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YOOM AND ACTIVE THEORY ANNOUNCE SOUNDWAVES: A GLOBALLY ACCESSIBLE SXSW METAVERSE MUSIC CONCERT FROM MARCH 14-16

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Top EDM and pop artists jointly pledge commitment to virtual events for fan engagement and global growth

AUSTIN, Texas, March 13, 2023  /PRNewswire/ — YOOM, in partnership with Active Theory, has announced that DJ Paul Oakenfold, Teriyaki Boys and Infected Mushroom will be among the artists headlining SoundWaves: A Metaverse Music Concert – an interactive, volumetric music event created exclusively for SXSW. The experience was built with Active Theory’s Dreamwave platform and will feature three performances per day with different sets of artists starting tomorrow (March 14) through March 16.

YOOM and Active Theory announce SXSW Metaverse Concert by with top artists pledging support for virtual events

To mark the launch of this unique music experience, all twelve participating artists have issued a joint statement about their commitment to virtual events as a way to better connect with fans, reach bigger, global audiences and boost creativity:

“We see the metaverse as one of music’s next frontiers and we’re honored to be among the pioneers. Virtual events enable more people to come together and share in an immersive, innovative experience while also helping us reach a wider, global audience and connect with fans in new and exciting ways. As artists, virtual platforms also give us increased creative control over performances and more exposure – not just to fans, but to other musicians, producers and creators around the world too. Tech is truly at the heart of the future of music and we can’t wait to engage with fans, old and new, at the SXSW Metaverse Music Concert.”

Paul Oakenfold, Luude (feat Dear Sunday), Riell, Infected Mushroom, Teriyaki Boyz, Bright Light Bright Light, COASTCITY, Mason & Julez, GusGus, Capri Everett and Muszette

SoundWaves will take place in a custom virtual space inspired by the famous 6th Street in Austin, Texas and will be accessible globally for free on any web browser or device. Participants will be able to explore the metaverse space, chat with other attendees, view merchandise, and witness larger-than-life, photorealistic music performances from a number of talented artists, all captured using YOOM’s cutting-edge volumetric technology.

There will be three performances per day, each with a unique set of artists, at 4am CT, 1pm CT, and 8pm CT, though participants are free to enter the space at their leisure and interact with other areas or attendees. The full lineup with each day’s performances can be found here.

“YOOM is deeply committed to making the metaverse accessible to everyone, bridging the gap that often comes with high-level and expensive technology,” said Gilad Talmon, CEO of YOOM. “This unique activation gives artists the opportunity to connect with fans in new, deeper ways and allows people everywhere to discover artists in a whole new dimension. We are thrilled to partner with Active Theory to bring this project to life for SXSW, demonstrating the growing interest in this kind of technology and showing the world everything that can be achieved in this exciting new space.”

“SoundWaves is a virtual concert that showcases the latest tech from Active Theory, Dreamwave, and YOOM. Our goal is to represent the exciting future of bringing an artist’s likeness and their work into a socialized digital format,” said Andy Thelander, Co-Founder and Creative Director at Active Theory.

As part of their presence at SXSW, YOOM & Active Theory will also be hosting the panel “Creating a Music Experience in the Metaverse” on March 16 at 2:30pm at Room 18AB in the Austin Convention Center. Hosted by Michaela Ternasky-Holland from Games for Change, the panel will discuss how they pulled this event together as well as the future of music in the metaverse. Participants include rapper and music producer Verbal; Andy Thelander, Co-Founder & Creative Director of Active Theory; and Diego Prilusky, Head of Production & Creative of YOOM.

For more information on YOOM, please visit www.yoom.com.

For more information on Active Theory, please visit www.activetheory.net.

About YOOM
YOOM is a deep tech company founded in Tel Aviv, Israel, that brings real humans into the digital world with cutting-edge volumetric technology. Its mission is to enable the creation of new immersive content and experiences for the Metaverse and Web3, pioneering new ways for people to express themselves, create and consume content. YOOM’s AI technology consists of proprietary neural networks dedicated to volumetric video production. YOOM currently operates studios worldwide and is commercially active in the U.S., Europe, Middle East, and APAC.

Please visit www.yoom.com and follow us on YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and Discord for information.

About Active Theory
Active Theory is a digital studio based in LA and Amsterdam that focuses on utilizing emerging technologies to produce interactive experiences for brands and events. Their visually striking projects have garnered recognition for engaging audiences and pushing the limits of web-based possibilities.

Contact: yoom@clarity.global

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Tuya Smart Unveils Doova at IFA 2026, an AI Home Companion Robot Designed to Support Independently Living Seniors

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BERLIN, Sept. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Tuya Smart (NYSE: TUYA; HKEX: 2391), a global AI cloud platform service provider, today unveiled Doova, its new AI home companion robot, at IFA 2026. Designed for seniors living alone, Doova moves beyond the traditional roles of security devices and household robots, combining proactive safety protection, emotionally intelligent companionship, and seamless smart home coordination to support a safer, more connected, and more comfortable daily life.

