HELICAL FUSION RAISES ABOUT US$20.6 MLN IN SERIES B SECOND CLOSE

Helical Fusion and new investors for the Series B 2nd close

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 (Bernama) -- Helical Fusion Co Ltd, a fusion energy company, has announced the completion of a 3.23 billion Japanese yen (approximately US$20.6 million) Series B second close (US$1 = RM4.08).

The round marks another expansion of the industrial coalition forming around Helical Fusion’s Helix Program, with Japanese electrical and industrial equipment manufacturer Fuji Electric Co Ltd joining as an investor and Official Partner of the Helix Program.

In a statement, Helical Fusion said Fuji Electric’s participation represents a significant expansion of the industrial capabilities being brought into the Helix Program.

Through the new capital and business alliance, the companies will broaden their collaboration towards the development of products, services, and advanced technologies required for future fusion power systems.

“The Helix Program is steadily moving forward. At the Helix HARUKA construction site, our team and industrial partners are working together every day to turn fusion technology into real hardware.

“The participation of Fuji Electric and other leading companies across Japan’s energy and industrial sectors further strengthens the foundation for building a new energy industry,” said Helical Fusion Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Takaya Taguchi.

Other new investors in the second close include Hazama Ando Corporation, Fujikura Ltd, Tokyo Gas Co Ltd, KKT LLC, and URATA Co Ltd. The round also included investments from Ecrowd NEXT, a fund designed for individual investors, alongside multiple corporate and individual investors.

Together with other funding, including the Gifu Prime Startup Support Subsidy administered by the Gifu Prefecture Industrial Economic Promotion Center, Helical Fusion’s cumulative funding has reached approximately 13.15 billion Japanese yen (approximately US$83.8 million), including grants and loans.

The new capital will accelerate the Helix Program, Helical Fusion’s development roadmap towards integrated demonstration with Helix HARUKA and subsequent net-electricity generation with Helix KANATA, its first fusion power plant, in the 2030s.

-- BERNAMA

Gradiant Expands India Operations with New Leadership, Five Contract Wins, and 40% Team Growth

CHENNAI, India, Oct 7 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- India is building the factories behind the AI economy, and every one of them runs on water. Today, Gradiant, the water layer of the AI economy, announced a series of milestones reinforcing its position in India: a new Managing Director for the country, five new design-build contracts across semiconductor, printed circuit board (PCB), and solar manufacturing, and plans to grow its India team by more than 40% this year.

Gradiant named Hari Prasad as Managing Director, India, to lead its growth across semiconductors, data centers, and energy. Hari brings nearly 30 years of water technology leadership, most recently as General Manager, Industrial Water at Pentair, following senior roles across India, the Middle East, and Africa.

The new contracts span chips, electronics, and clean energy, and include a repeat award from a global chipmaker expanding its fab. Gradiant will deliver ultrapure water, wastewater treatment, and zero liquid discharge (ZLD) systems, keeping customers' production running while meeting India's strict discharge standards. Customers selected Gradiant for its high water recovery, reliable ZLD performance, and speed of execution.

To support this momentum, Gradiant is expanding its India team across engineering, project execution, operations, and digital roles, including at the Gradiant Engineering Center in Coimbatore, which supports the company's projects worldwide.

"India is fast becoming one of the most important places to build the AI supply chain, from chips to circuit boards to solar cells," said Prakash Govindan, CEO of Gradiant. "When a chipmaker comes back to us for its next expansion, that is the strongest endorsement we can get. With Hari's leadership and an engineering team in India that serves customers here and around the world, we are well placed to be the single accountable water partner for that build-out."

Gradiant designs, builds, and operates the water layer underpinning the AI economy, across chips, data centers, energy, and applied industries. As India accelerates semiconductor, electronics, and clean energy manufacturing, water availability, reliability, and ZLD compliance are becoming as strategic as power and land in determining where, and how fast, that capacity gets built.

"Our orders in India are on track to more than double this year, with revenue set to more than triple," said Hari Prasad, Managing Director, Gradiant India. "A fab or a solar plant can't run a single shift without water, and the ZLD rules here leave no room for shortcuts. That is exactly where Gradiant wins, and with the pipeline in front of us, we need more engineers to keep up."

