Wednesday, September 5, 2018

XMaterials to start securities token offering in Q4 2018


 
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 3 (Bernama) --  XMaterials (XMAT) will scale its AI- and machine learning-powered factory automation process for mixing and setting customizable, environmentally friendly and enhanced building materials through a securities token offering (STO), begin in Q4 2018.
To meet the supply and demand gap for its enhanced building materials, XMAT has decided to decentralize its technology -- for other building and construction companies who wish to enhance their products can become XMAT franchisees.
XMAT in a statement said it will aggregate and analyze the production data collected from all of its franchises in order to improve its recipes and processes.
Additionally, all XMAT token holders will be able to purchase the technology stack and franchise rights at a 25 per cent discount and receive at least 15 per cent of all profits derived from the royalties XMAT receives from franchises.
Ultimately, XMAT aims to disrupt the $600 building materials industry and revolutionize the way cities, roads and homes are built. 
XMAT’s parent company, Intellihouse, developed patent-pending AI- and machine learning-driven technology for geolocating and aggregating building materials, including waste materials; mixing and setting the ingredients on a molecular level into a custom end product, depending on the specifications of the factory; and analyzing the production data to iteratively improve subsequent batches.
The technology and its resultant eco-friendly, faster-setting and more durable forms of concrete, granite, marble and ceramics have already generated $2 million in revenue in XMAT’s first year of business.
More details at www.xmat.io
--BERNAMA

ATPCO AND BLOCKSKYE PROOF OF CONCEPT EXPLORES APPLICATION OF BLOCKCHAIN IN AIRLINE OFFER MANAGEMENT

DULLES, Va., Sept 5 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ATPCO and Blockskye today released a white paper describing the key features of blockchain and its applicability to airline distribution. In addition, the companies, along with SITA, announced a proof of concept (POC) on blockchain and how it could potentially be utilized in next-generation airline offer management. As part of this POC, ATPCO, Blockskye, and SITA are advancing a discussion on how the industry might create value for the market using decentralized airline offer generation based on International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) New Distribution Capability (NDC) and ONE Order initiatives. The concept would enable airline and channel partners to handle the exponentially increasing volumes of data accurately and securely. The POC leverages NDC Exchange, built by ATPCO and SITA, because it is a neutral platform that facilitates real-time connectivity, on SITA’s global IT infrastructure, between airlines and travel sellers so that they can exchange messages easily and cost-effectively.

As airlines and sellers deliver greater value and choice through NDC, it becomes increasingly important for offers to be consistently and accurately managed. NDC Exchange provides the ability to seamlessly integrate fulfilment and data sources from shopping through settlement across all actors in the value chain. The POC will explore augmenting NDC Exchange with blockchain technology, providing a trusted and secure offer authority that can reduce integration costs and transaction risk for airlines and sellers alike.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=32622

JAPAN INSULATION RELEASES DAIPALITE-EA, INORGANIC THERMAL INSULATION MATERIAL RESISTANT TO HIGH TEMPERATURE

OSAKA, Japan, Sept 5 (Bernama-AsiaNet) --

- Environment-friendly, Utilizing Biomass as Raw Material and Fuel, and Yet Can Withstand Heat of 1,000 degrees Celsius -

JAPAN INSULATION CO., LTD. has released "DAIPALITE-EA," a thermal insulation material developed on the basis of the results of ODA-based cooperation research with Malaysia. By using rice husk ash as an alternative material for silica stone, it enables effective use of rice husk which cause environmental pollution by river dumping. Moreover, by utilizing the heat (biomass energy) generated when burning rice husk in the reaction and drying processes, carbon dioxide emissions can be greatly reduced.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=32621

NEW R&D CAMPUS AT TECHNOLOGY BASE IN TWENTE

HENGELO, The Netherlands, Sept 4 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Energy management company Lithium Werks B.V. (www.lithiumwerks.com) has announced that it will build a major clean energy research and development (R&D) campus at Twente Airport. “In order to achieve a real transition, from fossil fuels to renewables, energy has to be available in the right place and at the right time,” said the initiator Kees Koolen, chairman of the board, Lithium Werks. “Over the next five years, we will recruit some 2,000 people to develop clean energy technologies at the campus.”

Lithium Werks, which supplies 200 million battery cells to more than 1,000 customers in 50 countries, currently produces lithium iron phosphate batteries, or LFP. For the development of the next generations of batteries, Lithium Werks collaborates with the University of Twente, a pioneer in research in the field of new materials, artificial intelligence and control electronics. The East Netherlands Development Agency Oost NL is investing in Lithium Werks to support the company’s vision of an R&D campus, together with the municipality of Enschede and the province of Overijssel.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=32612

​LITHIUM WERKS AND SUPER B AGREE TO MERGE TO ENABLE GLOBAL ENERGY TRANSITION

HENGELO, The Netherlands, Sept 4 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Energy management company Lithium Werks (www.lithiumwerks.com), known for its Nanophosphate™ Cells and its smart lithium-ion modules, is merging with fellow lithium battery developer and producer Super B (www.super-b.com).