For many seniors living independently, the greatest concern is not simply an accident itself, but the time that passes before anyone realizes something is wrong.

Doova is equipped with LDS LiDAR, a four-microphone sound source localization system, and AI vision-based skeletal recognition algorithms. If a user falls or encounters another emergency, they can call out, “Hey Tuya, help,” and Doova will quickly locate the user, move to their side, and assess the situation in real time.

If no response is detected within 60 seconds, Doova automatically initiates an emergency response workflow, sending a two-way live video call alert to family members so assistance can be arranged without delay.

An AI Companion for Everyday Life

Doova combines emotional companionship, daily assistance, and wellness support in a single AI-powered home companion designed specifically for older adults. Its conversational ability is powered by a multimodal large language model, allowing it to hold natural, free-flowing conversations rather than respond only to fixed commands.

During quiet moments at home, Doova can hold conversations, offer company, and play entertainment content to ease feelings of loneliness. In day-to-day life, it can help interpret complex bills and letters, identify potential scam risks, and guide users through operating smart appliances. For health and routine management, Doova can provide reminders for medication, weather updates, and schedules, while also engaging users with light interactive games.

Over time, Doova learns user preferences and becomes more personally helpful in everyday areas such as meal suggestions, gardening advice, and outfit recommendations. In the future, Tuya also plans to introduce value-added services including autonomous item-finding throughout the home, helping reduce anxiety around misplaced belongings.

Smarter In-Home Monitoring for Greater Peace of Mind

When users are away from home, Doova helps make home monitoring simpler and less intrusive.

Unlike conventional patrol-style security devices that follow walls in fixed routes and can feel like overt surveillance, Doova uses a node-oriented coverage strategy designed around the center of each room. It can move from space to space on a dual-wheel drive with caster wheels, perform a 360-degree scan at each location, and automatically generate a safety report that is delivered to the user’s mobile phone, making it easier to stay informed about conditions throughout the home from anywhere. Doova also supports autonomous docking and recharging, so monitoring continues without day-to-day intervention.

A Gentle Smart Home Hub Built for Daily Living

Powered by Tuya’s mature AIoT ecosystem, Doova also serves as a central smart home control hub. With simple voice commands, users can coordinate connected devices across the home, including lighting, curtains, kitchen appliances, and bathroom devices, without complicated setup or operations, lowering the barrier to smart living for seniors.

Doova is also designed to feel like a natural part of the household rather than a piece of equipment. Its soft, curved form moves away from the cold, mechanical look often associated with robots, allowing it to blend more naturally into living spaces. The device height is optimized for interaction whether a user is standing, seated, or reclining, while a 10.1-inch high-definition display and dynamic facial expressions make conversations feel warmer and more engaging.

Doova has drawn strong interest from attendees at IFA 2026, reflecting growing demand for AI solutions that support independent living. With Doova, Tuya continues to extend its AI+IoT ecosystem into new areas of daily life, bringing safety, companionship, and connected living together for seniors who choose to age independently.

About Tuya Smart

Tuya Inc. (NYSE: TUYA; HKEX: 2391) is a leading global AI cloud platform service provider dedicated to bringing AI into everyday life. Through its TuyaOpen open-source development framework and universal AI Agent engines, including the AI Agent development platform, Tuya integrates multimodal AI capabilities to lower barriers for AI development, efficiently advancing the realization of AI-driven lifestyles and accelerating AI integration with the physical world. Tuya offers innovative physical AI solutions for smart devices, commercial applications, and industry developers through its cloud computing and spatial intelligence capabilities. It also provides a complete, open, and neutral global AIoT ecosystem.

As of June 30, 2026, the Tuya AI Developer Platform had over 2,092,000 registered AI developers from more than 200 countries and regions.

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NonPublic delivers over 10x return on SpaceX investments for early investors

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Private markets technology investment platform NonPublic delivered over a 10x return to early investors, after they saw SpaceX’s valuation soar to a peak of 2.6 trillion following the biggest IPO in history.

SYDNEY, Sept. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Private markets technology investment platform NonPublic has delivered over a 10x return to early investors, after they saw SpaceX’s valuation soar to a peak of 2.6 trillion following the biggest IPO in history.

“What this outcome illustrates is that the most significant growth in today’s leading technology companies increasingly belongs to private market investors. Most of the money is made before the bell rings, and as companies stay private for longer, that window only widens.”

The NonPublic Group ran 14 vehicles across SpaceX, and xAI which merged into SpaceX, growing US $4.4 million of investor capital into around US$16 million at the IPO price and US$24 million at the June peak, before fees.

