free global summit focused on helping entrepreneurs apply emerging technology to real business challenges. Bluehost will also host local gatherings in San Francisco, Austin and New York, giving small business communities an opportunity to experience the program and connect in person.

Built around three themes, Build, Grow and Run, the program will explore how small businesses can establish and strengthen their digital presence, get discovered and reach more customers, and use AI and automation to operate more effectively.

ELEVATE will feature entrepreneurs and bestselling authors Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO of VaynerMedia, and Codie Sanchez, founder of Contrarian Thinking. Their perspectives on business ownership, marketing and growth reach millions worldwide, and Vaynerchuk’s fireside conversation with Newfold Digital CEO Sachin Puri, will be the summit’s finale.

The lineup also includes Brendan Jacobsen, Global Head of Channel Sales at TikTok; Farhaz Karmali, Product Director at Google; Sachin Puri, CEO of Newfold Digital; Salim Ali, CMO of Bluehost; and Satish Hemachandran, CPO of Bluehost, along with small business owners and additional industry experts.

The ELEVATE Small Business Growth Summit will combine keynotes, conversations, demonstrations and practical guidance that attendees can apply directly to their businesses.

To register for the online event or attend a watch party in New York City, Austin or San Francisco, visit bluehost.com/elevate.

Bluehost AI Builder Tour: Connecting Global AI Communities to Advance Small Business Innovation
Bluehost is bringing together AI builders, developers, founders and engineers across 10 cities and four continents through its Small Business AI Builder Tour, supporting a growing global community of innovators building AI-powered websites, applications, agents and automations.

Partnering with established global AI communities, including AI Tinkerers and AI Camp, Bluehost is collaborating with local builders and community leaders to deliver hands-on experiences that foster knowledge-sharing, collaboration and innovation. Community experts will lead breakout discussions and “Unblock Your Build” sessions, offering participants practical guidance on technical challenges to help advance their projects.

Each event will feature live project showcases, interactive build sessions and expert feedback to help participants take ideas and prototypes closer to launch. The tour also creates opportunities for builders to develop relationships with fellow innovators and the broader AI ecosystem.

The tour kicked off in Florianópolis, Brazil, on Oct. 30, 2026 with additional events scheduled through January 2027.

AI Builder Tour Dates and Locations:

Date                     

City                                         

Venue 

Oct. 30, 2026         

Florianópolis, Brazil            

Square SC

Nov. 5, 2026          

Austin, Texas                      

Distribution Hall

Nov. 17, 2026          

San Francisco, California    

The Avalon

Nov. 18, 2026          

Santiago, Chile                    

Cenco Costanera

Nov. 24, 2026        

Bangalore, India                  

TBD

Nov. 27, 2026          

São Paulo, Brazil                

Cubo Itaú

Dec. 1, 2026          

London, United Kingdom    

Plexal

Dec. 3, 2026          

New York, New York            

TBD

Dec. 11, 2026          

Guadalajara, Mexico            

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Jan. 12, 2027          

Chicago, Illinois                    

TBD

To view upcoming Bluehost Small Business AI Builder Tour locations, learn about planned local programs and register, visit bluehost.com/smb-ai-builder-tour.

About Bluehost
Trusted by over 3 million customers worldwide, Bluehost is the small business platform for the AI era. Bluehost makes it easy for small businesses to build, host, and run online with confidence. From creating sites, stores, logos, apps and campaigns to managing business operations, building and deploying AI agents and apps, Bluehost combines purpose-built AI with high-performance hosting and human expert support available 24/7. Bluehost has been recommended by WordPress.org since 2005. For more information on Bluehost, visit Bluehost.com.

About Newfold Digital
Newfold Digital is a leading web and commerce technology company serving nearly 7 million customers globally through our portfolio of brands including Bluehost, Crazy Domains, HostGator, Network Solutions, Yoast, YITH, and many others. We help customers of all sizes build a digital presence that delivers results. With our extensive product offerings and personalized support, we take pride in collaborating with our customers to serve their online presence needs. Learn more about Newfold Digital at Newfold.com.

Media Contact:
Paola Lorenzo
press@bluehost.com

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SOURCE Bluehost

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ASTRI Establishes Advisory Board for Smart Mobility Technology Alliance

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Bringing Together Industry, Academia and Research to Drive Mobility Innovation

HONG KONG, Nov. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) announced the establishment of an Advisory Board for the Smart Mobility Technology Alliance (SMTA), an industry-leading initiative designed to accelerate the adoption and scaling of next-generation smart mobility technologies across the Greater Bay Area and beyond. The SMTA aims to address critical challenges and foster a commercially-driven ecosystem for innovation in the smart mobility sector.

The newly-formed Advisory Board comprises distinguished leaders from infrastructure, transport, telecommunications, and academia, offering a wide-ranging blend of industry expertise, market intelligence and policy insight. Drawing on their extensive network and experience across the public and private sectors, the Advisory Board will shape the SMTA’s strategic priorities, identify emerging opportunities, and provide guidance on the evolving mobility landscape.

“The formation of the SMTA Advisory Board underscores ASTRI’s commitment to advancing Hong Kong as a regional leader in technology-driven mobility,” said Ir Dr Ted Suen, Chief Executive Officer of ASTRI. “By uniting industry, government, academia and research around a shared vision, this strategic alliance will unlock commercial opportunities and deliver transformative solutions that redefine the future of mobility,” he added.

The Advisory Board provides strategic guidance on SMTA’s vision and research and development priorities, helping to align its initiatives with market needs and commercialisation opportunities. It supports ecosystem development by fostering partnerships across industry, academia and the public sector, while facilitating pilot projects and encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship. The Board also offers insights on policy and standards, and promotes engagement with key stakeholders and international partners to advance future mobility innovation.