Careers at Gradiant India: https://gradiant.com/contact/careers/

About Gradiant

Gradiant is the Water Layer of the AI Economy. Founded at MIT and headquartered in Boston, Gradiant builds the water and wastewater infrastructure behind AI's build-out, from chips and data centers to the energy and industries that depend on them. As AI demand accelerates, water is becoming the resource that determines what can be built. Gradiant's technologies reduce what industry withdraws, reclaim what it would waste, and renew clean water to nature, with more than 3,000 treatment plants built across 92 countries. Learn more at gradiant.com.

View source version on businesswire.com:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261006568060/en/

Contact

Corporate Contact
Nandagopal Polamada
Gradiant, Global Marketing Manager
pnandagopal@gradiant.com

Source : Gradiant

Guardsquare Accelerates Asia-Pacific Growth with Office Opening in Singapore

 

^{Guardsquare celebrates the opening of its first Asia-Pacific office in Singapore on October 1, 2026, joined by employees, partners, customers, and government representatives.} 


Mobile application security leader expands its APAC presence to help financial services, healthcare, retail, government, and other industries combat sophisticated app tampering and fraud threats


SINGAPORE & LEUVEN, Belgium, Oct 6 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Guardsquare, the leading provider of mobile application security, today announced the opening of its regional office in Singapore. Its first physical presence in Asia-Pacific (APAC) builds on a customer base of more than 200 organizations across Asia and 50% year-over-year revenue growth in the region.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261005995899/en/ 

Located at 9 Temasek Blvd, Suntec Tower 2, #15-02A, Guardsquare’s new office will serve as an operational and technical center of excellence for Asia-Pacific, with dedicated sales, technical support, and solutions engineering teams. The office will help the company serve rising demand for mobile application and API security across testing, protection, threat intelligence, and app attestation.

Guardsquare marked the milestone on October 1 with an on-site celebration, attended by regional partners, customers, government representatives, and local business leaders. Speakers included Roel Caers, CEO of Guardsquare; Severine de Potter, Belgium's Ambassador to Singapore; Soo Haw Yun, Vice President, Global Enterprises, Singapore Economic Development Board; and Kim De Meyer, Science and Technology Counselor at Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT).

“The Asia Pacific region is operating at the frontier of the global mobile economy, with organizations building increasingly sophisticated, high-value applications that their users rely on every day,” said Roel Caers, CEO of Guardsquare. “As the market leader in mobile application security, our presence in Singapore ensures regional developers have direct access to the most comprehensive security available, so they can build, release, and defend their mobile apps with confidence.”

"Guardsquare's decision to establish its first APAC office in Singapore reflects our role as a trusted base for companies to drive growth in the region. The expansion is a valuable addition to our vibrant cybersecurity ecosystem, and we look forward to partnering with Guardsquare in creating opportunities for local talent and delivering impactful solutions across the region," said Soo Haw Yun, Vice President, Global Enterprises, Singapore Economic Development Board.

The investment comes as Southeast Asia’s digital economy is projected to surpass $300 billion and more than 60% of payments in the region are digital, according to Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company. As mobile banking, digital wallets, and super-apps expand, the team will help organizations protect their applications against tampering, reverse engineering, and fraud while addressing growing regulatory expectations.

The opening event also served to deepen Guardsquare's relationships with key regional partners and customers. Guardsquare works with a growing network of partners across APAC to bring its mobile application security platform — including DexGuard, iXGuard, AppSweep, App Attestation, and ThreatCast — to organizations across the region’s banking, fintech, and retail sectors, among others.

“Proximity to our customers and partners is paramount in cybersecurity,” said Philippe Cazaubon, APAC managing director, Guardsquare. “Organizations across the region are navigating dynamic regulatory environments and increasingly sophisticated threat landscapes. Establishing our direct presence in Singapore allows us to deepen our relationships across the local ecosystem, collaborate more closely with our channel network, and deliver responsive, in-region support to help organizations protect their mobile innovations and revenue stream.”