The new global company serves over 1,000 customers in nearly 50 countries and offers jobs to over 550 employees. With more than 400 patents for lithium technology, the company is a leading player when it comes to technical knowhow.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=32610

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

JUMIO ACCELERATES ITS INVESTMENT IN MACHINE LEARNING AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WITH THE EXPANSION OF AI LABS TO MONTREAL

Jumio’s AI Labs will be dedicated to developing deep learning models and best practices to revolutionize online identity verification and fraud detection

PALO ALTO, Calif., Aug 29 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Jumio, the creator of Netverify™ Trusted Identity as a Service (TIaaS), today announced the launch of Jumio AI Labs in Montreal dedicated to the creation, experimentation, and at-scale deployment of machine learning and deep learning technologies. The new office will expand upon the innovation driven by Jumio’s Vienna-based AI team by building production models that perform three vital functions related to online identity verification: data extraction, fraud detection, and risk scoring.

Jumio’s AI Labs are developing deep learning models to dramatically improve identity verification accuracy and verification speed. The team is led by Labhesh Patel, CTO and Chief Scientist at Jumio, who is expanding his team of machine learning engineers and AI specialists in Montreal to realize this important mission and maintain Jumio’s global leadership in AI-powered identity verification.

Artificial intelligence has already been productionalized to reduce the time it takes to verify an ID document or an online identity which, in turn, is helping Jumio’s customers reduce their abandonment rates and increase new account conversions. In fact, Jumio’s AI models have reduced the average customer transaction time by 7 percent, with more significant reductions planned for the fourth quarter.

“Because of Jumio’s scale and deep experience in ID and identity verification, we have amassed very large datasets that are being leveraged to develop highly predictive AI models,” said Mr. Patel. “Jumio’s AI Labs will build on this experience to further refine our supervised AI models, develop best practices, and continue as a platform of innovation.”

The choice of Montreal as the location of Jumio’s AI Labs was deliberate. In recent years, Montreal has emerged as a major technology hub for AI.  A major reason has been the work of Yoshua Bengio, a professor and researcher at the University of Montreal, a co-founder of Element AI (a company dedicated to advancing cutting-edge AI research), and widely considered one of the fathers of deep learning. This combined with a low cost of living and several large Montreal-based universities and academic institutions,  has led to a convergence of AI talent and research support in the city.

“Jumio’s creation of its AI Labs in Montreal and the investment in research around deep learning are both strong signals of the economic attractiveness of Montreal. This is the result of the city’s ongoing effort to promote a vibrant ecosystem of innovation,” said Hubert Bolduc, President and CEO of MontrĂ©al International, an organization dedicated to sparking economic development within Greater Montreal.

Online identity verification — an industry that is expected to grow to $20 billion by 2022 — is evolving as traditional methods of identity verification, such as knowledge-based authentication and two-factor authentication, have fallen out of favor. Jumio’s investment in AI Labs will enable the company to stay at the forefront by creating new models, algorithms, and best practices that will fuel the company’s growth and broader adoption of AI-powered identity verification.

To learn more about Jumio and its award-winning solution, please visit: www.jumio.com/trusted-identity/netverify/.

About Jumio
When identity matters, trust Jumio. Jumio is the creator of Netverify® which enables businesses to increase customer conversions while providing a seamless customer experience and reducing fraud. By combining the three core pillars of ID Verification, Identity Verification and Document Verification, businesses now have a complete solution that allows them to establish the real-world identity of the consumer.

Leveraging advanced technology including augmented AI, biometric facial recognition, machine learning, and human review, Jumio helps organizations to meet regulatory compliance including KYC, AML and GDPR and definitively establish the digital identity of their customers. Jumio has verified more than 130 million identities issued by over 200 countries from real time web and mobile transactions. Jumio’s solutions are used by leading companies in the financial services, sharing economy, cryptocurrency, retail, travel and online gaming sectors. Headquartered in Palo Alto, Jumio operates globally with offices in the US, Europe, and Asia Pacific and has been the recipient of numerous awards for innovation. For more information, please visit www.jumio.com.

Media Contacts

U.S. Media Contact
Jackie Daane
10Fold Communications
Jumio@10fold.com
415-800-5369

Europe Media Contact
Zarina Banu
Fleishman-Hillard Fishburn
zarina.banu@fhflondon.co.uk
+44 (0) 7775 557578
 



Source: Jumio Corp.

--BERNAMA

A.M. BEST ASSIGNS CREDIT RATINGS TO THE TOA 21ST CENTURY REINSURANCE COMPANY, LTD.; AFFIRMS CREDIT RATINGS OF THE TOA REINSURANCE COMPANY, LIMITED AND THE TOA REINSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA

HONG KONG, Sept 3 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- A.M. Best has assigned a Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) and a Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) of “a+” to The Toa 21st Century Reinsurance Company, Ltd. (TTFC) (Switzerland). The outlook assigned to these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. Concurrently, A.M. Best has affirmed the FSR of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term ICRs of “a+” of The Toa Reinsurance Company, Limited (Toa Re) (Japan) and The Toa Reinsurance Company of America (TRA) (headquartered in Morristown, NJ). The outlook of these ratings is stable. TTFC is a newly added member of Toa Re, of which TRA is the other member.

The ratings of Toa Re reflect the company’s consolidated balance sheet strength, which A.M. Best categorizes as strongest, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

Toa Re’s balance sheet strength is assessed at the strongest level, owing to its conservative risk management in its underwriting and investment strategies. The company’s risk-adjusted capitalization has improved significantly in the past five years from stable and positive operating results. Despite a series of catastrophe events in North America, the company maintained profitable underwriting results in fiscal year 2017. Offsetting rating factors include limited growth opportunities in Japan’s domestic reinsurance market and intense competition in the global reinsurance market, owing to abundant capacity.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=32603