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Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE) Secures $2 Million Investment from Truist to Continue Accelerating Black Entrepreneurship in Atlanta

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ATLANTA, Feb. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE) is thrilled to announce a $2 million grant awarded by Truist Foundation and two Truist Trusteed Foundations to advance RICE’s expansion efforts and elevate Atlanta-based Black entrepreneurs both within the RICE community and beyond. The generous support from Truist will continue to increase mentorship, deliver essential business resources, and expand access to valuable opportunities for capital and financial education.

Research conducted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce highlights that nearly 71% of Black entrepreneurs depend on personal and family savings for financing. The disparity in access to capital is further exacerbated by the lower levels of family wealth among Black families. Through acceleration and access to tangible resources, RICE has already made strides to close this gap through Black entrepreneurship as its Stakeholders have created hundreds of jobs, generated more than $100 million in revenue and driven $450 million in total economic activity. 

“RICE is honored to receive this investment from Truist Foundation and the Truist Trusteed Foundations, which will significantly bolster our mission to support Black entrepreneurs in unprecedented ways,” said Jay Bailey, president and CEO of RICE. “Through this collaboration, we are poised to drive economic impact and growth.”

By partnering, RICE and Truist are reshaping collaboration and empowerment in the entrepreneurial realm. This joint endeavor underscores the importance of initiatives that transcend conventional boundaries to foster a more inclusive and dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem.

“As Black History Month comes to a close, we are honored to celebrate the success of RICE and invest in a more inclusive business ecosystem in Atlanta,” said Lynette Bell, president of Truist Foundation. “RICE is known for driving entrepreneurs and small business owners to innovate, grow, create jobs and build wealth, making them an integral partner to achieving Truist Foundation’s goal of increasing economic mobility for all.”

The partnership officially kicked off at RICE today with a formal announcement from Katie Saez, Georgia regional president, Truist, followed by a panel discussion themed: “Demystifying Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs: Strategies for Success.” The panel was moderated by Bell and featured Terri Bradley, RICE stakeholder and founder and CEO of Brown Toy Box; Alphonza Gibbs, financial and business advisor, Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs (ACE); and Gayle Cabrera, director of small business, Truist as panelists.

Following the panel, entrepreneurs were able to mingle with leaders in attendance to gain expert advice on funding opportunities and avenues for growth and investment that empower small businesses to realize their full potential.

ABOUT RUSSELL INNOVATION CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURS (RICE) 
The Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE) is Atlanta’s home for Black entrepreneurs. Positioned as a business generator, RICE serves as an economic mobility engine for the community: driving entrepreneurs and small business owners to innovate, grow, create jobs and build wealth. Inspired by the legacy of Herman J. Russell, one of the most successful Black entrepreneurs and civic leaders in Atlanta, RICE remains dedicated to its mission to Build. Black. Business. and stands as the largest center in the world dedicated to growing, scaling, and developing Black Entrepreneurs. For more information visit www.RussellCenter.org, download the RICE Report Volume 1, and follow @RICEAtlanta on Instagram and Twitter and @RussellCenterAtlanta on Facebook. And LinkedIn.

ABOUT TRUIST FOUNDATION
Truist Foundation is committed to Truist Financial Corporation’s (NYSE: TFC) purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities. The Foundation, an endowed private foundation established in 2020 whose operating budget is independent of Truist Financial Corporation, makes strategic investments in a wide variety of nonprofit organizations centered around two focus areas: building career pathways to economic mobility and strengthening small businesses to ensure all communities have an equal opportunity to thrive. Embodying these focus areas are the Foundation’s leading initiatives – the Inspire Awards and Where It Starts. Learn more at Truist.com/Foundation.

Media Contacts

Shalon Brown
PR@russellcenter.org 

Kristen Fraser
media@truist.com

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SOURCE Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs

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When a British Influencer Meets the Canton Fair

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GUANGZHOU, China, April 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — “It looks like we are walking straight into the future.” said British influencer Jason talking to the camera at China Import and Export Fair, also widely known as the Canton Fair.

 

As the world’s largest trade exhibition, the 137th Canton Fair has attracted buyers from over 200 countries and regions, with over 30,000 companies participating in. All types of cutting-edge technologies created dazzling sparks in the lens of Jason at the Service Robots Zone.