The Singapore office joins Guardsquare’s six other offices worldwide, marking a milestone in the company’s global expansion. The company is hiring across sales, marketing, and engineering in Singapore. To explore current opportunities, visit the Singapore careers page: https://www.guardsquare.com/careers#singapore

About Guardsquare

Guardsquare offers the most complete approach to mobile application security on the market, delivering the highest level of protection, with ease. Guardsquare integrates seamlessly across the full development cycle, from mobile app security testing and code hardening to real-time threat detection and API security. Guardsquare provides enhanced mobile application security across the entire development process. More than 1,000 customers worldwide across all major industries rely on Guardsquare to help them identify security risks and protect their mobile applications and SDKs against reverse engineering and tampering in the ever-evolving threat landscape. Learn more atGuardsquare.com and onLinkedIn.

All trademarks recognized.

View source version on businesswire.com:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261005995899/en/

Contact

Philippe Cazaubon
Managing Director, APAC region
Guardsquare
philippe.cazaubon@guardsquare.com

Tracy Wemett
BroadPR for Guardsquare
+1-617-868-5031
tracy@broadpr.com

Source : Guardsquare

Digital Science appoints Charlesworth as strategic sales partner of Altmetric and Dimensions in China’s scholarly publishing sector

London, UK, Oct.6, 2026 / Agility-AsiaNet/--

Digital Science has appointed Charlesworth as its strategic sales partner of Altmetric and Dimensions in China’s scholarly publishing sector. This collaboration aims to support the growing demand for research data and information across this rapidly developing market.

China’s local publishing industry has grown significantly in scale and maturity, with journal publishers actively strengthening their international position, investing in publishing capability and seeking greater insight into the reach and impact of research.

The partnership brings together Digital Science’s research technology and data solutions with Charlesworth’s extensive knowledge of the Chinese publishing market and established relationships across publishing clusters, publishers and journals.

Dimensions is one of the world’s largest connected research databases, with 430M+ interconnected records – including publications, conference abstracts, grants, patents, clinical trials and more – enabling users to discover and analyze the global research landscape.

Altmetric tracks and analyzes engagement with research as it is shared, mentioned, reviewed and read online, providing insight into the attention surrounding research beyond traditional citations.

Together, the products can support the continued development of Chinese publishers by providing greater access to research information and a broader understanding of the reach and attention generated by published research.

Michael Evans , CEO of Charlesworth, said:

“Chinese scholarly publishing has developed significantly over recent years. We are seeing increasingly ambitious publishers, publishing clusters and journals looking to build their capabilities, strengthen their international presence and better understand their position within the global research landscape.

“Charlesworth has worked with Chinese publishers for many years, giving us a strong understanding of both the market and its changing needs. Altmetric and Dimensions are highly relevant to this next stage of growth, and we are delighted to be working with Digital Science to make these products more accessible to publishers across China.”

Stephen Leicht , CEO of Digital Science said:

“China is an important and rapidly developing part of the global research ecosystem. As its publishing sector continues to grow and mature, access to high-quality research data and insights can play an important role in supporting that development. Charlesworth’s knowledge of the local market and relationships across the publishing community make them an excellent partner for Digital Science in China.”

The agreement builds on Charlesworth’s long-standing work with the Chinese scholarly publishing community and its role in connecting publishing clusters, publishers and journals with international publishing expertise, technology and services.

About Charlesworth

Charlesworth, part of Enago, works with publishers and the wider research community in China and internationally, providing sales, marketing, technology and author services to support the development and internationalisation of scholarly publishing.

About Digital Science

Digital Science is an AI-focused technology company providing innovative solutions to complex challenges faced by researchers, universities, governments, funders, industry and publishers. We work in partnership to advance global research for the benefit of society. Through our brands – Altmetric, Dimensions, Figshare, IFI CLAIMS Patent Services, metaphacts, Overleaf, ReadCube, Symplectic, and Writefull – we believe when we solve problems together, we drive progress for all. Visit digital-science.com and follow Digital Science on Bluesky , on X or on LinkedIn .