Members of the Advisory Board for Smart Mobility Technology Alliance include:

Chairman

Dr Ying Huang, Chief Technology Officer, ASTRI

Deputy Chairman

Mr Dominic Chow, Deputy Director-General of Civil Aviation, HKSAR Government

Secretary

Dr Ivan Sham, Chief Director, Technical Solutions Business Development, ASTRI

Members (by alphabetical order in surname)

Mr Lawrence Fong, Director, Digital and IT, Cathay Pacific Airways LimitedMr William Ho, Executive Director, Corporate Development, Airport Authority Hong KongIr Dr John Hui, Deputy Executive Director, Vocational Training CouncilMr Ryan Ip, Vice President of Our Hong Kong FoundationProf Mei-po Kwan, Director, Institute of Space and Earth Information Science, The Chinese University of Hong KongDr Gabriel Leung, Chief Executive Officer, Enterprise Solutions, Hong Kong Broadband Network LimitedMr Roger Ma, General Manager (Operations), Citybus LimitedMr Steve Ng, Managing Director, Commercial Group, HKT LimitedMs Sylvia Ng, Deputy Director, Corporate Development, MTR Corporation LimitedMr BY Sim, General Manager (Hong Kong SAR), Thales Solutions and Services Hong Kong LimitedMr Alex Wong, Deputy CEO, Corporate Affairs, Hong Kong Representative Office, Huawei International Co LimitedDr Rosana Wong, Deputy Chair and Executive Director, Yau Lee Holdings LimitedMs Yan Yan, General Manager, Keeta Drone Hong KongMs Theresa Yeung, Managing Principal, East Asia, Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Limited

Launched by ASTRI in April 2023, the Smart Mobility Technology Alliance (formerly the Smart Mobility Technology (C-V2X) Alliance) provides a networking and knowledge sharing platform for ecosystem stakeholders. These include infrastructure manufacturers, telecommunications providers, EV and drone developers, system integrators, and end users from China, in particular the Greater Bay Area, and overseas markets, all seeking to explore collaboration and technology commercialisation in the smart mobility field.

SMTA Website: https://smta.astri.org/

Photos Download: https://bit.ly/4s0M9ex

 

About ASTRI

Founded in 2000 by the HKSAR Government, Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) is the city’s largest government-funded R&D centre. Committed to transforming high-impact research into practical innovations, ASTRI drives market-driven, interdisciplinary advancements across sectors, including Smart City, FinTech, Digital Health and Life Sciences, New Industrialisation and Intelligent Manufacturing, Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC) and Advanced Electronics, New Energy and Energy Storage, and Green and ESG Technologies. Following its merger with the Nano and Advanced Materials Institute, ASTRI has further strengthened its capabilities, with over 1,500 patents and 2,200 successful cases of technology transfer. Recognised with numerous international awards, ASTRI continues to nurture top I&T talent and foster collaborations among the I&T ecosystem, contributing to Hong Kong’s high-value economic development. For more information, please visit: https://www.astri.org

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SOURCE Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI)

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2026 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit Opens

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WUZHEN, China, Nov. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from CRI Online

The 2026 World Internet Conference (WIC) Wuzhen Summit opened on November 3 in Wuzhen, Tongxiang City in Zhejiang Province, under the theme “Open Source and Openness, Joined Contribution and Shared Benefits — Jointly Building a Community With a Shared Future in Cyberspace”. Approximately 1,800 participants attended the opening ceremony, including government officials from various countries, heads of international organizations such as the United Nations, representatives of global Internet companies, and experts and scholars.

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SOURCE CRI Online

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Forum on Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilizations in Cyberspace held at 2026 WIC Wuzhen Summit

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WUZHEN, China, Nov. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from CRI Online:

The Forum on Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilizations in Cyberspace was held in Wuzhen, east China’s Zhejiang Province, on November 4 as part of the 2026 World Internet Conference (WIC) Wuzhen Summit.

Themed “Deepening Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilizations, Building a Better Online Home Together,” the forum aimed to promote the Global Civilization Initiative and advance exchanges among civilizations in cyberspace, contributing to a community with a shared future in cyberspace.

Yang Jianwen, deputy director of the Cyberspace Administration of China; Hu Wei, vice governor of Zhejiang Province; and Peng Jianming, a member of China Media Group’s editorial board, delivered opening remarks.

Keynote speakers shared achievements and practical experience in digital cultural heritage preservation and development, international youth exchanges and talent development, cross-cultural communication by mainstream media, and film and television production.

A roundtable discussion explored “Co-Creating Diverse Online Content, Unlocking New Paradigms for Dialogue among Civilizations.”

The forum also launched the “Initiative for Improvement of Minors’ Internet Literacy.” Representatives from the Cyberspace Administration of China’s Bureau of Internet Social Work, the Ministry of Education’s Department of Basic Education, the ministry’s Center for Educational Technology and Resource Development, and Tencent, together with Peking University experts, jointly launched the initiative.

The micro variety show project “Civilizations in Conversation” was also unveiled. A Chinese opera artist and a British performer of Chinese opera jointly presented “Shared Operatic Charm: Face-Changing Show Featuring a Foreign ‘Monkey King'” during an intangible cultural heritage showcase.

Hosted by China Media Group and co-organized by CRI Online, Huawei and RayNeo, the forum attracted more than 120 participants, including government officials, experts and scholars in online culture, technology company executives, and prominent online personalities.

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SOURCE CRI Online

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