In the smart home appliances section, Jason was drawn to a refrigerator that can “think”—it provides recipes based on ingredient inventory and even enables users to check its contents remotely via smartphone. In the new energy vehicle section, autonomous electric cars and swappable-battery scooters left Jason exclaiming, “This is the future of transportation!”

The significance of the Canton Fair goes far beyond an exhibition; it provides a stage for real-time global trade transactions. Every year, buyers from over 200 countries strike deals worth billions of dollars here, forging partnerships that shape global supply chains. “This is no ordinary trade show,” Jason said in his video. “As a global commerce hub, it showcases not just business opportunities but also the immense momentum behind ‘Made in China.'”

Jason’s video has attracted enthusiastic responses on international social media platforms, with many global netizens commenting, “Jason is the most enthusiastic explorer in China to share values of truth.” 

Want to experience the Canton Fair through Jason’s first-person perspective? Click on the video and join us on this journey of technology and commerce!

YouTube Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvKvlB5qPOg

 

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SOURCE The 137th Canton Fair

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ChangAn Outlines 2030 Vision at “Vast Ocean Plan: United Towards the Peak”-Themed Overseas Partner Conference in Chongqing

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The Company is rapidly accelerating its global expansion with the goal of becoming a world-class automobile brand.

CHONGQING, China, April 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — ChangAn Automobile (“ChangAn” or “the Company”), an intelligent low-carbon mobility technology company, recently hosted the 2025 Overseas Partner Conference in Chongqing under the theme “Vast Ocean Plan: United Towards The Peak.” The event brought together more than 500 partners from over 70 countries discuss the Company’s global achievements and share its future roadmap. During the conference, ChangAn unveiled its “2030 Vision,” pledging over $10 billion in global investment. The Company aims to reach 5 million in global vehicle sales by 2030. ChangAn also set its sights on becoming one of the world’s top 10 automobile brands.

ChangAn’s global business strategy continues to advance with an expected 5 million vehicles worldwide and 1.2 million overseas by 2030

In his keynote at the 2025 conference, Zhu Huarong, Chairman of ChangAn Automobile, highlighted the Company’s progress over five years in new energy, intelligence, and global business. Global sales rose 34.2% to 2.684 million vehicles in 2024, with 735,000 new energy vehicles and 536,000 sold internationally. “From product exports to brand globalisation, we are strengthening global competitiveness with the dual drive of ‘long-termism plus localized operations,'” Mr. Zhu said. Over the next five years, ChangAn will target five key overseas markets and expand localised production, branding, and customer service.

ChangAn’s overseas sales ranked among the top 3 in China’s automobile exports in 2024

At the conference, Li Mingcai, Executive Vice President of ChangAn Automobile, highlighted key global milestones. The Company launched its first international NEV manufacturing base in Thailand and developed eight overseas production partnerships, reaching a capacity of 580,000 units. In 2024, ChangAn ranked among China’s top three auto exporters, with over 500,000 vehicles sold internationally and revenue surpassing $11 billion. The brand expanded into 20 new countries, entering over 100 globally, and now operates 1,150 sales channels. CHANG-AN, DEEPAL, and AVATR gained international recognition, with ChangAn joining the “BrandZ Top 50 Chinese Global Brands” just 14 months after launching the Vast Ocean Plan. “In the wave of anti-globalization, ChangAn Automobile has confirmed the strength of China’s smart manufacturing with nine consecutive years of export growth,” Mr. Li said.

The 2025 “dual-track” development plan will see 20 new cars launched internationally

Technological innovation remains at the core of ChangAn’s global strategy, said Executive Vice President Wang Xiaofei. The Company has invested over 114.8 billion yuan in R&D and established an international team of 18,000, including 5,000 software and AI specialists. Its 2025 plan includes a dual-track fuel and new energy strategy. Fossil-fuel vehicles will target markets in Central and South America, the Middle East and Africa, and Eurasia, while new energy vehicles will focus on Asia Pacific and Europe. ChangAn is building a unified global brand structure through CHANG-AN, DEEPAL, and AVATR, executing a “1+N” brand strategy — one global IP and multiple localised campaigns annually. Product-wise, 20 new global models (10 fuel, 10 NEVs) will be launched, including the CS75PLUS, DEEPAL S05, AVATR 07, and CHANG-AN Q07.