Media Contact

David Ellis , Press, PR & Social Manager, Digital Science: d.ellis@digital-science.com 

SOURCE: Digital Science

--BERNAMA 

SingSaver, Singapore's Leading Personal Finance Platform, Launches Home Loans Segment

 

• Affiliate partnership with Redbrick Mortgage Advisory gives SingSaver users bank-by-bank rate comparison and advice through to application
• The launch takes SingSaver into Singapore's largest household debt category, worth S$296.4 billion, where the gap between bank home loan rates and the HDB concessionary rate of 2.6% can add up to hundreds of dollars a month for borrowers

SINGAPORE, Sept 29 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SingSaver, Singapore's leading personal finance comparison platform and part of Nasdaq-listed MoneyHero Group (NASDAQ: MNY), today launched a Home Loans comparison category in partnership with Redbrick Mortgage Advisory. The launch takes SingSaver into the largest category of household debt in Singapore and extends its product suite beyond credit cards, personal loans, insurance and brokerage.

Under the partnership, SingSaver contributes its brand and high-intent user base, connecting Singaporeans researching home loans with Redbrick's comparison and advisory service. Redbrick manages the underlying bank panel and broker relationships, handling the process from comparison through to application.

Home loans represent Singapore's single largest household debt category. Outstanding home loans reached S$296.4 billion in the first quarter of 2026. This accounted for approximately 71%of total household debt. The balance has grown for ten consecutive quarters, according to data released by the Department of Statistics (SingStat) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

A Shifting Rate Environment

The partnership lands at a point when the cost of not comparing has become easy to quantify. Three-month compounded Singapore Overnight Rate Average (SORA), the benchmark banks use to price most floating-rate mortgages,stood around 1.19% in mid-September 2026. Bank mortgage packages have followed suit, with rates across major lenders now well below the HDB concessionary rate of 2.6%, which has not changed since Q2 of 2026.

For a borrower with S$800,000 outstanding, the difference between 2.6% and 1.4% is roughly S$454 a month, or about S$5,400 a year. On a S$300,000 HDB loan, it is closer to S$170 a month. That arithmetic is driving a refinancing wave, concentrated among HDB flat owners whose lock-in periods have expired and who are comparing bank packages for the first time.

"Home loans are the single biggest financial commitment most Singaporeans will make, yet the market has stayed fragmented and hard to compare. Redbrick is one of the most established names in mortgage advisory in Singapore, and this partnership closes a genuine gap in our platform at a time when falling rates are pushing more homeowners to actively shop around," said Ayush Goyal, Managing Director at SingSaver.

"Redbrick's role has always been to give Singaporean homeowners impartial, expert guidance through one of the biggest financial decisions they will make. This partnership puts that guidance in front of a much wider pool of homeowners, right at the point they start comparing their options, and lets more people access the high standard of advice we've built our name on,” said Eugene Huang, Co-founder and director of Redbrick Mortgage Advisory.

The launch builds on growth SingSaver has already seen in higher-ticket lending, including its personal loans and brokerage categories, and positions the platform in one of the largest consumer lending markets in Singapore.

The Home Loans category is now live on SingSaver’s website here.

About MoneyHero Group

MoneyHero Limited (NASDAQ: MNY) is a tech- and AI-powered personal finance aggregation and comparison platform that provides consumers with actionable insights to discover, compare, and choose the best financial products with confidence — bringing data intelligence and seamless digital access across insurance and banking solutions. The Company operates in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Philippines. Its brand portfolio includes B2C platforms MoneyHero, SingSaver, Money101, Moneymax and Seedly, as well as the B2B platform Creatory. MoneyHero had over 280 commercial partner relationships as at June 30, 2026, and had approximately 3.7 million Monthly Unique Users across its platform for the three months ended June 30, 2026. The Company’s backers include Peter Thiel—co-founder of PayPal, Palantir Technologies, and the Founders Fund—and Hong Kong businessman, Richard Li, the founder and chairman of Pacific Century Group. To learn more about MoneyHero and how the innovative fintech company is driving APAC’s digital economy, please visit www.MoneyHeroGroup.com.

About Redbrick Mortgage Advisory

Redbrick is Singapore’s largest independent mortgage advisory firm, renowned for its expertise in financial analysis and mortgage planning concepts. The firm provides unbiased property financing, mortgage advisory, and optimization services to its clients at no cost. By partnering with all leading banking and financial institutions in Singapore, Redbrick ensures that the latest information and resources are always at its fingertips, ready to be deployed for the benefit of its clients.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbour provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the anticipated benefits of the partnership and SingSaver's expansion into the home loans category. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. MoneyHero Group undertakes no obligation to update these statements except as required by law.