SpaceX stock surged 67 percent above its IPO valuation within days of listing, and total market cap still currently sits at over US $2 trillion, but the vast majority of investor returns were realised well before the public markets were granted access.

Direct access to US private placements like these has historically required Australian investors to hold US SEC accreditation or qualified purchaser status, leverage a US-licensed broker, and commit a minimum of US$1 to 5 million per deal.

These requirements are operationally and legally impractical for most eligible Australian investors to meet directly, however NonPublic gave eligible wholesale Australian investors access to the deal by pooling funds through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV).

This access was critical given SpaceX remained private for 24 years accruing value before listing, as the average time from founding to IPO for major US technology companies has grown from around four years in the early 2000s to 12 years today.

SpaceX joined the Nasdaq 100 on 7 July. NonPublic believes its investors already captured the bulk of the company’s value creation before public markets opened.

Milan Reinartz, founder and CEO at NonPublic, said: “When we first accessed SpaceX in 2021 at a US$108 billion valuation, many people thought the ceiling was closed. They missed what Starlink represented as a commercial engine, and the long-term mission that gives SpaceX a purpose no competitor can replicate.

“What this outcome illustrates is that the most significant growth in today’s leading technology companies increasingly belongs to private market investors. Most of the money is made before the bell rings, and as companies stay private for longer, that window only widens.

“For eligible Australian wholesale investors, that opportunity has historically been out of reach. Our goal is to provide access to these companies at transparent fee structures through familiar Australian structures, while being clear that disciplined diversification across a portfolio is how investors manage the genuine risks of this asset class.”

Please contact Priyanka Dogra for any interview requests: 0410 593 587

NonPublic (www.nonpublic.com) is an Australian-licensed investment platform providing sophisticated/accredited and professional investors with curated access to exclusive pre-IPO and private market opportunities, with a focus on leading US technology companies. Through a transparent, technology-enabled platform, NonPublic connects investors with high-growth private companies, secondary transactions, and alternative investment opportunities that have traditionally been difficult to access.

NonPublic Pty Ltd holds Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) 482668.

Media Contact

Priyanka Dogra, NonPublic, 61 0410593587, priyanka@thirdhemisphere.agency, https://nonpublic.com/

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CHiQ Wins AI Home Ecosystem Brand Award, Exploring New Smart Living Experiences Through AI Innovation

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BERLIN, Sept. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — CHiQ, a global smart home brand, received the AI Home Ecosystem Brand Award at IFA 2026 in recognition of its continued innovation in AI technology and smart home ecosystems. The award further highlights CHiQ’s pioneering work in AI-powered smart homes and its ongoing efforts to enhance the user experience through technological breakthrough.

Presented jointly by IDG and IFA, the award is one of the technology innovation honors closely watched by the global consumer electronics and home appliance industry during IFA. It recognizes notable advances in cutting-edge AI technology across the sector, with a focus on practical innovations and applications that contribute to industry development.

“Receiving the AI Home Ecosystem Brand Award is a recognition of CHiQ’s continued exploration of AI-powered smart homes,” said Vinson Fan, Deputy General Manager of Changhong International Brand Business Center. “The value of AI should be reflected not only in the smart features of individual products, but also in understanding users’ needs and enabling different devices and scenarios to work together naturally. CHiQ will continue to deepen the integration of AI into everyday home life, making smart home technology more responsive to users and delivering more convenient, intuitive and personalized experiences to consumers worldwide.”

At this year’s IFA, CHiQ unveiled a range of flagship AI-powered smart home products across key categories, including TVs, refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners. The RGB MiniLED AI TV features an AI Sports Platform that expands opportunities for exercising at home, while the AI refrigerator uses AI-powered precision control technology to improve food preservation. The washing machines and air conditioners employ intelligent sensing to further optimize garment care and indoor climate control.

Beyond its products, CHiQ continues to explore the intersection of technology, culture and lifestyle. The brand has incorporated panda-inspired elements into its AI interactions to engage users in a more approachable way. Through sports partnerships such as the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup, CHiQ is also connecting its brand with sports and lifestyles familiar to European consumers, further strengthening its localized brand presence.

In recent years, CHiQ has continued to advance the development and application of AI technology, extending its AI capabilities from individual products to a broader range of home appliances and everyday scenarios while steadily strengthening its technological and product innovation capabilities. Building on this award, CHiQ will further expand the role of AI in everyday home life. Through a more open ecosystem and continued technological development, the brand aims to strengthen its global presence and bring more personalized smart living experiences to consumers worldwide.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/chiq-wins-ai-home-ecosystem-brand-award-exploring-new-smart-living-experiences-through-ai-innovation-302870186.html

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