ChangAn remains confident and committed to future growth. Moving forward, the Company will focus on building a “competitiveness plus high quality” strategy, leveraging its core strengths and technology innovation to expand its footprint globally and further elevate its international influence.

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SOURCE ChangAn Automobile

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Shanghai Climate Week 2025:LONGi Jiaxing Production Base becomes the world’s first “Lighthouse + Zero-Carbon” factory in the global photovoltaic industry

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SHANGHAI, April 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — On April 23, 2025, at the Shanghai Climate Week 2025 “Climate Lighthouse: A New Era” theme event, LONGi’s Jiaxing Production Base was honored with the “Shanghai Climate Week Climate Lighthouse 2025 Manufacturing Lighthouse Exemplary Award” as the world’s first dual benchmark of “Lighthouse Factory + Zero-Carbon Factory” in the global photovoltaic industry. This accolade signifies the SCW Climate Lighthouse Committee’s recognition of LONGi’s achievements in climate-friendly practices, while serving as an impetus for the company to further explore the potential of green technologies and smart manufacturing.

LONGi’s Jiaxing Production Base, recognized by the World Economic Forum (WEF) as the photovoltaic industry’s first global “Lighthouse Factory,” has met all evaluation criteria for the “Climate Lighthouse” initiative through its advanced applications of automation, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), digitalization, big data analytics, and 5th-generation mobile communication technology (5G), demonstrating its leadership in smart manufacturing and digitalization at the pinnacle of global PV industry standards.

Building upon its “Lighthouse Factory” intelligent manufacturing framework, LONGi’s Jiaxing Production Base further advanced its zero-carbon transformation in 2024. By leveraging digital tools to enable low-carbon production, deploying rooftop photovoltaic power stations, procuring green electricity certificates and carbon credits, and implementing energy-saving measures, the facility achieved carbon emission reduction and neutralization. This culminated in its designation as the industry’s first “Dual Benchmark” production base certified under the ISO 14068 carbon neutrality standard.

During the Shanghai Climate Week, LONGi participated in the “Empowering Green Supply Chain Transformation Forum” co-organized by the Global Climate Institute, Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs (IPE), Carbon Newture, and Rockwell Automation. Dr. Xie Tian, General Manager of LONGi’s Strategic Management Center, joined the “Big Data and AI: Empowering Enterprises to Enhance ESG Performance” roundtable discussion. He shared practical experiences and challenges in applying data analytics and emerging technologies to advance ESG practices.

Dr. Xie Tian highlighted that the Jiaxing Production Base, as the world’s first “Lighthouse + Zero-Carbon” factory in the photovoltaic industry, exemplifies LONGi’s leadership in integrating digitalization with green transformation. By embedding smart technologies into advanced PV manufacturing processes, the company drives green production and pursues carbon neutrality. Additionally, LONGi has implemented data platforms for ESG disclosure management to verify and analyze sustainability metrics. He emphasized the potential of big data and AI to accelerate secure and efficient green development across industries.

LONGi’s Jiaxing Production Base, through its “Lighthouse + Zero-Carbon” dual benchmark system – a comprehensive carbon neutrality framework encompassing strategic planning, technological implementation, supply chain collaboration, and social responsibility – has emerged as a paradigm of green manufacturing transformation. This model not only provides the global industrial sector with a quantifiable and replicable blueprint for low-carbon development but also contributes to advancing collective progress toward a zero-carbon future.

About LONGi

Founded in 2000, LONGi is committed to being the world’s leading solar technology company, focusing on customer-driven value creation for full scenario energy transformation.

Under its mission of ‘making the best of solar energy to build a green world’, LONGi has dedicated itself to technology innovation and established five business sectors, covering mono silicon wafers cells and modulescommercial & industrial distributed solar solutionsgreen energy solutions and hydrogen equipment. The company has honed its capabilities to provide green energy and has more recently, also embraced green hydrogen products and solutions to support global zero carbon development. www.longi.com/

SOURCE LONGi

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