Media Contact

Ellerton & Co. on behalf of SingSaver / MoneyHero Group
moneyhero@ellerton.sg 

SOURCE: MoneyHero Limited

--BERNAMA 

MIDOCEAN SECURES OVER US$4 BLN IN 2026 CAPITAL RAISE

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 2 (Bernama) -- MidOcean Energy (MidOcean), a liquefied natural gas (LNG) company formed and managed by EIG, has concluded its 2026 equity capital raise, securing more than US$4 billion of closed and pending commitments over the last 12 months. (US$1 = RM4.08)

In a statement, the company said the raise included commitments from new strategic and institutional investors, as well as significant re-ups from existing investors, with the capital committed significantly exceeding MidOcean’s original target of US$2 billion.

MidOcean Chairman and EIG Chief Executive Officer (CEO), R. Blair Thomas said the progress achieved in this capital raise represents a major milestone for MidOcean and supports its strategy of building a scaled, diversified and resilient global LNG platform.

“We believe LNG will continue to play an essential role in supporting energy security and global economic growth, and that MidOcean is well positioned to benefit from these long-term market fundamentals,” said Thomas, who also welcomed the new investors and thanked existing shareholders for their continued support and confidence.

Meanwhile, MidOcean CEO, De la Rey Venter said the company has built a high-quality LNG portfolio with strong cash flow characteristics and meaningful growth optionality, positioning it to advance its pipeline of opportunities.

The raise includes commitments from strategic investors, sovereign-linked institutions and financial investors, including the Private Department of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan, NYK Line (through Diamond Gas MidOcean), The Arab Energy Fund, Shizuoka Gas and several Korean institutional investors.

The proceeds are expected to enhance MidOcean’s balance sheet flexibility and position the company to pursue a pipeline of LNG growth opportunities encompassing both cash-generating and development assets.

MidOcean has assembled an LNG portfolio spanning Canada, Australia, the United States and Latin America, while continuing to evaluate accretive opportunities consistent with its disciplined investment approach.

-- BERNAMA

AM BEST ASSIGNS B++ FINANCIAL STRENGTH RATING TO BEIBU GULF INSURANCE

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 (Bernama) -- Global credit rating agency, AM Best has assigned a financial strength rating of B++ (Good) and a long-term issuer credit rating of “bbb+” (Good) to Beibu Gulf Property & Casualty Insurance Company Ltd (Beibu Gulf Insurance).

The outlook assigned to these credit ratings (ratings) is stable, reflecting the company’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

Headquartered in Guangxi province, China, Beibu Gulf Insurance was established in 2013 through a joint partnership comprising 10 state-owned enterprise shareholders and three private sector investors, according to AM Best in a statement.

Its ultimate controlling shareholder, Guangxi Investment Group Co Ltd, a provincial-level state-owned capital investment company in Guangxi, holds a 29.73 per cent equity stake through its subsidiaries.

Despite being a small-to-medium-sized non-life insurer in China, Beibu Gulf Insurance holds a prominent position in Guangxi province, capturing nine per cent of the local market share by premium income in 2025. It maintains a diversified product mix, with motor insurance making up nearly half of its gross written premiums.

Leveraging strong relationships between its shareholders and local governments, Beibu Gulf Insurance gains access to business opportunities in policy-driven agricultural insurance and has continued to expand its liability lines in recent years.

Beibu Gulf Insurance’s strong balance sheet strength assessment is underpinned by its strongest level of risk-adjusted capitalisation as at year-end 2025, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio, supported by organic capital accumulation and controlled expansion in underwriting and investment risks.

After posting two years of net losses, Beibu Gulf Insurance returned to profitability in 2023 and sustained momentum to deliver mid-single-digit return on equity in both 2024 and 2025.

AM Best said the company maintains a well-diversified and liquid investment book, dominated by bonds, fixed-income wealth management instruments and cash. The investment portfolio generated a low single-digit investment return, which was above the average level of the domestic non-life industry in 2025.

-- BERNAMA